Our Weakness Can Be Our Strength

My new writing project is stretching me out of my comfort zone but that’s good.  I think because the topic of my book is about deep devotion to Christ and the creative pursuit of God, which is the highest form of art that arises from our soul. My main problem is that an overwhelming amount of content wants a place in my book. It is like a tsunami of living water that I’m trying to tame into a peaceful brook.

Yeah! Anyway, here’s a single quote that rose to the surface today:

 “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” A. W. Tozer.

While doing some research, I came across this artist, Paul Smith. He brings to life the meaning of this Scripture: “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor. 12:10 NKJV).

This is such a moving testimony. Watch to the very end; God is being glorified through this artist.  You’ll want to share it.

What Delights God the Most?

I am writing COME AND SEE and, like my last blog, I am still thinking about how much David and Peter’s heart affected God. This new chapter in the devotional book, while following the chronology of events in the Bible, mirrors the same theme.

Hope you enjoy. If you feel like commenting, please do . . . Others might enjoy what the Lord shows you through the many thoughts that might come through the retelling of this amazing relationship Peter and Jesus shared.

(By the way, the background photo on my author website: www.margaretmontreuil.com – it is a larger version of what is shown here. )

October 2009, Sea of Galilee

This is a picture I took of the Sea of Galilee at the place where this story took place. The place I stood when taking the picture was where it is strongly believed Jesus fed the multitude and, later that night, He likely walked on water from here.)

***

Chapter 16

“Do as You Have Seen Me Do.”

 

When Jesus had called the Twelve together,

he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons

and to cure diseases, and he sent them out

to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.

Luke 9:1-5

 

Simon Peter

Once I walked on water. Everybody talks about my faith, and doubt, regarding it—and the songs, poems, and who but the Lord knows the amount of art it inspired since then? It’s been preached, sung, and painted countless times. Of course, the part of my near-death by drowning is well-established.

Most agree, it took bold faith on my part to step out of the boat onto tossing waves, never mind the doubting and sinking part for now.

When I recall the experience, I see something quite the opposite. I see only one thing: Jesus’ reactions to me.

Imagine, Jesus believed in me—that I could do the same supernatural thing he was doing. It took more trust on his part to receive me onto those dangerous waves than it did for me to trust him. He knew I could do it.

That, I tell you, amazes me. You see, my faith in him so often failed me. My downfalls are historical facts of renown. I sank after a few steps only because I stopped believing I could do it. I worried the waves would be too much; I thought he would need to save me or I’d drown. And, that part was true; he did end up having to save me.

When I first saw him coming to us on the waves, I was thrilled. I called out to him, asking him to let me come to him. Seeing him, I felt invincible. He called back, “Come!”

I will never forget his look of delight in me when I leaped out of the boat.

Even though this miracle lasted only a few steps, I can’t begin to describe the exhilaration I felt.

The others in the boat could not understand what caused the preposterous thought to come into my head. Although such a foolhardy idea as climbing out of the boat seemed sudden, let me explain how it gradually came about.

Prior to my walking on the water, Jesus told us we were ready to minister to people in his name. This is what he said on the mount in Galilee, as he touched each one of us: “I give you authority to heal the sick, cast out demons, and proclaim God’s kingdom. Do as you have seen me do.” Then he sent us out two-by-two. According to his word, we accomplished signs and wonders and returned to him full of excitement, with testimonies of having done all he said we could do.

Shortly after, Herod beheaded John the Baptist. After learning of it, Jesus wished to be alone and so we set off in our boat to find a solitary place.  But the crowds watched us from the shoreline and, seeing him in the boat, they trailed along with us along the water’s edge. Seeing this, Jesus changed his mind, and we brought the boat to shore so he could minister to them—teaching and healing them until it grew late. He fed all of us with five loaves of bread and two fish. We ended up with twelve baskets of leftovers after he had fed thousands of people.

After all of this, he sent us twelve off in our boat to cross the lake and he sent the entire crowd to their homes. He still wanted time alone with his Father.

In the middle of the night, seeing our struggle against the wind and waves, he came to us, walking on the water.

Seeing him then, I knew he could do anything. He had just fed a multitude from practically nothing. The fact that he had no boat was not a problem for him. He’d come to our rescue.

My expectations of Jesus soared; I had worked a few miracles in his name, just days before. If he told me I could heal the sick, I could, and did. If he told me I could preach the kingdom in his name, I did so. The idea struck me that, if he was willing, I could do the same things he did and I wanted to test my theory.

When I sank, he reached for me, and scolded me with a laugh. “Why did you doubt?”

But I saw his face beaming at me—he was delighted that I’d given it a try.

Once, I did something worse than sink. It nearly destroyed me when I betrayed him. But, as it was on the water, he pulled me up from the threatening depth that nearly took my life. His look of sorrow for me became my worst memory of him.

I’ve learned an important thing: He trusts me to trust him. Even when I denied him, he trusted me to return to him and love him more than ever.

***

Jesus had found, in Peter, a man willing to believe and do the impossible.

In Peter’s letter to the churches in 64 A.D., he wrote, “As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him—you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

Peter saw himself and every believer as living stones. Considering Jesus’ nickname for him, the Rock, Peter certainly was that. He became a foundation stone placed directly upon the chief Cornerstone. Peter, the first to recognize Jesus for who he was, his proclamation of faith the first. Peter was first to receive keys to the Kingdom of heaven—and he found himself in a key place in the Lord’s plans, in his Spiritual House—the Church.

Are we to believe Peter’s faith was what so endeared him to the Lord in the first place?

Let’s look closely. Jesus liked being with Peter. You see it throughout all the gospel events. He was one of the three in Jesus’ inner circle. Peter, spontaneous and emotional Peter, was honest, authentic, and dedicated. Outspoken about his feelings for Jesus, he was also the first to preach the Good News of Jesus in public, convincing a couple thousand festival pilgrims to believe in Jesus and be baptized.  Peter was a man of faith-in-action. Is this what captured the Lord’s heart?

Perhaps it’s what Jesus first saw in Peter. Like King David—Peter’s heart was a heart after God’s own heart. Peter sought and found the wonder of God’s particular love for him.

Peter responded to his Lord like a wick to the flame. He returned love for love, which brightened all around him. Known for his bold, relentless faith and utter dependence on Jesus, Peter took hold of the keys Jesus gave him to the Kingdom, keys of Jesus’ own power and authority.

Surprise! Unwrapping God’s Presence

God came to us as a stranger. Nobody expected to see the Messiah come in the way He came. God fulfilled the prophecies about Himself but not in ways anyone could grasp. Really, not even those closest to Jesus understood who He really was, not until after the resurrection. Even then the realization came slowly.

 

God in a manger was a scandal. But, what glory it was in reality. If one could fully grasp the significance of the event, the wonder of it . . . well, of course, we cannot.

 

He hid Himself for our sakes.

