Colossians 1:26-29 (The Message) The Mystery in an nutshell is this. Christ is in YOU so therefore you can look forward to sharing in God's glory. It's that simple. That is the substance of our message. We preach Christ, warning people not to add to the message....TO BE MATURE IS TO BE BASIC. Christ! No more, no less!
To be mature is to be basic. That is my focus and my desire in my Christianity. BUT, it was not always that way. I declared. I shook. I cried out. I declared breakthrough. I ran here and there. There is more to say but I pray you get the picture as I say the same thing 1000 different ways over the past year. :) What is flowing from my life is a thirst for simplicity in Christ - a hunger for the basics for that is maturity.
In seeking the basics, such as our glorious salvation, the power of the blood, the glory of the kingdom, I am allowing the basics to open up a wide realm of revelation in grace in Him for me. The basics are not boring. Christ is basic simple. He came in simplicity, not pomp and circumstance. Yet in seeking Him in simplicity I am finding a door with a great and glorious expanse of revelation concerning Him and His person. People seek so much extracurricular activity in Christianity. I seek Christ and in seeking Christ I get it all in His way and in His timing. I assure myself of safety when I stay close to the Living Word in my life.
As a prophetic preacher, I used to believe that I had to search the Scriptures for the latest trend or fad to preach to enter the 'cutting edge' zone. I have hundreds of sermons on glory, encounter, fire, rain and much more. I now discover I have disposed of most of them. I also disregard any teaching that mixes old covenant theology with new covenant theology. I am discovering so much in His grace and that is the new covenant in Christ. Why seek anything else but Jesus Christ?
Hebrews 1:3 (The Message)
The Son perfectly mirrors God, and is stamped with God's nature. He holds everything together by what He says - powerful words!
To know the Son is to know the Father. To know the Father is to enter an eternal realm where you discover eternity flowing through your life. Is that I lot to digest? I think so and I am the one writing it. The entrance into the open heaven of revelation and the eternal realm of glory is through focus on the simplicity of the Son, Jesus Christ who then shows us the Father. How glorious is that!
John 17:1-5 (The Message)
Jesus said these things. Then raising His eyes in prayer, he said: Father, it's time. Display the bright splendor of your Son so the Son in turn may show your bright splendor. You put Him in charge of everything human so He might give real and eternal life to all in His charge. And this is real and eternal life: That they may know You. The one and only true God. And Jesus Christ, whom you sent. I glorified you on earth by completing down to the last detail what you assigned me to do. And now Father, glorify me with Your very own splendor. The very splendor I head in your presence before there was a world.
I am focused on Christ and not the extracurricular. Not the greatness of ministry or the wonders of the call of God in me. That is quite evident when we focus and gaze upon the One who is Christ Jesus. I am in union in Him and in Him is all I need.
My challenge is to each of you to get back to the basics. No hype! No pretense! Meditate on the purpose and plan of your salvation. Glory in the wonder of the cross. Revel in the beauty of the blood of Jesus. As you do this in your prayer times and times of meditation, you will discover your life changing and being conformed to Jesus Christ by the simplicity of focus on Him and Him alone. Over time, in time, you will discover that your journey into the basics of our salvation, the cross, His blood takes us on a journey into Him. He is enough! Paul said it best.
Colossians 1:15-18 (The Message)
We look at this Son and see the God who cannot be seen. We look at this Son and see God's original purpose in everything created. For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible, rank after rank of angels - everything got started in Him and finds its purpose in Him. He was there before any of it came into existence and holds it all together right up to this moment. And when it comes to the church, he organizes and holds it together, like a head does a body. He was supreme in the beginning and - leading the resurrection parade - He is supreme in the end. From beginning to end He's there, towering far above everything, everyone. So spacious is He, so roomy, that everything of God finds its proper place in Him without crowding. Not only that but all the broken and dislocated pieces of the universe - people and things, animals and atoms - get properly fixed and fit together in vibrant harmonies, all because of His death, His blood that poured down from the cross.
