As the deer panteth for the water, so my soul longeth after Thee.

You alone are my heart’s desire and I long to worship Thee.

You alone are my Strength, my Shield

To You alone may my spirit yield

~ Lyrics from As the Deer

The cry of a hungry and thirsty heart. Hungering after and thirsting after Him alone. David did not set out to be king. David did not set out to slay a giant and win the heart of a nation. David set out after God.

David didn’t long for postion, power and wealth. He longed for God’s Presence.

One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek, inquire for, and [insistently] require: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord [in His presence] all the days of my life, to behold and gaze upon the beauty [the sweet attractiveness and the delightful loveliness] of the Lord and to meditate, consider, and inquire in His temple. (Psalm 27:4, Amplified)

For in the day of trouble He will hide me in His shelter; in the secret place of His tent will He hide me, He will set me high upon a rock. (Psalm 27:5, Amplified)

…through the length of my days the house of the Lord [and His presence] shall be my dwelling place. (Psalm 23:6, Amplified)

Dwelling place, the place I live.

Joshua didn’t set out to lead a nation into their promised land. He set his sights and his attention on God and His Presence and from that place, just like David, God raised a leader for His people.

And the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend, Moses returned to the camp, but his minister Joshua son of Nun, a young man, did not depart from the [temporary prayer] tent. (Exodus 33:11, Amplified)

I have never set out to do the things I am doing now. I set out after Him and I found myself in extraordinary places doing extraordinary things. Because I hunger and thirst after an extraordinary being, my God, my heavenly Father, my Creator, my Savior, my King, Who is Love.

[For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and initimately acquainted with Him… (Philippians 3:10, Amplified)

A situation came up with a particular person recently and no matter how hard I tried, it kept creeping into my mind and bothering me. I did all the usual things. I yielded to love. I prayed for that person. I forgave them. I cast the care of the situation over on the LORD because He cares for me and cares for the other person. I prayed God would make me what I ought to be to that person. Yet still troubling thoughts continued to come.

This morning I was reading a book about the love of God and it recounted the story of Stephen found in Acts chapter 7.

And while they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, Lord Jesus, receive and accept and welcome my spirit! And falling on his knees, he cried out loudly, Lord, fix not this sin upon them [lay it not to their charge]! And when he had said this, he fell asleep [in death]. (Acts 7:59-60, Amplified)

The author mentioned that Stephen was loving just like Jesus did as He died on the cross.

And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him… Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do… (Luke 23:33-34, KJV)

As I read this I suddenly realized why I was having a problem forgiving and walking in love towards this person. I believed that he knew what he was doing when he did the things that bothered me. That’s not believing the best.

I don’t know that person’s heart. I don’t know what he was thinking when he did what he did. I suddenly believed that if he really knew what he was doing, he wouldn’t have done it.

At that moment I prayed, “Father, forgive him for he knows not what he’s doing. Father, I forgive him. I believe he doesn’t know what he is doing. I believe if he knew he wouldn’t do it.” Instantly all the worrying thoughts and all the heaviness in my heart melted away.

Suddenly there was a flow of the love of God in my heart towards that person. Compassion (God and His love) rose up in my heart for this man and I prayed for him. Not out of frustration. Not out of trying to make the situation better for me. I truly loved this man and prayed for him with no hint of selfishness.

This is the power of the Word of God. This is knowing the Truth and the Truth setting you free. This is being perfected in love and allowing His love to run full course in our lives. This is His way, the high way of love.

Love… takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]… Love… is ever ready to believe the best of every person… Love never fails… (1 Corinthians 13:5, 7, 8; Amplified)

Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans do so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. (Matthew 5:43-48, KJV)

…perfect [growing into complete maturity of godliness in mind and character, having reached the proper height of virtue and integrity]… (Matthew 5:48, Amplified)

I have better understanding and deeper insight than all my teachers, because Your testimonies are my meditation. (Psalm 119:99, Amplified)

But the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. (John 14:26, KJV)

Imagine having the Spirit of the Creator of the Universe as your Teacher. I have been taking lessons from Him for many years now and find I know things that in the natural I really shouldn’t know, but I do. I do because of Him and because of one of my favorite requests, “Teach me.”

After a death in my family I asked the Lord to teach me about healing. A few months later I found myself at a new church participating in Healing School. My ‘partner’ in Healing School (we ministered as teams) was Pastor Larry who was in charge of the Hospital Ministry at our church. As his partner, I said nothing, I just sat and learned at his side. Now I am in charge of the Healing Ministry volunteers and I teach Healing School at my church.

