Baby girl, I'm not regretting My choice of you, nor the length I went to to recover you. I didnt get into this relationship with you to test the waters out before deciding whether to commit or not. I'm not looking for a polite way out. Youre not too needy for Me, never too clingy. I see you at your worst and still choose you, because you were at your worst when I chose you first. You cant scare Me away with a lack-luster passion or with a fury of tidal waves of affection. I'm not insecure. I dont need you to say you love Me back for Me to continue loving you. I don't get tired of wooing. I will never be unfaithful, never break My covenant with you. You dont disappoint Me. I'm not caught off guard or surprised by anything you do. Its not bad timing, its not "not meant to be", I will never break things off with us. You're not too complicated. I'm not unsure. I don't punish you with the silent treatment, or hope to "make you pay" when you wrong Me. I don't manipulate, don't try to control you. I never roll My back to you, saying "goodnight" in anger. There isnt unresolved conflict between us. I'm not unaffectionate or distant or awkward around you. Its not a labor for Me to get past your past -- I take delight in showing mercy and in forgiving.
I cant keep Myself away from you. My heart beats fast for you and My arms are most satisfied when wrapped around you, pulling you in close. I cant help Myself from talking about you to everyone I meets -- bragging on you, My love.
Monday, November 23, 2015
Wednesday, November 18, 2015
Meet Them // Meg
One of my dearest friends, Meg, is living & loving in Romania. Hear a bit of her heart below and read more on her blog, here: http://www.lamisiune.com/ or follow her updates on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/meginoradea/
Meg Murkli 2015 October Update from Sue Volpe on Vimeo.
Meg Murkli 2015 October Update from Sue Volpe on Vimeo.
Saturday, November 7, 2015
Enough for today, bright hope for tomorrow
Daddy God's ways are so perfect.
He gave His ALL to reconcile us to Himself and abide in us by His Spirit, so His blood is mine now and I am His child. That means that all He is is what I am too. Generosity is "in my blood". So is mercy, love, joy, peace, hope, freedom, victory, discipling. We may think we dont look much like Him in the earth but take a look. Today when you saw your neighbor with a crutch your heart was moved for her because you know you have authority in the heavenlies to restore wholeness to it, so you went over and loved her that way -- as well as in giving affection to her dogs. Today when you were alone your mind wandered to truth about Jesus and your heart meditated on it. Today when you went to work you worked diligently at your job, as though it were your first day on the job, even though no one was around to see whether you did or not. Today when faced with a frightened mom's texts about her child, you didnt get defensive, you were patient and kind and honest and gracious. Today when you were short-changed on your paycheck and you really needed the full amount, you didnt raise hell, you raised heaven! You didnt say a word, were thankful for what you got, trusted the oversight would get sorted out in due time, and that your needs would be met by the One who knows them all. Today when you took inventory of your sparse pantry and fridge you found yourself rejoicing in enough. Today you spoke life and identity to your friends. Today you celebrated in prayer the living testimonies of faithful brothers and sisters around the world. That looks a lot like Jesus, it looks a lot like WHO YOU WERE [re]BORN AS; it looks like Love, on earth as it is in heaven.
You know what else looks like Him? Your mindset on provision. Youve been trained by the world (that doesnt know Him as Hope) to account for all that you will owe and to make enough to cover it all. When asked if you have enough for your needs your natural way of thinking would go, "do I have enough for all the upcoming needs?" All the planning ahead for the future, the storing up or saving, arent stable ground for placing hope in though. No one can see what tomorrow will bring. Just as likely an unforeseen expense will arise and that one little thing will totally shatter the hope we thought we had built so strong in our material wealth and resources. Daddy God is teaching me the natural way of my new nature, my in-Him nature; the way of real hope. I have a job that does cover all my needs, and then some. I ought to have enough for all the days to come. He provided both the things I pay for monthly as well as the job to pay them but its not those things that I hope in, its the One whose hand they come from. Give me that Hand and take all the rest away and Im still secure and satisfied. That is a real Hope! And its yours for the taking!
