Dear People Who Keep Company with God,
A couple of months ago during Sunday morning worship we were singing Andy Squyers’ song, “Glory in the Highest”. During this song I had a vision of all the martyrs from eternity past marching to their death as they sang this song. The thing that struck me was the look on their faces; it was one of complete love, devotion and peace. I was very impacted by the vision and since that time I have had some questions about my life on this earth. Is my life making a real difference in the world?
One morning as I pondered all of this I remembered last October when Heidi Baker came to Morningstar to speak. A group of us from Riverlife went to this meeting and I will never forget the message. Heidi shared her life message titled, “Passion and Compassion”. She seemed like a 12 year old girl with the authority of Paul the Apostle as she spoke that evening.
She told the story of the man bleeding and dying on the Jericho Road (Luke 10:25-38). She shared the story in such a unique way. First, the priest avoided him because he was so busy with his church growth strategies and next Sunday’s message preparation. Then the Levite avoided him as he was so caught up in being a cutting edge worship leader, creative musician and song writer . Finally someone came by who had eyes to see and compassion in his heart.
Luke 10:33
33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion.
The priest and Levite’s mind had been dulled by the god of this age (2 Cor. 4:4); they saw the man, but only with their natural eyes. It is to easy get so focused on the outward ‘important stuff’ that we miss what God is doing right around us. I knew in my heart that is how you really make a difference in this life; it is seeing what God is doing with the one person right in front of you.
She gave an altar call and I did not have any sense of conviction, emotion or anything, but I knew I had to respond to the message. As a minimum I just wanted to humble myself to the Lord in light of such a powerful word. Donna Culler went home that night and had a very powerful encounter with the Lord. She told me a 10 year old prophecy began to be fulfilled in her life. A couple of weeks later our women went on their annual retreat and we have experienced a move of the Holy Spirit since that day.
I believe the Holy Spirit’s main emphasis in this last year has been Him rooting and grounding us in the love of the Father. This means understanding the foundational truth that God really loves us, not for what we can do but simply for who we are, and it also means experiencing this truth. This knowledge comes not to the head but to the heart by revelation of the Holy Spirit as we encounter the nearness and dearness of God through being touched with His Presence. That is the passion that Heidi was talking about being established in our hearts.
1 John 4:19
We love Him because He first loved us.
Romans 5:5
Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
This is leading us to the compassion. When experiencing His presence brings you to a revelation of the love of God, then you will begin serving the Body of Christ and the world around you with the compassion of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is not sympathy or human sorrow; it is a power to change circumstance, to heal bodies and minds, and to set people free. It is so much easier to sow your life into others, helping them to discover the freedom that comes only from a revelation of the Father’s love.
It is so important that we continually invite the Holy Spirit to establish the throne of the Lord Jesus in our hearts and in our church for apart from Him continually moving, there is no oil and wine to give.
This is what the Lord desires to do in each of us, a life of passion for the Lord and compassion for those around us. As Heidi stated that night, passion without compassion is sad and compassion without power is sadder still. We must have both or we are like a bird with only one wing. We will never be able to leave the ground and fly.
May next year bring a greater outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
Many Blessings, BW