Daily Readings by Wild at Heart

You were the model of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you: ruby, topaz and emerald, chrysolite, onyx and jasper, sapphire, turquoise and beryl. Your settings and mountings were made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared. You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you. You were on the holy mount of God; you walked among the fiery stones. You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you. (Ezekiel 28:12–15)Standing at the head of the vast legions of angelic hosts (millions, as the biblical record counts) was a captain. The most beautiful, the most powerful of them all. The commander of the armies of God. The guardian of the glory of the Lord. His name was Lucifer. “Son of the morning.” Glorious as the sun. Unequaled among his noble peers.And here is where the Story takes its first dramatic turn.There is a danger for the glorious that the humble never know; a trial for the powerful that the weak never face. You see this in the worst of the dictators, the Hitlers and Stalins, the Maos and Amins — they set themselves up to be idols. They want more than power; they want to be worshiped.Pride entered Lucifer’s heart.The excellent captain came to believe he was being cheated somehow. He didn’t merely want to play a noble role in the Story; he wanted the Story to be about him. He coveted the throne; he wanted to be the star. He wanted the worship and adoration for himself.Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. (Ezekiel 28:17)Lucifer turned on his Maker. And there was war in heaven. Want more? Order your copy of Epic today

When God begins to shine his light on some issue in my life, be it internal or some issue taking place around me, I often have a hunch where things might be leading. You know what I mean — I see Christians do this all the time. We get a glimpse of what God might be up to, and we start speculating and filling in the blanks, bringing all our biases and inclinations to it instead of simply listening to him for more. For example, you sense God prompting you to help your parents financially, and you’re already inclined to do that, so you just go and do it without stopping to ask, Now? How much? Or, you sense God’s conviction on a long-standing sin in your life. Being inclined to self-contempt and beating yourself up, you just jump to, I knew it. It’s my fault. I’m the idiot, and you start making all your plans and resolutions to change (despite the fact that it never works). If you’d stayed with God on the matter, you might have heard his love and tenderness and his gentle counsel for a different way of handling it.Filling in the blanks. That’s what this is. We are constantly filling in the blanks of what we think God is up to instead of asking him. It isn’t helpful. It’s taking the ball and running with it, leaving God behind. Ask the next question, remember?For the past couple mornings when I’ve sat down at the table to have a quick bowl of oatmeal, I’ve opened my Bible to read a bit, and both times it just opened to Psalm 41. Here is what I read: “I said, ‘O Lord, have mercy on me; / heal me, for I have sinned against you’” (41:4).Do you hear David’s approach to God? He doesn’t expect to get slammed. He doesn’t just promise to repent and do better. He knows he has turned from God, and he knows what he needs is healing. So this is what I prayed: I ask you to heal the things in me that have led to this self-obsession, this looking to my ability to get it done, get it right, stay on top of things. Forgive me. I want to be centered in your love in me. You in me. Heal me. Want more? Order your copy of Walking With God today

Our beloved family dog is dying. But I’m not going to drag you through that tragedy; I want to share something gracious I’m learning through it.Only yesterday our vet told us that our sweet golden retriever is very ill, and tonight we’re supposed to go out to dinner with some friends. I’m torn, because we’ve been scheduling, canceling, and rescheduling this dinner for six months, and part of me really wants to go. But part of me is dealing with the loss of the family dog. What I’m aware of in this moment is how often I need to put my soul aside in order to carry on with the demands of life. We all do. Life goes on, despite our personal struggles. You lose your father on a Wednesday; corporate America expects you back at the office Monday. It’s hard on the soul. It’s hard on our life with God.But tonight I don’t need to put my soul aside. Our friends are understanding; we can reschedule. The question is, why is practicing kindness towards my own soul so unfamiliar that it would be easy to ignore something as precious as the death of our dog to “carry on with things?” This world requires us to keep going at such speeds that we end up having only one emotional state towards everything — a general, haggard, hazy condition of “on.” I’m on for this meeting; I’m on for this call with my mom; I’m on for the news the vet has. There’s no margin for anything else.So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding. (Ephesians 1:6–8 NLT)God is rich is kindness, and he has showered kindness on us. This is so lovely and life-giving, we need to pause and reflect on it. Kindness. Such a simple virtue, it often takes a back seat to more dramatic qualities like bravery, holiness, or love (kindness sort of feels like the younger stepchild to love). And yet kindness is such a wonderful thing to receive.Don’t you love it when people are kind to you?I sure do. In a world growing increasingly angry and hostile, a little bit of kindness can make your day. Want more? Order your copy of Get Your Life Back today

Think of consecration as “aligning” and “enforcing” — aligning yourself, or the subject in question, with Jesus and all the laws of his kingdom, then enforcing his rule and those laws over the matter in question. The first steps, which we have covered already, are mostly the “aligning” part. But often the “enforcing” requires a bit more “oomph,” especially if you are having difficulties there. Which brings me to the power of “proclaiming.”In Acts 9, when Ananias came to pray over Saul, he proclaimed the Lord’s intentions there: “Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, ‘Brother Saul, the Lord — Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here — has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit’” (v. 17).Interesting — we don’t see Ananias pray to God for Saul; instead, we see him “proclaim” God’s intentions over Saul, and that is sufficient to see them fulfilled. The Scripture is mighty and powerful, and proclaiming it as we consecrate has mighty and powerful effects. Want more? Order your copy of Moving Mountains today

