Passing Through The Valley of Dry Bones!

28 Jul 2013 1 Comment

by Rod & Rose in Rose Tags: , , , , , , , ,


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THE WORD: “This vision message is a witness pointing to what’s coming. It aches for the coming – it can hardly wait! And it doesn’t lie. If it seems slow in coming, wait. It’s on its way. It will come right on time.”  (Habakkuk 2:3 – The Message)

I’ve been going through a dry spell…through a parched, desolate desert, metaphorically speaking. My movement forward at times seemingly futile. Yet something within me….a divinely apportioned angst…is my barometer that reminds me it is necessary to continue on my journey. And so I trek through the valley of dry bones…listening to the lifeless rattling sound they make as I walk amongst them.  (Ezekiel 37:1-2)

One thing I’ve learned, as I reflect back on my journey thus far, is that it’s right smack dab in the middle of my valleys where, time after time, my heart has been re-awakened! It has always been in the midst of a dry desert storm that I come to a vivid realization of my desperate need for Papa God, not only as my Savior, but also as my LORD! It is there…as He walks alongside me…that He whispers in my ear, hold on to My promises!

It is there…right smack in the middle of the valley…that He quickens His Spirit within me, and breathes life back into my dry bones! It is there that the brilliance of His majesty is demonstrated and my heart resounds with uncontainable gladness! It is there that I rejoice and praise my Papa God with such clarity of heart, mind and soul! Yes…it is in the midst of the valley that my bones come alive…the tendons and the strength once again rise up and dance in adulation!  (Ezekiel 37:5-14)

The dry spell is broken and the vision awaits me! It aches for the coming – it can hardly wait! And it doesn’t lie. If it seems slow in coming, I will wait because it’s on its way. It will come right on time! His timing is perfect.  For now I will do what my Lord requires of me. I will continue to prophesy over the valley…I will sing the psalms of ascent and continue to take the steps that are necessary to reach the destination appointed just for me.

I will pray with confidence the prayer to succeed as a servant of my Holy KING!

If you find yourself in the middle of a valley, look up! Lift your eyes to the heavens! See the glory of His face and allow Him to lift you up under His wing! Take refuge in His strength! He is the Alpha and Omega, Creator of all things! He delights in you and has placed a perfect angst inside your heart that cannot be extinguished!

So pilgrim…pray the prayer of Nehemiah with me: Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man.”

May our Papa God embrace you on your journey…today and always!

In His strong love ~ rose

A “Dangerous” Kind of Faith

11 Jun 2013 4 Comments

by Rod & Rose in Rose Tags: , , , , ,


Shield-of-Faith-Against-the-Fiery-Darts

THE WORD: “No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you. Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” ~Joshua 1:5-10 NLT

In what ways do I deviate from the instructions of the Lord? How do I compromise? How often do I keep a “safe” distance? What boundaries does God put in place that I continually override with my selfish desires? Do I take the necessary risks when I sense the Holy Spirit prompting me, or do I hold back out of fear? Fear of failure, fear of disappointment, fear that I won’t be good enough, or smart enough, fear to face a circumstance head on. Is it fear that drives my decisions, rather than obedience to the instruction of the Lord?

Yesterday’s message at our church, Sagebrush Community Church in Albuquerque, New Mexico, was about leveraging EVERYTHING I have for the King who gave EVERYTHING for me! I was challenged to take an inward look at what I am doing to serve the ONE who created me. I exist because God allows me to be. He gives me breath…He makes my heart beat. Why would I not want to serve my Creator with all that I am!

What it means to live a “dangerous faith” can be defined within the verses above. Be “strong and courageous” the Word tells us. In other words, DO NOT COMPROMISE! Don’t be foolish and squander your life on the things of this world. Do not waste time by putting off until tomorrow the things that God is prompting you to do today. Let us rid ourselves of laziness and procrastination! Seize the moment! Begin today by engaging in the work that He has prepared for you to do! Look around…the assignments are ever-present! Be ready, be prepared and do not fear! Be courageous because God has promised that no matter what, HE will be with you wherever you go! Trust in His promise and hold fast to the Truth of His instruction. Put on His armor before you walk out the door (Ephesians 6)! Feast on His Word so that your strength is in HIM, rather than in the illusion of strength offered by the world!

And secondly, living a dangerous faith means letting go of the past…cutting loose the baggage that weighs us down; turning away from the sin(s) that hold us in bondage. It may mean letting go of habits that are defiling our body, soul and mind! It may mean cleaning up in the area of “moral integrity”….letting go of the relationship(s) that aren’t God honoring. It’s saying “NO” to those things and those people who hold us back from making Christ the first love of our lives! It may mean speaking TRUTH in love to someone, knowing that the TRUTH may not be well received; and accepting the fact that the relationship may end.

Am I willing to give it my all? Am I willing to live a dangerous faith for the ONE who put HIS life on the Cross so that I may live? THAT my friend…epitomized a dangerous kind of faith!

“Papa God, ‘Thank you” is not enough! We can’t even begin to repay you for the demonstration of your unconditional love on the cross. We thank you that the gift of your forgiveness and your GRACE is just that…a gift. So undeserved! We are so grateful and so humbled by it! Open our minds and our hearts today to take in the magnificence of your amazing gift! Help us, Papa…ignite a passion in the center of our beings…an angst that will not quit….a desire so strong that we will be compelled to rise up and take a bold and courageous stand for YOU! Give us a desire to crave the reading your Word consistently—with no deviation…no compromise from your teaching! And as we read, help us to listen and discern carefully your voice! Bless this day so that in it, we will do Your will and not our own! In Jesus name we ask and pray! Amen”

In HIS Strong Love,

rose

A Fleeting Kind of Splendor…

18 May 2012 Leave a comment

by Rod & Rose in Holy Libido by Rod Tags: , , , , , ,


Life is meant to be a fantastic heart pounding adventure. At least that’s the way it seemed to me one day when I was in my early teens. It was a picture-perfect morning in Michigan and I was riding Cheetah, my Quarter Horse, at a reckless gallop across a field of alfalfa. With the spring-fresh wind in my face the exhilaration of the moment filled my entire body with delight. It seemed natural to release my grip on the reins and lean back in the saddle, with my hands stretched high into the air. It was something I had seen in a movie and I was living it—the unrestrained freedom of such a breathtaking adventure. At that moment I determined to live my life at a wild speed with the wind in my face.

The next moment I was tumbling through the alfalfa like Raggedy Rod. I my fleeting thought it would have been better if I was holding onto something when the ring-necked pheasant flew up directly in front of Cheetah. I’m sure she was as surprised as I was when it happened. She veered to the left and I didn’t. I went straight. I think that’s called inertia—one of Newton’s laws of motion.

Cheetah circled back around to pick me up. As I was climbing back on the saddle I felt a little dejected. The reality of how fleeting these moments of elation are came crashing down on me—literally. As I rode back toward the barn with a firm grip on the reins I remember the distinct realization that the thrill of life could be easily tripped up; taken off course. The sensation of tumbling through the alfalfa has come to my mind several times throughout my wild, crazy ride through life.

But I’ve never given up on the idea we are created for something more profound than the lives we live. Knowing we are the brainchild of the One who spoke the magnificence of all creation into being, somewhere deep within me I believe we are created for something much greater than ordinary life. Possibly just knowing we were created for something more than the life we’re living today, even if our knowing is nothing more than a faint sense that something is missing, may be all we need to get on with allowing our original splendor—the splendor of God—to flow in our lives.

(Excerpt from Holy Libido by Rod Smith, 2012)

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