What I learned about God from home improvement shows

© 2012 Julie Crane All rights reserved

The opening scene is always about a house that just doesn't work anymore. Some areas need a little paint. Some areas are a gut job. They all agree there are some good and bad points about this house. But something needs to change. (Kinda sounds like me. How I used to live didn't work anymore. I needed a Change.)

They start looking around and see no house is perfect. Every house has something they like and don't really like. Are they able to accept / compromise their ideal or keep looking, demanding it? (... for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God... Romans 3:23)

Whether they stay where they are or move, they commit to the one who can help and renovations are soon underway. A tweak here, a demolish there. Weeks pass. There are ups and downs all along the way. Major setbacks. Sometimes more than one. Will they ever make it to completion? (Sounds like my life after accepting Christ, my Helper. With all life's ups and downs and mistakes made, will I ever make it?)

As they near the end of the reno project, the home owners are kept from seeing the final stages until it is completed. The excitement (or anxiety) must be at an all-time high. In the final minutes of the show, the front door is swung open and behold! They don't even recognize the place! It is so amazingly, magazine cover beautiful! What a wonderful place! And it's ours! All ours! (Do you see where I'm going with this?)

I believe that the present suffering is nothing compared to the coming glory that is going to  be revealed to us. (Romans 8:18)

God bless you in all your ups and downs along the way to His perfect gift of eternal life with Him in heaven. Until then, trust your Helper!

Who's doing the doing?

© 2012 Julie Crane All rights reserved

Jesus sends out the seventy-two. (Luke 10:1-9)
Don't pack. Don't greet. (v.4) Don't do your own thing. Don't do it your way. The great I AM is about to be doing some doing.

Stay. Eat. Drink. (v. 7) Stay there. Don't use your own judgement on whether your time is being productive / successful in your own eyes. Don't decide what is good enough, right, acceptable in your own eyes.

The kingdom of God has come near... (v.9) The kingdom. Not you. Not your doing. But as a vessel, carrying the living God to the streets, to the people that you meet, greet, eat with...

There are plenty of times when I don't understand how God does the things that He does... things that somehow align and fall into place at just the right time. Without my  conscious knowledge, decision, or pre-determined choice in the matter. Sometimes miracles at the extreme end of the spectrum. Sometimes simple delights that just make a moment smooth and easy. Miracles that are drop to my knees praiseworthy. And yet some of His other acts of love go virtually unnoticed. "Ordinary" goodnesses.

Could it also be that many of our acts of service - could be happening - unnoticed by our own selves? But the Lord flowed through us just the same? Without our conscious effort? (pause) Do our acts of service come in both conscious and unconscious obedience? (pause)

Thanks be to God!

Come, Lord Jesus, come.
Come and spread Your love to everyone I meet.
He sent out 70. But all were filled by the one active, working Spirit.
God, be about Your business of doing the doing. Today.
Let Your kingdom come near...

Luke 10:4 Do not take a purse or bag or sandals
Luke 10:7 Stay there, eating and drinking whatever they give you
Luke 10:9 The kingdom of God has come near to you

Heaven on earth

© 2012 Julie Crane All rights reserved

We all have imaginings of what heaven will possibly be like. We know there are promises of no more tears, crying or pain (Revelation 21:4). We can all imagine such great beauty and joy and LOVE and acceptance and ...!

Heaven will be a wonderful place!

But I could sure use some of that "heaven stuff" here and now. You too?

I think about the Lord's prayer (Matthew 6:10). It says: Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Another translation puts it like this: Manifest Your kingdom realm, and cause Your every purpose to be fulfilled on earth, just as it is fulfilled in heaven (TPT)

Isn't that what we seek? The beauty of heaven to be tasted here?

Which brings me to the scripture I read this morning which set this all in motion.
Truly I tell you, whatever you forbid and declare to be improper and unlawful on earth must be what is already forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit and declare proper and lawful on earth must be what is already permitted in heaven. (Matthew 18:18 AMPC)

Many other translations of this verse aren't as clear as this one is for me. They use words like "loosed" and "bound". But I think what they're all saying is bring heaven down here. Bring the beauty and the love we will see in heaven into the present. Where you are. Don't wait until you're gone from this earth to love everybody and everything that is heavenly. 

Cherish now.
Relish now.
Love as we will in heaven.

Let there be peace on earth...
Let there be love and hugs and all that stuff... on earth
And let it begin with me.