Over the past two years, since God began my “Wild Goose Chase”, I have been unashamed to share with anyone how God is working in my life. Whether a complete stranger, family or friend- I have shared bits and pieces of the ways God Is working , speaking and revealing Himself to me.
Most people are polite but I can tell they are quite skeptical. Of course, as Jesus said in the Gospel of Mark 6:
4 Then Jesus told them, “A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his relatives and his own family.” 5 And because of their unbelief, he couldn’t do any miracles among them except to place his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6 And he was amazed at their unbelief.
Now, I am not saying that I am a prophet. But, I am saying that I have been given a message, a voice and eyes, ears and a willing heart to receive the ways God continues to reveal Himself.
One of the main things I received from the Lord while in CO recently was this- it was after much wrestling in prayer and little sleep that the Spirit spoke this revelation to me. He said, ” I am telling two parallel stories here. Both very wild and out of the ordinary. One very known and one not. At the appointed time I will cause the two parallel lines to meet”.
Up until today I have shared this revelation with only a couple of friends. After Sunday’s Broncos game, and the corresponding events I feel led to share it with all.
When I read the Article pasted below , I cried. (A dear friend posted it on Facebook today.)
Yeah, I knew about the John 3:16 reference but the rest of the data I had not read. Reading it just gave confirmation to what I have been walking in the last two long but amazing years! It has been a very lonely journey that has caused me to completely look to my Lord and Saviour and to Him alone for validation, confirmation, encouragement, strength and help. The words of this old hymn sum it up for me:
HOW FIRM A FOUNDATION – John Keith, 1787
How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent word!
What more can He say than to you He hath said—
To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?
“Fear not, I am with thee, oh, be not dismayed,
For I am thy God, and will still give thee aid;
I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
Upheld by My gracious, omnipotent hand.
“When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
The rivers of sorrow shall not overflow;
For I will be with thee thy trouble to bless,
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.
“When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,
My grace, all-sufficient, shall be thy supply;
The flame shall not harm thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine.
“The soul that on Jesus doth lean for repose,
I will not, I will not, desert to his foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no never, no never forsake.”
Two days ago the Lord gave me Isaiah 49 as confirmation. Here is just a part of one verse, vs 8
This is what the Lord says:
“At just the right time, I will respond to you.*
On the day of salvation I will help you.”
Prayer- ” oh beautiful and glorious Saviour, your salvation is perfect as you are perfect! I throw myself wholly on your mercy and grace! You are my light and life, my redeemer- my friend. Thank you for all the trials meant to remove my dross and refine my gold. May my life bring glory only to You and your cross. Amen”
Yahoo Article
You ever feel like there’s too much Tim Tebow news? Neither do I. Here’s a roundup of some of the most interesting Timbits from the aftermath of the Denver Broncos 29-23 overtime victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
• The fact that Tebow had 316 yards passing and averaged 31.6 yards per pass in the game didn’t escape notice on Sunday night. Tebow wore “John 3:16” on his eye black in the 2009 BCS Championship game and has since become identified with the famous Bible message. The coincidental stats caused millions of fans to perform Google searches on the Bible passage in the past 24 hours. Here’s one more unbelievable stat: John Ourand of Sports Business Journal reports that the final quarter-hour television rating for the Broncos-Steelers game was, you guessed it, 31.6.
(John 3:16 reads: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”)
• Will Brinson of CBSSports.com has some more fun with Tebow numbers.
Do you believe in Angels? Sure there are many accounts in scripture of The angelic host in the Heavenly’s, and of some who came in bright lights to visit earth. But, do you believe that they are among us? Masking in human flesh?
Hebrews 13:2 Remember to welcome strangers in your homes. There were some who did that and welcomed angels without knowing it.
