Spirit Led Living

I just recently went through a period of basking in the Lord’s presence and feeling His love in deep and personal ways.   From 5 days at the VineyardUSA national conference, to two wonderful weeks at the beach. First with dear friends and then just with my wife, I just swam in God’s love and yearned for His presence. It had been a long time since I felt that way. I felt so close to God. It was like I could hear His voice in my inner being and I wanted nothing more than to please Him and enjoy Him. Ps 34:8 Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. I was experiencing that love firsthand and it was the sweetest taste. I felt that refuge and experienced the peace that surpasses all human understanding. Rom 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. I understood that love in

Psalm 68:6a “God sets the lonely in families...” God is a loving God. Some us don’t have the luxury of natural families. Sometimes death, distance or family squabbles cause us to feel alone. I have always been a bit of a loner.  I’ve had some friendships, but I also have had many betrayals and after a while it is just easier to keep people at a distance. I’ve lost both my parents and my only biological family lives in Puerto Rico. Not exactly close. At one time I dreamt of having children only to discover that because of many x-rays that were taken while I was in-utero parts of my reproductive system did not develop and as a result I couldn’t father children. Many people felt sorry for my wife at the time because this impacted her ability to bear children. Somehow, no one stopped to think how I felt about it. I felt emasculated, defeated and less than a man. No children would be flesh of my flesh, blood of my blood. God provided and we were able to adopt Aaron and Ama

There is a thread that runs through the entire Bible and it is that of the Great Romance. From the opening pages of Genesis, through Song of Songs, the Gospels and on into Revelation, the Bible is one big love story. Solomon’s Song of Songs has been seen by many as just a near eastern erotic compilation of wedding poems that exalt the bride and groom. However, upon closer examination we can extrapolate that this is a love song between God and His creation; and more specifically between the groom, Christ, and His bride, the church. The Bible tells us that He delights in us, sings over us and calls us His treasure. I think in too many ways we tend to overthink and analyze our relationship with God. We make it overly cerebral and we disdain experiential emotionalism. I get it, we shouldn’t be ruled by our emotions, but faith is not just a matter intellect. Even Paul, the most cerebral of all the Apostles knew that every bit of knowledge and wisdom paled next to the power of love. I