The Spiritual Shift: The Invitation

                          The Invitation

You received the strange invitation a week ago, and honestly, you had been dreading the meeting as the day inched closer and closer.

You did not have time for this; your college life was entirely too busy. On top of that the card stated, "You are invited..." One is never invited to something before sunrise; before sunrise is an appointment--a summons.

"You are invited to a special time of meeting. 

Five minutes before sunrise. 

We are looking forward to seeing you."

Yes, the invitation was slightly cryptic, but deep in your soul, you knew it was time to meet. 

Like being summoned to the principal's office or being told the boss needed to see you immediately, your mind spiraled over all the possible scenarios that could have led to this summons.

The appointment time arrived. Five minutes before sunrise. 

You approached the meeting place filled with trepidation. Heavy ornate curtains were draped across the threshold, but one could see a slight gap to make the entrance clear. 

You took a deep breath as you crossed through the curtain to the room beyond. 

Your heart raced as you took in the scene. The room had a warm candlelit-type glow to it, but there were no candles. A solid wood dining room table was in the center of the room. Three of the chairs were already occupied.

You somewhat hesitantly filled the fourth chair.

You sat. Quiet. Humbled. Guilty. Uncertain.

The realization of the invitation landed on your heart. 

You were sitting at a table with the Triune God. The Trinity wanted to meet with you? Your appointment was with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. 

Like a dreaded intervention, this was a long-put-off meeting with your spiritual family.

At first, the Three spoke as One, "It is so good to see you. How are you doing?"

Wait. What? Almighty God wants to know how you are? 

This isn't a scolding that you haven't been going to church enough? 

This isn't a meeting about putting more money in the offering plate?

The weight of the moment hit your brain first, then it settled into your heart. Your eyes filled. Silence filled the room as they waited for your response. It wasn't the weighty classroom silence after a teacher asks for a volunteer, but it was a comfortable, patient silence. God Almighty wanted to know how you are.

You didn't have a response at first. How are you? You haven't taken any time to think about it. You have just been hurriedly, breathlessly, going from one thing to the next. 

You feel the need to start with apologies and excuses. You had planned to offer your prepared explanations for why you hadn't kept in touch, but as you slowly looked into the eyes of those seated at the table, your heart told you that you just needed to answer the question.

You slowly swallowed, stifled your tears, and turned to Jesus. You explained your roommate issues, and He nods knowingly. "Getting along with others is tough; you can't imagine the skirmishes amongst the disciples that would come up every day." He chuckled a little at the memory, and then became serious again and offered you some beautiful, insightful advice about how to handle the situation. 

A pause. 

You soaked in the peace and the comfort you felt at finally talking with someone about your roommates. The problem didn't seem so overwhelming anymore. You thought back to memories of Jesus that you had in the past, and you thank Him for the example He provided and for the sacrifices He made for you. 

You turned to Almighty God the Father next. He asked, "How are you handling everything?"

You took a deep breath and shared honestly. The adjustment had been more challenging than you thought it would be, but you assured him that you are figuring it all out. The car was running well and you have paid the bills. 

He nodded and smiled with pride, He then complimented you on your tenacity and strength. 

You thanked Him for being such a faithful Provider for you all of these years. 

Another silence. 

Holy Spirit Mother asked for your attention. She looked deep into your eyes, and in that instant, you knew that she knew. Your eyes again brim with tears. You took a deep breath and with a weak, shaking voice, you began to share, "Life has been so hard." The facade you had been holding onto slowly slid away. All the challenges you had been facing tumbled out.

The Holy Spirit took your hand, and your eyes and your spirit lifted instantly as a peace calmed your spiraling thoughts.

"We know...We knew this would be challenging. We knew that you felt like you were living in the midst of a storm at sea. You stubbornly were trying to do everything all by yourself. But--look at me please.... We were there. We are here! God the Father was there--God the Son was there--I was there. We have not--nor will we ever--leave your side. Remember to seek us--acknowledge us--ask us. We can--and will--guide you. Living in your own power is exhausting; let us offer you wisdom and strength each day. We don't want you to just do things for us--we want you to serve with us."

