Have you ever been in a service or been to a conference where you truly encountered Christ? When it was time to leave the moment or place where Christ touched, you didn’t want to let it go? Ever had that happen and before it all started you didn’t really want to go or didn’t know why you were going? As I was sitting in the Prayer Room for the final time in this trip I found myself in Mark 5:1-21. This is the story about a man who was possessed by demons and Christ cast them out. The man had been living among the tombs for quite sometime but chances are before he was possessed he was a resident of that region. This means he had family, friends, and ties to that place but his current condition has isolated him from those things. I want to focus on the before and after.
Verse 10 “And he kept begging Him urgently not to send them [himself and the other demons] away out of that region.”
Even in his current state he didn’t want to leave, even if that meant he had to keep the demons. So it’s safe to say he was strongly tied to this region. Then he has this encounter with Jesus where the demons are cast out and he is clothed and in his right mind. His life has just been forever changed. At this, he forgot about his ties to the region and desperately wanted to go with Jesus.
Verse 18 “And when He (Jesus) had stepped into the boat, the man who had been controlled by the unclean spirits kept begging Him that he might be with Him.”
Paul had similar feelings:
Philippians 1:21-24 “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.”
Paul said it would be a whole lot better to be with Christ. I know in this instance, he is referring to literal death but its still that desire to go wherever Christ is.
Back to the text in Mark 5. As badly as the man wanted to go with Jesus, He refused to allow the man to go. He told him, instead, to go back to his family and friends and share what God had done for him. Jesus’ knew it would be more profitable if the man stayed and shared Christ with the people than to go along with Him. Paul saw this example, so as bad as he wanted to be with Christ he said, “it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body” It’s better that I stay here and spread the gospel, share what Christ has done.
I say all of that to share this…
My time here at IHOP has definitely been life changing, encountering Christ in a whole new way. It was at this place that I saw Him in a new way and it would be easy for me to desire to stay here. The atmosphere is CRAZY! All the things that God has revealed while here, the connections, etc. But I know it is more profitable if I go back to my friends and family and share what God has done. Too often when we have an encounter with God we want to remain in that place or moment but that’s not what the encounter was for. The encounter was to push us to action, to give us a sense of urgency to share it with others. It would be convenient to take on a bunker mentality where we store all this stuff up and try to just stay in that place but God wants us to GO! We have all been guilty of this at some time or another. So the next time you go to a conference or some place where you encounter God in a whole new way let that push you to want to go and share not stay there.
20 “And he departed and began to publicly proclaim in Decapolis [the region of the ten cities] how much Jesus had done for him, and all the people were astonished and marveled.”
To God Be ALL The Glory!!
Apr 21, 2009
The Secret...
As I began my final day at IHOP I received a text this morning asking what “the secret” to the kingdom is. Referring to Mark 4:11 “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you..” This answer that I’m about to reveal may seem simple and like a no-brainer but embracing it produces life changing results. Are you ready?
Matthew 22:37 “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”
We all know this and say this but do we truly understand how life transforming this is? We’re told to love God with everything that we have. Simple? The only problem is we don’t possess the ability to love God in ourselves but yet we try. We try really really hard to love God, through the “blood, sweat, and tears” of ministry. Love isn’t trying really hard but responding to His love for us.
1 John 4:19 “We love because he first loved us.”
“Radical devotion for the Son of Man only comes when we experience His radical devotion to us.” It’s only in encountering his love for us that we can truly live out the first commandment. I grew up in the church and I gave my life to Christ in 2004 but it was in the last 7 days that I truly experienced how much God loves me. It’s out of that place that we can truly begin to “love the Lord our God” with everything. I knew God loved me and He sent His son to die for me but I didn’t really how passionately in love He is with me. He delights in me! The Creator of the universe delights in me, He’s crazy about me. Like a bridegroom longs for and delights in his bride is how much God longs for me. How I’m deeply and passionately in love with Esther is only a glimpse of His awesome love towards me. Beyond my inability to be good, despite the many times I’ve compromised our relationship it never once changed how He sees me.
Have you ever read the Bible? Seriously. It’s full of Him expressing His love for us, look…
Song of Songs 7:6 “How beautiful you are and how pleasing, O love, with your delights!” (read the entire book, it’s God’s love story about you!)
Isaiah 62:5b “as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you” (read the entire chapter!!)
