Day One on my knees, committed to hearing from the Lord and the Lord only, and He says:
"The Lord will extend your powerful scepter from Zion.
Rule your enemies who surround you....
Rule your enemies who surround you....
The Lord has taken an oath and will not change his mind:
“You are a priest forever, in the way Melchizedek was a priest.”
“You are a priest forever, in the way Melchizedek was a priest.”
The Lord is at your right side.
He will crush kings on the day of his anger.
He will pass judgment on the nations
and fill them with dead bodies.
Throughout the earth he will crush their heads.
He will drink from the brook along the road.
He will hold his head high." Ps.110 (GWT)
He will crush kings on the day of his anger.
He will pass judgment on the nations
and fill them with dead bodies.
Throughout the earth he will crush their heads.
He will drink from the brook along the road.
He will hold his head high." Ps.110 (GWT)
"Hallelujah!
I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart
in the company of decent people and in the congregation.
The Lord’s deeds are spectacular.
They should be studied by all who enjoy them.
His work is glorious and majestic.
His righteousness continues forever.
in the company of decent people and in the congregation.
The Lord’s deeds are spectacular.
They should be studied by all who enjoy them.
His work is glorious and majestic.
His righteousness continues forever.
He has made his miracles unforgettable.
The Lord is merciful and compassionate.
He provides food for those who fear him.
He always remembers his promise.
He has revealed the power of his works to his people
by giving them the lands of other nations as an inheritance.
His works are done with truth and justice.
All his guiding principles are trustworthy.
They last forever and ever.
They are carried out with truth and decency.
He has sent salvation to his people.
He has ordered that his promise should continue forever.
His name is holy and terrifying.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
Good sense is shown by everyone who follows God’s guiding principles.
His praise continues forever." Ps. 111 (GWT)
The Lord is merciful and compassionate.
He provides food for those who fear him.
He always remembers his promise.
He has revealed the power of his works to his people
by giving them the lands of other nations as an inheritance.
His works are done with truth and justice.
All his guiding principles are trustworthy.
They last forever and ever.
They are carried out with truth and decency.
He has sent salvation to his people.
He has ordered that his promise should continue forever.
His name is holy and terrifying.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
Good sense is shown by everyone who follows God’s guiding principles.
His praise continues forever." Ps. 111 (GWT)
"Hallelujah!
Blessed is the person who fears the Lord
and is happy to obey his commands.
His descendants will grow strong on the earth.
The family of a decent person will be blessed.
Wealth and riches will be in his home.
His righteousness continues forever.
Light will shine in the dark for a decent person.
He is merciful, compassionate, and fair.
and is happy to obey his commands.
His descendants will grow strong on the earth.
The family of a decent person will be blessed.
Wealth and riches will be in his home.
His righteousness continues forever.
Light will shine in the dark for a decent person.
He is merciful, compassionate, and fair.
All goes well for the person who is generous and lends willingly.
He earns an honest living.
He will never fail.
A righteous person will always be remembered.
He is not afraid of bad news.
His heart remains secure, full of confidence in the Lord.
His heart is steady, and he is not afraid.
In the end he will look triumphantly at his enemies.
He gives freely to poor people.
His righteousness continues forever.
His head is raised in honor.
The wicked person sees this and becomes angry.
He angrily grits his teeth and disappears.
The hope that wicked people have will vanish." Ps. 112 (GWT)
He earns an honest living.
He will never fail.
A righteous person will always be remembered.
He is not afraid of bad news.
His heart remains secure, full of confidence in the Lord.
His heart is steady, and he is not afraid.
In the end he will look triumphantly at his enemies.
He gives freely to poor people.
His righteousness continues forever.
His head is raised in honor.
The wicked person sees this and becomes angry.
He angrily grits his teeth and disappears.
The hope that wicked people have will vanish." Ps. 112 (GWT)
Indeed, victory is already His!! K.P. Yohannan's booklet, The Lord's Work Done in The Lord's Way, uncomfortably challenged my motives in this ministry He's given us, however. It forced me to ask myself gut-checking questions: am I fighting for you to get results or to glorify God? What if results never come? What if you exercise your free will and never choose to wholly surrender to this incredible plan He has for you? Would I be content serving you and suffering this heartache as solely a love-offering to Him?
Certainly, I began this mission in obedience to His call and with the purest desire to glorify Him and love you no matter what. And the whole journey felt effortless then. There were plenty of "speedbumps" in the path set before us...but we were confident that God was driving, so they never felt overwhelming for long, if at all.
Something has undoubtedly shifted.
I've been struggling. I've been emotionally torn apart and worn with worry. I confess that I've
grown increasingly more and more presumptious, "running ahead with our
own plans and in our own understanding, never taking the time to hear
what He desires or to find out His ways" (Yohannan, p.38). I've been so focused on meeting the immediate needs of every situation we've been faced with, looking for others' voices to help guide our course, than I have been seeking to know and please the One Who appointed this task to us in the first place (p.33). I strayed dangerously off course. And it all began when I neglected to come into His presence and sit at His feet (p.17).
I am saying kind words to you. I've been writing kind words for you. But in my heart, I've been so angry...so frustrated. I've been doing what God asked me to do, trying everything I know how to be successful in reaching your heart...but to no avail. We've seen little to no results. In fact, I'd almost venture to say things have moved backwards. This isn't of any fault of yours...Dad and I have been failing because these efforts were of our flesh. And, more imperatively, our focus hasn't been rooted where it's supposed to be: in pleasing, loving, and glorifying God. Not in the hope that you would be pleased with and come to love and glorify us.
"When our ministry
to the people around us is done as a ministry unto the Lord--doing His
work in His way--there will be no striving" (p.43).
I apologized to Jesus, and I am now apologizing to you. I've been operating within our limited understanding. I've been fearful of what others might think or the damage you might do if we did nothing in response to some of your most hurtful behaviors. And somehow, somewhere along the line, I started equating waiting upon God with doing nothing. When in reality, "it seems the more we take the time to wait and hear from the Lord, the more actual work that we do--but rather in His strength, not ours" (p.20).
Because this war is against spiritual forces, only the Sword of His Spirit is useful. Because victory is already His, only He knows how to win your heart. And because the work is not dependent on my plans or my efforts, I am simply going to allow the Lord to live through me. I hereby enter His rest <3
I love you, Lucy.
And I love you, Jesus. Great is Thy faithfulness!
