SCRIPTURE: "But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy: and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple." Psa 5:7 (KJV)

What prompted this week of devotionals was my inner desire to get away from the daily grind and seek the Lord for His fellowship, His face, and His direction. I'm not complaining here because I love what I do for Jesus - it has been my calling since I was 4 years old. I know, no one can have a calling to ministry at 4 years old... but I did, and that tenderness never changed or darted to the left or the right. In fact, I was engaged to a little gal before I met Osella and out of all the talks we had - we never spoke much about my "intention" to go into the ministry once I got out of college.

When she saw that I was serious about it and that I was going to leave for Bible College, she broke it off and said she could never be a Pastor's wife. That year at a Youth Councils, I knelt at the altar and cried my eyes out because I was  certain that I loved this gal and that we were supposed to go into ministry together. We sang duets all over the place as we were asked in our particular church group and every one was sure that we would one day be married and enter the ministry together. As I knelt there at the altar surrendering my love to the Lord and to him only... the Principal of the Bible college I was going to attend came and knelt with me there, and he quoted that verse in Psalms that says...

"Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass." Psa 37:4,5 (KJV)

He went on to say, "You don't know but what the very person God has for you is right here in this room and you just don't know it".

Now that was GOD my friend. My wife Osella just happened to be one of the team that came from the college to help recruit students. I never met her that week-end and I never met her three other times that we were in the same building together. She was from Missouri and I was from Minnesota - yet we were meeting in places like Michigan and Chicago and Minneapolis. When our eyes finally met one another and we knew it was fate... was there in Chicago at
the Bible College. The rest is history.

I said all of that to say this... your greatest sacrifice is only a prayer away from being your greatest blessing, if you, "in the absence of direction... follow the last order". I found my peace in giving what I believed was my best, and He in turn  blessed me with a little gal who is truly a blessing.

What is it in your life that you are holding on to today - unwilling to lay at the Saviour's feet? Did you know that the greatest love for some people is their hatred and hopes for vindication toward someone who hurt them? Others covet  big homes and fancy cars or to be the CEO of some big company... all at the risk of losing their soul.

Rearranging the altars in our lives mean pushing everything aside that gets in the way of your fellowship with God.

The greatest CEO I have ever known (I worked for him) was a man who was "well-to-do" because he got his heart right and put his family and his church first, and one day the LORD gave him and idea for a business while he was in the shower, and  he built it into a multi-million dollar business in a matter of a couple of years. The business thrives today having several thousand employees.

Whatever it is that depresses you or has become a brick wall to you... come into the presence of the Lord in the multitude of His mercy: and in holy reverence lay it on the altar and leave it there.

But for those that fear His Name, the Sun of righteousness will arise with healing in his wings; and all who believe in Him shall go forth, and grow up set free from all that will disappoint you. (ref., Malachai 4:2 )

It was a journey I had to take and one that I may take on occasion in the future, but so worth the effort.

Let's pray...

Father, I thank you for the way that You have opened Up your WORD unto me this past week, and the way that You have touched so many others in my willingness to share. Father, You know how I didn't want to even bring it up this  week, yet Your Holy Spirit would not let it go. I followed Your Spirit's leading Father, and we move forward now, with the business of winning souls and pointing all hearts and minds to the Cross. We Await your coming Lord and we Give you Glory for we know that whether it be tonight or 10 years from now... you are coming again and will catch away the saints to be with you forever and ever. Help us to be prepared through an intimate worship and prayer time with you. For we ask it in Jesus' Name, Amen.