03
Apr

hand reaching outSometimes I feel like I’m going mad. One thing for sure – the Lord has had me pray dangerous prayers lately. You know the ones…

“Lord, fill me with your Holy Spirit.”

“Consume me with Your love.”

“Help me to see with Your eyes.”

“Help me to know what it is to love You with all my heart, mind, soul and strength.”

I’m so heartsick I can barely stand myself.

But I realize that this is what I have been praying for. To be so consumed with Him that every time my thoughts touch on Him tears begin to fill my eyes. I’m at an all-time level of dissatisfaction and I have no idea what to do with myself. When God turns His face toward you and looks you in the eye you will be changed. You cannot look upon the face of God and remain what you were before…who you were before.

Moses was so changed he had to cover his face when around his people because the glory of God emanating from him terrified them. And so it should.

There are times like today when He feels so close to me I’m about come unglued, while crying out for more. More truth, more love, more of Him. It’s an insatiable hunger. I feel like a drug addict today trying to find my next fix.

Consumed.

Then there are other seasons when I’m reaching out as far as I can, only to have His fingertips brush against mine and I fall…longing, praying, drowning. And I wonder what it is that I’m holding onto so tightly that I can’t seem to grasp His open hand.

It is a travesty really. Too many times I want to hold onto my worldly things when God is calling me to something deeper and more glorious than my latest gadgets, my internet, my Facebook or Myspace, or my ministry involvement.

God help me. I cannot be who You’ve created me to be without Your abiding Presence. Help me to lay down every trapping that would keep my heart from Yours. Teach me how to reach You in the holy place, for You are my greatest Desire.

“Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm;
for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave.
It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame.”

Song of Solomon 8:6

30
Jan

Shout!I had the most amazing dream recently.

I was in a meeting room with rows of folding chairs with about 40 other people. Everyone was mingling around and talking when satan himself walked through the back doorway. A hush immediately came over the room, and everyone found their seat and stood silent in front of their chairs. There was enough room between the rows for satan to walk behind each person, and as he did he would call out a word: “Lust”, “Anger”, “Bitterness”, etc. These were the main issues that each person dealt with. No one said a word to him as he did this, they just hung their heads and accepted their “fate”. I was watching all this happen from the side of the room. He did this to everyone standing in front of a chair. Eventually he locked eyes with me, and I walked toward him until we were a mere foot apart. I opened my mouth and forcefully declared, “I AM A SON OF THE MOST HIGH GOD, and you have NO authority over me!” It was as if I had poured acid on him – he recoiled from me that quickly and fled the room.

Now, I’m not entirely sure why I said “son” instead of “daughter”…still waiting for the full revelation on that. But we do know that as Believers we have the Son living in us and should fully identify with Him. And as we fully identify with Christ IN us, we should be exercising our authority over the enemy. Even Christians sometimes have this pack mentality regarding the “big, bad devil”. “The devil’s doing this…the devil’s doing that.” In my dream the people just accepted what was happening to them. They felt like they deserved to be humiliated by the enemy and had no recourse. We must remember WHO we are. Remember WHOSE you are. You have the authority over satan now because of the blood shed at Calvary. David didn’t wait for Goliath to attack him, but ran toward the giant in the authority and power of God Almighty! Even Paul told us to be strong in the Lord, and in HIS mighty power as we take our stand against the enemy:

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Ephesians 6:10-13

“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7

30
Nov

mute buttonThe Holy Spirit began speaking to me about Zachariah today – you know, the high priest that questioned the angel after he was told he and his wife were going to have a son?  Here’s the story from Luke 1:8-20:

Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.

Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth. Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”

The angel answered, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time.

Zechariah was incredulous.  He and his wife were well along in years when the angel surprised him before the throne of God with his unusual proclamation.  For too many years they had hoped for a child, prayed for a child…begged God again and again for a child.  And in disappointment and resignation they had given up their dream.  But God had other plans.  I’ve always thought it a strange punishment that the angel struck Zachariah mute.  What the Lord impressed upon my heart this morning has given me a greater understanding.

