Month: June 2012

Brother “D” (as those who know him affectionately call him) was unable to attend the conference in Maryland.  

He had suffered a stroke, and would not have the endurance to sit through the day long praise, worship, and fellowship that was planned, no matter how glorious it got. 

 

And the weekend was certainly spirit-filled with ecstatic praise and worship, beautiful vibrant music, warm fellowship between many who previously had been total strangers, and deep corporate and personal encounters with the Lord. 

 

But as I said, Brother D was not able to attend.  

 

Prior to the conference, I was reading one of Pastor Alma’s newsletters to my husband, Richard, who was impressed by the Lord that he should learn one of her favorite hymns – “Trust and Obey” – and play it for her while we were in Maryland on Saturday evening, but because of the length of the conference time  and an extended dinner time, he wasn’t able to.   He hoped, also, to have an opportunity to meet Brother D, who stayed back in the hotel room.   

 

You see, Brother D is Pastor Alma’s husband. 

 

It was not until Sunday morning, as we were all preparing for our departure, that Richard was able to bring his guitar and harp to their hotel room.

There was Brother D on the bed.

 

I had met him a few years ago, briefly, when I attended a conference at their home in Washington DC, but Richard shook his hand for the first time.   

 Brother D looked at me and said “Thank you for the beans.”  I responded to him that he might be mistaking me for someone else, because I hadn’t brought any beans.  Pastor Alma said “He is remembering the gift of assorted beans in a jar you gave us for Christmas a few years ago.” 

 Amazing! 

 

Brother D explained that his long term memory was fine, it was his short-term memory that troubled him.  

 

Richard sat on the bed across from him.   As he began to sing “Trust and Obey”  Brother D broke into tears.   

 

“Trust and Obey, for there’s no other way, to be happy in Jesus than to trust and obey”

 

This song reaches him each time he hears it.  He loves hymns.

 

Tears began to stream down my own cheeks.   There was something eternal in this very moment, more than I’d experienced all weekend.  

 

This was the  Key of David!

 

Cords of Unity + Chords of Harmony = The Key of David

 

I heard in my spirit “Is there anyone left of the house of Saul that I may show kindness to?”  (2 Sam 9:1) Later on, I heard this scripture again as we drove home. 

 

Mephibosheth was lame in both feet.  His needs had to be cared for, but it is possible that because Jonathan and Saul were dead,  Mephibosheth would no longer have his needs tended to.    Because of the love David had for Jonathan, Mephibosheth’s father, David exalted him to the place of eating at the King’s Table for the rest of his life.  He also appointed all the servants in the House of Saul to tend to him and to the things he cared for. 

 

For the sake of Jonathan.  

David loved Jonathan as he loved his own soul.  (1 Sam 20:17,  Matt 22:36-40)

 

I spoke this to Pastor Alma a few days later.  She said although her husband wasn’t able to attend the conference, Richard brought the conference to him,  and ministered to him.  She also shared that, like Mephibosheth, Brother D was lame. Complications of diabetes have forced him to depend on a cane and a wheelchair.

 

I thought of our Father.   “Is there anyone left of the children of men, that I can show kindness to for the sake of My Son?”

 

And now, because of the blood of the Lamb,  Jesus His Son, we are elevated to a place of sitting at the King’s Table forever.

 

No ministry, nor anointing, nor gift, nor joining in fellowship, nor supernatural manifestation, can ever take the place of what was done for us at the Cross, by His Blood.   We are lame, weak, have little power and strength, yet we get to sit in heavenly places for eternity because of what Christ did.

 

Like Mephibosheth. 

 

Like Brother D.   As he was ministered to that Sunday morning,  I knew he heard the gentle whisper of the Lord saying “Come up.  Sit at My table forever.” 

 

Daily, as we seek him in our prayer time and in life’s interactions, we have opportunity to receive greater revelation of the Cross, of the Blood, of His impact in our lives. 

 

In the upcoming days and weeks and months, the love we say we profess for Jesus (and others) is going to be tested by a hotter fire  than it had been in the past. 

 If we say we love Him, will we also demonstrate that love to those He loves?   

