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