THE END OF THE FUTURE?

"In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams."  (Acts 2:17)

This verse intrigues me.  God is speaking about THE LAST DAYS.  Only God knows when those days will arrive. But this verse clearly tells us that a season is coming to this planet which will be the LAST DAYS of humanity's story upon it. 

Those of us reading this are still alive and breathing. The earth is how it's always been. True, it seems like something is beginning to shake, and some of us are shaking with the shaking, but God is still in control.  We are still alive. The earth is still spinning on its axis. 

We can learn some things from this one verse.  First, there is coming a season for and on this planet that GOD refers to as "THE LAST DAYS."   God is going to end the story of HIS-STORY with humanity living on Planet Earth. Things will change. Things will end. 

What will God do during this season of the end of the ages?  What is God's plan for THE LAST DAYS?

HE WILL POUR OUT HIS SPIRIT ON ALL PEOPLE.

Even as we reap the consequences of our rebellion, He will be POURING the COMFORTER on all people.  The Holy Spirit will arrive in such a way that it will be like a FLOOD covering the earth.  The Spirit that will lead us in to all truth. The Spirit of His Comfort.  The Power of His Greatness. POURED OUT. POURED OUT. POURED OUT. Like a flood.  

And what will be the ramifications of people being flooded with the Very Spirit of Very God? 

1- SONS AND DAUGHTERS WILL PROPHECY.

2- YOUNG MEN WILL SEE VISIONS.

3- OLD MEN WILL DREAM DREAMS.

WHAT?  Prophecy? Visions? Dreams?

All these things have something to do with the future. THE FUTURE? IN THE LAST DAYS?

YUP.  THAT'S WHAT IT SAYS.

With God there is ALWAYS a FUTURE. Always a HOPE.  

Old men who were sure their days of dreaming dreams were over will now have renewed strength and hope to dream dreams.  Sons and daughters will prophecy about God's plan for the future.  Young men will see visions.  About the future? 

Even as God is allowing the planet to be in it's LAST DAYS He continues to send His Spirit to cause us to look to the future.

Some of us are dealing with our own "last days."  

It could be the LAST DAYS of a marriage.   

LAST DAYS of a relationship.

LAST DAYS of having children at home

LAST DAYS of a life long career.

LAST DAYS of living in your home town.

LAST DAYS of life.

Please remind yourself that even in the last days - of anything - God continues to POUR HIS SPIRIT ON YOU.  He continues to remind you that you are not finished dreaming dreams or having a future.  Here. Or there.

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE LAST DAYS IS A NEW HEAVEN AND A NEW EARTH.

God will create something NEW whenever He allows something OLD to see it's last days.

Be encouraged in the Lord, today.

Look to YOUR FUTURE.

'SING TO THE LORD. HE LOVES YOUR VOICE!"

Her name is Annie and she was my mother's best friend from almost the day they were born.  Annie's mom and my grandmother were very close friends.  Annie and Mom  hardly saw each other in the last few decades but they spoke on the phone several times a week.  My mother passed away four months ago, and since that time I have had the privilege of being ENCOURAGED by Annie  - to remember the joy my mother and father are feeling right now. And to rejoice with them.  Her last email to me ended with the sentence "Sing to the Lord. He loves your voice" and it just HIT ME in that place that NEEDED TO BE HIT.   I have no formal training to be a singer or a songwriter.  I don't have a membership card to the musician's club.  I just sing because I love to sing to the One I love.

And one sentence from someone who loves me.. and reminded me that I am His Delight.. has opened up my sad little heart again.

This morning I find myself reviewing music that has been sitting here for a while.  For the last year or two, caring for mom and dad was my priority and my husband's priority.  More than music. More than singing music. More than writing songs.

But Annie reminded me that I am back in a season of singing.  And it isn't important how much training I have, or whether or not my talent is as exceptional as someone else.  God loves when I sing to Him.  God loves my voice. My true audience LOVES my voice.  Go figure.  He likes to hear me sing. He likes every song  I write.  He LOVES my voice.  He does?He does.

So, this morning, thanks to an email from a Godly older woman, I am singing again. And the singing is lifting the grief. And the sorrow. And the longing for someone I love who is gone.
Why? Because someone took the time to encourage my gift.

Take the time today to encourage someone to use the gift that God has given. 

And encourage yourself in the Lord.

Whatever your talent... whatever your gift.. do it to and for the Lord.

And don't forget to sing to Him. He loves your voice too..

"Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." 

1 Corinthians 10:31

SEEKER

"I publicly proclaim bold promises. I do not whisper obscurities in some dark corner. I would not have told the people of Israel to seek Me if I could not be found." - GOD (Isaiah 45:19)

I like the being found part of the Gospel.  I like the part where God sent His Son in to the world to seek and to find that which was lost. I was lost. For sure.  He found me.  And without having to lift a finger, God made a way.  Before I was seeking for Him, He was all about finding me.  And so He found me. Redeemed me. And we both lived happilty ever after.  True.

The End.  Well... sorta.  It's the end of the story when it comes to the beginning of my eternity.  

But.. well.. uhhh...

There's something else the Bible speaks of.  There's something God is wanting after He finds me.  He wants me to seek Him.  What? I'm found. His Spirit has taken up residence in my very temple. 

This is one of the mysteries of God:  Although He has found us, He wants us to seek Him.  Jesus was not shy about informing anyone who would listen that He was the only way to be reconciled to God.  Furthermore, He gave an indication that the way AWAY from Him was broad... open.... widely traveled... but the way of following Him is NARROW and FEW will FIND IT. (Matthew 7)

In the verse listed at the top of this blog.. God is reminding us of something WONDERFUL. Something beyond AMAZING.  He is assuring us that He can be found.  God.. who created all we see and all we cannot see.. is willing to be found by mere earthlings.  How is He found? Who will find Him? Seekers. `

Recently, my twelve-year-old grandson Michael has taken the time to ask me a question every time we are together.  He says, "So, Mema, how was your day? Did you have a good day?"  He melts my heart every time he asks.  And then he waits for me to answer him.  I cannot tell you how loved that makes me feel.  Michael, you want to know about ME? 

My mother passed away four months ago.  She was a great intercessor for the movie War Room. She loved Stephen Kendrick,who refers to her as "the real Miss Clara." (If you've seen the movie you understand what that means.) And while she received many miraculous answers to prayer, her main reason for having her own "war room" can be found in the verse in Hebrews 11:6, "Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists, and that he rewards those who diligently seek Him."  Fighting our battles in prayer is the only way to win the battles that come our way.  But.. my mom's primary purpose for prayer was to simply know God more. Know Him deeper.  Hear Him more clearly.  We seek Him to know Him. Right? Right. 

Seeker. That's what He wants me to be.  A seeker.  Of Him. 

And then He rewards me. With Him.

And all the other stuff - blessings, rewards, direction, prosperity, courage, faith, hope, love, kindness, endurance. wisdom, understanding, power, righteousness - come because He loves me. 

When I ask my heavenly Father to REVEAL HIMSELF to me, I wonder if He feels the same way I do when my grandson asks me about me. 

I pray to be a Seeker seeking the One who has found me.

"If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.  I will be found by you, says the Lord."

Jeremiah 29:13-14