The View Up Here!

Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]. (1 Corinthians 13:7-8, AMP)

I had a dream last night about how we view ourselves. In the dream, I saw an extremely beautiful woman who was very educated, experienced, and wealthy. She consistently operated with a pure heart in all her relationships, personal and professional. She was very gentle, giving, always quick to help others, and she was one who refused to give up, ever. She viewed others through a love filter but she did not view herself through the same filter. She found it easy to give love but difficult to understand how someone could love her. 

The dream prompted me to attempt to explain the importance of viewing ourselves through the filter of love.

God is love, as a result He views us through the love filter. (1 John 4:8) 

The God kind of love. 

Not Hollywood love, or tabloid love (do people actually read those?), or romance novel love, 

or "reality" tv show love, 

or I love my kitty cat love or I love pizza love. 

True love is ever ready to believe the best of every person. (1 Corinthians 13:7-8). "Every person" includes ourselves. As born again believers, we are to imitate our Father. (Ephesians 5:1)

When we stumble, God sees through to our heart.  (Samuel 16:7) His love never fails, (Psalm 136:1) so in our best and worse times, He never changes nor does His great love for us. (Malachi 3:6) He loves us, not because of us, but because of Him. Because of who He is, love.

As we consistently view ourselves through the of unfailing love "filter", we become perfected by love. (Ephesians 5:1, 1 John 4:8, John 15:1-14) 

As a result, we view those around us through eyes of unfailing love, even those the world has deemed unlovable. (John 15:5) 

As we are perfected in love (1 John 4:8) by fellowshipping with Love (1 John 4:8, Matthew 6:33) all fear and torment is cast out. God withholds nothing good from us and freely gives us all things! (Romans 8:32) The greatest of all is, love! (1 Corinthians 13:13) He freely gives us love! True love! Please refer back to the kitty cat love comment.

Please allow me to make a bold statement about the most basic truth. It's so simple and broken down, it seems like it needs to go unsaid. But let's lay this foundational truth and move onto spiritual maturity. 

GOD. LOVES. YOU!!! (John 3:16)

Say it, "GOD. LOVES ME!!!" Receive it by faith. Speak it out loud every time you think of it. And if it isn't already currently in your heart, saturating every cell of who you are, it will! (Galatians 6:9) 

Now that we've established how to love ourselves through the love filter, let's address how we consistently view others through the love filter. How do we handle every person and every circumstance insulated with the love filter? 

Before thinking/speaking/acting/texting/tweeting/posting on Facebook, we run it through the love filter. (2 Corinthians 10:5) If we can't filter a person or a circumstance with love, we wait, we spend time with our Father, and then we move forward in love. (Galatians 5:22, 23) 

If we cannot move forward in love, we do not move.

Does it feel good to bash something/someone via conversation/action/social media? Yep, sure does, if we are feeding the flesh. We each individually decide what dominates us. (Galatians 5:16)

What about the ones who are acting out of control? What about the ones who deserve a good gigging? What about when we feel like gig'n 'em up like we would a frog? What about the ones who are having flesh fits against us? 

We do not gig 'em. No, we imitate our Father by blessing them and we pray for them because of love. We walk in forgiveness and if we can help them in any way, we give. We pursue peace and guard our hearts. We maintain a Heavenly perspective and be willing to believe the best. (Romans 5:8, Luke 6:38, Ephesians 5:1, Luke 6:28, John 14:15,John 14:21, Psalm 34:14, Proverbs 4:23, Ephesians 2:6, 1 Corinthians 13:7-8) We walk in peace and patience, allowing them time and allowing the Holy Spirit time to guide them into all truth.  There is a time for everything and we must remember, our timing doesn't rule. (John 14:27, Hebrews 6:12, 2 Corinthians 12:9, Ecclesiastes 3:1, 2 Peter 3:8, Ecclesiastes 3:11, Psalm 90:12) And we remain vigilant in being more aware of our Heavenly seat than our earthly seat. (Ephesians 2:6) 

Well done, good and faithful servant! It's celebration time! (Matthew 25:23)

Until that day comes:

Well done, and welcome to life in excessive abundance! (John 10:10)

I thank God and I thank my friends and family for allowing the Holy Spirit time to guide me into all truth! I've pulled some major doozies in my life and I've had to apologize…a lot, but thank God for friends and family who love God and keep His commands so when I clean up my messes, I am met with open arms and love!

But what about those who are not willing to meet us with open arms when either they or we mess up? 

We shall walk in the awareness of our Heavenly seat!

