A few weeks ago, I was flying to Denver on a flight by myself. Before I got on the plane, I told the Lord I was available to speak to someone if He had anyone in mind! I sat in a window seat, and as the plane filled up, a young man sat down next to me!!
He had a big smile on his face and asked,"Have you ever been to Grand Lake, CO?" I had been to Grand Lake, so our conversation began! As it turned out, this young man was taking his wife and his 5 month old baby girl to a dude ranch he used to visit when he was a child. What a blessing for all of them!
Throughout our conversation, this young man told me much about his life! He had just been married due to the birth of his daughter. He had been living a "wild life" and had given it up to be a husband and father. In his youth, he had been raised in the church and Christian school, but had walked away in his teenage years. Lately, he had been seeking God! He had been praying, and God had been answering him. (That is why I was in the seat next to him!)
I told him how proud I was of his commitment to marry his girlfriend and not to leave his daughter, and that a man like him is rare in this generation!! I explained to him he was vital to the life of his wife and daughter, and being the husband and father to them was something only he could do!! I also proclaimed to him, he did not stand a chance to keep this commitment without the supernatural power of God! He agreed and began to disclose to me another reason for this trip to Colorado!!
This young man was addicted to drugs. He had spent years of his life addicted to many different drugs and was now addicted to prescription drugs. He was terrified about spending his life high, and missing out or not being present for his wife and daughter! He had always known God was going to give him a daughter! He did not want to miss this blessing and this responsibility God had entrusted to him!! He wanted to be the man God had created him to be, and he knew this did not include drug addition. So he prayed and God gave him a plan to overcome his drug addiction.
He told me there were three drugs he was addicted to. He had left Phoenix with only one of the drugs. He felt this would help him adjust to having less drugs in his body. I agreed! He had thrown the others drugs away!! He planned to take this last drug each day until he ran out and had no where to get more. His wife and daughter were staying with him until the day he ran out of his drugs and then he had scheduled them on a flight home. He was staying for a longer period in the mountains with a friend who was 90 years old and loved Jesus! She was a close family friend from his childhood who was going to help him through this hard time!
When I heard this plan, I told him I believed it was from God!! It was a balanced plan that was gentle toward him and his problem! It took some of the burden and shared it with a mature believer. It protected the innocent in the situation! It gave time for healing! It connected him with a place where he had peace, fond memories, and felt closeness to God!! There is nothing in our life that can not be overcome with God! He has a plan for victory!!
Is there something in your life that is not right? Maybe you have always felt you were supposed to be a mother or a father? Maybe you have a dream unfulfilled in your life? I promise you, God has a plan for victory in this area!! First ask Him what is standing in your way!! Then ask Him for the first step to the victory of your destiny! I know He will lead you with divine wisdom and revelation!! God has given us ...the Spirit of divine wisdom and revelation...Ephesians 1:17!! Why not use it?! We have the victory!! Let us live in it!
Monday, October 28, 2013
Saturday, June 15, 2013
Fighting for the Promised Land!
For the past two years, I have felt a burden in my soul about the place my oldest daughter and grandsons were living. I can't explain it other than to say, it was often on my mind and I was determined they were supposed to move. This burden lead me to a two-year prayer and exchange with Jesus about where they would live and how He would make it happen.
When I began crying out to God about this topic, there were many obstacles standing in the way. Over the two-year period, four battle plans fell through and it seemed like she would never move. During this period, I did not allow discouragement to win this battle!!! I kept praying, "Lord, do a miracle to make this plan happen or give us something better!" I refused to believe this promise would not come to pass! The only thing I knew was the Lord had spoken, so I continued to fight for this promise God had given to me!
As this summer began, I felt lead by God to read the book of Joshua in the bible. I have read this book before, but I never noticed an obvious lesson. When God spoke to Joshua after Moses had died, He said in verse 2; "...the time has come for you to lead these people, the Israelites, across the Jordan River into the land I am giving them." God was giving them this land. It was a promise God had made to Moses over 40 years before. This land was a gift from God!!
But the thing I had not realized came up in verse 6; "Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them." I had never thought of this before!! Joshua had a role and God planned to use him to bring forth His promise.
And, so Joshua began his journey into the Promised Land. There were many battles, but the battle did not depend on Joshua, the battle depended on the Lord!! In all of the battles, Joshua followed the Lord's battle plans! God did supernatural things like confuse the enemy's camp and cause the sun to stop in the sky until the Israelites won the battle!! He also gave instructions that made no human sense like march around Jericho blowing trumpets!! But, no matter what, Joshua clung to the Lord and believed Him. He did exactly what he was told and lead Israel into the land the Lord had promised them! And they had victory after victory as they began to possess their gift from God!