First, our lives are not a random series of events; they tell a Story that has meaning. We aren’t in a movie we’ve arrived at twenty minutes late; we are in a Sacred Romance. There really is something wonderful that draws our heart; we are being wooed.But there is also something fearful. We face an enemy with vile intentions. Is anyone in charge? Someone strong and kind who notices us? At some point we have all answered that question “no” and gone on to live in a smaller story. But the answer is “yes”—there is someone strong and kind who notices us. Our Story is written by God who is more than author, he is the romantic lead in our personal dramas. He created us for himself and now he is moving heaven and earth to restore us to his side. His wooing seems wild because he seeks to free our heart from the attachments and addictions we’ve chosen, thanks to the Arrows we’ve known.And we—who are we, really? We are not pond scum, nor are we the lead in the story. We are the Beloved; our hearts are the most important thing about us and our desire is wild because it is made for a wild God. We are the Beloved, and we are addicted. We’ve either given our heart to other lovers and can’t get out of the relationships, or we’ve tried our best to kill desire (often with the help of others) and live lives of safe, orderly control. Either way, we play into the hands of the one who hates us. Satan is the mortal enemy of God and therefore ours as well, who comes with offers of less-wild lovers, hoping to deceive us in order to destroy our heart and thus prevent our salvation or cripple our sanctification.These are the stage, the characters, and the plot in the broadest possible terms. Where do we go from here?We are faced with a decision that grows with urgency each passing day: Will we leave our small stories behind and venture forth to follow our Beloved into the Sacred Romance?The choice to become a pilgrim of the heart can happen any day and we can begin our journey from any place. We are here, the time is now, and the Romance is always unfolding. The choice before us is not to make it happen. As Chesterton said, “An adventure is, by its nature, a thing that comes to us. It is a thing that chooses us, not a thing that we choose.” Lucy wasn’t looking for Narnia when she found it on the other side of the wardrobe; in a way, it found her. Abraham wasn’t wandering about looking for the one true God; he showed up with an extraordinary invitation. But having had their encounters, both could have chosen otherwise. Lucy could have shut the wardrobe door and never mentioned what had happened there. Abraham could have opted for life in Haran.The choice before us is a choice to enter in.Want More? Order your copy of The Sacred Romance today

Compare the shriveled life held up as a model of Christian maturity with the life revealed in the book of Psalms:You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. (16:11)As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? (42:1–2)O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; My soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land, where there is no water. (63:1)Ask yourself, could this person be promoted to a position of leadership in my church? Heavens, no. He is far too unstable, to passionate, too desirous. It’s all about pleasure and desire and thirst. And David, who wrote most of the psalms, was called by God a “man after his own heart” (1 Sam. 13:14).Christianity has nothing to say to the person who is completely happy with the way things are. Its message is for those who hunger and thirst — for those who desire life as it was meant to be. Why does Jesus appeal to desire? Because it is essential to his goal: bringing us life. He heals the fellow at the pool of Bethesda, by the way. The two blind men get their sight, and the woman at the well finds the love she has been seeking. Reflecting on these events, the apostle John looked at what Jesus offered and what he delivered and said: “He who has the Son has life” (1 John 5:12). Want more? Order your copy of The Journey of Desire today

You have been ransomed by Christ. Your treachery is forgiven. You are entirely pardoned for every wrong thought and desire and deed. This is what the vast majority of Christians understand as the central work of Christ for us. And make no mistake about it — it is a deep and stunning truth, one that will set you free and bring you joy. For a while. But the joy for most of us has proved fleeting, because we find that we need to be forgiven again and again and again. Christ has died for us, but we remain (so we believe) deeply marred. It actually ends up producing a great deal of guilt. “After all that Christ has done for you ... and now you’re back here asking forgiveness again?” To be destined to a life of repeating the very things that sent our Savior to the cross can hardly be called salvation.Think of it: you are a shadow of the person you were meant to be. You have nothing close to the life you were meant to have. And you have no real chance of becoming that person or finding that life. However, you are forgiven. For the rest of your days, you will fail in your attempts to become what God wants you to be. You should seek forgiveness and try again. Eventually, shame and disappointment will cloud your understanding of yourself and your God. When this ongoing hell on earth is over, you will die, and you will be taken before your God for a full account of how you didn’t measure up. But you will be forgiven. After that, you’ll be asked to take your place in the choir of heaven. This is what we mean by “salvation.”The good news is ... that is not Christianity. Oh, I know it is what most people now living think Christianity is all about, including the majority of Christians. Thank God, they are wrong. There is more. A lot more. And that more is what most of us have been longing for most of our lives.Want more? Order your copy of Waking the Dead today

We can have joy, because we can know God’s strength in our weakness. Because God’s mercies are new every morning. Because as we walk through this valley of this shadow of death, we are never abandoned or alone. Our God goes before us, and He is behind us, around us, and within us. We can have joy, no matter what sorrow or suffering we are currently enduring, because we have been chosen by the Father and He will never turn His face away. We are loved. Forever. And nothing can ever separate us from that love. We can have joy because we are engraved on our Father’s heart and on Jesus’ nail-scarred hands, and in Christ we are victorious. The suffering doesn’t have the final say. In fact, God is going to use it for even more good to come into our lives. James 1:2–4 tells us to “consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” God is growing us up. He is committed to making us the mature bride of Christ: And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. (Rom. 5:3–5 NASB) The sorrow and grief that come are real, and we have a God who is well acquainted with them. He doesn’t ask us to ignore our grief but to invite Him into it that we might bear it together. No matter what, we can know an internal defiant joy because death has been defeated. Life has won. There is suffering, yes. But always there is the potential for joy. In the face of the ultimate reality won for us by Jesus, we don’t have to pretend that life is better than it is, that we don’t hurt as much as we do, or that we feel happy when we are not. We are invited to be fully alive, awake, alert, and oriented to the truth, and to know that because of Jesus, we can be defiantly joyful. Want more? Order your copy of Defiant Joy today

You are going to have to come to terms with the partial nature of this life. Have you come to terms yet with the partial?Are you able to hold on to your faith when only some prayers are answered?It takes genuine maturity.Most people don’t even try to learn the ways of the kingdom; they just go about their days with a practical agnosticism, hoping things work out, tossing up prayers like they hope to score on a Jesus lottery ticket. They have little to show for it. Others discover the possibility of breakthrough for sons and daughters, allies of God; they begin to experience breathtaking results. Then their Eden-heart gets confused about what it means to be victorious.We can always be victorious — it just depends on what you mean by victorious. Or better, it depends on what God means by victorious. Want more? Order your copy of Moving Mountains today

