Psalm 128

Composed out of Psalm 128,

Lord, I am blessed when I fear and obey you. Lord I am blessed when I walk in your ways and follow your precepts. You will bless my work and abundance and riches will be mine because you give me favor in the workplace. You have promised true happiness when I walk with you. My wife will be fruitul and everything she does within the home will be properous and successful. My child will live long lifes and produce fruit that is pleasing to you. You have promised me long life and I will see my children's children when I commit my way to you. Peace and prosperity are ine because you have favored me and my family

Leaning on My Beloved

This morning, I had an intense time with God. This phrase was being sung in the Kansas City Prayer Room Web stream, "i know the end of the story. I come up from the wilderness, leaning on my Beloved". I was at my desk working while this was being sung in the background. God's spirit came over me and I got up and jumped has high as I could, raised my hands as high as I could and began to worship. God's joy was all over me. Laughter, tears and energy filled my spirit as I became undignified. I'm sure I looked like a fool, but I didn't care. It was all for God and I didn't look like a fool to him, but to him, I was a child who was dancing before his father. Funny enough, i stayed away from dancing near my wall mirror. Even I don't want to see my boobs and belly shimmy along with my jumping. That's a little too much for me. :) Anyhoo, these past five years have been filled with trials and the wilderness can be seen on every side. Just when I think I was coming out of it, another trial would hit, that would keep me in the desert. I would have small victories along the way, but the overall battle was still raging and no end was in site. As I write this, there is still no end in sight, but it is all about perspective and who you are fighting with and who is doing the most fighting. For awhile I was so concentrated on the battle that I lost focus and momentum because the battle was discouraging and draining. I put all my energy into trying to stay strong with my own strength. I have learnt that you can only get through a battle full of trials by getting into God's presence. I concluded that I need to lay down my own weapons and pick up the weapon of prayer and intimacy. I started to accept that my battle cannot be fought with weapons against flesh and blood, but spiritual weapons to engage in spiritual warfare. This too can be draining, but I am telling you that one of the fuels to perserverance in the battle is joy in the trial. We can all put on a smile and say that we are happy in the trial, but that is powerless and can only get you a few miles down the road. That kind of joy never lasts only to betray you and leave your in despair again. The joy that I experienced this morning in my office is the joy that others and even I can't understand why I have it. How can I have joy in the midst of so much death and heartbreak? How can I? Why, because I know my God promises that I WILL COME OUT OF THE WILDERNESS LEANING ON HIM. You see victory for all I know will be tomorrow. Restoration could be next week. Redemption could be this weekend. Whenver it comes, I am sure of this, it is coming. That is why joy is in my heart and I have found rejoicing in suffering is the most fullfilling rejoicing there can be. Tomorrow maybe the promised land or it maybe not, but one thing I am sure of, is; it is coming!!