Saturday, March 03, 2007

The forty-year move

Grand Sweep Daily Reading: Deuteronomy 1, 2, 3; Psalm 48

Deuteronomy 2:7 (NIV)
7 The Lord your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He has watched over your journey through this vast desert. These forty years the Lord your God has been with you, and you have not lacked anything.

Psalm 48:1 (NIV)
1 Great is the Lord, and most worthy of praise, in the city of our God, His holy mountain.

Acts 17:28 (NIV)
28 For in Him, we live and move and having our being.

Good morning!

Do you enjoy the challenges of moving? Jeff and I have had lots of “moving” experiences in our thirty years of marriage. We moved out of our parents’ homes and into an apartment together after we were married. One year later, we moved from St. Louis, Missouri, to Dallas, Texas, to the campus of Perkins School of Theology at SMU. About six months after we settled into the dorm, Jeff was appointed as a part-time pastor to a growing United Methodist Church forty miles east of Dallas, and we moved into their church parsonage. When Jeff graduated three years later, we moved back to Missouri. In full-time ministry after seminary, Jeff has pastured five Missouri United Methodist congregations. Moving has become an art form for us. I’ve learned how to pack and unpack our home in record time. Let’s face it - moving your family is hard work. It takes great physical and emotional stamina, flexibility, and good organizational skills with a game plan that includes not only a plan a, but plans b through z. We’ve moved in winter ice and snow. We moved in 100 degree temperatures in mid-June. Every move has had its own unique and memorable challenges. I can say, in all honesty, that every move has brought forth blessing after blessing in our life. If you have trouble seeing the silver lining on moving day, sometimes, you just need to know where to look.

Our daughter Rachel and son-in-law Dave moved their home this week. This was an interesting move for them. Rachel and Dave have 2.7 children; we are anxiously awaiting the arrival of a brand new baby who should make its debut in the next few weeks. Their family has fallen in love with the community where they live. They have been blessed with some great neighbors. Their children are close friends with the children who reside in their subdivision. Rachel and Dave had an opportunity to purchase a larger home just up the street from where they were living. This home would give them the much-needed space for their rapidly expanding family. On Wednesday, Dave’s firefighting community and Rachel’s co-workers from her radiology clinic converged upon the Dacus home and helped to physically move their stuff from one house to the other. They made the move in one full day, carrying their furnishings, clothing, and collectibles up the hill and across the street.

Can you imagine picking up your home and moving it around whenever the Lord said to go? This was the forty-year journey of our Israelite brothers and sisters. They wandered around the desert, guided by the cloud of the Lord and His command to move on. When God said to go, the Israelites simply packed up their tents and went. They may have only traveled a couple of miles across the desert before the Lord would command them to stop and set up housekeeping. Has God ever asked you to move out in faith for Him? Have you heard the Lord calling out to you to pack up your tent, and move into unknown territory? Were you willing to go?

No matter where I am, I rely upon the Lord’s leading for my life. I know that when I listen and obey Him, I find peace, contentment and joy in the journey. I may not always know where He is taking me; yet, I choose to live and move and have my very being planted in the center of His love. Following the Lord Jesus Christ is worth any inconvenience, difficulty or challenge. Living outside of His love is not where I want to be. I trust Him in all things, even when He calls me to move out of my comfort zone and step up in faith for Him.

Are you ready to move? Can you hear the Lord calling out to you? Will you go with a happy heart, seeking His direction for your life? What would it take for you to pack up your tent and follow Him?

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding
www.songofdeborah.com

Pray for: courage to answer God’s call to go! When His love burns like unquenchable fire in your heart, will you stand up and say, “Here I am, Lord. Send me!” Have a happy moving day in the light of His love.
____________________________
© Copyright 2007, Deb Spaulding
All rights reserved
Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles. Articles are sent originally to subscribers only. You may have received a forwarded or reprinted copy.

Friday, March 02, 2007

Cities of Refuge

Grand Sweep Daily Reading: Numbers 35, 36; Psalm 47

Numbers 35:1-3 (NIV)
1 On the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho, the Lord said to Moses, 2 “Command the Israelites to give the Levites towns to live in from the inheritance the Israelites will possess. And give them pasturelands around the towns. 3 Then they will have towns to live in and pasturelands for their cattle, flocks and all their other livestock.”