As I read through this, I saw similarities to my fight for the promise God had given me! In the beginning, I cried out to God about the burden in my heart for my daughter to move. I asked God about the move!! Was this His plan? I felt confirmation that He had put this burden in my heart and this was His plan!! I prayed each day for the outcome I believed was a promise from God. I asked the Lord where? I drove through the neighborhood I believed He had given to my daughter! I walked and prayed through the neighborhood. I asked God how this would happen because the obstacles required a creative plan. I keep my eyes open and searched for the answer on the streets of the neighborhood, on Craigslist, and other websites I felt lead to use as a tool in my battle. I watched as He did supernatural things to lead me to the promise!!
I kept this up for two years!! And as I read about the Isralites being given their Promised Land in the ending chapters of Joshua, my daughter and grandsons moved into their Promised Land too! God had chosen me to be used as a leader to fight the battle to receive this promise! It was so exciting to find myself reading the journey of Joshua as I saw the fulfillment of the journey the Lord had taken me through! It was a beautiful thing!!!
My heart is filled with gratefulness and joy!! The move for my daughter and grandsons has propelled them into so many beautiful promises God has given me beyond what I had imagined! It has made a huge and positive difference in their lives and the lives of my whole family!
This recent battle has built my faith to a greater level. I am so confident in sharing all burdens that arise in my life with the Lord! He is so worthy to trust and depend upon! I knew this when this all started, but with each day, I believe it more and more!
I am so sure that no matter what battle lies ahead, I will fight with the Lord to receive each and every promise He gives to me. I will do exactly as He says and depend on Him completely! I will tell Him of the burdens in my heart. I will trust Him to right the wrongs. And I will participate in the battle in anyway He chooses. It is a joy to be part of God's plans here on earth. It is hopeful to trust in Him. He is worthy of all of my praise! He is God!!
When I began crying out to God about this topic, there were many obstacles standing in the way. Over the two-year period, four battle plans fell through and it seemed like she would never move. During this period, I did not allow discouragement to win this battle!!! I kept praying, "Lord, do a miracle to make this plan happen or give us something better!" I refused to believe this promise would not come to pass! The only thing I knew was the Lord had spoken, so I continued to fight for this promise God had given to me!
As this summer began, I felt lead by God to read the book of Joshua in the bible. I have read this book before, but I never noticed an obvious lesson. When God spoke to Joshua after Moses had died, He said in verse 2; "...the time has come for you to lead these people, the Israelites, across the Jordan River into the land I am giving them." God was giving them this land. It was a promise God had made to Moses over 40 years before. This land was a gift from God!!
But the thing I had not realized came up in verse 6; "Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them." I had never thought of this before!! Joshua had a role and God planned to use him to bring forth His promise.
And, so Joshua began his journey into the Promised Land. There were many battles, but the battle did not depend on Joshua, the battle depended on the Lord!! In all of the battles, Joshua followed the Lord's battle plans! God did supernatural things like confuse the enemy's camp and cause the sun to stop in the sky until the Israelites won the battle!! He also gave instructions that made no human sense like march around Jericho blowing trumpets!! But, no matter what, Joshua clung to the Lord and believed Him. He did exactly what he was told and lead Israel into the land the Lord had promised them! And they had victory after victory as they began to possess their gift from God!
As I read through this, I saw similarities to my fight for the promise God had given me! In the beginning, I cried out to God about the burden in my heart for my daughter to move. I asked God about the move!! Was this His plan? I felt confirmation that He had put this burden in my heart and this was His plan!! I prayed each day for the outcome I believed was a promise from God. I asked the Lord where? I drove through the neighborhood I believed He had given to my daughter! I walked and prayed through the neighborhood. I asked God how this would happen because the obstacles required a creative plan. I keep my eyes open and searched for the answer on the streets of the neighborhood, on Craigslist, and other websites I felt lead to use as a tool in my battle. I watched as He did supernatural things to lead me to the promise!!
I kept this up for two years!! And as I read about the Isralites being given their Promised Land in the ending chapters of Joshua, my daughter and grandsons moved into their Promised Land too! God had chosen me to be used as a leader to fight the battle to receive this promise! It was so exciting to find myself reading the journey of Joshua as I saw the fulfillment of the journey the Lord had taken me through! It was a beautiful thing!!!
My heart is filled with gratefulness and joy!! The move for my daughter and grandsons has propelled them into so many beautiful promises God has given me beyond what I had imagined! It has made a huge and positive difference in their lives and the lives of my whole family!
