Castle

I haven't been sleeping well recently, waking up between 2:30a and 4:00a.  I start thinking about my to-do list at work, and then I remember other things I need to add to my list.  But I feel like it is a spiritual attack on my sleep to try to get me discouraged and steal my joy.

I was telling Dalton yesterday that on the one hand, I see King David referring to God has his refuge, strong tower, etc., so I can simply rest in the goodness of God and his protection.  On the other hand, is God allowing this to happen for me to learn to stand up for myself and fight back?

Dalton shared a concept of me inside a castle, and the enemy is banging on the gate.  He can't get inside, but he can cause a disturbance.  This visual was really helpful.

I believe I have the delegated authority to tell the enemy to stop and desist. 

Father, you are my castle.  I am safe within your protection. Jesus, you are the gate.  Holy Spirit, please instruct me in how to issue stop and desist orders to the enemy.  I love you.

Defense alone is insufficient to win

I've been practicing a little chess recently.  I can usually do ok with respect to defense, but I lack offensive strategy.

This evening, Jude pinned his wrestling opponent in less than 15 seconds.  

You can't win without offense.  

Jesus's incarnation, ministry, death, and resurrection were offensive attacks against the kingdom of darkness.

Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil.

I feel it is time for me to be more aggressive with spiritual offensive strategy.

Father, thank you for your light glowing through me.  Jesus, thank you for your living water flowing through me.  Holy Spirit, thank you for your presence and power.  Please teach me how to be like Jesus.  I love you.

Energy gradient

I heard someone postulate that a mechanical force (measured in Newtons or pounds) might be a mathematical construct to simply replace an energy gradient (N•m/m or ft•lbf/ft).

I want to be a conduit for God's goodness, hope, peace, and love to flow though me.  As his power (energy per time) flows through me, dynamically, it might look like waves of spiritual energy radiating out from me.  Springs of living water flowing from within me.

Father, please flow your goodness and love through me.  Please remove whatever hinders you from flowing more powerfully though me.  I break agreement with self-criticism, and I make agreement with your love, mercy, grace, hope, and peace.  Thank you for your peace through Jesus, and thank you for your presence through Holy Spirit.  I love you.

Joy from prayers fulfilled

John 16:24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.

I'm not talking about the "prosperity gospel" here.  But if we ask God for something in the name of Jesus to advance/reveal the Kingdom, our joy will overflow when the prayer is answered.

I want to pray for things that only God can do so that He gets the credit. And I get to celebrate Him.

Father, help me see what an amazing father you are.  You are good and kind to all. Holy Spirit, please teach me what it means to ask the Father in the name of Jesus. I love you.

Thankful for Father's provision

About five years ago, I had an idea for a zero-waste brackish groundwater desalination with the low-salinity product water used to irrigate salt-sensitive food crops and the concentrate used to irrigate salt-tolerant crops.  This past week, I had the privilege of traveling to Antigua to see this idea realized through funding from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations.  I am very thankful for the Father's provision for this idea to be brought to reality.  And I had the privilege of meeting the folks who will benefit from the system.

I was scheduled to make it back home today, and I was going to miss Rhett's football playoff game, but I saw that there was an earlier connecting flight in Miami, so I ran through the airport, customs, security, to the gate, and the gate attendant finally let me on the earlier flight.  Then another gate attendant in DFW helped me get on an earlier flight to Lubbock, so I made it back home last night.  I am so thankful for the Father's favor.

Father, thank you for being so kind to me.  You are such an amazing person! I love you!

The fields are white for harvest

As we were driving back from a family reunion in Fort Worth yesterday, we saw several cotton fields that looked like they would produce a large yield and are ready to be harvested.  I wonder if that's what Jesus saw, spiritually, when He said,

"Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest." John 4:35b ESV

Sometimes I hesitate to engage people in spiritual conversation because I think they might not want to hear it, but I need to recognize that as a lie from the enemy because my master said the harvest is plentiful, and the harvest is ready.

As we drove yesterday, I felt a sense of urgency for the farmers to get the cotton out of the field before inclement weather.  I wonder if that is what Jesus felt when He told us to ask Father to send out more workers into the harvest:

Matthew 9:37-38 ESV

37 Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few;

38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest."

Father, I want to be a faithful harvester. Jesus, I believe you that the harvest is abundant, and it is ready.  Holy Spirit, please guide me.  Father, please send out more workers.  Thank you for the privilege of joining you in your work. I love you.

Jesus is Immanuel

‭Psalms 115:1-8 NIV‬

[1] Not to us, [Yahweh], not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness. [2] Why do the nations say, "Where is their God?" [3] Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him. [4] But their idols are silver and gold, made by human hands. [5] They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see. [6] They have ears, but cannot hear, noses, but cannot smell. [7] They have hands, but cannot feel, feet, but cannot walk, nor can they utter a sound with their throats. [8] Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them.

Our God is in Heaven, but He is also here with us.  Jesus is God-with-us.

Jesus can speak, see, hear, smell, feel, and walk.  And we who trust Him will be like Him.  He is our prototype.

Father, thank you for sending Jesus.  Jesus, thank you for being Immanuel, and thank you for sending Holy Spirit.  Thank you for your power and love.  Please flow through me today.