John 17:22-23 “I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. may they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even (just) as you have loved me.”
These are just a couple but really take a minute and think about how much he delights in you. We think he only likes us when we do the right thing but when we mess up, like a friend, we think He’s upset with us. NO! He’s there with his hand reaching for you encouraging you to get up and try it again. God has a longing desire for you that “is as strong as death..and many waters cannot quench love” There is nothing stronger, more consistent, more dependable than God’s love for you! Nothing we could ever do will cause Him to love us less. Even when we hate him or neglect him, he woos us to experience his love. The deepest desire of God’s heart, the Creator of all things, is to love and be loved.
Heavenly Father, lover of my soul, I love you. Thank you for revealing your love and delight in me. there are many things that have placed their bid for my time and energy but none have given me fulfillment. I repent for making this walk with you harder than it is, it’s all about love. I pray that just as you revealed yourself to me that you would reveal yourself to every reader of this blog. Allow them to experience just how much you delight in them. Give them a spirit of wisdom and revelation that they may know you better; that they would know that you see their heart’s desire more than their sin and inadequacies. Lord, I pray for an awakening in the body of Christ to your love and delight in us. Shake us until nothing remains but you! In Jesus' name, Amen.
A book I strongly recommend, that has changed my life, is "One Thing" by Dwayne Roberts
http://www.amazon.com/One-Thing-Boldly-Pursuing-Matters/dp/0976364255/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1240331841&sr=1-2
Matthew 22:37 “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”
We all know this and say this but do we truly understand how life transforming this is? We’re told to love God with everything that we have. Simple? The only problem is we don’t possess the ability to love God in ourselves but yet we try. We try really really hard to love God, through the “blood, sweat, and tears” of ministry. Love isn’t trying really hard but responding to His love for us.
1 John 4:19 “We love because he first loved us.”
“Radical devotion for the Son of Man only comes when we experience His radical devotion to us.” It’s only in encountering his love for us that we can truly live out the first commandment. I grew up in the church and I gave my life to Christ in 2004 but it was in the last 7 days that I truly experienced how much God loves me. It’s out of that place that we can truly begin to “love the Lord our God” with everything. I knew God loved me and He sent His son to die for me but I didn’t really how passionately in love He is with me. He delights in me! The Creator of the universe delights in me, He’s crazy about me. Like a bridegroom longs for and delights in his bride is how much God longs for me. How I’m deeply and passionately in love with Esther is only a glimpse of His awesome love towards me. Beyond my inability to be good, despite the many times I’ve compromised our relationship it never once changed how He sees me.
Have you ever read the Bible? Seriously. It’s full of Him expressing His love for us, look…
Song of Songs 7:6 “How beautiful you are and how pleasing, O love, with your delights!” (read the entire book, it’s God’s love story about you!)
Isaiah 62:5b “as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you” (read the entire chapter!!)
John 17:22-23 “I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. may they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even (just) as you have loved me.”
These are just a couple but really take a minute and think about how much he delights in you. We think he only likes us when we do the right thing but when we mess up, like a friend, we think He’s upset with us. NO! He’s there with his hand reaching for you encouraging you to get up and try it again. God has a longing desire for you that “is as strong as death..and many waters cannot quench love” There is nothing stronger, more consistent, more dependable than God’s love for you! Nothing we could ever do will cause Him to love us less. Even when we hate him or neglect him, he woos us to experience his love. The deepest desire of God’s heart, the Creator of all things, is to love and be loved.
Heavenly Father, lover of my soul, I love you. Thank you for revealing your love and delight in me. there are many things that have placed their bid for my time and energy but none have given me fulfillment. I repent for making this walk with you harder than it is, it’s all about love. I pray that just as you revealed yourself to me that you would reveal yourself to every reader of this blog. Allow them to experience just how much you delight in them. Give them a spirit of wisdom and revelation that they may know you better; that they would know that you see their heart’s desire more than their sin and inadequacies. Lord, I pray for an awakening in the body of Christ to your love and delight in us. Shake us until nothing remains but you! In Jesus' name, Amen.