Because I look like my Daddy God, and generosity is in my blood, when Im face-to-face with another's need I give generously of all thats been given to me -- even if its money that was "meant" to cover a bill in three days. Each week that this happens I say, "Daddy, should I really give this time?" "Do you want to, baby girl?" "I do! But I should pay my bills." "Do what Ive created you to do; give. I will take care of your needs." So I give. And I hold my breath out of fear's habit -- as though, if I were to be let down and left without help, holding my breath would brace me enough for the fall. And then I marvel each day as a need arises and He meets it, over and over, day after day, until a whole month is complete and no matter how much was earned or given or required, I had enough.
He's teaching me this way. One day at a time. And tonight I had a revelation of why. If I have it so firmly rooted in me that I will have enough for all that I need TODAY, and I live that way everyday, then I can say with assurance from today that I WILL have enough for all that I need TOMORROW.
So when I hold my breath now, its going to be in hopeful expectation of Daddy showing His glory all over again in my life, not in a bracing for being let down. He never fails. And He doesnt mind the time its taken to get there for me, to renew my mind in truth, because He wants this abundant life EXPERIENCED by us, not just known about. Taste and see, friend!
He gave His ALL to reconcile us to Himself and abide in us by His Spirit, so His blood is mine now and I am His child. That means that all He is is what I am too. Generosity is "in my blood". So is mercy, love, joy, peace, hope, freedom, victory, discipling. We may think we dont look much like Him in the earth but take a look. Today when you saw your neighbor with a crutch your heart was moved for her because you know you have authority in the heavenlies to restore wholeness to it, so you went over and loved her that way -- as well as in giving affection to her dogs. Today when you were alone your mind wandered to truth about Jesus and your heart meditated on it. Today when you went to work you worked diligently at your job, as though it were your first day on the job, even though no one was around to see whether you did or not. Today when faced with a frightened mom's texts about her child, you didnt get defensive, you were patient and kind and honest and gracious. Today when you were short-changed on your paycheck and you really needed the full amount, you didnt raise hell, you raised heaven! You didnt say a word, were thankful for what you got, trusted the oversight would get sorted out in due time, and that your needs would be met by the One who knows them all. Today when you took inventory of your sparse pantry and fridge you found yourself rejoicing in enough. Today you spoke life and identity to your friends. Today you celebrated in prayer the living testimonies of faithful brothers and sisters around the world. That looks a lot like Jesus, it looks a lot like WHO YOU WERE [re]BORN AS; it looks like Love, on earth as it is in heaven.
You know what else looks like Him? Your mindset on provision. Youve been trained by the world (that doesnt know Him as Hope) to account for all that you will owe and to make enough to cover it all. When asked if you have enough for your needs your natural way of thinking would go, "do I have enough for all the upcoming needs?" All the planning ahead for the future, the storing up or saving, arent stable ground for placing hope in though. No one can see what tomorrow will bring. Just as likely an unforeseen expense will arise and that one little thing will totally shatter the hope we thought we had built so strong in our material wealth and resources. Daddy God is teaching me the natural way of my new nature, my in-Him nature; the way of real hope. I have a job that does cover all my needs, and then some. I ought to have enough for all the days to come. He provided both the things I pay for monthly as well as the job to pay them but its not those things that I hope in, its the One whose hand they come from. Give me that Hand and take all the rest away and Im still secure and satisfied. That is a real Hope! And its yours for the taking!
Because I look like my Daddy God, and generosity is in my blood, when Im face-to-face with another's need I give generously of all thats been given to me -- even if its money that was "meant" to cover a bill in three days. Each week that this happens I say, "Daddy, should I really give this time?" "Do you want to, baby girl?" "I do! But I should pay my bills." "Do what Ive created you to do; give. I will take care of your needs." So I give. And I hold my breath out of fear's habit -- as though, if I were to be let down and left without help, holding my breath would brace me enough for the fall. And then I marvel each day as a need arises and He meets it, over and over, day after day, until a whole month is complete and no matter how much was earned or given or required, I had enough.
