The Choice Is Yours

Faith is a lens that changes everything! I liken it to my recent cataract surgery, where image and color were reborn through the new lenses. “I Can See Clearly Now the Rain is Gone” is my latest song! The decisions we make daily aren’t isolated choices. They carry the potential to point us in the direction we are divinely set up to go or get us off track. Unfortunately, too many dreams, well-intended plans, and callings from God get buried with people who “would’ve, could’ve, should’ve,” but never did!        These people never found their courageous “Yes, I’m ‘gonna’ do this,” and gave up the fight for their confidence to say, “No, I will not walk away or accept defeat!” However, they may agree now that delayed obedience to God’s voice can be disobedience with a price attached.         As I sat on the restaurant patio looking at my friends, the Lokkers, an “Open for Business During Construction” sign was in their background above a huge deep hole in the ground. I heard in my spirit, “The deeper the hole, the greater the building.” Doing our Father’s Kingdom business can be a long and arduous process, and the digging can be painful, but if it were easy, everyone would do it, and there would be a crowd at the top of our mountain!         This month thirty-six pararescuemen graduated with my son, James, after conquering the rigorous “pipeline” training with an 80 to 100 percent attrition rate! “PJs” must endure the pressure of these cuts for two years while they complete each training segment of selection, combat dive school, airborne, free fall, survival training, paramedic school, tactics, and mastering the helicopter’s air operations. They are the elite Special forces who globally rescue military and civilians and work with NASA. Their mascot is the guardian angel, and their motto is “We do these things that others may live.” The correlation is prominent among believers who are trained as disciples of Jesus to fulfill the great commission; to go into all of the world, baptize all in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and teach them to heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, and cast out demons,        Are you willing and positioned to be trained, sharpened, and honed with creative skills to set the prisoners free, bring healing to the wounded, and dedicate your time, energy, and life to aiding others?         The great stag in the forest wins by the strength of his antlers. Where he fed the season before will determine his defeat or victory!         When we offer God our willingness, He empowers us to take what He has given us and multiply that blessing to others. The process begins with OUR FAITH IN HIM to take the first few steps, and then the adventure begins as we awaken to the Divine Set-Ups He brings to our attention to demonstrate HIS FAITH IN US! Then there is character building, attitude shaping, and soul defining, all of which must take place for us to become what God intends. The step-by-step accomplishments are more than tasks. We are building a legacy ~ we are shaping God’s Kingdom and discovering the calling for our family and us.   Kathleen O’Donnell Dew is the Author of Divine Set-Ups, Coincidence or Destiny? She and Bill Dew ministered at Blazing Fire last Saturday where dozens experienced the healing power of God.

Elegant Solutions

God showed me today that trusting Him eventually led to becoming like Him. He started out with this scripture:  Prov 3:5-6  "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight." I prayed that I would lean on His understanding and that in every place where I didn’t that I would. The part of this verse that stuck out was, “In all your ways acknowledge Him.” I have always cringed a bit to being totally open with Him, because this command is about full disclosure of all that we do. He then showed me that when we are open, basically showing our full face with Him, that He then can show His. We are then face to face. He also showed me that my fear of being confronted when open with everything, the bad and ugly stuff, that it was totally unfounded. Acknowledging it all was not about being confronted and being called to task to make amends and fall before Him in deep remorse. Acknowledging Him is about relationship, friendship, safety and security. In the midst of that safe warm place I find solutions and perspectives that never occurred to me.  I then stop leaning on my own understanding and instead see things from His point of view. This also gives Him a chance to be uplifting and kind when I have fallen into deep despair or dread over something. If I am open, I am trusting Him and He picks me up in ways that are meaningful to me. In this learning environment I develop wisdom, understanding and truth. This means I become more like Him. To be like Him is to have peace. Years ago I was really upset with someone who just drove me up the wall. I acknowledged this to the Lord sometimes feeling bad that I was not like Jesus with great compassion. In time I was comfortable in discussing my anger on a regular basis and nothing bad happened to me. I just felt like I was talking to my best friend who didn’t judge me, but just heard me. As time went on He said again and again to have peace, like a broken record and not unlike me continually repeating how angry I was. He out repeated me. I then began to see how very temporary the situation was compared to all eternity. Once I got that perspective I realized I had better things to do than waste my time on tantrums. Shortly thereafter the situation resolved itself and my ire had dissipated and the relationship was mended. If we acknowledge Him in everything, in time He presents us with elegant solutions. He did not condemn me for being angry. He did not force me to make restitutions or any kind of penance. He just held me. He holds us right where we are in the midst of what we are going through and in time gives us new ways of looking at things. This whole thing about trusting Him is really in the end a call to become just like Him … straight in all our ways. We become like Him seeing from His point of view and living like Him in peace and joy. (You can read this and other prophetic insights on Bill Hernandez’ website, whisperoflove.org)

The Father's Love Song

Last week was such a fun, life-giving time together as we ventured through songs from the last 5 or 6 decades (most from the late 60’s to the 90’s) to tell the astoundingly beautiful story of the prodigal son that Jesus told in Luke 15.   It’s probably the clearest picture Jesus used for us to understand the depths of our heavenly Father’s heart for us no matter what. And in this depiction, we’re shown that our status as God’s sons and daughters doesn’t change at any point. He is a Father who is always beckoning us back into the home of his warm heart.   In case you missed it or as a reminder of what you heard last week, here’s a very small sample of the highlights. As you sing these songs in your head or out loud, enjoy in a renewed way the truth of your Father’s deep and abiding love for you…no matter what!

As his son walked away with his share of the inheritance, the father watched with deep sadness knowing there would be some painful lessons he would have to learn from his choice to wander…   “What a fool believes he sees, no wise man has the power to reason away” ~ Doobie Brothers

As the father watched and waited there was great hope in his heart, knowing this wasn’t the end of the story…   “Love will lead you back Someday I just know that Love will lead you back to my arms Where you belong I'm sure, sure as stars are shining One day you will find me again It won't be long One of these days our love will lead you back” ~ Taylor Dayne

The aching loneliness in his heart began his search for what had left behind…   “In my life there's been heartache and pain I don't know if I can face it again Can't stop now, I've traveled so far, to change this lonely life I want to know what love is I want you to show me I want to feel what love is, I know you can show me” ~ Foreigner

It was at this moment that he finally came to his senses…   I'm all out of love; I'm so lost without you I know you were right, believing for so long I'm all out of love, what am I without you? I can't be too late to say that I was so wrong ~ Air Supply

When he turned the final corner to his home, he saw his father—not just waiting for him, but running towards him!   “So now I come to you with open arms Nothing to hide, believe what I say So here I am with open arms Hoping you'll see what your love means to me Open arms” ~ Journey

The Father had a huge party! My son was dead and is alive again! He was lost and is found! Let’s have a feast and celebrate!   There's a party goin' on right here A celebration to last throughout the years So bring your good times and your laughter too We gonna celebrate your party with you, come on now Celebration! Let's all celebrate and have a good time Celebration! We gonna celebrate and have a good time ~ Kool & The Gang

When the older son found out his father was throwing a party for his younger brother, he was angry and refused to go inside. “My son,” the father said, “You are always with me and everything I have is yours.”  He was saying to his son…   I said I love you that's forever This I promise from the heart, mhm-mmh I couldn't love you any better I love you just the way you are I don't want clever conversation I never want to work that hard, mhm-mmh I just want someone that I can talk to I want you just the way you are ~ Billy Joel