This recent battle has built my faith to a greater level. I am so confident in sharing all burdens that arise in my life with the Lord! He is so worthy to trust and depend upon! I knew this when this all started, but with each day, I believe it more and more!
I am so sure that no matter what battle lies ahead, I will fight with the Lord to receive each and every promise He gives to me. I will do exactly as He says and depend on Him completely! I will tell Him of the burdens in my heart. I will trust Him to right the wrongs. And I will participate in the battle in anyway He chooses. It is a joy to be part of God's plans here on earth. It is hopeful to trust in Him. He is worthy of all of my praise! He is God!!
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Faith Like A Child!
On Sunday after church, my husband and I hiked up Mt. Eldon with some friends. It was a beautiful day! I so enjoyed being outside, doing a bit of rock climbing, and the conversation was great! At one point in the hike, I twisted my ankle. I was involved in a conversation so I ignored the pain in my ankle and continued skipping, hopping, and jumping along the trail.
When I returned home, my daughter and grandson were working on a project in the kitchen. I joined in, standing and walking around the kitchen for the next two hours. All of a sudden, I realized my ankle was screaming at me! I looked down and showed it to my daughter. Her eyes became wide as we saw the swelling. At that point, it was getting hard to put pressure on it, so I left the kitchen and went into my room. I changed my clothes, and headed upstairs to sit down and elevate my ankle.
As I tried to walk, the pain was extreme especially now that my shoe was off. I began to wonder how I was going to get through the week! I even had to crawl up the stairs because hopping was hurting my throbbing ankle. As I reached the couch, my younger grandson, who will be 5 this month, came to sit next to me on the couch. "I am sorry your foot is hurting, Grandma!" he said.
At this point, I began to pray for healing. The pain was really strong and I began to think it might be broken. I was telling the Lord I could not possibly get done all that I needed to do this week, when I heard Him make a suggestion that caught me by surprise. The Lord spoke clearly and said, "Have your grandson pray for your ankle!" Wow! I had not thought of that.
So I asked my young grandson to pray for Jesus to heal my ankle. And he prayed this way, "Heavenly Father, please heal my grandma's foot. In Jesus Name, Amen." As he was praying, he rubbed my ankle starting out softly and then going deeper and deeper until I had to tell him to stop. Then He got up, smiled at me and began to play basketball.
As I sat on the couch, I could feel the swelling in my ankle going down. I looked at it and began to move it a bit and it was HEALING! As I talked to my grandson about it, he said, "Yeah, it is healing because I prayed for it to be healed. Jesus healed it!" I know this is a moment he will remember as he goes through his life! By the time I went to bed, I could walk! The next morning the pain was completely gone. I even worked out yesterday!
I love the faith of children! My grandson had no doubt that Jesus could heal my ankle, so he said a simple prayer and believed! God used his little hand to heal my ankle. He used this little boy because he was willing and had faith! I want to always be available to distribute the miracles of God to those around me in my life! I want to have faith like a child and in all circumstances know Jesus can do all things! Knowing nothing is impossible with God, and everything is possible!
Luke 18:16. "Then Jesus called for the children and said to the disciples, "Let the children come to me. Don't stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn't receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it."
When I returned home, my daughter and grandson were working on a project in the kitchen. I joined in, standing and walking around the kitchen for the next two hours. All of a sudden, I realized my ankle was screaming at me! I looked down and showed it to my daughter. Her eyes became wide as we saw the swelling. At that point, it was getting hard to put pressure on it, so I left the kitchen and went into my room. I changed my clothes, and headed upstairs to sit down and elevate my ankle.
As I tried to walk, the pain was extreme especially now that my shoe was off. I began to wonder how I was going to get through the week! I even had to crawl up the stairs because hopping was hurting my throbbing ankle. As I reached the couch, my younger grandson, who will be 5 this month, came to sit next to me on the couch. "I am sorry your foot is hurting, Grandma!" he said.
At this point, I began to pray for healing. The pain was really strong and I began to think it might be broken. I was telling the Lord I could not possibly get done all that I needed to do this week, when I heard Him make a suggestion that caught me by surprise. The Lord spoke clearly and said, "Have your grandson pray for your ankle!" Wow! I had not thought of that.
So I asked my young grandson to pray for Jesus to heal my ankle. And he prayed this way, "Heavenly Father, please heal my grandma's foot. In Jesus Name, Amen." As he was praying, he rubbed my ankle starting out softly and then going deeper and deeper until I had to tell him to stop. Then He got up, smiled at me and began to play basketball.
