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The Accidental Tourist
"Love from Papa" Series
By: Susan Schiller
"You've been living as a tourist in the Kingdom of God," said the voice I've learned to trust as my Father's.
Like an ordinary child, I argued back, "Oh no, that's not true!" I picked up my Bible and turned to Matthew 6 as my "proof text" that I was living by faith, but as the familiar pages slipped through my fingers I suddenly discovered that most of the book of Matthew was missing! Not only were pages in Matthew missing, but a good part of my tattered and well-used Bible was just plain gone.
Realization suddenly struck me like a lightning bolt from Heaven, that the only pages remaining in my Bible were the parts that I was actually living! All the rest was simply head knowledge and nothing more.
Yes, it was a dream this happened in, but sometimes our dream world is more true than this earth world!
Knowledge + application = wisdom. All else is a total waste.
The Kingdom of God is within us. Not a place we get to see in the bye and bye. The Kingdom of God is here and now!
My years as a good church-going woman of God flashed across my mind's movie screen. Not only had I been tithing 10% as a member and giving offerings well above my tithe, but I volunteered my time, up to 70-80 hours a week! I had been a youth pastor, a children's pastor, a regional coordinator for a large international ministry and so much more. I was guiding people's lives and yet, were any of us really living the "abundant life" God promised us?
Had I somehow gotten lost inside the Church? How could it possibly be true? Was I actually only a tourist and not a passport-toting citizen of Heaven? After all, everyone was applauding me because of our astonishing rate of church growth! I was the "golden girl!"
Okay, Daddy, I cry "Uncle!" What are you saying to me?
"You belong to Me. You're in the Family. But you are living like an orphan, as if you didn't own the key to My House! You are a citizen of Heaven but you have forgotten your identity. You are living like a tourist in the Kingdom of Heaven. You admire My Kingdom. You read My Word and think it's great! But you haven't yet received it as your inheritance. To change, you must enter the doorway of hope."
Hope is the Doorway to Change
As I continued to listen to Father speak that day I learned that thanksgiving takes us through the doorway of hope. Here's what Papa told me:
"Behold the Lamb who has taken the punishment for your crimes and removed the death sentence and cleared your reputation. Not a mark of wrong remains and you are clothed in His own robe of righteousness. Build yourselves up in this most holy faith and offer sacrifices of praise. As you honor Me and exalt Me, I am working on your behalf, completing the work already begun in you.
Believe Me for BIG things. Test Me in this, and see if I won't pour out on you a blessing that cannot be contained. Miniature faith gets miniature miracles; I offer you a blank check endorsed by the King of Heaven. Ask of Me and I will give you the nations as your inheritance.
Bless Me and exalt Me above all the difficulties of life and I will lift you up high and draw you to Myself. I see your wandering mind and every wayward thought, the hold the world has on my children. I desire you to be free of these distractions, to be lifted away from the pull of the world.
Draw near. Lean your head upon My breast. Rest. Breathe the aroma of heaven. Cleanse your mind and renew your spirit. Relax, knowing that on Me you can depend.
Draw near with thanksgiving. Enter in through hope. It's the doorway of change. And I will change you."
So there's a door (a choice) in front of me today, and I'm choosing Love today!
I've got to activate this Truth!!!
I thank you, Daddy, for this great Gift! This Gift is so vast, so comprehensive, that I often feel I don't deserve it. I bless myself to come up higher, to live free of shame and fear. I bless myself to see my cupboards full, my debts canceled and paid in full. I bless myself to open the door of hope through thanksgiving and praise. I bless myself and my family to see through my Papa's eyes and to receive Your Love and provision today!
Blessing in alignment with God's Truth is a very powerful form of worship! Worship is not only going to a "house of worship" and either opening a hymnal or flashing digital screen of lyrics in front of a congregation.
Worship is a lifestyle. It's our daily choices. It's how we apply the Truth we may happen to learn about inside or outside of one of those buildings of "faith."
I received this "Love Letter from Papa" many years ago, and like all living Truth, it takes practice and time to work it into our everyday lives. Sometimes we are so surrounded by people traveling in the opposite direction that the world pulls us off course every day.
For me, it took exiting organized religion entirely to rediscover my faith. I still return to "church" – what the world calls church, that is – to have relationships with really good friends and nice people. But for real worship and real faith, for real answers and real happiness and joy, I now walk in the wide open spaces of the real world with my hand in Papa's.
Oh don't get me wrong… I have "accountability" and people who are like fathers and mothers to me who I submit to, in love. I live life naked and unashamed, like a child now. And it's good to be free!
Living the adventure and choosing love today,
Sue
Susan Schiller knows how it feels to lose everything: marriage and family, church and reputation, finances and businesses, and more. Susan's upcoming, interactive memoir, "On the Way Home," tells the story of how she came to be known as "the most abused woman" her counselors had yet met and how she learned to navigate her way out of hell to a rich and satisfying life. In her lifetime, Susan has served in duties ranging from home school mom – to pastor – to full-time deliverance minister – and to Midwest regional prayer coordinator for a large international ministry. These days you can usually find Susan soaking in her favorite hot springs pool, reading a book (or several), blogging, baking bread, or hanging out with her family and friends. You can get a free copy of Susan's upcoming book, "On the Way Home" by registering here.
Copyright 2010-2014, Susan Schiller, http://TeamFamilyOnline.com. For reprint permission for any private or commercial use, in any form of media, please contact Susan Schiller.
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