What Now?

I saw the face of Jesus in a little orphan girl
She was standing in the corner on the other side of the world
And I heard the voice of Jesus gently whisper to my heart
Didn't you say you wanted to find me?
Well here I am, here you are

So, what now? What will you do now that you found Me?
What now? What will you do with this treasure you've found?
I know I may not look like what you expected
But if you remember this is right where I said I would be
You've found me, what now?

And I saw the face of Jesus down on Sixteenth Avenue
He was sleeping in an old car, while his mom went looking for food
And I heard the voice of Jesus gently whisper to my soul
Didn't you say you wanted to know me?
Well here I am, and it's getting cold

So, come and know
Come and know, know me now

~by Steven Curtis Chapman on his latest CD You Make All Things New

Matthew 25:34-40

The King will say to those on his right, "Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what's coming to you in this kingdom. It's been ready for you since the world's foundation. And here's why:

I was hungry and you fed me,
I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,
I was homeless and you gave me a room,
I was shivering and you gave me clothes,
I was sick and you stopped to visit,
I was in prison and you came to me."

Then those sheep are going to say, "Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?"

Then the King will say, "I'm telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me--you did it to me."

Men

Men are funny. They like to keep their options open. But there is hope. Read this.

A "Great Writer"

"Sir, I have always looked forward to this meeting," I almost blurted out.

"As have I," he replied with genuine sincerity.

"I feel that I know you, and in your writings I almost felt like you somehow knew me. I think that I owe more to you than to anyone else who was not canonized in Scripture," I continued.

"You are very gracious," he replied. "But I am sorry that I did not serve you better. I was a shallow person, and my writings were shallow, and filled with more worldly wisdom than divine truth."

"Since I have been here, and learned all that I have learned, I know that this must be true, but I still think they are some of the best that we have on earth," I answered.

"You are right," this famous writer admitted, with sincerity. "It is so sad. Everyone here, even those who sit closest to the King, would live their lives differently if they had them to live over, but I think that I would live mine even more differently than most. I was honored by kings, but failed the King of kings. I used the great gifts and insights that were given me to draw men more to myself, and my wisdom, than to Him. Besides, I only knew Him by the hearing of the ear, which is the way I compelled other men to know Him. I made them dependent on me, and others like me. I turned them more to deductive reasoning than to the Holy Spirit, Who I hardly knew. I did not point men to Jesus, but to myself, and others like me who pretended to know Him. When I beheld Him here, I wanted to ground my writings into powder, just as Moses did to the golden calf. My mind was my idol, and I wanted everyone to worship my mind with me. Your esteem for me does not cause me to rejoice. If I had spent as much time seeking to know Him as I did seeking to know about Him in order to impress others with my knowledge, many of those who are in this lowest of companies would be sitting in the throne that was prepared for them, and many others would be in this room."

"I know by being here that your appraisal of your work is true, but are you not being a little to hard on yourself?" I questioned. "Your works fed me spiritually for many years, as I know they have multitudes of others."

"I am not being too hard on myself. All that I have said is true as it was confirmed when I stood before the throne. I produced a lot, but I was given more talents than almost anyone here, and I buried them beneath my own spiritual pride and ambitions. Just as Adam could have carried the whole human race into a most glorious future, but by his failure led billions of souls into the worst of tragedies, with authority comes responsibility. The more authority you are given, the more potential for both good and evil you will have. Those who will rule with Him for the ages will know responsibility of the most profound kind. No man stands alone, and every human failure, or victory, resonates far beyond our comprehension, even to generations to come. The many thousands who I could have led properly would have resulted in many more millions here. Anyone who understands the true nature of authority would never seek it, but only accept it when they know they are yoked with the Lord, the only One who can carry authority without stumbling. Never seek influence for yourself, but only seek the Lord and be willing to take His yoke. My influence did not feed your heart, but rather your pride in knowledge."

"How can I know that I am not doing the same?" I asked as I began to think of my own writings.

