Unlimited Access

My soul yearns, yes, even pines and is homesick for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out and sing for joy to the living God. Psalm 84:2 Amplified Bible

King David would envy our unlimited access to God’s presence.

In David’s day, God’s presence resided in His temple. To encounter the Lord God, they had to travel to the physical temple in Jerusalem. That is why King David poetically pined to be a bird (Ps. 84:3-4). The birds had free access to God’s presence. They nested in the rafters and dwelt in His presence all day.

Like the birds, you and I have free and unlimited access to God’s presence. Jesus took our sins to the cross opening a way for us to be in God’s presence. God is no longer worshiped in a physical place. God is worshiped in Spirit and in truth (Jn. 4:24).

I sometimes think that traveling to a physical place to be in God’s presence might be easier. Traveling to the spiritual place takes focused concentration, a sanctified imagination, and mental discipline.

Focused concentration is required to see beyond the physical realm, into the realm of the Spirit. God is Spirit (Jn. 4:24). Sometimes, it is necessary to push through the physical pains and struggles and distractions to reach the place where God dwells. Don’t be surprised when those distractions become more numerous when you decide to pursue His presence. You have an enemy who hopes to keep you from it.

Using our sanctified imagination will help us enter the spiritual realm, where God dwells. I envision seeing Jesus with His passionate eyes or entering the throne room of heaven. I imagine interactions with my beloved Bridegroom King. One day, sleep pulled at my eyes while I was in His presence. So, I closed my Bible and rested my head on it. I imagined resting my head in Jesus’ lap. I envisioned Him lovingly stroking my hair as I napped in His lap. That’s what I mean by a sanctified imagination.

In addition to the physical world shouting for our attention, our own minds distract us. Our thoughts will wander down corridors they simply shouldn’t go. And the “to do” list becomes longer and louder when we try to sit quietly. This is when the discipline of taking every thought captive is extremely important (2 Cor. 2:5).

When I was first training my mind to dwell only on God’s ideas, I would go days before recognizing that I had been sucked down the rabbit hole of “what if.” Hours of wasted time and emotional energy on decision trees for every disaster a mom could think up. Yikes! When I finally caught myself, I would physically turn around (repent) and walk in a different direction. I started celebrating the small wins to encourage myself. Yeah, I only wasted half a day this time. Like other disciplines, it gets easier with practice.

One practical suggestion is to keep a notepad handy as you are seeking God’s presence. When things come to mind that must be done, instead of jumping up to do them, simply write them down.

Pursuing God’s presence takes discipline and concentration, but the reward is sweet. One day – one hour – in His presence is better than a thousand elsewhere (Ps. 84:10). The peace and joy and love of dwelling in His presence is its own reward.

King David longed for God’s presence with his whole being. His inward man (heart) and his outward man (flesh) cried out for the living God (Ps. 84:2).

How about you? Do you long for God with your whole being?

Beloved, I encourage you to take advantage of your unlimited access to the God of the universe.

Cheeks Like a Bed of Spices

His cheeks are like a bed of spices, Banks of scented herbs. Song of Solomon 5:13a

Tears prickled my eyes when we walked into the blacksmith shop. It smelled exactly like my grandfather’s workshop. My family moved on to see what else the living history village had to offer. I lingered. I breathed in the fragrance of my grandpa, whom I loved and missed. My heart ached as memories of him surfaced. I shared a few of those memories with the smithy, who was gracious enough to listen.

Fragrances have the power to evoke forgotten memories and emotions. I wonder if that is why Jesus’ emotions (cheeks) are compared to a bed of spices and a bank of scented herbs.

The bride, who is a picture of the church, was describing the beauty of her bridegroom king, who is a picture of King Jesus. Are you surprised to find the emotions of Jesus among the list of 10 beautiful attributes of the Bridegroom? I was.

Now that I stop to think about, Jesus’ emotions are one of the most attractive things about Him. His sacrificial love that impaled Him to a cross is overwhelming. His deep sorrow that sweat drops of blood is piercing. His exuberant joy at finding that one lost sheep thrills my heart, because that lost soul is me.

What does the sorrow of Jesus smell like? I suppose it smells like myrrh. How about Jesus’ joy or His love? What do they smell like?

Whatever they smell like, you and I carry that fragrance (2Cor. 2:15). As we gaze upon Christ’s beauty, God diffuses through us His fragrance (2 Cor. 2:14).

