Day 10: God's LOVE is WIDE and HIGH and LONG and DEEP

" I am your refuge and your strength. Even though the earth gives way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, do not fear. I am an ever present help in your trouble."

~ Your Heavenly Father

taken from Psalm 46: 1-3 


The Following story has 
been shared over the years
by many - including
pastors and priests.

But I remember it from
a certain man of wisdom...
Paul Harvey...and
"The Rest of the Story"

In the midst of 
contemplative thot,
while scribing my dream
in my last post,
I was reminded of this 
awesome story.

Please read 
my 'editorial note'
at the end...
in regards to the hidden 
possible misunderstanding
of this feathery-feel-good
account of Jesus's ultimate
LOVE for YOU and ME!

I loved the story
from the begining...
I didn't SEE the implication
the first time I heard it
many years ago.
But when my eyes
were opened to the 
deeper word picture...
my spirit was in an uproar.
I share my editorial note
because I think 
its important enough 
to be fully understood. 


Boston preacher
Dr. S.D. Gordon,
placed a beat up, bent,
rusted old bird cage 
beside his pulpit 
when he told this story. 
An unkempt, unwashed, 
little lad about 10 years 
old was coming up the alley 
swinging this old 
caved in bird cage 
with several tiny birds 
shivering on the floor of it.

The compassionate 
Dr. Gordon asked the boy 
where he got the birds.
He said he trapped them.
Dr. Gordon asked what he 
was going to do with them. 
The boy said he was 
going to play with them 
and have fun with them.


The preacher said, 
“Sooner or later 
you’ll get tired of them. 
Then what are you 
going to do with them?”

The lad said, 
“I have some cats at home. 
They like birds. 
I’ll feed them to my cats.”

Dr. Gordon said, 
“Son, how much do you 
want for the birds?”

The boy, surprised, 
hesitated and said, 
“Mister, you don’t 
want these birds. 
They're just plain 
old field birds. 
They can’t even sing. 
They’re ugly.”

The preacher said, 
“Just tell me. 
How much do you want?”

The grubby little lad 
thought about it. 
He squinted up one eye.
He calculated and hesitated 
and said, “Two dollars?”

To his surprise Dr. Gordon 
reached into his pocket 
and handed the boy 
two, one dollar bills.

The preacher 
took the cage.
The boy, in a wink, 
hurried up the alley.

In a sheltered crevice 
between buildings, 
Dr. Gordon opened 
the door of the cage 
and tapping on the 
rusty exterior 
he encouraged 
the little birds, 
one at a time, 
to find their way out 
through the narrow door 
and fly away. 


Thus ...

having accounted for 
the empty cage 
beside his pulpit, 
the preacher went on 
to tell what seemed, 
at first, a separate story.

How once upon a time, 
Jesus and the Devil 
had engaged 
in a negotiation.
Satan had boasted 
how he’d baited a trap 
in Eden’s garden 
and caught himself 
a world full of people.

“What are you 
going to do 
with all those 
people in your cage” 
Jesus wanted to know.

The Devil said, 
“I’m going to play 
with em’, tease em’. 
Make them marry 
and divorce 
and fight and kill 
one another. 
I’m going to teach them 
to throw bombs 
on one another. 
I’m going to have 
fun with them!”

Jesus said, 
“You can’t have fun 
with them forever. 
When you get tired 
of playing, 
what are you going 
to do with them?”

Satan said, 
“Damn them! 
They’re no good anyway! 
Damn them! 
Kill them!”

Jesus said, 
“How much do you 
want for them?”

Satan said, 
“You can’t be serious! 
If I sell them to you, 
they’ll just spit on you. 
They’ll hate you. 
They’ll hit you 
and beat you. 
They’ll hammer nails 
into you! 
They’re no good.”

Jesus said,
“How much?”

Satan said, 
“All of your tears 
and all of your blood. 
That’s the price.”

Jesus took the cage, 
paid the price, 
and opened the door.

O how WIDE 
and HIGH and 
LONG and DEEP
is the Heavenly 
Father's LOVE 
for YOU and ME!
 

Editorial Note

Its a feel good account
of Jesus' great LOVE for us....
I don't deny that.
But it is preposterous 
to think that 
the SON of GOD -
The One True GOD...
should need to seek
'permission'  from the Devil
(also called Lucifer,
satan, or fallen cherub)
before doing ANYTHING!!

This story subtlety attempts
to make Lucifer Lord ...
and Jesus ...
the subordinate one!


