Keith Green: An Eternal Legacy

I recently finished reading a book about Keith Green's life by his wife, Melody Green, called "No Compromise." I was deeply moved by this man's story and impacted by his legacy.
Keith Green had an eternal mindset, just as all of us as Christians should. In the book, Melody clearly revealed his weaknesses and struggles and the processes he had to go through. Keith never gave up. He kept growing until the very end, not willing to compromise his faith. Though he may have made some mistakes along the way, he didn't seem to be afraid of anything. It seems to me that this is probably a major reason why his impact and ministry are still going strong today. He wasn't afraid to take risks, so I would venture to say he didn't have any regrets.
Keith Green had a very dynamic personality, and he could have easily utilized his natural tendencies to bring glory to himself. But once he became a Christian, he wouldn't dare think of it. He shed many tears in his quest to bring ultimate glory to God and share his love and saving power with as many as possible. He was a humble, caring man who just wanted to do things the right way. He didn't let confrontations discourage him; rather, the opposite. He was glad when corrected and used it as an opportunity to change and grow.
Isn't this how we should all respond to the processing in our lives?
I just watched a live recording of Keith singing "The Easter Song," and it was plain to me how anointed he was in his ministry. It felt like he was still alive because I felt God's presence almost instantly when the video began.
The man may have died, but the anointing and the influence never has.
May we all be able to claim this about our lives lived for the King.
I highly recommend this book by the way. :)

Just Him

I'm listening to this song right now that says, "Give me Jesus; you can have all this world, just give me Jesus." Many of us know the song well. But the question is, do we live it? Is He really our first Love, our primary focus, our essential reason for being alive? Because He should be.
Yesterday as I was going throughout my day there were several things going on. I got together with a friend, then as I was watching the little girl I nanny, I kept receiving texts or calls from a few people and found out some things that excited me. My mind tends to stay focused on things like that for quite some time if it is either something I am concerned or upset about or excited about. I think through everything that I should or could do in response, or play out possible future events in my head. Basically, I get distracted.
I don't think it's always a bad thing, but I was reminded yesterday, realizing how full my mind was of so many things, that sometimes Jesus can slip to the background of my consciousness when crowded by other thoughts. I prayed then that He would remain first in everything, that I would remember that for all my good intentions, He must be my purpose. Him alone. That my love for him would outshine everything, good and bad alike.
I am a follower of Christ, first and foremost, and if my life reflects that alone, it is enough.

To See

Lately the prayer that seems to keep spilling forth from my heart has been that I could see. I think to some extent we are all blind. I know I am. I want to see what most think is either nonexistant or invisible. Those deeper things of the spirit that we can't strive to see with our frail physical eyes. I just finished reading a book by James Rubart called "Soul's Gate." This book inspired me to inquire more of the Lord than I have before, seeing how God was opening the eyes of these characters to see people in the Spirit and to look into the spiritual realm to see the battle going on around them. Even the novel I am writing has similar themes, and I know it is because there is something in my spirit that is crying out to see more, because I know it's not only possible, but how we are called to live. So I just keep asking that I could see more so that I can know more of what this life I've chosen to live really means.
I want to look at the people around me in my life and even before noticing their outward appearance, see them through God's eyes. See who they are in the spirit. I believe if we treat people as if they are truly this person God shows us in the spirit, even if they are not currently living up to it, they will begin to. I want to see that happen, more and more. I want to see how much God loves and cares for each person, and how much freedom He really wants for them.
Let me see, God.

.

Novel Teaser

            Colin stared at his ceiling, wide awake. How could he sleep after a day like today? He had gone to school for some of his late afternoon classes, though it wasn’t easy to focus. He would have to work on that.

            A sudden wind in Colin’s ear made him jerk upright. He could still feel the tickle. And the words that came with it—Get up! He caught his breath and looked to his right, surprised to see a pair of bright green eyes shining in the dark room. It took a moment for him to recognize the boy, but soon he saw that it was none other than—

            Adrian.

            Adrian pulled at Colin’s wrist so that he could feel his fast pulse beat against the boy’s warm fingers.

            “Colin, you have to get up. Now! I have to show you something.”

            “You scared me half to death! How did you get in here?”

            “Never mind that. Just get up!”

            Colin swung himself out of bed and watched the little boy back away and stare up at him. He shook his head and muttered to himself, “Is this ever gonna end?”

            “No, Colin, it won’t.”

            Colin was caught off guard—he had meant to say it to himself, but of course the boy was there, and of course he would hear and have a clever response like that.

            “Alright.” He grabbed his t-shirt off the floor and pulled it on. “Where are we going?”

            The boy smiled and took his hand. Adrian’s hand was swallowed in his—it was so delicate, so innocent. He swallowed.

            “Just follow me, Colin. I’m gonna show you something amazing.” The boy’s eyes danced with wonder, and Colin couldn’t help but smile. He didn’t hesitate this time.

            “Alright, I think I can handle that.” Adrian laughed out loud, and Colin wondered if his family could hear him.

            “Maybe you should be quiet, my family is asleep,” Colin whispered as they walked down the hallway. But this time he just giggled louder, and Colin found his own voice joining in.

            Adrian pulled him all the way out the door, until they stood in Colin’s front lawn. That’s where he stopped and looked up at the sky. Colin followed his gaze, looking for something—unusual. All he could see were the stars, but Adrian seemed overcome by them when he glanced down at his lifted face. The biggest grin quickly turned into a reverent awe, then back to the grin. Colin looked up again, aching to experience whatever had captured this little boy.

            “Look, Colin. Aren’t they amazing?”