A book I strongly recommend, that has changed my life, is "One Thing" by Dwayne Roberts
http://www.amazon.com/One-Thing-Boldly-Pursuing-Matters/dp/0976364255/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1240331841&sr=1-2
Apr 19, 2009
Moment of Encouragement
As I sit here in the prayer room I realize that everyone is not able to escape the busyness of the world to reconnect their relationship with Christ. In that understanding I just want to encourage you with a passage from Jude
3 “Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints.”
20, 21 But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.
24 To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy
It can be very easy to become frustrated in life and even in our relationship with Jesus Christ which will keep us from praying and walking according to the Spirit. But these things come one to build your faith (James 1:3-4) and two, if we let them, become a distraction. There was a popular gospel song out that said, “nobody told me this road would be easy” and I’ll be the first to say that it’s not easy but its NOT impossible. With man, attempting in our own strength, it is but with God all things are possible (Luke 18:27). Knowing this, we must contend (struggle, battle, fight) for our faith. At times we wonder if its possible or even worth it but God wants to display us as his bride without spot or wrinkle.
With every distraction that this world has to offer how do we contend? “build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit” To build is work at with progression. We must understand that praying in the Holy Spirit strengthens our spirit man. He knows our weaknesses and tendencies so we rely on him to overcome our weaknesses. Next we must “keep ourselves in God’s love”, understand that He is passionately in love with you. He delights in you! When your heart is fixed on pursuing Christ he focuses on that, not every time you mess up. Look at King David, made more mistakes than most yet was considered a man after God’s heart. Why? Because the posture of his heart was one in complete surrenderance to God.
Lastly, give glory to “him who is able to keep you from falling”. Do you understand what that means? That very thing you say you can’t overcome or that attitude of “this is just how I am” becomes obsolete. He has the power and desire to keep you from falling. You’re his bride, he’ll do whatever it takes to present you without fault.
I leave three simple words with you CONTEND, BUILD, AND REMAIN. Contend for your faith, don’t let anything or anyone take what has been entrusted to you. Build yourself up in the most holy faith, don’t allow yourself to become stagnant in your walk with Christ. Remain in his love, all things originate in him. Don’t settle for a counterfeit.
God’s peace & perseverance
3 “Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints.”
20, 21 But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.
24 To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy
It can be very easy to become frustrated in life and even in our relationship with Jesus Christ which will keep us from praying and walking according to the Spirit. But these things come one to build your faith (James 1:3-4) and two, if we let them, become a distraction. There was a popular gospel song out that said, “nobody told me this road would be easy” and I’ll be the first to say that it’s not easy but its NOT impossible. With man, attempting in our own strength, it is but with God all things are possible (Luke 18:27). Knowing this, we must contend (struggle, battle, fight) for our faith. At times we wonder if its possible or even worth it but God wants to display us as his bride without spot or wrinkle.
With every distraction that this world has to offer how do we contend? “build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit” To build is work at with progression. We must understand that praying in the Holy Spirit strengthens our spirit man. He knows our weaknesses and tendencies so we rely on him to overcome our weaknesses. Next we must “keep ourselves in God’s love”, understand that He is passionately in love with you. He delights in you! When your heart is fixed on pursuing Christ he focuses on that, not every time you mess up. Look at King David, made more mistakes than most yet was considered a man after God’s heart. Why? Because the posture of his heart was one in complete surrenderance to God.
Lastly, give glory to “him who is able to keep you from falling”. Do you understand what that means? That very thing you say you can’t overcome or that attitude of “this is just how I am” becomes obsolete. He has the power and desire to keep you from falling. You’re his bride, he’ll do whatever it takes to present you without fault.
I leave three simple words with you CONTEND, BUILD, AND REMAIN. Contend for your faith, don’t let anything or anyone take what has been entrusted to you. Build yourself up in the most holy faith, don’t allow yourself to become stagnant in your walk with Christ. Remain in his love, all things originate in him. Don’t settle for a counterfeit.
