Stories of The King

Finding The Light

In the darkness, Joel lay on the floor in a heap. He couldn’t pick up his head or look around without it starting again – this heaviness, this coldness. And the thoughts running through his head never stopped! There was no one out there who would really understand this pain. He supposed he needed to get up off of the floor and go to bed but what was the point? He wouldn’t sleep.

 

As he lay there, he began to realize he needed something – anything that would bring him out of this heaviness, this loneliness, this weight of condemnation. He needed some light in his life. He had heard of this King people spoke about. Maybe He was the answer. He had been thinking about it. Joel wasn’t sure though. He wasn’t about to give up anything or turn into anyone different. He was willing to find out more though. Anything would be better than what he felt now. But, how to go about it? Joel didn’t know much of anything about The King. “Oh God! What now?” cried Joel. As he opened his eyes, he realized he wasn’t alone. “Who are you?” Joel demanded. Joel’s anger was met with a look of kindness and love. “I am The King and you called me,” was the answer. “So I’m kind of a misfit. Why would you want someone like me?” asked Joel, starting right in. “Why wouldn’t I?” was the answer, “You were made a valuable person with lots of things to offer. You got sidetracked by sin and the guilt that comes with it. That is why you feel so bad.” Joel mulled this over. “I feel like I am living in darkness and can’t get to the light.” The King looked at Joel with such a look of love that something started to break down inside of him. Then The King spoke, “Joel, you can walk out of the darkness any time you want. I am always here for you.” Joel remembered how quickly He had come when he cried. “I think I believe you but it’s hard to make that step,” said Joel. “Joel, take My hand,” said The King, reaching out and taking Joel’s hand. “All that you need to do is put your hand in Mine and take each step with Me. I will take care of the rest.” Joel felt such an acceptance and love when his hand was in The King’s hand. He wasn’t quite convinced yet though, “I’m not giving up anything. I like the life I’ve made for myself” The King chuckled softly and smiled a smile of gentleness. “No, Joel you don’t have to give anything up! When you live in the Light of The King, if you give up anything, it will be because you want to do it to get closer to Me. For the way to live close to The King is the way of holiness and peace.” Joel had heard enough. The presence of The King was so great that he never wanted to leave it. He opened his heart and said, “Father, I can’t live this life on my own anymore. I need You and want You in my life. I want to live in the Light of The King. I want to know Your love and forgiveness so I renounce my sins and ask You to wipe them away and remember them no more. I believe that Jesus died for me. I believe that He allowed my sin to be put on Himself when He died on the cross. I believe that Jesus rose from the dead. I surrender my life to Jesus today. Thank You that now I know for sure that when I die I’ll go to heaven and be with You forever. Please come and live with me and help me with everything. Please send your Holy Spirit to help me obey You, and to do Your will for the rest of my life. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

 

The King smiled and put His arm around Joel. “Joel!” He said heartily, “Welcome to the family! You are one of Mine now. I will never leave you nor forsake you.* Joel could tell The Light and The Love was inside of him now. He didn’t feel too different though but that was okay. He didn’t need a radical change on the outside, he needed one on the inside and he had definitely gotten that. He was happy to be a part of the family of The King. He had always felt like an outcast but now he had a huge family to be a part of and that was very comforting. Joel was so grateful to The King that he sang a song to Him,

 

 

I’ve finally found where I belong
I’ve finally found where I belong, in Your presence
I’ve finally found where I belong, it’s to be with You, to be with You**

 

So living in the presence of The King and being a part of the family of The King were what filled the rest of Joel’s life. When he died, he was happy and at peace and he went to heaven to live forever with The King.

 

Want to know more about becoming a part of the family of The King? Click here or Email me.

 

 

*Joshua 1:5 ** Where I Belong by Cory Asbury from the album, Holy.

A Heavy Stone is Lifted

(Ritzpah means “Hot stone, a coal”)

Once there was a woman who went on a journey to find the King. It was a slow and tedious journey and she could hardly make any progress at all. Ritzpah was a woman who had lived her whole life with a burden on her back. She had carried this around and it had made her very tired. She had even become bent over as she walked because of this burden. It made her life very heavy. It was like a hot, burning coal in her life.

 

As she went, a woman passed her by very quickly. “What is your problem?” said the woman. “Speed up and we will all be better for it.” Ritzpah looked up at the woman from her bent over position and said, “I’m sorry. I can’t go any faster than I am right now. I am going to the King to unload my heavy burden. I’ll be much faster after that.” The woman rolled her eyes and kept going. She didn’t mind taking one more shot, “The King! What’s He going to do? You are the one who should work on your own problems. Why would you bother The King? Fix it yourself. You are completely useless right now.” Ritzpah went on very sorrowfully because she knew the woman was right about this last sentence. She kept moving though and kept trying to get past her problem. If only she could get to The King.

 

Next came a young man. “Move!” he said. “You and your hideous growth are blocking my path.” Ritzpah looked up. “Oh, excuse me,” she said, moving out of the way. The boy looked at her with a look of disdain. “Why don’t you do something about that ugly thing on your back?” he asked. “Well, that’s what I’m trying to do,” said Ritzpah, trying to stay positive. “I’m going to The King to have Him remove it.” The young man laughed derisively, “Oh yeah, I’m sure The King will get right on that. Don’t you know that The King doesn’t meet with people who have issues? Why would He mess with someone like you? You need to get right and whole before you meet with The King.”