As I sat on the couch, I could feel the swelling in my ankle going down. I looked at it and began to move it a bit and it was HEALING! As I talked to my grandson about it, he said, "Yeah, it is healing because I prayed for it to be healed. Jesus healed it!" I know this is a moment he will remember as he goes through his life! By the time I went to bed, I could walk! The next morning the pain was completely gone. I even worked out yesterday!
I love the faith of children! My grandson had no doubt that Jesus could heal my ankle, so he said a simple prayer and believed! God used his little hand to heal my ankle. He used this little boy because he was willing and had faith! I want to always be available to distribute the miracles of God to those around me in my life! I want to have faith like a child and in all circumstances know Jesus can do all things! Knowing nothing is impossible with God, and everything is possible!
Luke 18:16. "Then Jesus called for the children and said to the disciples, "Let the children come to me. Don't stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn't receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it."
Sunday, March 24, 2013
The Sand, the Seashore, and my Earring!
I had the pleasure of spending the last week on the beach in Southern California with my family and my sister's family! I love the ocean! Its power, vastness, beauty, and exhilaration remind me constantly of God! As I took walk after walk on the beach, I asked God to bless me with special things reminding me of His presence. In the days I was there, I saw surfers trying to "walk on water," pelicans scooping fish from the sea, dolphins playing in the waves, seals looking curiously at me, lots of seaweed, and beautiful sunsets painted on the horizon! In all of these views and more, I talked to the Lord about feeling His presence and His love for me!
Something about His greatness and His constant presence with me melts my heart and makes me feel warm and protected! Psalm 139:17-18 says; "How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! Were I to count them, they would out number the grains of sand--when I awake, I am still with You." God is thinking about me more than the grains of sand. As I sat on the sand, I thought about this and felt it in my soul! WOW! I can't even count the grains in my hand! But, God can think of me more than all the sand! This thought comforted me as I realized the broken nature of this earth and the struggles going on in and around my life. In these moments, my soul was at peace! My soul was safely surrounded by the love of Jesus! And in only a few days, the Lord had answered my request! I had seen many special things and was feeling His presence, but with Him there is always more!
One afternoon on the beach, my family was participating in a game of Frisbee. One person threw the Frisbee into the group of the rest of us. Whoever caught the Frisbee three times took the place of the thrower and we started again. Well, due to my competitive nature, the game got a bit rough. Fun, but rough! I found myself on the sand on a few occasions. Usually with the Frisbee in my hands:) Anyway, we had a great time!
After our game we walked a long distance down the beach and up a long staircase to "The Shake Shack" for dinner. As I was in the bathroom washing my hands, I noticed my earring was missing! My diamond earring that my husband got me for Christmas a few years ago. (I am sure he did not envision the beach when he bought these!) These were my favorite earrings! They have a safety clip and are very secure! These were my everyday, running, jumping earrings! I could not believe one was gone! I was bummed!
I went out to our table to sit with my family as we waited for our burgers, fries, and shakes. I told them what happened. They asked, "Why were you wearing your diamond earrings on the beach?" I explained how secure these earrings are. They are my "most likely to not get lost earrings!" They know me and understand me, so they accepted this answer. Anyway, we prayed for God to help us find the earring. He was our only hope! And we proceeded to enjoy our dinner planning to search for the earring afterward.
As I ate my dinner, I reminded God that He made me this way! I told Him I needed Him to help us find my earring. I knew He could see it on the beach, so I trusted He was going to show me where it was! Without God, it would have been hopeless! But I know and believe nothing is impossible with God! And then I relaxed and enjoyed the best chocolate shake I had ever tasted!
As we left the restaurant, we noticed the sun was setting. So we quickly went down the steps. Then we jogged along the beach as we realized the tide had come in! We were having fun as we made our way back to the spot where my earring was waiting to be found. I had told the group where I thought it was! I was sure it would be found! The Lord was with us. As my nephew approached the area of my earring, he saw something that looked like a rock washing back and forth in the surf. He went over to investigate and he picked up my earring. It took him about 30 seconds to find it. He arrived first and by the time the rest of us where there, he walked over and handed it to me! I washed off the sand and put it on! Then we all rejoiced and praised the Lord together!
And Jesus added another special thing to the long list of ways He made His presence known to me during this week at the beach! He is so big and powerful like the ocean! He is incomprehensible! He is Almighty! But He is always SO CLOSE! Right next to me! Waiting for opportunities to bless me and be gracious to me! Opportunities to remind me of His presence! And show me His everlasting love!