 

And, today, in our personal lives and stories, it seems the same is true. Jesus can, anytime He decides, unveil His awesome power (that glorious Divinity), to prove His presence with us in similar ways He did during the days He wore sandals. He showed His glory through miracles and loving wonders and still does. We long for those times, don’t we?

 

He lived 30 years without any sign of being anything but an ordinary man. And, for about 3 years only did He unveil the beauty, the wonder, the mystery, of His presence.

 

I think He lets us miss Him, lets us yearn for answers, watches us grope in the dark for His will—all for good reason. I think it is so that He can surprise us. The favors come on His timetable, though, not ours. He sets us up in situations and circumstances that make us need Him. It is unavoidable, this dependence we have on Him. Yet, it this way, He is continually changing us and wooing us closer. Our faith grows. We begin to see Him more clearly, in places we hadn’t expected to find Him.

 

God became a crying baby in diapers, for Heaven’s sake. He was truly the Creator of the universe, don’t forget. This is in keeping with His character.

 

No doubt about it, Jesus enjoyed shocking His friends. He did it often. His first miracle was in the production of an extravagant amount of wine. Imagine the glee on Jesus’ face as he watched the wedding guests laugh and dance. He healed everyone He came across and showed generosity at every turn. His anger surprised folks, too. He turned to stone occasionally—because He couldn’t surprise the religious leaders with His generosity, with His desire to forgive and dazzle people. No, Jesus, wanted people to enjoy His presence, not shun His kindness. He wanted to steal hearts, after all—that’s why He came.

 

I think Jesus graces us with similar miracles today—ones He often never gets the credit for. I have personally experienced quite a few. Even so, I often feel like my prayers are not being heard because I don’t see immediate results. Or I feel confused and unable to make decisions, with what seems like no direction from above. But, if we ask for guidance and we hear crickets, does it mean God isn’t listening? No, I don’t believe that for a second. I have to remind myself, He answers at the perfect time and in the right way. He has always been this way. Above all, He wants us to know He is truly with us. He is present.

 

God loves to surprise us.

The Wonder and Beauty of Knowing God

For a couple of decades I’ve enjoyed intimacy with God. It has, however, been impossible to experience this without bringing the Creator down to my own level, in human terms, so to speak. But how else can any of us even dare to experience knowing Him?  After I believed in Him as my personal Savior, I wanted to live to please Him. At that point I began this extraordinary, transcending experience that is often impossible to describe to someone who hasn’t known such things. I actually hear God’s voice. I know what He thinks! Sometimes I am too comfortable, though, I suppose because He hasn’t appeared to me in His glory. I haven’t seen Jesus’ brilliant, blinding form as did Paul on the road to Damascus. Many have witnessed similar things, like light radiating from Him. John, Peter, and James once saw Jesus transfigured on a mountaintop.

Jesus is full of glory and yet I have two-way conversations with Him. I often notice things He orchestrates on my behalf. It’s amazing to know God! What astounds me is the utter majesty and mystery of the fact that God became like me, a lowly creature of His own design. He lived a life much like mine. On earth. He came from heaven and lived as one of us. Why do we take this for granted? Jesus, God, had dirty fingernails from hard work and earned blisters on His feet. And, yet, He is the designer and engineer of the universe–the Maker of all that exists. He made my heart to beat and to love.

The least I can do is respond to Him with all that He made me to be. I know now . . . I was made for Him simply because He wants to love me.

I know I don’t think big enough when it comes to the reality of who Jesus is. He’s stooped so far down to me. He loves me and has given me eyes to see Him  through faith. I know, though, I catch only tiny glimpses of His glory.  That’s why I often ask Him to open my eyes and heart to Him in spirit and truth. He always responds to my desire and request. I’ve seen it countless times.

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”

Jeremiah 29:13

Jesus is the designer of the universe. Our thinking is ridiculously tiny when it comes to our apprehension of His presence and reality with us. Sometimes we can get a glimpse of His beauty, genius, and greatness. This YouTube clip did it for me the other day. God is so amazing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKPzDFDnmuw&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9MwNm0gXd8&feature=related

 

This man died in an airplane crash and experienced seeing a great light – he returned to life and now lives for Jesus:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRSjzY0s0SM&feature=related

 

Jesus Today . . . What is He Up To? Is He in Authority in Heaven and on Earth?

It’s been weeks since I blogged. I paused working on the new book Come and See, leaving off with the voice of Jesus during His first miracle that publicly began His reign as Sovereign over the earth. It was His first public act of supernatural authority. So extravagantly done, it was actually humorous of Him. With joy and ease, Jesus began to take back what Satan had stolen from humankind. I hardly wanted to move on in the story, it moved me so much.

Since then I’ve been engrossed with someone else’s book, a meaty, eloquently and thorough work by biblical historian N.T. Wright titled SIMPLY JESUS: A NEW VISION OF WHO HE WAS, WHAT HE DID, AND WHY HE MATTERS.

What a gift this book is to followers of Jesus or anyone wanting to know the truth about God’s Kingdom and purposes on earth. Wright makes sense of the whole picture, and delves deeply into the meaning and purposes of what God has done from the beginning, until the present, while creating expectation and confidence in what lies ahead. What a timely book this is, not only in my life, but in the life of the Church.  Praise the Holy Spirit in and through this man of excellent learning and profound insight and faith. I smiled while realizing that the novel I wrote called His Kingdom Come, about the days Jesus began His kingly reign, seems to artistically complement Wright’s ideas of what Jesus was all about when He first came and established God’s kingdom on earth. Of course biblical fiction is vastly different than a work of theology and scholarship. But how wonderful it is that God uses our talents and gifts to reveal His ways and purposes so diversely and meaningfully. I believe every believer has their own unique stuff to do, everyone, everywhere. Because this IS the coming of God’s Kingdom — through all of us who are His. We are so connected; we are a working body.

I appreciate how Wright explicitly shows his readers how Jesus is already an active, reigning King. Some people think Jesus is not bringing His Kingdom until He returns to earth in all His glory. Well, the Kingdom has been coming all along and won’t be completely here until we see His face.  Until then, we who belong to Him actually embody Him and are doing his work on earth. He truly is ruling over all things, working in the nations and events of history, as well as in small ways, planting seeds that become movements of grace and change.

It is amazing to realize: God put on flesh and became one of us, fulfilling His own promise to unite heaven and earth. It takes Holy Spirit enabled eyes to see it and participate in it.

Wright put it this way: “When God wants to change the world, he doesn’t send in the tanks. He sends in the meek, the mourners, those who are hungry and thirsty for God’s justice, the peacemakers, and so on. Just as God’s whole style, his chosen way of operating, reflects his generous love, sharing his rule with his human creatures, so the way in which those humans then have to behave if they are to be agents of Jesus’s lordship reflects in its turn the same sense of vulnerable, gentle, but powerful self-giving love. It is because of this that the world has been changed by people like William Wilberforce, campaigning tirelessly to abolish slavery; by Desmond Titu, working and praying not just to end apartheid, but to end it in such a way as to produce a reconciled, forgiving South Africa; by Cicely Saunders, starting a hospice for terminally ill patients ignored by the medical profession and launching a movement that has, within a generation, spread right around the globe.”