Psalm 47:1-4 (NIV)
1 Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy. 2 How awesome is the Lord Most High, the great King over all the earth! 3 He subdued nations under us, peoples under our feet, 4 He chose our inheritance for us, the pride of Jacob, whom He loved.

Colossians 3:23-24 (NIV)
23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.


Good morning!

Have you ever been the beneficiary of an inheritance? It is commonplace to pass personal possessions and property from one generation to the next when a person dies. Today, legal documents are prepared in advance of a property owner’s death. Distributions of money, property, and personal effects are pre-arranged based upon the last wishes of the deceased. The inheritance represents a tangible blessing for the ones who receive it. Our churches can become the blessed beneficiary of financial gifts and property when a decedent leaves a portion of their estate for the continuing work of evangelism and mission in the world. We have witnessed large sums of money become seeds sown to help train and equip pastors and teachers. Monies are used to expand building programs, purchase sound systems, music equipment, and educational supplies to better equip a church to meet the needs of its growing faith community. Much-needed funds to continue essential mission work, providing necessities of life for the poor, become available through estate planning gifts. There are many people whose gifts will become a living example of faith, even after their death.

God instructed Moses to command the Israelites to care for their pastors (Levites) by providing them with a place to live and raise livestock; plant a garden, and live comfortably. Levites did not share in the inheritance of land from their relatives. They relied completely upon the tithes of the people and the Lord’s inheritance to sustain them throughout their earthly life and ministry. Jeff and I have been blessed throughout his pastoral ministry to live in parsonages provided by our church family. In Texas, the church parsonage was fully furnished. That was a huge blessing for us, while we were tuition poor. We did not have money to buy furniture; we invested our monthly income into Jeff’s continuing education. There were farmers in our church who consistently stocked our freezer with meat and fresh vegetables for our table. When I was pregnant with Rachel and Benjamin, several women from the church gave of their time and talent to make my maternity clothes. There are no words to describe how much this meant to us. The congregation took care of our family’s physical needs in ways we could not even begin to repay. If you have ever received a gift of grace, then you may understand just how meaningful your gift of blessing can bring to the life of another human being.

There is an even greater gift of grace that we can give to each other, every morning when we awake. In January, I attended a prayer conference and listened with great intent to the teaching of a pastor, author and intercessory prayer warrior, who has totally given his life to the Lord and spends his days training up people in intercessory prayer ministry. Pastor Terry Teykl desires nothing more than to teach Christians around the world the importance of linking hearts to the Lord in prayer, and supporting one another through the act of daily, concerted intercession. In his book, The Presence Based Church, Teykl reveals the power source that explodes when we daily invite the living presence of God into our hearts, homes, and churches. As we seek the Lord out in prayer, waiting for Him to come and fill our lives with unspeakable joy, we can extend His presence with our pastors, teachers, leaders, by building cities of refuge around them. As we pray for one another, we erect a spiritual hedge of protection as we depend completely upon the power and healing touch of our Lord and Savior. If you have not yet read Teykl’s book, I would invite you to pick up a copy and read it. Please consider praying for your pastor daily. Pray for his or her family. Pray for your Sunday school teachers, ministry team leaders, and missionaries. Pray for your brother and sister who sits across from you on Sunday morning. Pray for the sick, pray for the not-yet Christians who are seeking meaning and relationship and who may actually walk in off the street this weekend, looking for the Lord Jesus Christ in your church.

People will be drawn into the presence of the Lord as we pray for them daily. We can become a living conduit, (the live wire), for His healing power, grace, and forgiveness, as we seek Christ’s holy face in worship and prayer. Are you willing to create a city of refuge, a hedge of spiritual protection, for your church? It is a gift of grace, and we, as the body of Christ, can extend it to each other today.

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding
www.songofdeborah.com

Pray for: time to intercede in prayer for the people you love, those who help you grow in faith, and for the ones in your community who do not yet know the power and love of Jesus Christ. Will you give a gift of grace today? Will you pray with me?

____________________________
© Copyright 2007, Deb Spaulding
All rights reserved
Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles. Articles are sent originally to subscribers only. You may have received a forwarded or reprinted copy.

Thursday, March 01, 2007

American Idols

Grand Sweep Daily Reading: Numbers 32, 33, 34

Numbers 33:50-53 (NIV)
50 On the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho the Lord said to Moses, 51 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you cross the Jordan into Canaan, 52 drive out all the inhabitants of the land before you. Destroy all their carved images and their cast idols, and demolish all their high places. 53 Take possession of the land and settle in it, for I have given you the land to possess.’”