If the angel had not dealt with Zachariah in such a decisive way, he could have derailed the miracle that God had planned for his life, for Elizabeth’s life, and for their son.  His words of unbelief could have thwarted one of the greatest miracles that he (or anyone) would ever see.  As the word says – “Life and death are in the power of the tongue” (Proverbs 18:21).  Knowing the power of words, I believe Gabriel wanted to make sure that this man did not negate the power and plan of God through his words of doubt and unbelief.  So Zachariah was struck dumb the entire time Elizabeth was pregnant, and God’s word did come to pass.  The story continues in Luke 1:57-66:

When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.

On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, but his mother spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John.”

They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who has that name.”

Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, “His name is John.” Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue was loosed, and he began to speak, praising God. The neighbors were all filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things. 66Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, “What then is this child going to be?” For the Lord’s hand was with him.

Imagine the joy that was in their home that day! Not only was a son born to a couple well past their prime, but Zechariah’s voice was also returned to him.  He also had been a tangible sign of the awesome power of God those many months.  I’m sure that after 40 long weeks of waiting for his son to arrive he was willing to agree with whatever was on the Lord’s heart – even giving up his right to name the child after himself.  I love that John had a name all his own before he was ever conceived.  God was doing a new thing in the earth, and the opening act of the greatest story ever told – the redemption of all mankind – began with John.  And from the moment of his birth, everyone was astonished and knew that the Lord’s hand was with him.

It was the grace of God that kept Zechariah from circumventing God’s plans and purposes for his life.  His son John was the forerunner of Jesus Christ, and prepared the hearts and minds of the people before Jesus was revealed at His baptism as the Son of God.  John played a crucial role in the story of salvation.

If you have received a promise from God hold onto it tightly.  Like Mary, ponder it in your heart until the time of it’s fulfillment (Luke 2:19).  Some things are meant to be tucked away in our hearts until their proper time to be revealed.  I don’t believe Elizabeth shouted to the world when she became pregnant.  But in the fullness of time – and the appearance of her ever-increasing waistline – the world began to take notice.  She was pregnant with the promises of God…the seed nurtured and protected safe within her.  The promises God gives us are not for us alone.  Each promise is God’s invitation to join Him in redeeming mankind one heart at a time. Don’t speak words of death, doubt, or denial over your promise.  It would be better to be mute like Zechariah than to speak against God’s word.  In the fullness of time it will manifest, your joy will be immeasurable, and many around you will be utterly astonished.

May this Christmas season find you full of awe and wonder once again in the power of God’s plans and purposes for your life.

27
Oct

Dam“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” Matthew 7:1-5

† † †

“If you judge people, you have no time to love them.” Mother Teresa

† † †

This week has been difficult. Well, actually the past few weeks have been difficult. And it has become apparent to me that I have a serious issue I need to address. Because I know that if I DON’T get it under control, it will control me. Simply put: my mouth.

Now we’ve heard sermon after sermon (at least I have) about how we need to reign it in concerning the words we speak over each other. But it just feels so… good. It feels good tearing down another person’s character. It feels good pointing out the faults of others. In some bizarre twisted way, it makes me feel better about myself. It’s quite the problem, isn’t it? We live in a culture that says, “If it feels good, do it!” And even though I’m a believer, and have been for almost 20 years, I still have this problem.

As I type this I’m having trouble seeing… hold on a sec while I adjust these planks in my eye.  The past couple of weeks I’ve accumulated enough wood to build a good-sized dam.

Each time I choose to focus on another person’s short-comings, each time I point out where someone has missed it, each time I self-righteously suggest I could have done a better job – I add another log to the pile. Now all that’s left is to light the match, and a blazing inferno of offense is sure to result.

But Jesus shows me a better way.

Love covers.
Pride strips away.

Love keeps no record of wrongs.
Pride keeps a running list of offenses.

Love is patient.
Pride wants things MY way – the quicker the better.

Jesus’ brother James faced a similar problem, and shared these thoughts with the body of Christ:

“Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.”

