What is Your Passion? Do You Overflow?

What is Your Passion?
Genesis 4:2-8 "2And [next] she gave birth to his brother Abel.

Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.

3And in the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground.
4And Abel brought of the firstborn of his flock and of the fat portions.

And the Lord had respect and regard for Abel and for his offering,
5But for Cain and his offering He had no respect or regard.

So Cain was exceedingly angry and indignant, and he looked sad and depressed.
6And the Lord said to Cain, Why are you angry?

And why do you look sad and depressed and dejected?
7If you do well, will you not be accepted?

And if you do not do well, sin crouches at your door;

its desire is for you, but you must master it.

8And Cain said to his brother, Let us go out to the field.

And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him."

Romans 12:11

"11Never lag in zeal and in earnest endeavor;

be aglow and burning with the Spirit, serving the Lord."

What's your frustration - About a year ago, in our ladies’ meeting,

Pastor Kathy asked us to consider what one thing we had been passionate about

during the past week. Passionate enough to be angry, frustrated,

maybe even to lose our cool over it.

This thing could even have gone so well that we experienced happiness and joy over it.

The question was such an eye opener for me.

For one, being a southern lady, lots and lots of emphasis on being nice

is just sort of absorbed by osmosis as you grow up, even into your twenties and thirties,

because lets be honest, we are not done growing up at 18.

Now at 42, I can see how much of a life long process that growing up thing is.

But, that's a whole other message!

The overrating of NICE - Isn't it true, Ladies?

When you think about it, don't you realize you know to be "nice"

and you can't even say how you know?

I know I can’t tell you how I know to be nice.

It really isn’t that I ever remember someone telling me,

"Maria, you are a lady, and ladies must be nice."

No, it was never anything like that.

Just something you pick up from listening and living and learning.

So, because of this whole “nice” thing,

a lot of times we have this vague feeling that to be frustrated or angry

is a bad thing, unfeminine, inappropriate,

and then, once you are saved, you often feel it may even not be Christ like.

Are you seeing why her question was so liberating to me?

I have not been able to let it go,

and I truly hope that God will allow me to keep this revelation,

and grow in it and share it with others, all my life.

Why was this question such a big deal?

In the first place,

when we believe we may be behaving inappropriately

in the feelings department,

we sometimes sort of try to gloss over what we are feeling.

We don’t really want to take that feeling and look at it

and figure out where that frustration, or anger or desire is coming from.

Dangerous to ignore - How many of us know by now,

that this will get us in trouble if we don’t deal with it a good way?

Even though it's not smart to ignore these feelings, many times we do.

Many times we miss discovering what the source of that frustration is,

by asking ourself some questions.

Ask the Question - When Pastor Kathy asked that question,

I did not have to think hard about what had been my source of agitation the past week.

It had to do with a situation, that I was indeed passionate about.

All of a sudden I realized, that no,

I was not behaving in a spoiled fashion,

I was not pouting, (not that I haven't on occasion).

But, rather I was feeling strongly motivated about a purpose that I was wired for!

Viewing the situation I had experienced that week

through those colored glasses,

took a load off my mind, renewed my focus on what was important

and even refreshed my zeal for the task.

Understanding that the whole point of my frustration

was a concern for my mission, my calling,

and wondering at the perceived obstacle and its impact,

gave me permission to feel irritation, as long as I handled it properly.

As long as I did not become pouty, manipulative, or disheartened.

The question of "what was my passion"

allowed me to perceive that my frustration did in fact have purpose.

And, since this occasion, I did not behave inappropriately (3 cheers!),

I was free now to keep moving forward,

and embrace that it is quite alright with Our Father, God to feel strongly on a subject.

He feels strongly about everything.

I believe He is pleased when we do as well.

People that are passionate are interesting.

They generally seem to be honest, because they just can’t help themselves.

I like that!

As I have thought about this over the past few weeks.

It has begun to soak its way into my being, my mind.

As I was reading a book recently, about what our Christianity means to our everyday life,

the author mentions how centuries ago, there was a class of Christians

who would wander the streets, flailing themselves with a whip or something like that,

to punish their body, which they had so many issues with,

and thought of as a hindrance to closeness to God.

They were misguided.

But here is what the author pointed out;

the times we live in, may seem just as strange,

when a future society reads about the accounts of marathon runners who punish their bodies with grueling daily jogs/runs, miles and miles long.

Epipheny - And all of a sudden I really couldn’t focus on the book at all anymore.

I really just started mentally considering how cool of a God we have,

that He has actually wired us each and every one to be so unique,

and in a truly unique fashion to be able to connect with Him,

and experience Him in a completely individual to us.

I know, I know, You are saying, Maria we all know this, Maria, this is Christianity 101.

And I just have to say, yeah, I know, I knew it, too,

but now I REALLY know it, in a brand new way.

