“Now It’s Personal”…

SCRIPTURE:  ^“Answer me, O Lord, answer me, that this people may know that You, O Lord, are God, and that You have turned their heart back again.” (1 Kings 18:37)

OBSERVATION:  After years of no rain & drought, Elijah finally picked a fight with the demonic realm by summoning 850 false priests who were leading people astray.  He mocked them for hours as they worked themselves into a frenzy, crying out to gods who never existed.

Elijah enjoyed the show a little too much by mocking their false gods saying they need to shout louder, maybe their gods are sleeping or going to the bathroom?  I like this guy! 😏

These occult leaders began cutting themselves and more to evoke fire from heaven to burn their prepared altar as proof of their gods’ existence.  People had gathered all around this showdown as the final demonstration of giving themselves to whichever god showed up.  They were desperate for an answer to their suffering due to the horrific drought.

Elijah waited until the evening and then made his move.  After building an altar to God with 12 stones representing the 12 Tribes of Israel, preparing the sacrifice, cutting the wood for fuel, Elijah shocked everyone with what he did next… especially in the middle of a 3 year drought!

He called everyone closer to inspect his work and then dug a trench around the altar and asked for 4 large jars of water to be emptied out 3 separate times over his altar drenching the wood and filling the trench to overflowing.

Even if he had a match to light this BBQ, it wouldn’t have worked… and everyone knew it!

Beside the drenched woodpile, the gallons of water dripping over the stones and through the trench towards muddy sandals… stood a Man.  A Believer.  A Prophet.  Elijah.  His gaze into the night sky hushed hearts as thousands of eyes stared in wonder at what would happen next.

Some stared in hate, others in hope…

As Elijah took a deep breath before the plunge, he knew there was no turning back.  He would live or die on what came next. Betting his life on the authentic relationship he had experienced with the Living God, Elijah emptied his heart before The Great I AM, Yahweh!

Elijah’s Request?  “ANSWER ME!”

The Result?  “CONSUMING FIRE!”

APPLICATION:  All of us will at times find ourselves fumbling through a season of drought. No rain. No blessing.  No hope.  At least, that is how it feels.  What Jesus is looking for are sons and daughters who will follow Him through any season, seeking the Father’s heart for the “Why’s” for it.

Bitterness and Blame usually surface during dry times.  At this stage of life and relationship with God, I don’t want to be that man.  I want to be more like Elijah.  A Man.  A Believer.  A Prophet.  Eric.

I want my life to count.  I want to understand why God allows me to go through certain seasons and what my role is in and through it.  The answer is always on its way.  Believe it or not, Jesus is working the most in so-called seasons of dryness, drought… ‘Hiddenness’

When we least expect it, Jesus will call us out of the crowd to stand on behalf of the people we care about and cash in all that we know in one act of faith.  Why?  So people will know that God is real and to call hearts back to God and each other.

With all eyes on Elijah, Fire/Lightning came down from heaven and consumed the altar, sacrifice, stones, dirt and all traces of water.  God SHOWED UP!  The people fell on their faces and declared God was real!  …Awesome!

Today, I’m encouraged that Jesus always has a way to redeem difficult seasons.  He has a plan to make it count. He has a way to bring hearts back to Him in and through difficult circumstances.  What He is looking for, are sons and daughters who will choose to remain faithful to follow Him through those seasons.  Few do.

When we say Yes to a life of faith, God will eventually call us out to stand our ground.  Albeit uncomfortable, lonely and intimidating as can be sometimes… Jesus’ presence will change everything.

Jesus showed up in my 3 years of dryness and drought.  He answered me! He silenced my enemies.  And shattered their strategies.  Now Jesus is bringing hearts back to Him in and through it.  It’s who He is.  The Great I am, Yahweh… Jesus!

I’m so excited to be in this season of victory!  I can’t wait to see what comes next!  Jesus will honor me for I have honored Him.  He has already begun this.  My prayers have been answered one by one over the past 4 years.

Now It’s Personal.

Jesus knows the prayers I have held close to my heart for myself, my future, my family and more… It’s time.  I recognize my drought is over.  Hearts have turned back to Jesus.

Now I’m praying, preparing and looking in faith on the horizon for evidence of things unseen.  Can you see it?  Can you feel it?  Keep looking!  Jesus is on the move.  A new season of blessing is here!  For you and me!

PRAYER:  Jesus, thank You for answering me.  Thank you for showing up when I needed Your presence above all else. Thank You for making it count. Now at this point in my life, I recognize that You are calling me out of the crowd.  To make a stand.  To gaze expectantly to the heavens and ask for a miracle. You know what’s on my heart.  You put it there.  May You show up again with a consuming fire.  I want to burn for You brighter than before.  Lives depend on it.  I receive this new season and ask for Your presence to go before me.  Lead the way.  I still choose to Follow You, Off the Map!

“Wholeheartedly!”…

SCRIPTURE: “ Whenever Moses went into the Tabernacle to speak with the Lord, he heard the voice speaking to him from between the two cherubim above the Ark’s cover—the place of atonement—that rests on the Ark of the Covenant.  The Lord spoke to him from there.” (Numbers 7:89) 

OBSERVATION: Moses had the Tabernacle set up as a place of seeking God’s presence and to worship the Great I AM.  I have studied this for years and while I was in Israel had a chance to walk through a reconstructed version of what this must have been like.  Fascinating.  It was a place of seeking God’s presence.  And for Moses, it was the place where God audibly spoke to him as a friend…

APPLICATION:  I have had the opportunity to experience seasons in my own wilderness of life.  Yes, you read that correctly.  It’s an honor to reflect on the past and stand tall knowing I heard God’s voice as Moses did.  Sometimes I sought His voice, other times I ran from it.  While still yet, there were moments that stood still when I heard His voice cutting through all I was facing.  Those moments were surprising to me.  I was not seeking.  I was not expecting.  God simply showed up.  And with a few words Jesus changed everything.

