Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is Freedom

This season has been one where I just want to rest in worship and prayer. Everthing else pales in comparison. I go about the daily and the musts but in my resting I just sit and open my heart to an awareness of Him. I can sit in those moments for hours and it feels as if only moments have gone by.

The words that have been rising in my heart these last few weeks are;
“Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom.”

When I am stressing over the medical testing, finances, politics, COVID restrictions, family, my next, or whatever other thing that comes to my mind at any given moment, I stop and just acknowledge that presence that indwells me.

It is not about the ‘rules’ but the relationship. I don’t have to have everything figured out in the coming. I come and He meets me, every single time. There is freedom no matter my mess as the atmosphere is changed when I am aware that He is in it.

The amazing thing about the new relationship with God that we have through Jesus and what he did for us on the cross, is that the veil has been torn. We don’t have to go through all the hoops to enter into the glory of God. We have access to the father at any moment that we are taking the time to be aware of Him.

Think of a bride. How would the intamacy in marriage be if she wore a veil over her face at all times? What if her groom had never felt the tenderness of her lips without the barrier?
So often we keep our walls up because we are afraid we are not doing everything right and don’t want to be exposed. But never forget that the father already knows and still waits with his arms opened wide.

Now mind you there are things that we can do to enhance our intimate times with the Lord, and I will be going over that this month on the topic “Going Deeper With God.” But, we have access to Him at all times. We are the ones that let the barriers rise. He has given us FREEDOM in His Spirit. He has given us access to the glory. The Spirit of the Lord is our gift and connection.

As for me, I am going to drink from that life. I will stop and let the concerns of this world fade away as I just commune with the Father and rest in His glory.
He is a good good father, that desires us to recieve the freedom that he has offered us.

Lift your veil my friends. Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is Freedom!

2 Corinthians 3

Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you, or from you? ² You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our^[a] hearts, to be known and read by all. ³ And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.^[b]

⁴ Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. ⁵ Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, ⁶ who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

⁷ Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses’ face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end, ⁸ will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory? ⁹ For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory. ¹⁰ Indeed, in this case, what once had glory has come to have no glory at all, because of the glory that surpasses it. ¹¹ For if what was being brought to an end came with glory, much more will what is permanent have glory.

¹² Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, ¹³ not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. ¹⁴ But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. ¹⁵ Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. ¹⁶ But when one^[c] turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. ¹⁷ Now the Lord^[d] is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. ¹⁸ And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord,^[e] are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.^[f] For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

They are not forgotten

Isaiah 49:15-16- 

“Can a woman forget her nursing child,

that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb?

Even these may forget,

yet I will not forget you.

 Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;

your walls are continually before me.

You are NOT forgotten. You are not hiding in your wilderness unnoticed. The Lord that called you has not neglected you. He will never forget you! He will break down those walls!!!!

There are two individuals in my life that I know are hurting. Their needs have not been met, they live in a harsh environment, they have been forgotten and neglected by those called to care for them.

Today I found something that reminded me of them and i just wept. I felt my love pour out over them and I sensed just as my love poured out over them, The Lord’s covering is upon them. I prayed for awakening in their spirit as I know they have experienced the spirit of the Lord before. I prayed peace in the midst of the darkness. I prayed a remembering of my love and that it surround them, that the Lord’s love surround them even more and that there would be an outpouring. I prayed that despite their circumstances even in their sleep the presence of God would make himself so real and so known that it get them through their isolated and broken days.

This song came forth and I sang it over them. I know that my prayers are heard. I know that the love was felt. I know that they know that they know the Jesus that I introduced them to. I remember the laughter, the dancing, the singing and pure joy. I pray that joy permeate around them and flow to all those that they touch.

 

Perfectly Marinated

The sunshine streaming in through my windows, shows me the end to winter is almost here. This will mean summer trips to the beach, sunscreen slathered on busy children, sprinkler time and the long days of laughter over family BBQ’s.

One of my favorite things about my friend Lanny’s amazing BBQ skills is that he knows exactly how to marinate his creations. He knows how long to let the beef sit on the grill and how long to let it rest before the first cut. I could easily be a vegetarian if it wasn’t for the tasty brisket  or scrumptious tri-tip steak that greets us around our friends dinner table every summer.The cravings begin year after year when the sun begins to shine.

I find my relationship with the presence of the Lord to work in the same way. To sit and marinate in the presence of the Lord prepares me to do what He created me for. To sit and allow His presence to transform the flavor the world has left behind and to be perfected to how He intended me to be. Time marinating in the presence of God always leaves me hungry for another moment.

Setting aside time with the Lord leaves my heart more tender. I feel prepared to face the world and all that I have to do.

Marinating in the Lord’s presence leaves me joyous and blessed. I find that I  only can get there though if I  lay my self aside. It is then when my self is out of the way that I say, “yes Lord, prepare and transform me!”

We were created to be in fellowship with the Father. His presence is always with the believer. But there is such a significance in stopping and allowing that presence to completely have His way!

Challenge this day my friend : Take time to seek Him and allow Him to perfectly marinate you for the work He has set before you to do. He knows EXACTLY how to prepare His creation. Take time to find him with your heart and soul~

Deuteronomy 4:29-

But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul.