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BeLOnGings

.....and being with you nothing else I desire.

Outer Show and Inner Glow

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I went for a walk the other night in our neighborhood. One of the differences between this season in the US and in Ireland is how folk decorate their homes. It seems here people are more focused on an outward show of lights – making an impression with a big, bright display (and electric bill : – )

It was a Misty evening more akin to autumn then winter and I began thinking about Myst- ery. The house below came into view, much simpler than the the rest. Just one light above the ‘ancient’ looking door, and then to the side, the golden glow of a single tree behind the curtain.

It intrigued me. It made me wonder. It drew me in. “What else is going on inside that home? Who are these people? I would love to meet them.” were the thoughts that ran through my mind.

In a world (and often church) preoccupied with making a good outward show we search for integrity, for ‘truth on the inward parts’

This year after a few years silence Hilary felt prompted to write a family letter, and somewhat inspired as the words flowed. When I read it I thought “Wow that’s a bit different! – But that’s Hilary -and it’s good!”

We were so encouraged to get a number of affirmative responses from friends who we respect. Here is what one brother wrote:

Hilary (and Paul)
I always approach “Christmas Letters” with wariness and even fear.  They are usually highlight reels of happy, successful families who float in joy and serenity above the world in which I live.  I am, therefore, extremely grateful for your honest and heart-warming letter.
God bless you all!!

I guess as we enter 2019 our deepest desire for ourselves and our loved ones is that the Mys-tery of the incarnation – the winsome inner glow which is “Christ in you” would win – some who tired of this ‘fake world’ long to encounter the one who came full of both “truth and grace.”

P.S. Our Christmas letter mailing list was somewhat random, so if you didn’t get it and know our family and would like to hear the latest, please let us know and we’ll send it to you : – )

One Night With The King

by on in The House (Rivendell)

 

God speaks to us about ‘our story’ through aspects of other stories known to us, that he highlights, in order to show us who and where we are in this scripted play we call “Life.”

Already in reporting on the recent drama involving our unhappy neighbor and the Robbinsdale City Council I have referenced the movies Braveheart and The Castle. Two other movies I was recently prompted to view, the Outlaw King and Roma have also been used by Father to inform our story.

A biblical story that has proved central to this heavenly commentary is that of Esther whose drama is portrayed in the movie we watched last night, “One Night With The King.’

This past week I had the opportunity to meet with the king of Robbinsdale. Our mayor’s name is Regan. It is an Irish name meaning “King’s heir”. I didn’t do an overnight with him, but we did have a friendly cup of coffee together at Hy Vee : -)

I wrote previously about how at our last meeting with the City Council they seemed impacted by what I said and sang, and by the groundswell of support for us from our neighbors. (There were over 60 voiced their support by letter, petition or verbal testimony at a prior Public Hearing)

The City staff were subsequently instructed by the Council to find a way to accommodate our wholesome and healing ‘way of life’ at The Big Green House. A few weeks ago we were disappointed to receive a letter from the City bureaucrat asking us to pay still more money and jump through still more hoops!

You’ll remember how in Esther’s story King Ahasuerus was unable to sleep and called for ‘the books of records’ to be opened and read. Therein he discovered something that was pivotal in the story of the deliverance of God’s people.

Well since that Council meeting, a lawyer friend of ours took it upon himself to open and read ‘the book’ of the City Code.

As a result I presented the Mayor at our meeting with an extensive legal memorandum from our friend. This is a part of that memo:

“We have reviewed the Robbinsdale City Council’s determination that the Kyles have violated the City’s “single family” occupancy ordinance.

In our view, if the City chose to enforce its decision, the decision will not withstand judicial scrutiny. This is because the grievance at issue is purely private and the City’s ordinances do not allow the City to enforce its ordinances for purely private grievances—the ordinances expressly require public, community harm as a condition to enforcement;

Apparently overlooked by the City in its decision and debate is the fact that section 425.07 of the Robbinsdale City Ordinances requires that the City’s enforce its property management code “exclusively for the purpose of promoting public, as opposed to private, welfare”:  

425.07. Discrimination and privacy. The PMC is to be enforced exclusively for the purpose of promoting public, as opposed to private, welfare. Except as may be specifically provided herein or incidental to the enforcement hereof, the PMC is not intended to interfere with personal privacy or with private legal rights and liabilities, including without limitation landlord/tenant and lessor/lessee relationships. In enacting and enforcing the PMC, the City neither expressly nor by implication assumes any obligations or liabilities respecting such private rights or disputes, including those which involve or arise out of the non-conformity of any premises in the City to the provisions of the PMC. 

