Tag: sight

the magnetic pull of focus

Karla Lees

One day spent in Your house, this beautiful place of worship, beats thousands spent on Greek island beaches. I’d rather scrub floors in the house of my God than be honored as a guest in the palace of sin. Psalm 84:10 MSG

I love to worship. It is the one thing I like best after spending time in His Presence, and diving into the Word.

When I get really busy, I tend to rush through my day beginning with a quick devotional instead an unrushed time at His feet, focusing solely on Him.

This quick fix mentality opens me up to selfishness, hurry, and distraction. Spend too long with that crew, and the enemy begins to make his play.

When sin comes knocking, sometimes what looks good in the moment can appear better than what we know to be true. For the enemy was an angel of light, and very beautiful in the eye of the beholder. (2 Corinthians 11:12-15)

However, beauty is only skin deep, and the truth about all things will be revealed the more time we invest in it. A handsome man or gorgeous woman isn’t always so lovely once you get to know them when their personality becomes revealed.

Sin is the same.

Just because it looks good, doesn’t mean it is good.

If it sounds too good to be true, it may just be a lie.

Only God IS good, and so are His ways.

Nothing can ever beats being His, and being with Him.

●How we live magnifies our priorities.

●What we love reveals the desires of our hearts.

●What we focus on attracts more of the same….

If we zoom in on our lack or selfish desires, our mood will become increasingly dissatisfied and depressed. If we seek Him first and His Kingdom, its standards will be reflected within us.

What most appeals to His Beloved should be the things which most appeal to Him: community, truth, holiness, being with the one you love.

Lord, may we choose to regularly worship You, and keep our gaze focused on what is good, true, wholesome and pure. (Philippians 4:8) Be the fixed point of our devotion, and ever clarify our focus so we can see you better. Let Your character magnify our vision, and replicate itself within us.

May the gift of Presence be the one we unwrap the most, and may our heart align up with Your passions the more we spend time with You, and focus on what will last a lifetime instead of a fleeting moment.

image

Kingdom work

Karla Lees

When I go to work, I’m going to the Kingdom. I’m not working for the King, I’m working with the King. The Kingdom is not restrained to the walls of the Church. -Kris Vallotton

Many days, I used to drag myself to work.

But its not that I don’t love my jobs, for I do.

Rather its because I wasn’t seeing the bigger perspective about work in general.

Years ago, when in bible college, I dreamed of working in a church. One professor made a comment about how I was too radical to be church acceptable staff material, and my soul took on the weight of that barb.  Not knowing any better at the time, I let my dream of being on church staff fly away into my lost dreams pile.

Fast forward to more recent years.  Spending more time in the Word, I realized that the church in Acts seemed to do more “church-like” Kingdom work outside of the walls of the church buildings, right in the communities, wherever they were.

Immediately my eyes were opened to the reality that church work, Kingdom work, was never meant to be limited inside the walls of a building.

Kingdom work was always intended to be carried within the heart of everyone in the Kingdom, and shared with those who need to hear the Good News that they are welcome in His Kingdom.

  • The Kingdom is within me, for I am His.
  • The Kingdom walks with me, for the King is with me wherever I go.
  • I work with the King, wherever I work
  • All my work matters for His Kingdom when I do it for His Kingdom come and His glory.
  • When I am aligned with His heart for those around me, I am doing Kingdom work.

And I don’t need to be church staff, or in a church building to do so.

I only need to be lead by Holy Spirit, following Jesus’ example and allowing my heart to beat with my Abba’s to do Kingdom work.

For wherever I am, the Kingdom is too.

And the same is true for you!
image

eyesight: peeling back the veil

Karla Lees

image

God wants us to get to know who He really is.

He doesn’t just want to give us insight, but the ability to see things through His eyes, His eyesight.

And that’s the focus I am trying to maintain this Advent season.

To take a fresh look at the Word, and see Him through His Father’s eyes.

Each day in December, I will be sharing part of the Christmas story, and a song of praise which has arisen from His people, when they caught a glimpse of the wonder of Jesus.

Emmanuel. God with us!

