Monthly Archives: April 2022

Holy Habitation

God’s Invitation

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I shared the following in a YouVersion plan conversation, responding to the instruction, “Describe a time you have let fear or fatigue rather than God’s promises shape an experience.”

“I could share many times when God’s word has shaped my thoughts, actions, steps to trust Him and walk by faith, but I guess the area I struggle with most is my sense of security in group relationships. I do okay one on one with people, but I feel like an outsider in group situations. Getting a hold on God’s promises that overcome a spirit of rejection and insecurity is my biggest challenge.”

Thinking on this, I remember the experience of our neighbor inviting me to join her church ladies for fellowship time at her house. It was answered prayer for a season in life when I needed time with other ladies. So the invite was from God through Donna. I knew that, and by God’s grace, I was relaxed and peaceful, enjoying every minute of it.

Thinking on that, it dawns on me: believing the providence of God, that He directs my steps, isn’t every encounter an invite from God to relationship with those I meet along the way, whether one on one or in a group? Shouldn’t that welcome mat be sufficient for me to relax and be the me He invited to that moment in time?

When God calls us to a situation, it’s because He has placed in us qualities and characteristics, gifts and abilities, skills and experience necessary for the encounter. I can trust Him who is my sufficiency. No matter the response of others, if God steps me into it, I am not rejected, I am invited. He is my secure passage. Help me possess this truth, Father.

Holy Habitation

Molten Gold

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Molten Gold in the Throne Room Dream

Years ago, after falling asleep while crying out to God for my children and grandchildren, I had this dream that God has greatly used to help me trust Him more fully with my children’s relationships with Him.

In the dream, I am sitting in a just-my-size throne at the right hand of Jesus, facing the side of His just-His-size throne, the armrest of which is a good foot above my head at standing height. It was a huge throne, holding His bigger than life frame.

So I’m sitting facing the side of His armrest, looking up at Jesus’ smiling face, looking down at me in my little throne – an exact match to His own. He very lovingly says, “You sit here. I’ve got this.” Then He faces forward, His great smile exuberant with joy.

Turning my gaze to see what has Him smiling so enormously, I see human figures of pure, molten gold, all shining so brightly that beams of light rose from each one up into the heavens. I instantly recognized that these before Him were my children, their mates, and grandchildren – many more than I currently have – generations standing before His throne: in the throne room of the Master Goldsmith that is working diligently, performing His transformational will in each one.

It’s hard to see our kids struggle: even harder still to realize that struggle as the fires of testing, used of God to remove the dross from the gold in them. We may not see what the Father is doing with full comprehensive understanding, but we can know that He is faithfully working in response to our prayers.

This dream led me to study the significance of being placed on the right hand or left hand side of God. The left hand side is totally protective. It is where we are when God tells us to be still and let Him do it all: it’s the side of His shield, covering us. The right hand side is a place of protection as well, but it is also the place of imputed authority. Jesus the King gives us authority as parents to participate in what He is doing. Taking the authority He gives and using it righteously keeps us under His protective cover.

In my dream, the authority seen there for me to practice is to pray, to trust, to watch with the earnest expectation of hope’s assurance, to await further instruction for opportune times to participate in what the Lord is doing (loving, helping, teaching, instructing, encouraging, etc.), and to obey Him.

My throne always faces Him, not the problems that concern me. I can only be ready to do my part as He gives opportunity when my focus in life is Him, His throne, His authority, His opinion, His purpose and plan. And I can only receive His clear instruction when my heart is tuned to His, in faith’s believing trust.

Matthew 28:18-20 AMPC

Holy Habitation

One, Unhindered

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One may have to fight for the right of religion, but faith is a heart issue that cannot be dictated, hindered, or stopped.

One may have to fight for the right of assembly, but worship praise and prayer is a personal and private intimacy that cannot be dictated, hindered, or stopped.

One may have to fight for the right to speak what we believe, but belief is a personal choice that cannot be dictated hindered or stopped.

Faith in God is an intimate relationship, a personal choice and discipline with God that no worldly, fleshly, demonic force can dictate, hinder, or stop.

When individuals praise, worship and pray, they do so in the personal and real Presence of God, even in the quiet of our souls, where we are transported to the throne room of the Father, made one with Him and each other. Worship assembles us as one before God, inseparable for all eternity, now and forever, whether we stand under the same roof, or seemingly separated, but truly in one heart.

This deep, abiding, personal relationship cannot be dictated, hindered, or stopped. Not even death can separate us from this love life with God that makes us One. Stand Firm in Faith, and do not grow weary in well doing.