The battle of desire is not something that just takes place within us or even between us. It is also taking place against us, all the time. Our desire is under nearly constant attack. “We come into the world longing,” says Gil Bailie, “for we know not what. We are desire. And desire is good, for it’s what takes us to God. But our desire is not hard-wired to God.” So we look to others to teach us what to desire. We are intensely imitative creatures, as Aristotle pointed out. It is how we learn language; it is how we master just about anything in life. It is also how we come to seize upon the objects of our desire. We all know this, though we don’t like to admit it.One example should suffice. I was at a garage sale, looking for some tools. There was a table saw at a wonderful price. Another fellow was sort of browsing around, standing in front of the saw but not seeming particularly interested. I opened my mouth and made the fatal error: “Wow, that’s a great price on that saw.” You know what happened next. Immediately, his nonchalance became intense interest, and since he was there before me, he drove off with a table saw that five minutes earlier he couldn’t have given two hoots about.The constant effort to arouse our desire and capture it can be described only as an assault. From the time we get up to the time we go to bed, we are inundated with one underlying message: it can be done. The life you are longing for can be achieved. Only buy this product, see this movie, drive this car, take this vacation, join this gym, what have you. The only disagreement is over the means, but everyone agrees on the end: we can find life now. Want more? Order your copy of The Journey of Desire today

Now — to find God, I have to look where God is. This might help folks who report that God “seems distant,” or as a friend recently commented (with a touch of cynicism), “He doesn’t seem to come around much.” If I want to find a hawk I look up in the sky, near the mountains where the thermals create an updraft. If I want to find our dog I simply have to find Stasi — he is usually curled up at her feet. Those who would find God must look where he lives — must live in the same manner, for the same things, for the same reasons. “God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him” (1 John 4:16).Every time we choose to love, we take a step closer to God; it’s like he’s right there. Every time we choose something else, we take a step away.I want God, so I choose love. Want more? Order your copy of Love & War today

The way to render a man happy, is to engage him with an object that will make him forget his private troubles. — PascalDon't be fooled by the apparent innocence of the object you've chosen as an idol; what is the function of it? Most of our idols also have a perfectly legitimate place in our lives. That's their cover, that's how we get away with our infidelity. The prophet Isaiah gives an example of this when he marvels at a man who cuts down a tree in the forest, and then puts it to two very different uses:Half of the wood he burns in the fire; Over it he prepares his meal, He roasts his meat and eats his fill.Nothing wrong here. That's the perfectly appropriate use of wood. But it doesn't end there (it rarely does):From the rest he makes a god, his idol;He bows down to it and worships He prays to it and says, "Save me; you are my god."The prophet is incredulous. "Doesn't he see what he's doing?," he wonders:No one stops to think, No one has the knowledge or understanding to say, "Half of it I used for fuel; I even baked bread over its coals, I roasted meat and ate. Shall I make a detestable thing from what is left? Shall I bow down to a block of wood? He feeds on ashes, a deluded heart misleads him; He cannot save himself or say, "Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?" (44:16-17,19-20)So there you have it: No one stops to think. No one wants to take a good, hard look at what they are really doing, for then we might see the lie. We would see the water hole for the muddy puddle it is. Our idols become the means by which we forget who we truly are and where we truly come from. They numb us. Want more? Order your copy of The Journey of Desire today

I was reading the prophet Jeremiah a few weeks ago when I ran across a passage that referred to God as "the Lord Almighty." To be honest, it didn't resonate. There's something too religious about the phrase; it sounds churchy, sanctimonious. The Lawd Almiiiighty. It sounds like something your grandmother would say when you came into her kitchen covered in mud. I found myself curious about what the actual phrase means in Hebrew. Might we have lost something in the translation? So I turned to the front of the version I was using for an explanation. Here is what the editors said:Because for most readers today the phrases "the Lord of hosts" and "God of hosts" have little meaning, this version renders them "the Lord Almighty" and "God Almighty." These renderings convey the sense of the Hebrew, namely, "he who is sovereign over all the 'hosts' (powers) in heaven and on earth, especially over the 'hosts' (armies) of Israel."No, they don't. They don't even come close. The Hebrew means "the God of angel armies," "the God of the armies who fight for his people." The God who is at war. Does "Lord Almighty" convey "the God who is at war"? Not to me, it doesn't. Not to anyone I've asked. It sounds like "the God who is up there but still in charge." Powerful, in control. The God of angel armies sounds like the one who would roll up his sleeves, take up sword and shield to break down gates of bronze, and cut through bars of iron to rescue me. Want more? Order your copy of Waking the Dead today

I think everyone prays at some point in their life, even if they’re not sure someone is listening. And I’ll bet that one of the most common prayers goes something like, Lord help me; give me strength.I really like that prayer. It has a genuine humility to it. We find ourselves facing something that overwhelms our personal resources, and we cry out for help, for strength. The man who casually answers his phone on a Tuesday afternoon only to hear that his family has been killed in an automobile accident. The woman who, at a routine exam, learns she has Stage IV breast cancer. The caregiver who day after day labors under the crushing load of providing for every need of their incapacitated loved one.Give me strength, Lord.Jesus liked that prayer.He instructed us to pray it, and he prayed it himself. (Hebrews 5:7) Toward the end of his days on earth, he began to give his disciples clear instructions for living through extremely hard times, knowing they would record those instructions for future generations — including you, dear ones. He assured us in no uncertain terms that this story would sweep toward a climax, and that those days would be especially hard on the human soul. He urged us to ask for the strength that prevails:Notice the fig tree, or any other tree. When the leaves come out, you know without being told that summer is near. In the same way, when you see all these things taking place, you can know that the Kingdom of God is near. I tell you the truth, this generation will not pass from the scene until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear. Watch out! Don’t let your hearts be dulled by carousing and drunkenness, and by the worries of this life. Don’t let that day catch you unaware, like a trap. For that day will come upon everyone living on the earth. Keep alert at all times. And pray that you might be strong enough to escape these coming horrors and stand before the Son of Man. (Luke 21:29–36 NLT)Strong enough to escape — that’s who and what we want to be. Strong enough to be the survivors, the triumphant ones. To make it through the storm.This is no ordinary strength Jesus is offering. This isn’t optimism, this isn’t simply feeling refreshed for a new day. Hard times require something more than willpower. Jesus warns us, urges us, practically commands us to ask for strength. The Greek word used here is katischuó and it meansto be strong to another’s detriment; to prevail against; to be superior in strength; to overcome; to prevail.This is a valiant strength. It implies a fight, an enemy we can and will prevail over. Want more? Order your copy of Resilient today

