July 2012: Bells and Smells/The Fear of the Lord

“Happy Holidays!” to those who are enjoying summer in the northern slice of our planet . . . and ”Warmest Greetings” to those underneath.

   is intended for the strengthening, encouragement and comfort of your soul and spirit; with a little  lightheartedness thrown in. Enjoy!

Feel free to use anything from , in whole or in part, in any way that will glorify God and advance His Kingdom.

Last chance to  sign up for this special Singapore National Day Weekend Gathering!

Aug 8-12 SINGAPORE/BATAM: with Dean Fujishima, Peter & Donna Jordan & Team. Harris Resort Waterfront Batam Click here to email for information Limited number of rooms. Immediate sign-up is soon enough!


 Bells & Smells

If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? (1 Cor 12:17)

For those of us who are still in command of our senses . . . errr, sorry, let me rephrase that: for those of us who still have our senses about us . . . no, no, no, that’s not quite right either. What I’m trying to say is that those of us whose five senses are still blessing us, perhaps we should take them less for granted—and actively enjoy them more.

Losing one’s sight—or never having had it at all—is something all of us would mourn. (I was going to say, ‘take a dim view of,’ but I thought better of it.) Touch and taste we might reluctantly be willing to lose, but not the gift of sight. How about hearing and smell?

What are your favorite sounds? Have you ever thought about them? God gave us hearing not just to communicate with one another, but to enjoy the natural sounds of nature—and even some of those made by man. Have a listen to (or just imagine), some of my favorites:

  • A lonely loon echoing its plaintive cry across a northern lake at dawn Loon
  • Deafening peals of thunder (when I’m safe and cosy in bed)
  • A restless wind rustling through arching trees
  • Hearing from God
  • The sounds of silence
  •  Joey, my canary, who sang like an angelCanary
  • Fierce raindrops beating and clattering against my windows
  • Great waves gathering momentum then crashing on rocks
  • A proud and pompous rooster crowing the morning into existence
  • A jammied, content and gurgling just-fed baby

And then there are manmade sounds and noises that can touch us and awaken good and special memories. For me?

  • A far-away train, clatteringly and hauntingly whistle-blowing its way through the middle of the night
  • Handel’s Messiah with full orchestra and choir (in person)
  • The moment of silence at an airshow, immediately before a superfast, super-low and super-thunderous jet roars overhead, scaring the cheese out of everybody
  • Mellow tones of the golden French horn; or the creamy-sounding cello
  • Dry logs flaming, crackling and sparking in a fireplace—Baby! It’s cold outside!

You get the idea. God gave us ears to hear—and to enjoy—the sounds around us.

It’s said that fish & houseguests smell after three days. The fish part is fact; the guest part should never be true . . . we should all be a ‘pleasing aroma of Christ,’ both to believers and yet-to-be-believers. (See 2 Cor 2:15)

And did you know that our God, unlike other gods, smells things? (Psalm 115:1-8)

I always feel badly for someone who has lost their sense of smell—there are so many delightful fragrances to savor in our world. What are your favorite aromas? Here are some of my odoriferous turn-ons . . .

  • Steamed rice
  • Bread baking
  • Bacon sputtering in a frying pan
  • Coffee brewing
  • Durian—the King of Fruit
  • Beefy steaks sizzling on a neighbor’s barbecue
  • Smelling the roses
  • A barnyard (I worked on a farm)
  • A just-baby-powdered, fresh-out-of-the-bath, baby
  • A sweet-smelling freshly-mowed lawn
  • Ozone from an impending thunderstorm
  • Wood smoke from the fireplace when you’re nearing home
  • Curry-cooking Indian neighbors (who share!)

There are also bad smells, but we won’t go there today, except to say that they usually result from rottenness of some kind.

I know when I smell good and when I smell bad—both relationally and physically—and I know what to do about it. So let’s all be ‘the fragrance of roses in other people’s noses,’ and a pleasing aroma to God.

Hearing and smelling are two of the senses God gave us. Enjoy and appreciate them!

Happy Hearings & Sweet Smellings,


  Stand-Alones

 Fall down seven times, stand up eight. Japanese proverb

Lord, keep your arm around my shoulder and your hand on my mouth

The real art of conversation is not only to say the right thing at the right time, but also to leave unsaid the wrong thing
 


             Potpourri

*On Being Used (from June )
 

*I have a friend here in Vietnam who is always wanting to help people and often ends up being used. I think this will be an encouragement to him. Thanks again. Name withheld
 

*Wow, thank you for the poignant piece on service and being used. It cut right to the heart of the matter and is giving me plenty of food for thought! Christian Freischlad, Germany
*Registered pharmacist needed in Côte D’Ivoire, West Africa Hôpital Baptiste needs a qualified pharmacist long or short term. Contact World Venture Africa Dept, Littleton, Colorado, 720-283-2000. Dr Chuck & Doris Marshall, USA (This couple who did their CDTS in 1980, have labored faithfully for many years at this hospital, but are no longer able to go.)