Actually, and I know W.T. Wright would probably agree, sometimes God does send in the tanks and heroes, after all, He is in charge. If you haven’t seen the movie Act of Valor – do yourself a favor. God is fighting through heroes, strong, brave soldiers — who pray and who fight with the hearts of lions. I am just saying that God is using people to run the world, just as Satan uses people to fight against God and His purposes. We know, though, who wins in the end.

Jesus will restore all things to their proper order. It will be completely “on earth as it is in Heaven” one day. The way this is coming about, though, has been happening through history, since Jesus walked among us. Since then, He gives us His Spirit to reside within us. We are connected to Him! We only need to be aware of what our own unique participation is as we participate with Him in building His Kingdom.  Each believer has his or her part. As Wright so simply put it: “One small action can start a trend.”

This is how God’s kingdom is being established in our world. I agree with Wright when he says:  “Jesus has all kinds of projects up his sleeve and is simply waiting for faithful people to say their prayers, to read the signs of the times, and to get busy.”

I used to think priests had the job of forgiving sins because they were God’s representatives. When the resurrected Jesus gave the authority to His apostles before leaving for heaven, He gave the profound power and authority to them to forgive people’s sins. Actually, that authority was not just for them, but it was for every single believer who had the job of making disciples of the nations… You see, forgiveness is really a matter of reconciliation with God. Forgiveness, true forgiveness and reconciliation involves real confrontation with what has gone wrong.”

We are about the business of reconciliation. Out the window goes the notion of priests and confessionals. Jesus intended so much.  All along, He wanted to give His followers His own authority and power, because it was to transform everyone and bring change. Jesus wants to bring His light into the dark recesses of hearts and nations through us.

Wright eloquently says it this way: “The poor in spirit will be making the kingdom of heaven happen. The meek will be taking over the earth, so gently that the powerful won’t notice until it’s too late. The peacemakers will be putting the arms manufacturers out of business. Those who are hungry and thirsty for God’s justice will be analyzing government policy and legal rulings and speaking up on behalf of those at the bottom of the pile. The merciful will be surprising everybody by showing that there is a different way to do human relations other than being judgmental, eager to put everyone else down, ‘You are the light of the world,’ said Jesus.’You are the salt of the earth.'”

He announced and stated these things as fact. He invites his hearers, then and now, to join Him in making it happen. Yes, He is in heaven. But at the same time, His presence is in the form of His Spirit inside of us, breathing through our lungs, speaking through our mouths, touching with our hands. He creates through us and heals through us. He is bringing restoration to all things through us. This is, quite simply, what it looks like when Jesus is enthroned.

The Extravagant Bridegroom (the story of Jesus' first miracle)

The Extravagant Bridegroom

 

He thus revealed his glory,

and his disciples put their faith in him.

John 2:11b

 

 

Jesus, Heaven’s Bridegroom . . .

I’d been away from home for several weeks and my mother was glad to see me, although she had no idea how different my life would be from now on. I was to marry the world, it seemed to me. Even though I was prepared to sacrifice everything for her, my bride would be a reluctant one.  I thought this during the wedding ceremony in Cana as I watched the young couple pledge themselves to each other through sacred vows.  I silently prayed mine.

I had traveled to the wedding the day after I asked Nathanael to join us. The timing was perfect. After a month- long fast in the desert, I’d spent a few days in Judea with the prophet sent to prepare my bride for me and now I had several eager men following me. I sat at table with them until my mother put a challenge to me, “They have no wine.”

“What has that to do with me?” My adult son-to-mother tone did little to put her off and the look on her face continued the conversation. I glanced down at my hands, folded on the table in front of me.  I wasn’t about to discuss this in front of the others.

“My hour has not yet come,” I said in a lowered voice. I hoped she’d leave it at that. Instead, she looked from my face to those who sat beside and across from me.

My eyes followed hers and when I saw such open, expectant expressions, I felt overwhelmed. In that moment the idea came to me to make so much wine that our hosts wouldn’t know what to do with all of it. After the week long wedding feast, they’d need to tell the whole town to bring their own containers so they could give it away.

I began to laugh to myself at the thought. My mother wildly gestured to the servants within range. As it was, they were walking towards us with empty pitchers in hand, explaining to a person here and there that they had no more wine to give them.

I stood just as two servers stepped up to us. “Do whatever he tells you to do,” my mother said to them, and then she squeezed my arm to thank me.

“Take me to the water you have stored for the rite of purification.” The reality of the opportunity at hand thrilled me. This had everything to do with me. Who runs out of wine this early in a wedding feast? Since early childhood I had learned to pay attention to what my Father in heaven was doing, to notice things as special invitations to bless people. This was one of those times—of course, this should be my first display of Heaven’s love and power. What better way than at a wedding banquet?  I was beside myself with joy.

***

 

 

No one at the wedding banquet knew that the Divine Bridegroom was a guest there. Nobody realized what surprise the Father in heaven had in store that day. Neither did the two bridegrooms know beforehand what transformation was about to occur. The one just married sat beside his bride at the table, his heart sinking as the wine vessels were drained. The other unrecognized Bridegroom dreamed of his Bride as he quietly watched the wedding ceremony.

This was the setting for Jesus’ first supernatural sign. As with most miracles, this one came out of crises. It wasn’t a life-threatening need. It was a threat to the life of a party. The panic was in the eyes of the bridegroom and his family. It involved shame for them and disappointment for their guests. But was this just cause for Divine intervention?

What might Jesus have thought as he approached the six clay water jars, sitting in a row nearby? According to eyewitnesses, he had just changed his mind. At first, he hadn’t thought the time was right to work do a miracle.

It’s amazing to delve a bit deeper into the symbolism of this wonder he performed. At the start of the meal, the guests were provided with water to spiritually purify themselves before they ate. There was plenty of water left in the jars to serve Jesus’ purpose, but he instructed the servants to fill them to the brim. Then, without any dramatics, he told them to serve the water-become-wine to the headmaster, and then to all the guests.

Here, now, were gallons and gallons of this “purification” water turned into an inebriating beverage. The servants were in awe. The headmaster was puzzled. The bridegroom and his family were relieved and stunned. And all the guests had a good time.

Laughter and dancing faced off with religious legalism!

It is quite telling to think that Jesus’ first miracle was to give people a good time—and extravagance was part of it.  Let’s open our hearts to receive God’s extravagant favor and kindness! Two thousand years later, God’s gifts continue still, repeatedly, in many forms and ways. The Divine Bridegroom hasn’t changed a bit.

 

What a wonder . . .