They all again spoke in unison. "We know...Be still...We know...We love you so much."

You believed them, and you were renewed. You thanked each of them for their loving guidance and protection over your life. You reassured them that you would be meeting with them regularly, and that next time you would let them do more of the talking. 

You stood to leave, and you felt the overwhelming urge to kneel--to bow--to submit--to yield your all.

You confessed that you had dreaded the invitation and that you looked at it more as an obligation than an invitation. You admitted that you had come to think of this relationship as a duty to be scheduled on Sunday mornings. You asked for forgiveness and then you boldly asked for wisdom. You specifically turned to Jesus like you would a teammate, and said, "Teach me, please. Teach me to be more like You."

When you rose to your feet again, you lifted your head higher and you pushed your shoulders back in order to stand taller--straighter--prouder. 

Your voice, clearer than at any other point in the meeting, full of confidence, 

"Thank You for meeting with me. Thank You for letting me be a part of this Heavenly Family."

"Commit to the LORD whatever you do,

and he will establish your plans." ~Proverbs 16:3

  

       Week #3 Re-cap: A Cozy Campfire

I hope you have at least one fond memory of a campfire. We are wrapping up this week of The Spiritual Shift similar to the way we ended The Spiritual Sync: we are thinking about a campfire. Whether we are actually camping or simply having a fire in a backyard firepit, there is something special about the surroundings and the atmosphere created with that spark igniting the kindling into a growing flame.

I feel it in my heart. Somehow sitting in front of a fire seems to start warming me to the core with comfort and peace, and burning some of the day's concerns into ashes. 

How can this view of a cozy campfire be our re-cap of our week analyzing the role of "stuff" in our lives? Well, imagine our fire. We are breathing in the scent of the wood, feeling the warmth of the flame, and hearing the faint crackling of the fire. Someone might be busy fetching supplies for s'mores. Other than that, we only bring ourselves to this fire; we leave all the "stuff" behind. We didn't haul our work out with us, and we left the distraction of the TV and technology behind us. 

Hopefully, we are gathering with a few loved ones, and this is when we can witness and experience a Spiritual Shift in front of our eyes. You see, as the logs shift in the fire with the glow of the flame, our moods and our thoughts shift as well. The dancing of the flames helps memories also dance into our recollection. Stories begin to take shape. First one, and then more.

Yes, Grandma loved climbing trees. I did too. As a girl I got in trouble for messing up one of my good Sunday dresses with mulberry juice.

Was Dad's story of shattering his kneecap while in the Navy true? 

Your Grandpa Martin was a great storyteller, but he also enjoyed just sitting and thinking and considering inventions. He had his usual spot downstairs in the rocking chair...He had quite a few stories about the Native American boarding school...Yes, he also called Grandma "Dolly." 

The wise know to appreciate the words and to listen closely. Just as we savor the ooey sweetness of the chocolate-marshmallow combination of the s'mores, we need to savor the beautiful combination of recollection and remembering dancing within those flames. 

Again, the "stuff" isn't in the way of these precious tales. Some of these stories may be a combination of fact and fiction, but like the braiding of sweetgrass, these stories braid strands of memories, connections, and community within the listeners. This bond is warm and special and sacred in the way a family quilt is comforting when it is stitched together. 

While these stories and these moments are priceless treasures in which our family heritage grows, let us also consider using these moments to help our spiritual heritage to grow. Let us use these times to affirm to each other how good our God is and the reality of God's consistent and continual work in our lives. 

I call the moments when we know God was at work in our lives Joshua Stones. In the book of Joshua, God commanded Joshua to lead the Israelites across the Jordan and in addition, they were to gather twelve stones in order to create a landmark.

