Personal Devotions: Sonship

Welcome to the first Personal Devotions post for 2011!

I have started to use Youversion on my Blackberry to get back into reading the Word.  Last year I was interacting with the Scripture using the Daily Audio Bible website and community, but in November I couldn’t keep up the momentum… it petered out.  So although I almost made it, I didn’t finish reading the entire Bible last year.  It was becoming a lot to take in all at once – Brian reads from the Old Testament, the New Testament, the Psalms and the Proverbs every single day – as well as gives his own inspired commentary on what was read.  Then he would pray, and there was also be a section where people from the community could call in and ask for prayer, pray for others in the community or give a praise report.

It was  great. But it was a lot to take in as the year progressed and my battle with depression deepened.   So this year, on the advice of a few good friends, I have endeavoured to look for another strategic Bible plan that will ease me back into the reading of the Word.

I had downloaded the Youversion app on my Blackberry for a while, but hadn’t really used it much until I was challenged to read the Word more – specifically the Psalms.  I decided that I would find a short Bible plan using the smartphone.  And this is day two.  I’m reading a Psalm and a Proverb.  that’s’ it.

But today I heard God speak through his word in a way that I have not heard in a while.  I was arrested by Psalm 2:7

I will proclaim the LORD’s decree:

He said to me, “You are my son;
today I have become your father.

I heard him: YOU ARE MY SON.  I cried out to him, “I have not felt like your son in ages!”  But in spite of what I feel or don’t, his word still rings true to my heart today.

This Scripture naturally makes me think of Romans 8:15 as well

¹⁵ The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.^[a] And by him we cry, “Abba,^[b] Father.”

And looking at Proverbs 2, I was also arrested by the beginning two words: “My son”  The entire chapter spoke to me, but I am picking out the part that I really feel impressed on my heart right now.

¹ My son, if you accept my words
and store up my commands within you,
² turning your ear to wisdom
and applying your heart to understanding—
³ indeed, if you call out for insight
and cry aloud for understanding,
⁴ and if you look for it as for silver
and search for it as for hidden treasure,
⁵ then you will understand the fear of the LORD
and find the knowledge of God.
⁶ For the LORD gives wisdom;
from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
⁷ He holds success in store for the upright,
he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless,
⁸ for he guards the course of the just
and protects the way of his faithful ones.

I have had so many depressed moods, so much negativity, so much pain – that focusing on the positive was a welcome change.  So here is my devotion for today.

Lord, I have not felt like your son for ages. I can say like the Prodigal, “I am not worthy to be called your son.” But you call me son anyway. Even if I fail.  Even if I fall. Even if I decide that I am still feeling rebellious… all of this time you still call me son, and still seek my heart turning back to you. I ask that you will acknowledge my baby steps, and help me to increase my momentum. Thank you Jesus. AMEN

Miraculous Reconciliation!

I just want to give God a HIGH note of PRAISE for his WONDERFUL, POWERFUL intervention!  I can’t stop praising the Lord for how he has done in about three / four days what I thought was going to take the whole year to do… God is restoring my marriage completely!

Let me preface this by saying that one of my closest Spiritual connections – my South African sister Jennifer – had a prophetic word for me on November 26 last year, where she said in part,

Jennifer: yes….true….well there u go….u won’t even need to lift a finger….THE FINGER OF THE LORD IS POINTING AT YOU and He will work this out!!!!!

And he has been true to his word!

My wife Lesanne went to a leader’s retreat at church over the past couple days and on Saturday came home and lined the whole family up and prophesied to us each in turn… Through her, God told me that I had to pass through the way that I did because he was preparing me for the new season in my life. She prophesied over the entire family as a unit as well – and it was a powerful experience! She was severely impacted by the presence of the Lord while praying and laying hands on us – especially our younger son Jonathan.

But that’s not the best part!

God worked on her over the retreat so that we have become one again! There was a lot of confession, and asking for and receiving forgiveness on both our parts, and all the past has been washed away in the power of the spirit of reconciliation! And, just like Jen prophesied – without me lifting a finger.  Isn’t God AWESOME?

Since that time, we have really been re-linking and really connecting on a deeper level.  We woke up on Sunday and worshiped together, singing songs of praise and worship together on our bed – something we hadn’t done in a LONG time.  I remember when she said, “I love you,”  and I could actually see the love shining from her eyes again – that sight nearly broke me.

After the singing, I, following the prompting of the Spirit, told her that I would put our wedding tape (still VCR, haven’t had it copied to DVD, yet – I know, lazy, right?) in so that we could have it playing in the background while we got ready for church.  Guess what it started on (it wasn’t set at the beginning)?  The first things we hear are the prophetic words spoken over our marriage by the leaders of my house church at that time – an observation that the colours chosen for the wedding were white and gold, and how gold represented the glory of the Lord, and prayer – and that how Lesanne was being called into a ministry of prayer which included me, her husband.  The prophetic symbol for her was a piece of gold coloured cloth that was draped around her shoulders; when the word included me as well the cloth was extended and placed around both our shoulders together.

The prophetic word over me was an encouragement to continue in the prophetic call I had been released in – the call to show the church its dimensions and what it is to look like. Prophetically, I was given a gold coloured straight stick, representing a measuring rod. Ezekiel chapters 40 -42 detail the account of the prophet seeing an angel measuring out the exact dimensions of the Temple area with a measuring rod.  In fact, there was a time that the Lord literally forced me (naturally I was bored out of my skull at the time, but I was compelled!) to read that entire account – and I knew afterwards that this was my call.

That’s what was shown immediately after our prayer time.  Is God saying something to us?  I think so!  He is re-establishing our call together as a couple, and speaking the words over us that he did on our wedding day!

I went with her to her assembly as well that Sunday, and we were touched there powerfully as well.  The sermon was on the fear of the Lord, taken from Acts 9:31, which reads in the NIV –

³¹Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord.

See this same verse in the NASB

³¹So ^(A)the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace, being built up; and going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase. (my emphasis)

The sermon used the analogy of needing two legs to walk, with the two legs being the fear of the Lord AND the comfort of the Spirit.   That sermon was so powerful…. the congregation was challenged to come forward as the Lord wanted to release a new awareness of the fear of the Lord on us.  Lesanne and I both went forward, and suffice it to say that the Lord touched both of us quite tangibly.  There were tears and shaking and having to be picked up off the floor and everything…

And I took my diamond to lunch as well – the glass of wine went well with our meal … 🙂

We have a lot to thank God for! That’s a major understatement…. I am in awe at the majesty of our God!

Join me in praise and worship and thanksgiving as the Lord has restored us!  I pray that he puts in place what is necessary to continue to knit us together, and I pray that you will continue to pray for us as we seek God’s face together – a pride of lions roaring to our King!