Robbins. Ord. § 425.07 (emphasis supplied).  

Section 425.07 clearly prohibits the City from employing its police enforcement power to protect purely private interests.  

We have listened to the recording of the neighbor’s testimony and complaints to the City’s Planning Commission.  The neighbor complains of:  (1) children walking on her newly planted grass and picking flowers in her yard; (2) children’s soccer balls rolling into her chives and raspberries; (3) Kyle residents walking on the pathway on the side of the Kyles house and on the Kyle property to enter the Kyle property from the back; (4) an unspecific and vague noise and traffic complaint that was not shared by any other neighbor who testified, is not corroborated by City Police Chief who lives on the other side of the Kyles, and is not affirmed by any of the 38 neighbors who signed the petition supporting the Kyles.  In the public record that would be presented to a court, there is therefore no evidence that Kyles’ use of their home has caused any public, community harm.  

Because the grievances in the record are purely private concerns—concerns that do not involve the community or other neighbors—section 425.07 prohibits the City from taking any enforcement action even if the Kyles are in technical violation of the single family rules.  Section 425.07 expressly prohibits what the Kyles’ neighbor appears to be attempting to do here—using and abusing the City and its police power to enforce a private grievance.  

Please note, we find the neighbor’s concerns to be sincere.  And the reality is that her sincere complaints will not withstand a dispassionate application of the law.  If the new neighbor desires to resolve her grievances through a lawsuit, a sober and sane court will inform her that her best route would be to politely knock on the Kyles’ door and ask that the children in the house stay off of her lawn.  She will have no success bringing her own lawsuit against the Kyles and if she does she will likely end up paying the Kyle’s attorneys fees for the reasons cited below.”  

The Mayor assured me he would have the City lawyers review the memorandum and get back to us.

All the stories cited above, Braveheart, The Castle, The Outlaw King, and Roma, speak to our calling in The House to provide physical, emotional and spiritual shelter for those who are most vulnerable in our society and are doing their best to live legally and responsibly in this broken world.

We have several friends who are also currently engaged in court proceedings over issues of justice where authorities have failed to protect the weak and the innocent but aided and abetted ongoing bullying and abuse.

I believe the discovery of this ordinance presents the leadership of the City of Robbinsdale with an opportunity to take a stand for godly governance in the service of all it’s people in order that what has been described by a professional suicide councillor as the ‘life saving’ work here, can continue.

It remains to be seen, if like King Ahaseurus, they will rise to occasion.

P.S. The photo above ? Our Joy to the World Grandkids band at our neighborhood Christmas party!

P.P.S. The photo below ? Lead by Grace in “Angels we have heard on high” …..after which one of the older residents exclaimed, “That is the song the choir was singing the night my mother crossed over!”

IMMANUEL! Surely God and his angels are with us!

 

The Real Mark of a Saint

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My friend Brian sent me this link the other day with a note to forward it to our mutual friend Eugene in Ireland.

Eugene wrote back that the hilarious video proved quite prophetic for himself and his wife Oonagh, who had recently had dealings with two Claires, but it was Oonagh who had to point out to him the connection! He commented jokingly to me,

“Claire might be as thick as American snow…….but I’m not far behind her!”  

My repartee was,

“Does that mean that the Irish in America are like the snow…..thicker than they were in Ireland? God help us!”

Brian then wrote back,

“When I saw the Claire snow angel video, I was impressed with her humility.  Really, she could not make the angel on her own, she needed lots of help.  She did not give up, even after trying again  and again. She was not embarrassed or ashamed or defeated.  Even her response was how beautiful her angel was.  Certainly God works all things together for good, using all of us thick headed poor souls!”

I recalled how Brian, a contemporary of mine, on a recent missionary trip to India was used by the Lord as he acted out the part of a foolish clown provoking great laughter among the young people!

Paul’s word’s that we are “fools for Christ” came to mind. These are two men who are very ‘smart’ but very small in that they don’t easily take offense.

I was speaking to another friend who is finding it hard to assemble a reliable work crew for his business. His comment was, “People are so sensitive these days. When I want to bring an adjustment, they get offended!!” 

Psalm 119:165 says, “Great peace have those who love your law….nothing shall offend them.”

