Being Known. Heat Waves. Pruning. Revelation.

The power of being known

God gave me a powerful reminder of how being known by him inspires me! I was standing in the hallway talking with someone when this cute little guy named Victor toddled down the hall and started saying, "Bake, Bake" with a smile on his face! It warmed my heart! We bumped knuckles, celebrated the moment, and moved on, but as I reflected on the moment, I found myself thinking, "I'd do anything for that guy!"

I realized moments later the power of being known by God. Not only does he recognize, he knows me deeply like we talked about yesterday. I found my heart warmed again, and my thoughts swirling to, "I'd do anything for my God!"

Praise the Lord for timely reminders from cute kids and God's deep, knowing love of us.

Seasonal depression and tomorrow's heat wave

We all have different ways of talking about it or processing it, but this cold, dark, snowy existence has hung around long enough! It's affecting many of us!

So today, Monday, I'm looking at my weather app and seeing the heat wave that's coming tomorrow afternoon: 56 DEGREES!!! 

Go ahead and make plans now to be taking a walk around 3 pm tomorrow.

Fight against that seasonal depression!

The ABC's of Pruning

A few weeks ago, the Lord was kind enough to use our community to remind me of God's Word in John 15 about pruning. It's been a helpful vision for me personally the last few weeks, and I'm trying to lean into what the Lord is teaching me.

This morning, I was leaning into it again after reading from Ezekiel 15 that also illustrates with a vine.

It led me to this video on the ABC's of pruning that has me assessing some things in my life and ministry. Give it a watch, read John 15:1-8, and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you any pruning you might need to do.

Wisdom and the need for Revelation. Speak, O Lord

Speaking of asking the Spirit to reveal things to you in God's Word.. I'm noticing a theme in this need for revelation.

Earlier this week, I had read this quote from John Eldredge in his book "Waking the Dead:"

"Wisdom is crucial. But wisdom is not enough. Many well meaning evangelicals rely on it exclusively. That is why their lives remain where they are--rather short of all Christ promised. Okay--way short. Wisdom is essential.. and insufficient."

Having read that, I came to gather with our local body and appreciated DJ's leadership in prayer asking for revelation, and then singing Speak, O Lord. It was a moment that God used to prepare my heart for his Word even as I preached it.

I wanted to share the lyrics here so we can continue to pray them as we meet together in groups this week to study God's Word:

Speak, O Lord, as we come to You
To receive the food of Your holy Word
Take Your truth, plant it deep in us
Shape and fashion us in Your likeness
That the light of Christ might be seen today
In our acts of love and our deeds of faith
Speak, O Lord, and fulfill in us
All Your purposes for Your glory

Teach us, Lord, full obedience
Holy reverence, true humility
Test our thoughts and our attitudes
In the radiance of Your purity
Cause our faith to rise, cause our eyes to see
Your majestic love and authority
Words of pow'r that can never fail
Let their truth prevail over unbelief

Speak, O Lord, and renew our minds
Help us grasp the heights of Your plans for us
Truths unchanged from the dawn of time
That will echo down through eternity
And by grace, we'll stand on Your promises
And by faith, we'll walk as You walk with us
Speak, O Lord, 'til Your church is built
And the earth is filled with Your glory