Joshua 4:20-24 [bold emphasis added]

"And Joshua set up at Gilgal the twelve stones they had taken out of the Jordan. He said to the Israelites, 'In the future when your descendants ask their parents, 'What do these stones mean?' tell them, 'Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.' For the LORD your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. The LORD your God did to the Jordan what he had done to the Red Sea when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over. He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the LORD is powerful and so that you might always fear the LORD your God."

God provides landmarks for us. These landmarks are truly for us in order to mark God's work in our lives.

God is well aware of the fact that we need reminders; these stones were that reminder.

We each have specific times and "landmarks" of God's work in our lives.

Have we ever told the story of these stones?

Most of us have a scar from some adventure in our pasts.

We might have been asked--on more than one occasion--to tell the story of this adventure.

How much more important to share the story of our faith journey?

Each part of it has been carefully configured to shape us and to help fulfill God's plan.

Let's give God the credit He deserves.

John 21:24-25

"This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true.

Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written."

We know these words to be true because Jesus is still at work in my life and in yours and in the lives of all believers. Let us testify to Jesus' glorious works!

Are we keeping our story to ourselves? We need to prayerfully consider sharing our stories. The Spirit will truly guide each of us to the who, the what, and the when. We need to provide the willingness.

So, we have shifted our relationship with our stuff, let us take some time--maybe around the warmth of a campfire--and collect the Joshua Stones in our lives so that we are able to share these memorable moments with those whom God puts in our paths.

1 Peter 3:15 NIV

"But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect."

Part of revering our God is knowing our story. Knowing our story requires us to know our God. Knowing our God and our story requires us to put aside our "stuff" in order to not be distracted. Obviously, God typically doesn't ask us to memorize a ten-minute speech complete with a presentation in order to share our testimony. The opportunity to share truly can be as simple as sitting in a coffee shop or waiting in long line and striking up a conversation. 

Deuteronomy 6:4-9

"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates."

Love God and talk about His Loving Goodness. 

The question is are we ready? Do we know our story? Do we know God's part in our story? Are we willing to revere God enough to give Great Mystery the credit He is due for His work in our lives?

This story--this collection of Joshua Stones--could be the very spark that ignites another story in another campfire--and another--and another. 

2 Timothy 1:6-7

"For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline."

Let us be willing to warm ourselves and others with the stories of God's love and sacrifice for us. 

Prayer: Almighty Yahweh, we love You. Help us to remember the pieces of our story with You. Help us to courageously tell of Your Loving Grace. Guide us to give You the glory, and let us submit to Your Holy Spirit's prompting. May we help others feel the tender warmth of Your Love. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you?

To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” ~Micah 6:8

   

                       Week #2 Re-cap: What's in a Name?

Challenge: Take a few minutes to list the names 
of the people who are most important to you.

Called by Name

We are at the end of week #2, and we have just examined our relationships with ourselves, with time, and with others. As we examine our lists, let's reflect on these relationships.

Look at the names on your list. One name on my list would be my husband. We met in college, dated a few years, and have now been married for 35 years. Our relationship has developed and deepened each year of our marriage. Other names on my list would be my four children and their spouses. Each of these relationships have been different durations, but their impact and importance in my life is ever present. The longest relationship on my list would be that of one of my older sisters. She, of course, has known me all my life.

Now, at the top of the list write down your name for your Creator.

Which name did you choose? What is the name you use most frequently for God?

Almighty God? Lord God? Heavenly Father?--Did you just write down simply God?

Whatever the choice, let us reflect for a few minutes.

I had the pleasure of teaching in a Christian school last year, and my senior English class would visit one of the first grade classes. On one of our visits, we helped the first graders write a prayer in their prayer journal. In order to help the students, the teacher had a beautiful poster with a few of the different names for God that occur throughout the Bible. It fascinated me to see these young minds consider--deliberate over--which name they wanted to use for that particular prayer. Did they want to use Most High, or did they want to write Everlasting God or Good Shepherd?

Do we purposefully reflect on the nature of God when talking to--or about--our Maker, the King of Kings? 