Years ago some kind soul sent me a book on the devil. It was rather dated, from the 1960s I believe, complete with little caricature drawings of Satan as our adversary. I’m ashamed to admit my first thought was, I know plenty about spiritual warfare; this looks juvenile. I was put off by the outdated style and comic drawings of the devil as a horned figure, something from Halloween. I’m very grateful to say that just as I was getting ready to toss it out, Jesus said to me, There’s something in here for you. So I opened the book and began to read.The author was making a claim that our enemy has a secret hold in each one of us, an access point from within. That got my attention; we’d been dealing with a great deal of spiritual attack, and I was eager for new tools that would gain us a more lasting victory. The author went on to say that this trap door, this inside access the devil has in every person is the Self. Part of me knew it was true, so I read on.Satan’s fall was brought about because he chose to exalt himself over God:How you are fallen from heaven, O shining star, son of the morning! You have been thrown down to the earth, you who destroyed the nations of the world. For you said to yourself, “I will ascend to heaven and set my throne above God’s stars. ... I will climb to the highest heavens and be like the Most High.” (Isaiah 14:12–14 NLT)Later, he found in mankind something of the same weakness, stubbornness, and self-centeredness, that he successfully leveraged to have us follow his lead: we chose to disobey God and reach for what we want, and so we exalted ourselves over our Creator Father. We replaced God with Self on the throne of our life. The author of the little book I was sent went on to explain that the devil doesn’t particularly care what your personal sins are, how he gets you to stumble; what he delights in is this internal access he has, the precious Self. For while we entertain the Self, pamper it, let it have its way, we crowd out the life of God. Want more? Order your copy of Get Your Life Back today

Spiritual warfare often tries to work like a computer virus — it loves to transfer around to as many people as it can, infecting whole households or even churches. You can witness this with great clarity when you are standing outside of it. You will step into certain fellowships and immediately feel an arrogant attitude, or perhaps something that feels very “religious” and stifling; perhaps there is a sense of guilt overwhelming the group. You’ve seen the same thing in family systems — how a particular sin or brokenness will play out down through a family line, such as divorce, infidelity, pornography and sexual sin, alcoholism, violence, poverty, shame, fear. Somebody’s sin opened the door, and because the spiritual realm works on authority, the enemy will seize the opportunity of the sin (often repeated and habitual sins) and will try to oppress all those within the “system.” Want more? Order your copy of Moving Mountains today

You can tell a lot about a person by his effect on others. What is Jesus like to be around? What is the aftertaste he leaves in your mouth? Is this someone you’d want to take a long car ride with? We saw Zacchaeus’ reaction. Here are two more, from people quite different from each other and from Zacchaeus:One of the Pharisees asked him over for a meal. He went to the Pharisee’s house and sat down at the dinner table. Just then a woman of the village, the town harlot, having learned that Jesus was a guest in the home of the Pharisee, came with a bottle of very expensive perfume and stood at his feet, weeping, raining tears on his feet. Letting down her hair, she dried his feet, kissed them, and anointed them with the perfume. (Luke 7:36–38 TM)No comment of mine could add to the beauty of this moment. Nor to this one:Two others, both criminals, were taken along with him for execution. [...] One of the criminals hanging alongside cursed him: “Some Messiah you are! Save yourself! Save us!” But the other one made him shut up: “Have you no fear of God? You’re getting the same as him. We deserve this, but not him — he did nothing to deserve this.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you enter your kingdom.” He said, “Don’t worry, I will. Today you will join me in paradise.” (Luke 23:32–43 TM)What is stunning to see in these brief accounts is that people who knew themselves to be anything but holy found the holiness of Jesus winsome, open-armed, and utterly compelling.Is this how you have understood holiness?It changes everything when you do. Want more? Order your copy of Free to Live today

To be a human being is to be stained glass—beautiful in our brokenness, but a collection of many parts nonetheless. Someone once wrote, “You are every age you have ever been.” They were speaking poetically but also naming something literal. You are six, eight, twelve, seventeen, and also your current age.The human heart and soul were designed for Eden. We live far from it, far off in a war-torn world that assaults the soul from the moment we take our first breath. (Even beforehand; in the womb a child can experience rejection, fear, even abandonment as their mother feels and projects those things into the pregnancy.) Sometimes the harm we experience in this world fragments the heart. Parts of us break off and remain stuck at that particular age until Jesus comes to heal them.We can call these areas of brokenness “young places” precisely because of the childish ways we respond when those areas are retraumatized. For example, someone gets mad at you, perhaps even yells at you. Part of you wants to run and hide in the closet— not the mature response of a forty-seven-year-old woman but that of a six-year-old girl. Or, the compulsion you have for ice cream whenever you are feeling anxious—not the mature reaction of a thirty-two-year-old man but rather the cry of a little boy who only ever felt loved when he was given ice cream. Most of us have had the experience, usually triggered by an upsetting event, where our internal world suddenly feels much younger than our current age. This is indication of the fragmentation caused by trauma, and let me add that when we are young it doesn’t take massive trauma to fragment our heart.Becoming aware of young places within you is a widely accepted practice in the therapeutic community. But our Creator foretold this centuries ago when the coming of his Messiah was announced in Isaiah 61:He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,to proclaim freedom for the captivesand release from darkness for the prisoners. (verse 1)The Hebrew for “brokenhearted” as used here is not a metaphor. It is blunt and vividly descriptive. Leb is Hebrew for “heart,” and shabar the word for “broken.” It is referring to a reality, not a poetic image. Elsewhere Isaiah uses shabar to describe a statue that has fallen to the ground and shattered into pieces. Actual fragmentation, not metaphor.Jesus chooses Isaiah 61 to announce his purpose in coming when he steps into the synagogue for his first public moment in Luke 4, placing the healing of our fragmentation at the epicenter of his mission to the human race. This is good news beyond our wildest hopes.Remember now—Jesus is your Creator. He planned on you, fashioned you in your mother’s womb, knows everything about you and everything about your story.Jesus is also able to access hidden things within us, for he knows the depths and mysteries of our being. With his help, and the help of the Holy Spirit, we can locate our fragmented parts and give Jesus access to them for their restoration.Want More? Order your copy of Experience Jesus. Really. today