“When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

“All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.” James 3:1-12

The apostle Paul gave us these additional thoughts:

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” Ephesians 4:29

Convicting, isn’t it? We’re judged more strictly for the sins of our mouths if we assume the role of teacher. I teach everyday – I homeschool. But there are other lives I touch as well that God has placed all around me. And if the eyes of my heart are full of dead wood – my self-righteous thoughts, actions, and words – then the flow of life that God has called me to impart to these precious people is stopped completely. What a travesty. I know it is impossible for me to never mess up in this area. Even James said that no man could tame the tongue.  And that’s great news because…

“With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. Matthew 19:26

I can’t do it alone, but if Christ lives in me – though I fall again and again, I will eventually have the victory. And to Him will belong all the glory!

† † †

“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.”

Psalm 19:14

02
Oct

vacancy“He (David) swore an oath to the Lord and made a vow to the Mighty One of Jacob, ‘I will not enter my house or go to my bed – I will allow no sleep to my eyes, no slumber to my eyelids, till I find a place for the Lord, a dwelling place for the mighty one of Jacob.‘”  Psalm 132:2-5

As I was pondering the above scripture it occurred to me that David was incredibly passionate about making a dwelling place for the Lord.  We know from scripture that he was a man consumed with the desire of having the Lord as close to him as possible.  I believe that this one desire above everything else made him a man “after God’s own heart”.  And because of that heart-cry he was able to create a tabernacle for the Lord and meet with God, with musicians and singers ministering to the Lord throughout the day, and all through the night. (1 Chronicles 15-16)

Every week in congregations around the world we invite the Lord in our worship to “come”.  We want Him to invade our circumstances, invade our churches and invade our workplaces.  We invite Him – throwing the vacancy sign out on the doors of our hearts to let Him know we’re available.  Then He comes.  Standing at the front door He knocks, and we’re surprised when we open the door and see Him standing there.  I can hear the conversation now…

“I received your invitation and immediately told Gabriel to pack My bags…here I AM!” He says with a smile.

At this point you’re thinking the house isn’t clean and the beds aren’t made…and there are still breakfast dishes in the sink.  And where will you put Him?  From the look of the bag He’s carrying, He’s planning on staying for a while.

“Ummm…hold on one second.  Check-in is at 4pm.  Can you come back then?”

God smiles, says that would be fine, and walks back down the walkway.

It’s 10am, so you have 6 hours to whip the place into shape.  Everyone is employed in getting the house in order, and the best guest room is prepared.  Dinner is in the oven, the fire lit in the fireplace and the best linens placed on the table.  4 o’clock arrives, and so does God.  He’s right on time.

You run to the door to open it before He has the opportunity to knock again.  With a sweep of your hand and a smile on your face you welcome Him into your home.  After entering your home He is immediately drawn to the family pictures you have on your fireplace mantel.  Caressing each face with His finger, each person is lovingly acknowledged by His gentle gaze.  Placing the pictures back as He found them, He turns to you and says, “Can I see My room now please?”

He follows you up the stairs to the guest bedroom.  As He fills the room you realize at once that it is much too small to accommodate Him.  What should you do?  All the other rooms are completely filled with family members, other guests, and items stored away.  The attic is full of Christmas items and storage containers of clothing, sports equipment, and family memorabilia.  The basement is full of entertainment and exercise equipment.  Then the thought hits – “Perhaps I should give Him my room.”

Hearing your racing thoughts, God chuckles.

Each week as we ask the Lord to “come”, we need to ask ourselves if we’ve prepared a place for Him first.  Our hearts can be full, but our mouths keep telling Him to come anyway.  Is Jesus trying to find a place in your heart to rest and there’s no vacancy?  Have you filled yourself with other pressing more worldly things that have screamed for attention first?  Or have you prepared a place for Him like the widow did for Elijah (1 Kings 17:7-16)?  Can you say like David that you will not give rest to your eyes until room is found for the King of Kings?  Are you offering Him a place in the basement, or a place in the attic? Will He fit in the hall closet?  Or have you prepared the best room in the house – your favorite room with the softest sheets, the walk-in closet and bathroom with jacuzzi tub?  Will you give Him your personal bedroom filled with the most priceless treasures you own?

Does He get the honor of having the “Master” bedroom?

Others throughout history have been known to prepare places for important people.  The prophet Elijah was sent to a widow in Zarephath during a severe famine, and as she received him into her home, she and her son were saved from certain death.  When the boy was later struck with an illness and died, Elijah called him back to life again (1 Kings 17).

