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Back in the mid to late nineteen nineties, well into
the millennium, there was a new phenomenon in picture puzzles. You may recall seeing them. In newspapers, magazines, books and even at art studios. They were technically known as sterograms, but we called them magic eye puzzles. Do you recall seeing those colorful pictures of squiggly lines and dots which also had captions below them asking, "Can you see the twelve foot ball players?" or "Can you see the hidden picture?" Like me at first, some of you may have thought that this was some type of gimmick or trick. I remember staring at one image until I had a headache. I wanted to see the picture, I did not want to throw my hands up and say "inconclusive". It was a challenge. Plus I wanted to know if there was something wrong with my eyes. I would reason at times that maybe my myopia ( near sightedness) or astigmatism kept me from seeing these tantalizing images. After all I did believe that it was there. I just couldn’t see it. Well, as you know there is more to life and lunch breaks than dwelling on puzzles. I mean after all, it was not one of my great pursuits, nor did it elevate my blood pressure one iota due to the fact that I could not see the. But one day while reading the newspaper, I saw one. And, this time, the author of the article gave instructions on how to find the image. You see, you have to look beyond that which appears to be before you. You cannot rely on just your sight alone. It takes you being able to disregard what you actually see and look deeper to the point where your brain’s depth perception takes control. Depth perception happens in the brain and not the eyes. Once you capture the ability to tap in on how to see the image, your brain will automatically begin to lock in and bring what is nonvisible, visible. Thus I could not see every "Magic Eye" picture puzzle. Of course this got me to thinking…Thinking about realms of faith and seeing how God sees…. I thought about Elisha. In Kings Chapter 6, how the young man sees trouble all around, but is told by the prophet, " Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them". Elisha then prays… Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and fire. Elisha looked deep ignoring what may have been n plain view. He looked through God’s view. Looking past and beyond. The young man got blessed as well since he decided to open his eyes and to look again. Can I challenge you to look again? Keep looking. Every time we view an object, we see something different about it. This brings me to Paul, when on the road to Damascus saw the light from heaven, immediately he submitted himself, while those who were with him did not see the light. Then there was David. From a natural view, it appeared that he was not ready to be come a King. He was not ranked high enough, nor embellished enough to be considered for such a calling. He had no great titles, no reserved seating, no posse, no royal cloaks that would have qualified him by assumption. But the bible says; "For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." God goes for deep. He looks deep. He looks beyond our fuzzy view. Talking about kingdom living here! Wow, imagine if we can begin to live within the realm of His Kingdom daily! It can be very liberating. Seeing as God sees liberates us from living in bitterness and un -forgiveness toward those who hurt us. Let’s look at these puzzling situations that we face in our lives. Do you see a mass of confusion, no direction or clear view? Pray and ask Jesus to allow us see how HE sees. Let’s look through the problem and go into the depths of our spirit and bring faith to the surface. We won’t ignore it, but we tell the problem to move over for a few minutes… get of the way so that we can see God in this. He has given us all things that pertain to life. The answers are before us, the solutions are before us, the power, the keys…all are before us. We just need…excuse me I just need to begin to practice and master living in the realm of the kingdom so that I can see and capture what he has set before me. I pray the same for you all.