God’s peace & perseverance
Apr 18, 2009
Divine Encounters
Another day of divine encounters. This morning Joshua and I sat in on a small group session at the house where we are staying. The small group was good and at the close of it one of the young men asked if they could pray for us. As they did, one of the females began to speak and the things she said were the exact things that were spoken to Joshua and I when we were in the Prophecy Room on Wednesday. I was awed by God’s awesomeness. I told her about my Wal-Mart encounters and asked how does one cultivate operating in the prophetic and among the things she said was to just go out and do it. Sounded like a challenge…
As Joshua and I were in the Café during the day a man walked up to me and said he was suppose to give me this and placed a $20 bill in my hand and walked away. Once again, I was in awe by God’s awesomeness. Then Joshua began to speak what the Lord placed on his heart about how God wanted to show his delight towards me and how he wanted to cultivate that vine and branch relationship (goes along with the others words spoken over me). I then told Joshua about a dream that I had that God just brought clarity on through this man and Joshua. But the part I want to share is when the man came back. He came back and said that he walked into the café and God told him he was supposed to give someone $20 so he stood around until God told him who, me. He then asked if we would pray for his children who were attending IHOPU and as I prayed, God gave Joshua a word of knowledge for the man concerning his relationship with his children. The man said that the word was confirmation to what had been spoken previously. God is so awesome!!!
Before tonight’s service, Joshua and I wanted to walk to get something to eat and we were headed to McDonald’s but because I wanted a slushy we went to Sonic’s. And God just awed me once again with his awesomeness. (I might have to coin that phrase lol) After we ordered our food and began to eat, reflecting on the events that occurred earlier. I was anxious to do it again so I asked Joshua what if we tried it with the waitress that brought our food. He was cool with it so we both asked God what he wanted to tell the waitress. The word I got was “surrender” in terms of her relationship. Then I began to think too much and question it then we couldn’t remember which one was our waitress. Finally after we finished eating we worked up the nerve to stop her.
Joshua stops her and asks her name, Karen, and that was our icebreaker. (We weren’t sure how we were supposed to start it. LOL I then asked her how her relationship with God was and she proceeded to explain how she believed in God but she wasn’t living the life. After listening to her I shared what God gave me about how he wanted her to surrender to him. Joshua also got a word about some family situation which also was on point. So before we prayed for her we asked her if she wanted to give her life to God and truly surrender. And right there in front of Sonic, Karen gave her life to Christ. We talked for about 10-15 minutes and then she had to go back to work. Once again, I was AWED BY GOD’S AWESOMENESS!!!
Stay tuned for the next encounter….
As Joshua and I were in the Café during the day a man walked up to me and said he was suppose to give me this and placed a $20 bill in my hand and walked away. Once again, I was in awe by God’s awesomeness. Then Joshua began to speak what the Lord placed on his heart about how God wanted to show his delight towards me and how he wanted to cultivate that vine and branch relationship (goes along with the others words spoken over me). I then told Joshua about a dream that I had that God just brought clarity on through this man and Joshua. But the part I want to share is when the man came back. He came back and said that he walked into the café and God told him he was supposed to give someone $20 so he stood around until God told him who, me. He then asked if we would pray for his children who were attending IHOPU and as I prayed, God gave Joshua a word of knowledge for the man concerning his relationship with his children. The man said that the word was confirmation to what had been spoken previously. God is so awesome!!!
Before tonight’s service, Joshua and I wanted to walk to get something to eat and we were headed to McDonald’s but because I wanted a slushy we went to Sonic’s. And God just awed me once again with his awesomeness. (I might have to coin that phrase lol) After we ordered our food and began to eat, reflecting on the events that occurred earlier. I was anxious to do it again so I asked Joshua what if we tried it with the waitress that brought our food. He was cool with it so we both asked God what he wanted to tell the waitress. The word I got was “surrender” in terms of her relationship. Then I began to think too much and question it then we couldn’t remember which one was our waitress. Finally after we finished eating we worked up the nerve to stop her.
Joshua stops her and asks her name, Karen, and that was our icebreaker. (We weren’t sure how we were supposed to start it. LOL I then asked her how her relationship with God was and she proceeded to explain how she believed in God but she wasn’t living the life. After listening to her I shared what God gave me about how he wanted her to surrender to him. Joshua also got a word about some family situation which also was on point. So before we prayed for her we asked her if she wanted to give her life to God and truly surrender. And right there in front of Sonic, Karen gave her life to Christ. We talked for about 10-15 minutes and then she had to go back to work. Once again, I was AWED BY GOD’S AWESOMENESS!!!
Stay tuned for the next encounter….
