Sound from Heaven Ministries |
from the heart
This song will always have a special place in my heart. I remember listening to this song and crying out to God for the past 4 years, as we travelled in our car from state to state.
On the road, just us and God - all of our cares fading away as we enter into His presence and God took us on a great journey. It was life-changing. I had the privilege to preach this past Sunday as Chris was away in Washington DC preaching there. Little did I know, God was setting me up! I am now preaching in this church for the next 3 weeks as Chris is here doing a few revivals in other churches. We do not EVER set it up this way, but this is something God is doing right now. I feel like God is taking me to a new level. So, as I was praying about what I should share for this past Sunday, I flipped this song on. As I did, I felt like God was going to help me put into words, what I had been feeling for the past 4 years as I cried out with this song. And I decided to share a little bit of that here. As I began searching the scriptures regarding the "deep" things of God, I realized that many of my favorite scriptures actually talk about it - and I didn't even realize it! God wants to take us all DEEPER! In Psalms 42:7, my foundation scripture, the psalmist writes: "Deep calls unto deep at the noise of Your waterfalls; All your waves and billows have gone over me." NKJV Holman Christian Standard Bible Deep calls to deep in the roar of Your waterfalls; all Your breakers and Your billows have swept over me. International Standard Version Deep waters call out to what is deeper still; at the roar of your waterfalls all your breakers and your waves swirled over me. NET Bible One deep stream calls out to another at the sound of your waterfalls; all your billows and waves overwhelm me. Aramaic Bible in Plain English The Deep to deep calls The Voice to the voice of the waters of your fountains. All your storms and your waves passed over me. Deep calls unto deep. God, calling unto us. See Christ called unto us, before we ever called unto Him. "D"eep - with a capitol "D". He was reaching out to us before we every tried to reach out to Him. There's a deeper place God wants to take us. He wants to take us to higher heights and deeper depths in Him. As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. - Psalm 42:1-2 This is yet another example. As the Holy Spirit draws us, and God calls out to us, our spirit begins to thirst for Him and cry out unto Him. I love what one of my old youth pastors used to say, “As much as you want from God is as much as you’re going to get”. I believe He said this every service for an entire year. God used that as a seed into my heart that has produced much fruit. You see, many think they are waiting on God, however, God is waiting on them. You say, how? Lord I'm ready, I've been crying out for you to do it. But He is saying, well I've been trying to stir in you to make the change. To go deeper in God there are some decisions and things that you need to do and change. There are things that need to go from your life and other things that need to be allowed into it. As believers, one of the biggest things we cry out to God for is His voice. "Oh Lord, if I could just hear your voice". Oh Lord, please speak to me, speak to me, speak to me Lord. And He is saying "I'm talking but you're not listening!" This is one of my favorite scriptures: 1 Kings 19:11-12 11 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake: 12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. You see, we are always looking for God in the big things. Jesus, please won't you send prophet dudad to prophesy to me and tell me what to do. Let him know my name, age, weight and birthdate and then I'll know it's really you telling me to step-out. Oh God, if you would just cause all of the cereal boxes on aisle 12 to drop to the ground, then I'll know you want me to witness to that girl over there. Jesus, if you would just bring in all the money I need tonight to go on this missions trip, then I will know it's you telling me to go. I've got news for you - Jesus always said "go". Jesus already said "step out". Jesus already told us to "be a witness". I want to let you know, that no matter what area you are believing God for in, if you do not begin to make the changes in your life that need to be made, the ones that God has already been speaking to you about in your heart, in that "still small voice", you will never experience breakthrough, you will never see the fulfillment of what God has promised you. You are not waiting on Him, He is waiting on you. Listen to that "still small voice". So God wants to take us deeper, but we have to get past the basics to go any farther. Take a look at this scripture in Luke 5: "So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, 2 and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets.3 Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat. 4 When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” 6 And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. 7 So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. 8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” 9 For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken; 10 and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men.” 11 So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him." Isn't it interesting that Jesus told Peter to "Launch out into the deep"? If you want to go with God, you are going to have to do the same - you're going to have to get deeper then you've ever been before. And please consider this, GOD ALWAYS GIVES YOU A NET BREAKING, BOAT SINKING LOAD OF FISH. He doesn't ask you to step out, forsake all, obey in this area or that (which requires sacrifice) to not see something supernatural. He always has something greater in mind for you then what you have for yourself - or even what others have in mind for you. Another one of my favorite scriptures: 9 But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”[c] 10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. - 1 Corinthians 2:9-10 Once again, the "deep things". God is constantly trying to get us to go deeper. There's some things we can't see or even partake in until we get in over our heads! Our Pastor (Rodney Howard-Browne) preached an entire week of meetings, morning and night on this one scripture. And it has stuck with us ever since: Psalm 107:23-24 (NKJV) 23 Those who go down to the sea in ships, Who do business on great waters, 24 They see the works of the Lord, And His wonders in the deep. You want to see His wonders in the deep - go deeper - get deeper - He is waiting for you there!
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Victoria McKasklePassionate about Christ - wanting the world to know and experience Him! Archives
August 2016
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