GOD JOURNAL
JANUARY 2009
In this issue:
- Little things mean a lot. What’s really important in
your life?
- Anointed intelligence. Thought life.
- Announcements – New book, Hermitage & more!
Mike and Linda Schreurs
LOOK UP! IT’S A NEW YEAR!
A good year!
Whose report are you listening to and believing? Is it the dire predictions of worldly economists or that of our everlasting heavenly Provider? Ladies and gentlemen of the Most High God, where is your trust? Where is your security and peace? Does it not lie within the bosom of the Lord and your steadfast love of Him? Have you trained yourself enough in the ways of God that you’re an optimist or are you yet wavering in man’s weaknesses of pessimistic woes?
Bring the Word of God close to your bosom. Breathe it, speak it, live it! Let these verses from the Psalms become your 2009 anthem: “Look to the Lord and His strength; seek His face always.” (Ps. 105:4) “I sought the Lord, and He answered me, and delivered me from all my fears. They looked to Him and were radiant…” (Ps. 34:4-5a). Linda Schreurs
LITTLE THINGS MEAN A LOT
Last month during the Christmas season, I was particularly fascinated with the wrappings of the gifts themselves. I have one friend in particular who wraps her gifts so extravagantly, that you don’t even want to open the box! You don’t want to disturb the covering because all you want to do is feast your eyes on the beauty of the package itself! I could just put the gift on a shelf and be delighted with glancing at it from time to time throughout the year. It doesn’t take much to make me happy!
But what I want to note here, my precious friends in the Lord, is that little things really do mean a lot. We’re always looking to the grand finale, when the pathway itself is laden with glorious wonders of God. Quite often, we Christians are looking for the thunderous claps of glory when the Lord is bringing forth a precursor of smaller increments of His Presence and power. Those little things are actually the ‘drum rolls,’ if you will, to what God is leading up to which are manifestations to the entire fulfillment of His promises and prophetic utterances.
I’m certain that in 2009, we must be alert to those seemingly insignificant everyday things in our lives. The Lord is watching us very carefully as the Day of the Lord draws nearer. Shall we be found faithful in all things? Matthew 25:21 says, “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave, you were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things, enter into the joy of your master.”
Ordinary to extraordinary
I love St. Therese of Lisieux, France, who was canonized a saint in the Catholic Church based simply on the extraordinary way in which she lived everyday ordinary life – with a godly and holy attitude.
This precious woman of God died early at the age of 24 but made a huge impact. She was known as ‘The Little Flower.’ This was no doubt attributed to the fact that the fragrance of Christ came forth in her life by doing common things in a spirit of great grace, humility and love. Aren’t we all to lead this kind of lifestyle?! My friends, it certainly isn’t done by our own strength, but by the Holy Spirit living within us. It’s not difficult to “do all things through Christ who strengthens us.” (Philp. 4:13) Paul writes in Philippians 4:11 that he was content in whatever circumstances.
I suspect Paul was not a whiner, but rather a diner. He feasted on the Presence of the power of the Living Bread in every avenue of his life. We live on heavenly manna every day. “Give us this day our daily bread.” This is our calling! It’s not just for 2009, but for our every day walk while on this side of the veil. We must testify to the world in the way we live each day:
What’s the tone of our voice?
What do our eyes convey, our expressions, our countenance? What’s the silent (yet loud!) language of our eyes, ears and heart? Are they dedicated to God?
What is our behavior when we are alone with ourselves? Are our thoughts and actions pure, wholesome and godly?
Is our mind filled with anxiousness, worry, doubt and fear or is it aligned in faith with God’s word?
How do we take an offense? Are we quick to retaliate or absolve it in love? Could there be thoughtlessness in some of our responses?
Speak volumes
We may not stand on any great podiums of the world, but our lives speak volumes nevertheless. What do our actions convey to those closest to us, our spouses, family, friends, co-workers? Did you know your life is a song? It is! Our actions either have a harmonious melody or else it’s out of sync, out of tune, off pitch, and grates against people around us. I don’t know about you, but in this New Year I want my life to be a testimonial song to those around me because of the Holy Spirit residing within. I want to honor my God in this fashion. How about you?
