“I know there must be more than this” is a cry arising from the hearts of hungry believers across the globe. As God begins to open our hearts to His affections and emotions through revelation from His Word, these “Kisses” He imparts awakens our soul to Divine love. Our soul having been awakened, longs to be drawn deeper and deeper by the Holy Spirit into the intimacies of His love. Once our heart has been touched by the fire of His love, all other things will leave us empty. Even spiritual activities can’t satisfy our deepest longings, only our Beloved Himself can truly satisfy us.
Desire begins to increase within us to be drawn away to a place where we can feel His heartbeat, to see His face, and to know the things that please Him. But the depths of this longing go far beyond our ability to pursue and obtain fulfillment. By nature we are averse to press in to the depths of His love, while our spirit is willing our flesh is weak. We have not yet attained to a maturity and discipline to quiet our soul and posture our heart before His Living Flame of Love which is the only place where true contentment can be found. We are constantly pulled in multiple directions from a society embedded in entertainment. And then there are desires for titles, positions in ministry, or economic status. The list goes on-and-on of things that are contending for our affections and time, but at the end of the day all these things leave us unsatisfied.
Therefore we must pray for the help of the Holy Spirit to “draw us after Him” - deeper into the center of His heart, to overpower the world and the flesh that entice us away from Him. We must pray continually to be drawn away from all other loves that contend for our affections and attention; we need His anointing and grace to follow after Him with all our heart, mind, and soul.
We are created for deep intimate union with the Lord; He calls Himself a Bridegroom, which reveals to us that He is the one who is pursuing us. At the very core of our being there is a longing to know the fire of His love in a place of deep intimate union; this is what we were made for!
The Lord loves to draw us close to Himself, He says “…I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness.” (Jeremiah 31:3) Let us confess our weakness and inadequacies to pursue our Bridegroom God and call upon His passionate desire for us to draw us after Him.
Devotional Prayer
Draw me after You my Beloved; draw me away from the distractions of this life that try to steal my affections that rightly belong to You. Draw me away from worthless things that have the deceptive appearance of fulfillment and joy; for only in You can I truly know fulfillment and purpose to my life. I long to keep Your commandment to love You with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength, but how I need your anointing that enables me to fulfill this desires of my heart. My life vision is found in giving You pleasure and belonging to You. Draw me after You, deep into Your heart.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Song of Solomon 1:3 Therefore the maidens love You.
The revelation of God’s love that is revealed through “The kisses of His mouth” produces a love back to God; “We love Him because He first loved us” (1John 4:19) And the Name of our Beloved, His character and nature revealed through the Cross and His faithful leadership in our lives invokes love within us. We all begin by being drawn by His love, but how we mature in our relationship varies in each individual.
The “maidens” in the Song of Solomon are not the bride; they represent immature believers who choose to follow at a distance. Because they don’t have the same dedication they will never attain to the level of maturity and intimacy with the Beloved as the bride. Mark 4:3-20 is a parable about how this "seed" of love, the Word, sown in our heart produces different results. There are some who have the seed “taken away by the evil one” because they did not understand it. (Matt 13:19) Others receive the “Kiss of His Word” immediately with joy, yet because they have not cultivated a “firm root” they abandon their pursuit of the Beloved when “persecutions arise because of the Word.” There are some who have this seed sown in their heart, but they are consumed with the affairs of this life; they are deceived by the riches of this world. The desire for other things enters in and “chokes” the word and it becomes unfruitful.
Then there are those who nurture the precious gift of His kisses. These individuals consider His love to be better than all the pleasures the world has to offer. They seek to know His emotions and desires and meditate on the passions of His heart. Like Mary, they choose the “One thing” above all other things in this life; that one thing being an intimate relationship with the One who calls us His bride, His perfect one. He says to those who pursue this intimacy, “You are altogether lovely and there is no blemish in you” Song of Solomon 4:7
Jesus then said in Mark 4:24-25 “Take care what you listen to…for whoever has, to him shall more be given; and whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him” When He releases the fire of His love upon our heart we need to aggressively guard the flame from being extinguished by the “desire for other things” We must make time to posture our hearts before Him and allow His living flame of love to consume all other loves until He alone is our “One thing.” The choices we make in our everyday lives will determine if we are going to live like a maiden or a bride.