 

This took all of the air out of Ritzpah’s sails. This guy was right, wasn’t he? We have to get right before we see The King. Now here came the tears. Ritzpah sat down on a rock and felt sorry for herself. No one was going to listen to a mess like her. How would she get anywhere or do anything or be effective at all if she wasn’t made right first? She closed her eyes and said, “If only I could see The King!” and then cried some more. When she opened her eyes, she found she wasn’t alone. There was a man standing there. Now Ritzpah felt embarrassed to be crying in front of a stranger. “I’m sorry, sir,” she said. When the man looked her square in the eyes, Ritzpah knew. It was The King! She felt the love coming from Him and saw the acceptance in His eyes. “Ritzpah,” He said, “why are you crying?” Ritzpah straightened up and tried her best to make herself look and sound acceptable to The King. “Oh King, I just realized that I need to be right with You before I meet with You,” Ritzpah sniffled. A look of kindness met her gaze. “Where in the world would you get that idea?” asked The King. “Uh, well, the boy said…” Ritzpah realized she sounded kind of ridiculous. “My child, haven’t you heard it said that, everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved*? All that you needed to do was call to Me.” Just then, Ritzpah knew that The King would have accepted her no matter what she looked like or how she acted. All He cared about was her. All of a sudden, Ritzpah fell to the ground! What had happened? She sat up with a very strange sensation indeed. There was no burden. She could move again. She could walk. She could run. She felt 100 pounds lighter. Just then, The King spoke, ‘“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.’ ** That is why your burden was lifted, Ritzpah. You will always have My acceptance and love.”

 

Now who had the right answer? Was it the one who thought we need to fix our own problems? Was it the one who believes that we need to make ourselves perfect in His eyes before we go to Him? It was the woman who had the biggest problem. She knew what she needed to do, she was just going about it an ineffective way. There are no barriers between The King and His children. Once Ritzpah realized that The King will accept us no matter what and come and meet our needs when we call to Him, she was released from her burdens and the ugliness that she had been carrying for so long.

 

It is not the people who look the most secure on the outside who know the most or are in the best place. It is the people who know and understand The King and His ways that have the most security and peace.

 

Whatever burdens you carry around today, The King is more than ready, willing and able to take them from you. Release them to Him and you will find rest for your soul.

 

 

*Joel 2:32 ** Matthew 11:28

The Oil in the Pots

 

(Simar means "one who is filled with God's spirit")

 

Simar was a girl who loved The King. She had a great job and family. There were many things that Simar did for The King and His Kingdom. She worked very hard in His service. Lately though, she had been feeling kind of lost, dry and even dead inside. She knew the love of The King but something was missing. She really wanted that presence of The King again.

 

One day while she was asking The King about this, He asked Simar to go to a certain man’s place of business in order to find out more about it. Knowing that the King often gives His best lessons about living the Kingdom life this way, Simar went with an open mind and heart.

 

As she knocked on the man’s door, she realized she had no idea whether he was expecting her or what she was supposed to ask him. Simar hesitated. Maybe she should wait for a better time and a more controlled circumstance. Too late! The man was opening the door. “Simar! I’ve been expecting you,” the man said warmly. Well, she could cross one thing off of her list. He was expecting her. She smiled back and said, “I understand you run a business here. The King has told me to come and take a look.”

 

The man opened the door and ushered Simar into the building. “Here we are,” he said, sweeping his hand across the room. Simar looked and saw a very strange sight. Sitting on the floor as far as the eye could see and covering every spare inch of the room were copper pots. They were closed at the top and there was a flame burning there. They were bubbling, spitting and overflowing with oil. Simar looked quizzically at the man. “What in the world is this?” she asked. “It is the anointing for the saints,” he said, “The King has set aside new and fresh oil for His servants each day.” Simar looked around at the pots burning brightly. “I don’t understand,” she said. “Why are there so many sitting here?” The man looked at Simar with such a look of love. “My dear, there are two reasons. First, it is important to come to the end of yourself. When that happens, God takes over. It makes more room for Him. Secondly, not everyone asks,” he said, “even though they can have as much as they want.” Simar was sad. How could that be? As she was watching, one of the pots poured a small bit of oil into a container that looked kind of like a test tube, and then it disappeared. Then another was filled to the brim. That disappeared too. “What is happening?” Simar asked. The man smiled wisely, “These are the people who are asking for their oil and it is being given to them.” Simar wanted to know more, “Why is one person getting more than another?” “They asked for it”, the man said. “You mean the person with only a tiny bit of oil could have had more?” asked Simar. “Of course!” said the man. “And they can have ever more if they want; for there is no end to the gifts of The King."

That was it, of course. That is what the King wanted her to know. Simar sank to her knees and prayed,

Empty me of the selfishness inside
Every vain ambition and the poison of my pride
And any foolish thing my heart holds to
Lord empty me of me so I can be filled with you.

Cause everything is a lesser thing
Compared to you.  So, I surrender all*

 

 

When we live in the anointing of the Holy Spirit, we are being given over to The King ever more. In turn we are given ever more of Him. Those who carry the vessels of the Lord must carry His anointing in clean, pure containers. As we purify ourselves, we have room for more of Him and His Holy Spirit.

* Empty Me by Chris Sligh from the album Running Back to You

Once There Was A King...

Sometime in 2005, I began tossing around the idea of "Bedtime Stories for Adults". I mean, why should the kids get all the fun? These would be simple, easy-to-understand stories where the meaning would be the focal point, not necessarily the writing (which is right up my alley!). They would be like fables or fairy tales and illustrate the Bible or Christian life. So here they are, three years later. Hope you like them...

These are the stories of The King. He is the most loving King that has ever been. In fact, He calls His subjects His own children because of His love for them. Once He did a powerful work for His Kingdom, saving His children from certain death. Therefore His children love Him and respect Him more than anyone else in heaven or earth. They trust Him for everything because they know He has never let His kingdom down...