When the one who had most reason of all to take offense, bore the cross despising it’s shame is born in us, then we too like saints in the making Brian, Eugene and Claire, become the walking dead as our true identity emerges in unity with, “The Unoffendable One” 

The video subtitle, “Irish Woman Failing to Make a Snow Angel” couldn’t be more wrong. It is as we exhibit her humility that we are transformed not just into angels, but into mature ‘sons’ of God “clothed in fine linen, bright and clean.” (Rev. 19:7)….as illustrated by Claire’ s spontaneous and unconscious cries, “Lord help me!” and then as she looked at the end result – “Jesus!”  

The Real Mark of a Saint ?………the ability to laugh at ourselves : – ) 

P.S. I just watched this with our grand daughter Isla. Her comment was, “But she’s so old!”  I thought, “It’s never too late for anyone to begin this humble journey toward sainthood!”

 

 

Pilgrim Fathers and Mothers

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“Well there’s Brewster and Bunyon 

There’s Luther and Lunyon

Some famous; some heroes unsung.”

Thus we sang, lauding these hero saints as crew members of the St Brendan’s Company.

St. Brendan’s Launch was a Sunday brunch gathering we hosted for 5 years in Kieran’s Irish Pub in downtown Minneapolis, just after we took our leap of faith and landed in Minneapolis! In this our theme song, we honored  those “in whose hearts are the highways to Zion.” (Ps.84:5) from many eras and backgrounds,

 

 

The summer before the nine of us moved to America we were on our way home from France, when we were directed to take an unusual ‘motorway-free’ route up through England. At one point Hilary noticed a signpost pointing to Bawtry Hall

“Look! That’s the place where Carol and Ivor have just become managers!” She exclaimed. So we decided we would venture yet further ‘off the beaten track’ to call in on these close friends from Belfast university days.

“Oh yes,.” said Ivor, explaining the significance of what we had just ‘stumbled on’ “This is the birth place of the Pilgrim Fathers.  A few minutes south is Scrooby where Brewster was born and a few minutes north is Austerfield where Bradford was born.” 

Thus ‘Providence’ sparked our interest in The Pilgrim Fathers; who these folk were, and how they had come to play such a seminal role in the birthing of the nation we were about to adopt as our own.

One commentator’s description particularly struck me, “Some came for gold, some came for land, but they came to pray, and their prayer was, “Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done, on this part of earth and then from this part of earth to the uttermost parts of the earth, as it is in heaven.”  We felt a kinship with these folks.

Now 25 years on, we are sitting around our long long table in America at a Thanksgiving feast with our children and their children and with our guests of honor, three generations of the Clouds, a Dakota family with whom we have become close friends. Lots of food and drink, talk and laughter and offerings of thanks.

 

 

“I want to thank Roy for saving my life.” Ivan announces to everyone’s surprise, including his parents, as he recalled an incident a few years before when he had leapt into a pool that was much deeper than he was tall…. thankfully big brother Roy had been there to save the day! Chuckles of gratitude all around!

Later we catch the last part of a documentary based on Bradford’s ‘hallowed’ journal, seeking to accurately reconstruct the origins of this wholesome American ‘family’ tradition.

The deep gratitude the Pilgrims and their Wampanoag friends felt in 1621 was borne out of the intense trials of the previous months when harsh conditions had claimed the lives of half their company! The journal described how the English speaking Wampanoag, Squanto, “a special instrument sent of God.” brought them wisdom from the ‘new world’ to enable the little colony to miraculously survive,

As Fern Cloud and I compared notes we realized how both our families had weathered some severe storms over these past years, but we too had survived and our children were beginning now to prosper….Thanks be to God!!

In the end, William Bradford’s hope for a tangible expression of the kingdom of God on earth in the Plymouth colony was deferred and his heart made sick. The company dissipated as the great wave followed them from across the Atlantic of many whose focus was more on seeking earthly riches than the heavenly treasure Bradford’s gaze had been set upon.

Looking at the USA today through the fallen eyes of man and mainstream media, that hope of heaven on earth may seem to have died almost completely. But I believe God has heard the prayer of this Pilgrim saint and of every other saintly soul who with a different set of eyes have been a part of  “St. Brendan’s fine company” living “by faith and not by sight.” (2 Cor:5:7)

Oswald Chambers who penned today’s thought above could surely be ranked in that number of those we are exhorted to imitate, “who through  faith and perseverance inherit the promises….” (Heb.6:12)

For as the song ends……

“….and it won’t be too long now until we cross over…..