Revelation 9:20-21 (NIV)
20 The rest of mankind that were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshipping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood – idols that cannot see or hear or walk. 21 Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts.

Good morning!

We are now one week into the season of Lent. Have you been squeezing your nail? I’m surprised that I don’t have a permanent imprint of that nail in my hand from holding it so tight, especially when I’m driving down the highway. What a sacrifice by the One who loves us so much more than we can even begin to comprehend! Our Creator gives His children the gift of life, the ability to inhabit and care for His land and each other; freedom to acknowledge and receive our spiritual inheritance. The Lord blesses us with a daily desire to seek relationship with Him. He meets our needs one by one by supplying food and water, shelter and shade, sunlight for seeing and darkness for resting – blessing upon blessing. He extends forgiveness to the child who chooses to repent and turn around; He gives everlasting life through the blood sacrifice of His only Son, Jesus Christ. Then the Lord God Almighty does an even greater thing. He whispers in the wind and flame, “Will you choose me in all things?” He who has ultimate power, the ruler of all; the one who has final authority and to whom every knee shall bow, gives humanity the most perplexing gift of all – free will.

God told Moses to instruct the Israelites to drive out the inhabitants of Canaan when they cross the Jordan River into the land He has promised. They were to destroy the carved, graven images of man-made, manufactured gods, bringing false hope to a lost and hurting world. Any idol that diverted their attention from the Lord God Almighty was to be destroyed. What idols have I placed in front of the Lord today? If God loves His children with such fervor, shouldn’t I love them too? Do I worry more about the money in my personal bank account, or will I write that check to help a stranger pay for rent and utilities they cannot afford? Do I care more about my hungry neighbors pushing all their worldly possessions around in grocery carts and sleeping under cardboard boxes in city alleys, than which fast food restaurant I will stop at for dinner tonight? Am I more interested in getting a manicure, having a face lift, or accessorizing my wardrobe than feeding a starving child? If God loves every person the way He loves me, shouldn’t I be able to see His holy face in the lives of my co-workers, supervisors, extended family and next-door neighbors? Am I shortchanging God? When I allow someone to die from lack of medical care or starvation, am I committing murder?

We face greater and more devastating plagues than the spoils of war, fires, floods, famines, and earthquakes. The plagues that seethe within the depths of our hearts – self-centeredness, intolerance, bigotry, neglect and sheer apathy – these idols will eat us alive and separate us from the Lord if we do not lay them down at the foot of the cross now.

Today, I find myself on my face, repenting. How much will you choose to give up during this season of Lent? How hard are you willing to squeeze the nail? Will you choose to worship and serve the Lord by reaching out to your lost and hurting neighbor? Would you lay down your comfortable lifestyle, your collectibles, priceless treasures, your wish list and all of those precious American idols, to honor and obey the Lord?

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding
www.songofdeborah.com

Pray for: compassion. How far will you choose to reach in order to help your neighbor live, in the name of Jesus?

____________________________
© Copyright 2007, Deb Spaulding
All rights reserved
Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles. Articles are sent originally to subscribers only. You may have received a forwarded or reprinted copy.

Wednesday, February 28, 2007

The slippery slope

Grand Sweep Daily Reading: Numbers 28, 29, 30, 31

Numbers 31:21-24 (NIV)
21 Then Eleazar the priest said to the soldiers who had gone into battle, “This is the requirement of the law that the Lord gave Moses: 22 Gold, silver, bronze, iron, tin, lead 23 and anything else that can withstand fire must be put through the fire, and then it will be clean. But it must also be purified with the water of cleansing. And whatever cannot withstand fire must be put through that water. 24 On the seventh day wash your clothes and you will be clean. Then you may come into the camp.”

Mark 1:40-44 (NIV)
40 A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” 41 Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” He said. “Be clean!” 42 Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cured. 43 Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: 44 “See that you don’t tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.”


Good morning!