Well…. Let me digress. This past summer I was following my usual routine on a Friday morning. I had just come on bike from my men’s bible study and was going to my coffee hangout, Wild Flour Bakery on Spring St in downtown Charleston. I came upon a little old black lady pushing a cart on the sidewalk. The Spirit told me to offer to buy her a coffee and then once side by side in the shop , the Spirit nudged me to offer her a pastry as well. She thought for a moment, eyeing all the choices and settled on an apple turnover. We walked outside and I could tell that she was concerned with the dilemma of pushing her cart while trying to carry coffee and a pastry so I offered to walk with her the few blocks she was traveling. I carried the coffee and pastry and Ms. La Prince pushed her cart. She briefly shared her story with me- that she was a 91 year old widower from New York. But, more than anything she testified of the goodness of God. I sensed a deepness to her understanding and experience of His love and goodness like never before. I left her presence on cloud nine! Later that day, I testified to my wife of how much more I received than I gave ” this little old black lady”.
Then a couple months passed with no sight of Ms La Prince. I thought of her occasionally and the scripture that says it is more of a blessing to give than receive. I gave out of the little I had and received so much more in return.
Then, the above occurrence happened again. This time, I came upon her a couple of blocks from Wild Flour. I immediately hopped off my bike and walked with her. This time I asked more questions and she shared more of her story and that of her family. As we arrived at her destination it was obvious to both of us that we wanted to pray together. So we stood together , this 52 yr old white guy with a little old black lady and prayed in this inner city neighborhood. Arm in arm we prayed and had “Church” right there on that sidewalk! Of course, I again was on a cloud as I walked back to my routine, praising God for His goodness! That He blessed me again through Ms La Prince. Now , fast forward to this past November. We had heard that a family friend by the name of Yvonne had moved to town. We reached out to her and began helping her get connected to Charleston. She was staying at an extended stay hotel while she looked to see what God had in-store for her in Charleston. As we, my wife, Yvonne and I chatted one day, the subject of Angels came up. I very briefly shared with Yvonne my meetings with Ms La Prince. Then Yvonne tells me that the Spirit just confirmed to her that I had indeed entertained an angel. Not once but twice!
Now, I did not know what to think of all this until early this morning. The Spirit loves to wake me in the wee hours of the morning and share insights with me. Well, this morning, as I was praying, the Spirit brings up Ms La Prince and let’s me know in no uncertain terms that I indeed had entertained an angel! Twice!
Over the last two years I have experienced many wild things previously foreign to my Spiritual journey. Hopefully, you have read some of my blog and are privy to what I am saying. Well, I must digress again…, hang with me please… I’m almost done! On my way back from Fl last January, I noticed car after car with NY tags. Now, a few cars and it’s no big deal. But one after another kept passing by me on I- 95 between Jacksonville and my exit to Charleston that I had to take notice. It has been a year since that “strange” occurrence.
Time and again I am prompted that New York has something to do with my story and the adventure God has me on. After years of trying to sell our home, a couple living in NY bought our home this past summer. I have learned to see these promptings as “smiles” from my Father. Reminders that He is here and in control and that I can trust Him. He loves to encourage His kids!
God wants to come close to you! To take you on an adventure that will stretch your faith and Spiritual thinking and seeing! To give you a much deeper understanding of my favorite name He gave us to call Him, besides Abba that is…
It is …. EMMANUEL! GOD WITH US!!!
God tells us through the prophet Jeremiah-
Jeremiah 29:13
New Living Translation (NLT)
13 If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.
He is with you now but wants to reveal much more to you. If you and I will seek Him with all our hearts.
You may read this and write me off as a kook. But, it is my hope and prayer that my story will spark in you the desire He has placed in your soul to seek Him with all your heart. For only then will you truly be satisfied!
For then, you will have been found by the Living God!
“Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost but now I’m found, was blind, but now, I see!”
-excerpt from John Newtons Amazing Grace , published 1779.
LIVE, LOVE, LAUGH- peace to you, Jonathan
Do you possess a strength that confounds those around you? Even leaves you speechless? ” where did I get the strength to endure that?!” how many times have you thought or said, ” oh, I can’t bare it any more”. Only to find yourself baring it and even rising through it!?
I think the key to the door of strength is opened when we realize we can’t do it in and of ourselves. Yes! His grace is sufficient for you and me! The question is, Will we stop striving and acknowledge our need in Christ?