Jesus 'IS'
the DOOR!!!
The WAY
The TRUTH
The LIFE!
John 14:6



​Jesus' journey to Golgotha
to relinquished His WILL
His LIFE....His BLOOD
His KINGLY ​​AUTHORITY​ -
was a choice of submission
to His Heavenly Father's
WILL for YOU and ME.
Jesus' purpose on earth 
was to ransom us 
from the 'curse' of sin -
a result of God's judgement
against Adam and Eve's
DISOBEDIENCE in the Garden.


We were created by GOD
for Companionship with GOD. 
We were created with
a passion* for Him.
Because GOD is HOLY...
we can not enter
Eternal LIFE
with Him in Heaven,
with the curse of SIN.
SIN not only corrupts our
earthly bodies of flesh,
it corrupts our mind...
and our spirit as well.


We therefore,
had to be ransomed
from the un-holiness 
through HOLINESS.
JESUS, being GOD's
ONLY SON....
was that HOLINESS!
NOT a brother to
Lucifer, as some teach...


The HOLINESS of JESUS
took the curse
upon Himself
to OPEN the DOOR
for us to enter 
ETERNAL LIFE
with God the Father
and His SON...
as was GOD's PLAN
from the beginning. 


NEVER was it laid out
upon a 'round table'
for open discussion.
NEVER was it any other plan!
NEVER was there
a 'Jesus plan'
versus a 'Lucifer plan'....
again...as some teach.


JESUS and Lucifer
were NOT BROTHERS!

Lucifer was created by God 
as a beautiful Cherub.
JESUS was not created.
He was with God
from the beginning.

NEVER EVER did we
belong to the Devil !
 
The only thing this
fallen cherub can do ....
is to whisper ideas
into people's ears...
as shown in this story.

The CHOICE to act...
has ALWAYS been OURS!


JESUS became the
SACRIFICE for our atonement.
With His BLOOD...
we were given the CHOICE
to leave the bondage of SIN
and fly unweighted by
the earthly 'curse of SIN'

Because of JESUS,
and through JESUS...
The DOOR
is ALWAYS OPEN! 


Matthew 28:19
compels me to ask...
Are You following 
God's Plan for Your LIFE?
JESUS came to redeem 
YOU and ME...
to restore us back
to the Heavenly Father.
I have CHOSEN 
to follow JESUS.
Have YOU?

CHOOSE this day...
whom you will serve.
CHOOSE while there
is still daylight.

O how WIDE 
and HIGH and 
LONG and DEEP
is the Heavenly 
Father's LOVE 
for YOU and ME!

prayerfully submitted
patrina
  

* Passion is NOT LUST!

(from the Latin verb  
patī meaning to suffer)
 is a term applied to a 
very strong feeling 
about a person 
or thing. 
Passion is an intense
 emotion compelling, 
enthusiasm, 
or desire for anything.
~ Wikipedia

Day 9 : God's LOVE is WIDE and HIGH and LONG and DEEP

"You can be a conqueror in all things through my love...for neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers...will separate you from My Love..."

~ Your Heavenly Father

taken from Romans 8: 37-39


The above photo is 
my Daddy in Germany
at the end of World War II.
He said that the children ran
to meet them every time
the soliders walked 
down the street.

Can you imagine 
such a world

- led by the innocence
of little children?
The pure LOVE ...
of an untainted soul?
Children don't understand
WAR! and HATE!
We were created
to LOVE!


LOVE God...
LOVE people! 



"Childhood is measured out
by sounds and smells
and sights,
before the dark hour
of reason grows." 

~ John Betjeman


I​n reading a book 
on the Dead Sea Scrolls, 
I saw the word 'Shema' 
as referred to in 
Deut. 6:4-5 - 
the Hebrew prayer


4 Hear, O Israel: 
The Lord our God, 
the Lord is one. 
5 Love the Lord your God 
with all your heart and 
with all your soul and 
with all your strength. 
6 These commandments 
that I give you today 
are to be on your hearts. 
7 Impress them
 on your children. 
Talk about them 
when you sit 
at home 
and when you walk 
along the road, 
when you lie down 
and when you get up. 
8 Tie them as symbols 
on your hands 
and bind them 
on your foreheads. 
9 Write them 
on the door frames
of your houses 
and on your gates.


Research brought me 
to an old war story...