Written centuries ago by St. Patrick, this is a profound and simple prayer for protection. We find ourselves returning to again and again:I arise today Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity. Through belief in the threeness, Through confession of the oneness, Of the Creator of Creation.I arise today Through the strength of Christ's birth with His baptism, Through the strength of His crucifixion with His burial, Through the strength of His resurrection with His ascension, Through the strength of His descent for the judgment of doom.I arise today Through the strength of the love of cherubim, In the obedience of angels, In the service of archangels, In the hope of resurrection to meet with reward, In the prayers of patriarchs, In the predictions of prophets, In the preaching of apostles, In the faith of confessors, In the innocence of holy virgins, In the deeds of righteous men.I arise today, through The strength of heaven, The light of the sun, The radiance of the moon, The splendor of fire, The speed of lightning, The swiftness of wind, The depth of the sea, The stability of the earth, The firmness of rock.I arise today, through God's strength to pilot me, God's might to uphold me, God's wisdom to guide me, God's eye to look before me, God's ear to hear me, God's word to speak for me, God's hand to guard me, God's shield to protect me, God's host to save me From snares of devils, From temptation of vices, From everyone who shall wish me ill, afar and near.I summon today All these powers between me and those evils, Against every cruel and merciless power that may oppose my body and soul, Against incantations of false prophets, Against black laws of pagandom, Against false laws of heretics, Against craft of idolatry, Against spells of witches and smiths and wizards, Against every knowledge that corrupts man's body and soul; Christ to shield me today Against poison, against burning, Against drowning, against wounding, So that there may come to me an abundance of reward.Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise, Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me, Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me. Want more? Visit our prayer page for more guided prayers that we pray

Jesus sustains all creation by the mighty power of his command. Obviously, or Satan would have torn all creation to pieces long ago. Jesus—through whom all things were made—is currently, at this moment, holding all things together; he sustains all creation. The love, forbearance, and patience of this is breathtaking—the tenderness and care, not to mention the mighty power of it!The Gospel is good news because the healing of our fragmented souls is available in Christ anywhere, anytime, to anyone in the world. “Through him all things were made and without him nothing was made that has been made.”Including you. Jesus Christ was intimately involved in your creation. He knows everything about you. That is why he can be so essential in our healing. He is the Integrating Center of all things, including your very being. As the fourth-century mystic Athanasius wrote in his beautiful essay On the Incarnation,The renewal of creation has been wrought by the self-same Word Who made it in the beginning.The Word of God came in His own Person, because it was he alone, the Image of the Father, Who could recreate man after the Image.Salvation is re-creation. Such hope is contained in this simple idea. As the twentieth-century mystic Leanne Payne repeated over and over again, “The soul is healed through union with Christ.”The mystic says, This is the answer to everything! O Jesus—re-create all things in me.Want More? Order your copy of Experience Jesus. Really. today

We are seeking refuge as ordinary mystics growing into mature mystics who recognize that the refuge of God is dynamic and requires our participation—as when we consecrate our lives to God daily, when we stay in the truth, or when we crush the scorpions trying to harm us.The refuge is always available; the refuge is something to be seized.I’ve made intentional references to trauma throughout the preceding chapters because I do believe that humanity’s deepest need is to find how union with God can address even our trauma.Faith has always been a fragile thing in the human heart. Precious, lifesaving, but fragile in the way a coral reef is fragile, or a newborn fawn in the woods. It is something to be protected.I would say the same of your humanity—your humanity is a fragile thing also, and when that coral reef is bombarded with chemicals, or when that fawn must constantly run from forest fires, the effects are traumatizing. As a metaphor, this is our daily experience on the planet. If we are truly to find the full refuge of God and his Kingdom, we must find healing for the vulnerable and traumatized places within us.Now don’t get anxious; Jesus has you. The Gospel is truly gospel, for the soul is healed through union with Christ, and that is available to every person, anytime, anywhere.Want More? Order your copy of Experience Jesus. Really. today

In Deuteronomy and in Hebrews we are reminded that our God is a jealous God, a consuming fire:Be careful not to forget the covenant of the LORD your God that he made with you; do not make for yourselves an idol in the form of anything the LORD your God has forbidden. For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God. (Deuteronomy 4:23–24)Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.” (Hebrews 12:28–29)God’s love is so passionate, so pure, so explosive, it is not merely like a consuming fire—it is a consuming fire. It consumes everything unholy. A mystic I know told me that sometimes when she visits the heart of God in prayerful communion she sees fire all around!And we should remember that many times in the Old Testament, when God promises to rescue his people, it is said he will come down as fire:The LORD reigns, let the earth be glad; let the distant shores rejoice.Clouds and thick darkness surround him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne. Fire goes before himand consumes his foes on every side. (Psalm 97:1–3)Fire goes before our Jesus and consumes his enemies on every side. In a violent war like this, where foul hatred is coming against you every day of your life, you need to call upon his fire! When it comes to foul spirits, demonic hatred, and things like every cruel, merciless power that may oppose my body and soul, incantations of false prophets, black laws of pagandom, false laws of heretics, craft of idolatry, and spells of witches and smiths and wizards, by all means call down holy fire-love against it! Call down the consuming fire! Consume it!Want More? Order your copy of Experience Jesus. Really. today