Isaiah 30:18. Therefore the LORD longs to be gracious to you, And therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the LORD is a God of justice; How blessed are all those who long for Him.
Something about His greatness and His constant presence with me melts my heart and makes me feel warm and protected! Psalm 139:17-18 says; "How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! Were I to count them, they would out number the grains of sand--when I awake, I am still with You." God is thinking about me more than the grains of sand. As I sat on the sand, I thought about this and felt it in my soul! WOW! I can't even count the grains in my hand! But, God can think of me more than all the sand! This thought comforted me as I realized the broken nature of this earth and the struggles going on in and around my life. In these moments, my soul was at peace! My soul was safely surrounded by the love of Jesus! And in only a few days, the Lord had answered my request! I had seen many special things and was feeling His presence, but with Him there is always more!
One afternoon on the beach, my family was participating in a game of Frisbee. One person threw the Frisbee into the group of the rest of us. Whoever caught the Frisbee three times took the place of the thrower and we started again. Well, due to my competitive nature, the game got a bit rough. Fun, but rough! I found myself on the sand on a few occasions. Usually with the Frisbee in my hands:) Anyway, we had a great time!
After our game we walked a long distance down the beach and up a long staircase to "The Shake Shack" for dinner. As I was in the bathroom washing my hands, I noticed my earring was missing! My diamond earring that my husband got me for Christmas a few years ago. (I am sure he did not envision the beach when he bought these!) These were my favorite earrings! They have a safety clip and are very secure! These were my everyday, running, jumping earrings! I could not believe one was gone! I was bummed!
I went out to our table to sit with my family as we waited for our burgers, fries, and shakes. I told them what happened. They asked, "Why were you wearing your diamond earrings on the beach?" I explained how secure these earrings are. They are my "most likely to not get lost earrings!" They know me and understand me, so they accepted this answer. Anyway, we prayed for God to help us find the earring. He was our only hope! And we proceeded to enjoy our dinner planning to search for the earring afterward.
As I ate my dinner, I reminded God that He made me this way! I told Him I needed Him to help us find my earring. I knew He could see it on the beach, so I trusted He was going to show me where it was! Without God, it would have been hopeless! But I know and believe nothing is impossible with God! And then I relaxed and enjoyed the best chocolate shake I had ever tasted!
As we left the restaurant, we noticed the sun was setting. So we quickly went down the steps. Then we jogged along the beach as we realized the tide had come in! We were having fun as we made our way back to the spot where my earring was waiting to be found. I had told the group where I thought it was! I was sure it would be found! The Lord was with us. As my nephew approached the area of my earring, he saw something that looked like a rock washing back and forth in the surf. He went over to investigate and he picked up my earring. It took him about 30 seconds to find it. He arrived first and by the time the rest of us where there, he walked over and handed it to me! I washed off the sand and put it on! Then we all rejoiced and praised the Lord together!
And Jesus added another special thing to the long list of ways He made His presence known to me during this week at the beach! He is so big and powerful like the ocean! He is incomprehensible! He is Almighty! But He is always SO CLOSE! Right next to me! Waiting for opportunities to bless me and be gracious to me! Opportunities to remind me of His presence! And show me His everlasting love!
Isaiah 30:18. Therefore the LORD longs to be gracious to you, And therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the LORD is a God of justice; How blessed are all those who long for Him.
Saturday, February 23, 2013
Convinced!
Last week, I was a greeter at church. I was standing at the door, greeting when a man came in. Immediately, I could smell alcohol and realized he was intoxicated. This blessed my heart to know he had come to the right place.
Church is not a country club for people who all look the same and act in similar ways. Church is not a place to hide our deepest struggles! Church is a place to come for healing! It is a hospital where we should run to find help from Jesus! It is a place of healing and restoration! It was refreshing to me that this man had the courage to openly display his weakness and his need!
As I greeted this man, I felt the love of God flowing from me to him. I was so clear to me how much God loved him. He was so happy to tell me his name, Lester, where he was from and the struggles he was going through! He asked me for some bus money to get across town for lunch. I agreed to give him the money after the service. He seemed surprised that I was spending so much time with him. I introduced him to a friend of mine and they talked for awhile.
I went in and sat down as service started and Lester came in and sat in my row. As I worshiped, I was feeling the Lord's love for Lester. It was overwhelming! The love was so rich and deep, I could feel it all around me! So I prayed Lester would feel it too! At one point, I noticed Lester was crying so I went to the back of the church and got him a box of Kleenex. He looked at me with wide eyes and said, "Thank you!," as he continued to weep.