Devotional Prayer
Holy Spirit, I pray for an anointing to keep a marriage covenant with the Bridegroom God; to love You with all my heart, all my mind, and all my strength. I want to pursue You like a bride in love, and not from a distance like the maidens. I set myself apart for You, making a covenant with my eyes and the things I look at; with my heart and my affections; with the words of my mouth and with my thoughts. I long to walk in purity before You as I am learning that “I am my Beloveds and His desire is for me.”
The “maidens” in the Song of Solomon are not the bride; they represent immature believers who choose to follow at a distance. Because they don’t have the same dedication they will never attain to the level of maturity and intimacy with the Beloved as the bride. Mark 4:3-20 is a parable about how this "seed" of love, the Word, sown in our heart produces different results. There are some who have the seed “taken away by the evil one” because they did not understand it. (Matt 13:19) Others receive the “Kiss of His Word” immediately with joy, yet because they have not cultivated a “firm root” they abandon their pursuit of the Beloved when “persecutions arise because of the Word.” There are some who have this seed sown in their heart, but they are consumed with the affairs of this life; they are deceived by the riches of this world. The desire for other things enters in and “chokes” the word and it becomes unfruitful.
Then there are those who nurture the precious gift of His kisses. These individuals consider His love to be better than all the pleasures the world has to offer. They seek to know His emotions and desires and meditate on the passions of His heart. Like Mary, they choose the “One thing” above all other things in this life; that one thing being an intimate relationship with the One who calls us His bride, His perfect one. He says to those who pursue this intimacy, “You are altogether lovely and there is no blemish in you” Song of Solomon 4:7
Jesus then said in Mark 4:24-25 “Take care what you listen to…for whoever has, to him shall more be given; and whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him” When He releases the fire of His love upon our heart we need to aggressively guard the flame from being extinguished by the “desire for other things” We must make time to posture our hearts before Him and allow His living flame of love to consume all other loves until He alone is our “One thing.” The choices we make in our everyday lives will determine if we are going to live like a maiden or a bride.
Devotional Prayer
Holy Spirit, I pray for an anointing to keep a marriage covenant with the Bridegroom God; to love You with all my heart, all my mind, and all my strength. I want to pursue You like a bride in love, and not from a distance like the maidens. I set myself apart for You, making a covenant with my eyes and the things I look at; with my heart and my affections; with the words of my mouth and with my thoughts. I long to walk in purity before You as I am learning that “I am my Beloveds and His desire is for me.”
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Song of Solomon 1:3 Your Name is ointment poured forth (NKJV)
Oh the beautiful name of Jesus! Just to say His name brings pleasure to our heart. “His name is ointment poured forth” is referring to the nature and character of Jesus revealed in His activities. In the Hebrew culture One’s name represented their character and inner person. When we meditate on what Jesus accomplished on the Cross, how He rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and brought us into an eternal relationship as His bride, it is like a sweet perfume poured forth.
Just think about Jesus, in the beginning with God, He was God but He made Himself of no reputation and took the form of a bondservant as He came to earth in the likeness of men. Our God humbled himself and became obedient to suffer death on the cross, defeating sin and death so that we might live with Him forever. Therefore God has given Jesus the name that is above every name. (John 1:1, Philippians 2:6-9)
When we begin to understand the passion of His heart to have us with Him forever without end our heart is awakened to a deeper fervor of love. When we vaguely grasp the power of His blood He poured out to makes us pure, spotless, and holy, and the power of His resurrection that we might walk in newness of life so that we can be in constant fellowship with Him, we can’t help but abandon ourselves to His infinite love. It is almost unfathomable to consider that we are His temple, the place where the Holy Spirit lives; that we are joined to the Lord, one spirit with Him. This is a real life “Cinderella” story and we are the prize of the great Prince!
“On His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.” (Revelation 19:16)
“I have made Your name known to them…that the love with which You have loved Me may be in them, and I in them.” (John 17:26)
“…you were washed; you were sanctified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:11)
Devotional Prayer
Jesus, Your name is the sweetest name in all the earth. Your name, Yeshua, Savior, Emmanuel, Your name revealing the depths of Your love and passion for me. Jesus, help me to quiet my heart and meditate on the greatness of Your love for me. Let me gaze upon Your beauty, I need to see the fire in Your eyes. I want to catch even a glimpse of the King of all Kings, and to know I belong to You. Increase my understanding of Your passion displayed on the cross, and to recognize Your leadership in every moment of my life. How pleasant and how fragrant is Your name!