I asked Him to teach me and He did!

I’ve asked Him to teach me about prayer, about spiritual warfare, about prosperity, about love, about marriage, about having children and He continues to pour out His wisdom to me through His word. I ask a question then I see things in His word I’ve never seen before. Or I hear a message that opens up a new truth to me from His word.

The reason I was thinking about this today is because of a precious woman I’m helping who was diagnosed with cancer. She was so anxious, so fearful, so worried in the midst of this battle she finds herself in. I began to share with her about God’s nature, God’s love, God’s healing power. She was grabbing on to everything I shared like a life jacket in the midst of a stormy sea. Yet still, each time I spoke to her again, the anxiety was tremendous. Then I made a simple statement to her and she has had peace in the midst of the storm ever since.

She was worried that she wasn’t praying enough, confessing her healing scriptures enough, reading her Bible enough. Between the teachings on His nature and what He says about healing and then this one simple statement, everything has changed. I simply said to her, “Ask Him to teach you how to receive your healing.”

Today I received a message from her. She just had her first round of tests since the original tests that led to her diagnosis. The original tests showed spots on her liver. The new tests show no spots on her liver.

What wisdom are you needing today? Teach me what to do with my teenagers? Teach me how to train my children? Teach me how to be a good wife/husband? Teach me how to get out of this financial mess I’m in?

Whatever it is, He knows not just an answer, but the answer that will bring you peace and well-being in that area. All you have to do is ask, listen and obey.

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him… let him ask in faith… (James 1:5-6, KJV)

And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers. (Jesus was only twelve years-old at this time; Luke 2:46-47; KJV)

And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works? Is not this the carpenter’s son? (Matthew 13:54-55, KJV)

I tell the things which I have seen and learned at My Father’s side… (John 8:38, Amplified)

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever. (Psalm 111:10, KJV)

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. (Proverbs 1:7, KJV)

The English language often doesn’t even begin to convey the wealth that the scriptures hold. The English word fear holds some very definite connotations in our language and in our culture, but it fails to express the true meaning of the concept of the fear of the LORD. I’d like to share some items I found in my studies this morning that might prove enlightening.

One of the definitions of fear in Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words:

Used of a person in an exalted position… connotes ‘standing in awe.’ This is not simple fear, but reverence, whereby an individual recognizes the power and position of the individual revered and renders him proper respect. In this sense, the word may imply submission to a proper ethical relationship to God…

Contrasting definitions for the word fear from the American Dictionary of the English Language (Noah Webster, 1828):

1. A painful emotion or passion excited by an expectation of evil, or the apprehension of impending danger.

6. In scriptures, fear is used to express a filial or a slavish passion. In good men, the fear of God is a holy awe or reverence of God and his laws, which springs from a just view and real love of the divine character, leading the subjects of it to hate and shun every thing that can offend such a holy being, and inclining them to aim at perfect obedience. This is flilial fear.

Now before you run to your dictionary, as I had to, here is the definition of the word filial also from Websters, 1828.

1. Pertaining to a son or daughter; becoming a child in relation to his parents. Filial love is such an affection as a child naturally bears to his parents. Filial duty or obedience is such duty or obedience as the child owes to his parents.

2. Bearing the relation of a son.

Selah… (pause and calmly think of that)

And finally from my studies in the Tehillim (The Psalms with Jewish commentary), Mesorah Publications, ltd:

The masses fear sin only because they dread… the Dispenser of Strict Justice, who punishes for transgressions. They fail to realize that the act of sin in itself is harmful to both body and soul. I will teach you that… Hashem, the Dispenser of Mercy,  is the author of the prohibition against sin because in His boundless Mercy He is concerned for our welfare. You will learn to fear sin because HASHEM has determined it to be harmful, just as a kind father orders his son away from the thorn (Eitz Yoseif ).

The King of the Universe has given us commands in His Word. He is the Creator of all things. He is the Source of the very breath you breathe. He is Alpha and Omega. He more than deserves our respect and our awe. And His commands were inspired by His great love for you and for me.

But as for me, I will enter Your house through the abundance of Your steadfast love and mercy; I will worship toward and at Your holy temple in reverent fear and awe of You. (Psalm 5:7; Amplified)

I stand in awe of You.