The Holy Spirit Builds My Father's House

Church of the Nativity of Our Lady (in front) - Vitoslavlitsy wooden museum, Novgorod (Photo credit: w0LD)

There is a house on a hill.  It is timeless and stands with its face to the wind.  The front porch beckons visitors to come, and the door remains open to those who follow Christ. The large oak tree in the front of the house, offers shade in the heat of the day, and strength for a swing.  The birds flock there because they know where to find shelter, and the animals too.

Each room contains walls papered with history, and wood floors from a timeless tree of long ago.  The house has stood in this spot for many years, through changing seasons.  Sunlight streams in through each open window beckoning the day.  Yet, a fireplace beckons warmth in the cool of evening. A warm glow of light radiates through the windows at evening time, and the front porch light is always on.  It is the Lord’s provision.  It is my Father’s house.

We are in a season where interest rates for homes are at an all-time low.

Many people have been laid-off and jobs are scarce, with a higher than average number of applicants.  Medical insurance premiums and copays are higher.  Some have had to walk away from their homes, and some are living with relatives.  There are a few that do not have a home.  The immediate view of the current economy around the globe right now is bleak.  The Church is not immune!

Yet, there is hope.   We do not live in the economy that we see in our present vision, we live in God’s economy.  It is a season where we pray, we seek the Lord to find out where we put out our nets, and how many jars we fill with oil.  The answers may not come right away, but they will.  When there is a need, there is the possibility for multiplication!

There is a reason Jesus preached to the poor.

The poor have little, but must put their faith in God.  They cannot simply trust in their bank accounts and assets.  They cannot simply cash in a mutual fund to cover their debts.  They had to put their trust in the One who provides all.  They must give where the Lord leads, so that they can multiply what they have!

Somehow, when we have physical and emotional needs, we are more pliable before the Lord.  Yet, if we do not have needs, we are challenged to give to those in need.  It reminds us of where we could be…

How can you leave the porch light on?

There are many people crying out to the Church for help with basic needs.  It is the state of our national and world economy.  It is the result of all the cumulative choices we have made as individuals in life.  It is the world we live in!

So, what we can we do?  Can we share what we have with those within our sphere of orbit?  Do they have a physical need?  Can we use what we have to share with them?  Can we pray for them?  Can we listen or be a friend?  Can we start a nonprofit or a foundation?  The Lord has given each of us gifts in the Body of Christ.  He has called each and everyone of  His people to serve.  He has called us to love our neighbor.

The needs go across cultures, denominations and countries.  How can we bridge that with the power of the Holy Spirit?

In my Father’s house are many mansions, if it were not so, I would have told you.  I go to prepare a place for you.  John 14:2

The Holy Spirit Brings Our Neighbors

This is my son’s sign for the cardinals (Yes, too you).  He began making a nest for them…in the chair of his swing.  Never mind that cardinals do not build mud nests.  Or, further, that they use dog hair and grass, or even let humans build the nest for them…His plan is to make the nest larger each day.  He appears to believe that it is his duty to not only feed the birds, but to make them feel at  home in the tree in his backyard.

Then, we encountered the same issue at the local garden center.  Her name is Sheba, and she is a very large Great Dane.  My son looks for her every time we visit, and she appreciates the attention while he dotes on her.  Yesterday in the midst of one of these loooove sessions, someone made the small statement that Sheba would like it if he gave her a dog biscuit.  Boy, he latched on to that like peas and carrots.

Unbeknownst to me, my son decides that we have to feed Sheba dog biscuits, and he would not leave until he did.  Once I found out what happened, I asked the owner if she could help me, and she gave me dog biscuits so that he could we could feed Sheba.  We were able to leave in peace, because she helped her neighbor…

That song Love Your Neighbor keeps ringing in my head.

You know, that Veggie Tales song sung by Larry the Cucumber, which speaks volumes to the Church.  Although my son’s idea of loving his neighbor typically includes food, because of his genetic syndrome; the truth of the matter is that we should all follow his example in some way.

There are many in need right now, because of the economic crisis our country has been enduring.  People are in need of jobs, food, shelter, and more.  They have to put up with abuse they would normally not tolerate.  It is a dark season in some ways, yet, a calling to use our gifting in the Holy Spirit.