I’m going to linger in the aroma of Christ a little longer. I’m going to breathe in His varied spices. When I emerge from gazing at Him in the garden of intimacy, I pray that His fragrance wafts on the winds in your direction. I pray that it entices you into the garden for yourself. Smell for yourself the banks of herbs that are the emotions of Christ. He is calling you, “Come to the garden of intimacy.”

The Fragrance of Christ

You have ravished my heart,
My sister, my spouse;
You have ravished my heart
With one look of your eyes,
With one link of your necklace.
10 How fair is your love,
My sister, my spouse!
How much better than wine is your love,
And the scent of your perfumes
Than all spices!
11 Your lips, O my spouse,
Drip as the honeycomb;
Honey and milk are under your tongue;
And the fragrance of your garments Is like the fragrance of Lebanon.

12 A garden enclosed
Is my sister, my spouse,
A spring shut up,
A fountain sealed.
13 Your plants are an orchard of pomegranates
With pleasant fruits,
Fragrant henna with spikenard,
14 Spikenard and saffron,
Calamus and cinnamon,
With all trees of frankincense,
Myrrh and aloes,
With all the chief spices—
15 A fountain of gardens,
A well of living waters,
And streams from Lebanon.

The Shulamite

16 Awake, O north wind,
And come, O south!
Blow upon my garden,
That its spices may flow out.
Let my beloved come to his garden
And eat its pleasant fruits.

Song of Solomon 4:9-16 NKJV

I am basking in the love of my Bridegroom King today. The imagery of the Song of Solomon chapter 4 has captured my heart.

King Solomon, who is a type of King Jesus, is expressing his love for his bride. The Shulamite bride in Song of Solomon represents the Bride of Christ. That’s you and me!

It is Jesus’ heart that beats faster when you and I look in His direction (v. 9). Jesus is excited when we give Him our attention and our affection.

Jesus considers our love to be better than wine (v.10). Our love for Him is more thrilling than anything else the universe has to offer.

The fragrance of our oils (the anointing of the Holy Spirit) is better than spices (v.10). In other words, Jesus loves the fragrance of our partnership with His Spirit above all the perfumes that world can offer. The beautiful thing is that Jesus anointed us with those oils (the Holy Spirit) that have made us attractive to Him (2 Cor 2:14-16).

Then our Beloved Bridegroom extols our lips that drip with honey (v.11). It is Jesus’ words, His kindness, that drips from our lips bringing sweetness to our lives and those around us.

Jesus compares us to a garden spring flowing with fresh water (v.15). Again, Jesus was the One who gave us a spring of living water inside of us (Jn. 7:38). He is the One who planted good seed in our soils.

The choicest of fruit and spices grow in our gardens only because of Jesus. He compliments and adores the fragrance of our garden wafting on the winds. Yet, our intoxicating fragrance on the winds is the result of His planting, His pruning, and His tender loving care. Our garden really is His garden.

Like the Shulamite bride, I invite my Bridegroom King to come and enjoy the fruit of His garden. I pray that He will make my garden (my quiet times with Him, and my lifetime of spiritual growth) breathe out His fragrance.

Yes, Lord, use what You have sown and grown in me to attract others to You! Amen.

The Threshing Floor

Now Solomon began to build the house of the Lord at Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the Lord had appeared to his father David, at the place that David had prepared on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. 2 Chronicles 3:1 NKJV

 I had never stopped to consider the spiritual significance of the temple being built on the threshing floor. Have you?

Solomon built the temple on Mt. Moriah where Abraham foreshadowed a Father willing to sacrifice His only Son. Abraham built an altar there and named the place “Jehovah Jirah,” which means “God will provide” (Gen. 22).

King David built an altar of sacrifice on that same mountain. He was interceding to stop a plague that was killing the people of Jerusalem. David’s intercession foreshadows Jesus Christ, who makes intercession for us (Rom. 8:34).

Both of these prophetic events, which occurred on the mountain God chose for His temple, are a beautiful picture of the mercy of God. Altars are places of sacrifice, intercession, and worship. The foreshadowing and the altars are the perfect foundation for God’s house of prayer. But a threshing floor?

The threshing floor was where what is valuable (wheat, barley) was separated from the useless waste (chaff). The stalks were crushed to separate the grain and to break its outer husk. Then the grain was tossed into the air so the wind could blow away the chaff. This process was referred to in Matthew 3:11-12 as the Holy Spirit refining us by fire.

In other words, the threshing floor is where we partner with the Holy Spirit to separate what is useless waste in our lives from that which is truly valuable. Some call this process sanctification; I call it intimacy. God loves a broken and contrite heart (Ps. 51:17) because our prayers allow Him to clear the chaff as He blows on our hearts.