During a fierce battle 
two enemy soldiers 
were engaged in fierce 
hand to hand combat. 
One soldier overpowered 
the other and was about 
to drive his bayonet 
into him, as...
The enemy soldier 
called out "Shema yisrael!" 
The conquering soldier 
was also Jewish, 
and therefore...
answered his enemy's call.
They quickly realized who 
they were, and the impending
slaughter was halted...
right then and there! 


O How WIDE and HIGH
and LONG and DEEP
is the Heavenly Father's
LOVE for YOU and ME!

The Shema is a declaration 
of faith, a pledge of allegiance 
to One God.

Shema is one of the sentences 
that is quoted 
in the New Testament. 
The Gospel of Mark 12:28-31
mentions that Jesus of Nazareth 
considered the beginning 
exhortation of the Shema 
to be the first of his 
two greatest commandments:


28 Which is the first 
commandment of all?  
29 And Jesus answered him, 
The first of all 
the commandments is,
Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God 
is one Lord:  
30 And thou shalt love the Lord 
thy God with all thy heart, 
and with all thy soul, 
and with all thy mind, 
and with all thy strength: 
this is the first commandment.  
31 And the second is like, 
namely this, 
Thou shalt love thy neighbour 
as thyself. 
There is none other 
commandment greater 
than these.  


In addition, the apostle Paul 
reworks the Shema 
in 1 Corinthians 8:5-7:


5 For even if there are 
so-called gods 
whether in heaven 
or on earth, 
as indeed there are 
many gods and many lords, 
6 yet for us there is 
but one God, the Father, 
from whom are all things 
and we exist for Him; 
and one Lord, Jesus Christ, 
by whom are all things, 
and we exist through Him.  
7 However not all men 
have this knowledge;


The following was huge!!! 
This brought tears 
of understanding!!

 
The reciting of the first verse 
of the Shema is called 

"The acceptance of the yoke 
of the kingship of God" 

(kabalat ol malchut shamayim) 
(Mishnah Berachot 2:5)


See that Hebrew word..
'SHAMAYIM ',

that's the word that 
sounds harmonically similar 
or the exact same pronunciation....
as spoken to me in a dream 
that the Lord gave me
5 years ago!


The Lord brings this dream
to remembrance time and again.
A few weeks ago...
I asked Him for the 
correct spelling of the word. 
I had searched only
according to how I heard it
pronounced in the dream.
He did it!
He let me see the spelling
and in seeing...
I finally see its 
spiritual meaning...
and it resonates strongly
within my spirit. 

'SHAMAYIM' 

Though I know nothing 
of the Hebrew language, 
I now see that the man 
in my dream  -
dressed as what appeared
to be a German solider -
was called a 'Shamayim' -
meaning that he had accepted 

the yoke of the 
kingship of God!

.....as have I....
he recognized the 
authority....of the KING...
the Kingship of God in me!

According to this source...
SHAMAYIM = HEAVEN

In my dream...

I didn't see his gaze
standing at the door.
He'd just came down
the stairwell of the
beautiful historic hotel
where I was working
as a cleaning lady.
The fact that it was a 
HISTORIC Hotel...
speaks of past generations
and TIME.
God often speaks about 
TIME in my dreams.


A quick glance 
in  his direction...
brought a knowing that he 
apparently recognized me. 
I being shy ignored him 
and turned away.
Taking his cue from me -
he turned to open the door.
Immediately - something 
caused me to reestablish 
his original connection.


It was weird...
I didn't  know him... or did I?
I trusted his recognition of me.
It was his knowing glance...
his JOY at seeing me -
that drew me towards him.
It wasn't romantic attraction.
More like family.


The very moment 
I turned back towards him,
he closed the door...turned 
and readied to embrace me.
It was in that moment
that I recognized him.
in fact, I ran to hug him!
It was such a 'home' feeling.
Like I'd been FOUND!
Little girl lost ...
had been found!


Yet afterwards...
when he walked outside,
I asked the woman with me...
"Who is that man?"
That's when she spoke -
"He's a Shamayim."
I glanced outside 
in contemplation.
What's a Shamayim?
I needed revelation
about this strange knowing...
still unfamiliar to me...
in ways I couldn't comprehend.


Outside...
He had already taken on
a different role. 
I was baffled to see him
dressed in a jeans jacket
with some emblem or logo
embroidered on the back...
and punk red hair.
SERIOUSLY??
He was engaged in a
'round table' discussion
with 7 other men!
And yet...I still KNEW
it was him!