One night recently while in prayer the Lord gave me the following:
“Praise Me, honor Me in the little things where no one sees, but Me. I am your God of everything, big and small, every moment of your life. Nothing, absolutely nothing, is insignificant to Me. It all counts for eternity!
I am looking for a life well lived in Me. I am looking for dependence on Me. I am your shelter in the storms and I am your bright light by night, and by day.
Do not stray from Me, even in the so-called mundane things of life. To those who are faithful in little things, they shall know My greater revelations. {Matt. 25:21} Let My Presence fill you completely. You lack nothing in Me. {“Christ is all in all.” Col. 2:11} My love surrounds you. My Word, My Breath, surrounds you. You are safe and secure in Me. Reside in Me. Let Me build My dynasty in you.
What ‘they’ don’t see, I SEE! The smallest deed of your heart pleases Me. I SEE!
Die to self and live for Me. I am your great reward!”
It’s a good thing to let our selfish nature die every day. (1 Cor. 15:31) But I have to tell you, I became fascinated by the word ‘dynasty.’ Only the Lord could come up with that one! I knew it’s meaning of course, but decided to look it up to expound on it more fully. Here it is: “line of hereditary rulers; succession of related leaders; repeated champions. This is our divine destiny! Our dynasty is in Christ Jesus and He’s watchful for those who will participate in being His anointed rulers, leaders and champions ‘for a time such as this.’
Daily accounts
James 5:17 says “Elijah was a man with a nature like ours,” and yet he did extraordinary things. I believe the Lord took into account the daily life of a young girl named Mary over 2,000 years ago. She bore Baby Jesus. I’m sure God the Father saw the manner in which Joseph lived each day and then marked him to be the earthly father of Jesus. What about young David watching over smelly sheep day after day, week after week, month after month? He was chosen to be a king. The Lord no doubt was peering into the daily dealings of integrity as Moses lived on the back side of the desert.
Have you been, or are you now, on that ‘back side,’ waiting in anticipation for a new level in Christ? It can happen! Just live today, right now, this moment in time to its ordained fullest in the Lord. Live your ordinary life in an extraordinary fashion. It reaps amazing rewards! God’s Word testifies to this. How exciting to know that you and I are a ruler, a leader and a champion in the Lord’s dynasty! (Rom 8:37)
Alignment
Remember my beautifully wrapped Christmas present? Most of us know it’s not how pretty the package is so much as the intent of the heart that gave it. It’s true what they say, “It’s the thought behind the gift.” Certainly we can wrap ourselves in worldly garments of fancy clothes and suits or in glitter, gold, make-up and perfumes. But it’s the core of the person that’s going to be revealed one way or another. Take note of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16:19-31. One received earthly goods while alive, the other did not. But it was the ‘inner man’ that was revealed in the end. The poor man went on to his eternal reward, the other to the eternal torment without the Presence of God in hell.
Let’s shine for the sake of our Savior! “And so we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts.” (2 Pet. 1:19) May our every breath be a ‘glory moment’ for Him! Our hearts must be aligned with His at all times.
Roses
As the New Year beckons us to new horizons, let’s not miss the beauty of small, every day glories in God. Purposely breathe in a deep, long breath of fresh morning air; take in the beauty of a bird singing on a branch; greet a glorious sunrise or sunset with a giggle in your heart; wistfully watch clouds float by; listen with wonder at the sound of a baby’s cry or the laughter of a child at play.
“Consider the lilies, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; but I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory did not clothe himself like one of these. But if God so arrays the grass in the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you, O men of little faith! And do not seek what you shall eat, and what you shall drink, and do not keep worrying.” (Luke 12:27-29)
How interesting that St. Therese is most often pictured holding a bouquet of roses. I sense in 2009 the Lord truly desires that we stop and smell the roses of each day’s journey. May the fragrance of our lives exude that of our heavenly Designer!