Have you ever felt so dirty that you wondered whether you would ever be clean again? When I was in junior high, our class took a trip one rainy, spring day, to a nearby park. We were there to explore a nature trail. It was really wet outside. Fortunately, the temperature was comfortable, even in the pouring rain. There was a downhill slope that our teacher probably should have asked us to avoid. Maybe she knew it would do no good. We took turns sliding down that muddy trail, and I can tell you that I became one big mud ball with nature that day. My poor mother had to bring me clean clothes to change into after we returned to the school. I had mud caked in my long hair, ground into my clothing, and stuck under my fingernails. I’ve never been fond of mud wrestling, but I could have been the winner that day! I think I even surprised my teacher. What had started as innocent fun in the rain became a huge mess and very hard to clean up. It took several good scrubbings that week to remove the last of the mud stains. My clothes had to be thrown away; they were simply ruined. I even had to buy a new pair of tennis shoes. I had no idea how hard it was going to be to get clean.

I think about that experience and it reminds me of just how hard it is to wash away the stains of sin that we bring upon ourselves in the poor choices we make with our lives. It may look like fun at first, as we begin to slide down that slippery, muddy slope. We get dirty; so filthy that we become almost unrecognizable to the people who know and love us. All of a sudden, we are in so deep, we get stuck in the muck and mire of that stinky sin hole, and we wonder how in the world we are ever going to get out. We begin to drown. Thank you, Jesus, for your amazing, saving grace. Without it, we would be lost forever in the pit of sin.

When the Israelite soldiers returned from war, they had unclean hands. Moses had instructed the Lord’s priests in the purification ritual required of one’s heart when the stains of death and destruction separate us from the Lord. Our gold and silver, our treasures on earth, must be purified by holy fire. The bronze metals, our achievements, successes and recognition, were to be laid at His holy altar. Our iron-hard heads, stubbornness, self-centeredness, and prideful ambition had to be purged by the holy fire. Our tin hearts and lead feet must be melted and reshaped into hearts and feet that He can use. And the water of life, the pure water of salvation must be poured over our bodies, minds and souls, to completely cleanse and free us from the build-up of sin and separation of death. On the seventh day, the Lord’s Day, we are to wash our clothes and put on His robe of righteousness. Then, we will finally be clean; free from stains of sin. When God cleans up our act, we receive admission into His camp. Can you imagine what it is like to be so very dirty, inside and out, only to be cleansed and purified once and for all by the Savior of the world?

The leper begged Jesus to heal him. He fell to his knees and prayed, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” He submitted his life to the cleansing power of Jesus Christ, and allowed the Lord to purify him, inside and out. When the Lord cleanses you, from head to toe, heart and soul, and the sin that covered your life is suddenly gone, what do you do? There is just nothing left except to thank Him, praise Him, and tell everyone you know what He has done to redeem your life.

If you have been freed from the slippery slope, run to your pastors and tell them! Let them see what the Lord has done for you. If you need a good scrubbing today, you can begin the process by falling on your knees right here, and right now. Ask the Lord Jesus Christ to cleanse and heal your life. He is willing and He is waiting for you to cry out to Him today. Don’t you want to be clean – really clean – forever clean? Come to Jesus and live!

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding
www.songofdeborah.com

Pray for: help! Ask the Lord Jesus Christ to pull you out of the mud and free you from the stain of sin, once and for all. You can be free and clean today!

____________________________
© Copyright 2007, Deb Spaulding
All rights reserved
Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles. Articles are sent originally to subscribers only. You may have received a forwarded or reprinted copy.

Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Power Source

Grand Sweep Daily Reading: Numbers 25, 26, 27

Numbers 27:18-21 (NIV)
18 So the Lord said to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him. 19 Have him stand before Eleazar the priest and the entire assembly and commission him in their presence. 20 Give him some of your authority so the whole Israelite community will obey him. 21 He is to stand before Eleazar the priest, who will obtain decisions for him by inquiring of the Urim before the Lord. At his command he and the entire community of the Israelites will go out, and at his command they will come in.”

Romans 15:13 (NIV)
13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Good morning!

