The Quiet Stillness

When we just stop...stop long enough to take our focus off of ourselves or the circumstances around us, we will be changed. The huge mountains of anxiety, frustration, anger, fear and a ton of other emotions will begin to fade. When we simply and honestly come to God in a place of quiet our perspective begins to change. As The Message says in Matthew 6:6, we begin to sense His grace. All of these emotions have their place, but their place is not to control us. They are to stir us to action. They are to stir us to come to God with authenticity. God wants us to talk, yell, scream, sing or sob...what He wants is our heart. Coming before Him and laying out our heart can me a difficult thing to do...but think about this, it is safer with Him than with any other human on earth! God cares for us like a father, not like a father of abandonment and abuse...but a father who passionately cares for us.

Dumping our load on God does help us feel some better...when we believe He truly cares. When we don't fully believe and dump our load anyway, we are taking a step of faith...and it's a start. But after we dump our load...don't stop and walk away...wait.

After pour our heart out...we need to be silent. Silent to hear what God is saying in our heart. Audible no, real yes. Something deep within will begin to whisper direction, clarity, wisdom, love and grace. Its this quiet time that most of us forget but its the time that God can minister to us. I mean really, isn't that what we want most, God to minister to us? As the focus shifts from us to God, we begin to experience His peace.

This is a portion of what I experienced in the mountains of Colorado...

Matthew 6:5-7 (The Message)

Pray with Simplicity

5"And when you come before God, don't turn that into a theatrical production either. All these people making a regular show out of their prayers, hoping for stardom! Do you think God sits in a box seat?

6"Here's what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won't be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense His grace.

7-13"The world is full of so-called prayer warriors who are prayer-ignorant. They're full of formulas and programs and advice, peddling techniques for getting what you want from God. Don't fall for that nonsense. This is your Father you are dealing with, and He knows better than you what you need. With a God like this loving you, you can pray very simply. Like this:
Our Father in heaven,
Reveal who You are.
Set the world right;
Do what's best— as above, so below.
Keep us alive with three square meals.
Keep us forgiven with You and forgiving others.
Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil.
You're in charge!
You can do anything You want!
You're ablaze in beauty!
Yes. Yes. Yes.

"The Reason for the Warrior"

Once again, this just fits...

Today I am going to post from today's devotional that came from Ransomed Heart Ministries. This series of devotionals are all excerpts from books written by John Eldredge.

The Reason For The Warrior
10/23/2008

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Our God is a Warrior because there are certain things in life worth fighting for, must be fought for. He makes man a Warrior in his own image, because he intends for man to join him in that battle.

One day the young man Moses, prince of Egypt, went out to see for himself the oppression of his kinsmen. When he witnessed firsthand an Egyptian taskmaster beating a Hebrew slave, he couldn’t bear it, and killed the man. A rash act, for which he becomes a fugitive, but you see something of the Warrior emerging in him. Years later, God sends him back to set all his people free, and, I might add, it is one intense fight to win that freedom. David also fights, battle after battle, to win the freedom of his people and unite the tribes of Israel. Something in the man compelled him, that same something that wouldn’t allow Lincoln to simply sit by and watch the Union tear itself apart, wouldn’t permit Churchill—despite the views of many of his own countrymen—to sit by and let the Nazis take over Europe unopposed. For he knew that in the end they would have England, too.

There are certain things worth fighting for. A marriage, for example, or the institution of marriage as a whole. Children, whether they are yours or not. Friendships will have to be fought for, as you’ve discovered by now, and churches, too, which seem bent on destroying themselves if they are not first destroyed by the enemy who hates them. Many people feel that earth itself is worth fighting for. Doctors fight for the lives of their patients, and teachers for the hearts and futures of their students. Take anything good, true, or beautiful upon this earth and ask yourself, “Can this be protected without a fight?”

(The Way of The Wild Heart , 140,.141)

A Heavy Spirit...

Yesterday was an interesting day. Once again we had the opportunity to serve at Stonecreek...which comes with all of the added benefits that hanging with friends brings. But there was just something not quite right. Most of the day I talked with people who were battling everything from just being tired, headaches, not feeling well to those who lost their job without notice last week. Even at lunch with great friends...not everyone seemed themselves. Something was amiss. Even my girls battled unusual headaches and aches that didn't make sense. I couldn't quite put my finger on it but it was clearly bigger than we could see.

Want to know what our study series is a church...SPIRITUAL WARFARE!

A few weeks ago we were ready for the attacks and could see them coming head on. They were large and easy to spot from a distance...now they are more subtle and relentless! They have moved from circumstances to direct afflictions on the families, physical bodies and financial well being of believers who make a difference.

