STARTING THE WELLSPRING OF BLESSINGS

STARTING THE WELLSPRING OF BLESSINGS – Red River #3: posted October 20, 2011, Red River, NM

My heart was pounding fast as I drove up the mountain alone to have it out with God.  After about a year of pleading with God to change me, I could not seem to shake the spirit of criticism and judgmentalism.  It was especially hurting my wife and children.  Desperation was setting in on me.

I was heading for the beautiful roadside overview of the city of Red River, NM.  With me was my Bible, a small notebook I used for journaling and a pen.  “Lord,” I asked, “could this be the day you teach me how to bless and not curse?”  Instantly, the Lord said to my heart, “Yes, this is the day.”

The view was magnificent.  My wife Bev was down at the campsite fishing and having the time of her life enjoying the sport she likes best.  All was good except I was in a crisis and needed peace – my critical and judgmental spirit.

Opening my Bible, I placed it on the steering wheel while putting my notebook and pen beside me.  “I’m ready,” I said to the Lord.  Then He said, “Turn to Song of Solomon, Chapter 4 and read:”

Song of Songs 4:1-4 (NASB)
¹ “How beautiful you are, my darling, How beautiful you are! Your eyes are like doves behind your veil; Your hair is like a flock of goats That have descended from Mount Gilead.
² “Your teeth are like a flock of newly shorn ewes Which have come up from their washing, All of which bear twins, And not one among them has lost her young.
³ “Your lips are like a scarlet thread, And your mouth is lovely. Your temples are like a slice of a pomegranate Behind your veil.
⁴ “Your neck is like the tower of David, Built with rows of stones On which are hung a thousand shields, All the round shields of the mighty men.

He said, “I want you to read these words over and over again until they become “yours.”  “Afterward, I want you to go down the mountain and say these words to Bev, but do not tell her where you got these words. In so doing, I will show you great and mighty things about blessing that you know not of.”

I can tell you that those words seemed “strange” to me and I felt very uneasy and nervous wondering what Bev’s reaction would be.  But, I was determined to carry out my assignment from the Lord.

After a delicious meal of fresh fish that evening, I suggested to Bev that we go to bed in our tent a little early.  She smiled and agreed.  We walked across the small fishing stream on a well placed log to our campsite.

The moon was full with brilliant beams of moon light shining through the giant ponderosa pines onto our small tent where air mattresses and sleeping bags awaited us.  Bev entered first and lay down on her bed. I followed to lay on mine.  Within my mind, I asked the Lord, “Is this the time?” and He said “This is the time.”  I was as nervous as when I proposed marriage to Bev so many years earlier.  I leaned upward on one elbow, looked into Bev’ eyes, and began to speak these words (edited into my own understanding of the words God had given me) to Bev while gazing deep into her beautiful brown eyes:

“How beautiful you are my darling!”  She smiled broadly.

“Your eyes are like almonds in settings of whipped cream, behind your veil.”  She flashed a puzzled smile in amazement.

“Your teeth are like a flock of freshly shorn ewes, which have come up from their washing, all of which bear twins, and not one among them has lost her young (I changed it to “not one missing”).  Bev smiled into a giggle.

“Your lips are like a scarlet thread, and your mouth is lovely.”  She knew how much I meant my words now and was connecting fully with the message but with a mysterious look on her face.

“You temples are like a slice of pomegranate behind your veil.”  Still smiling.

“Your neck is like a pillar in the temple of the Lord.”  It was getting good now.

Finally, “And your hair is like a flock of goats that have descended from Mount Gilead.”  Bev turned her head to the side and said, “I don’t know what it is that you are doing, but I sure do like it!  Where in the world did you get all those words?”  And I said (remembering my instructions from the Lord), “I can’t tell you.”

In Red River #4, I will continue this story of a real live miracle of one man who learned how to bless and not curse.  I will tell you the rest of the story and how it affected me, my children and those others precious to me.

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HOW I LEARNED TO BLESS AND NOT CURSE – Red River #2: posted October 19, 2011, Red River, NM

The aspen are in full, golden radiance here in Red River, New Mexico.  The air is thin, clear and filled with the wonder of fall.  The mountains are majestic here at 8,750 feet above sea level.

Yesterday, we re-visited Elephant Rock Campground where God revolutionized me and my family life many years ago.  Bev and I rejoiced at seeing the place again and having our memories flood through our minds.  It was just the two of us who came here that time.  I was on mission to do something about my critical spirit, not having a clue about how to fix it.

For what seemed like a year, I prayed to God to deliver me from being so critical and judgmental about most everything.  Like Herman Cain, I came out of graduate school and was immediately hired as a systems analyst.  My job was to see, fully identify and then solve problems.  This fit me really well because I grew up in a very critical and judgmental atmosphere.  I had become locked in good intentions but was hurting my wife and children.

One morning, while Bev was fishing in the delightful mountain stream, I took our car and drove up the mountain road to a gorgeous overlook spot beside the road.  While driving I ask the Lord again to rid me of the critical spirit and cause me to be one who blesses rather than one who criticizes and judges.  I asked Him, “Can this be the day I learn?”  And He said, “This is the day.”  I became very excited.  This is the verse He gave me:  Jeremiah 33:3 (KJV) “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. “

I parked the car and then said, I have notebook and pen, please speak to me.  He had me turn to Song of Solomon, Chapter 4:

Song of Songs 4:1-4 (NASB)
¹ “How beautiful you are, my darling, How beautiful you are! Your eyes are like doves behind your veil; Your hair is like a flock of goats that have descended from Mount Gilead.
² “Your teeth are like a flock of newly shorn ewes Which have come up from their washing, All of which bear twins, And not one among them has lost her young.
³ “Your lips are like a scarlet thread, and your mouth is lovely. Your temples are like a slice of a pomegranate behind your veil.
⁴ “Your neck is like the tower of David, Built with rows of stones On which are hung a thousand shields, All the round shields of the mighty men.

In Part 3, I will continue with exactly what the Lord had me do that broke a lifetime of criticism and judgmentalism.

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TO THE HIGH PLACES – Red River #1: posted October 18, 2011, Red River, NM

One of the ways I identify with Jesus is in His many retreats to the mountain to pray.  It was in those trips to the heights that Jesus seemed to quicken His total dependence on Father God for everything He said and did. I think of the Mount of Transfiguration, Sermon on the Mount and then the mountains from which He ascended to Heaven after the crucifixion.

It is impossible to know which mountain Jesus most enjoyed.  On a trip to the Holy Land in May, 2008, one surprise of the trip was the numerous mountains in that storied region.  We enjoyed many of them during our tour.  We felt God’s presence everywhere.

We moved to Fort Worth Texas from Nashville, Tennessee in 1975.  What a shock it was to discover such an absence of mountains in our new Texas home.  And it was not long until I began to ask, “Where are the nearest mountains I might be able to visit.”

We discovered Red River, NM, located in the southern Rocky Mountains, part of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.  It is completely surrounded by the Carson National Forest.  It was love at first sight.

It was in Red River that I first learned to bless and not curse.  I want to tell you about all that in a future post on this subject of “Retreats to High Places.”  God spoke to me here about how His church is to operate and function.  Here is the place, I first felt called to the nations in evangelism.

Another thing I discovered about Red River is that I can pray and intercede here with a power and insight like no other place.

In Part 2 of this post, I will share more specifically about what I learned in Red River.

In case you are not a subscriber to our daily and free prophetic post:

Subscribe to “What the Lord Is Saying Today”

Kathy Bohlin’s blog – All God’s Children

Bev Robinson –  Bev’s Blog: Living Life to the Fullest.