 

Even as believers, sometimes the love of God escapes our grasp for the simple reason that it just seems too good to be true. Often, we miss the real message of Jesus’ first miracle. We miss the true gift in this story—God’s extravagant, non-legalistic grace. As Christians, we know that we have been called out of darkness and into the light. Not sure how to respond, we become self-righteously pious, and our faith and love for God become a legalistic and idealistic taskmaster. God never intended this to happen.

There is nothing legalistic, boring, or even “religious” about Jesus. That’s not the life Jesus came to bring us. If we truly knew God’s heart, we would realize that he is an extravagant, fun-loving, lively, and passionate Person.

“God prefers mercy to sacrifice,” Jesus said, quoting a Scripture he had grown up with. Just what does that mean in our modern-day language? It means that God has a forgiving and loving heart and doesn’t require us to work hard to please him. It means love is the religious expression God desires us to experience. It means God wants our hearts to become like his.

Well, what is he like? Look closely at this miracle. What did the Lord do? What was his purpose? How much wine did he make? Have you ever heard the argument that Jesus’ miraculous wine was unfermented? The people of his day would not have been impressed!  Anyone who believes this has completely missed the point. God have mercy!

The reason Jesus performed this miracle was for one reason only—to give the wedding guests a good time. Jesus showed us that God delights to delight us.

Just think about how the Lord gave his all to and for us. This is the God who loves us and wants us to come near. If we would just relax and let him have what he wants. If we would place ourselves upon his breast, breathe deeply and listen intently, then we’d know. He’s crazy in love with us. That’s the truth. He’s not looking for us to perform or abstain from enjoying ourselves. This is the message of Jesus’ first miracle: because of his presence, people had a very good time. This is quite telling about his character, don’t you agree?

In your presence is fullness of joy; in your right hand

there are pleasures forevermore.

Psalm 16:11

 

Just imagine . . .

 

Enter into the story of the wedding banquet at Cana. Become one of the characters in the story. Watch and experience the miracle. What are Jesus’ reactions—his facial expressions when he sees how surprised the servants are when they witness this miraculous transformation of water to wine?  Watch Jesus as he interacts with the people who, because of him, greatly enjoy themselves. How does Jesus act during the party, especially after the miracle? Can you see him enjoying himself too? Do you think he even danced? Ask the Lord to reveal his character, his true self and heart to you.

 

Journal Exercise  . . .

 

The wedding in Cana turned into a wonderful celebration with Jesus. Just imagine the banquet in heaven he has been planning for us. The miracle of Jesus transforming water into wine is all about freedom and God’s extravagant surprises he has in store for us. Let this reality sink in: Jesus is a bridegroom. We are, each of us, his bride—and the sum of all believers are his bride. If you love God and want to please him, then you can, in practical ways, follow your love for him. If you have God first in your life and love him above all else, then you can follow that inner leading, because your own heart is in union with God’s. He wants to be your number one love. He’s extravagant in ways you cannot fathom.

Write your thoughts and experiences from this chapter in your journal. What is God saying to you through the story of the wedding in Cana, Jesus’ first miracle, freedom from legalism, and Jesus’ intentions through a profound display of extravagance?

What story might an angel tell us? (An excerpt from COME AND SEE)

This is an excerpt from the eBook I’m working on. For those of you reading each week, I’m making my way through the Gospel narratives of Jesus’ life. This is the next chronological event and is based on the truth of the Scriptures. It’s an imaginative, artistic rendering of Jesus to, hopefully, inspire hearts, and help us to apprehend new perspective to things we’ve heard over and over.

Let the wonder and majesty of Jesus’ life, His coming to us, take hold more deeply and truly in our hearts and minds.

Hope you enjoy!

7 – Triumph in the Desert

“If you are the Son of God . . .”

Luke 4:3b

An angel of God, personal guardian of Jesus . . .

It mystified us when the Most High forsook his almighty power, glory, beauty and majesty. It’s impossible to describe this thing he did.  Our Maker, while human, knew we were near, even though he did not see us or converse with us, nor did he ask us directly for anything. He could have.

The fact that he needed us to protect him?—this was unthinkable.

He became lower than us, his created angelic host who worship him continually. He emptied himself to be like those he had created and whom he loved to the point of foolishness. Love that is so strong it makes one act crazy.

I say this because it’s true. The whole affair astounded us . . . how Jesus held his true glory, within, hidden in a way even from himself.

Even by human standards, for thirty years, he remained ordinary. Except for the last three years of his life, he did little to cause anyone to take notice of him. He gave new meaning to the word humble.

Not privy to his plans, short term or long, he continued to baffle us; we adored him more and more for what we watched him do. He lived a good, beautiful life—in a large family. But we wondered if he would live this way forever. We missed him as our Sovereign—and we wanted so much to be seen and known by him—like before.

I remember the day the Spirit led him into the wilderness of Judea’s harshest terrain. The scene went like this:

I kept right in step with my Lord, but questioned his behavior and said so when Michael joined us. This was after Jesus had trekked up most of a small mountain.

Michael was still in awe of Jesus’ baptism. It had profoundly touched all us. I had passed from joy into worry, because I watched him head directly into the wild and without sufficient clothing … no food, water … how would he manage out here? What was he thinking? Why now?

I blurted out to Michael that this was the first time Jesus had put himself in imminent danger.

I continued my questioning aloud: “Will he rely on supernatural powers against the elements, the wild animals, lack of food? He appointed me to guard him, but this— ”

“He is being driven out here by the Holy Spirit,” Michael interrupted. “There was a meeting in heaven.”

I waited to hear more.

“Lucifer came. He had his strongest ones with him. They came to settle something with the Most High. It could have been war again.”

“And?” I felt uneasy.

“Jesus will meet Lucifer—out here some place,” Michael said.

I shook my head at the news. “I won’t let Lucifer anywhere near him.”

“We will allow it,” Michael said. “Orders. Jesus is to be tested—as a man of faith.”

I gazed at the back of Jesus as he climbed, then glanced at Michael. “Of faith? We are talking about our Maker.”

Michael explained, “Abraham, Moses, Elijah, Joseph, David—spiritual testing precedes spiritual greatness. Adam and Eve failed. As their offspring, their ‘seed,’ Jesus must not fail. The children of Israel also failed their test in the wilderness, but Jesus cannot.”

I grew more nervous.

“The Most High explained these things to us after the meeting in heaven. As a human being, Jesus must overcome the power of sin. Our fallen brother, Satan, he will be here—and he’ll wait until Jesus is weak.”

Moving away from Michael to follow closer behind my Lord, I called back: “Jesus was, is, and will always be, holy! What do you mean by ‘weak?””

“Let’s stay close to him,” Michael said. “I don’t know what to expect.”

I realized that the desert would now become the testing ground for Jesus, just as it had been for Israel during their sojourn in the wilderness. They had failed in the desert—failed miserably. I couldn’t imagine Jesus failing at anything. Certainly, he would be faithful like David—who lived years in this same harsh wilderness while Saul sought to kill him. But, what if he did fail? What would happen then?

Michael guessed my thoughts. “He knows what he is doing.” Then he touched me, adding, “There is something more.”