Encounter @ Wal-Mart
Before I talk about today, I want to share what occurred yesterday (Thursday). While in the Prayer Room yesterday morning I heard the Holy Spirit give me three words of knowledge, “female”,” blue shirt (that I would like)”, and “witness”. So I spent most of my morning and day looking for a female with a blue shirt on that I liked. I didn’t know what I was suppose to say to her or why I needed to look for her but I was open to whatever the Holy Spirit wanted to do. So around 5p, Joshua and I, are in the Café on our computers or something. I was talking to Esther on the phone, still looking around for this blue shirt and my signal drops on my phone, so I head outside to call her back. Before I can get half-way across the café this female asks me if I knew Esther….Caught off guard because I’m in Kansas City and never been there before but I say yes and we introduce ourselves. While doing so, I look down and realize she has on a Carolina blue shirt (I’m a Carolina boy so anything Carolina blue, I like!)! At this point, I’m trying to keep my composure because what I heard that morning actually came to pass, 2 out of 3 at that point. So we continue to talk and I found out she is part of the evangelism team here at IHOP (#3 witness) and she invited us to go out with them today (Friday). Still ecstatic that God had given me that word of knowledge I told her yes, which brings me to today…
Joshua and I went with her team to Wal-mart to evangelize and pass out flyers. I, honestly, had not been out to evangelize in quite some time but I was wide open with whatever God wanted to do. It also helped to have a very outspoken and funny group leader, John (great guy!). Prior to us going out, he prayed that we would receive words of knowledge and then off we went. The entire experience was awesome, from what actually took place to the practical things John taught us in evangelizing. But to the good part…The first person we stopped was an older gentleman and he knew the word but was not where he should be in Christ. I stood back as they talked to him and began to pray for him. As I prayed as well, I kept hearing “new” and “unorthodox”, referring to what God wanted to do in his ministry. I wasn’t’ sure if this was me making stuff up or the Holy Spirit actually giving me a word of knowledge (remember all this is new to me, never done it before). As the others prayed for the man, the exact thing I heard from the Holy Spirit was said by two of them so I was like man I did hear it right. And that built my confidence for the next one.
There was another young man that we stopped and talked to. He said he was a Christian and had a relationship with Christ and John asked him if we could pray for him. While John was praying for him, I got another word of knowledge, “music”. At this point I wasn’t afraid if I was wrong so I asked him if he played music or sang at his church and he said he did. And I just shared what God shared with me and John said he got the same thing. Now I’m really confident and ready for the next one and the last one I got was the greatest.
There were three black young men who had come out and were talking to some others in the group. I was watching the two that were with one of our guys and one of them stood out to me, there was something different in his eyes. So as I stood back I kept watching him and praying, his entire countenance was different then his friends’, I knew something was going on. Two of them gave their life to Christ and the young man I was talking about, Jonathan, was one of them. I continued to pray as they went through the prayer of salvation and got some more words of knowledge, “brother” “leader” “Jacob”. I wasn’t sure what they meant but I knew if he was going to open up I had to pull him away from his boys so after their prayer I pulled him to the side. I began to check to see if the words were accurate. He was the youngest sibling in his family and I felt the leader had to do with the family so I dug deeper, led by the Spirit. I just began to speak what the Spirit put in me, that although he was the youngest they were looking to him, he was a leader. He said he noticed it and that his mom told him the same thing. He then began to tell me that his grandmother was a Jehovah’s Witness as well as his mother who was trying to get him to become one. He said he didn’t feel like that was right which led to the Jacob. The Spirit said this wasn’t the first time he had been approached by God and it was time to wrestle and finally surrender to God. Which also had to do with the leader because once he surrendered he would be the catalyst, leader to bring his family to salvation. It was just crazy how everything God spoke was so on point!
It wasn’t all peachy, we had our share of rejections but MAANNN, they were worth those three and the others who were open. God is so awesome!
Joshua and I went with her team to Wal-mart to evangelize and pass out flyers. I, honestly, had not been out to evangelize in quite some time but I was wide open with whatever God wanted to do. It also helped to have a very outspoken and funny group leader, John (great guy!). Prior to us going out, he prayed that we would receive words of knowledge and then off we went. The entire experience was awesome, from what actually took place to the practical things John taught us in evangelizing. But to the good part…The first person we stopped was an older gentleman and he knew the word but was not where he should be in Christ. I stood back as they talked to him and began to pray for him. As I prayed as well, I kept hearing “new” and “unorthodox”, referring to what God wanted to do in his ministry. I wasn’t’ sure if this was me making stuff up or the Holy Spirit actually giving me a word of knowledge (remember all this is new to me, never done it before). As the others prayed for the man, the exact thing I heard from the Holy Spirit was said by two of them so I was like man I did hear it right. And that built my confidence for the next one.