Yes, the threshing floor is the place of brokenness and separation. But it is also where the most valuable things are stored. On an actual threshing floor, that would be the grain that sustains life. On our spiritual threshing floor, our grain (our fruitfulness) is a result of abiding in His presence. His presence sustains our life.

God planned the temple to be built as an object lesson for us. We are the temple of God (2 Cor. 6:16). We are now His house of prayer for all nations. The threshing floor is our foundation.

Is my life built on the threshing floor of intimacy? Am I keeping short accounts with God?

How about you? What is your foundation?

The Spiritual Mirror

Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.  But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do. James 1:23-25 NIV

Unlike a physical mirror, the spiritual mirror has the ability to change our appearance.

The moment we are saved, the beauty of Jesus is imparted into our inner being. His blood washes away our sin and blemishes. Our beautification begins at salvation (Ps. 149:4).

Then the sanctification process is our beauty regimen. As we yield to the leading and direction of the Holy Spirit, we are shaped into Christ’s likeness. There is no one or no thing that is more beautiful than Jesus Christ. The Word and the Spirit transform us from glory to glory so that we are reflecting the beauty of Jesus (2 Cor. 3:18).

Yes, Jesus salves our wounds with the balm of Gilead, which softens our pained faces. He uproots our bitterness which replaces the anger in our eyes with a sparkle. Graciously, Jesus tenderizes our hearts, from which flow acts of love. Our spiritual beauty enhances our physical beauty.

How do we cooperate with the Holy Spirit in our beautification? The beauty of God is what beautifies us. He releases His beauty into us as we fix our gaze on Him. We behold the Beautiful One in worship, prayer and acts of devotion. As we focus on Him, He shapes us into His character, His beauty.

With the spiritual mirror, it is possible to become more beautiful with age. Now that is good news!

God’s Lighthouse

You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.  Your light must shine before people in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16

Many mariners died, and ships wrecked on the shoals of Destruction Island (Washington State) in the early 1800s. Salvation came in 1891 when a lighthouse with a Fresnel lens projected its light 24 miles out to sea. A Fresnel lens consists of over a thousand glass prisms assembled in such a way that it reflects and magnifies the light source.

When the crates of prisms arrived from France, it looked like a bunch of shattered glass. It took a whole year to assemble the lens in the lighthouse building. Then it was used to save countless lives.

Maybe you feel like your life is shattered in a thousand pieces too. Maybe you think you are too broken for God to ever use you. Not true!

God’s light is reflected and magnified especially through the broken pieces of our lives. His power is made perfect in our weakness (2 Cor. 12:9). How many lives will be saved after His light is magnified in our lives?

Once the lighthouse was lit, the keeper had two critical jobs. The first was to continually add oil to fuel the flame. The second was to polish the soot off the glass so it is always sparkling clean.

You and I are like those lighthouse keepers. God’s flame was lit on the inside of us when we first believed (Acts 2). Subsequently, we have two critical jobs to keep that light burning brightly.

First, we need to continually fuel the flame with oil. Oil is a metaphor for the Holy Spirit (Lev. 2:1-2). Intimacy with the Holy Spirit is the oil that fuels our light (Matt. 25). We must continually engage with the Holy Spirit to keep our flame burning brightly.

Second, we need to polish the soot off our shattered lives. When we purify our lives, then God’s light can be reflected and magnified. Fortunately, God makes it easy to confess and repent of our sins (1John 1:9). Thank You, Jesus! God is also quick to heal us as we forgive the sins of others. Thank You, Lord!

This revelation has given me new words for my morning prayer time. “Holy Spirit, where do I need to polish the soot off my heart? Anoint me afresh with Your precious oil. I want to reflect and magnify God’s light so He can pierce the darkness and save. Amen!”

4 Keys to Hearing God’s Voice from Habakkuk

Are you distressed at the strife in our nation? Are you praying about the injustice and violence and wondering why God is not acting? If so, then take encouragement from Habakkuk.

The prophet Habakkuk asked God why He did not correct the violence, iniquity, and strife in Israel (1:1-4). God responded by announcing  judgment would come in the form of a conquering enemy (1:5-11). That was not the answer that Habakkuk had hoped for. So, he prayed again and waited for God to answer (1:12-2:1).

