Finishing up...

I want to continue to share, in no particular order, some of the things that struck me when finishing up "The Pressure's Off"...

Your soul, the real you that you've nearly lost sight of beneath all the posturing and busyness, lies empty, alone, bored. It could be different. You know that. It's suppose to be different. You know that, too.

Don't live the Old Way. If you value the blessings of life over communion with GOD, you'll end up miserable. Guaranteed! But if you live the New Way, if you draw near to GOD, not to exploit HIS power but to enjoy fellowship with HIM, then HE'll supply everything you need to participate in furthering HIS agenda. Guaranteed! And you'll know HIS Joy, the Joy HE experiences in the fellowship of the Trinity.


You long to involved in a few relationships where you can be
known in loving safety,
explored with genuine interest,
discovered by hopeful wisdom, and
touched from the source of spiritual power.

When trouble comes, our first thing focus must be on entering GOD's presence (encounter), participating with others on the journey to GOD (community), and cooperating with the Spirit in forming CHRIST in us (transformation).

I wanted to...
encounter God, to fellowship with each member of the Trinity, to join Their party.
participate in community with other broken, desperate, grateful saints who, stunned by grace, were journeying toward God, unwilling to settle for lesser joy.
experience transformation, to be spiritually formed until others, but especially the Father, could see in me an actual resemblance to Jesus.

Whether my passion for GOD became compelling in this or any moment is up to the Spirit. It's a sovereign work of grace. All I can do is want it and wait.

We must learn to understand what is meant by; attending to GOD (where HE is going), abandoning ourselves to GOD (following wherever HE leads), and union with GOD (enjoying HIM on the journey). We must realize what GOD is doing whenever HE withholds blessings we legitimately desire: HE is pursuing HIS agenda. HE will be with a people who value HIM above every other blessing. HE will create that people at the cost of HIS Son's death and at the cost of being hurt every day by children who really don't want HIM except to use HIM. HE is allowing good dreams to shatter to arouse the better dream of knowing HIM.

Still looking down the narrow path, I could see the sunrise of my transformation. I knew that by the Spirit's power, someday, in this life, I could be
still loving, though discouraged,
still giving, though spent,
still patient, though exasperated,
still sensitive, though offended,
still hopeful, though worn down by life.

It's all about GOD and HIS Glory and our satisfaction in HIM.

I pray that the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has, by the riches of his grace, brought us from a state of enmity into his glorious fellowship with himself, may give you such a taste of his sweetness and excellence in this communion as to be stirred up to a greater longing for that eternal enjoyment of him in eternal glory.