Above ALL!!

“The safest place in the kingdom is the front lines of the battle!” – Bill Johnson

     The last few days God has been placing people in front of me that break my heart.  Unbelievers who adamantly deny Christ.  Adamantly is an interesting word, by the way.  First I see the name Adam and second, the definition includes "A stone once believed to be impenetrable in its hardness."   Maybe that was just for me.

     I have talked to people who laugh at the thought of a God.  I have talked to people who "Aren't that into Him".  I have also talked to believers who compromise, believing we have a "softy" God.  Every compromise is an open door to the enemy.  I heard once that a stiff branch is easier to break than a flexible branch.  Makes sense.  

     I have been incredibly tired and sad the last couple days, feeling alone and actually wanting to isolate.  There are so many people who don't even see what the enemy is doing in their lives.  How can you fight an enemy you don't acknowledge?

     This morning, God gave me a song to listen to.  As I sat on the deck with my coffee and my ear buds blasting the song in my ear, it became clear what He is wanting me to see lately.  To be more like Him, we have to know Him.  Knowing Him is all about love, but love isn't always warm and fuzzy.  We have to know the rejection He felt as He made the ultimate sacrifice.  As He dragged the cross, knowing what lie ahead, with people spitting on Him, the pain in His heart over the people who did not believe had to be worse than the physical pain He was suffering.  Lately He is exposing me to that rejection on a much smaller level, because as a human I know I could not survive what He did and felt.

     The amazing thing to me was toward the end of the song.  He opened my eyes a little further to the incredible love He has for each of us.  Not only that, but the love that I am feeling for people I don't even know.  We have to receive before we can give it away.  We received forgiveness from Him, in order that we forgive others.  We receive mercy to give it.  We are showered in Grace to give grace.  You cannot give away, what you do not have.  Accept the gifts, but don't hoard them or they will dry up.  Give them away.  Sometimes people cannot receive what God has to offer because it is too big.  They can't accept it.  They can start out accepting it in small doses from believers, until they are ready for the ultimate gifts from God.

“The sacrifice of Jesus on the cross determined the value of the people he purchased!” – Kris Vallotton