Come Up Here!

     Visualize this with me for a moment, we go to church, we praise God and lift our hearts, spirit, and soul to focus on Him, we hear the Pastor bring words of encouragement, teaching, and growth for us to hear and learn from. Then there is a moment after all of this when God has provided a banquet in the front of the sanctuary for our pleasure, for our health and well-being, for our nutrition, for our elevation to a higher level in Him when the speaker invites people to come for prayer....but 90% of the people politely reject His offer of ministry and gather their things and walk out....what is up with that!? 
     This can't be said of every church, I'm pretty sure....but many churches every Sunday, or maybe Wednesday, but sometime during the week, they have an opportunity for people to go up front and be prayed for.
     I see this as a time when God is wanting to minister to His people, but the part I don't understand is why so few people take advantage of it? It's like people don't want more of God? or are they only afraid of what others will think of them for going up front for prayer?
     Are we so afraid of man or what he might think that we turn our back on the special time that God is wanting to meet with us at the end of a service? Or are we in such a rush to get to our food (lunch) that we can't be bothered to be prayed for? 
     Do we not realize the "slime" we gather as we walk through the world daily and weekly that could be cleaned off of us at that prayer time. Do we not realize how we could be prepared for the battles we will be facing in the week ahead if we went and enjoyed the banquet the Lord has placed before us at prayer time every week? Do we really believe we don't need prayer? Do we really want to choose to walk through the battle without the extra strength, wisdom, and guidance that our Heavenly Father would provide if we met Him at the front of the church at prayer time?
     I know we are able to pray by ourselves and receive each of the things listed above, but there is a special power in the prayer of the leadership that is over you. And there are times that you need an extra boost in your prayers. And there is a special blessing in the humility that you exhibit in wanting prayer from those over you. I'm sure you understand the concept that parents have a strength in their prayers for their children that others don't have, it is the same concept that the Pastor and the prayer warriors in your church have strength in prayer over you! 
     Come on up people, be hungry and not proud! ! Come up front, come meet your Heavenly Father! come receive prayer and be made whole, be made stronger, be de-slimed, be lifted to a higher level! Receive wisdom, receive guidance, receive health.

 After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things.” Revelation 4:1

And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.”

Revelation 11:12a

Protection and Provision

     What is it that makes people want safety and protection more than freedom and liberty? Today people want the government to take care of them, to provide all that they could possibly need, yet if they looked at history this was never a good thing! Have you ever heard of the old story of "owing the company store"?  That's where people lived and worked in an area that the company they worked for also owned the local grocery store. The people would work all week so they could go to the store on their payday and give all of their money to the store to buy the food they needed to live for the next week, so they could work all week and then repeat the cycle.
     These days people have been enticed to receive food stamps, health care, housing, cell phones and anything else they aren't able to provide for themselves, all from the government. (I do want to say here that there are some people that aren't able to provide for themselves, but many people that receive these benefits could do something to help themselves if they really needed to, if the welfare check wasn't going to arrive they might find a way to support themselves.)
     The point of this article is that the more handouts we take from the government, the more we developing a slave mentality. We are becoming a society of economic slaves. We work to pay the "government store". (What happened to the idea that those who don't work, don't eat? 2 Thessalonians 3:10-11 )
     I am currently studying in scripture where Moses was enduring the complaining of the multitude of Hebrews that were being led away from slavery. Were they thanking him? NO! they were complaining about how good they had it in the slavery that he had come to lead them from! Yet, Moses was sent by God to lead the Hebrews from their captivity in Egypt because of the outcry they had caused. They were complaining about being slaves and their treatment by the Egyptian government and then they complained about their freedom and there treatment by life! The lesson I'm learning here is that people will always complain!
     Now, I'm wondering what point God is making in all of this? It sounds hopeless, doesn't it? If you follow the Hebrew's experience further, the lessons they were being shown was that God is always there and ready to take care of them (and us). Just ask Him, quit complaining and grumbling, quit looking to man for our needs to be met.
     Once we really learn this lesson we will rejoice and praise God! We will learn to live in peace with each other! Our only problem will be that there is an enemy running around Earth, trying to steal, kill and destroy us, but if we have truly learned the lesson of depending on God for our safety, protection and provision then the enemy will not be able to tear us away from that. Beloved, learn to draw close to our Heavenly Father, He is all we need. We don't need for the government to treat us like little children that need to be told what to do and what not to do, we need God...we need to draw close to Him and walk under His care daily.
     If we turn and take one step towards Him, He runs to us! He cleans us up, He repairs us and prepares us! Choose Him as your Protector and Provider.
   

The Future~

     This morning Lord I awoke and considered that my life used to be one that was routine. I even felt trapped in the repetitiousness of it. Now I see that some of it was quite comforting. The joy of watching season move to season, the comfort of family close by, the assurance of what to expect month by month and week by week. I am just as predictable as other people in wanting what I don't have! Then I wanted change, now I want routine.... I miss fitting in with my farm, I miss family, I miss the joy of the seasons...  Yet!!
     Yet all of this is worth giving up to pursue You. I would not go back to all of that and lose the relationship I have found with You.
     I don't know why I had to let it all go to find You, except that I had it wrapped so closely around me that there was no space left for You? Now I have simply the bare essentials of what I need, and You comfort me. When I cry out in loneliness You draw near, When I have questioned the next season, You have promised Your protection and provision. My home has become that place under Your wing. Thank You Lord!
     There is nothing that I have "needed" that I have had to do without- when I fretted about finances You asked "what have you done without?" and I saw that You had always provided! When I needed a doctor and hospital care, You provided - When we needed a tow truck, You brought "angels" - When we needed somewhere to live in a new town, You provided an expense free place -  When Lane needed a new job, You provided - When we needed an apartment, You even provided an apartment with a lake right outside of our deck - When I needed a car, You provided - When we needed direction, You brought leaders - 
     For all the things I used to have and remember fondly, or even not so fondly I freely turn them loose with love, memory and no regret, for the future You have given me is lovelier than can be imagined in our worldly minds.
     A future in Your very presence! How sweet, how lovely, how amazing! ~

~Lorna Mercer

Under Your Wing

Good Morning Lord~
     Thank You Father for Your protection and provision. Thank You for Your eternal, encompassing love!
     I praise You Lord, You are so worthy of praise! You the Great Creator, the everlasting One, the Powerful One that keeps the world spinning, the universe sticking together and each persons heart beating - You are so amazing!
     Even as I try to grasp the fullness of You I am overcome with my lack of ability to fathom the depths of Your being and yet You love me! I am Your creation, the subject of Your love and thoughts and plans! Amazing! Thank You Father!
     I've heard stories of Your home(heaven) and look forward excitedly to getting to experience it and to praise You in Your Throne Room! To actually be in Your presence there leave me wordless with joyful anticipation!
     Yet You have work and battles for me to complete - I purpose to walk in Your will daily - hourly! and purpose to not waste any of the time or resources You give me. As Joshua fought and destroyed all of the enemies in the land promised to Israel I will fight all that keeps or hinders me from Your perfect will or that sets as an enemy of Your way Lord. As You delivered their enemies into their hands as they walked with You, this I will walk with You and battle as Joshua did. Whether it be from within myself or without - if it be my own sinful nature it will be put to death. If it be scoffers or those who would try to detour me I will not accept them! I will root them out of my way and not be hindered! I will shout out Your name! I will trust in You! I will follow You on Your narrow path, I will find my protection and rest under Your wing.
     Thank You Lord! You have given the promises of Your strength, protection and provision to Your children, to any who will seek You. That is what I"m doing with all that I am Father.
     In Jesus name I pray, Amen