Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind

We all have a story. Some have been lucky enough to have experienced relatively few hills and valleys and other’s life journeys have been so wrought with destruction you have to wonder how the person is still standing. Today, I’m pulling one out of the personal folder. No, not a heart breaking story – although I do have those – but a special song. When I was coming out of a really awful season of my life I used to cling to this song with hope and I would crank it uppp.

Who said all worship music has to be “Christian”?

If you listen, the words of this song are full of praise and thanksgiving. The title alone corresponds to the Christian walk: I can see clearly now, the rain is gone.  🙂  Hallelujah!

Do you treasure any special worship songs that would be deemed “secular”?

 

I Can See Clearly Now by Johnny Nash
I can see clearly now, the rain is gone,
I can see all obstacles in my way
Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind
It’s gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)
Sun-Shiny day.

I think I can make it now, the pain is gone
All of the bad feelings have disappeared
Here is the rainbow I’ve been prayin’ for
It’s gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)
Sun-Shiny day.

Look all around, there’s nothin’ but blue skies
Look straight ahead, nothin’ but blue skies

I can see clearly now, the rain is gone,
I can see all obstacles in my way
Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind
It’s gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)
Sun-Shiny day.

 

Psalm 34:8
“Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!”

Psalm 86:5
“O Lord, you are so good, so ready to forgive, so full of unfailing love for all who ask for your help.”

Nahum 1:7
“The Lord is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes.
He is close to those who trust in him.”

Jeremiah 33:11
“The voice of joy, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the voice of them that shall say, Praise the LORD of hosts: for the LORD is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: and of them that shall bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the LORD. For I will cause to return the captivity of the land, as at the first, saith the LORD.”

Jeremiah 31:12
“They will come home and sing songs of joy on the heights of Jerusalem.
They will be radiant because of the Lord’s good gifts—
the abundant crops of grain, new wine, and olive oil, and the healthy flocks and herds.
Their life will be like a watered garden, and all their sorrows will be gone.

Look straight ahead! With Jesus, it’s nothing but blue skiessss!

Blessings!
Bethany 🙂

A warning

During a time of worship I saw a lion devouring a man… the man was in the lion’s mouth horizontally. His head was to the left and his feet were hanging out to the right. I won’t show you a picture, it was gruesome. The above picture will suffice. Taken from the famous YouTube video, the video captures the same metaphor..   what would happen if the glass wasn’t there? I believe there are those who are oblivious to the lion inches away.. staring at them behind glass. Well my friends, I believe the glass is coming down! These are the words that came to me after I saw the picture in my minds eye:

I will strike down my leaders who are not about Me
I will cast them off their positions
(I saw the Lord’s strong mighty hand sweep across the United States.
In one swipe, many fell leaving several open positions)
They will be devoured by the lion
For my word warns to be self controlled and alert.
Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
NO, these ones will not be in their positions any longer.
I the Lord will not allow it!
NO!

My people, the people I am releasing, the people I am raising up
THEY will take those positions! I will position them to be ready to step into the open roles.
They will speak My Word
They will proclaim My coming
They will reflect My glory!

Next I saw long skinny canoes.. ten to twenty of them. They looked to be homemade or partially homemade as I saw birchbark on the side of the one in focus and wooded branches woven together inside. The canoes were strong, sturdy, and leak proof. The canoes were packed with supplies and had one to two people rowing. The canoes with two people were married couples -only couples who BOTH have strong individual relationships with Christ. The people were confident and calm like trained athletes. They looked to be about 300 feet off the shore. The sky ahead was full of billowing BLACK clouds. It reminded me of the black skies of tornado weather. The calm before the storm…

They (the Lord’s faithful people) will row their humble canoes into the stormy waves
They will row forth with faith
Not fearing the black storm clouds or the prevailing winds
They will not fear the mighty waves that taunt their canoes with lies of destruction

No, they will speak to the storm
With the PEACE I have placed inside
I am raising up an army that will not fear
They will row and go forth into any storm
Because their eyes are fixed on Me

Their love for me is their goal

They trust me

I believe the handmade aspect of the canoes is  metaphor for our personal relationship with Christ. It can’t be bought. We have to have build our own! The canoes that were partially handmade – I believe they represents those who were lucky to have a mentor or ministry to jump into and grow with. They had help building the framework of their canoes but the rest of the canoe was created individually. I hesitate to share words like this because I can’t say 100% this was from God or “thus sayeth the Lord.” I am simply sharing what I saw and what I felt impressed to write. Only time will tell what happens! What I do know is that things are stirring… I am anxious to see what the next few years hold.

Galatians 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Those not walking with God will not have the fruit of self control.

1 Peter 5:8
Be self-controlled and alert.
Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.