There was another young man that we stopped and talked to. He said he was a Christian and had a relationship with Christ and John asked him if we could pray for him. While John was praying for him, I got another word of knowledge, “music”. At this point I wasn’t afraid if I was wrong so I asked him if he played music or sang at his church and he said he did. And I just shared what God shared with me and John said he got the same thing. Now I’m really confident and ready for the next one and the last one I got was the greatest.
There were three black young men who had come out and were talking to some others in the group. I was watching the two that were with one of our guys and one of them stood out to me, there was something different in his eyes. So as I stood back I kept watching him and praying, his entire countenance was different then his friends’, I knew something was going on. Two of them gave their life to Christ and the young man I was talking about, Jonathan, was one of them. I continued to pray as they went through the prayer of salvation and got some more words of knowledge, “brother” “leader” “Jacob”. I wasn’t sure what they meant but I knew if he was going to open up I had to pull him away from his boys so after their prayer I pulled him to the side. I began to check to see if the words were accurate. He was the youngest sibling in his family and I felt the leader had to do with the family so I dug deeper, led by the Spirit. I just began to speak what the Spirit put in me, that although he was the youngest they were looking to him, he was a leader. He said he noticed it and that his mom told him the same thing. He then began to tell me that his grandmother was a Jehovah’s Witness as well as his mother who was trying to get him to become one. He said he didn’t feel like that was right which led to the Jacob. The Spirit said this wasn’t the first time he had been approached by God and it was time to wrestle and finally surrender to God. Which also had to do with the leader because once he surrendered he would be the catalyst, leader to bring his family to salvation. It was just crazy how everything God spoke was so on point!
It wasn’t all peachy, we had our share of rejections but MAANNN, they were worth those three and the others who were open. God is so awesome!
Apr 16, 2009
Revelation at 10,000 feet
As I was flying out to Kansas City for IHOP, the Lord revealed the following to me. I had a conversation with Esther earlier this week, telling her how I longed to spend quality time with her. I had seen her three out of the last four weekends but it was anything but quality time. (Quality time in this blog is uninterrupted time spent getting to know each other) We did ministry things together, went to services, prayer meetings, etc. but no quality time and it was evident by the longing in my heart. I don’t mind doing those things with Esther but when that consumes all of our time together and we no longer have quality time, I feel as though we’re not getting everything out of the relationship. So at 10,000ft God said, “that’s exactly how I feel.”
We can get so caught up in the work of ministry and serving that we neglect our quality time with God. Simply put, we need to stop being co-laborers and begin to be companions with the Lord. He loves it when we serve and work in his ministry but that should come through our quality time with him, not at the expense of it. We think that by going to church once maybe even twice a week that we've spent quality time with Him. I'll use myself as an example. Like I stated earlier, I had spent time with Esther 3 out of the last 4 weekends but I definately would not have considered that quality time. I don't know about any one else but my quality time with Esther is best spent not around other people. *not to do things that aren't pleasing but its more personal that way* It should be the same in our relationship with Christ, we need quality time away from other people, where its just God and us. After you’ve spent quality time with the Lord, working with him is more fulfilling. He said He would draw near to those who draw near to him. So, before you do another thing for him spend quality time with him. Allow his love and presence to be your source of contentment. He’s longing to spend quality time with you to express his great love towards you.
Psalms 27:8 “My heart says of you, ‘seek his face!’ Your face, Lord, I will seek”
It’s not just his longing to spend quality time with us, our heart cries out for quality time with the Lord, but will we respond. Be willing to lay aside work, ministry, cares, responsibilities, everything to fulfill the longing in your heart. We try to fill that longing with more work or relationships or sleep but the only true fulfillment is in God.
Psalms 62:1a “My soul finds rest in God alone”
Psalms 63:1 “O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you..”
May your soul find rest in God alone. The longing in your heart cannot be filled or satisfied by any other thing except Christ.