Who is like You Lord? Ruler of all nations Captain of our armies Throughout all generations  Who is like You Lord? You give the command And it is so Your silence demands Our Stillness Your Word demands we go You cause the sun to rise and set  On just and unjust alike You send the storm You calm the sea No, there is none likeYou Lord Your voice commands cedars To split in half At its sound a deer gives birth To its calf And commands the desert to bloom Yet You sit and laugh At the plans of the nations You are God of all Creation  And You do as You please We fall to our knees And say You alone Are Lord.

El Shaddai, El Shaddai, (God Almighty, God Almighty)
El- Elyon Na Adonai, (God Most High O Lord)
age to age you’re still the same,
by the power of the name.

El Shaddai, El Shaddai,
Erkamka Na Adonai, (We Will Love You O Lord)
we will praise and lift you high,
El Shaddai.

Through your love and through the ram,
you saved the son of Abraham,
through the power of your hand
you turned the sea into dry land.
To the outcast on her knees
you were the God who really sees,
and by your might you set your children free.

Through the years you made it clear
that the time of Christ was near,
though the people couldn’t see
what Messiah ought to be.
Though your Word contained the plan,
they just could not understand,
your most awesome work was done in the frailty of your Son.

 

Words and Music by Michael Card and John Thompson 

 

I woke up this morning to the gentle whisper of the name “El Shaddai”. 

 

El-Shaddai means God Almighty. El points to the power of God Himself. Shaddai signifies one who completely nourishes, fully supplies, and wholly satisfies. All our needs are met in “El Shaddai”.  

***********************************

When I felt impressed to begin writing a newsletter,  the theme behind each one would be to glorify His Name.   That phrase “Glorify His Name” can be cliche, and sadly, we use it so often,  we forget what it means to “Glorify His Name.” 

 

Strong’s Concordance shows this:

 

Kâbad kâbêd

 

kaw-bad, kaw-bade’

A primitive root; to be heavy, that is, in a bad sense (burdensome, severe, dull) or in a good sense (numerous, rich, honorable); causatively tomake weighty (in the same two senses): – abounding with, more grievously afflict, boast, be chargeable, X be dim, glorify, be (make) glorious (things), glory, (very) great, be grievous, harden, be (make) heavy, be heavier, lay heavily, (bring to, come to, do, get, be had in) honour (self), (be) honourable (man), lade, X more be laid, make self many, nobles, prevail, promote (to honour), be rich, be (go) sore, stop.

 

To glorify is to cause exaltation to happen.  To make known, to boast in, to lift high.

 

My soul will boast in the LORD;
let the afflicted hear and rejoice. 

 Glorify (Kabad) the LORD with me;
let us exalt his name together.   (Psalm 34:2,3) 

 

 His name.

 

Worthy of all glory and magnification and exaltation.

Do you want to know if there are idols in your heart?

Then learn each of His names. 

 

I learned this week that I had placed trust and confidence in a system of things I’d always thought were under His feet.

Until I heard the gentle whisper of His name spoken in my ear this morning.

 

“El Shaddai”.  

YOUR NAME

 

 

Almighty God

All Sufficient One

You are there

Shamah

You are Peace

Shalom

You are everything

That I will ever need

Shaddai

Tested in this always

My confession of

Knowing You

Do I know You?

I say I do

You test it

Through and through

Until I realize

I don’t know You

As I often say I do

But it’s okay

You have looked upon

The lowly state of

Your handmaiden

And find favor still

 

All Merciful God

All Loving Father

All Righteous One

Slow to anger

Quick to shoulder

My burdens

Even after You had

cried

“It is Done”

The battle had been won

And yet You still

Make Intercession for me

That I would know

Your name more

Completely

 

Glorious King

Ruler of Nations

To make Your name known

Among all Generations

Is our charge

To Glorify Your name

In all the earth

To proclaim Your wonder

And Your matchless worth

You alone are Lord

 

To know Your name

Is to know You

To know Your name

Is to know the depth

Of Your love

To know Your name

Is to know Your promises

Are true

And manifested as our

Eyes focus above

 

Way above the earth

 

Oh God  of my sight

Help keep my eyes

Focused on Yours

Night and Day

And Night

 

prophetic psalm by darlene rose

7/20/07