When reading through the Bible, take note of the various names used to refer to God. Consider what these names or descriptions reveal about the character and personality of Almighty God. 

A few verses to consider: {bold emphasis mine}

 

Psalm 103:1

"Praise the LORD, my soul;

all my inmost being, praise his holy name."

Psalm 34:1-3

"I will extol the LORD at all times;

his praise will always be on my lips.

I will glory in the LORD;

let the afflicted hear and rejoice.

Glorify the LORD with me;

let us exalt his name together."

Isaiah 57:15

"For this is what the high and exalted One says--

he who lives forever, whose name is holy:

'I live in a high and holy place, 

but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit,

to revive the spirit of the lowly

and to revive the heart of the contrite.'"

Psalm 147:4

"He [God] determines the number of the stars

and calls them each by name."

Names are a means of identifying and distinguishing. Names are significant. Names are important.

Psalm 100

"Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. 

Worship the LORD with gladness; 

come before him with joyful songs. 

Know that the LORD is God.

It is he who made us, and we are his/

we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. 

Enter his gates with thanksgiving

and his courts with praise;

give thanks to him and praise his name. 

For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;

his faithfulness continues through all generations."

What a beautiful psalm! My Bible labels it, "for giving grateful praise." That description is appropriate. However, we might not all be aware of one aspect of the translation. 

My daughter Alyssa sent me a text: "Bible Fun Fact: Number of times the word 'Lord' appears in the Bible: 6,781."

So, I had to research this a little more. The introduction to the concordance in my NIV Bible states the following: "Two entries are marked with an asterisk (*). LORD* and LORD'S* list occurrences of the proper name of God, Yahweh, spelled "LORD" and "LORD'S' in the NIV. These entries are distinguished from LORD and LORD's, which list occurrences of the title 'Lord' and "Lord's.'"

Okay, so let's process this. Do I understand this correctly? Mixed in with the grand total of over 6,000 times the word lord  is used in the NIV translation, there are times when it is just "lord" and there are times when it is the Precious, Proper Name of our Creator? This is certainly a distinction worth making. To clarify further, when the word lord is referring to God's proper name, LORD is used.

Okay, so I still need a little more understanding. The following video helped.

The Bible Project: "God's Name Has Changed?!"

Exodus 3 offers us the conversation between Moses and God in which God reveals His Name. If possible, please read the entire exchange.

Exodus 3:5-6, 13-15 [bold emphasis mine]

"'Do not come any closer,' God said. 'Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.' Then he said, 'I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.'

At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.... 

[God then reveals His plan to have Moses speak to Pharoah and lead His people out of Egypt.]

Moses said to God, 'Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' Then what shall I tell them?'

God said to Moses, 'I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you.'

God also said to Moses, 'Say to the Israelites, 'The LORD, the God of your fathers--the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob--has sent me to you.'

This is my name forever,

the name you shall call me

from generation to generation.'"

The Biblica website offers this explanation:

"Out of respect for the Jewish tradition of not uttering the sacred Name of God, the Committee on Bible Translation (CBT) for the NIV have chosen to display every instance of the Name YHWH in the Hebrew Bible as 'Lord.'"

Exodus 15:1-3 [This is in celebration and thanksgiving that God has ushered them out of Egypt and allowed them to cross the Red Sea on dry ground.]

"Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the LORD:

'I will sing to the LORD,

for he is highly exalted.

Both horse and driver 

he has hurled into the sea. 

The LORD is my strength and my defense;

he has become my salvation.

He is my God, and I will praise him, 

my father's God, and I will exalt him.

The LORD is a warrior;

the LORD is his name. 

Now, my daughter has some strong opinions about using the term Lord; she stated, "I never liked that word because it felt controlling and I associated it with like landlords and governments and earthly people who own things and have power over people." While this term does explain God's authority, it certainly seems limiting and does not even begin to encompass the omniscient, omnipresent essence of our Maker. Some Native American tribes refer to God as Great Mystery. Of these two titles, which seems more fitting? LORD or Great Mystery?