“What?” I was thankful for Michael’s encouragement, but what else did he have to tell me?

“We can do nothing to help him during his testing.”

I remembered when the Lord had told us in heaven that there would come a time in his earthly life when we would want to step in and help him. He made us promise to be obedient and let things happen.

“Is this the time about which he warned us?” I voiced to Michael.

He shrugged. God had left this hidden from us. Why, we couldn’t imagine.

On the fortieth day of Jesus’ fast and stay in the desolate land, Lucifer came. I sensed his approach from behind. Jesus was seated on a flat shelf of rock that was warm from the morning sun. Jesus had shivered in the desert cold all night long.

“Who do we have here?”  Lucifer addressed me first, but his eyes were fixed on Jesus. Jesus couldn’t hear him, of course.

“God, the Son? Quite a transformation! Why . . .  this is too good to be true!”

My fallen brother laughed an evil laugh and I moved closer to Jesus.

He continued his one-sided dialogue with me. “Is this His Holiness, now a creature of earth? Amazing.”

I couldn’t speak. I wanted to fight.

“Step aside,” Lucifer demanded of me. He knew I could do nothing. Michael stepped up beside me.

Lucifer shook his head at us, gloating with a crooked smile. “Watch me, if you want. I’m about to let him know I’m here.”

At that moment, Jesus bent over folded arms to hold his stomach. His face held pain.  He searched the ground and found two round rocks with his eyes.  He rose up and went to them, picked them up and returned to sit, holding one in each hand.

Lucifer leaned close to his ear and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.

Jesus looked up with a startled expression.

He threw the rock to the ground and said out loud, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God!’”

I was beside myself. I began to pace around Lucifer and Jesus in a wide circle, close enough to see everything, far enough to obey orders. Michael called to me, “Get back! Leave them.”

Lucifer grinned at us, shaking his head.

I called back to Michael, “I can’t leave him—not now!”

Lucifer looked at me with such arrogance I nearly sprang at him. He said, “I think I’ll share a few words with him in person now.” He laughed again and said, “Fool, he doesn’t even know you exist. He can’t even see you.”

It was a cruel blow, for Lucifer managed to hit on the one thing I longed for the most.

“He chose me to be his closest companion and protector.”

“Yes, he needs one of those,” Lucifer mocked.

Jesus must have sensed Satan’s presence near him. He went from sitting to kneeling and bowed his head in prayer.

“He knows I’m here. I might as well let him see me.”

Immediately, Lucifer, the Satan of evil, appeared to Jesus in the form of a handsome man—a man with the look of power and authority. And, for a moment or two, it seemed as if Jesus knelt in front of Satan until, seeing him, Jesus stood.

Now, face-to-face, Satan laughed at Jesus.

In response, Jesus peered back into cold eyes. He did not appear frightened or even unnerved by the evil one.

Satan looked away from him and stepped back. Dressed as a Jewish man of affluence, with hands on hips, he said, “Son of Man, I have something to show you.”

In an instant, they both disappeared.

“They are gone! Michael!” I called out. “Michael!”

After a lightning speed flight to heaven, the Most High informed us where we could find him—in Jerusalem at the temple.

Arriving there, we saw them close to the edge at the top of the temple’s pinnacle.

Satan waved at us and grinned.

We hovered in mid-air, ready to do whatever we might be forced to do.

“Why don’t you jump?” He said to Jesus. “Prove who you are.”

Jesus shook his head.

“Your guardians are here to catch you.”

Jesus’ eyes scanned the temple courts below. He loved the temple.

Satan put an arm around him and Jesus looked back at him. In a voice loud enough for us to hear him, Lucifer said, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written: ‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone!’”

Michael and I looked at each other with fright. Twice now, Satan had questioned Jesus regarding his identity.

It was just like Lucifer to come up with something as crafty and demeaning as this! The temple had been built for the glory of God; it was his dwelling place. But God dwelt now in the body of Jesus. To think that Satan would bring him here to demean and destroy him . . . we were outraged.

But we had no need to worry. Within moments, Jesus turned and looked directly at Satan and said, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

We sighed with relief. Jesus knew exactly who he was. Again, Satan took him away in an instant. This time, we did not follow, but we could see into the dimension where they’d gone. It was outside of time and place, but it was a real place nonetheless.

Satan took Jesus to a mountaintop, high above the earth itself. This dramatic ploy was Satan’s best. He offered Jesus the easy way to reclaim what he’d come for.

Projecting a vision, Satan declared: “All this I will give you.” Before Jesus’ eyes appeared all the kingdoms of the world: past, present, and future. Jesus seemed transfixed at the sight of these things … at everything the world had to offer, its splendor, its beauty and its power. When Satan ended the vision, he waited a few moments to let its impact sink in. Jesus seemed pensive.

Satan leaned close.  “All this I will give you, if you will bow down and worship me.”

With a repulsive look, and a commanding voice, the likes of which none of us had ever heard from him, he said, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”

As if lightning had struck, Satan disappeared in a flash. And, just like that, we were all three back in the desert. Jesus, Michael, and me.

Face down and semiconscious on the hard, dusty ground, at the place where Satan had first appeared, Jesus lay, and I was seated beside him. I gently turned the inert body over, laying Jesus’ shoulders and head on my lap. Looking down at his sleeping face, utter adoration filled me. I was in the form of a man, like him, and I was visible and present, as was Michael, who towered above us—standing guard I think .

In a place outside of time, just before we had returned to the desert, the Most High told us we could appear to Jesus to strengthen him. He had said, “My son has all of Heaven’s power and authority at his disposal. Nothing will be withheld from him.”

When Jesus awoke, he looked into my eyes. At first, he seemed frightened. He tensed. I knew he must think I was Satan, about to pull some new temptation on him.

I calmed him. “My Lord, Satan is gone.”

Jesus relaxed and closed his eyes. A smile spread across his face. He grimaced as a trickle of blood oozed from a new crack in his lips. I touched and healed it.

Jesus opened his eyes again. Mine was a gaze was worship. I whispered, “Do you know me?”

“He said my name then.” He said it softly with love.

“Yes. Oh, my Lord, you know me.” My heart overflowed with adoration for him..

We lingered this way awhile—Jesus’ head cradled in my lap. Michael brought a crystal cup of water, which he handed to Jesus. Other angels came with Heaven’s bread, like the bread that we’d once given to Elijah. Then we brought Jesus to a small waterfall in the mountains. It was a sheltered place near the Salt Sea. Here, in restful hiding, King David had written inspired praise songs when King Saul had sought to kill him. In the harshness of the desert, this refreshing place had provided Heaven’s help to Israel’s kings.

We stayed with Jesus and ministered to him until he was strong enough to return to the Jordan River. Whatever he was going to accomplish, we were certain he was in full command, even though he seemed weak.

 

Just imagine  . . .

“If you are . . .”

Satan put this question to Jesus about his identity. Was it a matter yet to be proved, even to Jesus himself?

