Matt 5:8

So much thunder outside, i can’t sleep, yet my eyes are tired.  too much noise outside… it’s so loud the car alarms are going off.

The thunder reminds me of a time we were in Vietnam.  One night, our team and I were off to an westernized resort with the missionary kids, to do kind of a "get away" retreat with them.  One night, we looked outside and the mainland was thundering and had fearful lightning like CRAZY!  It was quite fearful.  We remembered that the missionary told us, that night (i dont know why but july 29 comes to mind but i dont think that’s it) is a night of serious, idolatry worship in the vietnamese culture.  Seeing the thunder and lightning there we saw it as a symbol of massive spiritual battle going on.  We felt the need to join in the battle with prayer that night. 

*sigh*

Lord, I feel that you are calling us to pray.  Not just b/c of thunder and lightning, but because through all these things going on around us, I am realizing more that we as humans are so small.  we have no control…  one minute, we think we’re healthy, next minute, we can be diagnosed with a deathly cancer.  One moment, you think you’re happy and settled, and next you see yourself hurting from a broken relationship…  we just never know what will happen. 

YET I WILL REJOICE IN THE LORD.

may that be the prayer that genuinely comes out of our mouths.  Lord, I pray that such prayer will come of Josh’s mouth.  I pray such prayer will come out of Lucas’ parents.  Lord, I pray that such prayer will flow out of Rosa’s spirit.  Break down the wall of bitterness that may be built from unexpected pain in life.  Release your grace that is strong enough to break down any wall of protection we may build around us, but with that same grace, embrace us as we are, allowing your healing touch to spread all through out… 

Don’t you love how God brings the same lesson, over and over again, until you actually LEARN it. 

Purity has been the word that the Holy Spirit has been pressing on my heart.  I have limited my understanding of purity.  Like anything, it starts within, where my heart stands in relation with God. 

purity in my relationship with God the father.  Being the daughter that recieves the love that he offers, with unashamed love.

purity in my relationship with the holy spirit, as I obey and not grieve him.  to allow him to lead, convict, encourage, repent, praise… listen.

purity in my relationship with Christ, my groom.  To be a pure bride waiting on him, like the virgins. 

purity in practice…  (still learning)… Titus 2.

FOCUS:

11 For the grace of God has appeared, ^R74 bringing ^R75 F10 salvation to all men, 12 instructing ^F11 us to deny ungodliness and worldly ^R76 desires and to ^R77 live sensibly, righteously and godly in ^R78 the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing ^R79 of the glory of our ^R80 F12 great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, 14 who gave ^R81 Himself for us to ^R82 redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify ^R83 for Himself a people ^R84 for His own possession, zealous ^R85 for good deeds.

I’m still waiting for this to sink deeper… but I write this not to preach but for me to remember, when I look back and read it. 

Maybe it will challenge you too, I dont know.  but in the end, we are the salt and we can bring healing into the waters that have been dried up for years.  We as the salt need to preserve whatever is left in this world of godlessness.  Not because we have much to offer, but we offer what Christ has offered to us.  May we not be lazy.  May we not be to haste either.  But may we wait on the Lord to lead the battle of victory.  we simply need to trust and be that army of Gideon who knows, it is God’s battle, not ours.