Join me as we ask Holy Spirit to open our eyes to see the wonder of Christmas through His eyes.

Take a closer peek at those He chose to invite into His love story for the world….

See the love and tears involved in doing things His way.

Stand in awe at the majesty of His plan, and the wonder of His heart for us all.

Sing a new song of praise to Him as you can’t help but offer Him thanks for all He has done for you.

May He be our primary focus we keep our eyes fixed upon, especially this Advent, and each day of our lives!
image

maskheraid

Karla Lees

…the grand facade, so soon will burn….

In Your Eyes, Peter Gabriel

For 30+ years now, I have sung this song, one of my faves, especially the delicate remake by Nichole Nordeman.

Today i heard another word in place of ‘grand facade’: ‘masquerade.

And in that split second of awareness that can only come from Godly given insight, I clearly knew God wants me to let go of my mask.

The mask that has been aiding me, hiding me & protecting me from the world around me.

I can relate to a few animals in the animal kingdom.  Fox. Cat. Song Birds.

Unless they are raising young, they tend to be solitary creatures, living mainly lonely existences to the outsider looking in. But they don’t care about what we think, their instinct is to hide when they are afraid.

Unless I lay down my mask, I will end up the same. Except I care too much sometimes what others think about me at times, and I am tired of hiding.

Why I am afraid? I fear that if everyone really knew the real me, they and deep deep down, God, wouldn’t like me.

The mask that was supposed to aid me was in fact an enemy designed cover causing me harm.

That’s right. When we wear masks (not when we are paid actors or acting for a scene in a play, mind you) we align ourselves with the enemy.

That isn’t any good for anyone who is one of God’s children, which we ultimately all are.

God wants us to be who He has made us to be, not hiding behind masks.

I have a few small tattoos that I got several years ago on an impulsive whim. They irked my hubby (the shock of no notice and he doesn’t like the dark black ink color) and so I have covered them up and had them lightened a bit. Masking over what I liked. (Note: Hubby has since said his issue with them doesn’t mean I have to keep them covered up when I am around him.)

Now I am aware of cultural differences, and so in my work settings where it would potentially be offensive, I do not show them off but easily keep them covered under work attire.

I am free to show them, but choose to respect the views of those around me. I am not hiding them out of fear.

In the same way, our masks that hide our true nature need to come down, yet we are to be respectful of those around us while being true to who we are.

I am an artsy writer singer tea lover momma friend who loves God.

As I take my worn mask off, I realize that I can truly not hide who I am anymore. I could only squelch it for moments, maybe even hours, but the mask was never meant to be worn long term like our true identity is.

Stop settling for a second rate version of who God designed you to be, and take a look at yourself through His eyes:

Treasured
Adored
Redeemed
Unique
Image bearer of God

That’s right.

We were made to reveal His image to the world around us.

Wearing a mask cheapens our look and limits our ability to radiate the Son.
image

Am i all of a sudden comfortable speaking up for myself in some areas where I have been masquerading?

Not really, to be completely honest. I just emailed someone to make an offer of help who may not receive it well. I followed His lead, and was myself in a way that may make the reader uncomfortable.

But I know the one who will give me the right words to say, reveal the timing of when I am to say them, and prepare the heart of the one i am to speak it to. My part is to stay real before Him. And on the days when I need the reminder, I tell myself:

God loves you.

Just as you are.

Despite your foibles, pimples, quirks, mistakes, impulsiveness and everything in between!

He died for us in an eternal display of grace and love while ripping the mask of religion in two.

The veil was masking God from His people. By destroying it He re-veiled Himself, stripping the mask and shining His true image for the world to see.

I am a little apprehensive and excited all rolled into one as to what my giving up my mask will look like.

However, as I increasingly get to know the God I follow, I am comforted to know that He knows the plans He has for me, plans for blessing, hope and a future beyond what i can see right here, in this now.

I will be able to see His face all the clearer without my mask.

I can feel how much He loves me when I come, just as I am, and let His love wash over me in a river of undeserved but oh so appreciated grace, and see how He will increasingly reveal Himself to and through me as I stop hiding.

How about you?