I’m in a new season of life.  Everyday is filled with new.  I’m so grateful!

So this morning, I’m sitting here in my favorite coffee shop once again seeking God’s voice.  It’s not the location that streamlines a better reception with heaven.  It’s the heart.  And I don’t know about you, but my heart is far from perfect.

In fact I’ve earned a few nicknames along the years that I’ve answered to.  Names like:  “Daddy Kurchak”, “Caesar”, “David Bannister”,  “The Patriot”, “007”, “Jason Bourne”, and my favorite, “Robison”… which pretty much sums up all of them.  I am called to be a “Gentle General”.  It’s the gentle part that I’m still working on with all I’ve been through.  But I’m getting there!  My kids can confirm that my heart is changed… I even cry at Disney movies now?!  Definitely a new season with a new heart and I’m sure I’ll earn a new set of nicknames in the near future 😉

It’s no secret that I’m passionate about leading and loving my family.  And I will do all in my power to provide for and protect the ones I love.  So… I understand I am completely unworthy of hosting time with the King of Kings. And yet… Jesus shows up at my table every time I purpose in my heart to hear His voice. It’s difficult for me to understand this fully, but He is honored when I make time for Him.  And so is He with you.

I realize the Tabernacle and the Temple are gone.  Temporal places that represent God’s presence.  Now, Jesus’ death and resurrection has allowed for us to be filled with His Holy Spirit.  We have now become the destination of God’s presence.  He lives in and through us as sons & daughters.  Amazing!

With this truth, I have had the opportunity to experience certain places where God shows up in power and glory.  Biblically there are marked places such as mountains, gardens, rivers and more as memorials of where God showed up.

I have a few myself.  However, during the past 2 years I have experienced God’s presence, life changing words and miracle moments that have shaped me greatly and set the trajectory for my future.  This place is what I have come to call, “The Tent of Healing”.

There isn’t anything special about the setting.  There is no marble, gold nor ornament furnishings as in the days of old.  In fact, the setting is very simple and has even moved between two cities.  What I’ve come to respect is the prerequisite that qualifies this place for God’s presence.  It is the heart.  Faith, Hope, Love.

These are the prerequisites that God is looking for in His kids.  “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will be found by you,” says the Lord.” (Jeremiah 29:11-14)

Many times I have entered The Tent of Healing with a heart that was far from Faith, Hope, Love.  And yet, I made up my mind to show up expecting Jesus to speak.  He did every time.  He’s faithful.  Moses entered the Tent, approached the Ark of the Covenant with eyes focused on the place of atonement between the cherubim expecting God to speak.  Jesus has made us one with Himself.  Atonement has been defined in Jesus’ resurrection and the gift of salvation.  We are at one with God.  He lives in the heart of his children and speaks to us as a friend, just like Moses experienced.

The bible says, “Wholeheartedly”.  But what does that really mean?  God showed up for me when I was at my lowest; broken, betrayed, bitter and more.   I showed up with a flat-lined heart.  And yet, Jesus saw this as an act of worship.  I had nothing to offer Him except what was left of my heart.  It wasn’t much, but it was all I had.  Because I entered the Tent of Healing desperate to hear God’s voice in my life, He showed up as promised, “If you look for Me wholeheartedly, you will find Me.  I will be found by you.”

Jesus sees our heart different than we do.  What defines “Wholehearted” to God is not how we feel or what we have or haven’t done.  Rather, it’s defined by the motives that we seek God’s presence.  I’m convinced that Jesus speaks the loudest in between our heart and our mind.  This is the place where we come to the truth of atonement.  Where our motives bow before our King and give Him honor with gratefulness that He has made us one with Himself.  I want to be a man whose heart and hands are submitted to my King.  Not because He demands it, rather out of love for who He is and what He has done. I am nothing without Jesus.

I’m also convinced that there is something to say about God showing up in the presence of 2 or more who are seeking and praying in agreement.  There is a tangible power and presence released in those times. Sometimes felt immediately.  Other times, there is a delayed chain of events.  Regardless, Jesus is honored by hearts who wholeheartedly seek Him.

So for me, I’m grateful for the experiences I’ve had over the years when I’ve witnessed Jesus showing up and speaking to me.  I still drive to some of these places to remember and seek more.  I’m also grateful for the places where people have invested in me, seeking God’s best for me.  When I couldn’t do or bring much of anything, God not only received me but was proud of me for showing up.

“The Tent of Healing” – I am convinced that God has something in store for me as a Bible Communicator and Bridge Builder.  This place was life changing.  The experience was defining.  I’m not sure exactly what God has in store for me.  But what I do know is that it will be good.  This Joseph story is about to get good! So excited!

PRAYER:  Jesus thank You!  May you make it count!  And thank You for those who have and are investing in my life.  May I be a man You can use to help others in the days ahead.  May my life story somehow capture and communicate Your love for Your kids.  I have a new heart now thanks to You.  May my life story help others seek Your presence and hear Your voice in their own Tent of Healing experience.  Trusting You and Your timing.  Grateful!