If SHAMAYIM = HEAVEN...
was he an angel?
Was he my assigned angel?
I KNOW I have one...
or many assigned to me.
I have been rescued 
more than once...
from apparent DEATH!


Wow! 


Even in a time of war...
this foreign solider 
recognized my yoke to God! 
The same TRUE God
of his inheritance.
We shared a common bond!
We were Sons and Daughters
of the Most High KING! 


This was huge insight for me! 
It explains why I felt like 
we had a history together.
We hugged each other
with an indescribable JOY.
We knew each other
from an unknown time..
but when?...where?

We knew each other 
in the spirit! 

The Spirit of God was
illuminated in our spirits.
It brought forth 'a knowing'.
And in that isolated moment,
I welcomed with open arms
this gift...emboldened 
with COURAGE...
STRENGTH....and LOVE...
in a time of WAR!
It resonated in my spirit -
and will forever be...
​a pillar of strength
for the current and future
WARs I'm destined to fight.


We were both soldiers.
He in obvious physical war,
dressed in a soldiers uniform.
I in spiritual warfare.
Represented by the fact
that I was cleaning
an empty bird cage -
the empty cage speaks
of deliverance...
as in the 'caged bird'
was now free.

In the dream, 
we were soldiers of
the Lord's Kingdom. 
Different roles. 
Different positions. 
Different skills and talents...
but both bonded 
to the same Kingdom...
and to the same God.


We were both positioned 
at this place and time...
for this KNOWING
to be birthed in me! 
Why? 
That is still a mystery. 
But the biggest mystery ....
has been revealed! 
The rest will be revealed 
in HIS time. 
And with that revelation, 
will come ' a knowing'. 
A witness to a STRENGTH
and POWER far above 
what I could ever imagine! 


A knowing...that we are known 
by the Greatest King 
and Kingdom....
the King of all Kings. 
And it is He - 
the ONE and only - 
that makes us KNOWN.... 
for His Glory and His alone!


Praise be to 
GOD the Father...
the Son 
and Holy Ghost!

SELAH....


UPDATE:
the Lord has been 
revealing more.
sometimes, 
it's all about TIME!
God's timetable is perfect.
In His TIME, He makes 
all things beautiful.

When I put this 
to words on my blog ...
after years of journal entries
about this dream...
I scribed words I hadn't 
used before, ever...
that I can remember
in all my 13 years of 
dream journaling. 

He is revealing more
through such words as...
'caged bird'; 'little girl lost';
'found' and 'German solider'

After much reflective
contemplation and prayer...
I may revisit this 
in a sequel post. 
The KEY to discernment
in journal writing...
is writing what's already 
written on the heart.
Sometimes, we just have to 
see the words...
for them to take form
and come alive with
REVELATION!


I definitely encourage
JOURNALING!

patrina


 

Day 8: God's LOVE is WIDE and HIGH and LONG and DEEP

"My Word is a lamp to your feet and a Light for your path."

~Your Heavenly Father

taken from Psalm 119:105


U  R  LOVED!

The above photo is untouched -
except for added text.
The Lord actually wrote this
in the sky for me to see!
I felt so LOVED by God.


The LORD is 
My Shepherd
I have Everything 
I need!

Psalm 22: 27-31; Psalm 23
The Message

^27-28 From the four corners 

of the earth people 

are coming to their senses, 

are running back to God.
Long-lost families

are falling on 

their faces before him.
God has taken charge;

from now on 

he has the last word.

²⁹ All the power-mongers 

are before him

—worshiping!
All the poor and powerless,

too —worshiping!
Along with those 

who never got it together

—worshiping!

^30-31 Our children 

and their children

will get in on this
As the word is passed along

from parent to child.
Babies not yet conceived

will hear the good news—

that God does what he says.

O how WIDE and HIGH

and  LONG and DEEP 

is the Heavenly Father's 

LOVE for YOU and ME.

^1-3 God, my shepherd!
I don’t need a thing.
You have bedded me 
down in lush meadows,
you find me quiet pools 
to drink from. 
True to your word, 
you let me catch my breath
and send me 
in the right direction.

⁴ Even when the way 

goes through Death Valley,
I’m not afraid

when you walk at my side.
Your trusty shepherd’s crook 

makes me feel secure.

⁵ You serve me 

a six-course dinner

right in front of my enemies.
You revive my drooping head;

my cup brims with blessing.