Just think about Jesus, in the beginning with God, He was God but He made Himself of no reputation and took the form of a bondservant as He came to earth in the likeness of men. Our God humbled himself and became obedient to suffer death on the cross, defeating sin and death so that we might live with Him forever. Therefore God has given Jesus the name that is above every name. (John 1:1, Philippians 2:6-9)
When we begin to understand the passion of His heart to have us with Him forever without end our heart is awakened to a deeper fervor of love. When we vaguely grasp the power of His blood He poured out to makes us pure, spotless, and holy, and the power of His resurrection that we might walk in newness of life so that we can be in constant fellowship with Him, we can’t help but abandon ourselves to His infinite love. It is almost unfathomable to consider that we are His temple, the place where the Holy Spirit lives; that we are joined to the Lord, one spirit with Him. This is a real life “Cinderella” story and we are the prize of the great Prince!
“On His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.” (Revelation 19:16)
“I have made Your name known to them…that the love with which You have loved Me may be in them, and I in them.” (John 17:26)
“…you were washed; you were sanctified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:11)
Devotional Prayer
Jesus, Your name is the sweetest name in all the earth. Your name, Yeshua, Savior, Emmanuel, Your name revealing the depths of Your love and passion for me. Jesus, help me to quiet my heart and meditate on the greatness of Your love for me. Let me gaze upon Your beauty, I need to see the fire in Your eyes. I want to catch even a glimpse of the King of all Kings, and to know I belong to You. Increase my understanding of Your passion displayed on the cross, and to recognize Your leadership in every moment of my life. How pleasant and how fragrant is Your name!
Friday, August 13, 2010
Song of Solomon 1:3 – Your oils have a pleasing fragrance (NAS)
The fragrant oils of Jesus refer to His thought life. His oils or perfume (NIV) speaks of what He thinks and what He feels. In verse two we prayed for a greater understanding of His emotions and affections for us, now we proclaim that the knowledge of His passions and pleasure in us are a sweet fragrance. His love for us has an intoxicating aroma.
Fragrances affect our senses. In recent years there has been a growing resurgence to the practice of Aromatherapy. The use of essential oils for one’s psychological and physical well-being is dated back thousands of years. If the oils from plants and trees can have an impact to our natural senses how much more of a profound impact do the oils from experiencing Jesus’ passionate affections have on our spirit. His thoughts and emotions toward us is a sweet fragrance; the knowledge of the depths of His love brings healing to our being: spirit, soul and body. We are changed from the inside out!
Meditate on what He thinks and feels about you:
“…Your thoughts toward us cannot be recounted to You.. they are more than can be numbered” Psalm 40:5
“As high as the heavens are above the earth so great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him” Psalm 103:11
“…I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you” Jerimiah 31:3
“…you shall be called Hephzibah… for the LORD delights in you” Isaiah 62:4
“…as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you” Isaiah 62:5
“…you will call Me ‘My Husband’ and no longer call Me ‘My Master.’” Hosea 2:16
“I will betroth you to Me forever…I will betroth you to Me in lovingkindness and mercy" Hosea 2:19-20
“Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am…” John 17:24
He calls us holy, blameless, spotless, chosen, His special treasure. We are His beloved, His bride, His inheritance. We are His desire and He longs to be with us. Every page of His Word is filled with the sweet fragrance of His affections and thoughts for us. His thoughts toward me, like fragrant oil, penetrate deep into my spirit making me whole. At times I can’t contain the joy that arises from the reality of these truths.
Devotional Prayer
As I meditate on the words You speak over me, that Your thoughts toward me are innumerable and Your love for me has no measurement, I am overcome by the fragrance of these truths. Though it is intangible, my spirit senses a sweet aroma when You declare Your delight in me. There is no greater fragrance found in the entire world than the fragrance of Your Word. It is so pure and sweet. I thank You Father that You always lead us in Your victory and manifest through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Jesus. (2 Cor 2:14)
Fragrances affect our senses. In recent years there has been a growing resurgence to the practice of Aromatherapy. The use of essential oils for one’s psychological and physical well-being is dated back thousands of years. If the oils from plants and trees can have an impact to our natural senses how much more of a profound impact do the oils from experiencing Jesus’ passionate affections have on our spirit. His thoughts and emotions toward us is a sweet fragrance; the knowledge of the depths of His love brings healing to our being: spirit, soul and body. We are changed from the inside out!