And the land of promise at last we will see!”

 

 

P.S. BeLOnGings  is simply a continuation of “Gilbert’s Journal” begun back then. Gilbert means “Bright Hostage” for although we are still “Hostage” to death and decay, we are “Bright” with sure and certain hope as, “….we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.” (Rm:8:23)   

P.P.S. Interestingly this is a photo of the last unopened copy of The Voyage of the Bright Hostage CD we possess : – )

 

Resistance is Futile!

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I finished last week’s blog by quoting the chorus of “Born into a Battle” (Gillian in NI said she had been listening to it as part of her ‘battling prayer’ catalogue of songs just before opening the blog!)

I was pondering again how we do not war as the world does, we war as Jesus did.

The world, flesh and devil shout,

“RESIST (what you dislike) and FIGHT (the source of it).”

The Spirit whispers,

“ACCEPT (what God has allowed) and STAND (on the Word of Victory in Christ)”

Psalm 1 says, “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the council of the wicked, or stand in the way of sinner, or sit in the seat of scoffers….but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night….he is like A Tree planted by streams of water that yields it’s fruit in its season and it’s leaf does not wither.”

…..in other words he will become one with The Tree of Life that is Jesus in ‘the garden’.

The ‘wicked‘ voice of the ‘sinner‘ and ‘scoffer’ that shouts in our ears as it did in ‘the garden’ would tempt us to doubt the goodness of our Father.

But in Christ everything is reversed……..

Now we no longer WALK, STAND and SIT with the world, but we SIT, WALK and STAND with Christ!

This of course is the title of the brief but brilliant commentary on Ephesians by Watchman Nee.

But, you might say, does Ephesians 6:12 not infer a resistance on our part?- “We wrestle (or struggle) not against flesh and blood but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

The Greek word used here ‘pale’ only occurs once in Scripture. I discovered it’s root meaning is ‘to vibrate’ Ah! I thought this is not about fighting back, but waring by ensuring we are consistently ‘vibrating’ with the Father’s frequency – of Covenant Love – the most powerful weapon!

The other night at our fellowship gathering I noticed the hat pictured above. M and N is the abbreviation for the State of Minnesota pictured at the top. It is the 32nd State in the Union.

Last week I wrote about the spiritual connection between the USA and in particular Minnesota, and Ireland – between the land of 10.000 lakes and the land of 100,000 welcomes!

A few days ago a friend of ours in Ireland wrote to us about a vision God had given her called “Running with the Father’s Heart.” The vision  was for 32 marathons…one in each of the 32 counties of Ireland – “32 Marathons because Every County Counts.” I realized MN was also the first and last letters of the word, MarathoN!

This number 32, common to Minnesota and Ireland, represents Covenant Love.

It is also the gematria for the Hebrew word for Heart. Lamed (30) + Beth (2) = 32

Whenever I sing “O Ireland” I always preface it by saying,

“The Heart of the Irish problem is the problem of the Irish Heart……but God is in the business of changing Hearts……..from ‘broken’ and ’empty’ to ‘burning’ with God’s love!!!”

The New Covenant is God’s promise to remove our Heart of stone and to give us a new Heart of flesh, on which is written His law – of love. (Ez.36:26, Jer.31:31-34)

This “Blessed”– ness comes as we take the Psalm 1 man stand, in the face of whatever fiery trials Father allows to come our way.

The young man wearing the hat has been living with us now for a year during which time we have gradually heard his whole story……..as sad a human story as you could imagine. But like the Psalm 1 man, as he has kept the right hat on/in his head and ‘meditated‘ in his Heart on what is REAL, on the Word of Victory in Christ, determining to always ‘vibrate’ with the frequency of love, this  tragic human story has become a transformative heavenly story as we have witnessed him being ‘conformed to the image of His Son’.

This New Covenant (which is also the first Covenant that God made – with Abraham….while he was asleep!!) depends not on our making a vow which we could never keep….. but on a vow God has already made which he will certainly keep!

So, in the FACE of such GRACE………….”Resistance is Futile!” ………and our battle song rings!

“We move INEVITABLY onwards

God’s weapons heard in our hands

In Him we shall do more than conquer

Before our Lord who can stand?

Man shall glorify his maker

God shall be enjoyed

And that one called the deceiver

His works shall be destroyed.”