This video by Dr. Ronn Johnson concisely explains the translation and shares a suggestion for us. He wants us to replace the words the LORD with Yahweh.

Let's try it. 

Exodus 15:1-3 [We are replacing the LORD with Yahweh.]

"Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to Yahweh:

'I will sing to Yahweh,

for he is highly exalted.

Both horse and driver 

he has hurled into the sea. 

Yahweh is my strength and my defense;

he has become my salvation.

He is my God, and I will praise him, 

my father's God, and I will exalt him.

Yahweh is a warrior;

Yahweh is his name." 

Another video--one by Salmo77--explains the pronunciation of YHWH. 

Now, we are going to fast forward a little bit to Exodus 20:

Exodus 20:1-4, 7 [bold emphasis mine]

"And God spoke all these words:

'I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

You shall have no other gods before me. 

You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below....

You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.'"

We honor people when we know their names. We honor people when we refer to them by name. Do we know our Savior and Creator well enough to call Him by name?

Is there a chance that we have misused the name of God? Do we need to repent of a misunderstanding with Yahweh? Read God's Word and prayerfully consider where we stand in our relationship. We know names are important; we know to call our friends and relatives and people we meet by name. How much more important is it that we honor God by the names we use use when we call to Him and when we share all He has done in our lives. 

Let's close this re-cap with a couple of the verses that we started with today:

[We are replacing the LORD with Yahweh.]

Psalm 103:1

"Praise Yahweh, my soul;

all my inmost being, praise his holy name."

Psalm 34:1-3

"I will extol Yahweh at all times;

his praise will always be on my lips.

I will glory in Yahweh;

let the afflicted hear and rejoice.

Glorify Yahweh with me;

let us exalt his name together."

Realigning our relationships with God and with people means calling them by name. It means that we shift into truly knowing and spending time with those who are important to us. Let us do better. 

Prayer: 

Almighty God, we want to know You. Forgive us for the times we have taken our relationship for granted. Forgive us for using Your Name carelessly. Help us to revere Your Name, Yahweh. We know You as our Creator and Protector. We seek to know You more, Great Mystery. Guide us in our relationship with You and with our relationship with others. May we value others.  In Jesus' Name. Amen.

“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." ~Romans 12:18

  

                       Week #1 Re-cap: Adjust Our Posture

Assessment time: 

Let's see where we stand with Almighty God right now:

• I check in with God primarily on Sundays.
• Church is the place where I commune with God.
• I own a Bible.
• I read my Bible daily.
• I have memorized Bible verses.
• I pray before I eat. 
• I pray when I awake and/or when I go to bed. 
• I pray numerous times throughout the day.
• I mainly use the name "God" when speaking to or about my Creator.
• I speak about my faith regularly. 
• I speak about my faith rarely.
• I have told at least one person about my faith journey.
• I know the story of my faith journey.
• I regularly strive to help others.

Think of the above list. Our relationship with Almighty God, with Jesus, with God's Word, with prayer, with helping others. Are we happy--content--satisfied--with our responses? Are we convicted in one or more areas?

Regaining Reverence

We have all probably been in a situation that has heightened emotions and increased volume, and the following words came forth from someone's mouth:

"Who do you think you are talking to?"

Whether we were the receiver of these words or whether we spoke them, the message of the conversation is clear:  

"Who do you think you are talking to?" The words cause an instant reset in the listener. A boundary has been crossed--a border has been trampled. The relationship has not been respected.

Now, let's make this personal and spiritual. Almighty God has asked for our attention. And as we stand before the holy throne of God, we are asked, "Who do you think you are talking to?"--Not in a scolding way, but in a calm, unhurried manner in which we know a thoughtful response is expected. 