The first of three tests: “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

There’s something familiar about this—they are similar to the words: “Eat the fruit of the tree, then you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” First Eve and then Adam had done so. They had failed their test and eaten. Here, now, was Jesus to redeem everything lost to Satan from that first act of sin.

Jesus replied to Satan that man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. And he did not succumb to his own desires but waited in obedience to his Father.

From Heaven’s perspective, it was a big day.  Imagine, as if you were there, what it might have been like. Can you picture it?

“Did you see that? My son, my son, he is obedient unto death!” God the Father exclaimed to everyone in heaven. “He will not fail in his mission. Truly, my son, he is the Bread of Life!”

Atop the pinnacle of the temple, the second test came after translating Jesus there.

“If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written: ‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”

Jesus answered, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

“Oh blessed day!” A trumpet sounded with Elohim’s shout of happiness. “My son, my son! Did you see that, you angels, did you hear what he said? Although he has humbled himself and lives by faith, as do all men on the earth, yet he knows who he is! He cares not for the opinion of others, but for mine alone. He will save all the fallen! Do you see my son? He is one in my Spirit, whose goodness, beauty, and glory fills my temple!”

And then the third test came. The devil took Jesus, within or outside of the dimension of time and place isn’t known, but he brought Jesus to the summit of a high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you, if you will bow down and worship me.”

It was actually his to give.

Now this was perhaps the hardest of all three tests. How very tempting to bypass all the work, the pain, to bypass the torturous cross! How easily Jesus could gain what he’d come to reclaim. But there was not a moment’s hesitation and his tone held utmost authority when he gave the command: “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”

And his heavenly Father sang in triumph a wondrous blessing upon his son, “You hold all power and authority both of heaven and earth. You, my son, are my voice, my hands, my heart! Go and win human inheritance back from the Prince of darkness!”

After the devil left Jesus, angels came to revive him. They gave him heavenly bread to eat. They soothed his weary soul and told him that his Father was pleased, and that he held all authority of heaven and earth in his hands. Isn’t that amazing?

 

What a wonder . . .

Isn’t it incredible to consider that Jesus was tested like we are? That is how very far God came to reach out to take us by the hand, to lead us safely home. He put himself in harm’s way, to suffer just as we suffer, to be tried, just as we are. And, in him, we triumph against the evil that comes against us.

It’s really a wonder that Jesus had to go through a time of testing at all. God doesn’t enjoy the deserts any more than we do. He’d prefer to spend time with us in the Edens of our love with him. But in the times of the desert, our love is proven and made strong—just as it was for Jesus.

The Scriptures say that the Holy Spirit led Jesus to go there. It was so hard for him that angels were sent to minister to him after his ordeal. Jesus is the hero of heroes.

Heaven and angels, the unseen world, the spiritual world, existed before our world. And on this dramatic stage, we must realize that this is all very real. God is telling an amazing story, one we are caught up in; one day we will see King Jesus, and he will sit on a real throne.

“For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him” (Colossians 1:16).

Now and then people have been allowed to catch glimpses of the unseen world. Throughout the Scriptures there are some who have seen and described heaven, God’s throne, the witnesses in heaven, the city, even the Lord himself. God has created a domain that includes myriads of angels, and they exist in a kind of hierarchy with specific duties and purposes. His glory and majesty is a subject of their awe and wonder.

But to think Jesus gave up so much—to show us his love—won’t it be thrilling to see him in glory with his angels?

 

Journal Exercise . . .

We are ever reaching. We must discover who we are in God and our hearts ask, “Who am I? Why am I here?” These questions recur over and over in our lives. Also, we experience temptations that try to draw us away from God even in our searching.

Record in your journal what you have learned and experienced while pondering Jesus’ temptation in the desert. Look back to times when you’ve experienced temptations, or times when you felt God let you fall through his fingers. Sometimes we live long enough to become thankful for those times. Sometimes we find ourselves in the middle of it and cannot see clearly at all. Can you find a truth in Scripture to get you through the ordeal? Can you trust in God’s heart, even though you cannot see what his hand is doing—and he seems so far from you? In these times of testing and proving, we become just like Jesus. And, be aware, we are never alone. Angels are beside you and here to help and the Holy Spirit is inside of you.

Please subscribe this blog at my new website because this site will soon go away … I would love to hear from you!

www.margaretmontreuil.com

The Unveiled Mystery – God’s Presence Revealed

Onlookers, people like you and me, witnessed the unveiled mystery of heaven for the first time on the shoreline of the Jordan River. It was the day Jesus stepped into the river to be baptized. It was the moment in history when Jesus began to reveal God’s extravagant love.  This was the day onlookers saw and heard, for the first time, God’s unveiled presence (the Trinity). Since then, we’ve seen many manifestations . . .  Believers in Jesus actually carry God’s presence around.

I’ve been reading a new book by Bill Johnson entitled Hosting the Presence in which he talks about how to pay attention to the Holy Spirit and respond to Him and how God’s Spirit manifests Himself, plus stories of Presence-filled revivalists and personal encounters with the Presence! (These are some of the descriptive words from the back cover.) Of course, this makes me crave more of the Holy Spirit’s presence and favor! It’s amazing to think about. We are living in the Age of the Holy Spirit. It makes me wonder, why am I so complacent about it, way too content with the measure of experience I’ve known so far? I’ve had some pretty extraordinary things happen in my Christian life to know that God wants to give us miraculous, supernatural experiences — it is because God is God and wants to live through us on earth.

Here’s a question Bill Johnson asks the reader: “How do you want people to remember you? People work so hard to create an image and form a reputation for themselves. For some it’s their beauty or their skills. For others it’s their significance or their place in society. And still others work hard to create an image from the spiritual gifts they operate in. The Bible even teaches us the value of a good name (see Prov. 22:1). It is obviously important if it’s done correctly. But if you could choose one thing to be known for, one thing that would distinguish you from everyone else, what would it be?”

I know my answer: “To be known as someone who knows and loves Jesus.” That’s why I write about Him. Anyway, the topic of “hosting God’s presence” really leads nicely into the next chapter of the ebook I’m working on entitled Come and See.  Hope you enjoy!

 

6 – Holy Immersion

 

And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son,

whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

Matthew 3:17

 

     

John the Baptist, at the Jordan River . . .

 

I have come to call that day “the day of days.” Yet it began as a typical one during those many months I spent south of Jericho when God sent me to preach and baptize his people.

I knew that the time was ripe for the sons and daughters of Jacob to come near to the true, living God, and to make room for him in their hearts. I could no longer stomach that our people were being led by imposters in Judea, who compromised our inheritance and set religious traps for their own gain. Rome oppressed us, but the wolves of Judea added more than greed to the mix of worship in the temple. It was God’s loving jealousy that I preached and baptized his flock.