I got so excited thinking about those

that are designed to meet with God on the early morning run,

seeing Him in the changing leaves, and the smiling faces of the people they will pass.

Or the way the guy out in his garage working on his car

will experience his growth, his zeal and his moment with God, when he gets the timing chain set just right!

I was so exhilarated to know that not only was it Ok,

that I am wired to study and write and teach,

and that everywhere I go, I see a principal at work or a lesson to learn,

or something that God is saying to the Body of Christ through the world around us.

All these things were great, but

it got even better,

when I put all that together

to realize that means

I can really learn to rest about everyone else’s faith in the orbit of my life.

The people that God has blessed me to share this journey with.

You know, Ladies...the ones we worry about!

No, their faith and my faith will never look exactly the same,

and sometimes our faiths may even look worlds and worlds apart,

but they can be, and I can be,

still fulfilling that upward in the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Work vs Serve -And this epiphany led me to this thought.

I have been studying Genesis in the early days, a lot for a project that I am working on.

Have you ever noticed there are times when your studies show up everywhere you look?

This study has been like that. Now, this whole thing with Cain and Abel. Very disturbing.

How does it pertain to us?

Well, I offer you this. Cain was a tiller of the ground.

Strong's Concordance indicates this word for the work he did implies, that Cain had a job,

he worked, he toiled.

It does not reflect a calling, any pleasure, or passion.

Abel on the other hand is said to have been a keeper of the sheep.

The wording implies a different picture, something he may have taken pleasure in.

Again, Strong's paints a picture for us. It's an act of service, rather than work.

Work implies a sense of “here we go, I have to do this, not gonna get done if I don’t, woe is me”.

Service implies, "I care for those I am serving, that's what makes it all worthwhile.

I am wired for this."

Ya' gettin' the subtle difference here?

Think of Paula Deen versus us when we are not in the mood to make dinner!

The attention to the little details that you are inclined to give,

when you are doing what you are made to do, what you are wired for.

You do a great job at the things you enjoy, that you like, that you care about.

The joy that your passion, or your goal gives you

makes you able to endure hardship and not give up hope.

Hebrews 12 tells us that Jesus endured the cross for the joy that was set before Him.

In other words, He was created for a destiny, for a purpose.

He had an ultimate goal, that made Him able to endure the horror of living in a fallen earth,

and allowed himself to endure much abuse, much scorn, and even torture and death,

because He had His eyes on the prize.

Oh, that we could get our eyes so fixed on the prize that we would not lose our joy,

that we would serve unfailingly, that we would not be weary in well doing,

for in due season we will reap a harvest, IF WE FAINT NOT!

See, the "Hi-Ho, Hi-Ho, it's off to work we go!" is more the mind set of Abel,

not so much Cain.

Cain and Abel show us what happens in the Body of Christ

when we are not in our correct position.

I submit to you, we are none wired for something that will be a drudgery for us.

whatever God has set us apart to do, will allow us to flow in the anointing.

Yes, it will require effort, and seeking and depending on Him.

But it will be satisfying and the result will be a life that overflows.

Remember that Jesus says in John 10:10 – we all know this, "the thief cometh not, but for to steal, kill and destroy, I have come that you might have life, and have it more abundantly," . That word means, overflowing, superabundance.

Abel’s care of the sheep, his tending of the sheep resulted in an overflow,

where he gave back to God from the best that he had.

It's like that when you enjoy what you do, when it is an act of love.

Because, when you love what you do, you want to SHARE it, it just cannot be contained.

It OVERFLOWS!

Cain, on the other hand -his work of tilling the land,

his "have to get this done" mentality resulted in a grudging gift of obligation to the Lord.

This was more of a leftover sort of thing, not an overflow.

It was more of "Let’s see what I can live with out,

I have to give something, and this doesn’t look like it will make much of a meal.

It will make a good offering, He doesn’t need this anyway,

what is the point of whatever small thing I have?

(Can't you just hear God saying - "You know - you just keep that, don't do me any favors, son.")

Cain continues - What I have is so hard to come by,

I don’t think He would want me to just give it to be burned."

When we dread what we do, we are not honoring God,

and we are cheating ourselves out of a fulfilling, overflowing life.

When we perform our work, rather than performing a service, an act of love,

there is no joy set before us.

Judas, worked, Judas grudged, Judas betrayed.

Cain worked, Cain grudged, Cain betrayed.

Here is what Cain could have given...

Left overs -Instead Cain gave the left over. This is what the word study implies.

The wording of Cain's giving compared to Abel's shows right off the top giving (Abel)

as compared to bottom of the barrel giving (Cain).

This would be more like Cain's gift...

Drudgery vs servanthood - See how the mentality of drugery "have to get this done"

marks every area of our life?

When we do not find or pursue our passion,

we not only will not get to hear “well done, thou good and faithful servant”.