"Study to show yourself approved unto God, not men," he replied as he walked back into the ranks. Before he disappeared he turned and with the slightest smile, offered one last bit of advice: "And do not follow me."

~ A “Great Writer” in Rick Joyner’s vision The Final Quest

I'll never stray again...

I can't run anymore
I fall before You
Here I am
I have nothing left
Though I've tried to forget
You're all that I am
Take me home
I'm through fighting it
Broken
Lifeless
I give up
You're my only Strength
Without You
I can't go on
Anymore
Ever again

My only Hope (All the times I've tried)
My only Peace (To walk away from You)
My only Joy
My only Strength (I fall into Your abounding grace)
My only Power
My only Life (And Love is where I am)
My only Love

I can't run anymore
I give myself to You
I'm sorry
I'm sorry
In all my bitterness
I ignored
All that's real and true
All I need is You
When night falls on me
I'll not close my eyes
I'm too alive
And You're too strong
I can't lie anymore
I fall down before You
I'm sorry
I'm sorry

Constantly ignoring
The pain consuming me
But this time it's cut too deep
I'll never stray again

<October by Evanescence>

The Fragile Figurine

The beautifully handcrafted glass figurine sat on the shelf. It was a work of art - stunning and rare. "Daddy! Daddy! I want that one!" cried the little girl. Her eye had caught the shimmering light reflecting from the lovely glass - sparkling like diamonds along the sculpted cascading hair and flowing gown. It was her heart's desire to take it home with her - to have it sit on her shelf and gaze into its exquisite, transparent depths.

And so she was granted her wish and, with admonitions to always be careful with this fragile treasure and to not touch it until the time was right, it found a home on a shelf in her room - right by the window and at just the right angle so that it reflected the most light possible throughout the entire room.

It was hard to resist, but the little girl managed to let it remain on the shelf. However, each time the sunset gleamed through her window and the figurine sent forth dancing rainbows of light, her eyes would light up and glisten with desire to hold it. "Just once," she thought, "If I am really really careful, I can hold her." So, one day she stepped towards the shelf and laid a trembling hand on her precious gift. Slowly, with both hands outstretched, she painstakingly lifted the figurine from its resting place. But, in her delight and the unexpected joy she felt from holding this treasure in her own two small hands, she let her grip loosen and it slipped. CRASH!

"Daddy! Daddy!" she cried, "Oh no! I've ruined her - I just wanted to touch her for a moment but now she is shattered!" A million sparkling pieces of glass radiated light around the room - catching the shimmering tears spilling down the little girls face. "Shhhhhhhhh, honey. Everything is going to be alright, " soothed her father, reaching down to draw the little girl into his comforting arms. He let her sobs subside into his shoulder and helped her into bed.

The next morning she awoke to see the morning light playing on her wall. She glanced over to her shelf, expecting to see an empty space where her figurine had once stood gracefully. And there it was! Full of joy and disbelief, she sat in awe and gazed steadily at her treasure. How it had been fixed she could not understand, but there it stood - tall and proud and gleaming with light.

She vowed to never touch it again - on her shelf it would stay. And stay it did. Every morning light and every sunset glow reflected from it to dance around her room in gorgeous displays. The figurine stood firmly on the shelf, beautiful yet distant. At times she still yearned to touch it, remembering fondly that one moment of pure joy when she had held it in her hands. Somehow, even though it gave beautiful visual displays of reflecting rainbows, holding it in her tiny grasp had given her a joy she could not explain.

But she remembered what had happened following that moment of exceeding joy. A crash. A horrid crash that she never wanted to hear again. A crash that would be imbedded in her memory for all of time. She also remembered the miraculous second chance that she had been given, and this strengthened her resolve to never let anything like that happen again.

The years passed and the little girl grew. Her toys and childish decorations were put away and her room became "all grown up." But she could not bear to put the figurine into a box in the attic. No, this was too beautiful to shut up away in a dusty room with no light. This figurine was created to reflect light and even though she was older, she still was constantly fascinated by it.