We can get so caught up in the work of ministry and serving that we neglect our quality time with God. Simply put, we need to stop being co-laborers and begin to be companions with the Lord. He loves it when we serve and work in his ministry but that should come through our quality time with him, not at the expense of it. We think that by going to church once maybe even twice a week that we've spent quality time with Him. I'll use myself as an example. Like I stated earlier, I had spent time with Esther 3 out of the last 4 weekends but I definately would not have considered that quality time. I don't know about any one else but my quality time with Esther is best spent not around other people. *not to do things that aren't pleasing but its more personal that way* It should be the same in our relationship with Christ, we need quality time away from other people, where its just God and us. After you’ve spent quality time with the Lord, working with him is more fulfilling. He said He would draw near to those who draw near to him. So, before you do another thing for him spend quality time with him. Allow his love and presence to be your source of contentment. He’s longing to spend quality time with you to express his great love towards you.
Psalms 27:8 “My heart says of you, ‘seek his face!’ Your face, Lord, I will seek”
It’s not just his longing to spend quality time with us, our heart cries out for quality time with the Lord, but will we respond. Be willing to lay aside work, ministry, cares, responsibilities, everything to fulfill the longing in your heart. We try to fill that longing with more work or relationships or sleep but the only true fulfillment is in God.
Psalms 62:1a “My soul finds rest in God alone”
Psalms 63:1 “O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you..”
May your soul find rest in God alone. The longing in your heart cannot be filled or satisfied by any other thing except Christ.
Apr 4, 2009
Saturday Devotion
Earlier this week I allowed myself to be led by my flesh and not the spirit which led to fulfilling its desire. Once the sin was committed, I had two choices; repent and walk in condemnation or repent and get back in the battle. I chose to get back in the battle and it made all the difference. As I was reflecting on that today, I was taken to Psalms 40:6-13,
“Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but my ears you have pierced, burnt offering and sin offerings you did not require. Then I said, ‘here I am, I have come-it is written about me in the scroll. I desire to do your will, o my God; your law is within my heart.’ I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly; I do not seal my lips, as you know, o Lord…”
David had many mistakes in his life and he understood the wages of sin is death. Sin could only be atoned for by death which came from sin offerings and sacrifices but David realized that’s not what God desires. Yes, we must repent of our sins but when God sent his Son, no other sacrifice is necessary to forgive our sins. What he desires is a willing and submitted vessel, your life.
To repent means to turn from. One things I learned from my Pastor was that, in turning from sin you must be turning towards something else. So as you repent from your sin you must in the same turn, turn to doing God’s will. When David realized it wasn’t all about sin offering but self offering, he offered himself to God so that God may fulfill his will. His will is to have a mouthpiece to speak well of him.
As you go through this walk with Christ you will fall or not do all he’s asked of you at times. Once you repent, don’t wallow in condemnation or a sense of feeling unworthy. Turn immediately to what God puts on your heart. It may be do go and share God’s word with someone, he may place someone on your heart to pray for; he may just want you to come and worship and soak in his presence. If you hear his voice, respond accordingly.
“Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but my ears you have pierced, burnt offering and sin offerings you did not require. Then I said, ‘here I am, I have come-it is written about me in the scroll. I desire to do your will, o my God; your law is within my heart.’ I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly; I do not seal my lips, as you know, o Lord…”
David had many mistakes in his life and he understood the wages of sin is death. Sin could only be atoned for by death which came from sin offerings and sacrifices but David realized that’s not what God desires. Yes, we must repent of our sins but when God sent his Son, no other sacrifice is necessary to forgive our sins. What he desires is a willing and submitted vessel, your life.
To repent means to turn from. One things I learned from my Pastor was that, in turning from sin you must be turning towards something else. So as you repent from your sin you must in the same turn, turn to doing God’s will. When David realized it wasn’t all about sin offering but self offering, he offered himself to God so that God may fulfill his will. His will is to have a mouthpiece to speak well of him.
As you go through this walk with Christ you will fall or not do all he’s asked of you at times. Once you repent, don’t wallow in condemnation or a sense of feeling unworthy. Turn immediately to what God puts on your heart. It may be do go and share God’s word with someone, he may place someone on your heart to pray for; he may just want you to come and worship and soak in his presence. If you hear his voice, respond accordingly.
Apr 3, 2009
So God called you....
Many of us have made the statement, “God called me”, or some variation of that. But just because we have been called by God does not mean that we try to put ourselves on front stage or act as if we are owed something. As I was having Bible study with E, this revelation came from Isaiah 49:1-4.