Love is something we are going to have to firmly protect.Now here is the problem—as soon as I say the word “love,” many different things come to your heart and mind.Oh great, now I have to take care of everyone.I guess I have to let my toxic mom back in.I don’t get to have my own feelings about this; I just have to let everyone have theirs.We all have a story of love, how we learned love in the world. Most of those lessons confused our hearts and souls about the nature of love. We need to allow Jesus to heal our story of love as we take refuge in his love. So when I say we need to protect love, I am only talking about love as we see modeled in Jesus Christ. He has the ability to move toward people, move against people, and move away from people as true love guides him.“And this I pray, that your love may overflow still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment” (Philippians 1:9 NASB). By all means, we need to be discerning in love. Sometimes that means distancing yourself from toxic people, setting healthy boundaries. But never out of cynicism, never in offense, and never in hatred. If love seems to be growing cold in your life, that should get your attention. Rush to protect it. I often pray,Fill me with your love for this person, Jesus. Fill love in me with your love.Jesus, I need you to restore love in me.Protecting love in your heart includes your love for God. Satan hates your love for Jesus and your Father; he will try to poison it. His favorite tools are suffering, chronic disappointment, or something that feels like God has betrayed or abandoned you. You must not let the enemy do this. So I have had to add this to my prayers as well:I cleanse my love of God with the Blood of Jesus and the River of Life.Want More? Order your copy of Experience Jesus. Really. today

For you bless the godly, O LORD; you surround them with your shield of love. –King DavidYou are safe and secure in the refuge of God. That is the major theme.The minor theme is the war raging outside, which we do need to take seriously. The enemy is arrogant, and he loves to intimidate us by making the war seem like the major theme. It is not. So let’s return to love.All who declare that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. (1 John 4:15–17)This is breathtakingly beautiful. God our refuge is unassailable love; as we intentionally choose to live in love, we secure ourselves within God and his refuge.So I often find myself praying,I take refuge in Your love, Jesus. I take refuge in Your love. Surround me with Your love. Shield me with Your mighty love.Want More? Order your copy of Experience Jesus. Really. today

Remember now—we are maturing in our understanding of how we actively participate as ordinary mystics in God as our refuge and stronghold; these passages are critical to God’s provision for us. “Trampling and crushing” are active and definitive movements—there is nothing passive here at all.But of course.You’re standing in the kitchen of your home one evening, doing dishes. Your toddler is playing on the floor nearby, when out of the corner of your eye you spot a scuttling movement on the tiles. You quickly turn to see a scorpion crawling toward your child, claws out in crablike fashion, poisonous tail raised to strike. How would you handle the moment?You would stomp on it.You would crush it without a moment’s hesitation.This is the promise, the assurance and the directive of our Lord Jesus on how we are to deal with foul spirits. It sounds a whole lot like Patrick’s Breastplate!I summon today all these powers between me and those evils,Against every cruel merciless power that may oppose my body and soul,Against incantations of false prophets,Against black laws of pagandom,Against false laws of heretics,Against craft of idolatry,Against spells of witches and smiths and wizards, Against every knowledge that corrupts man’s body and soul.We probably ought to admit that this is very different from the usual attitude taken by most followers of Jesus toward demonic assault (and “every cruel merciless power”). Most folks want to ignore spiritual warfare. The simple proof: How often do you pray directly against foul spirits? If it’s rarely, you’re ignoring it.But we are looking for the refuge of God, and he makes it clear that crushing the serpent is essential to finding shelter and staying in it. If a scorpion was scuttling across the floor to your toddler, you would not think twice; there would be no hesitation. You would stomp on it, making your home a safe place again.This is probably a good point in our journey to talk about authority and commanding “in the name of Jesus.” Christ has made it very clear that he has given his authority to us, and it is we who will “trample on snakes and scorpions and ... overcome all the power of the enemy” (Luke 10:19). Want More? Order your copy of Experience Jesus. Really. today

Let’s return to that gripping scene in the Judean wasteland. Imagine Jesus walking around his desert camp, fasting, praying, quoting Scripture, and no doubt declaring aloud Psalm 91, “El Shaddai is my refuge and fortress ...”It’s interesting to know that El Shaddai can be translated God of the wilderness:While the traditional English translation of Shaddai is based on the Greek ..., the Hebrew epithet Shaddai (שדי) has been understood by most scholars as deriving either from “mountain” (Akkadian šadû) or “field/wilderness” (Hebrew שדה). Hence, El Shaddai should more correctly be understood as the “God of the Mountains” or the “God of the Wilderness.” “You are with me in the wilderness, God of the wilderness; you are my stronghold, God of the mountain crags.”Now picture the evil one circling Jesus’ camp like a leopard or panther, just outside the firelight, watching intently, listening to the man he does not yet fully understand as the incarnate God declaring Psalm 91 aloud. I believe this is why Satan throws it back in his face:For he will command his angels concerning youto guard you in all your ways;they will lift you up in their hands,so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.Folks, the very next verse foretells his downfall:You will tread on the lion and the cobra;you will trample the great lion and the serpent.Clearly, clearly the reader is meant to understand the lions and cobras of Psalm 91 to refer to foul spirits. Satan knew that he was the very serpent Psalm 91 promises victory over, for he was the serpent in the garden that Almighty God promises would be crushed by a coming messiah! Want More? Order your copy of Experience Jesus. Really. today

The spiritual warfare of the hour we are living in is no different than what Patrick and his disciples faced. It might be worse because of the lateness of the hour, and it can be withering when you are under it. In those desolate moments, when my heart feels abandoned by God and I want to cry out, Where are you, God? Why aren’t you doing something? I catch myself and protect my heart like a breastplate by declaring that he has intervened for us in the mightiest and most powerful of all ways.God has intervened for us with such thorough and everlasting victory in the work of Jesus Christ—his Cross, Resurrection, and Ascension.I don’t think most postmoderns understand this, or they feel far from it, but the mystic heart runs to take refuge here, in the fact that we have already been included in the Cross, Resurrection, and Ascension.I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:4–6)What greater fortress could we ask for than this? What greater deliverance? A new life, a new identity, situated with Christ right now in the heavens, in his authority? Father, thank you! Thank you, God! We take refuge in it! Show us how to actively participate in it!Want More? Order your copy of Experience Jesus. Really. today