 

 

 

 

Irish Sign Posts. Post Post Script: Turning the Course of the War.

by on in Irish Sign Posts

 

One of the runs I enjoy when in Belfast is up the Creagah Glen to the Rath near the spot where hundreds of years ago the O’Neill chieftain’s castle stood. Today the Rath overlooks Belfast City. At the top of the quiet Glen I discovered this historic SIGN.

Last year I lost my running shoes. (Yes, believe it or not I just left them at the side of a road and forgot about them!) Subsequently I experienced a real grace in procuring a replacement pair in TJMaxx at little expense of time (first pair I lifted) or money (75% off!)

As I donned these new shoes (‘of the gospel of peace’) for this year’s Glen run I realized the significance of their name. In the background of the above photo, is the Glen river……at this time of the year a mere ‘brook’, but given time, after a few good Norn Iron showers, it is transformed into a veritable ‘cascade’.

Father said to me that the Brooks Cascadia shoes were the double witness that the history that was made at that spot would repeat itself…..that in our returning from the US to Northern Ireland we were like the advanced party (Brook) to be followed by a larger army (Cascade). The SIGN says 120,000 US troops followed. The number 120 represents,‘the Holy Spirit’ (as in the Upper Room on the day of Pentecost). 1000 represents “glory.”

I believe this SIGN points to an outpouring (Cascade) of the Holy Spirit until the glory of the Lord covers the whole earth.

I mentioned previously the connection between America and Ireland in the vision common to St. Patrick, the Anishinabe tribe and George Washington, of the fire (of God’s love) being rekindled in both lands.

Just after returning to Minneapolis I got a notice from two Minnesotan friends, who are called as evangelists, about doors opening for them, to announce the good news in Ireland.

I just got a phone call from the daughter of another close friend I hadn’t seen in many years. She was excited to tell me her orchestra, from a local university here, was going to tour Ireland next year, touching many of the spots I mentioned in my reports. She asked of I would come and speak to help prepare the group for the trip ……and to sing – “O Ireland.”! As I arrived at the rehearsal the orchestra were playing the piece, “The Lord of the Dance.” 

“You do know who the Lord of the Dance is?”  I began. “No! It’s not Michael Flatley!! It is God our Father, for Zeph. 3:17 says God dances over us!”

Thus I announced to them the good news of our Father’s passionate love that Ireland is to be awakened to hear once again!

I told of Patrick’s vision and then sang the “O Ireland” song, concluding,

“.…..and once again God’s love proclaim ….A burning heart in Jesus name.”

“We’re out of time!” David the conductor said, “But you’ll have to come back. I can prepare us musically but we need your help with more of this spiritual preparation!”  

I remember in the early seventies how God used visiting Americans to help us move to a new level of experiencing God in what became known as the ‘charismatic movement.’ I believe we are on the verge of not just another ‘movement’ but a monumental shift to a higher plane than the ‘Pentecostal’ one we have been operating on for the last 2,000 years. It is time now for the Fall Feasts to be fulfilled lifting us to a higher ‘Tabernacles’ plane.

As our ‘Commander- in – chief ‘ co-ordinates his surrendered forces worldwide and Irish like the Kyles are sent west to America and Minnesotans like Mary, Karl, Joshua, David and Rachel find their way back east to Ireland, maybe it’s time too, as we humbly co-operate with him and with one another, for another of the songs I was given 35 years ago to find it’s fulfillment in our day, for we have all been, “Born into a Battle”  

“For the kingdom of this world it shall become

The kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ

And He shall reign for ever and ever more.” 

 

 

Trials and Trails

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Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet Trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1:2-4)

After a very ‘people-intensive’ few days around the FREEDOM! retreat, this morning I got up early and went for a run on the trails around Theodore Wirth golf course and cross-country ski resort. It must be 6 months since I’ve done this. I knew they had been building a grand new clubhouse out front, but found in behind, a whole new network of broadened trails where 6 months ago there had only been narrow, tree lined, dirt paths. Obviously the woodland had gone through some difficult Trials in order to produce these beautiful new Trails!

I thought how our last retreat was about 6 months ago and once again last weekend we were inspired hearing the FREEDOM! family’s stories of how even over those months God had presented them with difficult Trials. As they had faced these trials honestly, with their brothers and sisters, utilizing the 5 keys or steps taught in Unbound prayer, they had not succumbed as victims but had overcome as victors. It was obvious they had grown stronger in faith and in love, and moving through these trials, were now able to share beautiful new Trails with those who had come to hear and who needed to make that same journey.

