FASTEN YOURSELF TO THE LORD

 Not long ago, I woke up hearing the words, “Fasten yourself to the Lord.”

As I pondered the meaning of that statement, the weight of it began to settle over me. It was not a suggestion. It was a necessity. Fasten yourself to the Lord. He is our only stability.

To fasten is to seize and hold onto; to combine or become joined together; to unite closely in any manner and by any means. That’s how close he wants us. And the urgency of the hour requires an immediate response. We must be ready.

But you, my delightfully loved friends, constantly and progressively build yourselves up on the foundation of your most holy faith by praying every moment in the Spirit. Fasten your hearts to the love of God and receive the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who gives us eternal life. – Jude 20-21 (TPT)

The principle of readiness and preparation is vividly illustrated in the familiar parable of the ten bridesmaids who went out to wait for the imminent arrival of the bridegroom, taking their lamps with them.

But only five of them were fully prepared for the wait. They wisely filled their lamps with oil, and brought enough extra to last the night. The other five foolishly neglected to do the same. The unprepared ones begged the others to share their oil with them, but they were told there would not be enough for them as well, so they had to go off in search of more oil.

“But while they were gone, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was locked. Later, when the other five returned, they stood outside, calling, ‘Sir, open the door for us!’ But he called back, ‘Go away! It is too late!’

“So stay awake and be prepared, for you do not know the date or moment of my return.”  – Matthew 25:1-13

In these days of global shaking and sifting, our preparation for the imminent arrival of our Bridegroom should be our top priority. Our “lamps”— our hearts – must be filled and fueled with a constant flow of the Holy Spirit. We must fasten ourselves to Jesus. From that place of protection and stability, we can abide in peace while the world around us spins and shifts wildly.

So, how do we fasten ourselves to the Lord? The first step is to realize our need to do just that. He alone  is constant, unchanging, steadfast and true. We posture ourselves before Him and lean in. We seize and hold onto the truth of His Word. And as we come into agreement with it, we join ourselves to Him. We pursue His magnificent Presence with passion and diligence. And we settle into our place of constant communion with the One who loves us, shelters us, keeps and completes us. Our task is simply to remain securely fastened.

“…when I found him whom my soul loves... I held on to him and would not let him go…” – Song of Solomon 3:4

If we search ourselves, we will find deep inside a “knowing” that our only true sanctuary – our only true satisfaction – comes from the relationship we have with Jesus. He isn’t difficult to find. His hand is extended. His invitation requires a response.

“Arise, my love, my beautiful companion, and run with me to the higher place. For now is the time to arise and come away with me.” – Song of Songs 2:13

A THOUSAND WAYS

The Lord took me on an interesting journey recently... reading backward through the Psalms. What seemed like an unusual assignment from Holy Spirit has actually proven to be an amazing and timely blessing.

As we continue to experience the shaking of pretty much everything in our lives, reading the Psalms, beginning at 150 and working backward has brought a fresh perspective of God's sovereignty, holiness, justice and faithfulness. His promises stand firm, even in the midst of the chaotic and uncertain times we're living in.

The other day, while reading Psalm 130 in The Passion Translation, I came upon this treasure in verse 7.

O Israel, keep hoping, keep trusting,

and keep waiting on the Lord,

for he is tenderhearted, kind, and forgiving.

He has a thousand ways to set you free!

The shaking that we have endured, the trials we face on a daily basis, and the incomprehensible evil and corruption that surrounds us threatens to unravel everything we know to be right and true. Still, as the psalmist says, keep hoping, keep trusting, keep waiting on the Lord; the One who walks with us through fire, the One who calms the storm, the One who never fails.

Regardless of what you see on the evening news, His mercies are new every morning. Confronted by His truth, worry, fear and anxiety lose their grip. His compassionate love breaks the chains that kept you bound. You can trust Him.

He has a thousand ways to set you free.

