Month: May 2019

By: Stephen McClelland. For more information on his ministry, click here.

During church yesterday I had a vision of a man tending a lot of sheep. They belonged to him, and while there was a lot of them they were mostly below average. One of them stood out though, like it would have been an award winning ram. It was taller and stronger than the rest, its wool vibrantly white. The others were dingy and dirty. This one was his prized possession and he took great care for it.

And then Father God walked up. The man wasn’t shocked by it; it was like they knew each other and were comfortable with each other. God was admiring the man’s flock, but I could see Him looking repeatedly in the direction of the prized ram. After a little more chatting I could tell God said “This one is beautiful. I’d like to have him. Would you give him to me?” The man remained respectful, but clearly didn’t want to lose this one. He offered God two, even three of the others instead of the one. But God was focused on the ram. He said softly, “I think I’d like to have this one.” The man, seeing that God was determined, kept trying to bargain. “What will I get from you if I give you this one? This ram is quite valuable!”

God turned to look at the man but did not immediately speak.

I kept thinking, “You don’t give to God to get something! You give God what He asks for because of what you’ve ALREADY gotten from Him! You’ve already been given far more than what that ram is worth. He gave to you first, and it was more valuable than anything you could possibly imagine.” Clearly the man hadn’t thought of it that way, but it was the truth.

A short distance away I saw Jesus. He had been there the whole time, with the man, I just hadn’t seen Him.

Finally, Father God spoke. It was gentle, not condemning, and barely above a whisper. His eyes were soft, and He maintained a reassuring smile. The vision ended as He gestured toward Jesus, “I gave you my lamb. I gave you the best.”

God may or may not be asking you to give up something very valuable to you. Either way, you have already been given the greatest gift. The lamb of God, slain from the foundation of the world. Redemption, reconciliation, and eternal life, by the blood of Jesus Christ. He was given before you asked. He was given when you deserved nothing. He is yours. The greatest savior and the greatest leader. He is yours.

Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay

There is an ecstasy in grace that supersedes any physical experience on earth. There is a joy in worship that is like liquid sugar to my heart, melting the insides of my soul in utter sweetness. This bliss is intoxicating. The substance of it is more than I can bear. This love is all encompassing.

This Man is more breathtaking than words can describe. Jesus, you are everything good, desirable and perfect! Your Presence is a substance that satisfies everything and then gives more. You are a waterfall of glory and all my needs are but a bucket underneath it.

There is nothing I can desire that would be better than You. And I dance, like a mad man in love. I sing, like a woman who has given her heart away. I worship, because I am redeemed and Heaven has opened its gates to pour upon me the free gifts of God!

~P.S: My husband took this photo of me on Mother’s Day 2019. My father surprised me with those beautiful flowers.

On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’”

—John 7:37–38 NLT

There is a nutrition every human heart needs…unconditional love. I’ve found a fountain of silver vaporous waters where streams of grace flow unhindered. They course from the gates of heaven, rippling through emerald and jade paths overgrown with lush vegetation, ambrosial fruits and polychromatic flowers. They spring from the heart of God and steam in the presence of the Holy Spirit—like the aromatic spa fog of boiling rose water.

These streams of grace are smooth oil to the flesh of man and vital nourishment to the spirit. They are the early morning dew glittering on the land, each drop containing the source of life. They are breath to the lungs and peace to the mind. They are a bed of petals, a concave of love, beautiful like sunlight to the soul. They are truth and grace all intertwined into one.

Welcome to the river of God. They are rest, they are peace, and they are clarity. Let His oceans of lavender, let His voice of myrrh, let His tender touch, let the glowing warmth of His heart—like a softly crackling fireplace on a cold winter night—enter your soul and give you love…give you peace…give you rest. Be refreshed, be restored, be rejuvenated, be healed, be made whole. You are deeply loved. His Spirit is your heart nutrition.

~This small excerpt was taken from my book Visions of Celestial Love. You can order a physical or ebook copy by clicking here.