*This was originally sent out to the mailing list on 7/29/06*

Hi again,

I thought it would be fitting to send a follow up to the last letter. Part of the inspiration for it came in prayer, and part of it came from talking with a father that goes to my church; he had been telling me a few nights ago how one of his kids had broken her arm when she was very young, and no one even knew about it until a day or two later. The child had hid the broken arm and tried to keep it a secret.

Anyhow, I hope this blesses you today.

The Healer’s Eyes

My love, won’t you show Me your face? Be not ashamed - know that I have been made shame for you. I have been made sin for you, and I have vanquished it. I have scattered it upon the hands of ten-thousand winds, and lost it unto the uttermost corners of forgetfulness.

Beloved, My beautiful one, show Me your face! Look into My eyes. I cherish your trusting gaze. You draw near to Me in word, or perhaps in deed, but why do you not look at Me face-to-face?

Little one, you guard your heart, your wounds, and your shame, and you hide it all too well. For, you hide it from My healing countenance, and conceal it from My grace-giving eyes.

Do not look down any longer. Do not draw away in shame any longer. I will not be angry by your revealed face, but am rather sorrowed at your continued reluctance.

You know that you are Mine, and I am yours. We were meant to be together. Look unto Me, and be free. Look in My eyes, and have not a care in the world for any else.

*This was originally sent out to the mailing list on 7/28/06*

Hello,
I feel that God is nudging me to share this with you. I hope these words bless you in your walk today. I love you - each one of you - and sometimes I can feel God’s love for you too. I hope that that love comes through in this message.

“And Jesus went about all Galilee, . . . healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.” -Matthew 4:23

Beloved, can I not do the same for your soul? Can I not do the same for your heart?

Man’s corruptions, his shortcomings, his struggles - they come in all varieties - yet there is still only one cure-all. Me!

Child, do not be ashamed, and do not hide from Me. Child, recognize this only: you are diseased. Though your body may be in health, yet let Me touch your sicknesses that are hidden inwardly.

My strength is made perfect in weakness. Look on your sickness. Look on your troubled parts. Look on those areas that cause you pain or torment. Beloved, it is in these very areas that I wish to make you the strongest, and the happiest.

Why else would Satan and his angels attack such places? Is it not so many times because it is there that I have intended for you to excel, and to shine as a brilliant light?

Dear, come to Me, I am the cure-all for the soul. Look to Me. Be lifted by Me. In your gazing of My sunlight shall all your cares be melted away.

*This was originally sent out to the mailing list on 7/12/06*

Just thought I would share this short little one with you, prefaced by the verse that inspired it.

“And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he [Jesus] sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head.” -Mark 14:3

Oh beloved, spend yourself on Me. Do not give this affection to any other, but spend it all on Me.

Let your love be poured out as that precious ointment. Child, spend your soul on Me. Waste it all upon Me. I am worth it. I am incomparable. I am unmatchable. I am brighter than all suns.

Why look downward to the sparks of the earth? My eternal light, in one instant, shall one-hundred-fold repay all sacrifices that you have made. For all eternity My everlasting light shall beam upon you.

*This was originally sent out to the mailing list on 7/2/06*

Hello all,

I thought I would share something that I wrote a few days ago. I had been thinking in the back of my mind about the recent news of Bill Gates, richest man in the world, and how he planned to step down from some of his roles at Microsoft to focus on his charity organization. (Which I think may be the largest one in the world also.) And then a few days later, Warren Buffett, (I believe the second richest man in the world), had said that he would give a sizable contribution to Gates’ charity.

Anyway, I think it was the Holy Spirit at work in my heart, but also keeping in mind those news stories that brought this all about. So, here’s what came to me:

The Offering Plate

“And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.” Mark 12:41-44

Remember why it was that I commended this woman’s action, and do not forget My reason for giving her honor. She did not give what she could spare, or of her extras. But rather, she gave that which she could not do without. She cast in “all her living.” She gave away of her necessities. And, what more did she have left? How could she survive?

Such actions require faith; such actions require trust.

Beloved, as it is with money, so it is with love.

“He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” -Matthew 10:37

I desire the “two mites” of your heart. I want your all. Break the piggy bank on Me.

Look in your heart. Look on your life. There are things - non-negotiables - that you would never give up; things that you could never do without. But… Where am I? I am without, and your idols are within.

I am pushed out to the extras. I know you want so much for Me to be on the inner core of importance, but, you see, I must occupy this space alone. I will not compete. There cannot be a three-way tie for first place. I must be first, and only first. I must be as gold, and only gold. Anything else is less than bronze. To share the medal stand with another is unthinkable.

“And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? …Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions. And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!” -Mark 10:17, 21-22

Do you see how this man would not let Me into his central inner-life? Oftentimes those that are rich, that is, those that have many “extras” will never let Me into this area of their heart. For, they think I am pleased with the great abundance of their offerings of leftovers. Beloved, let not this mind be in you. I want only the inner core - the necessities.

Who would be more inclined to give up his house: a wealthy investor, or a homeless person? And who would be more inclined to give you the shirt of his back: the well-dressed, or the naked?

Ha! Don’t you see, blessed are the poor. It is much easier to give up the things that you don’t have. And it is much easier to trust Me when you have nothing to lose. But, are you not intoxicated with inward riches of all sorts? If you can bear it, let them go to Me. And if you dare, if you can’t surrender them yourself, pray that I may put you in a position of poverty. How else can I truly bless you?

As it is with physical wealth, so it is with inward riches. Man’s heart is frequently “rich” with idols of all sorts. He is proud, and trusts in and loves the people and things around him. He does not regard his Creator. The proud are the rich at heart.

Love Me. That is my wish. That is my desire. I will not force you, but I say, love Me. Love Me above all others. Faithfully cast your “two mites” of affection before Me. Desperately trust in Me. Give up all others, all affections, everything, hopelessly to Me. Hope in Me, and trust that I will take care of your extras.

I’ve decided to start a separate blog to run alongside my book, Tears from a Lonely God. (Only I like to call it a “weblog” because “blog” sounds so horrible. “Blogging” is what my dog used to do when he ate too much chocolate. Fluffy? Yeah, he’s over in the corner blogging all over the carpet…)

Anyhow, I want to use this blog as a supplement to both my book, and the mailing list. I plan to include not only words of encouragement, but also even little tidbits of goodness that I pick up throughout everyday life. For instance: if I think of just a few sentences or short sayings that I think might be helpful, but are just too small to be sent out in a standalone message to the mailing list, I could add them here.

Lastly, I would like to republish a lot of the messages that I’ve shared on the mailing list over the years. People have obviously joined at different times - some earlier than others - and they may not have heard all of the older messages that I have sent out in the past.

So, with that said, I welcome you to the Tears from a Lonely God Weblog!