it will happen.

"so keep up your courage, men, for i have faith in God that it will happen just as He told me."

-paul's words in the midst of the storm, acts 27.

falling and rising.

"if there is anywhere on earth a lover of God who is always kept safe, i know nothing of it, for it was not shown to me. But this was shown: that in falling and rising again we are always kept in that same precious love."

-julian of norwich.

pay attention.

"and we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit."

-2 peter 1.

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it seems we are living in a time of prophecy. of this i have no doubt. there are things stirring under the surface, and the Spirit of God is moving in new and different ways in our time. i feel it in my heart, my breath, my bones.

which is why the above passage grabbed me and shook me up a bit this morning. because there are a lot of people saying a lot of things in our time, and not all that is being uttered is truth.

some of what is being said is merely a skewed and manipulated version of God's message, and some of what is being said is the pure and fiery will of God spoken through people carried along by the Holy Spirit.

and often it can be very difficult to discern the difference between the two.

and in the midst of it all, my heart cries out for the pure and living voice of God.

i want to be able to discern what is true.

i want to have ears that hear.

which is why i feel such an urgency to KNOW THE WORD, to root the sayings of these prophets and kings and servants and missionaries, and above all else, this Mighty God, and to learn them well.

i want to be able to hear my Shepherd's voice when my Shepherd speaks, and to follow Him when and where He leads.

i want to be able to discern truth through the knowledge of the Word of God.

i want, as our Rabbi and Messiah prayed that night on gethsemane, to be SANCTIFIED through the truth.

and so each morning i will rise early, and each night i will go to bed late, pouring over and devouring this blessed Book.

because God is moving.

and God is speaking.

and I want to be able to discern which words are His.

time and again.

"grace is doled out in generous, earth-shattering bits, just enough to overwhelm and humble us time and again."

-e vaughn do.

the water of life.

"The Spirit and the bride say, 'Come!' And let him who hears say, 'Come!' Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.

He who testifies to these things says, 'Yes, I am coming soon.'

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God's people.

Amen."

revelation 22.

held.

I am held, even though so often I do not hold.

bless God for His grace.

farsighted.

"but in the end such tired words shall rest.
the truth will reroute the narrow things they've said.
the marionette strings will lower and untie.
and out of the ashes love will be realized.

because God knows we've been naive.
and a bit nearsighted, to say the least."

-sleeping at last.

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"But as the heavens are high above the earth,
so are My ways high above your ways
and My plans above your plans.

For as the rain or snow drops from heaven
and returns not there,
but soaks the earth
and makes it bring forth vegetation,
yielding seed for sowing and bread for eating,

So is the word that issues from My mouth:
it does not come back to me unfulfilled,
but performs what I purpose,
achieves what I sent it to do.

Yea, you shall leave in joy and be led home
secure."

-isaiah 56.