I knew from childhood that I was the one to prepare the way for the Messiah. And the Spirit of the Most High encouraged me, revealing that his days were near, even at hand. I baptized the people in water, but he would baptize them with fire. All this had been shown to me. And so I proclaimed his words with the fire of my mouth, which was what the God of Jacob had given me.

 

On what I thought was an ordinary morning, my disciples reported that a group from Galilee had arrived the evening before just before sunset. Some had sought accommodation and food in the nearby village and some had come ahead here, to the river, and settled in their own tents.

The villagers were not slow to take advantage of the situation. Shelters of sticks, grass and mud, plus a number of guestrooms in houses, sprang up to accommodate them, not without cost. By word of mouth, a steady stream of people had been coming to us for what turned out to be more than a year. New groups of pilgrims quickly replaced the ones before.

You would have thought that on that day, the day for which my entire life had been groomed, I would have felt his presence—known he was so near—perceived him coming. But I did not.

I had not noticed him until he stood directly in front of me, head bowed, hands clasped together in prayer. Next in the line, his eyes were closed. I supposed that the man before me was so deeply in prayer that he hadn’t known it was his turn to be immersed. It wasn’t until one of my disciples tapped him on the shoulder, encouraging him to step closer to me, that he then looked up. When our eyes met, my heart leapt. At once, my entire being cried within me, “It’s him!” I didn’t recognize him as Jesus, my cousin, at first; I knew him as the Promised One.

Many years had passed since I’d seen him. At first, he said nothing to me. Two of my disciples moved closer, concerned that something was upsetting me. He, in turn, looked at me with such an open, expectant face, awaiting my instructions. I was glad that he did not smile or make light conversation about seeing me again, because the moment had taken on such a solemn import within my spirit that I could hardly breathe. He simply waited for me to say or do something. It seemed an eternity passed while I tried to find my tongue, for all I could do was gaze at the sight of him. It was probably only seconds that passed, but in that brief span, I felt the weight of the moment. The Messiah stood before me—the one with “no beginnings.” Mary’s son. My cousin.

Oh, my Lord of heaven and earth. Lord of heaven and earth!

I was not about to baptize him. With a racing heart and weakening knees, I glanced at my disciples as they approached me. They had sensed something happening to me. Something strange. But I managed to wave them off.

Jesus, seeing this, bowed his head again. He wanted me to proceed. But I couldn’t. It was absurd.

“I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” I finally managed to speak.

Looking up again into my face, he took hold of my shoulders and, leaning close to me, luminous eyes only inches from mine, said in a low voice, “Let it be so now. It is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.”

I stared blankly back. But he nodded his head to say he meant it, encouraging me to do as he wished.

The water was nearly waist-high. As I recall, I nodded in agreement and raised my hands to put them on his shoulders and the moment my fingertips touched the top of his shoulders, he knelt so that his head disappeared beneath the surface. As he went down, I gently touched the top of his head. When I removed them, he came up out of the water, head still bowed, hands clasped in prayer as before. Water trickled in streams from his hair and beard.

Suddenly the loudest thunderclap I have ever heard tore open heaven above us. Fear gripped everyone—that is, everyone except him. The noise from above seemed appropriate to me. I couldn’t help but smile. I stepped reverently back from him and lifted my hands in worship.

Clouds parted and a beam of sunlight shone down on us. A dove-like manifestation of the Holy Spirit gracefully descended and lit upon him. A voice from above followed: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”

Smiling, Jesus lifted his face to the sky, eyes closed. It was terribly bright all around us. He stayed this way for a little while. Afterward, he looked at me, and his face shone with gladness, the likes of which I’ve never seen on any other face. His delight was so contagious that I found myself caught up in the same ecstasy as he. The light around us dimmed to normal, the dove disappeared, and what remained was the two of us full of smiles. We embraced.

Jesus thanked me, kissed both cheeks, and slowly walked away and out of the river. He stepped along the shore, bent to find his sandals and put them on, and then went on his way, walking around and in-between a crowd of people. All eyes were fastened on him. Some of the people reached out to touch him as he passed by. Some softly blessed him or praised God as he walked along. He disappeared from our eyes over a small hill, behind an outcrop of wild brush.

Awe had filled all of us and we became an unmoving crowd of onlookers until after he left.

The entire drama had unfolded so suddenly, without any hint or sign of its coming, that it took me a few minutes to recover enough to know that I, too, must retreat from the place. Overcome with joy, I excused myself from my disciples and the people for the day.

My entire life had brought me to this. My cousin, of whom my mother had spoken so well of years before, was the Son of God. I wanted to let the awe of it fill my soul. I went to my cave and worshiped until the next morning. When I returned to the Jordan, I looked for him, but it was more than forty days before I saw him again.

**

What a wonder . . .

 

Since Eden’s paradise was lost, God’s designs for redemption waited for the right time. And this was it. It came about, as is customary, that a courier be sent ahead of a king to announce his arrival. That proclamation was heard upon God’s chosen land two thousand years ago. For months, the courier stood beside a gentle river that flowed through the dry, barren landscape, crying out to thirsty hearts that God’s kingdom was coming to them.

Through John the Baptist, the Holy Spirit cried out, “Come! Come to the waters! Come, wash, and draw near to me. Turn from your lifeless, sinful lives—I want to see your faces.”

Answering the call to be baptized, Jesus humbly immersed himself in the waters of repentance. Of course there was no sin in him, but he would fulfill all righteousness. In him, in his death, we would find resurrection. And so, Jesus said Yes to his Father. He would take the sins of the world upon himself through death, be buried, and rise to live a resurrected life. This is what his baptism symbolized.

Jesus knew his mission fully.

And, so, it was that John and Jesus began to reveal the coming of God’s Kingdom. Soon the land would spring forth with vibrant life from rivers of blessing, from the Anointed One; his Grace would be poured out upon them—from his words and actions—from his Life.

 

Just imagine  . . .

For thirty years, sensitive to his Father’s will, Jesus waited. He did not step out into ministry until the time was right. When his cousin began to preach and baptize in the wilderness, Jesus knew his time was drawing near. He understood John’s mission: to prepare the hearts of the people for his own ministry.

Can you imagine the thoughts and feelings Jesus might have experienced when he first heard the news of his cousin’s preaching and baptizing activities? What a wonderful moment it must have been when John and Jesus stood face-to-face in the river and the Spirit of God came upon them. In that pivotal moment in time, the Mystery of heaven was manifested and seen by witnesses—the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—for the very first time. And, because this was such an extraordinary unveiling, it was attested to by God’s chosen prophet. According to Jesus’ own words about him, he was the greatest of all the prophets, up until this moment.

Certainly, John’s heart would have leapt as he stood with Jesus. Had he not leapt within his mother’s womb thirty years before when encountering the Son of God’s presence when brought close to him?

How wonderful this moment was! For the dove of the Spirit lit upon the Son of Man, and the Father’s voice was heard. How could anyone fully grasp the wonder of that event? That moment in the eternal annals of history was a shining moment for God. And, so, too, for us.

