R.S.V.P....A.S.A.P!

Hello to you 'out there in cyber-space!' This message is sort of meant to be a 'fun' one..  I have a practice I do whenever we are at a beach.. I love to do 'beach-writing,' as a ministry! Some messages are short.. others are not!  One of the 'best' I have ever done was at our beloved DECEPTION PASS on the north end of Whidbey Island this past August.. I simply wrote,  'JESUS INVITES YOU TO BE LOVED BY HIM.. R.S.V.P.'  Hopefully, the one individual our Lord intended this message for saw it, and gave it some serious consideration... (Maybe there were more people HE was going to lead to read and respond to HIM!) Only our LORD knows, but for me,it  is very fulfilling to know how 'someone out there somewhere,' just might have accepted that invitation by now!  My message to us is.. Do we invite HIM daily..even moment-by-moment, to LOVE us with all He wants us to receive? He wants to carry us through the seemingly impossible circumstances in life, as well as sustain me with the peace, hope and joy He loves to pour out! His children simply need to TURN THEIR EYES UPON JESUS... LOOKING FULL IN HIS WONDERFUL FACE..so the things of Earth can grow strangely dim, in the LIGHT of His GLORY  and GRACE! May each of you who read this be blessed as you accept his invitation to be LOVED BY HIM.. our LORD JESUS CHRIST! 

"INVISIBLE?"-- SO WHAT!?

Most of you reading this have 'no problem' with the reality of the 'invisibility' of our LORD.. We all know there is SO MUCH EVIDENCE of his reality, that we don't even think of HIM as 'invisible!'  WELL-- Recently, I have become truly fascinated by this....  HYDROGEN IS INVISIBLE TO US, as is OXYGEN! So, how can 2  invisible 'gasses,' (that's what my layman's mind consider them to be?) combine to become one of the absolute necessities of human existence? No matter the temperature, H2O is visible as steam, liquid, or ice! How is this possible out of the invisible?  I don't know about you, but I am really having fun as I muse on this..  Most of us have heard the TRI-UNITY of our LORD described as H2O.. 3 'forms' of one molecule. Water, steam, and ice... all the same chemical composition, but definitely 3 visible, tangible manifestations of the combination of HYDROGEN and OXYGEN..(Of course, our LORD is Father God, the Lord Jesus Christ, and the promised Holy Spirit.. all ONE!) Now, for me, I have 'taken it one step further,' by realizing how the 'invisibles,' are truly  very visible as they become one of the 'staffs of life..' I won't say any more except to encourage you to 'think on this,' with wonderment..

CARRIED and DELIGHTED!

This past Sunday, I was engaged in another meaningful conversation I'd also like to share with you. This one found the gal and I both realizing, and testifying to, how we KNOW we are CARRIED by our LORD, and how we are DELIGHTED as we receive his care. Whether it's a troubling time, or simply the 'daily doings of life,' He is always there to sustain and empower us! It is truly delightful to relax in his gracious, caring arms so we don't find ourselves bogged down with pending 'doom and gloom.'  Remember the poem FOOTPRINTS as it ends with "It was then I carried you!" (when there was only one set of footprints in the sand!)-It's actually OK to be carried at all times, as I stated above.. We are meant to function in the power of the Holy Spirit, not in our own which often fails us.

I'd also like to share how HE loves to pour out blessing upon blessing. (John 1:16 confirms it!) This truly DELIGHTS me! Recently, I was thrilled as my Lord just 'kept on giving to me' as I approached the end of a wonderful summer and headed back into my school setting where I work. An accessible, giant mass of ripe blackberries was discovered by me.. A gift certificate to an expensive restaurant was won by me, and a wonderful ride on the back of my son's motorcycle was had by me! These are just the three BIGGEST ones I recall at this moment... At any rate.. Take time to be aware of, and DELIGHTED by, the ways our LORD is loving you this day... Afterall, Psalm 37:4 says, "Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will grant you the desires of your heart." My soul/heart desires to bring glory to our Lord as I am carried and delighted by him!

                                           CARRIED

                                                                                                      “ by”

                                            Sheila Dean

         

         A heaviness comes upon me at times,

            causing feelings of being “down and out.”

         When this happens, I find myself wanting to shout,

                                       “Not now, not again--!”

         Blessedly, I have learned to “listen up” as You begin,

                 “Dear one, you may “feel” down, but,

                                       I’m here to lift you up!

                   Not only that, I will fill your cup!

                           I’d noticed it was nearly empty

                                So I’m pouring in me!

                   I’m giving my breath of LIFE to fill to the brim.

                          This way, when you’re ‘bumped,’ others will say,

                                          “She lives for Him!” 

                            It’s a joy to provide Spirit-driven power,

                       as you function throughout your challenging hour. 

               Since my arms are strong, let me carry you along.

                  I’ll hold you closely, as your soul erupts in song!

                  You’ll no longer yield to that heaviness

                           experienced in moments of weakness.

               Discouragement vanishes as I replace despair with

                                           my strength,

                     delightfully carrying you the full length!”                   

           

                                        DELIGHTED

                                                                                                       "by"

                                                                                           Sheila Dean

                                        

     Lord, I’ve often heard it said that those who love you are

                               surprised by your way-                               It’s no wonder it seems that way, as we rely upon You

                                                                    day by day!

    Recently though, it has come to me,

                     that you want us to be delighted as we can be!
            You speak to us saying,

               “Dear ones, there’s no end to my displaying

                of peace, hope, and joy directed towards you!

                Observe and receive all that I so willingly do—

                 I don’t desire to surprise you,        

                 For you know my sole sufficiency in all I am

                                                   and have for you!

                 However, I do delight in causing you to rejoice

                            as I enlighten your way of my choice-

                 It’s my pleasure to care for you in every

                                        detail of your daily living.

                 There’s no end to my resources issued forth

                                        as I exercise divine giving!

                              Abundant grace is meant to delight you!

                                   SO, go ahead and be tickled!—

                                      Even giggle a little-(or a lot!)

                 For, as you do, it’s a gift to me to see

                                   you’re rejoicing in whose you’re not!”  

               Lord, I thank you deeply for the privilege of

                                                  casting my cares upon You-

                For, You do delight  me as I realize all You do!