After worship at our Sunday Service we take a break to talk and greet one another. Our pastor calls it "Halftime!" This gives us a chance to get to know one another and the visitors at church. Then we come back in for the sermon. I love this tradition!
As we broke for halftime, I saw a hard look on Lester's face. He said he would like his bus money and wanted to go now. I have been studying the Gospel of Mark this year with my College Study. As I looked at Lester, I realized he was going to end up like the crowds Jesus was faced with when He was on earth. They came to get the physical benefits He offered, but they missed getting to know Him and the greater forgiveness He was offering! I realized Lester was in danger of this same tragedy!
God gave me boldness and I said to Lester, "Do you know how much God loves you?" He said, "Yes." but I did not believe him. I explained how God had been telling me of His love for him as we were worshiping. I told Lester I did not want him to receive the benefits of Jesus without receiving Jesus Himself. I explained our pastor had a special message prepared and I was sure God would speak directly to his heart. Lester was still ready to go, so I went to get change for him.
As I was walking back into the sanctuary to give Lester his bus money, I saw my husband talking to another man from our church. I explain Lester was waiting for the money but needed them to pray for him too. Then I said a silent prayer and left Lester at the altar of Jesus! I knew my part was done and I talked with other people until halftime ended.
When I came back into the sanctuary, I saw Lester sitting in his seat and he greeted me with a big smile. His whole countenance had changed! He stayed for the service and raised his hand to confess and receive Jesus at the end. Then I saw my pastor praying with him and then another member of the church prayed with him. It was a beautiful picture of the whole body of Christ working together to express God's love to Lester!
All week, I have been praying for Lester! I pray He will believe deep in His heart how much God loves him. I know from personal experience this is the healing he needs to change his life. Each day, I am convince of the love God is pouring upon me! This belief has healed me, my relationships, and my circumstances. And it is what gets me through the hard parts of life. It is what brings me joy, love, peace, and fulfillment! I believe God loves me deeply! God loves us no matter what! I love to pray this prayer! "I don't know much, but I know You love me! And this may be all I need to know!" Believe with me!
Romans 8:38-39- 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.
Church is not a country club for people who all look the same and act in similar ways. Church is not a place to hide our deepest struggles! Church is a place to come for healing! It is a hospital where we should run to find help from Jesus! It is a place of healing and restoration! It was refreshing to me that this man had the courage to openly display his weakness and his need!
As I greeted this man, I felt the love of God flowing from me to him. I was so clear to me how much God loved him. He was so happy to tell me his name, Lester, where he was from and the struggles he was going through! He asked me for some bus money to get across town for lunch. I agreed to give him the money after the service. He seemed surprised that I was spending so much time with him. I introduced him to a friend of mine and they talked for awhile.
I went in and sat down as service started and Lester came in and sat in my row. As I worshiped, I was feeling the Lord's love for Lester. It was overwhelming! The love was so rich and deep, I could feel it all around me! So I prayed Lester would feel it too! At one point, I noticed Lester was crying so I went to the back of the church and got him a box of Kleenex. He looked at me with wide eyes and said, "Thank you!," as he continued to weep.
After worship at our Sunday Service we take a break to talk and greet one another. Our pastor calls it "Halftime!" This gives us a chance to get to know one another and the visitors at church. Then we come back in for the sermon. I love this tradition!
As we broke for halftime, I saw a hard look on Lester's face. He said he would like his bus money and wanted to go now. I have been studying the Gospel of Mark this year with my College Study. As I looked at Lester, I realized he was going to end up like the crowds Jesus was faced with when He was on earth. They came to get the physical benefits He offered, but they missed getting to know Him and the greater forgiveness He was offering! I realized Lester was in danger of this same tragedy!
God gave me boldness and I said to Lester, "Do you know how much God loves you?" He said, "Yes." but I did not believe him. I explained how God had been telling me of His love for him as we were worshiping. I told Lester I did not want him to receive the benefits of Jesus without receiving Jesus Himself. I explained our pastor had a special message prepared and I was sure God would speak directly to his heart. Lester was still ready to go, so I went to get change for him.
As I was walking back into the sanctuary to give Lester his bus money, I saw my husband talking to another man from our church. I explain Lester was waiting for the money but needed them to pray for him too. Then I said a silent prayer and left Lester at the altar of Jesus! I knew my part was done and I talked with other people until halftime ended.
When I came back into the sanctuary, I saw Lester sitting in his seat and he greeted me with a big smile. His whole countenance had changed! He stayed for the service and raised his hand to confess and receive Jesus at the end. Then I saw my pastor praying with him and then another member of the church prayed with him. It was a beautiful picture of the whole body of Christ working together to express God's love to Lester!
