1 Sam 17:29 And David said, "What have I done now? Is there not a cause?" NKJV
Looking out at the rain rain rain in California. We are used to sunshine and great weather. What has happened? To me the day is mundane and boring and quite gray. Is that a product of the weather or something going on inside of me?
It reminds me of my childhood when I would whine "There is nothing to do. This is so boring." My mother would answer quite quickly "Go find something to do." And I replied, "There is nothing to do." This is a circular dialogue that could go on forever if you let it. :)
It causes me to question today what it is exactly I want from my Christian walk. Why am I bored? Do I want more meetings? Absolutely not. Do I want more things to do? No not at all. So why are these thoughts hitting me today. All is well in my own world and that which surrounds me in this season of our life. His grace is sufficient and grand towards us as we move out in Rivers of Eden. So why the tumult inside of me? Why am I feeling this way? Well, I don't really want an answer but want to make some observations.
As I have written before and continue to meditate on, there is something like a deep current stirring in the Body of Christ. There is a deep joining going on, first with the Lord and each of us individually as He calls us to continually come apart. And, then, corporately with the Body. I keep wanting to ask my Lord "Is this all there is?" What do I see around me? Constant posts on Facebook from people. Internet intrusions in people's lives. Busyness. Barrenness. Stress. Turmoil. Religion that dulls the spiritual senses. Apathy settling in enmasse. Am I rising above it or am I succumbing to it? I know this is a burden I am carrying today that must be worked through in prayer. Boredom does not require more to do. Boredom requires more of Him, going to the next level of glory with Him and allowing a new wineskin to flow forth and a new Kingdom paradigm to be established.
You see, I have no reason to be bored for in the natural I have a lot to do BUT it is not enough. I am wanting more of God so that in making Himself known to me in greater measure, I can make Him known to others from what flows through me. This is a great time to be feeling this way. We have leased our building and ready to start Rivers of Eden Equipping Center in March but is that enough? No, without Him flooding through our lives and through this ministry with power and glory, it is all mundane. Ministry must be infused with the reality of Jesus Christ or it is not ministry at all but a product of man's flesh.
So I looked to this verse that David quoted above in Scripture. When the religious system had reached its height of fear and trepidation when facing Goliath, they shrank back rather than forge ahead. They accepted the norm that says "Do nothing and wait. Perhaps it will go away." Then David comes in and shakes it up and says "Guys is there not a cause?" Are you content with this? Don't you want more than that?
My answer to this all is YES - I want more than what I see. I want more of Him and we shall have more of Him. For we shall engage the enemy on the Lord's terms - with smooth stones of authority and position in Christ in our new endeavor. We shall step forth into a new territory so this is perhaps the quiet before the storm. A day when I can evaluate the mundane around me. A day when I can see that what many in the church are currently engaged in is a lot of works but so little of the Holy Spirit and the anointing. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm how can I wrap this up and speak with eloquence?
Well I can't because this blog is in process today and I am forming a well inside of me that is saying "More Lord. More." A cry from the heart asking for the New Wine to start flowing as we launch out in ministry. I don't want what I currently see so what is that form that the Holy Spirit will initiate so that we can launch out into the deep waters of risk and adventure. Did I say that? Yes I did. But even risk and adventure is not the cure for boredom...........so what is? What can liven all of us up again? What can stir our fire and passion. Well, it is only Him and nothing else.
Is there not a cause? Yes there is but it is not what we DO but who flows through us. He is our cause and our purpose and our destiny. Okay so here I still sit watching the rain but I am not bored. Why? I am heading out to Starbucks to order a Caramel Macchioto (decaf so I am not up until 3 am) and my boredom will be eased for right now.......at least for a little while. :)
Eph 6:13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. NKJV
When surrounded by circumstances or situations that PRESS, there is a solution BUT that solution runs contrary to our natural reasoning. STAND. In fact, I had to repeat that word to myself hundreds of times over the past years. "Debra, DO NOT undertake for yourself what is God's job to do for you." In other words, back up, put total trust in He who is able, and STAND.