2 Corinthians 12:9
9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
I just love Paul’s response. ” I will boast all the more gladly about my weakness”. No, He is not into beating himself up- playing the martyr to appear more holy. He just gets it! He has seen, experienced over and over again how when the situation was bleak or his strength was waning- Jesus strength came through- bubbled up mysteriously out of nowhere! He’s in essence saying ” hey, If I need to acknowledge my weakness to see and experience Gods miraculous strength? Sign me up!”
So, let’s stop posing in our own “strength” and tap into the strength that leaves the world scratching its collective head! What are you waiting for? Go ahead …. Say it loudly with me!
SIGN ME UP LORD, SIGN ME UP!
Live, Love and Laugh, Jonathan
THE LORD IS MY STRENGTH
From Streams in the Desert
“The Lord hath sent strength for thee” (Ps.68.28, PBV).
The Lord imparts unto us that primary strength of character which makes everything in life work with intensity and decision. We are “strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man.” And the strength is continuous; reserves of power come to us which we cannot exhaust.
“As thy days, so shall thy strength be”—strength of will, strength of affection, strength of judgment, strength of ideals and achievement.
“The Lord is my strength” to go on. He gives us power to tread the dead level, to walk the long lane that seems never to have a turning, to go through those long reaches of life which afford no pleasant surprise, and which depress the spirits in the sameness of a terrible drudgery.
“The Lord is my strength” to go up. He is to me the power by which I can climb the Hill Difficulty and not be afraid.
“The Lord is my strength” to go down. It is when we leave the bracing heights, where the wind and the sun have been about us, and when we begin to come down the hill into closer and more sultry spheres, that the heart is apt to grow faint.
I heard a man say the other day concerning his growing physical frailty, “It is the coming down that tires me!”
“The Lord is my strength” to sit still. And how difficult is the attainment! Do we not often say to one another, in seasons when we are compelled to be quiet, “If only I could do something!”
When the child is ill, and the mother stands by in comparative impotence, how severe is the test! But to do nothing, just to sit still and wait, requires tremendous strength. “The Lord is my strength!” “Our sufficiency is of God.” The Silver Lining A Door Opened in Heaven “A door opened in heaven” (Rev. 4:1).
***
You must remember that John was in the Isle of Patmos, a lone, rocky, inhospitable prison, for the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus. And yet to him, under such circumstances, separated from all the loved ones of Ephesus; debarred from the worship of the Church; condemned to the companionship of uncongenial fellow-captives, were vouchsafed these visions. For him, also a door was opened.
We are reminded of Jacob, exiled from his father’s house, who laid himself down in a desert place to sleep, and in his dreams beheld a ladder which united Heaven with earth, and at the top stood God.
Not to these only, but to many more, doors have been opened into Heaven, when, so far as the world was concerned, it seemed as though their circumstances were altogether unlikely for such revelations.
To prisoners and captives; to constant sufferers, bound by iron chains of pain to sick couches; to lonely pilgrims and wanderers; to women detained from the Lord’s house by the demands of home, how often has the door been opened to Heaven.
But there are conditions. You must know what it is to be in the Spirit; you must be pure in heart and obedient in faith; you must be willing to count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ; then when God is all in all to us, when we live, move and have our being in His favor, to us also will the door be opened. –Daily Devotional Commentary
***
“God hath His mountains bleak and bare,
Where He doth bid us rest awhile;
Crags where we breathe a purer air,
Lone peaks that catch the day’s first smile.
“God hath His deserts broad and brown–
A solitude–a sea of sand,
Where He doth let heaven’s curtain down,
Unknit by His Almighty hand.”
There We Saw the Giants
At one time or another, you have dreamed a dream… A role you would love to play if you only could. Now, for many of us, that dream is dead and buried. Gone the way of the Dodo bird! Never to return!!
But, what if that dream was meant to be a reality? Could it be resurrected? We think to ourselves , “oh if only it could! But, I have a good job, family …, responsibilities….etc. How could my dream possibly come true now?”
So you push it back down to the recesses of your heart and move forward in duty and obligation, settling for a safer and smaller part in the story that is your life.
