God's infinite knowledge of me...

Psalm 139 ~ God’s infinite knowledge of man, and also one of my most favorite books of the Bible. David was a man after God’s own heart and his acknowledgement of God’s sheer awesomeness and divinity is present in the words of this scripture. David poured out himself before the Lord on many occasions, in good times and in bad, yet his heart remained in a continual state of yearning for truly knowing the Lord.

I am convinced that God knows the depths of my very being and there is no use in trying to hide feelings, frustrations or other emotions from Him. He knows me intimately and yet He loves me anyway. I find this amazing! Despite all my short comings, my failures and even in my meager successes, He still loves me deeply. Before Him, I can be naked and not ashamed. Transparency does not come easy but it really is the only way to approach His presence. Anyone who knows anything about the presence of God knows that anything impure or unholy will burn up before Him. God cannot look upon sin and I am so thankful the blood of His precious Son, Jesus, covers me in grace and restores my fellowship with The Holy One.

Some time ago, God gave me a marvelous revelation at an old Coke bottle I found while on a mission trip in Honduras:
People filter in and out of the room daily, yet no one notices the empty bottle.
To them, it is a shell of what is left of a former good thing, no longer with any use.
It used to be filled with an intoxicatingly sweet, sparkling drink. It used to could claim it was the “real thing” but that was when it had something of itself bottled up inside.
Now, the empty bottle has nothing remaining, only a scratched glass frame. This bottle reminds me of how God needs us to be. To the casual observer, this is merely an empty, worn out, fragile remnant of former greatness. To God, it’s a perfect vessel merely waiting on His Divine touch.

The emptiness of our former selves allows God to fill us with His Living Water to an overflowing that we can no longer contain. He alone is the Real Thing. Everything else is just a sticky, sweet liquid that is all happy and bubbly when you first try it but always goes flat when left to its own ability. The tiredness we experience is a daily reminder that we cannot function within our own abilities or strength. We cannot serve both God and man just as we cannot please both God and man. It is only in our weakness that He is made strong. And only then can He increase because we are decreasing. The pride of our own “self” leaves no room for fragility. Our hearts must remain tender and broken in order for Him to work deeply within us.

Above all else, we must remain transparent before Him so that the world no longer sees any part of ourselves, our name or what we used to be. His light must be able to shine thru our emptiness. We must be poured out of everything we exist of in order for Him to complete His good work. In looking thru the scratched, broken shell of what remains, the world should see the reflection of Jesus Christ. Nothing else matters.

Psalm 139, God’s Infinite Knowledge of Man
“God, investigate my life; get all the facts firsthand. I’m an open book to You; even from a distance, You know what I’m thinking. You know when I leave and when I get back; I’m never out of Your sight. You know everything I’m going to say before I start the first sentence. I look behind me and You’re there, then up ahead and You’re there too – You’re reassuring presence, coming and going. This is too much, too wonderful – I can’t take it all in.

Is there anyplace I can go to avoid Your Spirit? To be out of Your sight? If I climb to the sky, You’re there! If I go underground, You’re there! If I flew on morning’s wings to the far western horizon, You’d find me in a minute – You’re already there waiting! Then I said to myself, ‘Oh, He even sees me in the dark! At night, I’m immersed in the light!’ It’s a fact; darkness isn’t dark to You; night and day, darkness and light, they’re all the same to You.

Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; You formed me in my mother’s womb. I thank you, High God – You’re breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration – what a creation! You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something. Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before You, the days of my life all prepared before I’d even lived on day. Your thoughts – how rare, how beautiful! God, I’ll never comprehend them! I couldn’t even begin to count them – any more than I could count the sand of the sea. Oh, let me rise in the morning and live always with You!”

…..”Investigate my life, O God, find out everything about me; cross examine and test me, get a clear picture of what I’m about; see for Yourself whether I’ve done anything wrong – the guide me on the road of eternal life.” The Message Remix


Lord, Jesus…my prayer today is that I not stray from your manifest presence. Teach me to walk in Your ways, to seek Your face and remain forever surrendered to Your will. Let my heart sing today…Have Thine own way, Lord, have Thine own way.
Thou art the Potter, I am the clay.
Mould me and make me, after Thy will,
While I am waiting, yielded and still.
Have Thine own way, Lord, have Thine own way.
Search me and try me, Master, today
Whiter than snow, Lord, wash me just now
As in Thy presence, I humbly bow.
Have Thine own way, Lord, have Thine own way.
Wounded and weary, help me I pray.
Power, all power, surely is Thine,
Touch me and heal me, Saviour divine!
Have Thine own way, Lord, have Thine own way.
Hold over my being, absolute sway
Fill with Thy Spirit, ‘till all shall see
Christ only, always, living in me.

Organic movement...

Sunday was an interesting experience and one I will treasure in my heart for a long time. Our winter here in West Virginia has been harsh with lots and lots of snow. I cannot recall such a snowy winter since the late 90's! And funny how none of the global warming groups have uttered a word...I must laugh!

Church services were cancelled due to weather conditions. The steep incline leading to the Living Grace building is one few are brave enough to go up this time of year, despite numerous trips by the snow plow. Instead, we gathered at the Pastor's home for worship and prayer. We shared communion and a meal together as well. God was so wonderfully gracious to meet with us there! His love runs deep for us and Sunday was no exception. I wonder if that was perhaps His Valentine's Day gift to us. For me, I believe it was.