It was for Jesus’ sake, not only for those present, that God the Father’s voice sounded audibly. “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”

Why did the Father say this to his Son? Did Jesus need to hear this? Didn’t he already know where he’d come from?—didn’t he know he was God’s only begotten Son, having come from heaven? Is it possible that Jesus lived his life in faith, like we all must, and that he understood his own identity through faith? Could it have been an unfolding revelation? He knew who he was at the age of twelve because he’d wanted to “be about his Father’s business” when he’d been left behind in Jerusalem.

At this time, at the age of thirty, Jesus heard the audible voice of God and he did not say, “He is my beloved Son.” Rather, God said, “You are my beloved Son.” This was an event, a shared experience, and in it they surely gloried in one another.

Can you see yourself there? Imagine the scene. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you to experience being there. Imagine that you are a witness, maybe even one of those who had come to hear John the Baptist. Let God prepare your heart, for the Lord is always coming to us in new ways. Let yourself feel the marvel of that extraordinary moment in history.

 

Journal Exercise . . .

Jesus, the Lord, was baptized and took upon himself the mission to give himself—his very life—to redeem us. Can you appreciate this sacred hour in his life and that of the world? Summarize in your journal insights or thoughts that are meaningful to you about Jesus’ baptism.

Have you been baptized in the manner in which Jesus was?—with full consent, wishing to demonstrate your desire to live for God? It is something Jesus wants us to do—as he taught his disciples to baptize new believers in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—so that we might experience that which he experienced. It is meaningful to God. It’s an intentional, rather formal, as well as a celebrative act, isn’t it? What are your memories of your baptism? You can be sure, your baptism, if heartfelt, was a delightful moment for God, too.

 

Pray for DESIRE for God

Have you ever noticed how sunflowers bend or turn to face the sun? It amazes me how much our hearts are so inclined to face the Son. We simply want Him and need Him.

A while ago I felt dull towards God and said a simple prayer about it. Just mention this to Him and you can be sure … it is a prayer He will quickly answer.

Once Jesus gave me an illustration of a fireplace with coals, a fire that looks to be nearly spent. He said all He need do is blow … a quick puff from His mouth and the fire flares up. He said His beloveds have hearts that might appear to have no fire left, until He gives a bit of a blow and everything is red hot again.

I suppose You might wonder — what form does this quick “blow” take; how is it He can so easily ignite us? Well, it could be anything. He’s quite creative about it. This time, for me, a friend called me to talk because the Lord had put me on her mind … while we talked He gave her a vision. It was of a sail boat, and He was showing her that He was about to fill its sails…

Me. I’m the sail boat. Little did she know that the Lord and I have used the sail boat imagery about my “writing life” and, in fact, I used to put a little motto on my email signatures that went like this: “We set the sails, God sends the wind.” I have been sensing God’s favor lately and it comes hand in hand with how close I really am to Him.

Well, my friend didn’t know that I’ve been working and praying about getting more serious with my writing … in fact I’ve been working on getting my website up and running. She didn’t now that I am thinking about publishing an eBook soon, or that I am sensing that it is time to get more serious about my writing life in general.

But what I want more than all of that is more of God. I want to be closer to Jesus, so close that my face is facing the Son every moment I’m awake.

I have desire for God again and it feels so wonderful. I think my next post is going to be a “going deeper” lesson in experiencing God. I might start blogging part of the eBook I’ve a mind to do.

So, if you would like to SEE Jesus in a new way, a personal and creative way, please come back soon. If you subscribe to my blog, you’ll know when I’ve posted it. Stay tuned ….

The name of my new devotional book is called COME AND SEE – (come and see Jesus).

It will be a contemplative, experiential journey through the Gospel stories of the life of Jesus.

Below is a beautiful video — Come and See the Glory of the Lord – just to kindle your heart to love Him a little more intentionally right now. He’s so, so wonderful and worth it! His love is so amazing .

http://ahref=

 

 

 

 

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What it means to live for God …. (from His perspective)

One of my favorite authors is Brennan Manning. His books are filled with deep understanding of God’s love—and I don’t just read his books once—I return to them over and over again. He knows how to take the words of Scripture and make them apply to my life in ways that reach down deep inside me. 

Something I read today in his small, but powerful book, The Rabbi’s Heartbeat, went hand in hand with a Scripture verse I also read today. Here are the two quotations:

John 10:10

“I have come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”

When Jesus uttered these particular words, I can imagine the angels of heaven standing in awe as they listened—because they knew what it cost Him in order to personally say them:

Brennan writes:

“The sorrow of God lies in our fear of Him, our fear of life, and our fear of ourselves. As a father gathers his children into his arms at the end of a long and tiring day, so God longs to draw us into His embrace. No matter what your past or present, come; lean back in the shelter of His love and listen to the Rabbi’s heartbeat. Let Him teach you about life, death, and eternity as Abba’s beloved child. Take an unflinching look at yourself as you really are. Then look at who you are meant to become as you travel this earth as a child of God on the journey called life.”

 

This is a little conversation, as recorded in my prayer journal tonight, that I think illustrates these things.

The Lord: “What does it mean to live for Me? I am asking what it means to you. “

My reply: “It means that everything I do is for You—that I belong to You and want to please You—because I love You.  And now that I am saying these words, I realize I don’t live for You in realty, do I?“

The Lord: “This is what it means to Me.  If you want to live for Me, then do this: Be yourself fully and let Me love you. Then, when you begin to grasp what I love about you, and when you discover how much I love you, and when you can see that I would do anything for you, perhaps then you will know that you are living for Me so that I can enjoy you.”

“Lord, this is astounding. I can hardly take in what You just said.  I need to think about the fact that You desire me to be more attentive to your Presence … to share my life with You as though we walk side by side. I am not mindful enough of You.”

“If you realized my Presence moment by moment, our relationship would be beyond what you can imagine. And, it is possible, it is so possible.”

After this, I read the next few pages of Brennan’s book, and amazing enough, it is an excerpt from his prayer journal:

 

 “To feel safe is to stop living in my head and sink down into my heart and feel liked and accepted … not having to hide anymore and distract myself with books, television, movies, ice cream, shallow conversation … staying in the present moment and not escaping into the past or projecting into the future, alert and attentive to the now … feeling relaxed and not nervous or jittery … no need to impress or dazzle others or draw attention to myself… Unselfconscious, a new way of being with myself, a new way of being in the world … calm, unafraid, no anxiety about what’s going to happen next … loved and valued … just being together as an end in itself.”

 

If we could just focus on being with God and not let so much in our lives distract us FROM Him, perhaps we’d grasp what it really means to live for God. Imagine how different our lives would be.

Wow! So much to absorb—It’s simply amazing. God is here!  Now.  Always. What He wants most is to enjoy me being me with Him. He wants us all to realize His love, His particular love.

I have a new website about my books – you can download samples, listen to the audio book GOD IN SANDALS, read 100 pages of HIS KINGDOM COME…http://www.wix.com/mmontreuil/author-site