Yes, we may have been called before we were born to do great things for the Kingdom but we have to understand the process. Verse 2 says, “He made my mouth like a sharpened sword, in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me into a polished arrow and concealed me in his quiver.” There are four points that I want to bring out. First it was God who did it all, it had nothing to do with you, and he gave you the word, hid you, polished you, and concealed you. This call that we have has nothing to do with our own abilities or deservingness. He has been gracious in hiding us in the shadow of his hand while he works out all of our flaws. In the “shadow of his hand” means that he covered us but didn’t restrict us, we are still given the choice to leave his covering. Due to many different reasons (pride, lack of patience, wrong influences) we take ourselves out of his covering before we’re ready.
It then goes on to say that we are made into a polished arrow. Explaining our process. Looking at arrows in biblical days, they were made out of different materials and with different purposes. Some were made of bone, flint, brass, etc and they were made differently; heavier arrows for firing from city walls while lighter arrows were used in open-field fighting. We all have a unique purpose so we will each have a unique process, some need to be heavy to hit harder and some lighter to go further. But we ALL must go through the process of going from raw material to a polished arrow. It takes a lot of grinding and rubbing and heat to get the final product.
So, let’s say we do make it through the process and we’re this polished arrow. “Wait, God! I’m polished and ready, why are you putting me in this quiver, this dark place?” In to the quiver we go, lest we forget verse 3, “You are MY servant, Israel, in whom I will display MY splendor”. It’s not about you. He created you, called you, and cultivated you for his splendor and glory. To keep us from becoming arrogant he places us as polished arrows into his quiver until he is ready to pull us out.
Here comes our complaint (verse 4), “I have labored to no purpose; I have spent my strength in vain and for nothing”. We made it through the process and then complain when we feel like we’re not being used. That’s a selfish and prideful mindset. “It’s not in man to direct his steps” God said, “I know the plans I have for you”. You may be polished and ready to go out but you must be patient, you have a specific purpose and premature departure from the quiver could be a waste of potential.
Embrace the process and the waiting period! He wants to use you to penetrate darkness but will he find you when he reaches into his quiver?
Yes, we may have been called before we were born to do great things for the Kingdom but we have to understand the process. Verse 2 says, “He made my mouth like a sharpened sword, in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me into a polished arrow and concealed me in his quiver.” There are four points that I want to bring out. First it was God who did it all, it had nothing to do with you, and he gave you the word, hid you, polished you, and concealed you. This call that we have has nothing to do with our own abilities or deservingness. He has been gracious in hiding us in the shadow of his hand while he works out all of our flaws. In the “shadow of his hand” means that he covered us but didn’t restrict us, we are still given the choice to leave his covering. Due to many different reasons (pride, lack of patience, wrong influences) we take ourselves out of his covering before we’re ready.
It then goes on to say that we are made into a polished arrow. Explaining our process. Looking at arrows in biblical days, they were made out of different materials and with different purposes. Some were made of bone, flint, brass, etc and they were made differently; heavier arrows for firing from city walls while lighter arrows were used in open-field fighting. We all have a unique purpose so we will each have a unique process, some need to be heavy to hit harder and some lighter to go further. But we ALL must go through the process of going from raw material to a polished arrow. It takes a lot of grinding and rubbing and heat to get the final product.
So, let’s say we do make it through the process and we’re this polished arrow. “Wait, God! I’m polished and ready, why are you putting me in this quiver, this dark place?” In to the quiver we go, lest we forget verse 3, “You are MY servant, Israel, in whom I will display MY splendor”. It’s not about you. He created you, called you, and cultivated you for his splendor and glory. To keep us from becoming arrogant he places us as polished arrows into his quiver until he is ready to pull us out.
Here comes our complaint (verse 4), “I have labored to no purpose; I have spent my strength in vain and for nothing”. We made it through the process and then complain when we feel like we’re not being used. That’s a selfish and prideful mindset. “It’s not in man to direct his steps” God said, “I know the plans I have for you”. You may be polished and ready to go out but you must be patient, you have a specific purpose and premature departure from the quiver could be a waste of potential.
Embrace the process and the waiting period! He wants to use you to penetrate darkness but will he find you when he reaches into his quiver?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)