All week, I have been praying for Lester! I pray He will believe deep in His heart how much God loves him. I know from personal experience this is the healing he needs to change his life. Each day, I am convince of the love God is pouring upon me! This belief has healed me, my relationships, and my circumstances. And it is what gets me through the hard parts of life. It is what brings me joy, love, peace, and fulfillment! I believe God loves me deeply! God loves us no matter what! I love to pray this prayer! "I don't know much, but I know You love me! And this may be all I need to know!" Believe with me!
Romans 8:38-39- 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.
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
The Fear of the Lord!
I was in church recently, and our pastor preached a wonderful sermon which included a great definition of the fear of the Lord. I am convinced many people misunderstand what it means for a believer to fear the Lord. It is the only good kind of fear I know! Although this is not a comprehensive study of the fear of the Lord, I wanted to share my perspective.
The definition our pastor gave for the fear of the Lord is "an earnest desire to have God's approval." When he said this, I felt it! With every beat of my heart, this is how I try to live. As I live with the fear of the Lord in my life, I love the grace of God that protects me in my imperfection! I love living in the passion of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross for the moments when I fail! Jesus loved me so much, He died a brutal death to be able to offer forgiveness and love in my weakest moments! I am forgiven in all of my failure! God does not expect me to be perfect. What a relief! I am loved no matter what! Each day, it is my desire to bless the Lord with "an earnest desire to have God's approval!"
I try not to live in fear of anyone aside from the Lord! No one in the world is worthy of my fear. No one else takes my best interests to heart. No one, aside from God, loves me at each moment. No person has the power to perform miracles in my life! No man or woman has the wisdom to direct my steps and guide me in living my life. Only Jesus has died for me--this makes Him, and Only Him, worthy of my fear!
Proverbs 9:10 says; "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." I love this verse because these concepts go hand-in-hand. The more I know God, the more I understand Him. And the more I understand Him, the more I am convinced of His love for me. Even in my worst moments, I am never separated from the love of God. God is love. So in every moment of my life, I feel loved! This is why I have an earnest desire to have God's approval! He has won me over by His love. I trust that living my life according to God's plan is far greater than living my life according to my plan! His way leads to peace and joy while my way leads to emptiness and confusion. Believe me... I have tried both ways.
So as I live my life, I do the things which are pleasing to God. If I am not sure about something, I check with Him before I act. This has led me to a life filled with wisdom and actions that have brought blessings to me and my loved ones. The fear of the Lord is not the same thing as terror for those who believe! The fear of the Lord brings protection, fulfillment, and freedom! A life lived to the fullest! A life filled with the love of God! In the fear of the Lord, I have found a rich and satisfying life!
John 10:10- Jesus said; "...My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life."
The definition our pastor gave for the fear of the Lord is "an earnest desire to have God's approval." When he said this, I felt it! With every beat of my heart, this is how I try to live. As I live with the fear of the Lord in my life, I love the grace of God that protects me in my imperfection! I love living in the passion of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross for the moments when I fail! Jesus loved me so much, He died a brutal death to be able to offer forgiveness and love in my weakest moments! I am forgiven in all of my failure! God does not expect me to be perfect. What a relief! I am loved no matter what! Each day, it is my desire to bless the Lord with "an earnest desire to have God's approval!"
I try not to live in fear of anyone aside from the Lord! No one in the world is worthy of my fear. No one else takes my best interests to heart. No one, aside from God, loves me at each moment. No person has the power to perform miracles in my life! No man or woman has the wisdom to direct my steps and guide me in living my life. Only Jesus has died for me--this makes Him, and Only Him, worthy of my fear!
Proverbs 9:10 says; "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." I love this verse because these concepts go hand-in-hand. The more I know God, the more I understand Him. And the more I understand Him, the more I am convinced of His love for me. Even in my worst moments, I am never separated from the love of God. God is love. So in every moment of my life, I feel loved! This is why I have an earnest desire to have God's approval! He has won me over by His love. I trust that living my life according to God's plan is far greater than living my life according to my plan! His way leads to peace and joy while my way leads to emptiness and confusion. Believe me... I have tried both ways.
So as I live my life, I do the things which are pleasing to God. If I am not sure about something, I check with Him before I act. This has led me to a life filled with wisdom and actions that have brought blessings to me and my loved ones. The fear of the Lord is not the same thing as terror for those who believe! The fear of the Lord brings protection, fulfillment, and freedom! A life lived to the fullest! A life filled with the love of God! In the fear of the Lord, I have found a rich and satisfying life!