I often speak and write about maintaining the balance. Balance must be kept while applying the love filter to ourselves. When (please notice that is when and not if) someone brings to our attention of a matter we may be struggling with and need to address, we must keep an open heart and a teachable spirit. Please be prepared, at times things are brought to our attention and delivered out of love. It may even come through the voice of a child. (Luke 18:17) Or someone who hardly knows us. Or someone who knows us very well. Or someone we respect so much, we would never want to disappoint them. Independent of how it is brought to our attention, independent of their motivation, use it as a tool and watch God work all things together for our good. (Romans 8:28) Take it to God in prayer and allow the Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth. (John 16:13) Seek trusted biblical godly counsel. (Psalm 37:30,31) We are in the process of growing into spiritual maturity so we study and show ourselves approved! (2 Timothy 2:15) We get wisdom and understanding! (Proverbs 4:5) We confess all sin and He cleanses us! (1 John 1:9) We never reject knowledge and will not be destroyed! (Hosea 4:6) We are not a people who strain a gnat and swallow a camel! (Matthew 23:24)

The "ditch side"...dun-dun-dunnnnnn! What if a close friend or relative comes to us and says, "Hey, lets go rob a bank!" Enabling others to do any kind of wrong is not walking love. God raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with Him in the Heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. Seated in the Heavenlies, we do not wrongly divide the word of truth. No, we rightly divide the word of Truth! (Ephesians 2:6, 2 Timothy 2:15)

Father, as we all embark on this new season in You, this phenomenal season of a deeper revelation of Love…I thank You and praise You for your great love! 

When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the You, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from Your glorious, unlimited resources You will empower us with inner strength through Your Spirit. Then Christ will make His home in our hearts as we trust in Him. Our roots will grow down into God’s love and keep us strong! And may we have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep Your love is!  May we experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully! Then we will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from You, God! Now all glory to God! Who is able, through Your mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think! Glory to Him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen!!! (Ephesians 3:14-21)

Blackberry Patch Lessons

From time to time, we are blessed by a guest blog post. Enjoy the following by one of my sweetheart girlfriends, Shila Barker. Every summer, she picks blackberries then sends me mouth watering pictures of her bountiful harvest. 

Now THAT is a fine looking blackberry!

Recently she excitedly shared with me about what God had shown her in her blackberry patch.

Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:5, NLT)

I learned something in the berry patch today. We can think about fruit, talk about fruit, and plan for fruit all year long; but, if the vine or the connection to the vine isn't healthy, the fruit just won't produce. Connection to the vine is crucial. 

Pruning out unfruitful weeds (distractions, life sucking attachments) is absolutely necessary or even with the best intention, fruit won't produce properly. 

I am so thankful for a vine that is continually faithful to feed and nurture the branches where fruit almost effortlessly produces because of the massive love that flows through the vine!


In Him,
Shila Barker

Heavenly Perspective

For He raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with Him in the Heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:6, NLT)

A while back, I read a devotion by Dr. Bill Hanshew entitled, "Standing in the Shadow of a Man of God." You may find the link below.

http://www.billhanshewministries.org/Devotion--079.html

Everyone should read the devotion because it is excellent training. Everyone should keep it close and re-read it to maintain that training. 

There are many great aspects of the devotion; however, the one that I have been meditating on is the overall chord running through the devotion (as well as Dr. Hanshew and this ministry) and that is, Heavenly Perspective.

No matter what storms may rage, above the storm we find, Heavenly perspective. Look through the dark clouds to Heavenly perspective. Every storm that rages in our lives can be fought through Heavenly perspective.

Heavenly Perspective = God's Perspective = God's Word (The Bible)

Offense…Matthew 18:15

Infertility… Deuteronomy 28:4

Marriage…Ephesians 5:22-33

Unruly children…Proverbs 22:6

Unbelief…1 John 5:14

Finances...Luke 6:38

Health...Isaiah 54:5

Battles…Ephesians 6:12

Manipulation...Matthew 24:4, Galatians 5:1, 

Gossip...Proverbs 29:19

"I don't know what to do."...Jeremiah 29:11 so 1 Peter 5:7

'I don't know what to say."…Ephesians 5:1 

"I can't, this is so hard."...Galatians 6:9

We could do this all day!

Our God, our Heavenly Father, the Creator of Heaven and earth, the Owner of everything on earth, the Giver of all good gifts has given us everything we need for life and godliness in and through His Holy...life giving…life changing Word! (Psalm 18:2, 1 John 3:1, Psalm 146:6, Psalm 50:12, James 1:17, 2 Peter 1:3, Hebrews 4:12)

And He is The One who's love will never be separated from us!

(Romans 8:38) 

Does that mean there won't be storms? Absolutely not. But that does mean, we keep our eyes and hearts beyond the dark clouds, above the storm, through to Heavenly Perspective, we rise above the storm and walk in Heavenly Perspective!

For every storm that rages, find your answer in the Bible, and keep Heavenly Perspective!

Father, thank You for teaching us how to find and to keep Your perspective. When the black clouds roll in and the battle rages, we know that we know that we know, we are seated with You. Thank You for uniting us with Christ Jesus! I pray for every reader right now, as well as myself, in the name of Jesus I decree and declare we are not deterred, discouraged, or distracted by dark clouds but we see through the dark clouds to Your perspective. We walk in Your perspective in the name of Jesus!