ANOINTED INTELLIGENCE
Ahh, the wonders of God! He never ceases to amaze me. I’m sure you feel the same way. I’ve learned not to be too surprised at the things He reveals during quiet conversations with Him.
So it was with excitement that He brought a new phrase to my heart one morning. I thought it was quite odd and was going to let it slip by as it sounded a bit arrogant to me. The phrase was - ‘anointed intelligence.’ Those words began to be imbedded upon my curious heart by His divine Presence. I grew with anticipation to know the depth of its meaning. I can’t explain it in so many words, but what I can tell you is that it’s of the Lord, it’s wonderful and it’s holy!
Amazingly, about a week later I was listening to a CD by Lou Engle of The Call and he used a similar term. He called it, divine intelligence. They are the same thing! It’s the Lord’s mind and will in our brains, in our thought life. It’s a holy mind He’s after! He’s the revealer of mysteries! And it’s born out of a heart of complete submission and surrender to His will and to His ways.
This brought me to the oft quoted passage in Isaiah 55 of how the Lord’s thoughts and ways are higher than ours. Of course they are! Who do we think we are?! But I tell you dear people of God, many have become arrogant. Many, having had their own thoughts on matters of life, have gone their own way without regard to what God’s Word says. Many are taking the way of the world when they still have one foot in the Body of Christ or not at all. They attempt to mix darkness with light and that washes out to a destructive end.
Warnings
Solomon is warned by his father David in 1 Chronicles 28:9 about the thoughts and intentions of the heart. We need to embrace these words in this critical hour in which we live: “As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a whole heart and a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever.”
I believe the Lord is giving us a warning. We must begin to align even our hidden thought life to Him. After all, He sees what no man sees, He knows what no man knows. (Rev. 2:23) Let’s not hide ourselves in any kind of secrecy or games of the mind that’s snared by flesh not submitted to God. Turmoil is eliminated when we live peacefully with God and ourselves through Isaiah 26:3 which says: “The steadfast of mind, Thou wilt keep in perfect peace, because he trusts in Thee.”
Holiness and creativity
This is the year for transformed thinking. “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Rom. 12:2)
Anointed intelligence, through the power of the Holy Spirit, will usher us into a lifestyle of holiness in every area of our lives. It stops a negative or impure thought life. It develops a positive, godly mental attitude and brings joy to the heart. In other words, it’s exactly 1 Corinthians 2:16b, “But we have the mind of Christ.” How wonderful can that be?! We can have a wholly and holy submitted mind to God the Father just as Jesus!
Congruently, in 2 Corinthians 10:5 we hold fast these words: “We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.”
It’s also exciting to discover that with anointed intelligence comes great creativity! That shouldn’t surprise us as the Creator Himself is at work in us. Therefore we have an enablement for fresh ideas that can catapult us into new realms of discovery and prosperity. Beyond that, there can flow new songs, new avenues of ministry…the possibilities are endless! You and I need to begin to ask the Lord for anointed intelligence. We need it more than ever in this day and age.
A sharpened sword
Beloved friends, the Lord is bringing a sharpened sword to even the thoughts and intentions of people’s hearts. He is fine-tuning His people for the days leading up to the Grande Finale of humanity, His Second Coming. Even the hidden thoughts of mankind will be exposed. Shall we be found anointed, or demoted losing our very souls?
The sword of the Lord is coming! It will be swift and sure to divide the holy from the unholy, the clean from the unclean. Take note of Hebrews 4:12: “For the Word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword and piercing as far as
the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
We must know what’s done in the privacy of our thought life will give an accounting just as much as our actions. We desperately need anointed intelligence, divine intelligence. Wouldn’t today be a good time to anoint your forehead with oil and ask the Lord to grace you in this manner? It’s time for alignment with the Lord Jesus in every area of our being. After all, He is returning for a pure, spotless Bride. Even her mind must be cloaked in holiness! Nothing less will do.