There Is More…

“One thing have I asked of the Lord , that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.
-Psalm 27:4 ESV

 

I attended Dr Randy Clark’s meeting over the weekend and one of the things I left there with was a desire for MORE.
For more out pouring of the Spirit upon me and a deeper walk with Him.

 

“‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.
-Acts 2:17-18 ESV

 

In fact, as I went out for prayers with Dr Randy’s team on Sunday, tears were in my eyes as I tried to put into words the MORE that I desire.
But then this week, I realized that there is also another MORE that my heart is drawn to…

 

I started thinking of the early Christians in the book of Acts and wondering what was so different between them and us right now.
What was it that could make them toss aside their lives and say “that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,…”
-Philippians 3:10 ESV

 

Why were they not afraid even for their own lives?
What could make these ones sell off their possessions and share the proceeds, open up their homes to be used as fellowship grounds, and be content with nothing?

 

“Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”
-Philippians 4:11-13 ESV

 

Was it the same Jesus that they served then that we are serving now?
What changed?
Or more correctly, who changed?

 

What kind of prayers do we pray right now?
Do I pray for more wealth, marriage, kids… which are all valid things but leave out prayers like:

“that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might…”
-Ephesians 1:17-19 ESV

 

Are my prayers filled with “Lord give me, give me” and none of “Lord cause my love to overflow for all men?”

 

And so I also  remembered that I had a book written by Francine Rivers called “A voice in the wind” and that the book is set in the early Christian days.
I read it before but didn’t finish it. And in the light of all these desires in my heart, I went back to it…
And wept and wept yesterday as I read some parts of it…
I wept telling God that I don’t think my love for another is enough for me to take lashes of strokes for them.
I wept as I read where the slave girl buried a baby that was aborted with her hands and she cried and cried and asked the Lord to forgive them their atrocities.
I wept as I asked the Lord what I could do for Him… there’s so much death and sin happening in the world today… how can I help Lord?
Help me to lift up my eyes from my own self-centeredness and ask “Lord I want just one main thing from you… to love you. To serve you. Help me do this Lord, help me.”

 

The truth is my heart has been aching within me these past days and most times I don’t even know how to say it to God but I believe He sees my heart.

 

Dear sisters and brothers, could it be that just maybe we have been wrapped in the things that this world has to offer and have relegated the important things to the background a bit?
Do we still pant after the Lord for Himself and not just for His gifts?
Is our devotion to our faith so strong, we would rather die than denounce Jesus?
Is our love for souls so strong, we weep as we see a lost soul who doesn’t know Jesus?
Are our roots so deep into Jesus, we rejoice at trials and not blame Him and fall off the faith?

 

Is our joy intact even in times of seeming pain and hard circumstances?
Do we still look up with love filled eyes and heart with the knowledge that without God we are nothing?
Have we been run by desires for seemingly valid good things for too long?
I’m being called into a DEEPER with God and I don’t know how many of us feel this pull also…

 

We have to know how to balance the gifts of God which He graciously gives when we ask with the things that truly matter to God’s heart.
Sons ask for treasures that the Father holds… treasures like strong faith, deeper love, deeper devotion to Him… others ask for more of things.
Both sides of the divide He would give according to the desires of their hearts.
But remember, sons and friends like Abraham and Moses who asked for the Father Himself didn’t lack things either.
Asking for the Father Himself is a full package.
But asking for things alone is shortchanging yourself.

 

Can we stop for a minute to ask “Lord what can I do for you in this world?”
I know we have our careers we want to build…
I know we have a husband/wife and kids to take care of…
But can you also see just how much the world is dieing?
Can you take a peep into how much this breaks the Father’s heart?

 
I was on my way to VI when a guy wanted to enter the bus with blood gushing down his head and the driver said no…
I didn’t know when I screamed, “please allow him now, I will pay his Tfare”.
Still the driver said no, that he will stain his seats.
And I almost cried. My heart bled.
Is this what the world has turned to?
Your seats over compassion for another person?
And all the while I am asking the Lord, please show me how I can help?
How can I spread your light and sprinkle your salt into this dieing world?

 

In the Francine Rivers book I mentioned, Haddassah was a slave girl, whose entire family was killed by Romans.
Still she had such a peace about her, in the knowledge that nothing happens without God’s approval and He works everything out for good.
And so she knew she was spared for a reason, for a purpose.
She’d cry and cry and pray for lost souls… resigning herself to the fact that she might marry, or she might not marry but God definitely loves her still… and then finally dieing because she refused to denounce Jesus.
I read, my heart beating wildly as I silently pleaded to the Lord, deeper Lord, take me deeper into you.
I want to love you and seek just one thing from you as David did…
One thing above all others… YOU.
YOU Lord, YOU.
Help me.

 

And today my cry is Lord help us.
For everyone reading this, ignite in us an intense desire for you.
In a world full of darkness, let us be light because our devotion to you is intact.
Let us bring your hope to a dieing world.
Help us have unshakeable faith in you.
Let our love grow and overflow for others.
Let our perseverance and patience and contentment in whatever season you have us remain intact.
Oh Lord… its more than the things, I want You.
Help me Lord.
Help me…

Is that your heart cry this morning?
I hope so.
God help us all.

 

The world needs lights to arise.
We are the lights.
But only those firmly fixed in Jesus with the world having nothing in them can be the light God seeks.
Grace and help, we ask for from God.

 

Till our next Online Bible Study,
Love,
Frances.

 

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