There is a certain childlike faith in standing and so contrary to our adult qualities of worry, anxiety, defense, posturing ourself in justifications. No, just STAND. Say it to yourself over and over until you believe it. STAND. Don't turn right. Don't turn left. Don't go back. Don't go forward. STAND.
Standing in your current position requires an increased faith. Despite all opposition, God will come through. He will. Selah. In standing, we are releasing our natural reasoning ability to receive an impartation of His precious Wisdom. Wisdom navigates the circumstances that seem out of control or confusing or some such thing. Standing allows you to breathe and relinquish control to the Lord. Standing causes you to just BE and to survey the scenery and to allow God to free your feet to take the next step. And the next step is the step that will propel you into that supernatural realm of peace, where you come into a place where you are led by the Spirit in all ways.
There is so much movement in the Body of Christ. I am tired of it. Endless words and endless activity that seem useless and futile at times. Why do I say that? Not in judgement but in discernment. Look at the fruit folks. In all this activity in which the church is emulating the world, the church at large is fruitless and powerless and all kinds of 'less'. I want something different and I will walk in something different and I pray that you will want that too.
Standing is a relinquishing all to God despite the pressing on your emotions, your spiritual well being, and all else. It is the 'surrender' to His will and His way. Throwing all up and saying "Lord I don't know which way to turn, what to do, where to go. But you do." Standing is NOT being paralyzed. That comes from fear and we are not talking about fear. Again I say that standing in faith comes from trust in God that He is never late but He is never early but always on time. Did we spout that out of our mouth so many times as a cliche? Yes we did but know we can walk it.
Now let me get personal. In looking for this place to rent in Benicia, we have been turned down 3 times already by those who say they won't rent to a church for some such reason - lack of parking, too much noise, and on and on. It was a hit each time and tried to push us out of our position of authority but we kept pressing by the Spirit in His wisdom and God called us to STAND. What did we stand on when all hell is resisting us from starting Rivers of Eden Equipping Center? We stood on the promises of God that form the foundation of our hope in He who is able to complete that which He promises. We stand despite the enemy laughing.
We stand. Why? Because in standing we renew our commitment to follow His will and His way and not ours. Despite looking at the circumstances that it will never happen, God says "Stand and see the salvation of the Lord."
We have NO PLAN B. There is only one way - His way. We have not come this far to go backward or to the left or to the right but only AHEAD in His perfect plan and purpose for our lives. So can you relate? I know you can.
Ending...............put an offer in on another building yesterday. So what do we do today? STAND and wait for His glory to open a path into destiny. AND IT WILL for us and for you.
The next time I write I hope to tell you we have officially got the building but if not, we stand and one will come our way.
Love you guys. Selah.
I always try to be led by the Spirit as I write this. I hope you find this to be true because in the days that we find ourselves in, we must be led forth by Truth that is empowered by the Spirit of God. There is so much going on in the world. Look around and ask God for discernment and wisdom to navigate these times. Truth - here it is. A verse that has been on my mind for days. (By the way, we are negotiating a lease for a building here to start Rivers of Eden Equipping Center. It is God's dream that He put in our hearts for such a time as this. A place to walk in the reality of the Kingdom, gathering like-minded people, hungry and passionate for the reality of real Christianity) Okay, back to truth. A good verse. Read below and chew, chew, chew. I have read it many times but suddenly I got an eye opener as it moved in my life.
Rom 16:19-20 And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly. NKJV
Okay follow along with me, allowing truth to form in you so that this verse is not just tossed out into cyberspace but as you receive it, you believe it and then walk in it as reality. You see, Jesus said it so clearly. He said "The words that I speak to YOU are spirit and life." Words, eternal words, are alive and living and invasive and real. We don't just passively listen to Scripture but take it in and chew and digest and let it form YOU.