Every time I read a passage in the Old Testament about a man or woman who is identified by the Spirit living in their hearts, I am so totally overjoyed! We know that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit were there, the three in one, even before the beginning of the Cosmos. We know that the Holy Trinity will be there throughout all time and eternity, even to the end of the age. Jahweh identifies and raises up His children, not necessarily based upon their unique skill sets or physical or intellectual attributes. God looks upon their hearts and gifts them with the power and presence of His Holy Spirit to lead them through life. It is an extension of His grace, given freely to the ones who know and respect Him. They seek to obey and follow the Lord by faith, even when they do not understand why or how. They trust the Lord to provide whatever they may need to face each new day in His presence. Being in His holy presence is more important to the spirit-filled child than living life according to the set expectations of culture or society. No matter what the struggle, their love for Him sets the tone in how they will choose to live out their lives. These people are not flawless. They live within His grace and mercy. When they mess up, they repent. When they succeed, they give the glory to God. When they serve, they look to Him for direction. When they love, they share the Lord with those whose lives they touch. When they worship, they raise His holy name high in prayer and praise. The presence of the Holy Spirit in the lives of His people is contagious. Wherever the Lord is, people will be drawn to Him. Can you see the power of the Holy Spirit actively at work in the people God has placed in your life?

Next to the gift of forgiveness of sin, redemption and eternal life, the gifting of the Holy Spirit is a miraculous extension of God’s grace to those who fear and obey Him. Have you ever walked into church and were immediately drawn to someone there? Maybe this person is sitting quietly, praying, or maybe it is their contagious smile that catches your eye. A warm personality, eager to welcome you to worship, invites you to sit with them during the service. It could be the handshake of an usher or greeter at the front door that sparks something in your heart. Maybe you felt the Holy Spirit touch you when the person sitting next to you in worship takes your hand while praying the Lord’s Prayer. Someone lays a hand on your shoulder, and you immediately know that you have been touched by the Holy Spirit of God through them. The presence of the Holy Spirit may manifest itself through the people you do not meet, the ones who are kneeling down in a prayer room across the hall, begging God to move and touch lives, heal hearts and draw people to Him during the worship experience.

We can hear the voice of the Holy Spirit speak to us through the words of our pastors and teachers. Our hearts beat just a little faster as we listen to a spirit-filled choir singing praises to God, lifting the name of Jesus Christ higher and higher. We see the presence of the Holy Spirit in the eyes of our wee ones, our children and grandchildren, as they praise God. Their prayers, exceptionally simple and sincere, draw us to a greater understanding of what it means to totally trust in His love.

When Moses asked the Lord to provide a successor, someone who could lead the next generation into the Promised Land, God selected Joshua, son of Nun, by the spirit that lives within his heart. When Moses commissioned Joshua before the people, they saw what God already knew. This man had a heart for Him, and a desire to serve and please the Lord. He was willing to step up in faith.

If God called your name today, would you be willing to step up faith for Him? Where would you find the courage and grace needed to do what He calls you to do? Ask the Lord to fill you with His Holy Spirit this morning. When we humble our hearts, seek forgiveness for our sin, and turn around, desiring to obey and honor Him with our lives, He will give us the presence and power of the Holy Spirit so that we are equipped to do the work He calls us to. Do you know what it feels like to be filled with the Holy Spirit of God?

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding
www.songofdeborah.com

Pray for: the Holy Spirit to become the power source of your life, as you seek to love, honor and obey the Lord. Will you step up today, by the power of the Holy Spirit, for Jesus Christ our Lord?

____________________________
© Copyright 2007, Deb Spaulding
All rights reserved
Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles. Articles are sent originally to subscribers only. You may have received a forwarded or reprinted copy.

Monday, February 26, 2007

Palm Pilot

Grand Sweep Daily Reading: Numbers 22, 23, 24

Numbers 22:34-35 (NIV)
34 Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned. I did not realize you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now if you are displeased, I will go back.” 35 The angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but speak only what I tell you.” So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.

Matthew 7:7-8 (NIV)
7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”

Good morning!

Isn’t it amazing how the Lord God Almighty reveals Himself to people? Balaam had been summonsed by King Balak of Moab, to curse the new arrivals from Egypt. The king feared for his people’s safety and placed his trust in the sorcery of Balaam, begging him speak a curse on the entire Israelite encampment. Balaam positioned his faith in any god who would help him make a quick buck and a name for himself. When confronted with the Lord God Almighty, Balaam recognized that the Israelites were blessed. They could not be defeated because the Lord was with them. Even with this great understanding, Balaam could not comprehend that Jahweh was greater and more powerful than all the manufactured gods of the world. Balaam listened, responded and followed the instruction of the Lord’s angel, but it wasn’t enough to convert his heart.

Is it possible that the Lord is standing right in front of us today, and we may not see Him for who He truly is?