Lord, You are our great defender, our hope and our shield. You are are healer, our provider, our Father and our friend. When the world around us seems out of control, You are our Prince of Peace. You are the answer to all our questions and our tower of strength. In this season of shaking, You are our steady ground, and our firm foundation. You are our Keeper. Thank You, Lord, for freedom -- and for victory. In Your Presence, there is fullness of joy.

SOWING AND FLOWING

“Honor the Lord with your possessions and with the first fruits of all your increase; so your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine.” – Proverbs 3:9-10 (NKJV)

A week or two ago, a precious friend and sister in the Lord received an unexpected financial blessing. It was given to her – sacrificially, I believe – by an older gentleman she had been helping. Her first thought was not to take this blessing and spend it on herself or holiday gifts, pay bills, or even to bank it, but to spread it around and bless others with it. I was among those beneficiaries.

Because she lives in another state, the process of transferring the blessing proved to be something of a technological challenge, resulting in a slight delay. This morning she called to let me know the transfer was complete, and she apologized for the delay. She was disappointed that the blessing was “late.”

I assured her that it was not late at all, but right on time. I believe the Lord arranged for the blessing to come to me on January 1, so that I could receive it and let it pass through my hands to another, in the same fashion that it came to me. This blessing was, very literally, the first fruits of the new year.

The Bible speaks volumes on the topic of money. It teaches the importance of giving generously and with a joyful heart, and reminds us that it is more blessed to give than to receive. It teaches us how to give and how to receive. It demonstrates the principle of sowing and reaping, and how what we give will be returned to us. God says that when we invest according to His plan, He will rebuke the devourer on our behalf. He even invites us to test Him in this area and allow Him to prove His faithfulness.

The principle of first fruits teaches us to bring the first and best of our increase as an offering to the Lord. Historically, it was presented as an act of thanksgiving for the Lord’s ongoing provision. It served as a statement of faith that God would bless and protect future harvest and increase as well.

Each time we receive financial provision, whether that’s earned income or a gift, we receive seed. The Bible tells us that it is the Lord who provides seed for the sower and bread for the eater. His provision for us will cover not only what we need, but extra to share with others. What we do with that seed is important. If we consume the seed (spend it on our own desires), it’s gone forever. But if we sow the seed (by sharing it as the Lord directs), it grows, multiplies and bears fruit. And that fruit produces what? More seed to sow!

While there is ample biblical, transactional truth regarding how we handle finances, my heart today leans toward that mystery of multiplication and supernatural provision. The currency of the Kingdom is not the currency of this world.

The economy of this world is governed by the spirit of mammon – a consuming obsession with money. Those under its influence will stop at nothing to obtain it.

Kingdom economy is governed by the Holy Spirit. In the Kingdom of God, there is no lack, but limitless supply. Provision cannot be manipulated or controlled. It simply flows. Our part in the process is to facilitate that flow.

By taking the blessing, that was sent to me (literally the first financial provision of this new year) and placing it – all of it – in the hands of another, I am literally “priming the pump” for future increase to flow. The generous heart of an older gentleman prompted him to bless my friend, the Holy Spirit prompted her to bless others, including me, and now I get to keep the blessing flowing by sending it on to the next person, and so on. Not with an expectation of what I will receive in return, but simply for the joy of being part of the flow!

I encourage you to sow generously, sacrificially, joyously out of your first fruits of this new year. Ask the Lord and He will tell you when, where, how much and whom to bless. As we keep sowing and keep flowing, we transfer our treasure from the world economy to the Kingdom realm. And as Matthew 6:21 reminds us, “where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

Lord, when we fully give our hearts and lives over to You, we are privileged to become citizens of Your Kingdom realm, where the rules are different. Thank You for continually revealing to us the marvels, the mysteries and the rewards of belonging to You. Thank You for this new year, filled with promise and limitless possibility. As we seek Your Kingdom reality above everything else, all that we need will be supplied. As You bless us, it is our joyful privilege to bless others. In this we bring glory to Your Name and establish Your Kingdom here on earth. We love you, Lord. Amen.