The God of PEACE crushes Satan. Think about it. The God of Peace. There is a realm of peace that is reality to us as we walk in relationship with our Lord. Peace that is real, tangible, and beyond understanding. Supernatural peace that is contrary to emotions or the chaos that surrounds us. The enemy sees our peace and often, oh so very often, seeks to knock us out of peace or knock us off of our platform of peace. Real peace does not make sense to a world in chaos. Why? Because the world is movable, flowing with winds of doctrine that hold no substance, moving with current winds of deception masquerading as truth when it is, in fact, a veiled lie. Oh but peace does exist in a person!
Peace is the PERSON of Christ Jesus that dwells richly in you and He is alive in you. When all is coming against you, you don't look anywhere else but at Him for He is your peace. How can I say this? Each of you have a testimony where peace flowed from your life in the midst of turmoil. It could be during any crisis or calamity involving family, health, job or whatever is relative to your life. Peace invaded your situation WHEN you released all control to Jesus Christ. Jesus has been so devalued in our Western Culture that He is a cliche, a vapor in the wind to the unsaved. But we know otherwise. In the days ahead, the reality of the person of Christ Jesus, alive in us, will be made manifest in glorious and remarkable ways as peace, among so much else, invades the Body of Christ. We shall indeed stand as a contradiction amidst the chaos.
When confronted with chaos, we have a choice. When chaos confronts, stand in peace. When the adversary torments, stand in peace. Peace is complete trust in the God who is able. Yes, when you begin to confront the enemy by simply standing in peace and trusting God, he will come against you with all of hell to disrupt your peace. Don't we all see that when we stand, oftentimes it gets more chaotic before it gets better? It is a lesson to learn. We must see that to stand in a realm of peace is an authority that God longs to impart to us. To stand in the reality of unshakeable peace ( and faith and love and and and all that He is) confounds the enemy in his path. He can't stand it for he longs to fluster us and get us out of our perfect position in Christ. Of course he can only do that when we allow Him to do that. Sooooooooo are you getting the picture so far? I hope so.
Remember dear ones.............I am not just talking, I am walking this out. Especially when we are being confronted with the enemy's tactics to keep us from establishing this Equipping Center in California so he is throwing all sorts of chaos our way. I have had to walk in a simple peace that says "God you are in total control because I give you this total situation."
A few more things and then you can take this and meditate on this verse and allow Peace to crush the enemy under your feet. Okay.....so here's the deal. In years past do any of you remember when we had spiritual warfare times where words came from our mouths binding this and binding that and challenging the enemy this way and that way? Some of it worked and some of it was quite humorous. We had the words, but, for the most part the Body of Christ lacked authority because we shouted yet we had nothing to back it all up. We did not really know where our strength and our victory came from. God conquers our opponent in the power of His strength, not our words. To be still and to truly know God and to be quiet from years of wilderness training is now where many of us stand. Humbled and beaten down, we now rise up. Why? We are being still and in that stillness we know Him.
But here comes a new warfare. Not new to God but certainly new to us at times. Peace. Simple uncomplicated Peace. Stand in the reality of His truth that you will go through - of course you will be challenged but who exactly is directing the flow of your life? God is. Who brought you this far? God did. He certainly can carry you the rest of the way, can't He? Amen to that. So - let me break this down and then I will sign off. Here goes. As a mom and a grandmom, sometimes you have to stand in a level of authority where there are no words but just a look will suffice. Ever been there when you are disciplining a kid. Or perhaps on the job when you are being challenged and instead of fighting back trying to prove anything, you just stand in your position. It generally does the trick BUT here's the deal. You have to truly believe you have the authority to walk in that level where you stand in the peace that God has the situation in control, no matter what you see in the natural. You stand and believe without excess justification. That feels so good when it is God.
And then there's this. When all is coming against you and chaos surrounds, sometimes you gotta turn. I mean turn. Look the devil right in the face. I am not kidding here at all. I mean look at him. And say "Shut up! " And when he says "Why?" Just be clear and consice as you stand in peace......................say this "Because I said so." No explanations. No justifications. Just peace and knowing that He who is in you, is greater than he who is in the world. All that's left to do at this point is just smile.
Love you guys..........................will get on track and keep writing more and more. Hope some of you will visit Rivers of Eden in the days ahead in California and enjoy times of ministry in His presence.
