Planting and Tending under
an Open Heaven (Portal)

Reading Portals, Releasing the Power and Presence of God Into the Earth, by Patti Amsden, I recognize altars of sacrifice and consecration which my parents made then tended, and which in turn created a portal for me and our children to experience the blessing of an open heaven: specifically in the areas of worship, the arts and service in the church. As a junior in H.S., I remember kneeling down in my dad's sanctuary before I would practice piano, organ or voice and simply saying, "I offer myself to you. Help me do my best." Sometimes I believe I added "for your glory." Later I often added that after I knew Jesus as my Lord and was filled with Holy Spirit. I did not realize that although they were far from perfect, they made an open heaven for me to grow in worship and ministry. And God has continued to bless that in Barbara’s and my children as well.

As a teenager, my father separated himself to God to become a pastor. With some degree of purity, he and mom consecrated and sacrificed themselves generously for the Christ and His Body, the church. I grew up watching them practice hospitality and care for others, as they invested in music lessons for us, and as they made worship, church and caring about others a focal point in our lives. I didn’t value a lot of that, but looking back I can see God’s favor on them and therefore on us kids as we grew up. I can still hear them saying, “We go to church to give, not to get.” Now I have better understanding.

Mom was an artist and dad a musician. Barbara also is musical, so it was natural for our children to cultivate these gifts. They benefited from an open heaven to grow in worship and the arts but they had to choose to offer themselves to God and to serve others.

If you are a first generation Christian in your family, you are building and tending altars for others in the future. We all have the benefit of the sacrifice and consecration of those who have created an open heaven in this spiritual family called Covenant Life, e.g. Richard McAfee’s “Hearing Heart” model.

Ask yourself or others where the blessing of God seems evident. Where do you feel God’s enabling grace? In business, education, craftsmanship, education, in the medical field, etc…? When do you feel God’s power and presence? Where do you feel God’s blessing and presence may be hindered?

Is your life dedicated to God or is it about what you want to do? Probably there is mixture in all of us, but what specific altar of sacrifice are you making or tending? Our nation is experiencing judgment for cleansing. Let’s repent, plant and tend for an open heaven of God’s blessing through us. Grace and peace.

-PD

THE KEY TO DIRECTION
By Richard Lineberry

"I lift up my eyes to the hills--where does my help come from ?
My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth."
Psalm 121:1-2

No one in their right mind should seriously think they are not in need of help. You don't have to be very old to learn how insufficient we are. Things are hard. Learning is hard, relationships are hard (even with people who are trying to love us), work is hard. Life can be pretty sure and puzzling at the same time. About the time we think we know enough to handle things, that familiar insufficiency creeps back in. Old knowledge is not sufficient for the present. What used to work well, is obsolete.

The psalmist here is speaking something he's learned. Help of all kinds, even though he doesn't specify his present dilemma, comes from God. His phrase "I lift my eyes to the hills" belongs to primitive thinking that God is up there somewhere. Well, yes He is. He is also the God of the valleys. He's in our highs and lows, times of suffering and times of victory.

As Christian believers, God is up high, down low, in between and, above all, in our hearts and minds. We say He is personal yet we often need to be reminded how personal. He knows our thoughts before we think them and has answers ready for our future questions. Blessings are abundant with the God who controls all things and owns all of the wealth of the universe. His knowledge is inexhaustible. The directions we need to follow to experience this resurrection life, He gives out freely. Our problem is not His reluctance to give but rather our desire to receive His guidance and help.

When we think of having a "relationship" with God or anyone else, we must remember that time must be spent in the presence of the one we want to know deeply. Time spent in His Word acquaints us with Him. There we learn what God has done in the past and even what He is doing now and in the future. But to learn, we must spend the time needed to learn. But the present word of direction comes when our hearts are fully sacrificed to His will. Though our present moment my be difficult or pleasant, God always knows the best next step.

My encouragement for us today is to practice listening to the voice of the Spirit of God inside. He has more to say than we usually take time to hear. Know that He will direct us differently than the voices of this world as well as our own good ideas but always knows the best way. Our key to getting His direction is always a humble approach which recognizes His greatness, ears that are willing to hear and a heart willing to follow His lead.