This is the advantage of doing FREEDOM! in a home with a committed spiritual family who know one another intimately. Having walked “in the light” together over many years, we are familiar with each other’s broken beginnings before we were first connected by the Lord, and have traced the real progress over many years in one another’s lives from that first ‘prayer time’, as layers of the onion have been peeled back to bring deeper and deeper levels of healing and deliverance.

These current and growing, not static historic testimonies, impact newcomers deeply. Hearing the team share so honestly, a story that began so sadly but is now obviously progressing to ever higher realms of joy and greater depths of peace, brings them hope!

As they pick up this rare atmosphere of absolute honesty, unconditional acceptance and longterm commitment of the group to one another, the nervous spectators on the first night are transformed and able to open their hearts in the prayer session the next day and finish liberated, literally free ‘to dance and sing’  in the closing session. A 27 hour miracle!

One of our prayer partners, Eugene in Ireland, had been prompted to send a short, funny, youtube video – Dad is always there

Raine who had moved back to the Rez a few months ago, had a ‘battle’ driving up from South Dakota. She had lost perspective and some of the old dark patterns of thinking and behaving arising from her father-wounds were looming up again. After that first session Raine shared with me through tears that she found it hard to watch the video and was struggling not to return to her experience of flawed human father figures rather than trusting that her heavenly father had always been there for her. She said, “If I get up to share, I think all I will do is cry!”

After a good night’s sleep and many, many hugs and smiles from her family she stepped to the front and gave her most powerful and confident testimony ever, affirming once more the truth that had set her free – that her heavenly Father had never rejected or abandoned her or ever let her down.

That evening through smiles, she recalled to me how just that past week she had found a troubled little Mni sitting on the outside doorstep with a black eye and scraps on her abdomen….and mumbling something about “a dog”. Raine realized the neighboring Rotweiller was the dog….. but that he must have just knocked her over….. had he attacked her – she would have literally lost her beautiful little face!!

“Yes, Dad has always been there for me and for Mni!” she affirmed.

Each person shared their own ‘highlight’ in the final talking circle.

For me it had been when I was about to start singing “Good Morning’ Dad.” and our eldest son, Robin walked into the room, guitar in hand.

“Good Mornin’ son!” I said, ‘Good Mornin’ Dad.’ he smiled back. and together we lead off with the song……

“I open my eyes, I see your smiling face, warming my heart – “Good Mornin’ Dad” 

This was something that a few years ago would not have been possible as he was going through his own difficult Trials – now becoming Trails for others

That evening I asked someone to read the story of the ‘running father‘ (better known as the ‘prodigal son’) That person couldn’t read the small print and said to the person sitting next to her, “Hey Robin could you read it for me?”  He did.

Later that night I smiled when my ‘getting healthier’ son, now beginning to coach others in how to become whole in spirit, soul and body, sent me another great youtube video, teaching on the “Carnivorous/Ketogenic” diet.

I laughed when it described why it was, that the father had killed

– the ‘fattened calf’

….. for his son’s homecoming party  : – )

 

 

Irish Sign Post Script . “Un-Locking Father’s Heart”

by on in Irish Sign Posts

 

 

Next week end, in ones and twos people have been responding to our invitation, and are coming from the north, south, east and west to be welcomed to a FREEDOM! retreat here at Rivendell, to experience our Father’s house and heart of love. (Details are on the Events page at our website paulkyle.org )

This ministry is not just about helping unlock people’s personal prison doors so they can walk free as they appropriate the victory that is theirs in Christ. It is also that God the Father’s heart  be “Un-Locked” so that it is more fully and truly expressed through these liberated captives!

As if to confirm this, today I received an e-mail request for this prayer from a lady called Victoria Rivera.  It is the Victory of Christ (over sin and death) that will flow forth in a River of the Spirit – until the earth is immersed in the knowledge of the glory of God (his essential nature of goodness – his heart)…… as the waters cover the sea! (Hab.2:14)

In the early days of Community of the King in Ireland there were two brothers who experienced this victory in Christ.

The younger brother Keith married Jane and they moved from bonnie Scotland, Jane’s home, to be part of the community. They spent a year and a half living in our home where they had their first child, Shona, who is our Goddaughter. We continue to be ‘family’ to this day, and one of the last things we did before flying home from Ireland this time was to be warmly welcomed into their new home. It was designed and built by the two of them. Keith is the architect, Jane – the artist homemaker!

We ended up being the first visitors to their new home at number…….22 New Line Road!!!

