Snake in the fire

Acts 28:1‭-‬6 NIV

Once safely on shore, we found out that the island was called Malta. The islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold. Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand. When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, "This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, the goddess Justice has not allowed him to live." But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. The people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead; but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god.

The Lord showed me that there is an analogy here.  As followers of Jesus, we are light in the dark, we kindle the fire of God's love to warm those who are could.  And as we do, driven out of hiding by the heat of God's love, the enemy comes against us to steal, kill, and destroy.  But through Christ, the fatal bite of sin, as well as the other attacks of the enemy, are ineffective against us.  We should shake off the snake into the fire that we are building.  This is a foreshadowing of the eternal destiny of the Serpant.  A signature of the sons and daughters of God is that we walk in supernatural protection, abiding with the Father.

1 Corinthians 15:54‭-‬58 NIV

When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory."  "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?"  The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.  Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

Father, you are merciful and gracious to us. Jesus, you already won the victory.  I want to walk in your supernatural protection and provision.  Holy Spirit, show me how to shake off the snake into the fire.  I love you.

Supernatural and reason

Acts 4:10‭, ‬14 NIV

"then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed." ... But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say.

Reasoning is a gift from God, as long as it is submitted to the Lordship of Christ.  But if we are not open to supernatural interruption by the Holy Spirit, then our reasoning can limit us to the natural and block us from experiencing the goodness of God.  By definition, supernatural experiences are not explainable by natural reasoning.

Father, open us to supernatural interruption by the Holy Spirit today.  Holy Spirit, we welcome your thoughts, and we welcome your miraculous powered.  We welcome your desire to dispense yourself through us.  We are your vessels.  Use us supernaturally!  We love you.

Ruidoso retreat last weekend

We attended a retreat in Ruidoso last Friday and Saturday with Adrian and Kayla's and Josh and Olivia.  It was very encouraging.  We had a great time in praise and worship every session. Josh taught on Friday evening about intimacy with God by way of Moses and the bush fire, and how that private experience prepared Moses to publicly go to the mountain fire.  Olivia shared about how they have continued to take steps of faith and obedience and have seen the Lord continue to increase their ministry.  

Brandi spoke in toungues for the first time. That was amazing. And another significant moment was during one of the worship sets, she asked the Lord, "What do you look like?" And He replied, "I look like the smile on your child's face.  I look like the beauty of the mountains.  I look like your husband's face when you walked down the isle on your wedding day.  I look like your parent's face beaming at you with pride."

A couple of impressions that I walked away with: I want to continue taking steps forward in faith and obedience, and I want to take a two day fast to ask God for more hunger for Him.

Father, thank you for continuing to grow us closer. Jesus, we want more. Holy Spirit, we want more.  I love you, and I trust you.  

Brandi's first personal spiritual retreat

Brandi spent last weekend (a week ago, Friday afternoon through Sunday morning) at a casita outside of Las Cruces, just her and the Lord.  Nearly 48 hours with the simple goals of resting and connecting with God.  Probably the longest duration by herself in her life.

Brandon and Sharita have been encouraging us for several months to take a personal retreat, and we finally made it happen for Brandi.  I am so glad that we did.

I think the time was very valuable for her to rest, reflect, and hear from the Father.  From my perspective one of the key advances was a closer relationship with God as Father and daughter and realizing that she does hear his voice.  He showed her several lessons when she was hiking the Dripping Springs trail on Saturday.  The Lord told her that spiritual breakthrough was like reaching the springs and that once you reach a new level of breakthrough, it is downhill from there.  As she neared the springs, she smelled a beautiful fragrance, but other hikers and even the park rangers didn't seem to notice the fragrance.  I think Brandi was walking with the Lord, and she could smell the fragrance of the perfume that Mary poured on Him. I am excited about how Brandi is growing in intimacy with the Lord!

Father, thank you for providing this opportunity for Brandi to connect with you.  Thank you for the blessing that Brandi is to me and our children.  Thank you for continuing to reveal yourself to Brandi and for growing her closer to you. I love you, and I ask for more.

Beau and Jude were baptized yesterday!