What provisions do you need from the hand of the Lord?  What areas of your life need a resurrection?

A Shunammite woman prepared a place for the prophet Elisha, and was radically blessed as well.  The Lord opened her womb and she gave birth to a son (2 Kings 4).

What dreams are held within your heart that need to be birthed?

Those who receive a prophet receive a prophet’s reward (Matthew 10:41).  How much more will we receive when the Lord comes to inhabit our hearts through the Holy Spirit!

But let’s take this a step further.

When you agree to allow the Lord to have the best room in the house, you will find that suddenly you don’t want Him to leave.  What more can you do?  You’ve given Him the best room in the entire house!  Looking at the keys hanging by the door, it suddenly occurs to you what would keep Him there indefinitely.  Taking the keys down you begin to ascend the stairs to His room.  Knocking gently on the door, you are summoned to enter.  Taking His hand in yours, you carefully place the set of keys in His hand.

“These are Yours now,” you say.  “You can have my home.  You can have my family, my car, my business, and my finances.  Everything I have is now yours.”

Smiling, God pulls out a keyring of His own.  “Because you have done this thing, you may now enter My house, and make My heart your home.  My life will flow in you, and My provision will flow to you.  My Spirit will empower you to do all I desire, and the gates of hell will not prevail against you.  And I will never leave you or forsake you.”

As we make room for the King of kings, we will find that nothing is impossible for us.  He’s knocking at the door even now.  Have you prepared your heart for visitation, or habitation?

“…choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” Joshua 24:15

10
Aug

Floating in WaterMy daughter was invited to my girlfriend’s pool to swim with her children the other day.  When we arrived I reminded her that Rebecca couldn’t swim very well, and to keep a close eye on her. We talked about her children’s swimming skills, and she told me that they still had trouble floating.  They were great swimmers, but for some reason this was a skill they had not mastered yet.  We both agreed that floating was probably one of the most important swimming skills you could master, because it could potentially save your life when in a crisis situation in the water.

Floating is a simple skill to learn.  You take a deep breath while laying on your back with your face to the sky, trusting the water to buoy you to the surface.  Your body is fully relaxed, with your arms out to the side.  Your breathing is even with your arms placed on each side of your body.  Learning to float is important as it helps you to conserve precious energy while you wait for someone to rescue you from the water.  Even the act of treading water can quickly wear you out.  Floating is one of the first skills swimming instructors teach their students, knowing that  this one basic skill has the potential to save their lives.

As I was pondering all the benefits of floating, and the sheer enjoyment of relaxing in the water this way, the Lord began speaking to me.  As believers, we all need to learn how to “float”.  During the course of our lives we are going to face many crisis situations, and if we don’t learn this key skill, we will certainly drown.  We must learn to relax, turn our faces toward heaven, and trust that the Lord is already working to deliver us from the situation at hand.  We must not panic, for then we could drown.  Even if the storm is fierce we can completely trust the One who has brought us to it.  The very storm or catastrophe brought into your life can be used to buoy you into greater realms of intimacy and fruitfulness for the King of kings.  The very trial laid at your door could be a test of your heart’s faithfulness to Him.  Can you say as Job did long ago, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him” (Job 13:15)?

Here is what He spoke to my heart:

“Beloved, it is not for you to completely understand the storms I bring to your door.  If you completely understood why it was taking place, you would not need faith to see you through.  Every time you exercise the gift of faith you become stronger inside.  Your trust will not be misplaced.  I have promised that I would never leave you or forsake you – no matter what comes.  Remember that I have overcome the world.  Your complete surrender to My plans for your life rise to Me as a sweet offering.  Beloved, all I am I offer to you now.  Just trust Me.  I have plans for your good and not for evil – plans to give you great hope, and a future beyond anything you could possibly dream or imagine.  For I am the dream-giver…I am the LIFE-giver.  I’m asking for the only thing you have to give Me – your heart, your trust, and your love.  I delight in moving heaven and earth to come to your rescue.  But even if I wait, it is only to work a greater victory in your life.  Through faithfulness you will be established.”

