Covenant Love.

photo-synthesis. [[Sarah Hurt]].

This week’s  Swallowed up in Light  photo(s).

the moments when we quiet ourselves enough to hear His voice,, and the Word echoes loud[[I will make you as a light for the nations,
that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth.]]

 


 
the moments when we’re faced with a need, and with a choice,
and we realize, [[what excuse do we have really?]]


                                                                                                                        

the moments when our hands and hearts go up in surrender, and our lives reflect the
truth that His ways truly are so much higher than ours.

the moments when a life poured out at the feet of Jesus, like the precious perfume of an alabaster jar, means a life poured out in the darkest areas of the world for the least of these.

the moments when a burden and a prayer evoke a response, and He tells us to pray for laborers, for the harvest is plentiful,, and is really just preparing our hearts to be the ones sent out.


[Because there are those who hear the call,, and then there are those who heed the call. ]
and the context of the words “behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” has never been so clear, and the promise has never been sweeter.




[[Pray for Sarah,, missionary to India.]].

photo-synthesis. [Casey&Brady//engagement session]

This week’s  Swallowed up in Light  photo(s).
The moments when you experience more of His presence, love and light because of that someone.

[[let it be genuine.let it compel you]].

waters.

Think hard, stay humble; the life of the mind and the peril of pride.

“Knowledge is essential, but it’s not sufficient.”- John MacArthur

[[Knowledge puffs up,, but love builds up]].

Had to share this sermon. so encouraging and convicting.
may it stir you as well.

the call of the Bridegroom.

[[you are consumed with too many other things,, return to the first thing— your First Love.
I am found in the place of devotion,, in the place of surrender.
eyes fixed on Me.
sole vision.
sole focus.
sole purpose.

remove the distractions]].


Dove’s eyes.  
throughout Song of Solomon, the Bride and Bridegroom refer to one another as doves. in the first chapter, the Bridegroom says “behold, you are beautiful, My love, behold you are beautiful; your eyes are as the eyes of doves.” (1:15)
and later on in chapter 5, as the Bride is rejoicing in Him, she refers to Him as having doves eyes as well (5:12).

doves have a binocular vision field. They can only focus on one thing at a time. when their eyes fix on their mate, they are undeterred in focus. they follow where they go and even mirror their exact movements.
this being one of the reasons they are referred to as ‘love birds’.


doves cannot look to the right or to the left.
their eyes are locked, their gaze is set.
completely consumed by their lover.


He is calling us back to our First Love-- to have the eyes of a dove.











 

the time.

 Lately, I cannot escape these words.

[[look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is]]           
                                                                                        Ephesians 5:15-17


 

 Paul writes this in the context of exhortation to walk in new life, to put off the old self,, reminding us of our identity as children of light no longer in the darkness as we once were.
His continuous theme is you are in the light, so walk in the light,, don’t walk as those who don’t know Jesus do, don’t walk in your former manner of life, fulfilling deceitful desires,, but be renewed in the spirit of your mind, putting on the new self, letting light expose the darkness.

he is adamant, and I can feel the desperation and anguish within him, as he implores us to realize who we are in Christ now, all that we have available to us, and all that we are called to.
we are urged to not quench the Spirit but rather be filled with Him,, to not tear down but rather build up.

it is in all of this,, that
we are told to [redeem the time].

redeem {exagorazō}- “buying up the opportunity”. The word “time” here isn’t time as in actual hours and days, but rather “the time”{kairos}, meaning “a season”, a time in which something is seasonable.
Vine’s dictionary summarizes it as [[making the most of every opportunity, turning to the best advantage since none can be recalled if missed]].

Paul isn’t necessarily encouraging us to make the most of every moment, but to seize, literally forcibly take hold of, opportunity for His glory and His Kingdom.

the days are evil.
the darkness is thick.

how are we walking?
are we so in tune with His voice and with His Word, that we know what His will, His desires, are in every moment, in every situation?
do we have the spirit of discernment?

we are in a definite season of opportunity that we are to seize for the glory of Jesus.

[[in our lives, in the lives of those around us, and in the nations at large]].

how are we making the best use of it?


cast off the flesh, the distractions, the lethargy,,
and feel the urgency for such a time as this.
to grow into the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.
to be filled with the Spirit.
and to allow the Light to expose the darkness.

“awake, O sleeper,
and arise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you”
                                      Ephesians 5:14

He is calling us out of our sleep,,
arise and shine,, and call others out of theirs.

for the time and the Kingdom are at hand,
and His return is drawing near. 





 

soar, my soul.

[He rescued me, because He delighted in me].


be free.



awake.
soar, my soul.

break down the walls of apathy.
strip off the layer of numbness.
remove the complacency of comparison.

awaken me from this sleep.

fresh passion.
new hunger.
greater thirst.

wild and free.
extreme in my pursuit of You.

completely undone.


a fire within raging.
spreading.
consuming.


Holy Spirit filling.
flooding.
saturating.

burn in me, God.
   to where You cannot be contained.


awake, my soul
to your

     first Love.


[you are delighted in. you are free.
free to be undignified as David was,,
dancing before your King.]

i am alive.
and i will worship.

“Refuse to be average.
let your heart soar
as high as it will.”
                A.W Tozer 







 

photo-synthesis.

This week’s  Swallowed up in Light  photo.

The moments when we get a glimpse of His Kingdom here on earth. and the display of His creation echoes His words, "for it is You who light my lamp; the Lord my God lightens my darkness".

and His light brings peace. and His light brings rest. and our souls are flooded with the One who is Light itself.

"Return, O my soul, to your rest;

for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.

For You have delivered my soul from death,

my eyes from tears,

my feet from stumbling;

I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living."

                                                                                                    [Psalm 116:7-9]