But, we also become dangerous,

because that part of us that is unfulfilled, then jealously watches others’ successes,

and wants that success, that favor of God for ourselves.

We begrudge someone else’s success, the fruit of their labor of love.

Pursuing our Passion - But, when we find our passion, Look out!

Our biggest danger then, is to the enemy!

Look at little David, he was such a good son, such a good shepherd.

He was prepared through his labor of love, in so many ways, for the next steps of his life. Because he embraced his calling, he was ready when it was time

to serve his father and brothers and bring the food to the troops, and get a report for his Father.

This preparation put him him in the path of his destiny,

and he was ready mentally, physically and spiritually for the confrontation with Goliath.

God was personal to him.

The same God who gave him strength as a shepherd,

and helped him in all those ordinary battles,

would now give the victory over the real battle in his life!

Everything in his ordinary life,

was practice for this and future battles,

and shepherding of his mighty men and kingdom.

It was unthinkable that an “uncircumcised Philistine”

be permitted to slander the Name of the Most High,

the same who was his daily and nightly companion.

He was ready when time came for him to care for the down trodden,

the oppressed people who came to him and he was able to shepherd them.

He was then ready to be King, because of his many, many years of preparation.

Do it with your heart! Whatever you do, do with zeal. Do it with your heart!

If there is no zeal, pray, seek God, miss a meal or two.

Ask Him to let you see what you do with a fresh sense of purpose,

to be useful to Him.

Or to redirect you day by day, until you can begin to see that yes, you have begun to overflow.

Introduction to A Study of the Preparation of Esther

Two years ago I woke up one night with a strong urge to read and study the Book of Esther, immediately. I did, and it was so rewarding. I feel impressed to share with you what I found, and I also will be studying and sharing more, as I am sure there is much more to be found.

Before we get into to the study, I want to explain a couple of things, including why we should be interested.

• First of all, when we go to the Word of God, we must come expectantly, and in an attitude of utter dependance on The Holy Spirit. John 14:26 "But the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will cause you to recall (will remind you of, bring to your remembrance) everything I have told you." Amplified Bible.
• Secondly, the Word is meant to be considered as layer, upon layer of meaning. Considering we can trust The Holy Spirit to teach us, and there are so many layers to the Word, I ask you to be open to the possibilities that Esther is a picture of several things in the eyes of students of the Word. But, for this study, I want to focus on Esther as picture or a "type" of the Body of Christ corporately and individually, as we who make up the Body of Christ.

The first part is a little studious, but if you will trust God to guide and be willing to press through, it is more enlightening and uplifting on the other side of the studious part. If you hang in there, I don't think you will be disappointed. As I learn how to bring my documents over from Word and adapt them for blog enjoyment, I expect to learn how to make it more fun and easy to read. So, pray for me, to get better at this, and I will pray for you to get all the richness of His Word you desire!

Esther's Preparations to Meet The Mighty - The Place, Means and Purpose of Her (& Our) Preparation

NOTE: Parentheses indicate Strong’s translation for certain key words. What is in PINK italics is the actual KJV scripture, and the parentheses indicate Strong’s translation of the preceding word. ** indicates this is the use of a word that is unique to Esther.

In Chapter 2:3 it is decided “3And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all the fair young virgins unto Shushan (Place in Persia, to be bright, cheerful, be glad, make mirth, rejoice, joy, lily {because of whiteness} straight, trumpet {because of a straight, trumpet shaped flower}) the palace,(castle or palace) to the house of the women, unto the **custody (the open hand – indicating the power of) of Hege (Enuch) the king's chamberlain, (enuch, valet of female apartments) keeper (to hedge about, keep, protect, attend, preserve, to guard, watch, wait for, save) of the women; and let their things for purification be given them: “. This pleased the King & so it was done. In vs 9 we see that Esther pleased Hege and he “speedily” (which means to tremble inwardly, to palpitate, to be suddenly alarmed or agitated, to hasten anxiously, to be amazed, to thrust out) gave her all that she needed for purification plus seven maidens. Hmmm…Following in vs 12, we see:

Esther 2:12 “Now when every maid’s (from child to adolescent) turn (succession, sent to be excellent) was come (to lay hand on, a euphemism for “to lie w/a woman”, to reach, to arrive violently, to defeat, to destroy, to be able, to beat, bring down, cast, draw near, to join, to reach up) to go into King Ahasuerus (The Mighty) after (extremity, finite progress, the end) that she had been 12 months according to the **manner (a royal edict or statute, law or decree, commandment) of the women, [for so were the days of their purifications (rubbed with perfumery, for unction, consecratory gift, to be anointed) accomplished (to be full, satisfy, confirm, consecrate, to be at an end, expire, have wholly, replenish, overflow) to wit, six months with oil (to make shiny with richness, fruitful) of myrrh (distilling, bitter) & six months with sweet (fragrance, spicery, from the balsam plant) odours (same as sweet meaning) and with other things (words, matter, cause) for the **purifying (scouring w/soap or perfume for the for the bath or purification or cleansing, to shine, to sharpen, to polish, to make bright) of the women.