The day came when she had to move out of her room and the packing began. Everything was sorted and cleaned and labelled and packaged - except the figurine. She refused to touch it - too frightened that she would make the same mistake again. Too afraid that in her handling of her most prized possession, it might break. Or crack. Or shatter. She could not trust herself to take her beloved figurine from the shelf and wrap it in soft packaging and place it in its travelling box. She stood there for what seemed like hours, knowing that she must touch it, take it her hands and move it. It was the right time now. Maybe touching it before had not been the right thing to do, but now? Now was obviously the right time - more than the right time, it was the only time! It was now or never, but she just couldn't bring herself to take that risk.

Her father entered her room. "Are you ready to go?" he asked, knowing full well what was hindering her progress from the room. "Daddy...I know that it is time to touch my figurine now, but something inside me is terrified at the risk of breaking her." "It is alright, dear. Since the day when you let her slip to the floor, you have taken much care to not let that happen again. You have fully enjoyed her reflected light throughout your room, and, even though you knew there was more joy to be had than simply watching the light dance across your ceiling, you did not make the same mistake again. You have been obediantly enjoying her from a distance, taking special precautions to keep the figurine's beauty intact and lovely. However, now is the time to touch her. You may take her down from the shelf, hold her in your now ready hands and fully experience the joy that comes with that gesture. Do not be afraid, for I am right here beside you and I will not leave. Everything will be alright - go ahead. Reach out and take her from her resting place. Remember my comfort and love from the last time you held her - that is offered to you no matter what may happen. I cannot promise that you will hold her perfectly the first time, or that she will not shatter again - but I am promising you that I am here, ready to help you every moment. I will tell you step by step how to hold her properly and, with practice, you will grow in confidence, being able to experience the wondrous joy that comes with fully possessing your treasure."

The tears that brimmed to the surface were a mixture of fear and excitement. Her heart pounded, her knees weakened, her hands trembled with anticipation. But she trusted her father's words - knowing that he was beside her, loving her, whether it shattered or not. Carefully, slowly, finally! Her hands reached out towards the fragile figurine...

A "Great Reformer"

“I made one of the most grave mistakes you can make as one entrusted with the glorious gospel of our Savior. Just as the apostle Paul progressed from not considering himself inferior to the greatest apostles, to being the greatest of sinners, I took the opposite course. I started out knowing that I had been one of the greatest of sinners who had found grace, but ended up thinking that I was one of the greatest apostles. It was because of my great pride, not insecurity, that I began to attack everyone who did not see everything just the way I did. Those who followed me I stripped of their own callings, and even their personalities, pressuring them to all become just like me. No one around me could be themselves. No one dared to question me because I would crush them into powder; I thought that by making others smaller I made myself larger. I thought that I was supposed to be the Holy Spirit to everyone. From the outside my ministry looked like a smooth running machine where everyone was in unity and there was perfect order, but it was the order of a concentration camp. I took the Lord's own children and made them automations in my own image instead of His. In the end I was not even serving the Lord, but the idol I had built to myself. By the end of my life I was actually an enemy of the true gospel, at least in practice, even if my teachings and writings seemed impeccably biblical."

"God has a different set of history books than those on the earth. Earthly histories will pass away, but the books that are kept here will last forever. If you can rejoice in what heaven is recording about your life, you are blessed indeed. Men see through a glass darkly, so their histories will always be clouded, and sometimes completely wrong. Very few, even very few Christians, have the true gift of discernment. Without this gift it is impossible to accurately discern truth in those of the present or the past. Even with this gift it is difficult. Until you have been here, and been stripped, you will judge others through distorted prejudices, either positive or negative. That is why we were warned not to judge before the time. Until we have been here we just cannot really know what is in the heart of others, whether they are performing good or evil deeds. There have been good motives in even the worst of men, and evil motives in even the best of them. Only here can men be judged by both their deeds and their motives."

