WHAT’S COOKING, LORD?

 

           I smell something cooking, but don’t know what it is. I know it’s something good because you always have good planned for us. (Jeremiah 29:11).
         As I was renewing my mind this morning, I thought about what I had said to a friend on email yesterday. I said, that sometimes I wish I could see myself as more than just a vessel for the Lord. I wish I could see myself as a real person like Jesus was.  Many people will not understand what I am saying here, but God does and that is so reassuring. He will bring me to it.
         But as we slough off many old traditional ways of thinking, we are being prepared for a higher call. God has a million ways to restore us mentally, physically, spiritually, and socially.
         I’ve been somewhat lacking in the social area for the last two years. So, to help me this morning, God gave me a “label” for today. I may not need it tomorrow, but it feels good for today. He supplies our daily needs. Religiously, we have all tried to avoid “labels”, but when it comes from Him, we know He has a purpose and it can be useful.
         I thought about Martin Luther King when he said, “I have a dream.” And I know what our Lord says: “I have a plan.” He will work His Plan in all our lives when we freely allow Him to, however He chooses.
         My label for today is “Umpire”. Of course I thought about my coaching days. The steps that led to becoming an umpire for today. First, I was a spectator, then cheerleader, then participant, then coach, now today, I’m on the sidelines calling fouls and free throws. I’m watching to see that the rules (of love) are carried out to the benefit of all teams. So I keep reading the Handbook and check with the Holy Spirit to see if any of the rules have been updated through a deeper revelation of the basic rules.
         Weird? Yes. I’m certain it must sound that way to some. But, I understand what He means. So, for today at least, I get to be an umpire.

A STRONGER MESSAGE
CORDS THAT CANNOT BE BROKEN!

 

Ecclesiastics 4:12
 And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him;
 and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
♫Bind us together, Lord
Bind us together,
With cords that cannot be broken.
Bind us together, Lord.
Bind us together, Lord.
Bind us together with LOVE. ♫

         When a scripture is not running through your mind, I think the angels are faithful to deliver anointed songs like the one above. 
         “Cords that cannot be broken….hmmm.” I tried, Lord, but it seems like the cords still broke. How do You do that, Lord? How do You Bind them together?” 
         “One cord at a time.”, He smiled.
         “Which cord am I, Lord?” 
         “The first cord must be connected to Me.”, He said.
         I understood that, but still didn’t have the whole picture. So, I kept talking to Him. “There are times, Lord, we feel so connected to another of Your children, then something happens that seems to break the cord. None of us really want that cord to be broken.
         “It’s not a matter of physical distance or time because our cords of love remain strong with many we seldom see anymore, or even hear from.
         “As in John 17, I know You desire us all to be one in Spirit with You. Broken cords are not Your desire either.
         “Father, You placed us on this earth for a purpose. What can we do to keep the cords of Your family and ours from breaking?”
         Then I remembered: God is a Spirit. God is Love. So, Love is a Spirit.  God [is] a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship [him] in spirit and in truth. (John 4:24).
         At this time, the Holy Spirit brought to my mind a word I’ve always cherished when I read it in the Bible: “Unfeigned” Love.  It so witnessed to my desires. When the Spirit of Truth comes to abide in you, you detest any false ways…such as hypocrisy, flattery, false love…especially in yourself.
         Then the Lord began to show me: “You can keep the cords connected by Unfeigned Love. Not pretend, false, or put-on types of love, but by Pure Love…the Spirit of God, kind of Love.
         “Your first cord of love…is connected to Me. There are two things you can do to keep these cords from breaking. The first is to check the strength of your own cord as it is connected to others in your life.  Pull on it

 a little and see how strong it is. When you sense a weakness…

come to Me and let Me purify your Love and Motives and make your Love Cord strong again as My true love flows through you: My Unfeigned Love. Read My Love chapters.
         “Now, to help others. Notice where their cords may appear weak. Whether they recognize it or not, all of My children want to be connected to  Me and each other with cords that cannot be broken.
         “Where I allow you to see a weakness in one of your brothers or sisters, bring out the Bandage of Love that must abide in your heart, ready to Love them and bind their love to each other, by your Love, given from above.”
         Yes, I understand now. Sincere, true love from God through us, provides the power to bind us together with Cords that Cannot Be Broken. With God, all things are possible. As His children, we can walk in “unfeigned love”…checking our own cords to be certain they are strong in Love.

 Action: Let’s keep the Bandages of Love available always in our Hearts of “Unfeigned Love.”     

         “Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, [see that ye] love one another with a pure heart fervently:” (I Peter 1:22).