Meditate on what He thinks and feels about you:
“…Your thoughts toward us cannot be recounted to You.. they are more than can be numbered” Psalm 40:5
“As high as the heavens are above the earth so great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him” Psalm 103:11
“…I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you” Jerimiah 31:3
“…you shall be called Hephzibah… for the LORD delights in you” Isaiah 62:4
“…as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you” Isaiah 62:5
“…you will call Me ‘My Husband’ and no longer call Me ‘My Master.’” Hosea 2:16
“I will betroth you to Me forever…I will betroth you to Me in lovingkindness and mercy" Hosea 2:19-20
“Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am…” John 17:24
He calls us holy, blameless, spotless, chosen, His special treasure. We are His beloved, His bride, His inheritance. We are His desire and He longs to be with us. Every page of His Word is filled with the sweet fragrance of His affections and thoughts for us. His thoughts toward me, like fragrant oil, penetrate deep into my spirit making me whole. At times I can’t contain the joy that arises from the reality of these truths.
Devotional Prayer
As I meditate on the words You speak over me, that Your thoughts toward me are innumerable and Your love for me has no measurement, I am overcome by the fragrance of these truths. Though it is intangible, my spirit senses a sweet aroma when You declare Your delight in me. There is no greater fragrance found in the entire world than the fragrance of Your Word. It is so pure and sweet. I thank You Father that You always lead us in Your victory and manifest through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Jesus. (2 Cor 2:14)
Monday, August 9, 2010
Song of Solomon 1:2 – For Your love is better than wine
The revelation of God’s pleasure in us as we experience the “kisses of His mouth” has a powerful impact on our heart. When we drink of the wine of His love our desires for the lesser pleasures of the world begin to diminish.
Drinking wine makes the heart glad. In this verse the metaphor of wine speaks of the pleasures the world has to offer, both good God ordained pleasure and satan’s counterfeit pleasures of sin. God’s love is more powerful to the human spirit than any other pleasure this world can offer. God created us with longings to experience pleasure. The longing for pleasure is not sinful; finding our pleasure in unrighteousness is what is sinful. The longing for pleasure draws me to God; He is the ultimate source of pleasure. “In Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore” Ps 16:11 Only God can fully satisfy the deep desires in me.
There have always been those who would argue that we should not seek to “experience” His pleasure or “feel” His love. These individuals seldom seem to reflect a life that is overflowing with joy and often burnout from task oriented service. In contrast, those who “drink from the river of His pleasures” (Ps 36:8) and experience God’s passionate love and enjoyment in them are awakened to a new fervor to pursue deeper intimacy with the Lover of their soul. Experiencing this kind of love is what we were made for; having our heart touched by the Flame of His love is the essence of life. As a result of our encounters with Him our hearts overflow with joy and we have a deeper love for others.
We must press in to know the truths of God’s emotions, His passions, and His desire for us and to know the pleasure of this all consuming fiery love that far exceeds every other pleasure we could experience.
Devotional Prayer
Holy Spirit, thank You that created me with desire to feel pleasure and You beckon me to come and drink of the pleasures of Your love. To experience Your love upon my heart is the greatest pleasure I have ever known; it far exceeds all other pleasure in this life. I ask You for deeper encounters of Your passionate love for me so I would never again be satisfied with the lesser pleasures of this world.
Drinking wine makes the heart glad. In this verse the metaphor of wine speaks of the pleasures the world has to offer, both good God ordained pleasure and satan’s counterfeit pleasures of sin. God’s love is more powerful to the human spirit than any other pleasure this world can offer. God created us with longings to experience pleasure. The longing for pleasure is not sinful; finding our pleasure in unrighteousness is what is sinful. The longing for pleasure draws me to God; He is the ultimate source of pleasure. “In Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore” Ps 16:11 Only God can fully satisfy the deep desires in me.
There have always been those who would argue that we should not seek to “experience” His pleasure or “feel” His love. These individuals seldom seem to reflect a life that is overflowing with joy and often burnout from task oriented service. In contrast, those who “drink from the river of His pleasures” (Ps 36:8) and experience God’s passionate love and enjoyment in them are awakened to a new fervor to pursue deeper intimacy with the Lover of their soul. Experiencing this kind of love is what we were made for; having our heart touched by the Flame of His love is the essence of life. As a result of our encounters with Him our hearts overflow with joy and we have a deeper love for others.