In an age where instant gratification and self-proclamation is the norm, where selfishness and ladder-climbing are commonplace characteristics of our communities, we rely and place our trust on anything and everything except God. It is a sad situation when we fail to see the Truth, especially even when it is standing directly in front of us. Balaam used divination and sorcery as his life’s palm pilot and spiritual guide. It was not enough for the angel of the Lord to reveal the awesome, mighty power of God. Balaam recognized the Lord’s presence only after his faithful donkey refused to move forward. Balaam heard the Word of the Lord and was able to repeat it to the King without wavering. Yet, Balaam’s revelation did not produce any real faith in the Great I Am. As a result, he lost his very own life in the Israelite invasion.

Knowing of the Lord and knowing the Lord are two totally different things. We can learn a lesson from Balaam today. If you are seeking faith, ask the Lord to reveal His truth to you today. Ask Him to open your spirit to His Word. If you seek Him, He will find you.

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding
www.songofdeborah.com

Pray for: the Lord to open up your heart, remove the blinders from your eyes, and the wax from your ears. He is standing right in front of you today. Won’t you place your faith in Jesus?

____________________________
© Copyright 2007, Deb Spaulding
All rights reserved
Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles. Articles are sent originally to subscribers only. You may have received a forwarded or reprinted copy.

Sunday, February 25, 2007

I'm free! I'm free!

Grand Sweep Daily Reading: Numbers 21; Psalms 45, 46

Psalm 46:4-7 (NIV)
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.
5 God is within her, God will help her at break of day.
6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; He lifts His voice; the earth melts.
7 The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Good morning!

My doorbell rang yesterday morning around 10:00am. When I opened the door, I saw the sweet face of my three-year-old granddaughter Emily, all decked out in party attire, grinning from ear to ear. “Nanny, I’m three! I’m three!” she shouted, jumping up and down while giggling. Indeed, it was Emily’s third birthday, and she was ready to start the party! Do you remember what it was like to be three years old? The world is your playground at three. Everything seems bigger and brighter. Emily’s excitement rubbed off on all of us. She was delirious with joy. Emily was three, she had arrived, and it was time to celebrate!

Of course, Emily wanted a pink cake with a candle to make a wish, her favorite princesses to play with - Cinderella, Snow White, Ariel and Belle, party balloons to pop, and a few presents to open. It was a very rainy and chilly day outside, but Emily’s smile warmed the entire room. She was the picture of springtime in her pale blue sundress and matching scarf wrapped around her long, banana-curls. She wore a dress that swished and was happy to twirl around the room for all of us. I listened to Emily as she chatted with her aunts, uncles and grandparents. All day long, in almost every conversation, I watched the light shine brightly from her big, baby-blue eyes, as she continued to exclaim, “This is my special day!”

Every morning when I awake, my heart leaps with joy. This is the Lord’s special day, and it is my desire to serve and praise Him with everything I am. My heart sings, “I’m free! I’m free!” I put on His robe of righteousness and dance around the throne. His light will never be extinguished and His love is everlasting to everlasting. I remember my spiritual birthday, the day I asked Jesus to come into my heart, to save and free me from the chains of sin and separation, and to fill me up with the power of His Holy Spirit! Every morning is a birthday surprise when I open His Word and read the love letter he gave for you and for me. Listen to these words from the mouth of the Lord: There is a river where streams of life flow down from the city of God, that holy and beautiful place inhabited by the glory of God. He lives within her, and she will not fall. When He lifts up His voice, the earth melts into the palm of His holy hand.

That river of life flows into my heart every morning. This is our special day! We are free to serve Him! We are free to sing and dance and praise the One who came. We are free from the sins of our past, present and future. We are free to live with the Three in One – Father, Son and Holy Spirit! Happy Birthday! Happy new life! It is time to rock the house, my dear sisters and brothers in Christ! Will you join me for the greatest celebration we’ll ever know? Won’t you come to the house of the Lord and celebrate the love of Jesus Christ? I’ll see you at church! I’ll be the one with the party hat and noise makers!

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding
www.songofdeborah.com

Pray for: His joy to overwhelm you, overtake you, and live within you, each and every day! The party is on my friends, and you have been invited to praise and worship the One who sets you free indeed! Today is a very special day. Come celebrate Jesus Christ!
____________________________
© Copyright 2007, Deb Spaulding
All rights reserved
Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles. Articles are sent originally to subscribers only. You may have received a forwarded or reprinted copy.