Let me suggest for you one practice that is sustainable and very fruitful: the daily declaration, or proclamation, of essential truths. Returning to Psalm 91, notice the importance of the second verse:Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.This I declare about the LORD:He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;he is my God, and I trust him. (NLT, emphasis added)“This I declare.” God is making a proclamation, and a very important one.Declarations are both reminders to the soul and acts of defiance against the enemy’s constant lies. Of this verse Spurgeon wrote, “To take up a general truth and make it our own by personal faith is the highest wisdom ... to say he is my refuge, is the essence of consolation.”What I’m strongly suggesting is this: Before you head out the door into your day, after your morning prayers, take a few more moments to declare out loud,God is my Father.I am his son (or daughter). I am loved.I am chosen.God is my refuge.And so on.This counters the narrative assaults of The World, the cunning lies of our enemy, and it is also how we get out of the madness of allowing our feelings to dictate what is true and false for us. The saints and mystics through the ages held this to be an essential part of our fight for refuge.Want More? Order your copy of Experience Jesus. Really. today

More corrosive than all of these are the personal assaults of the enemy’s lies whispered to our hearts. They are far more brilliant than AI and utterly precise in their tailored messages to us. The evil one knows your story, your hurts and fears, your every vulnerability.Against our loving God, who gave his own life for us, Satan always says something to the effect of “No, he’s not.”God isn’t good, or he wouldn’t have let that happen. God isn’t with you; you are on your own.God isn’t listening to your prayers.God isn’t near to you; he’s somewhere else.Against your own heart Satan always undermines your identity, just as he tried to do with Jesus during his wilderness trial. “No, you’re not” is his essential message.You’re not seen.You’re not safe.You’re not forgiven.You’re not a loving person. You’re not going to be okay.On and on it goes. You know very well the personal version of this, the voices you wake to in the night or first thing in the morning.Dear sons and daughters of the Living God, you cannot talk yourself out of this poison. You must shut this assault down just as Christ showed you when he countered Satan’s lie upon lie with truth upon truth.The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.”Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’”The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. ... “If you worship me, it will all be yours.”Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’”The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down from here. For it is written:“‘He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully;they will lift you up in their hands,so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”Jesus answered, “It is said: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” (Luke 4:3–5, 7–12)And with that, Satan left.You don’t reason with demons; you silence them with the truth.Want More? Order your copy of Experience Jesus. Really. today

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship” (Romans 12:1). Our bodies are a very practical expression of something “under our rule,” something that belongs to us in immediate proximity. We have a say over our bodies in terms of what we eat, what we drink, who we have sex with, etc. And we are urged by God to present our bodies to him in an act of consecration.“Consecration” is choosing to dedicate something to Jesus to be his and his alone. The Hebrew word is qadash, directly related to the word qodesh, which means “holy.” Biblically speaking, the first act of consecration takes place on the seventh day of creation in Genesis 2:3, when God blesses and sanctifies the Sabbath day. From that point on, consecration becomes the precondition for God’s filling something. You can consecrate your body (and please, your sexuality), your money, your time, your dreams and aspirations. The refuge life is a consecrated life, which is to say we choose to bring our lives and all that is under our care into God’s Kingdom and under the rule of Jesus.Now, of course, consecration is both an act and a lifestyle. We choose to dedicate our bodies to God, and then we live that decision out as we operate in holiness in our sexuality, our appetites, and how we treat our bodies (we are not allowed to abuse them). The same holds true for anything “in our kingdom,” anything under our direct supervision.So, for example, my morning prayers begin this way:My dear Lord Jesus—I come to you now to be restored in you, renewed in you, and to receive your Glory, Love, and Kingdom. I love you, Jesus. I love you, Lord. I take refuge in you. And I give myself to you completely—heart and soul, mind and strength, body temple, spirit. I cleanse myself with your Blood—heart and soul, mind and strength, body temple, spirit. I ask your Holy Spirit to restore me in you, restore our union, and fill this time of prayer. Restore our union, Lord. Restore our union.Want More? Order your copy of Experience Jesus. Really. today

The mighty refuge psalm, Psalm 91, has a progression to it. First comes the promise:Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.Then, a recitation of the many ways that El Shaddai will protect us. Rescue from every trap and protection from deadly disease, the terrors of night, the arrow that flies by day. Oh to experience it! How humanity needs this in such a wicked hour.Nine verses in, there comes a critical turning point:If you make the Lord your refuge,if you make the Most High your shelter,no evil will conquer you. (verses 9–10)That “if” is revelatory.The refuge of God and his Kingdom is only for those who choose to take part in it. This fact is so irritating to human nature. We just want to get on with our life and have God cover us. That’s not quite how things work.“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.” (John 15:1–4)Hmmm ... Jesus is laying out conditions for a flourishing life. Were you aware there were conditions?He goes on,“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” (John 15:5–7)There is that irritating “if” again. If we remain in him, the refuge and resources of God are ours.Here is the simple fact: You can choose to leave the protection of God. People do it all the time. You can choose to live within God and his Kingdom refuge, or you can choose to live outside of it.“Remain in me,” Jesus urges. You can almost hear the plea in his voice: Stay in Me; don’t operate in anything outside of me. But we are stubborn creatures, we humans.Want More? Order your copy of Experience Jesus. Really. today