I want to pause the narrative to highlight four keys to hearing God’s voice:

1-Stand and watch (2:1)

After he asked his question, Habakkuk stood like a sentinel waiting for God to answer. Was Habakkuk actually a watchman on the wall or did he just use that as a metaphor? In either case, he clearly had an intimacy with God and a regular prayer time (his watch).

Do we have an intimacy with God in which we can ask the difficult questions? Do we have a regular “prayer watch?”

2-Wait to See What God Will Say (2:1)

Habakkuk asked a question and simply waited for God to answer. He fully expected to receive a response, and we can too.

Hearing God is our birthright as born-again Christians. Jesus said that His sheep hear His voice (John 10:27). We can expect to hear God by His Spirit through prophecy, dreams, and visions (Acts 2:17).

Most of us approach our prayer time with a list, and we fill up all the airspace. I wonder, if God could get a word in, what would He say?

3- Write it down (2:2)

God told Habakkuk to write the vision. God wanted His vision written down because the appointed time was yet future. He knew that His people would need encouragement as they waited. Then, once the vision became a reality, the written vision would be a witness to God’s greatness and glory. 

“When the God of the Universe says something to you, you ought to write it down.”1 These words induced me to start a spiritual journal over 20 years ago. I record answers to prayers, prophetic words spoken over me, inspirations from His Word, etc. Anytime I feel discouraged or “stuck,” I review my history with God as seen in my journals. He has been faithful time and again, and I am encouraged to trust Him in my current need.

I implore you, also, to write it down!

4-Wait for It (2:3)

God’s appointed time may be longer than we want. Abraham and Sarah waited decades for their promised son. King David waited 20 years to ascend to his promised throne. Perhaps you have promises that you have been waiting a long time for. I know I have.

All God’s promises are yes and amen (2 Cor 1:20). When God speaks a word, it WILL come to pass! Wait for it.

Return to the Lord

Come, let us return to the Lord . . . . that we may live in His presence. Hosea 6:1-2

During my young adult years, I walked my own way without regard to God’s leading. Parenting was a spiritual wakeup call for me. The weight of responsibility to raise those children right threw me on my face at the foot of the cross. I simply could not do it on my own. I rededicated my life to the Lord and sought to follow Him.

The Feast of Trumpets is a spiritual wakeup call for everyone to repent and return to the Lord. It is an invitation to intimacy with our Heavenly Father. The trumpet is blown at the Jewish new year to symbolize new beginnings, new breakthroughs, and new blessings. The sound of the trumpet is the sound of freedom from sins and condemnation for the repentant (2 Cor. 5:17).

Our Heavenly Father loves us and misses us. He created the Old Testament feasts because He longs to spend time with the children He loves. The fall feasts are approaching (Feast of Trumpets – September 7; Day of Atonement – September 16; Feast of Tabernacles – September 21), and God invites His children to come celebrate with Him.

While the Feast of Trumpets focuses on individual repentance, the Day of Atonement focuses on the nation. It is a day dedicated to prayer, fasting and intercession. God invites us to participate with Him in praying for the redemption of Israel and all nations (Rom. 11:25-29).

Jesus Christ purchased our complete forgiveness/atonement on the cross “for the joy set before Him” (Heb. 12:2). Relationship with you and I was the joy set before Him. Yes, He longs to spend time with us. God created these feast days so we would commune with Him. Let us bring joy to our Savior by honoring His feast days and enjoying His presence.

Then you will know the I Am the Lord

Then you will know that I Am the Lord

Then you will know the I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves and caused you to come up out of your grave, My people. I will put My Spirit within you and you will come to life. Ezekiel 37:13-14a

“Then they will know that I am the Lord” rings out like a musical refrain throughout the book of Ezekiel. Sixty-five times God declares His intention that His people should know Him. He desires for them to love and worship and obey Him. He desires relationship.

Ezekiel begins with God declaring that He will be revealed in the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple. Finally, His people will see their rebellion and repent. Then they will know that He is the Lord. The focus of Ezekiel shifts to the surrounding nations (ch. 25-32). They will also be judged for their rebellion. They have not known or acknowledged God, but He will make Himself know to them. The final chapters of Ezekiel promise that God will be known through the restoration and spiritual renewal of Israel. Then, His people will know that He is the Lord.

The promise of spiritual renew is good news. Because try as they might, those people could not escape their rebellion. The principle of evil was present in them even though they wanted to do good (Rom. 7:21). Sin had used the holy Law to bring about their spiritual death (Rom. 7:7-12).