"Do not try to teach others to do what you are not doing yourself. Reformation is not just a doctrine. True reformation only comes from union with the Savior. When you are yoked with Christ, carrying the burdens that He gives you, He will be with you and carry them for you. You can only do His work when you are doing it with Him, not just for Him. Only the Spirit can beget that which is Spirit. If you are yoked with Him you will do nothing for the sake of politics or history. Anything that you do because of political pressures, or opportunities, will only lead you to the end of your true ministry. The things that are done for the sake of trying to make history will at best doom your accomplishments to history, and you will fail to impact eternity. If you do not live what you preach to others you disqualify yourself from the high calling of God, just as we did. I will tell you what will keep you on the path of life- love the Savior and seek His glory alone. Everything that you do to exalt yourself will one day bring you the most terrible humiliation. Everything that you do out of true love for the Savior, to glorify His name, will extend the limits of His eternal kingdom, and, ultimately result in a much higher place for yourself. Live for what is recorded here. Care nothing for what is recorded on earth."

~ A “Great Reformer” in Rick Joyner’s vision The Final Quest

Magnificent Obsession

It’s late. And I must awaken early tomorrow morning. Fold my clothes, straighten my desk, brush my teeth…kick the cat. Carefully I fold back the covers on my newly fixed bed and ease my tired body down between the sheets. Breathe in…and exhale. I stretch my hand towards the lamp, intent on sleeping as soon as possible. Today was a good day – I am content and I have no complaints. Darkness in 4…3…2…oops. Almost forgot to do my evening devotions again. The light must remain for just a few moments longer. What to read, what to read….no, don’t feel like a psalm…not the gospels, not the letters of Paul. Isaiah 53. Isaiah 53? That’s a random thought – is God telling me to read that? No, that cannot be – my mind just haphazardly picked a book and a random chapter number. But, okay God, I will grant You the benefit of the doubt and read that passage as if You specifically desire me to focus on that tonight. Isaiah…Isaiah…32…47…52…fifty-three:

Who has believed our message? To whom will the LORD reveal his saving power? My servant grew up in the LORD's presence like a tender green shoot, sprouting from a root in dry and sterile ground. There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him. He was despised and rejected--a man of sorrows, acquainted with bitterest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way when he went by. He was despised, and we did not care.

Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God for his own sins! But he was wounded and crushed for our sins. He was beaten that we might have peace. He was whipped, and we were healed! All of us have strayed away like sheep. We have left God's paths to follow our own. Yet the LORD laid on him the guilt and sins of us all.

He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth. From prison and trial they led him away to his death. But who among the people realized that he was dying for their sins--that he was suffering their punishment? He had done no wrong, and he never deceived anyone. But he was buried like a criminal; he was put in a rich man's grave.

But it was the LORD's good plan to crush him and fill him with grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have a multitude of children, many heirs. He will enjoy a long life, and the LORD's plan will prosper in his hands. When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of what he has experienced, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins. I will give him the honors of one who is mighty and great, because he exposed himself to death. He was counted among those who were sinners. He bore the sins of many and interceded for sinners.

Enter stage left: wave of guilt and shame. Enter stage right: fresh realization of God’s Love – even when I esteem Him not. My day had gone by without mentioning His name – I was guilty of ignoring Him, passing Him by, of pushing Him to the back of my mind until it was convenient for me to ponder great truths about Him in my specifically set aside devotional time. A time that was often rushed and an afterthought – not the highlight, the climax , the nucleus or the foundation of my day. I was trying to live by “bread alone” – not depending on “every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4) to sustain me.

My past day did not explicitly point to this Christ, Man of Sorrows. I had not been radically different for the sake of the Cross. Its power had not noticeably been changing me. I look at the past 24 hours and am saddened to find that they are devoid of revolutionary difference, of life-changing passion, of contagious excitement filling my every step.