John 10:10- Jesus said; "...My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life."
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Happy New Year!
I love celebrating! For the past 14 years in Flagstaff, our city leaders have created a tradition of dropping a pine cone from one of the old hotel balconies in the center of town. This event has grown from a real, large-sized pine cone found in the forest to a giant metal pine cone with blinking lights. The Pine Cone Drop has become known around the country and the world. For the last few years, the streets have been closed to handle the thousands of people who gather at 10pm (coinciding with the New York City Ball Drop) and then again at 12am to cheer and sing and dance in celebration of the new year. Somehow the dropping of a pine cone has inspired people to come and celebrate together.
In the last few years, I have devised a plan to be able to see both the 10pm and 12am Pine Cone Drop without freezing to death! We have collected some friends to join us at a local restaurant for dinner at 9:30pm. At 9:50pm we step out the door of this restaurant and we are looking right down the street at the pine cone. And then we turn around to see fireworks soaring off the roof of another local hotel. When our dinner is over, we step outside again at 11:50pm and do it all over again. It has been suggested to me that we could eat a bit earlier and head home after the 10pm drop, but I can't imagine sitting on my couch when I could be cheering with my neighbors in downtown Flagstaff. It is so much fun to feel the excitement and energy of the New Year's Eve cheer!
As I reflected on this celebration and my exuberance in the anticipation, I ran across a scripture in my Bible that spoke to me. I was reading in 1 Chronicles 15 about the time King David brought the ark of the Lord back into Jerusalem. The ark of the Lord was the place the people associated with God's presence in the Old Testament. So the ark represented bringing God's presence back to Jerusalem. As you can imagine, quite a celebration broke out in the city as the ark came in.
It says in 1 Chronicles 15:28 "...with shouts of joy, the blowing of rams’ horns and trumpets, the crashing of cymbals, and loud playing on harps and lyres." In verse 29, it says in the Amplified Bible that King David was "...leaping as in sport..." I especially love this visual because often time the joy of life and the Lord causes me to jump in the air and click my heals together! We are created to celebrate! Yes, bad things happen, but in the mix are many reasons for joyous celebration!
In this New Year, I am going to take the opportunity to demonstrate the joy in my heart! There are so many moments worthy of shouting, singing, and jumping for joy! God has filled our lives with reasons to celebrate! And the greatest reason to celebrate is His presence in our lives! And maybe in the exuberant celebration, someone will learn all the Lord has done for me! So join me this year in the celebration!
1 Chronicles 16:8-13. "Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done. Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always. Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced, O descendants of Israel his servant, O sons of Jacob, his chosen ones."
In the last few years, I have devised a plan to be able to see both the 10pm and 12am Pine Cone Drop without freezing to death! We have collected some friends to join us at a local restaurant for dinner at 9:30pm. At 9:50pm we step out the door of this restaurant and we are looking right down the street at the pine cone. And then we turn around to see fireworks soaring off the roof of another local hotel. When our dinner is over, we step outside again at 11:50pm and do it all over again. It has been suggested to me that we could eat a bit earlier and head home after the 10pm drop, but I can't imagine sitting on my couch when I could be cheering with my neighbors in downtown Flagstaff. It is so much fun to feel the excitement and energy of the New Year's Eve cheer!
As I reflected on this celebration and my exuberance in the anticipation, I ran across a scripture in my Bible that spoke to me. I was reading in 1 Chronicles 15 about the time King David brought the ark of the Lord back into Jerusalem. The ark of the Lord was the place the people associated with God's presence in the Old Testament. So the ark represented bringing God's presence back to Jerusalem. As you can imagine, quite a celebration broke out in the city as the ark came in.
It says in 1 Chronicles 15:28 "...with shouts of joy, the blowing of rams’ horns and trumpets, the crashing of cymbals, and loud playing on harps and lyres." In verse 29, it says in the Amplified Bible that King David was "...leaping as in sport..." I especially love this visual because often time the joy of life and the Lord causes me to jump in the air and click my heals together! We are created to celebrate! Yes, bad things happen, but in the mix are many reasons for joyous celebration!
In this New Year, I am going to take the opportunity to demonstrate the joy in my heart! There are so many moments worthy of shouting, singing, and jumping for joy! God has filled our lives with reasons to celebrate! And the greatest reason to celebrate is His presence in our lives! And maybe in the exuberant celebration, someone will learn all the Lord has done for me! So join me this year in the celebration!
1 Chronicles 16:8-13. "Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done. Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always. Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced, O descendants of Israel his servant, O sons of Jacob, his chosen ones."
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