⁶ Your beauty and love 

chase after me

every day of my life.
I’m back home 

in the house of God  

for the rest of my life.

Day 7: God's LOVE is WIDE and HIGH and LONG and DEEP

 

 

"I will keep you in perfect peace if you will keep your mind steadfast on Me and always trust Me...

 

On 12/18/12...
I woke up singing this familiar hymn
"On Christ the Solid Rock I stand"

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly trust in Jesus’ Name.

Refrain
On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

When darkness seems to hide His face,
I rest on His unchanging grace.
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.


His oath, His covenant, His blood,
Support me in the whelming flood.
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my Hope and Stay.

When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh may I then in Him be found.
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.

source

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am a Rock you can always stand on."

~ Your Heavenly Father

taken from Isaiah 26: 3-4

I always do a search for the song 
and contemplate the words...
the background of who wrote it 
and how it came to be.  
The Lord gives me songs for a reason...
its always a JOY to search them out.

About the author...
Edward Mote was a cabinet maker;
a pastor, and hymn writer.
Born in London in 1797.
He was pastor of
Rehoboth Baptist Church
in Horsham, West Sussex
for 26 years.
He was so well liked
by the congregation in Horsham...
they offered him
the church building as a gift.
Can you imagine such
in our present day?

To this gracious gift,
Mote replied ...
"I do not want the chapel,
I only want the pulpit;
and when I cease to preach Christ,
then turn me out of that."

He died in 1874 and is buried
in the church yard at Rehoboth Church.

Perhaps his best known hymn is
"My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less",
 which refers to the Parable
of the Wise and the Foolish Builders,
with its refrain ...
'On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand'.

source

I read the entire history of the church
at Rehoboth here....
very interesting.
And the church  - still active
has a web site here

Day 6: God's LOVE is WIDE and HIGH and LONG and DEEP

 

"I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way thou should go. I will guide thee with Mine eye."

~ Your Heavenly Father

taken from Psalm 32:8



                    Watercolor by Naum Katsenelson ~ "Jerusalem discussion"
                              painted on site...from the streets of Jerusalem.


I love sharing
how God speaks...
How He instructs me,
if... I'm listening :)
how He guides
my steps....
one day at a time
one foot in front
of the other.

JUST KEEP WALKING!

Last night,
I made a new friend.
His name is Drew.

I live alone in a large
apt community.
The parking lot is solid
snow pack and ice.
I was alerted to the
sound of spinning tires.
I was alerted because
I've been there - done that!
I got stuck every time
it snowed last year.
I've never gotten stuck
in a parking space...ever.
But this is an incline
and...well...I inherited
my daddy's Lincoln.


I now carry a folding shovel
and cat litter in my trunk.
Enough said!

I listened as Drew spun
and spun...and spun.
He spun for 5 min. or more.
I open the door to see.
Standing from the 3r floor
in 16 degree weather,
I prayed that the Lord
would help him in his struggle -
or send someone to help.
When no one came
several min later,
the Lord sent me ... 
an OLD woman.


"Who ME"?
"YES YOU."

Let's just say...
I'm way over 50!

I remembered the bucket
of ice salt under the stairs -  
filled two big yogurt containers
and went down to help.
With salt under his tires
and a push from 
this OLD woman...
Drew was back in business.
He was grateful. 
Said if I ever needed anything...
He gave me his apt #
and shared that they have
two small children.
I introduced myself
shook his hand..
and told him to drive safe.

Nice young man.
Glad the Lord has my ears
tuned in His direction.
But I couldn't help wondering
who would have helped me?
With men all around me
in this huge complex,
I kept waiting for one man
to give Drew a push. 
No one came....

But God...

The HOLY SPIRIT
said GO!
and in my obedience...
I received His assurance.
He has given me
His peaceful assurance...
through this young man.

The Lord allowed me
to 'pay it forward'...
so Drew and I could meet.
The Lord has a plan.
The Lord's already prepared
to send me help...
He always does.
I am not alone. 


Later.... praying for
Drew and his young family,
the Lord reminded me
of the bigger victory...
I get to pray for Drew
and his family!!

In fact....
I heard the HOLY SPIRIT say
"Bake them Cookies" :-)

When I shared this
with my son...
his wisdom amazed me.
Knowing that his mama
is a prayer warrior...
He said...
 
"Sometimes we are
the instruments 
of his glory not just 
the conduit for prayer" 

I smiled....
last night,
I got to be both!