In Him,
Debra
Is anyone listening? Have you ever felt insignificant? Ever been with people or in a group where you felt like you were not heard or not listened to even though you were talking? Like you were talking but no one actually heard you or even cared enough about you to ask anything about your life?
Lately I have noticed that in my personal life, very few people, in this season, ask anything about ME. Does that sound narcissistic? I hope not for that is not my intent. I have not pushed my way into conversations. I always try to make people feel at ease by engaging them in conversation. I also try to ask open ended questions so that people talk about themselves at times. Yet, sad but true, I have noticed, more often that not, no one asks much about my life, what I am going through, what I think. I am not quite so sure how to write this blog because I want to be transparent but also truthful and not sound like a whining complaining person. You know that type? The ones that say "What about me? What's in it for me" But you are not paying attention to me." I have little patience anymore for that kind of selfish introspection that constantly demands at attention. That is not what I am talking about. :) I am asking God what is the purpose of this - this 'thing' that I find that I constantly encounter.
Each person has significance. No matter how old they are or how young. For instance, my grandson was talking yesterday while we were getting pizza. He was talking about school. This is what he said:
"I want to be a sponger. I want to finish lunch early so that I can ask Mr. Ken if I could have a sponge and be a sponger. So if I eat fast I can get a sponge and wipe down the table and then I get a chance to have lunch with the principal."
That is his world. He lives in this world and to truly partake of this world in depth I have to enter it and engage him right where he is- trying to be a sponger. So I did. I asked him questions about being a sponger. And he talked and I entered his space.
I have noticed in my life that so many I come into contact with are self-centered, self-absorbed, wounded, broken, angry, arrogant, etc. and so much else that either walls are put up to keep you out or many continually talk, rarely listen and care little about my life or anyone else's life and even when I am with them I find that I am there but connect very little with me. I choose not to be like that ever again. I am not passing any generalizations. I know it is not always like that but this season God is showing me this over and over. At first I was a bit discouraged but now choose to just focus on the Lord.
Some of the people closest to me know very little at times what are the desires of my heart. My love and passion for God and my desire to see Rivers of Eden bring glory to His name. So often they have passed judgements against me or presumptions about what I look like or sound like. I can go on and on about this but I will leave it at this. A blog, this blog, is about sharing with honesty and truth, hoping you can relate and be encouraged. I will keep this blog personal and prophetically will speak in other ways through other posts. But now back to this........
A few more things about this. Again I want to say that I choose to make people be encouraged about their uniqueness and individuality. I encourage and challenge creativity in all forms and in all ways. That is the passion of my heart. I love to see the unique and creative ways God makes people and anoints them for His purpose. If you have encountered what I have described above, you know it can hurt deeply. It has hurt me but I am pressing forward. How? By trying to always talk about myself, push this ministry, write about myself and what I do and where I go...........I doubt that. :) But neither will I sink back into oblivion and just sit like some wall flower without any opinion or ideas. I have decided just to be and to BE in sync with the Holy Spirit at all times. I don't try to force anything and I trust God. When I am in a group of people and they shut me out, I don't force my way back in but neither do I become rejected and discouraged. I find that in that situation there is no open door for me to show who I am, who God has made me and I love just the same. But they have lost the moment with me. Sad but true. Not pride but a sense of feeling pretty special to God and all that is in me. I watch and wait but find myself locked out so I wait in silence and confidence to know that I can just BE. This truly has been my life and the life of this ministry for several years now but I can write and smile about it now.
I pray I am making myself clear because as I sit and enjoy a beautiful day i wanted to write about this to just share my heart. This is as prophetic as a 'Thus saith the Lord word". Perhaps this is more prophetic. :) This season of being passed over will end.........but not the way you think. God is changing something inside of me - deeply. He is showing me that He is enough day by day, moment by moment. He is showing me that I live in Him and have my being in Him and move in Him, day by day, moment by moment. :)
So don't cry for me Argentina.........that was so hokey.........but I had to say it. This blog is meant to stir you to a divine acceptance of YOU.......................:)