As hard as we may try, we cannot add a single hour to our lives (Matthew 6:27).  We can be cautious and play it safe, but ultimately life is not ours to give.  We partner with God to protect life and nurture life and bring new life into the world, but He is ultimately the life-giver (John 10:10).  He holds your very life in the palm of His loving, capable hands.  Take a deep breath, relax, and turn your face to Him in complete trust and faithfulness.  Throw your arms out to the side in complete surrender.  Allow Him to be your buoy during the crisis.  I promise that His love will never fail you (1 Corinthians 13:8).

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.Romans 8:35-39

Nighttime Ads2Have you ever tried to drive down the road and NOT read the billboards? They’re everywhere you look. Today I was coming home, and for some reason I had this crazy thought to try NOT looking at them. I had a 20 minute ride home, and it was very challenging. Normally I read everything going down the road – it’s just part of the driving experience. We don’t even realize we’re doing it, unless the billboard is particularly creative or flat-out obnoxious. The Lord began to speak to me through this experience.

He has prepared a road for us. It’s called the Highway of Holiness:

“And a great road will go through that once deserted land.
It will be named the Highway of Holiness.
Evil-minded people will never travel on it.
It will be only for those who walk in God’s ways;
fools will never walk there.
Lions will not lurk along its course,
nor any other ferocious beasts.
There will be no other dangers.
Only the redeemed will walk on it.”
Isaiah 35:8-9

He’s prepared it for the redeemed – the children of God – to walk on. I have found that as I stay on that road I do okay. But satan has also planted distractions along the way. They’re billboards that tempt me to stray off the road He has placed me on, and onto the side roads that lead to self, flesh, sin, and destruction. They look inviting, but each path eventually leads to a dead end. It may not come immediately, but it will come.

“There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.” Proverbs 4:12

The only way to stay on the right road is to stay focused. My two older kids will be learning how to drive soon. They’re going to hear, “Keep your eyes on the road!” until they’re hearing it in their sleep. For those of us that have been traveling with the Lord for a while, we need a reminder. KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE ROAD. Beware of distractions. Beware of driving with your life set on cruise control. Don’t let the enemy deftly steal your destiny right out from under you. If he can’t get you into open sin, he will get you distracted with other things.

“Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are.” 1 Peter 5:8-9

Are you constantly worried? Are you having trouble extending forgiveness to someone? Do relationships take a back seat to your career? Only as we daily come to the Lord will we see things as they really are. As we are led by His Spirit we’ll continue down the path prepared for us.

Christian, you are called to holiness. Keep your eyes on the road.

Category: reflections  Tags: , , ,  One Comment

Young Man Writing b-w by Gavin Ross“Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, and the LORD gave attention and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the LORD and who esteem His name.”  Malachi 3:16

God has a journal.  And in this journal He has recorded every word we have spoken that honors His Name.  In it is every word you’ve prayed with a friend, every cry of your heart toward His throne – every whisper of sorrow, every sigh of heartache.  It’s all there.  He doesn’t want to miss one word, but wants to go over it again and again and again.  He loves the words spoken from hearts that love Him more than life itself.

Can’t you just imagine Him stopping the activity of heaven and saying, “Wait a minute. Stop everything. Quick! Someone grab My scroll.  Hand Me my pen – listen…listen…” Can’t you just see the smile creep across His face in joy and wonder and absolute love when the sound of your voice reaches His ears?

Have you ever caught one of your kids talking about you to a friend?  My daughter was speaking to a girlfriend one day who was struggling with depression.  I just happened to pick up the phone to make a call of my own when I discovered them talking.  I stayed on long enough to hear her tell her friend she needed to talk to me, because I could help encourage her.  I was grinning from ear to ear.  I couldn’t help it.  And I was in awe and wonder that my teen daughter thought I had something worthy to say to her friend.  It honored me.  And since I love to journal, I ran to write it down.  My heart just wanted to explode with love for my daughter and her friend in that brief moment.

The next time you have a conversation with someone regarding the Lord remember He’s listening.  He can’t wait to hear the sound of your voice expressing your love for Him.  He’s anxious to record every Son-filled word you speak.