…….remember the number 22?

That number that kept cropping up in an earlier blog means  Sons of Light

……and what is the New Line?

 – The Sons  – not representing a sectarian line ‘of Ireland’ or ‘of Ulster’ – but of Light. 

These are the “Sons of God” that we sang are to….“RISE AGAIN”!

If Billy Graham who died this year was a type of Moses, then Joshua (Yeshua) represents these ‘Sons of God”  that are now to arise.

Keith took me to the back window to show me this view toward Scrabo tower. He told me, “That field was once barley, and is where scenes for the powerful Billy Graham video My Hope UK was filmed.” (You can find it on Youtube) Barley represents the Overcomer company – the Sons of God….”for in this hope we were saved.” (Rm.8:24)

The painting below by Charles Mackesy of the ‘running father’ hung in the guest room of Keith and Jane’s last home. It speaks loud and clear of the ‘new religion’, which as an ember being rekindled in this land, will manifest the ‘true religion’. It depicts God as the merciful and gracious Father welcoming us home. It is as this invitation is extended through hearts in homes like these, that the authentic fire of God’s love will engulf this land, and then as Patrick’s vision foretold, spread beyond it to the north, the south, the east and the west.

As we were talking together, Shona and her husband Dav and two children arrived in. They showed us the panoramic photo at the top capturing a spontaneously initiated neighborhood block party (the first I’ve heard of in Belfast!) as their hospitable home spilled out onto the streets.

Just like the parents, they carry our Father’s wide open heart of hospitable love.

Oh, and the name of this Irish family who are being used to reveal the Un-locked Father’s Heart?

Why……the Lockharts – of course : – )

P.S. What happened to the older brother you ask?  Brett has also had a successful professional career as a Q.C. which is why last week he made the headlines on the BBC! Father has called him to labor in another part of His Irish vineyard : – )

 

The “deacon” brother also makes God’s hospitality a practical reality! (Acts.6)

Irish Sign Posts. Part 7. A Final Note.

by on in Irish Sign Posts

 

 

We don’t watch much TV. Occasionally I’ll turn on PBS on a Saturday or Sunday evening for an hour to see if there is anything of interest. Last Saturday I found myself watching a documentary telling the sad story of a woman who had developed paranoid schizophrenia and then disappeared without trace. Months later her remains were found in an unoccupied farmhouse where she had been hiding out. It seemed she had simply faded away there in the midst of a harsh New Hampshire winter.

This story was made all the more poignant for me as I recalled being summoned many times in the middle of the night to the bleak ‘long stay’ units at Purdysburn Psychiatric hospital, to prescribe to a chronically disturbed patient who had become ‘unruly’ a hefty shot of Largactil…. a straight jacket in chemical form…..only to return to my bed of sanity crying out to Jesus on behalf of these ‘hopeless cases.’

I only watched the first 40 minutes or so when I had to leave. But I had seen what I needed to. Beside the decomposing body lay a book. it was a journal, giving a day to day account of how Linda had experienced those last months. It turned out to be her Final Note. 

I talked in this series about two songs that came to the fore during our time in Ireland. There was a third. It too was a Final Note we were given to sound there.

I had most of the song before the trip, but one morning I went out to bathe at Marble Hill when the words of a fourth verse came in juxtaposition to this, the third verse.

In this valley of trouble,

I pick my way through the rubble

The grand edifice now humbled

From what it seemed.

But behind the illusion

And beyond the contusion

Arising from the confusion

What’s real is seen.

So why would we not sing…………

 

I took a plunge in the ocean

Cause I just had a notion

Becoming one with it’s motion

Floating around

Sky grey above me

Gentle rain falling on me

He’s breathing up-on me

I’ve been found!

So why would we not sing……….

I thought I may have had an opportunity to sing the song after the Gala dinner and the speeches by my peers who had risen to the top of the profession. But the time came and went…..

The next morning however my colleague Brian, who owned a cottage right on the beach said, “Why don’t you come over to our place and sing for us?” It turned out the song I had received was not for ‘The Year’ but a gift for Brian’s wife –  Hilary! After singing it to them, she said, “Why that’s my favorite thing to do – float in my big inflated inner tube – just drifting around there on the ocean!!!”

The message of the song in these last two verses is the grace of God…… It is not what we achieve, accomplish or build, but that he reveals to us, no matter what we ‘take a notion’ to choose….that HE HAS CHOSEN US!