THE GOOD PART: In other words as we try to assimilate the Strong’s translation with the guidance of the Holy Spirit – we could say it this way:

• Queen Vashti was put aside for disobeying the King, (whose name means The Mighty).


• A royal decree went out for all the fair young virgins to be gathered to the Palace Shushan (the palace of lily white brightness, straight, joy, mirth making, cheerfulness)


• under the authority of Hege the King’s chamberlain (who does nothing of himself, but always acts on the King’s behalf),


• for Hege to hedge in, protect, save, attend, preserve, watch, wait for, the women.


• Esther found favor with Hege & he speedily (with a sense of urgency & expectancy you could say)


• gave her what she needed for purifications, along with seven maidens for her.


• She was purified (so as to polish, to shine, to sharpen & cleanse) & anointed (made to shine, consecrated with oil of myrrh {used for embalming [death to the flesh] & used as sweet fragrance preceding intimacy})


• & sweet odors (fragrant perfume of the balsam),


• prior to reaching up, when her turn came to be sent to be excellent was come, to join, to lie with,


• to have intimacy with the Mighty


• & to be able to destroy, to cast, to bring down through this intimacy.


• Meaning her time of purification was accomplished, had been fully satisfied, had reached its full end, had been replenished.


• And the King loved Esther above all others & he set the royal crown on her head, & made her Queen. And the King made a feast in her honor & gave gifts.

More Plain English, Please! I see here a picture:

• Of the Mighty (The Lord Our God) putting away Vashti (Israel) {in no way a picture of Israel being abandoned by God, that will NEVER HAPPEN, Romans shows us there is a season where those outside (Gentiles ) are invited in, 'grafted into the vine', eventually Israel will be reconciled as a whole, in the meantime individual reconciliation occurs}


• & calling the Church (represented by fair young virgins) into the palace Shushan, which is a picture of the Kingdom of God. It is named for its lily white brightness & straightness (representing righteousness) and also, it’s cheerfulness, joy, & mirth making. (Romans 14:17 “For the Kingdom of God is not meat & drink; but righteousness, and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.”).


• The Church is sealed by the Holy Spirit (Eph, 1 & 4), who leads us into all truth and tells us only things pertaining to God, never directing attention to himself (he is a enuch), which is reflected in Hege’s care for the “fair, young virgins”, his authority in the keeping of them, and his call to “keep” them through waiting for them, watching them, saving, hedging in, protecting & preserving them.


• This is all done while they are purified by scouring, cleansing, polishing, shining, to be made bright, by the use & rubbing in of oil of myrrh (to symbolize death to the flesh & preparation for intimacy with the Mighty) & sweet odors, so that we become the fragrance of Christ among the lost and are ready to meet (rapture) the Mighty King & reach up to join with Him, to be able to cast, to destroy, to beat through our intimacy (all the strong holds of the enemy!).


• Once the Church’s time of preparation has been completed, expired, reached its full end. At which time, if we have been obedient to the leading of the Holy Spirit we will find favor with our King & receive our crown of righteousness & have the marriage feast.
• The appointment of the seven maidens by Hege (who is clearly a type of the Holy Spirit) to assist Esther in her preapartions, pointed to the seven-fold wisdom of God, which we have through the Holy Spirit.

We know the Lord is faithful and merciful & I believe He is calling us to help prepare the part of the Body of Christ which we are called to teach & minister to (women). Here is something I wrote several years ago that I think pertains to the call God is sending out:

• We know from God’s Word that Jesus is coming back for a Church “without spot or wrinkle” and that this occurs through “the washing of the water” (The Holy Spirit) “by the Word” (Ephesians 5:26-27).


• God’s Spirit is able to go to work in our lives when His Word is proclaimed. For example John the Baptist was the forerunner for the arrival of The Messiah. His job was to make straight the way and to prepare people to receive Jesus. He prepared people by proclaiming the Word of God through prophesy, reminding people of the need for repentance and reminding people of what the prophets had written in the Old Testament.


• Then came Jesus Christ, The Beloved Messiah, The Word of God (John 1:14). We know from Jesus’ own words that is was necessary for Him to come, obtain our salvation and break the curse; and then leave for us to be able to receive The Holy Spirit, who would
• 1 be the “Comforter”, would
• 2 “reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment”,be
• 3 The “Spirit of Truth”,
• 4 be our “guide into all truth”,
• 5 “show you things to come”,
• 6 He shall “glorify” the Lord by “showing ” of the Lord “unto you”.