December 2006
Monthly Archive
Drawing Us!
Posted by Paul on 15 Dec 2006 | Tagged as: Encouragement, General, Hope, Ponderings, Remembering
I awoke this morning to a real presence of the Lord, with a hunger in my heart to hear from the Father!
As I was writing in my prayer journal, Psalm 27, came to mind and I began to read it and as I did, I felt as if the Lord was reading it to me!
In Psalm 27:4 David stated: “I’m asking GOD for one thing, only one thing: To live with him in his house my whole life long. I’ll contemplate his beauty; I’ll study at his feet.” (The Message) David wrote that He would seek, inquire of the Lord, that He would dwell in the Lord’s presence, all the days of his life.
As I read, I realized that dwelling in the presence of the Lord is to be an everyday event, part of our life. That we are to dwell in Him and He, in us! That we are to be in His presence, to be in an attitude of worship, of praise, in a place of learning to hear His voice.
As we abide in Him, in His word, in His presence, we are being renewed daily. In fellowshipping with Him, we are fellowshipping together, building up one another in the faith. We are to meditate, to think, to inquire of our Father.
He wants to walk with us, for us to be intimate with Him. Being one with Him, of hearing His heart and allowing Him to touch others through us, that they will see the hope, that is within! There is nothing that we have gone through in our lives, that the Lord can’t use.
The battles, the storms, the mountain tops and the valleys, prepare us to walk in His ways and to give hope to others. That they will see that new life that has been birthed in us, brought forth. We are never the same once we have been apprehended by the Lord.
He takes all that we are and everything that we have gone through to make us instruments in His hands, to express who He is. In Galatians 2:30 the Apostle Paul says: “Christ’s life showed me how, and enabled me to do it. I identified myself completely with him. Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not “mine,” but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (The Message)
He says it is no longer I that lives, yet I live, renewed, transformed, given hope, by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
In Psalms 27:14, David says: “Stay with GOD! Take heart. Don’t quit. I’ll say it again: Stay with GOD.” (The Message)
We are to wait and hope, to be still and know, for He which has begun a new thing in you, He will finish. In the waiting and the stillness we are made strong. We become instruments in His hands, that He fine tunes so that no matter what we are called to do, we can have an expectant heart.
That we will be the instruments in His hand to express His heart, His love to others, using the gifts and talents that He has given us to touch others, to be lights that are no longer hidden but shinning forth in whatever place He puts us.
As David said, expect the Lord, be brave and of good courage, let our hearts be stout and enduring. To have an expectant heart, knowing that in pursuing Him, we will finish the race. We have been called for a time such as this, to let the life changing, enduring power of the Lord be seen in us.
It will cause others to want to know more!!
Where Are You Dwelling?
Posted by Paul on 03 Dec 2006 | Tagged as: Coffee Thoughts, Encouragement, Friends, General, Hope, Ponderings
I awoke this morning to a real presence of the Lord, with a hunger in my heart to hear from the Father!
As I was writing in my prayer journal, Psalm 27, came to mind and I began to read it and as I did, I felt as if the Lord was reading it to me!
In Psalm 27:4 David stated: “I’m asking GOD for one thing, only one thing: To live with him in his house my whole life long. I’ll contemplate his beauty; I’ll study at his feet.” (The Message) David wrote that He would seek, inquire of the Lord, that He would dwell in the Lord’s presence, all the days of his life.
As I read, I realized that dwelling in the presence of the Lord is to be an everyday event, part of our life. That we are to dwell in Him and He, in us! That we are to be in His presence, to be in an attitude of worship, of praise, in a place of learning to hear His voice.
As we abide in Him, in His word, in His presence, we are being renewed daily. In fellowshipping with Him, we are fellowshipping together, building up one another in the faith. We are to meditate, to think, to inquire of our Father.
He wants to walk with us, for us to be intimate with Him. Being one with Him, of hearing His heart and allowing Him to touch others through us, that they will see the hope, that is within! There is nothing that we have gone through in our lives, that the Lord can’t use.
The battles, the storms, the mountain tops and the valleys, prepare us to walk in His ways and to give hope to others. That they will see that new life that has been birthed in us, brought forth. We are never the same once we have been apprehended by the Lord.
He takes all that we are and everything that we have gone through to make us instruments in His hands, to express who He is. In Galatians 2:30 the Apostle Paul says: “Christ’s life showed me how, and enabled me to do it. I identified myself completely with him. Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not “mine,” but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (The Message)
He says it is no longer I that lives, yet I live, renewed, transformed, given hope, by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
In Psalms 27:14, David says: “Stay with GOD! Take heart. Don’t quit. I’ll say it again: Stay with GOD.” (The Message)
We are to wait and hope, to be still and know, for He which has begun a new thing in you, He will finish. In the waiting and the stillness we are made strong. We become instruments in His hands, that He fine tunes so that no matter what we are called to do, we can have an expectant heart.
That we will be the instruments in His hand to express His heart, His love to others, using the gifts and talents that He has given us to touch others, to be lights that are no longer hidden but shinning forth in whatever place He puts us.
As David said, expect the Lord, be brave and of good courage, let our hearts be stout and enduring. To have an expectant heart, knowing that in pursuing Him, we will finish the race. We have been called for a time such as this, to let the life changing, enduring power of the Lord be seen in us.
It will cause others to want to know more!!
Into The Market Place
Posted by Paul on 01 Dec 2006 | Tagged as: Coffee Thoughts, Encouragement, Friends, General
One of the things that I picked up on at the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference back in May, is how the Lord is taking His people into the market place, out of the four walls of the church, to where the people are, who need to see the living word manifested in the world.
At the conference, there where a number of people there, who you sensed the reality of that relationship with the Lord! You did not have to ask them, you just knew, their life reflected it, without a word being spoken.
Again, a few weeks ago, while at Starbucks, there were three men, sitting at one of the tables, studying, fellowshipping and letting their light shine, not drawing attention to themselves, but simply being themselves, allowing the light of Christ to shine forth.
One of the things that I noticed, was those that came in, passing their table, took notice of them, I saw smiles on their faces and noticed how they were listening. Most of you know that when your in Starbucks, Cocoa Bean or any other place, often times, we hear other conversations, though we try not too 
As a matter of fact, that is how I came to be part of a group of men, two years ago, when I first visited Starbucks here in Kennesaw. It has had a life changing impact on my life and something that I look forward to each Saturday morning.
Our lives, effects others, whether we know it or not, because it is not what we say, rather more often, it is what our life reflects. A seed is planted in ways we may not really realize, because someone see’s or senses something different about us.
The light that shines forth, may plant a seed of hunger, of wonder, making them wanting to know what is it that is different, what gives us the peace, that rest that they sense? We may plant the seed, another may water it and someone else, will reap the harvest, of being able to share with that person, what it is that is different, what gives us hope and a purpose.
I can hear in my heart, the Father saying, Just let the light shine, let my son be seen in you. That my love, my heart, my compassion can be seen through you, that it will reach out and drawn others to the light of my presence in you and you can share that which have I given you, new life, new beginnings in my Son.
Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples–when they see the love you have for each other. (John 13:34-35 – The Message)
How uncomplicated is our Lord. The greatest commandment that we have been given is that we love even as He loved us, to forgive as He has forgiven, to live as He lived, to live in the newness of life.
To walk daily afresh with Him. Side by side, leaning on His shoulder and saying, Yes Lord, this day, I walk with you into life, into the market place and I will let your light shine!