But, let me ask you this!
What will it take for you to live from your heart? To come alive to the role you have buried inside you? When will you stop submitting to your excuses , your fears and your rational- logical thinking?
Now, I am not promoting being foolish and rash! Making any good and meaningful change is a process. It begins in your heart, moves to your mind, then your voice and finally your feet.
Maybe you are one of the rare few who are living from your heart and have found the role you were meant to play! That’s awesome! Then this message is not for you! Or is it? Maybe God has even bigger plans for you! Are you walking in such a way that you are following His lead… Listening to and obeying the Spirits prompts? What if God wants to use you to help others live from their hearts- pursuing their dreams?
But , I dare say that most of us have settled and have become miserably complacent.
We have become ” comfortable in our uncomfortableness”! Afraid to change, to step out, to overcome!
I pray that you will take this message to heart – whatever part of it that applies to you. One final question! What is keeping you from adopting this saying?
– The Glory of God is Man Fully Alive!
It is time that all Gods children come alive! What my are you waiting for?
May I suggest a couple of passages to get you started?
Ephesians 3:20-21
20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Romans 8:28-30
New Living Translation (NLT)
28 And we know that God causes everything to work together[a] for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. 29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.30 And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.
Peace, Jonathan
How many of us, on a daily basis, live our lives through a small lens?
Let me explain.. Are we living small lives, as small characters in a small play? You know the routine! The daily grind! You Go through life acting and reacting to life as it happens. Trying to make it through another day. Rarely giving a thought to the Divine and His role in your life or better yet , your role in His life! Are you inviting the Eternal into your daily life, asking Him to lead you into the BIGGER PICTURE?
I guess, the more relevant question is: Are you even aware that there is a bigger picture- a larger than life story being told and that you have a role to act upon in A Divine Play!?
If you have allowed the daily grind and the enemy of your souls to numb you to the bigger story, I have great news!
Today is a great day to invite the Divine into your life in a new and fresh way! Ask the Father of Light and Life to show you the bigger picture and your part in His Divine Play!
Caution! Be prepared to have your faith stretched and your vision re- calibrated! If you are open and willing… He will blow your mind and in the process He will renew your thinking, perceiving and way of processing life!
As I have walked out this wild adventure I am on, the Lord has shared much with me. So much that He told me to write it down. I suggest that if you honestly and earnestly pray for eyes to see the bigger picture- that you too should write it down. Whether a journal or a blog…. Just do it. Come to Him expecting revelation.
Trust me, He wants to show you the bigger story and your role more than you want to know it!
One thought I will leave with you. The Spirit told me one day, ” Jon , I am mysterious, but I am not a mystery!”
Peace, Jonathan
Following is from Daily Readings by John Eldredge.
Several years ago I went through one of the most painful trials of my professional life. The story involves a colleague whom I will call Dave, a man I hired and with whom I had labored several years in ministry. We spent many hours on the road together, speaking to churches about the Christian life. A point came when I needed to confront Dave about some issues in his life that were hurting his own ministry and the larger purposes of our team. In all fairness, I think I handled it poorly, but I was totally unprepared for what happened next. Dave turned on me with the ferocity of a cornered animal. He fabricated lies and spread rumors in an attempt to destroy my career. His actions were so out of proportion it was hard to believe we were reacting to the same events. He went to the head pastor in an attempt to have me dismissed. The attempt failed, but our friendship was lost, and several others were hurt in the process.
In the midst of the crisis, I spoke with Brent one afternoon about the turn of events and the awful pain of betrayal. He said, “I wonder what God is up to in all this?”
“God?” I said. “What’s he got to do with it?” My practical agnosticism was revealed. I was caught up in the sociodrama, the smaller story, completely blind to the true story at that point in my life. Brent’s question arrested my attention and brought it to a higher level. In fact, the process of our sanctification, our journey, rests entirely on our ability to see life from the basis of that question. As the poet William Blake warned long ago, “Life’s dim window of the soul distorts the heavens from pole to pole, and leads you to believe a lie, when you see with, not through, the eye.”
(The Sacred Romance , 146-47)