Long before the meeting that morning, the Lord brought to my mind the word 'organic'. Being a gardener myself, this was not an unfamiliar term. Organic gardening methods do not employ chemicals for fertilizer or pesticides. There are no growth hormones or artificial stimulants used to produce or maintain crops. Additionally, a truly organic garden will use heirloom seed, not hybrid or genetically altered/reproduced seeds. Heirloom seeds are those that are harvested from a plant each year and replanted the following growing season. Basically, it's a what-you-see is-what-you-get kind of thing. If you harvest tomato seeds, you will grow tomatoes, not okra.

Have you ever planted a seed from a hybrid plant? I did one year, not realizing I have saved hybridized seeds. I got the most beautiful, lovely pepper plants that year. They grew nicely, flowered abundantly and appeared to be the most vigorous plants in the garden. Only they never produced fruit. Not a single pepper all season, despite multiple flowerings and bushy, strong plants. While I did not use any chemicals in my garden, the seed was not true - it was sterile and could not produce life.

Organic gardens are thriving, living and breathing places. Even Webster's defines it as "of, relating to, or derived from living organisms". Compost is frequently used to rebuild and nourish the soil. It's another interesting thing that the very plants from the previous year are used to provide nutrients to the next seasons plants. Compost is like a wise old soul, seasoned and prepared for a long time before it's best use comes forth. And that use it for the next 'generation' of sorts.

A commercial or traditional garden may 'appear' healthy and productive but it is often laced with poisons, chemicals and other stimulants just to keep it going and keep disease or bugs at bay. Any fruit that is produced must be picked early before being fully ripened so it can be shipped off. After all, there are quota's and deadlines to be filled. The resulting land is frequently barren of anything of real substance. In order to grow anything, one must continually cover the ground within temporary things, those proverbial 'quick fixes' that only lasts for short while.

So, it was not surprising that this analogy of gardening came to mind. The church, the Body of Christ, must guard itself against those temporary quick fixes and things that make it look good on the outside. It must remain 'organic', full of life and, as Webster's also says, "forming an integral element of a whole". We are parts of Body of Christ. We cannot operate as separate pieces, i.e. some legs, some arms, others being eyes or ears. We must come together under the one true Head and that is Jesus Christ Himself. A living, breathing and organic thing, this Church is a moving entity. It flows from a seat of Mercy, Grace and Love...nothing less is expected of us. He leads, we follow. Little Christ's, Christian's, reflections of Him to those around us.

Matthew 11: 28-30 reads, "Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to Me. Get away with Me and you will recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with Me and work with Me - watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of Grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you, Keep company with Me and you will earn how to live freely and lightly." (The Message)

Let it be so, Lord. Let it be so!

How are you, Madrina?

Today, I received a letter from the little boy I sponsor in Honduras through Manos Extendidas. His name is Josue and he will 8 years old in April. I got to meet him for the first time in August of 2008 while on a mission trip to the capital city of Tegucigalpa. Josue was quiet and shy, barely mustering a quick hug before dashing out the door with his lunch in hand. That was kind of unexpected to me, as I had hoped to sit with him for a few moments and introduce myself. I had brought a small gift with me and really wanted to watch him open it. But, that was not happening that day. Isn't it funny how kids can surprise us?

Anyway, I was so blessed with his letter, I wanted to share my joy with you:

Hi, how are you Sponsor? I hope that God shines His light of blessings upon you. That is my greatest wish. I want to tell you that I am in the first grade. I do all my homework and get good notes from the school. I am very happy to know you. Thank you for the present you gave me when you were here and thank you for your hugs. It made me happy. I care for you will all my heart and since Christmas has already come, I want to wish you happy Easter as well, next to the people that surround you. Those are my true wishes.

The word "sponsor" is translated by these children as Madrina, which really means Godmother. I was not aware of that until my last trip and when you introduce yourself as Madrina, the children know exactly what you are talking about. I guess the ministry partners who share the hearts of those who want to help them, the name sponsor seems kind of formal.

Josue goes to regular school, which requires shoes & uniforms. Although education in Honduras is free to the 5th grade, if you cannot afford shoes or cannot buy (or make) the uniform, you cannot attend. Education is huge need in Honduras. Without it, the circle of poverty and enslavement to its vicious cycle seems bleak.

The Christian ministry of Manos Extendidas' Child Sponsorship Program is one I have seen work first-hand. There are no 'extra' or cushy expenses, no salaries to pay and certainly no 'fluff' you see in many organizations of this nature. 100% of the monies go directly to the day care and feeding program. For many, this meal may be the only food a child receives each day. The monies go into supporting the children in five(5) main areas:

1. Education (spiritual and academic)


2. Medical/Dental


3. Food


4. Clothing


5. Emergency Fund

There are many ways you can impact your sponsored child. First and foremost is to pray for them. There are many battles they must face, spiritual and otherwise. Your prayers protect them in ways you will not always know. Writing a letter, sending a photo or small gift makes their day! Don't worry if you don't speak Spanish ~ there are folks there who will gladly help translate your letter for you.

Want to know more? Visit http://www.mehonduras.org or just email me!