To help our neighbors, we pray first, and then we can better see how the Lord wants us to help provide physical or emotional needs.  The Lord does not just call us to walk away when he speaks to our hearts about certain individuals who cross our path.  The Christian walk of love is not for the faint of heart.

Some of these families are the Special Needs Church.

We have a rise in the number of diagnosed special needs children who darken the doors of the church.  We all know the amount of time and money it takes to care for a special needs child.  They are the vulnerable part of the Body of Christ, yet often the most shut out.  Too many church programs avoid serving special needs children, and the people who care for them.

Although there are many churches that have been working to serve our population, unfortunately, we are costly and a small part of the church.  In times like this, they are the first to lose funding.  Meanwhile, we as parents, find ourselves on the outside of a physical church door.  We seek out new avenues to fellowship with the Body of Christ. Here are some of the ways that you can find fellowship with the Body of Christ and your special needs child!

Reach out in the Holy Spirit!  

1) Participate in Christian social activities that will allow and include your child.

2) Remember that the Body of Christ is fluid, and is not bound by four walls.  Pass out personal cards to those Christians whom you meet.  One time we passed out bandaids that said Jesus Heals!

3) Look to larger churches for groups that work with or care for special needs children or adults.

4) Be open to letting the Holy Spirit connect you with other special needs parents.  You will be surprised where and when you meet them!

5) Share your testimony with other people, special or not.  It particularly surprises the typical church that you are doing all that you do.

6) Reach out to those in need, even if you think that you cannot do anything for them.  A word of encouragement and prayer can go a long way.

7) Continue to practice kindness to those who persecute us simply for having a special needs child, and what that entails.

8) Do a Google search for online churches; the numbers are growing, and some even offer online chats.  You can be choosy about their mission.

9) Many of us do this already, but connect with Christian social media groups and individuals.  Share scripture, and exchange in conversation.

10) Make phone calls during your child’s quiet times, or a free moment, even planning get-togethers with other families, or even a Bible Study.

You do well if you really fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you show partiality, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.  For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it.  James 2:8-10

The Holy Spirit Brings Mother's Day

                                                                           Source: gapphotos.com via Jayne on Pinterest

My special son and I walked a small nature trail the other day that circles a large area.  Only traveled by animals, the trail had been overgrown.  The grass and flowers brushed our legs, and we found ourselves stepping carefully around beautifully flowered, yet thorny, bull nettle plants.  We spied butterflies and listened to the many birds chirping and flying to different trees.

Then, we reached a block in the path.  The trail had taken us into a small ravine, and at the bottom was a pool of water.  Because we did not have on boots, but simple shoes, we stayed at the water’s edge.  We listened to a bizarre noise, coming from two mysterious visitors.  “Ouwak! Ouwak!  They called this noise out to each other, one in response to the other.

At first, our friends sounded like frogs or tropical birds, but we could not find them in the tall grass, trees, or water.  The animals were unknown to us by sight or sound.  We could hear them, but we could not see them.

So, when it was time to return, we turned around and went the way that we came;  we were not properly equipped for a slosh through mud and water.  When we arrived back at the head of the trail, we asked about the sound that we heard.  We were informed that it was the sound of locusts.

Our walk with the Lord is like this.

As Christians, we struggle to see the path because of the abundance of churchy content, and the lure of materialism from the world.  Yet, when we push away the overgrowth, we are awed by the Lord’s creation, and the beauty of His Holy Spirit.  Plus, the trip we make usually brings us to a roadblock, and more than we planned for.

Sometimes we have to go back the way we came because we are not yet equipped by the Spirit to remove the block.  Other times, we have to wait in an uncomfortable position until the Lord opens up the roadblock.   This does not mean that we are going down the wrong path, but many will tell us we have back-slidden.  Yet, typically, we followed the Spirit down the path that we went, and it is the devil who is in the way.

The trail of the Holy Spirit will remain fruitful.

We can walk in religious, churchy ways, doing things that we think we ought to do, or we can seek the Lord, and then walk the path out in faith on what He tells us to do.  The Lord knows the hearts and minds of all those who we are in relationship with, so we are wise to listen to His way.   One fork will lead to death, and the other will lead to life.

In closing, I want to share a Newsboys video with you, which speaks volumes to both of my sons, God’s Not Dead.


Newsboys - God's Not Dead (Official Music Video) from newsboys on GodTube.