Respite or Reprieve

On the surface, these two words may seem very similar, but I am sure that Pharaoh could tell you the difference. He took his respite for granted and when reality crushed him in the sea, his respite melted into his reprieve and it was done. I liken respite as to a soldier on R-n-R from the battle. While reprieve is putting off the inevitable punishment, like a prisoner on death row. Both are temporary periods of rest or relief with the one putting off impending doom (reprieve) while the other is temporary rest from the battle (respite). In my case this is a spiritual battle and like a good soldier I have come to understand that it is naive and dangerous for me to assume that the respite is indefinite. God grants the respite but He has no intention of leaving us there. The spiritual battle is part of the journey. It's part of this Life of Faith that we are to live...here and now.

Never take your respite for granted like Pharaoh did. God's gonna put us back in the fight (it's part of the trip). Never allow yourself to think even for a minute that Satan will not challenge your victories. As long as we are important to God then we are important to Satan. After having my best week (spiritually) I know there is a war going on outside my door and I trust that the One who has brought me this far is Faithful to carry me the rest of the way. All the way.

Modern day Elihu's

Just this past Sunday at church they were playing some music over the sound system. This was right before the Praise and Worship part of the service. My ears perked immediately and I went to the sound board to find out who it was. It was Josh Garrels song "Break Bread". This whole week I have been listening and downloading all that I could get from Amazon and Youtube. I have literally been blown away by his music. The songs are complicated and simple at the same time and the lyrics are full of truths and wisdom. There is more Gospel and more Word in just one of his songs than 100 other christian artists. And to think, I never dreamed that someone other than Phil Wickham would have such an effect on me, which led me to ponder, "How could two very young men, Phil at 25 and Josh at 29 respectfully, have so much wisdom in their songs. Whenever I experience such wisdom in a young person I think of Elihu from the story of Job. He set everyone straight, not holding back the truth. He was wise beyond his years just like Phil and Josh. With respect to Josh, the more I find out about him, the more I like him. He truly is a prophet/artist and Phil as well. They preach through their music and man what preaching it is.


My favorite part of this song is near the end, "He said believe. Who are you telling me to believe? He said, "I am the Christ" He Said "I am the Christ" So, I believed.

Man, I love that. Here is one of Phil's songs "Home". Powerful lyrics with, "I want to feel you now like I felt you then" That song really breaks me up when I listen to it. It hits me right in the gut. They both have the ability to put you in the story. That is a rare gift. Read the lyrics and enjoy the song "Home" by Phil Wickham.



Two modern day Elihu's. A couple of prophet/artists. Check'em out.

An answered prayer

A prayer for guidance and understanding was answered in this scripture for me today;

Isaiah 30:20-24 (Amplified version)

20 And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your
Teacher will not hide Himself any more, but your eyes shall constantly behold your Teacher
21 and your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying This is the way, walk in it, when you turn
to the right hand and when you turn to the left.
22 Then you will defile your carved images overlaid with silver and your molten images plated
with gold; you will say to them, "BE GONE!"
23 Then He will give you rain for your seed with which you sow the soil and bread grain as the
produce of the ground and it will be rich and plentiful. In that day your cattle will feed in
large pastures.
24 The oxen likewise and the young donkeys that til the ground will eat savory salted fodder,
which has been winnowed with shovel and with fork.

As I get older, I am learning that I can get angry with God and declare , "God!, I deserve more than bread and water. That's prison rations. I am a Son of God!" and God just waits for me to calm down long enough to pay attention to what He is trying to teach me. It often involves being humbled (humiliated) and it doesn't have to be public. It can be just as devastating in private, sometimes more so. I have studied more in the last three weeks than I have in the last three years (actual study). I have been shown that I have been nothing more than an "echo". Those days are over. Isaiah 30:20-24 is my confirmation. God wants ALL of me, not just part. The more I learn about Him and His ways the more I am aware of the distance between He and I and how desperately I need Him, how hopeless I am without Him.

He is not hid from me anymore. He never was hid from me, I just was not paying attention. I was distracted by my gold and silver images (the bright and shiny objects in my path). I am getting better in that as the road gets tougher I am quicker about drawing in closer to Him.

The prison rations (adversity and affliction) are part of the trip. He loves me and is preparing me for battle. I will count it all joy as He is the source of my increase, "In Him I will trust". AMEN!