The disciples found themselves in this exact conversation, and Jesus was the one gently asking the question, "Who do people say I am?" He wisely started the inquiry with a curiosity about who others thought of him. Once the disciples had shared others' views, Jesus made it personal. He directed his disciples to formulate their own opinion. He knew they had probably been struggling with this in their own minds, and there is power in verbalizing the conclusion.

In education this method is called, "they say, I say." This centers on the fact that we have countless opinions of others at our fingertips, but after we have gathered the opinions of others, it is essential that we move past those to the next crucial step.

Given what I know to be true and what they say, what now do I say?

Before we answer, let's contemplate our view of the Most Holy Place. 

Leviticus 16:2 [Chapter 16 explains the process for the Day of Atonement]

"The LORD said to Moses: 'Tell your brother Aaron that he is not to come whenever he chooses into the Most Holy Place behind the curtain in front of the atonement cover on the ark, or else he will die. For I will appear in the cloud over the atonement cover.'"

John 4:19-26

"'Sir,' the woman said, 'I can see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.'

'Woman,' Jesus replied, 'believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshippers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.'

The woman said, 'I know that Messiah' (called Christ) 'is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.'

Then Jesus declared, 'I, the one speaking to you--I am he.'"

Matthew 27:50-51

"And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.

At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split."

Mark 15:37-38

"With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.

The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom."

Luke 23:44-46

"It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, 'Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.' When he had said this, he breathed his last."

That curtain was a physical representation of a much bigger spiritual action: the path to God's throne, the entrance to the heavenly Most Holy Place. 

Hebrews 4:14-16

"Therefore, since we have a great high priest who ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."

Hebrews 10:19-23

"Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful."

1 Corinthians 3:16

"Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in your midst?"

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

"Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies."

2 Corinthians 3:12-18

"Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away. But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. But whenever anyone turs to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 

And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit."

No veils...No curtains...No barriers. 

Access to God's Holy Throne is available to all of us who acknowledge Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. Hallelujah! Let us be bold and speak to our Maker with the reverence the Almighty deserves.

Our worship includes confidently and humbly proclaiming our response to His question:

 

Psalm 95:6-7

"Come, let us bow down in worship,

let us kneel before the LORD our Maker;

for he is our God

and we are the People of his pasture, 

the flock under his care."

Prayer: 

Almighty God, we are so very grateful for all You do in our lives. We are so thankful for Your perfect plan and for Jesus' sacrifice for us. We confess that too often we sin and fall short. Please forgive us for taking You for granted, and for the times we have not treated You with the reverence You deserve. God, we ask for wisdom and for continued guidance as we strive to do better. Help us to live each day for You. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you?

To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” ~Micah 6:8

The Spiritual Shift: Conclusion--Relationships Realigned

                              Conclusion:

                Relationships Realigned

"Seek the LORD while he may be found;
call on him while he is near." ~Isaiah 55:6

We have done it! We reached the end of the 21-Day Spiritual Shift! Our goal was to be purposeful and spend 21 days assessing–and strengthening–our relationships. Like a patient leaving a productive chiropractic appointment or a person who can't see well finally getting a pair of glasses, hopefully we are walking a little straighter and seeing the world more clearly in all areas of our lives.

Let's recap our journey:

Week 1: Days 1-7     Spiritual Focus→We realigned our spiritual relationships.

Psalm 96

"Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all the earth.
Sing to the LORD, praise his name;
proclaim his salvation day after day.
Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous deeds among all peoples.

For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise;
he is to be feared above all gods.
For all the gods of the nations are idols,
but the LORD made the heavens.
Splendor and majesty are before him;
strength and glory are in his sanctuary.

Ascribe to the LORD, all you families of nations,
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;
bring an offering and come into his courts.
Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness;
tremble before him, all the earth.

Say among the nations, 'The LORD reigns.'
The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved;
he will judge the people with equity.

Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad;
let the sea resound, and all that is in it.
Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them;
let all the trees of the forest sing for joy.
Let all creation rejoice before the LORD, for he comes,
he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness
and the peoples in his faithfulness."

