Love Letters - Letter 5

Dear Lord, 

I give You praise and thanks for all that You teach me. Just this morning You showed me new things, things I had never seen and known before, in Your Word.

In 2 Corinthians 12 Paul is telling them that their (our) boasting is fruitless, it accomplishes nothing. 

On this same subject, the prophet Jeremiah said, 

  "... instead,  let the boaster boast about this: that he understands and knows Me - that I am Adonai,   practicing grace, justice and righteousness in the land; for in these things I take pleasure, " says   Adonai. " Jeremiah 9:24 CJB.

I like the way the Message Bible puts it, but let's start at verse 23. "God's message: 'Don't let the wise brag of their wisdom. Don't let heroes brag of their exploits. Don't let the rich brag of their riches. If you brag, brag of this and this only: That you know Me. I'm God, and I act in loyal love. I do what's right and set things right and fair, and I delight in those who do the same things. 

These are My trademarks.' God's Decree."

This was an eye-opener,  Lord. But another eye opening thing of note is that too many of us are trying to walk out in Your strength using someone else's giftings ... wearing someone else's armor. But You have made us each uniquely and given us equally unique gifts all of our own. Why would we want to try using what You have clearly given to someone else? Maybe it is because we are weak in the area that You would choose to use and gift us in. 

David understood that he could not fight Your battle wearing Saul's armor. It didn't fit him as it wasn't made for him. Not only didn't it fit, but he wasn't used to wearing armor ... he was used to walking out to fight his enemies with You to protect him.  He knew You were a better covering than any man made armor. David also understood what Paul taught the Corinthians,

 " ... but He told me, 'My grace is enough for you, for My power is brought to perfection in weakness.' Therefore, I am very happy to boast about my weaknesses, in order that Messiah's power will rest upon me." 2 Corinthians 12:9 CJB

HOW AWESOME, to know that we can trust that Your power will rest upon us when we acknowledge our weaknesses and trust in You for our protection.

I love that You do this for us!

Your Loving Daughter, 

Leigh

Love Letters to the Lord - Letter 3

Dear Lord,

In the Garden of Eden, when You created mankind, You made us keepers of the Garden. That word keeper is the same Hebrew word translated as protector and watchman. This position of "keeper" was to cover the whole of Your creation, as You gave us dominion over them when You asked Adam to name them. This dominion was Your Kingdom authority to watch over the earth and all of it's inhabitants. It must have grieved You greatly when he gave it all away in that moment that he sinned their in that Garden of Your creation.

I am so glad that You made a Way for us to regain that position of authority when You gave us Jesus. When He died upon the cross and rose from the dead, He took back from Satan the keys of authority that You had given to Adam in the Garden. 

Jesus, when He taught His disciples to pray in what we call the Lord's Prayer, taught them to call forth Your Kingdom to be here on earth. Then on the day of Pentecost, You gave them the power they needed to wield Your authority once more here on earth. But we, the church in this day, are so lacking in Your authority.  We need to learn these lessons that the first disciples learned.

Lord, teach us to pray with Your authority.  Fill us to overflowing with Your Holy Spirit, so that we can take our place of dominion over Your creation.

I thank You that I have recently learned that the word translated in th Bible as "church" is the Greek word ekklesia. It does not mean what so long I have thought it meant ... it really means a seat- or place - of government. You meant for us - Your body -  to govern, or take dominion over, Your creation. And this we do with our prayers. We are the watchmen on the wall that the prophet Ezekiel called for in Isreal so long ago. A modern day prophet like Ezekiel, Dutch Sheets, has lifted up this "call to arms" to the church in this hour. And we are here, as Esther of old, "for such a time as this." Let us pray with her, "if I perish, I perish." But let us stand in the gap for this nation, America, and ALL of Your creation.

Lord, You gave a word in service last Sunday that I know You meant for a wider audience than just our congregation,  so I will share it here,

As we were singing I could hear the Lord saying, you want to see my kingdom come. You want to see the walls break down. But you are my kingdom. You are my presence here on Earth, and you're holding on to the walls you stay within them like they protect you, but I protect you. You have to break out of this place, you have to walk forth, and share my kingdom in this world. You are my presence and my kingdom cannot go out unless you go out, you go out, take my glory with you everywhere you go, present my word to others. Everywhere you go and heaven will come down, but it will not come unless you break out and walk out in faith.

Lord, thank You for this calling You have placed on Your body. May we be faithful to walk out in it!

Your daughter,

Leigh

Love Lerrers to the Lord - Letter 2

Dear Lord, 

As You know, this morning,  as a part of my time spent with You, I was reading Psalms 23. This is among my favorites, as it teaches us our position in You and where Satan sits ... just beyond and below us, but still within sight of Your bountiful table. It is beautiful and I love the imagery.  

But I felt that there was something more You wanted me to see within its lines. So I reread it in a different translation  - the Passion Translation  [TPT]. I found it so rich that I wanted to quote it back to You here.

1. The Lord is my Best Friend and Shepherd.  I always have more than enough.

2. He offers a resting place for me in His luxurious love.

His tracks take me to an oasis of peace, the quiet brook of bliss.

3. That's where He restores and revives my life. He opens before me pathways to God's pleasure and leads me along in His footsteps of righteousness so that I can bring honor to His name.

4. Lord, even when Your path takes me through the valley of deepest darkness,  fear will never conquer me, for You lead me through it all the way.

Your authority is my strength and my peace (shalom). The comfort of Your love takes away my fear. I'll never be lonely, for You are near.

5. You become my delicious feast even when my enemies dare to fight. You anoint me with the fragrance of Your Holy Spirit; You give me all I can drink of You until my heart overflows. 

6. So why should I fear the future? For Your goodness and love pursue me all the days of my life. 

Then afterward,  when my life is through, I'll return to Your glorious presence to be forever with You.

How awesome is this picture, Lord. I found it really bringing depth to my understanding of this Psalm I have always loved.

In verse 4, I  added shalom in parentheses as it means so much more than we think of when we say peace. It means total order and absence of chaos. So often I have forgotten that You remove chaos from our lives that I just wallow in it. But You are my peace which passes ALL understanding. 

Thank You, Lord!

Your daughter, 

Leigh 

Love Letters to The Lord * Love Letter No. 1

 

Dear Lord,

I thank you for your amazing love and grace.

As I read in Matthew 14:22 - 23 and in Luke 5: 12 - 16, I see where you went away by yourself - even leaving your disciples behind  - to spend time with the Father. So Lord, as I long to be as close to You as You were to Your Father, I choose to spend time alone with You as often as I can. Continue to hide me under the shadow of Your wings ... in Your most secret of hiding places, yet never afraid to venture forth to bring others alongside as I journey to the High Places of Your Kingdom.

Let us be ever vigilant to bring Your Kingdom to this earth so that others may see what we have and long to join us.

I  sing of Your wonderous love and mercy as I read through Psalms 91, longing to dwell in Your secret places.

From under the shelter of Your wings,

Your daughter,

Leigh