The Mary Principle

As we draw close to the celebration of Christmas and the whirlwind of activity that can often come with it, I reflected on Christ's birth.  Specifically, I was drawn by the Holy Spirit to the conception of Jesus in Mary's womb.  It is amazing to me that this young teenager (probably 14-16 years old) would be so mightily used of God.  The depth of her faith and character are revealed by her response to the encounter with God through the angel Gabriel.  When Gabriel gives her (Luke 1:28-38) the promise of God that she would give birth to a child and His name would be Jesus, she responds with the logical question of how could this be because she is a virgin.  Unlike Zachariah's response to the angel that questioned God's promise based on the natural circumstances (he and his wife were old), Mary's response is one of wander-filled faith.  Mary does not question if God can do this but how it will happen.  Gabriel then goes on to share that the Holy Spirit will come upon her and conceive the child.

Mary's response to the word of God is amazing when she says, "Behold the maidservant of the Lord!  Let it be to me according to your word".  She receives the word and agrees that this will happen by faith, even though she must have a lot of questions in her heart.  This response of not only faith but surrender positioned her to be used of God in a mighty way to accomplish His plan.  When she came into agreement with the Word of God and the Holy Spirit came upon her, she became pregnant with the Word of God (Jesus is the Word became flesh-John 1:14).  I am not sure what would have happened if she had not come into agreement with the Word and surrendered herself to the promise.

I believe Mary becoming pregnant with the promise (Word of God) is not only for her but also to show us the way God wants to operate with us.  Mary had no ability (in her own strength or effort) to bring about conceiving Jesus, the Son of God.  Thus in the Promise was the very divine DNA of Jesus, she added nothing to it but became the carrier of the Promise.  When God gives a promise over our lives (from the Word or prophetic) we become a carrier of the Promise, in essence we are pregnant with the Promise.  Yet our effort to try to bring the Promise into fruition will only lead to frustration because it is God who brings about the Promise.  Mary not only surrendered, agreed with the Promise by faith, but also carried the Promise to full term.  Mary must have endured hardship, shame, questioning, probably rejection, and difficulty as she carried the Son of God to full term.

As we receive and surrender to the Promise by faith, we also may endure hardship and difficulty as we participate with God to see the Promise be manifested in and through us in our lives.

People of Promise,
Bret

Inspiration Precedes Perspiration

"Inspiration precedes perspiration" is a saying that contains some wisdom.  As I was reflecting on motivation, too many times in the areas of education, work, or an athletic endeavor we hear "work harder, try harder".  There is truth that to achieve a goal that it takes hard work and diligence but without having the inspiration we soon get frustrated.  I don't believe that obligation or duty is the most powerful motivator.

I was given a great picture of inspiration preceding perspiration.  My 11 year old son has struggled with homeschooling, though he enjoys his enrichment days.  He brought his guitar with him when he was going to be at my church office to play after he finished his schoolwork.  While playing his guitar he was overheard by our Youth Pastor, Simon, who also is an amazing Worship Leader.  He was blown away by Joshua's playing after only a few months.  He took Joshua down to the Sanctuary to jam on an electric guitar while he played drums, Joshua's smile was huge.  Simon was led to give Joshua the first electric guitar he ever owned, which was given to him by his dad when he was just 18.  Even though Joshua just got the electric guitar, my sense from the Holy Spirit was that worship and music are a big part of his destiny.

One author said that passion creates focus which are superior to goals; goals are about obtaining certain outcomes.  At the core of passion is desire which comes from a heart that has freedom, rather than coming from a soul under an obligation or in fear.  God clearly speaks to the priority of our spirits and our hearts, in all three of the Gospels Jesus tells us "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind."  When we live a life disconnected from our hearts then we will leave out of our thoughts, logic, obligations, and fears ending up in numb-numb-ville.  In Psalms 37:4 we are told, "Delight yourself in the Lord; And He will give you the desires of your heart."  God has designed that desire and passion flows from our hearts and amazingly in the New Covenant we have been given new hearts (Ezekiel 36:26).

It will take hard work (perspiration) to walk in your destiny but without passion and desire we will lose our way.

Passionately pursing Father's Love,
Bret