We must press in to know the truths of God’s emotions, His passions, and His desire for us and to know the pleasure of this all consuming fiery love that far exceeds every other pleasure we could experience.
Devotional Prayer
Holy Spirit, thank You that created me with desire to feel pleasure and You beckon me to come and drink of the pleasures of Your love. To experience Your love upon my heart is the greatest pleasure I have ever known; it far exceeds all other pleasure in this life. I ask You for deeper encounters of Your passionate love for me so I would never again be satisfied with the lesser pleasures of this world.
Friday, August 6, 2010
Song of Solomon 1:2 - Let Him kiss me with the kisses of His mouth
In the language of love, this verse speaks of our heart’s cry for the Holy Spirit to reveal the deep passions and affections that Jesus has for us. God’s love is all consuming, He has deep desires for us, He takes pleasure and enjoyment in us, and He delights in us!
The kisses of His mouth refer of the kisses of His Word. Rabbis have referred to the “kisses of His mouth” in this verse as the “kiss of the Torah”. The theme of the Song is the Bride’s cry for the kiss of God’s Word to touch the deepest places of her heart. God’s Word reveals His emotions and affections for us and awakens our heart to His love.
1 John 4:19 states that “We love Him because He first loved us” This verse came alive to me recently after someone prayed over me and made the declaration “You will love Him because He first loved you.” There was an awakening in my spirit that all the longing, desire, passion, and love I have for God was a result of His longing, desire, passion and love that He has for me. I enjoy God’s presence more than anything in life, but to think that He enjoys me more than I enjoy Him is staggering to my mind! Jesus said that “Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you” (Jn 15:9) God loving God, the Father loving the Son, is the measure Jesus used to describe His love for us.
The Holy Spirit wants us to experience His affections, to feel enjoyed and delighted in by God. “The love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit.” (Rom 5:5) As we are awakened to His love for us our heart overflows with love back to Him. There is nothing more satisfying to my spirit than to feel overcome with love for God; when I feel ruined for anything else in life but to worship Him and give Him the deepest affections of my heart.
Holy Spirit come and kiss my heart with revelation from Your Word of how deep the love of God is for me. I want to experience Your affections and passions in a deeper way. I want to feel Your desire for me and know how much You enjoy me. Increase my capacity for more of You as I mature in intimacy with You. Living Flame of Love touch the deepest places of my heart; let me see what You see and feel what You feel about me. Let intimacy with You be the highest purpose of my life; let it define who I am.
The kisses of His mouth refer of the kisses of His Word. Rabbis have referred to the “kisses of His mouth” in this verse as the “kiss of the Torah”. The theme of the Song is the Bride’s cry for the kiss of God’s Word to touch the deepest places of her heart. God’s Word reveals His emotions and affections for us and awakens our heart to His love.
1 John 4:19 states that “We love Him because He first loved us” This verse came alive to me recently after someone prayed over me and made the declaration “You will love Him because He first loved you.” There was an awakening in my spirit that all the longing, desire, passion, and love I have for God was a result of His longing, desire, passion and love that He has for me. I enjoy God’s presence more than anything in life, but to think that He enjoys me more than I enjoy Him is staggering to my mind! Jesus said that “Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you” (Jn 15:9) God loving God, the Father loving the Son, is the measure Jesus used to describe His love for us.
The Holy Spirit wants us to experience His affections, to feel enjoyed and delighted in by God. “The love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit.” (Rom 5:5) As we are awakened to His love for us our heart overflows with love back to Him. There is nothing more satisfying to my spirit than to feel overcome with love for God; when I feel ruined for anything else in life but to worship Him and give Him the deepest affections of my heart.
Holy Spirit come and kiss my heart with revelation from Your Word of how deep the love of God is for me. I want to experience Your affections and passions in a deeper way. I want to feel Your desire for me and know how much You enjoy me. Increase my capacity for more of You as I mature in intimacy with You. Living Flame of Love touch the deepest places of my heart; let me see what You see and feel what You feel about me. Let intimacy with You be the highest purpose of my life; let it define who I am.
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