            “Yes—yes they are.” But he wished he could see more. Adrian saw something he didn’t. He didn’t take their beauty for granted.

            Suddenly Adrian moved his head to look at Colin. The enchantment in his face faded, and they stared at each other, confident little boy and lost grown man. Why couldn’t he be like this child? Then the boy uttered something he didn’t anticipate.

            “Colin, feel my pulse.” He took Colin’s fingers and placed them on his own wrist. The steady sensation of a beating heart flowed through his fingers and seemed to reach the rest of his body. This was life.

            “Now, feel your own.” Without waiting for the boy to do it for him, he placed his own thumb over his left wrist and felt the pulse. His pulse.

            “Do you feel something?”

            “Of course I do.”

            The boy smiled.

            “That means you’re alive!” Colin was in disbelief at the simplicity of Adrian’s words.

            “Yeah?”

            “Yes, and that means you can do things.”

            Colin swallowed hard.

            “Yeah? And what kinds of things am I supposed to do?”

            Adrian’s eyes twinkled with mischief. He replied, “Great things.” The boy looked back up at the stars and breathed in loudly.

            “Can you hear them? Can you sense them?” he asked.

            “What?” Colin responded.

            “The angels. They like to dance with the stars at night. But they’re here, too.” He spread his arms out and spun around once. “All around us. I love it, ‘cus they carry Daddy’s presence.”

            “Daddy?”

            “Yes—God!” Colin felt like he shouldn’t breathe, like the air surrounding this child was too sacred to breathe. So he remained quiet for the moment and tried to think of what to say to this.

            “Yeah…that’s amazing” was what came out of Colin’s mouth. Adrian looked at him again and seemed to be contemplating something very important.

            “Colin, I need you to do something for me.”

Chasing Demons Away

Being pursued by a malevolent force that you know you can’t escape is the most terrifying thing to experience. There’ s no way out. The horror of that thought is like death. When you know the one after you is more powerful than any effort on your part, you are lost.

How do I know? Well, I don’t, not really. But I’ve gotten a taste of it in some dreams I have had, like last night. In short, in the dream there was a man who I knew did not have good intentions towards me, so I hid away from where he was in fear. But he knew where to find me, so he came and I couldn’t get away. He started asking me random questions and I had to answer, but I knew he was not just a nice person, so I tried to hurt him. It didn’t faze him; instead he responded with, “You underestimate my power.” Basically he then proceeded to tell me my death was imminent, and would be by his hands. There was nothing I could do.

But I woke up thinking, there is actually one hope left in that kind of situation—Jesus. I will always have him to look out for me, and He is more powerful than any human or force of evil that may try to assail me. I can always cling to that.

But what about the little girls and women who are hunted every day and forced into a life of sexual slavery that may as well be death? There is hope for them, but they can’t see it. They are like me in that dream except without the knowledge that there is one greater who is able to rescue them. What a nightmare.

One of the primary differences between those of us who know Christ and those who don’t is our hope. These girls and women are literally living a nightmare. They are trapped with no way to escape.

Unless the impossible happens.

Unless someone hears and is willing to break into their world. Unless the people of God rise up to chase away their demons and bring them back into the waking world, where terrors cannot stalk them anymore. Where they are home and safe.

When I think of what it must be like for them, the utter darkness and hopelessness that so many of these modern-day slaves live in, my heart breaks and is moved to do more. I’m not going to tell you what to do about it; neither am I going to try and come up with a solution or a strategy of my own. But what I do propose we do and not stop doing is lifting up this issue to God in earnest prayer, asking him for the strategies and acting on what we hear.

This is real and it is happening to so many more precious lives than we realize. Let’s not be silent, for our God is more powerful! We should not underestimate the power of our Enemy, but we should not allow him to immobilize us either with fear or hopelessness. There is always a life to be saved, and you can do something about it.

A Child

God sees us as mighty warriors, yet He expects us to come to him as little children. Perhaps having faith like a child equips us to become those mighty warriors. He sees strength in the heart of a child. Maybe it is because children generally cannot rely on themselves. They must trust.

My heart is bound up

How can I carry yours?
I am not a child but a pauper
Worn out by time and years
Yet you would bring me back
Set me upon your lap
Look into my eyes and say
You’re innocent again
Do you want to run on the paths of adventure
I have set before you?
I approve of you
You don’t have to be shy with me
I hear his words, stirring in me
And dare to look in his face
I find he’s smiling
So I take his hand without shame
And my withered fingers become smooth
With him I can be myself
A child again, with strength renewed
For faith and trust are my weapons in him
I am utterly changed when he becomes my strength
So I say
My heart is strong
Not bound with fear, or folly, or doubt
But light with your love
I see with your eyes
And I will tread the paths you have laid out
And pursue to grasp what you are about
When I see me through your eyes
I can carry your heart with no shame
And be a child
And a warrior to bring you fame

 

A couple weeks ago I was picking up the little girl I nanny from kindergarten. There was another little girl waiting with her mom, about 3 or 4 years old with blonde curly hair. I had never met them before, but this little girl suddenly came up to me, took my hand, and smiled. She then said, “sometimes I’m shy.” That struck me because for some reason she didn’t feel the need to be shy with me. Yet she wanted to tell me that. Then she proceeded to show me her pink boots and kept holding onto my hand and swinging it back and forth like I was her long time friend. I couldn’t help but imagine that this might have been what it was like for Jesus. The children were attracted to him though he may have been a stranger, and they were probably able to be free and open with him because of his love and gentle way. What a beautiful picture God brought to me through the boldness and spontaneity of this little one.