God’s promise of spiritual renewal was fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Jesus died for our rebellion so that the Spirit of God could dwell in us (2 Cor. 6:16). Finally, God can dwell in relationship with His people! Because of Jesus, we are free from the bondage of sin and death (Rom. 8:2). We are free to love and worship and obey God. Then, we will know that He is the Lord!

The Four Horsemen of Revelation 6

Then I saw when the Lamb broke the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying as with a voice of thunder, “Come!” Rev. 6:1 NASB

This devotion is the second in a series looking at the book of Revelation with fresh eyes. The new lens I am looking through postulates that the seven seals on the scroll refer to Jesus Christ’s first coming, and the seven trumpets announce Jesus’ second coming, and that the bowl judgments end the age.

Today I am considering the four horses and their riders that are released by the first four seals. Could each of these symbolize Christ Jesus at His first coming?

Certainly, the white horse (1st seal) and the rider, who wears a crown, fits the imagery of Jesus. In fact, I would hesitate to envision anyone else in this imagery. Jesus is the conqueror! Jesus conquered sin and death at the cross during His first coming (Col. 2:13-15). He also captured our hearts (Song of Songs 4:9).

The red horse (2nd seal) with the rider who is given a great sword could also be Jesus. Christ rides the fiery red horse to bring purity to His priestly people (Ps. 51:10). The great sword is His Word – that double-edged sword we read about in Hebrews 4:12.

The imagery of the black horse (3rd seal) with the rider who holds a scale in His hand is still a little murky to me. The biblical symbolism of “scales” are justice, power, and evaluation (Dictionary of Biblical Imagery, IVP Academic). Jesus is the One who evaluate, even believers will give an account of the deeds done in the body (2 Cor. 5:10). Jesus is the One who brings justice (John 5:22). Christ Jesus is the One who has all power and authority (Matt. 28:18).

The fourth rider (4th seal) is “Death.” The color of Death’s horse is green; green is the color of life. In other words, Death rides on life – Death brings life. This could only refer to Jesus Christ! His death brings us eternal life. Thank You, Jesus!

More next week on this fresh look at Revelation.

New Creation in Christ Jesus

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature. . . . 2 Corinthians 5:17

We use this verse to encourage ourselves and others to leave our guilt and shame behind. We encourage each other to see ourselves as God sees us: a new creation in Christ Jesus. But that is not how Paul, the writer of Corinthians, used the verse.

Let me just say that I am passionate about leaving behind the guilt and shame that the enemy puts on us. If using this verse helps us to walk out our freedom in Christ, then praise God! But that is not why Paul wrote it.

Paul’s intention with this verse was to give us a new perspective as to how to evaluate other Christians. It is part of his overall argument to not judge Christians by their outward appearance. He wants us to overlook their poor behavior and sloppy appearance. He urges us to look instead at their heart. Because they are a new creation in Christ, God lives inside of them!

Our job is to overlook the faults of other Christians and see God’s heart in them. This is part of “the ministry of reconciliation” that God has called us to (v.18). God is reconciling the whole world to Himself through Jesus Christ. We who have already been reconciled to Him now have a part to play in His ministry of reconciliation. We have the privilege and obligation to tenderly plead with others to be reconciled with Him.

So, I am tenderly pleading with you: Turn your face to God. Give your heart to Jesus. Be reconciled with your Creator. Be that new creation in Christ Jesus!

Heaven

• Book Review of:

• Heaven

• By: Randy Alcorn

• Published by: Tyndale

What is on your “bucket list?” Are you hoping to hike the Grand Canyon or to snorkel the Great Barrier Reef? One of the important bucket list items to me was to visit the Holy Land. But there is no need to race all over the planet seeing all the natural wonders. Those natural wonders will still be there when we get to the New Heavens and the New Earth talked about in the book of Revelation.

I had always assumed that the New Earth would be a whole new creation. Randy Alcorn’s book helped me to see that the New Earth is the old earth - redeemed. Just like you and I are a “new creation in Christ Jesus” (2Cor.5:17) when He redeemed us; so too, the earth will be a “new creation” when Christ redeems it (Rom.8:21). The “New Earth” will have all the good things that God created in the beginning. But it will not have any of the bad things from the fall of humanity. The New Earth will be redeemed from the curse and become a glorious, “new” earth.

This and many other misconceptions that I had about Heaven have been clarified by Alcorn’s definitive book. He cross references the entire Bible to find every detail available about Heaven. And then he uses his sanctified imagination to bring it alive for the reader. Of course, he is very clear about what is scriptural and what is imagination.

Honestly, I wish I would have read this book years ago. Save yourself that regret . .. order it today!