Affirmation, Gratitude, Esteem create
a Godly Culture of Honor

Intern Melissa Camenisch’s thank you to CLC on Graduation Sunday August 7, 2011

There are so many things I could say to you about these last two years, but I felt like the Lord wanted me to thank you and affirm you all for what you have done for me this year. One because I am just so grateful for you and two because of what PD was talking about last week, creating a culture of honor. He said “when we honor one another God is honored, the atmosphere around us changes and His Kingdom comes.”

I want to thank you all for making me feel so loved and welcomed. I remember when I first moved here two years ago being very skeptical and unsure of what it would be like to attend a different church than the one I had been in my whole life. And I remember those first few months here I was really moved and touched with the openness and love you had for me as an individual; however, not only for me but for each other and the community around you.

I have learned so much while being here with you all. You all have taught me a lot about how important it is for us as the church to get outside of the building and reach out to the people around us. Thank you all for helping me be able to go to a whole different level of learning what it means to be a sister, daughter and granddaughter because you all treated me as such.

You loved me and fed me. You prayed for me and encouraged me. You hugged me and cared for me. You teased me and laughed with me (and you know how much I love to laugh). I enjoyed every minute of it.

I am so happy and excited to be going home, but you must know that I am not going back the way I came and a lot of the reason is because of you all. You are some of the most loving and precious people I know. I will miss you all. And I will never forget your kindness to me, and your Christ like example to me-the way you give and give and don’t expect anything in return. You lay your lives down daily for others. I know this because I myself am a recipient of your lives.

Melissa is a member of Covenant Church in Winchester, KY. Her parents attended our church school many years ago and sometimes came over to Richard McAfee’s parents’ house to clean it for them – the very same house which Melissa often helped clean during the past two years while living with us.

Going home can feel different

8.3.2010

I remember walking out on a frozen pond that though familiar felt unsure – each footfall needed assurance as I moved; assurance that I could put my weight down because again, although it was familiar it felt different.

Another difference in returning home is that things feel “smaller.” Because my perspective and experience have widened things like rooms or a school and sometimes even people seem to have shrunk somehow. Because my life and thoughts have broadened, and because more people and memories have found places in my heart, it seems less space is devoted to former things. Though no less precious compared to the new they yet feel as if they occupy a smaller part of my thinking and feeling.

A third difference is more painful - that some people may not accept that I have changed. They may “want the old me” or “liked old me” better. I am not controlled by their expectations though I love them. They may choose to grow with me just as I may have to choose to “catch up” with some others. But in reality I am not the same and I can not go back the same way I came out.

Walking on ice, accepting things as being smaller to me without comparing negatively to my new experiences and perspective, the fact that I need to cope with the possibility of me not being accepted and my own need to get to know people all over again can make “going home” re-entry confusing.

All of this is part of growing up and becoming more emotionally whole as an adult. I learn to relate to others as adult to adult instead of child to parent or acting parental or condescending, and perhaps most importantly—no more whining.

Rather than expect them to pick back up old places and roles: Listen to their story—all of their story—respond in a way that shows you value them and their journey-ask how you can become part of the new chapters.

Hopefully I can find a hearing-heart-someone who will walk through these uncertainties and more especially the sorrow places in my heart, being a good listener—not just a teller. Hopefully I can have a hearing heart to others as well. We will tell our stories and listen to those who want to tell us theirs without feeling the need to fix or change what obviously has changed. Good friends remember that things can never be exactly as they used to be because we are changing.

Remember that we will all benefit through the shared pain and rediscovered joys of why we loved a particular place, people and experiences.

We still love the “old” even more dearly though things may feel “smaller.”

And we love those who have been “large” in our hearts, and are now far away. Love is like that—familiarity diminishes love but absence does make the heart grow fonder. So our shared love and memories go with us, the same way our families and “hometown” came with us into this season.

In going home we find that both we and home have changed. What has not changed is that all the shared moments of faith, hope and love are not lost or over. They are eternally gathered and shared in the heart of God. And we will meet there again and always. For He is our true heart’s home.

PD