“Turn to God with all your heart,” wrote Thomas à Kempis, “and Christ will come to you.” First thing every morning, I pray something like this before I do anything else:I run to you this morning, Father. I run to you this morning, Jesus. I hide myself in you. I run into your refuge, Lord.And it happens; it takes place in the hidden realm.As you learn to be an ordinary mystic, ask the Holy Spirit for his help:Holy Spirit, help me turn to Jesus.Help me run to the Lord for refuge.Help me to hear his voice.I ask you to open my spiritual vision and hearing; tune my heart to your presence.Take me into the shelter of the Most High.As you grow in this practice, it will become the doorway into the intimacy, communion, and refuge your soul longs for. I want you to turn to Christ with your heart, right now. Turn away from all that holds your attention and turn toward Jesus with your heart.You can turn to Jesus by your side or you can turn to Jesus who dwells within you. He’s always right there. Give your heart’s attention to him. Give your heart’s affection to him.Want More? Order your copy of Experience Jesus. Really. today

One of my favorite Gospel stories takes place on Easter morning; it centers around Mary Magdalene. Heartbroken, devastated, Mary has gone to the tomb of Jesus to grieve, but his body is no longer there. Most of you have experienced grief; it is concussive, debilitating. Mary can hardly breathe, and her eyes are so drenched with tears she mistakes the risen Christ for the gardener:Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”Jesus said to her, “Mary.”She turned toward him and cried out, “Rabboni!” (John 20:11–16)She turned toward him. It is one of the best lines in all of Scripture. In her trauma and grief, she turns to face Jesus.I adore this story for so many reasons. Jesus chose Mary Magdalene—a single woman he invited into his inner circle, something no rabbi at that time would have even considered. He chose this very special friend of his to appear to on Easter morning before anyone else. Even before Peter and John. This is so beautiful I cry every time I read it.It is a very mystical story, by the way. Mary speaks to angels; she sees the resurrected Christ and speaks with him as well. It is all reported as quite normal. So we will have to include Mary Magdalene among the first of the famous Christian mystics. She is experiencing the Kingdom and its King.Jesus simply says her name, “Mary!” And she turns.That is all we need to do as well. This is the basic practice of learning to take refuge in God, this turning of the heart. The practice is closer, simpler, and more accessible to you than you might think.Want More? Order your copy of Experience Jesus. Really. today

David was a hunted man. He often had to hide in severe wilderness conditions from his pursuers, who would kill him in an instant if they found him, just like many persecuted people groups today.Harriet Tubman had to hide from her enemies as she guided slaves to freedom along the Underground Railroad during the American Civil War. Her stories sound a lot like David’s; she, too, was a mystic because she heard the voice of God, trusted it completely, and followed him through many dangers: “’Twasn’t me, ’twas the Lord! I always told Him, ‘I trust you. I don’t know where to go or what to do, but I expect you to lead me,’ an’ He always did.”In times of desolation, David turned to God with all his heart and found him to be his true refuge before anything in his circumstances changed:O God, you are my God;I earnestly search for you.My soul thirsts for you;my whole body longs for youin this parched and weary land where there is no water.I have seen you in your sanctuaryand gazed upon your power and glory.Your unfailing love is better than life itself. (Psalm 63:1–3, emphasis added)The mystic can access God anywhere; this is very good news. This was the secret of the beautiful life of Brother Lawrence, known for his book The Practice of the Presence of God:I cannot imagine how religious persons can live satisfied without the practice of the presence of God. For my part I keep myself retired with Him in the depth of the centre of my soul as much as I can; and while I am so with Him I fear nothing; but the least turning from Him is insupportable.The maturing mystic is not satisfied with anything short of union with Christ. This is what our humanity was made for and this is what Christ invites us into: “I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me” (John 17:22). “Then they’ll be mature in this oneness” (John 17:23 The Message).Want More? Order your copy of Experience Jesus. Really. today

When the author of Psalm 91 invites us to take refuge in the shelter of the Most High, where does he have in mind? What actual place in the actual universe are we invited to?The word for “shelter” in the opening verse (“Those who live in the shelter of the Most High”) can be translated as a “hidden place” or “secret place”—the very experience children are searching for when building forts: “This is my secret, special place.” A great deal has been written about the secret place of God by mystics through the ages, some of it exquisite and some of it so vague as to be unhelpful. If we are invited to take refuge in the secret place, it can’t be so mysterious as to be beyond finding.What is the inmost place of God? What is the absolute center?His heart. Just as your heart is the very center of your being, so our Father’s heart is the center of his.As the twentieth-century mystic A. W. Tozer reminds us, “God is a Person, and in the deep of His mighty nature He thinks, wills, enjoys, feels, loves, desires and suffers as any other person may.” (The Pursuit of God)The secret place of God is his heart, and we are invited to take refuge there! What privilege, what intimacy, what joy!Trailing clouds of glory you came from the heart of God, and you can return to his heart. This is the truest and greatest homecoming of all. The presence of God—Father, Son, Holy Spirit—and the vast resources of his Kingdom are always nearby. But we do need to make conscious choices to take our refuge in God and his Kingdom. Otherwise we are taking refuge somewhere else.Want More? Order your copy of Experience Jesus. Really. today

We don’t know much about stages of development in our instant culture. We have someone else make our coffee for us. We no longer have to wait to have our photos developed — not even an hour — for now we have digital cameras that deliver back to us the image, instantly. We don’t have to wait to get in touch with someone — we can e-mail them, page them, call them on a cell phone, instant-message them this moment. We don’t need to wait for our leather jackets or our jeans or caps to age to get that rugged look — they come that way now, prefaded, tattered. Character that can be bought and worn immediately.But God is a God of process. If you want an oak tree, he has you start with an acorn. If you want a Bible, well, he delivers that over the course of more than a thousand years. If you want a man, you must begin with the boy. God ordained the stages of masculine development. They are woven into the fabric of our being, just as the laws of nature are woven into the fabric of the earth. In fact, those who lived closer to the earth respected and embraced the stages for centuries upon centuries. We might think of them as the ancient paths. Only recently have we lost touch with them. In exchange for triple-venti nonfat sugar-free vanilla lattes. The result of having abandoned masculine initiation is a world of unfinished, uninitiated men.But it doesn’t have to be this way. We needn’t wander in a fog. We don’t have to live alone, striving, sulking, uncertain, angry. We don’t have to figure life out for ourselves. Want more? Order your copy of Fathered by God today