*For men only! Here’s a challenge for every husband . . .

God’s Ideal Man by Peter Caruso, CDTS 1982

Can a woman find a loving and honorable husband? He is more to be desired than wealth or successful career. She will find purpose and fulfillment in their relationship. His love for her is like Christ’s sacrificial love, putting her needs before his own.

Realizing he will never really understand his wife, he strives to have an understanding attitude toward her. He makes it his life-long job to study her; Click here to continue.


DONNA’S CORNER

The Fear Of The Lord

A couple of weeks ago, in obedience to God and with a professional and really good Christian crew, we re-filmed my DVD series, “Listening to God.”

Just before the filming sessions, and after spending almost seven hours with the Lord studying the fear of the Lord, I sensed Him say so clearly, “The KEY to seeing My Kingdom come (the hidden treasure), is the fear of the Lord and in listening to Him. I knew this in my head, but not with such heart revelation. It was a ‘now’ word.

For Session 11—the last 30-minute filmed ‘lap’—the subject was the fear of man and the fear of the Lord. As the session progressed, and as I tried to explain the fear of the Lord, I sensed the Spirit say, ‘just read the scriptures on the fear of the Lord from Genesis to Revelation, and don’t try to explain it.’ I was going quite quickly, reading scripture after scripture and got to the last one—Revelation 19:5-7 . . .

“Then a voice came from the throne, saying: ‘Praise our God, all you His servants, you who FEAR Him, both small and great! Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: ‘Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him glory!

“’For the wedding of the lamb has come . . .’”

At that exact moment there was a very LOUD peal of thunder that crashed into the room, and a bolt of lightning came down outside the house. The electricity was not touched and the thunder was captured on the DVD.

Some jumped, others cried, fell on their knees or had visions; the Spirit of God came on me, as I said with tears running down my cheeks, “You who have ears to hear, listen to what the Spirit is saying!”

A First Nations woman who was among us, a woman I respect and who has a voice in the education of her people, had this vision:

“In the heavenlies, I saw warriors, soldiers of many nations preparing . . . mounting up on horses. I saw the shoes of many nations, they had heard the battle cry of our KING! There was a trumpet sound! Quick! The roaring of horses! (This came to her after the lightning bolt and thunder.)

Fear hit me for Canada, for my people have lost the fear of God . . . they don’t hate what God hates and they don’t love what He loves.

I repented for our people because they were given eyes to see but don’t see . . . ears to hear but they don’t hear. I pray now for warriors to rise up across this land! With eyes of fire . . . and hearts that tremble when they hear the voice of our King of Kings and Lord of Lords; and having such a fear and reverence that it will touch the hearts of the nations; for our Lord has called for us!

This lady didn’t know, but if you continue reading Revelation 19:11-16 she had described a little of what is written there.

The fear of the Lord has really touched me, and I am pondering in my heart all that He is saying.

As God’s people walk in the fear of the Lord, all spheres of society will be affected. As we live out our lives in deep awe and respect and honor for God, loving what He loves and hating what He hates, the world will not be able to deny His power. (Acts 10:34-35)

*The fear of the Lord leads us to friendship with God.

*The fear of the Lord will keep us from sinning.

*In the proper fear of the Lord there is obedience and intimacy, worship, trust, sacrifice and love.

*When we draw close to our Father in intimacy we also start to see things from His perspective.

*Holy fear grows and flows through us the more we come to know Him.Love and Blessings,

 


Renewal Camps & Gatherings 

Aug 5-11 FRANCE: Le Gault la Forêt with Mariette Louw (English & French) Click for information  

Aug 8-12 SINGAPORE/BATAM: with Dean Fujishima, Peter & Donna Jordan & Team. Harris Resort Waterfront Batam Click here to email for information Limited number of rooms. Immediate sign-up is soon enough!

Aug 19-25 SWITZERLAND: Châtel with Dr Bruce & Barbara Thompson “The Way to the Father” (English & French) Click here for more information  

2013

Feb 10-15 Kona, Hawaii: YWAM Associates Second MedGathering with Drs David & Ruth Demian. Hosts: Dr Bruce & Barbara Thompson, Peter & Donna Jordan.

Click on image to register

June 16 – 22 Piedmont, Italy: First ever YWAM Associates Camp in Italy! The speaker is Dean Sherman. More details to come soon.


And Finally . . .

The End . . . of the End of the Day

I’m still waiting; waiting for the end of ‘the day’. People keep telling me that at the end of ‘the day’ something is going to happen. End of what day? What’s going to happen? I’m mystified.

I have an idea of what’s going to happen at the end of the age, but what’s so special about the end of the day? Each night the sun goes down, it gets dark and we sleep; all I know is that Paul tells us not to stay angry at the end of the day. So I guess that’s what people mean—we’re to always make things right with people at the end of the day.

So forgive—and get forgiven! Good night!

And God Bless You!

 

 

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