I remembered once getting lost on a  run in a forest in Holland, and saying “Father, I’m lost, I don’t know where I am! ” He replied. “No son, you are not lost….. I know exactly where you are!”

The name of the documentary was a line from Linda’s journal.

“God, You Know Where I Am.”

In the minds of the film makers this may have seemed a catchy title, but in Linda’s perplexed mind it revealed to me that in her brokenness she had discovered the only thing that any of us ever need to discover in this life

Whether your name is Linda or Hilary or………..

YOU HAVE BEEN FOUND.

 

 

 

 

 

Irish Sign Posts. Part 6. Summoned by the Horn. STILL Higher!

by on in Irish Sign Posts

Rest in the LORD. Wait patiently for him

(Ps.37:7)

There is no condition of life in which we cannot abide in Jesus.

Thus the reading on our Oswald Chambers calendar this morning confirmed this should be my next “blog story.”

One night just after arriving in Ireland I retired early, only to awaken and see the digital display read;

11.29.

I sensed I was to rise and was subsequently lead on a journey through John’s gospel. The Spirit began by pointing out that the first and twenty first chapters were like a prologue and postscript. Then working towards the middle I noticed in that both chapters 2 and 20 there was a MARY to whom Jesus brought a “timing” adjustment; “My hour has not yet come” (2:4) and “Touch me not for I am not yet ascended to my Father.”  (20:17). “Slow down! Slow down!” He seemed to be saying.

I was then lead to read the first sentence in each chapter. I found the ‘movement’ in chapters 3-10 pointed me forward, and in 12- 19 pointed me backwards. So I then went to the middle Chapter, #11 and then calculated the middle verse. There I read,

” …..When MARY heard this, she rose up quickly and went to him.” 

I then realized this verse in John was:

11:29

The time I had been wakened and the verse in the scripture, were one and the same!

I looked at the first sentence in this central chapter, and realized it alone contained the word:

“NOW”!

It was as if Father was saying this is the point at which you are NOW in redemption history….the time when a prepared and adjusted MARY company….. will be invited to…..rise up quickly to meet him!

So what does it mean to be part of this company?

To me the abiding image of MARY, the mother of Jesus, is her disposition;

“Be it unto me according to your word.”  

 Total SURRENDER…..yield fully to Him.

To me the abiding image of MARY, Martha’s sister, in Jesus’ words;

“You have chosen the better part.”

Sit STILL.…. focus fully on Him.

It was only after this experience that the last ‘blog story’ with our MARY in Donegal transpired!!!

The double witness for this came on our very last day in Ireland, through our good friends Roy and Rosemary Millar. Roy is a ‘patriarchal’ figure in the Irish church who has ‘fed the sheep’ over the years with the deep insights he has been given into God’s word. His magnum opus has been a commentary on the gospel of John for which he was seeking a publisher. So on 10th October we called to return a lamp Hilary had borrowed from Rosemary to sew a maternity coat for our daughter Abby (Even as I type these seemingly insignificant details I’m made aware of the prophetic significance of it all!!)

Roy greeted us at the door with a wide grin (wide for Roy!) and the news, “I’ve got a publisher for John.”

The other “book end” to my initial revelation was in the title he’d been lead to, and publisher for the commentary;

“COME AND SEE” by “INSTANT” Apostle  BOOK  “QUICKLY” rose up to “BE WITH HIM”

The imagery of both bookends points me toward the words concerning the coming of the Lord in 1 Cor. 15:5 ff and 1 Thess. 4:13 ff……“in the twinkling of an eye….to meet the Lord.”

The key to entering into this reality even HERE and NOW?

…………..coming to a complete (human) stand-STILL and SURRENDER to Him.

………as He continues to write his ‘current’ story – through the BOOK of our lives.

Rest in the LORD. Wait patiently for him.

P.S. This truth was personified for me in two remarkable servants of the Lord I have just met with: a spiritual Mom and Dad. Maureen in Ireland  is 90 years old, Bud in Minneapolis is 95. Both are physically restricted to wheelchairs. Both tell stories of feeling ‘useless’ because they are no longer able to ‘do’. Maureen told us about crying out in frustration to the Lord the morning we visited, and then with a grin, “Then at breakfast a lady came over to me and asked  ‘Maureen would you pray for me?'” Both carry God in their ‘being’. They reminded me of Jesus final words in John’s gospel both to Peter, about his coming physical restriction, and to Peter about John, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?”