Week 2: Days 8-14 Personal Focus→We realigned our relationships with people.

Psalm 73:21-26

"When my heart was grieved
and my spirit embittered,
I was senseless and ignorant;
I was a brute beast before you.

Yet I am always with you;
you hold me by my right hand.
You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will take me into glory.
Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."

(We discussed one part of this sweet verse in The Spiritual Sync during our Prayer Process. God is holding our right hand, so He would be using His left. Why? Because Jesus is the One at God's right hand. What a picture!)

Week 3: Days 15-21 Material Focus→We realigned our relationship with “stuff.” 

Ecclesiastes 5:18-20

"This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given them--for this is their lot. Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil--this is a gift of God. They seldom reflect on the days of their life, because God keeps them occupied with gladness of heart."

This verse sounds a lot like, "Do what you need to do and find peace and contentment in the Lord." A loving relationship with God gives us gladness of heart (as opposed to a grumbling, arguing, complaining spirit). With our relationships realigned, we benefit from growing the fruit of the Holy Spirit in our hearts: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control.

Our routine:

Assessment: Moving forward, we need to be a little more sensitive to our relationships. We need to pay attention to how they are shifting with the seasons of our lives and make the needed adjustments and realignments along the way.

Reassess Regularly: The order of our Spiritual Shift was purposeful. We must always make sure that we are aligning with Almighty God first. Often, when we put God first, other relationships align more easily.

As with The Spiritual Sync, it is tough to end our time together. Here are a few more reminders about the loving character of God for us to savor.

2 Chronicles 13:12

"God is with us; he is our leader. His priests with their trumpets will sound the battle cry against you. People of Israel, do not fight against the LORD, the God of your ancestors, for you will not succeed."

Exodus 14:14

"The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still."

2 Corinthians 6:16

"What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said:
'I will live with them
and walk among them,
and I will be their God,
and they will be my people.'"

If we haven't already, we need to right our relationship with Jesus. We have to do more than acknowledge Him, we must accept that we are sinners, we must believe He came as a sacrifice for all of us, we must confess our own sins and commit to doing better. What does it mean to "do better"? Follow Jesus. We are on His team now and His standards are high. Will we be perfect, no, but if we are committing to live a life as Jesus did, we will certainly Do Better.

Matthew 16:24-27

"Then Jesus said to his disciples, 'Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done."

Having a team mentality can certainly help us understand our Christian relationship. Jesus is the ultimate team player; when we decide to be Christ followers, we are joining an eternal team. This whole Spiritual Shift has attempted to make us a better teammate. First, respect the coach; what the coach says is what happens. Second, respect ourselves and others. A team has to play as a unit; a team also has to have an understanding of the opponent. Finally, a team must maintain their focus; a team must manage distractions in order to be successful. As we go through this life, may we keep our eternal focus and help others join the team.

The world will come with all of its temptations, but we must hold firm and be steadfast. We must remain yoked with Jesus; we are on His team now.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."

Galatians 5:1

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery."

Romans 8:34-35

"Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died--more than that, who was raised to life--is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger of sword?"

Romans 8:37-39

"No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

We have completed The Spiritual Shift, and we have realigned all of those very important relationships.

Let us end where we started, but, I believe these verses will mean so much more than they did at the start.

Psalm 46:10

“He says, Be still, and know that I am God; 

I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

Micah 6:8

“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. 

And what does the LORD require of you?

To act justly and to love mercy 

and to walk humbly with your God.”

We know how to truly be still before God and trust in Him. We know to act justly and to love mercy, and to hopefully, walk humbly with our God. May we daily continue to pray and to strengthen our right relationships and to loosen our grip on others.

Prayer: 

Oh, Almighty God. What a journey! Thank You for revealing the richness of Your Word. Thank You for desiring a relationship with us, Lord God. We want to know You better, and we want to help others know You as well. Guide us, Lord God. In Jesus' Name. Amen. 

“...if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” ~2 Chronicles 7:14