Last night I was searching for just what the spirit was that I was sensing throughout the day...then I asked. A spirit of heaviness. As Cindy and I turned and prayed against it, peace began to return. Today was an incredibly beautiful day and much easier than yesterday. Believe what you want, but I am convinced that Spiritual Warfare is much more real that most of us give credit. When we set out to expose the spirit of darkness with the Truth of God...hold on!

The following is an excerpt from a web site I found which put it well...

Satan is also called the Adversary. He opposes us in our walk with God. He uses many tricks and devices. One of his tactics is to send a "spirit of heaviness" upon us. When we recognize this we are able to over come him easily.

Ephesians 6:11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles (methods - cunning, crafts) of the devil.

The Spirit of Heaviness

Isaiah 61:3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

SPIRIT is "ruwach" This is the same word used for all spiritual life and beings including God. It is used also of breath and air. It does not mean "a feeling" or attitude.

• This is not mans own spirit, which is called "the spirit of man"
• This is not God's spirit, nor can it be from God
• It is a demonic spirit.

HEAVINESS means " somewhat dark 5, darkish 1, wax dim 1, smoking 1, heaviness 1; 9 dim, dull, colorless, be dark, faint :". It is a word used in the bible to describe:

• the effect of a plague darkening the skin,
• the dimness of the eyes in old age,
• a fire gone out of a flax (reed), still smoking and not extinguished.
• a heavy spirit.

THE EFFECT OF A SPIRIT OF HEAVINESS

• It darkens our countenance: Our hearts are down cast. This spirit brings a "heaviness" over us..
• It dims our vision, robs our hope. The room may actually look darker.
• It brings a heavy, oppressive feeling. It quenches our faith.
• It may come over many at once , like a plague. It can be like a cloud, hanging over a place.
• It causes us to isolate, it steals our love, makes us feel alone.

OVERTHROWING THE SPIRIT OF HEAVINESS

1. Recognize it. This is not you, you are a child of God. This is not God's will for you. Romans 8:31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
2. Don't believe anything negative you think under it's influence. Accept no criticism of yourself or others. 2 Corinthians 10:5 We destroy arguments and every proud obstacle to the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,
3. Put on the Garment of Praise (Is 61:3) This literally means to be "Wrapped Up In Praise" God has given it to you to put on. Take action including adoration, thanksgiving, singing and glorifying. Get loud, get definite, aggressive! Wrestle it down. (Eph.6)

FOLLOW THESE STEPS AND you will get a victory over this tactic of the Adversary.

Distract, Diminish and Forget

As we return from our retreat it is evident that the assault is on. Immediately the busyness of life begins its barrage in an attempt to distract us from the peace, refreshment, relationship and commitments which were experienced. At times the assaults are an all out "tater pile" experience where we begin to loose sight and direction. The assault of distractions pull us away of the things which just a days ago were so important and real. Everything assaulting us seems so important and makes us feel needed...but is so different that what God was showing us while away.

If this distraction is successful it will begin to diminish our resolve. The reality of our relationship with God becomes diminished as we get caught in the current of life and drift away. Words and motives begin to get twisted and old agreements quickly slip back in. The distance between prayer, study, silence, adventure and time with others seeking Gods heart, becomes more distant.

Once enough of those agreements take hold back in our life we begin to forget. We forget just how real our encounter was with God. We forget the sound of His voice speaking to our heart. We forget how pure our heart and motives were. We forget what we said we would do. We forget the passion and excitement which God stirred in us while we were quiet and unplugged from the world around us. We forget the life of freedom which God has called us to...and soon we are in bondage once again to the Spirit of this Age. Busyness rules our life and there is no time for God, family, adventure or the things that make us come alive.

Fight the distractions...

Stay close God and those who have shared our experience as to not drift away...

Walk in the freedom of life so as to not forget God and the passion of life which He has given us...

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I'm Back

Wow...what an incredible time at Frontier Ranch in Buena Vista, Colorado.

The teaching, fellowship and simply the whole environment was incredible. As I make time over the next few days to unpack just some of the things God has shown me, I will blog about them.

If I were to condense everything into a small summary, I would have to say that God is real. I mean I have always known that but He is really a real and personal God who wants to be a part of our entire life. He has called us to a life of freedom.

Pray for me...

As this is posting, I am in Buena Vista, Colorado at Frontier Ranch. I am entering into a Wild at Heart boot camp with other men. I am attending with two men that I know well, Jonathan and Jake.

Please pray for us that we would be changed forever because of God. Our longing is that we would meet Him in this quiet time in the wilderness in a way like we have never experienced before. This is a time to disconnect from most everything and just seek after God's heart...and the heart that He placed within us but we have just kept buried.

May we return refreshed with a new heart, vision and passion for what God has called us to.

Thank you...