He's teaching me this way. One day at a time. And tonight I had a revelation of why. If I have it so firmly rooted in me that I will have enough for all that I need TODAY, and I live that way everyday, then I can say with assurance from today that I WILL have enough for all that I need TOMORROW.
Let your character [your moral essence, your inner nature] be free from the love of money [shun greed—be financially ethical], being content with what you have; for He has said, “I will never [under any circumstances] desert you [nor give you up nor leave you without support, nor will I in any degree leave you helpless], nor will I forsake or let you down or relax My hold on you[assuredly not]!” So we take comfort and are encouraged and confidently say,“The Lord is my Helper [in time of need], I will not be afraid.
What will man do to me?”
// Hebrews 13:5-6 AMP
So when I hold my breath now, its going to be in hopeful expectation of Daddy showing His glory all over again in my life, not in a bracing for being let down. He never fails. And He doesnt mind the time its taken to get there for me, to renew my mind in truth, because He wants this abundant life EXPERIENCED by us, not just known about. Taste and see, friend!
Friday, November 6, 2015
Celebrating the Persecuted Church //
This is a weekend to remember -- remember our brothers and sisters who live under persecution around the world and to celebrate their lives. They are not as those who hear the Good News of Jesus coming to reconcile us to Himself and abide in us by His Spirit forever "yet he has no [substantial] root in himself, but is only temporary, and when pressure or persecution comes because of the word, immediately he stumbles and falls away [abandoning the One who is the source of salvation]."
Matthew 13:21
We know that persecutions are promised...
Jesus said, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, there is no one who has given up a house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel’s sake, who will not receive a hundred times as much now in the present age—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms—along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last, first.”Mark 10:29-31
...so we need not be saddened or surprised by them. So often we pray for the persecuted as victims and we cant stand to think of their suffering. We ought to celebrate it! It was promised us because there will certainly be trouble for the children of the returning King in the world still by the Prince of Darkness. As always though, good is worked out of what the Enemy intends for evil, and our unshaken faith in the face of persecution shouts all the more loudly for the world the testimony that our hope is sure and steadfast and worth any suffering. Life abundant in Jesus is a more real reality than all the pain and suffering that can come. For "Who shall ever separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? ... Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors and gain an overwhelming victory through Him who loved us [so much that He died for us]. For I am convinced [and continue to be convinced—beyond any doubt] that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present and threatening, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the [unlimited] love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Romans 8:35 + 37-39
So I am well pleased with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, and with difficulties, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak [in human strength], then I am strong [truly able, truly powerful, truly drawing from God’s strength].
2 Corinthians 12:10
From now on let no one trouble me [by making it necessary for me to justify my authority as an apostle, and the absolute truth of the gospel], for I bear on my body the branding-marks of Jesus [the wounds, scars, and other outward evidence of persecutions—these testify to His ownership of me].
Galatians 6:17
Therefore, we speak of you with pride among the churches of God for your steadfastness [your unflinching endurance, and patience] and your firm faith in the midst of all the persecution and [crushing] distress which you endure.
2 Thessalonians 1:4
DO pray for our brothers and sisters enduring persecution! Praise God for their testimony; for their living sacrifice and the way it advances the Gospel unlike anything else. Thank Him that persecution is always worked for GOOD to them that believe. Agree with heaven, and shut out the fear from the kingdom of darkness, by celebrating the lavish extravagance of lives wholly spent for our worthy King -- in secret and on public display. That kind of givenness looks too much like Jesus to be mistaken. Pray that the persecutors will get Jesus all over them as they squeeze our brothers and sisters, that they will taste and see the goodness of our Present Help + Comfort for themselves as a result of the testimony of the Church.
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