The building where our church meets does not have a permanent baptistry, so we announced several weeks ago that we were going to have a baptism Sunday yesterday.  I have been talking to one of my good friends about him being baptized, and about two weeks ago, he decided to commit to baptism, which was very encouraging to me. As we were discussing this in our home last Sunday, Beau and Jude asked, "When can we be baptized?" We discussed it a little that evening, and then Brandi discussed it with them extensively after school on Monday and discerned that they had the necessary faith and understanding to be baptized.  

So, at the end of our gathering, we baptized Beau, Jude, and our good friend.  Peter led our prayer as a church for each before their baptism, and the family prayed over them after their baptism.  Brandi, my dad, and I prayed over Beau and Jude, and Joe prayed over our friend; I asked Jesus to baptize them in the Holy Spirit.

We went to Rudy's BBQ for lunch to celebrate.

Father, thank you for the opportunity to celebrate adoption of sons into you family! Jesus, thank you for your example for us to follow.  Holy Spirit, thank you for your baptism.  I love you.

Hiking Capitán

Brandon invited me to join him for a hiking/camping trip before he deploys in a few weeks.

This past Thursday, we packed in food, water, and basic shelter and then hiked in the rain a few hours before setting up camp. We started at an elevation of about 6000 feet, and Brandon was probably carrying three times as much weight as I was.   That morning, I read about Jesus's transfiguration on the mountain with Peter, James, and John, and I asked him to reveal Himself to us on this hike.

Friday morning, there was a trail for the first hour or two, but we were hiking through brush and tall grass (or over rockslides) most of the rest of the way.  At around 8500 feet, I started getting dizzy and light headed.  I had to stop every couple hundred yards to catch my breath, but Brandon was very patient with me.  He noticed that I was taking large strides, and he encouraged me to take smaller steps, which helped a lot.  The sky was mostly clear until we got to the summit (10083 ft), and then clouds rolled in.

And then I realized that I had been so focused on making it to the summit that I had forgotten about making it back down the mountain to the truck. 

After about 30 minutes of descent, the skies cleared up again.  Thank God, He gave me strength and protection to make it back down.  It was about a 10 mile round trip.

As I was reflecting on the experience, I saw God in a few ways.  I think Brandon was an example of Jesus or the Holy Spirit (not sure which, or maybe both): eager for me to go on to new heights, more confident in my ability than I was, and patient with me the whole time.  Furthermore, I don't think it was a coincidence that the clouds came in when we summited.  I think God answered my prayer by surrounding us with clouds the way Moses experienced God on the mountain and the way that Peter, James, and John experienced God on the mountain.

Father, thank you for giving me what I asked for.  Thank you for revealing yourself to me.  And thank you for a good friend who pushes me beyond what I think my limits are.  I love you.

Mountain top glory

This past Sunday afternoon and Monday morning, Beau and I went camping on his second manhood trip.  It was a great trip and we had some great conversations and some good hiking.

This afternoon and tomorrow, I plan to hike with Brandon before he deploys in a few weeks.

As I was reading Matthew's account of Jesus's transfiguration, I was impressed with what the three disciples were experiencing and what he Father said of Jesus.  I want Him to be able to say that of me.

Matthew 17:1‭-‬3‭, ‬5 NIV

After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.  ... a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!"

As I was considering this, I noticed that the song on the radio was Show me Your Glory by Jesus Culture:

[Verse 1]
I see the cloud, I step in
I want to see Your glory as Moses did
Flashes of light and rolls of thunder
I'm not afraid
I'm not afraid

[Chorus]
Show me Your glory, show me Your glory, my God...
Show me Your glory, show me Your glory

[Verse 2]
I'm marked by Your beauty, lost in Your eyes
I want to walk in Your presence like Jesus did
Your glory surrounds me and I'm overwhelmed
I'm not afraid
I'm not afraid

[Chorus]
Show me Your glory, show me Your glory, my God...
Show me Your glory, show me Your glory, yeah!

[Bridge]
I long to look on the face of the One that I love
Long to stay in Your presence, it's where I belong

Father, thank you for speaking to me through your Word and through a song.  God I want to connect with you on this mountain trip today.  I want to experience you on the mountain top, like Moses, like Jesus and the disciples.  Please reveal yourself.  Please purify my heart so that I can see you.