Monday, January 4, 2010

Reasons for OpenHeart

    Cupid  arrow strikes the heart - We are in love, they are the one, this one is different, I've got this feeling, he/ she makes me tingle inside. Then tragedy strikes and the same arrow that put us in love has cut our heart into a million pieces. We are bleeding we are hurt and we closed up and begin to build walls to protect us from the outside of another cupid arrow that's going to be coming our way. The hurt outweighs the feeling of love. This will not happen again. We may have never laid one cornerstone or built a foundation or built walls or put on a roof to construct a home or a building, but with our feelings we have a master degree in building- feeling proof walls, and insolate, but we have really become closed and isolated because what was to keep other people out are the same walls that keep us hidden.  

    For Christians most dreams start in the church house,   We think we hear the voice of God, we act, we are motivated - and then bam - the Pastor stops us or people make fun of us or the devil steps in and makes his accusation's. We are hurt, we stop trying, we then sit and watch other people in the service get a blessing, Preacher or Evangelist without hesitation,  service after service,  revival after revival the same people get prayed for or prophesied over -  We get nothing - We never get called to do anything, We stop being involved, We start sitting further to the back and finally completely back out the door. We don't want to have any fellowship with church member's,  We give up on the church, (but not necessarily on God) but the end result is always the same we are closed, isolated, hurt and wounded.

The lyics to the song, "THE ROSE" come to mind by Bette Midler
   "Some say love, it is a river, that drowns the tender reed, some say love it is a razor that leaves the soul to bleed, some say love it is a hunger, and endless aching need, I say love it is a flower, and you it's only seed.
It's the heart afraid of breaking, that never learned to dance. It's the dream that never waking, that never took a chance, It's the one who won't be taken, the one who can't seem to give. And the soul afraid of dying that never learns to live. When the night has been to lonely and the road has been too long. And you think that love is only for the lucky and the strong. Just remember in the winter,  far beneath the bitter snow, Lies the seed, that with the sun's love in the spring becomes the rose."

A ROSE = What did you just see in your eye's mind?
             A)  A rose folded.
             B)  A rose open showing  it's pure and rare and elegant beauty.

   Let me guess you picked the latter - Why we remember the way of the open beauty instead the closed, hidden beauty? Just the way God intended us to be. The dream is still alive inside of you.

   The land of Sharon in King Solomon time was a fairly level land which runs between the mountains of the Mediterranean 7 miles long to 2 miles wide. It was a valley with rolling hills, the soil is a deep rich loam, the vine and olive grew to great perfection and many colored flowers were in bloom. It was a scene of rare beauty which included the Rose Of Sharon. But in time....... Israel backslide and stopped seeking God and God took Israel into captivity.....
......Isa 33:8-9 .....Sharon is like a wilderness. (but two chapters later)
......Isa35:1-4   The wilderness and the wasteland shall be glad for them and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly and rejoice even with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the excellence of Carmel and SHARON. They Shall See The Glory of the Lord.....

How and What changed the captivity?, the closeness? What made it open and become beautiful again?

.....Isa 65:10 Sharon shall be a fold of flocks, and the valley of Achor a place for the herds to lie down.
FOR MY PEOPLE HAVE SOUGHT ME.

    Did I forget to mention before there is ever a rosebud there is a stem of thorns? Thorns are there first to protect the flower in bloom.

    There was Jesus on the cross, "Our Rose of Sharon" with a crown of thorns protecting the head  his church/ his bride.    God did not say the road would be easy, ask Job, Peter, Hannah, Joseph everyone has difficulties, but it is how are we going to respond to the problems.    Jesus came that we might have life and that more abundantly.  And if his words abide in us and us in him we have all the protection we will ever need.

   1 Kings 6:29 In Solomon Temple in the Holy of Hollies, inner and outer he carved figures of Cherubims, Palm Trees and OPEN FLOWERS and overlaid them with pure gold. In the center of the room was the ark with wings of cherubims that touched each wall and the tips of the wings touched in the middle over looking the Mercy Seat where the Oracle of God shown radiant and spoke.

  This is me, I feel that God gave Solomon a vision that we with the angels with palm leaves as our praise and worship to the King OF Kings can come boldly into his Throne Room.  God sees us (people) as open flowers.  All flowers are equal in his sight, but all are Open.

 Frank Obrien wrote "When God unfolds the Rose he always get's it right, when the petals are in place it is such a beautiful sight. God knows when to hold on and a perfect time to let go. So let God have his way and watch God unfold the rose."

I ask you today if you are hurting, scared and lonely and isolated.

Put yourself back on the wall in the presence of God as a Open Flower with a OpenHeart.

Let me rewrite the last line of "The Rose"
".... Lies_(YOUR NAME) and with the SON'S LOVE IN the Spring you will become A Rose.

Friday, January 1, 2010

Happy New Year 2010

Had communion service and devotions with my wife this afternoon.  Great start to a New Year!