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To those who were raised in the 70’s you may be
familiar with a song called "Love Jones". A very popular movie which is now a cult classic which bared the same title came out in the 90's. So what exactly is a "Love Jones"? Well actually the term derived from a section in New York referred to as Manhattan’s Great Jones Alley. This was an area which was known for drug use; specifically a heroin. This drug in the opiate family, is known to be highly addictive, creating intense cravings by the user. Thus, those who frequently lived or visited the alley were know to have a "Love Jones", or intense craving for their drug of bondage. Today, the Jones Alley has cleaned up a bit, even having a fragrance named after it. "Great Jones", Bond No.9. The term also has been white washed into another meaning. The urban dictionary refers to a "Love Jones" as an intense desire and love for someone.A craving or intensity that can only be fulfilled by their desire. I’ve heard people say that they were "Jonesin for a burger", or had a "serious jones for someone". I recall even saying it myself, being that my last name is Jones, I’ve often teased my husband of twenty-four years by flirting with him and telling him that "I had a Love Jones for him"! What are you jonesin for? Is it all material? Are you jonesin for the new house, the job, the car, the top position in your circle? Is that what drives you each day? Your desire to have "it"? What about an intense desire and love to know Jesus? To wake up every day with a deeply burning desire just to be close to HIM? Hey, what about having a highly addictive urge just to be in HIS presence every day? Well guess what? HE has this desire for you! He loves you with the deepest, most intense love that one could not even fathom within our mere earthly realm. HIS eyes are always on you, HIS ears always leaning to hear your every word. HE follows you everywhere you go and watches your every move. It is never ending. An infinite force that I believe is always constantly pulling us toward HIM, and we don’t even realize it. Through HIS grace and mercy, through the sun, the wind and our beating hearts, he does not hesitate to remind us daily by leaving imparting love notes to us all day. What if the wind you feel on your face every day is actually HIS kiss for you everyday? Kim W. got it right with that song, " How HE loves us"… Let’s make it our goal to build such a relationship with JESUS to the point of falling in love with HIM intensely. It can become addictive ya know. Next thing you know, you find yourself loving others…..loving life…. Love….sigh Sabrina I have a very close friend who is like a sister to me
who often makes a statement during the most trying times as well as celebratory times. "I just want to be saved." Sounds like a simple statement doesn’t it? Yet those six words sum it all up for me! Truly regardless of how many encounters, retreats or even witnessed miracles I may experience. When it all comes down to it, I just want to be saved. One of my biggest fears would be to hear Jesus say, " I never knew you". What an eternal blow that would be. All of hundred, maybe thousands of demons casted out, all of the titles, the genre of church routines, the serving, sacrificing, offerings and traveled miles, all fixed in a memory for you to replay over and over again as you scratch your head spending eternity in a burning hell. I really thought about this and decided this morning that I may need to check my spiritual compass. A compass is defined as a navigation device or instrument used for determining direction. A magnet is inside which causes the needle to give the "lost" a sense of direction. We cannot see the actual magnetic fields of the north and south poles which because of their opposite attraction vie for which direction we should take, but we do can use it to get a indication if we are heading in the right direction. Like with any journey, we all have to have had a starting point somewhere. Different points of beginning. You remember. That initial loving draw that brought you to know Jesus Christ as the one and only Lord of all. When you KNEW you were heaven bound and confident in the direction you were heading in, because you checked your spiritual compass daily by ingesting His word and communicating with HIM as well as listening to HIM. Get your compass out. What direction does it say that you are heading in? If you think you are a little lost or have gotten off track, remember your starting points. Can’t find your way back? The WORD will always direct you and as we know, The HOLY SPIRIT will lead you and guide you unto all truth! We have a constant guide to keep on us track as long as we allow HIM to lead. Oh I know so well, how we can get comfortable with our prefabricated prayers and experiences to think at times that we know the way. I ‘ve been there only to find that when I finally stopped, I was shocked to see that I went on ahead without HIM! My how this world can make us so delusional as to think that we know the way. Jesus said that "I AM the way". But, even while desolate and powerless, we can call HIM. "Hey, ummm Holy Spirit… I am lost here. Can you help me?" We turn and find HIM right there with us, saying…"Are you ready for ME to lead now?". HE never leaves us alone, we are never out of sight! He’ll even send others to help you. Like they used to tell us when we went on field trips in elementary school…"Stay with your group", keep up with the teacher". You can tell by the fruits of your group and your leaders. But I caution you…know HIM for yourself. He won’t say I never knew ya’ll… This month for me will be going back the basics and making sure that I am going in the right direction. Blessing, |
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