I once again stretch my arm towards the lamp, turn the switch and roll over. This time, my eyes brimming with tears and my heart aching with grief, a desperate plea arises from my soul:

Jesus, may my life revolve around You – let everything be affected by my intimate heart relationship with You. May everything I do obviously point to You – consume my thoughts, my words, my actions. May I be expectant each day, each moment. May I recognize how You are working in each minute. You came so that I may have life, and have it abundantly (John 10:10). Let me not live half-heartedly. Let me not waste my life – sleeping it away and not living out fully what You mean my life to be. I desire to be wholly devoted to You. Lord Jesus Christ, be my Magnificent Obsession.

Song of the Moment

This song is incredible - it is better when heard to music, so you should listen to a sample clip and if you play an instrument, download the chords.

More Than A Friend
by Jeremy Riddle

In the quiet of my soul
In the stillness I hear Your voice call
And I am overwhelmed
And I am lost for words
To describe You

Jesus, You're more than a friend
Jesus, You're more than my heart
Could ever express
Your love and Your grace never fail me
Your merciful touch always heals me
You bring joy to my soul

My heart longs to worship You my King
And I long to bring You a pleasing offering
And I am overwhelmed
And I am lost for words
To describe You

Food For Thought

As you can probably see, I have added a "Food For Thought" section to the 'sidebar' so that I can display what books I have read, am reading, or really want to read. Each one is linked to cool sites that either describe the book or actually have excerpts from the book online. My favourite is "My Utmost for His Highest" because if you click on it, you can read the daily reading from it online. Read it everyday - it's great. Credits for this 'book shelf' idea go, of course, to the Dumb Sheep - although I didn't completely copy them!

An Interviewee

I just sent Amyann Faul interview questions - there are still 4 spots left if anyone else would like the privilege/challenge! Leave a comment and your email address if you'd like to be one of the lucky 4!

Tagged by "The BvO"

Well it looks like I have been tagged by Brian vanOosten to answer 5 "If I Could Be" questions. OOh fun games. First though, I must say I just met BvO and he is nice - his girlfriend is my roommate for the summer and her name is Jenn van Breda. So, because there are two Jenn's he has nicknamed me "Klassen". Very original, I must say. He fixed my bed for me after knowing me for only 5 minutes. That, to me, signals the beginning of a happy summer!

Here are the rules: I pick 5 occupations out of the list below and post my answers. Then I tag 3 other people to post their answers on their blog.

The list: If I could be a scientist...If I could be a farmer...If I could be a musician...If I could be a doctor...If I could be a painter...If I could be a gardener...If I could be a missionary...If I could be a chef...If I could be an architect...If I could be a linguist...If I could be a psychologist...If I could be a librarian...If I could be an athlete...If I could be a lawyer...If I could be an inn-keeper...If I could be a professor...If I could be a writer...If I could be a llama-rider...If I could be a bonnie pirate...If I could be an astronaut...If I could be a world famous blogger...If I could be a justice on any one court in the world...If I could be married to any current famous political figure...

Here are my answers:

If I could be a bonnie pirate I would be VERY attractive and VERY grumpy all the time and I would, for purely the sake of my own sick enjoyment, make whomever I was most annoyed or frustrated with at the moment walk the plank whenever I needed a pick me up.

If I could be an inn-keeper I would make sure there was ALWAYS room in the inn!

If I could be an athlete I would be the farthest removed from who I am at this very moment that I could possibly be and I would love sports and I would win and I would have realistic dreams of winning an Olympic gold medal for both diving and figure skating! (I would need a possibilty for both the Summer and Winter Olympics so that I had a chance every 2 years and not just every 4!)

If I could be a missionary my life would be an incredible adventure of joy and pain. I would go to a place in Africa that has been ravaged by AIDS and run an orphanage for street children - being both their mother and friend in the name of Jesus Christ.

If I could be a linguist I would keep on learning more and more languages because they say that the more languages you learn, the easier it is to learn new ones! Then I would translate the Bible into languages it has never been translated into before. And I would talk to interesting people in interesting languages all day every - travelling to random places and having random conversations.

Mkay, well those are my answers and the taggees are Adam Harris, Joel Haas and Josiah Bokma.