I have such a great love for my Savior. He's worthy to be loved. Worthy of my admiration and adoration. Worthy of worship and of my praise. He's my Redeemer, my Deliverer, the Bedrock on which I stand. He's my God. I'm His daughter. How blessed I am.
I love you Daddy! I don't want to get so caught up in the things of this world that I forget my love for You. You're my peace, my joy, my hope. In You, I have all I need. In You, I am whole for there is not limit to Your wholeness. In You, I can bear the heaviness of this world. In You, I can face my greatest foe. In You, I am the greatest me I can be. How awesome is that. How awesome You are. My Daddy. The Lover of my soul. The Healer of my being. My God. My Everything.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Your Spiritual Authority
The content of the following scripture is so powerful that I want to pass it along.
2 Chronicles 26 gives us insight into the life of King Uzziah. The scripture tells us that he was only 16 years old when becoming king and as long as he sought the Lord, God prospered him. Verse 5 tells us that he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding of the visions of God. Zechariah was King Uzziah's pastor. The scripture tells us that during the days of Zechariah, King Uzziah sought God and God prospered him. Now, during this time, Uzziah became a very prominent King, a powerful and strong king. The Message Bible states his reputation extended all the way through Egypt. You might say - he was the man:)
Now, verse 16 tells us that when King Uzziah became strong, he became arrogant and exalted himself above God. Because of his arrogance and disobedience, he contracted leprosy (YIKES). Not because he came into contact with a leprous person, God just let him have it - so to speak. He remained leprous until his death, living in an isolated house, by himself, cut off from the house of the Lord.
This is the point I want to make (though there are many to be made from this one chapter alone). We need our pastors! They are our shepherds, our spiritual fathers and the Word is very clear about the necessity of Divine order in our lives and the power of obedience. Pastors have been called to feed their sheep. They feed us and we are to eat. We don't always enjoy the feeding because it oftentimes cuts against our will, but when eaten and digested it becomes like honey to us, health to our soul. King Uzziah did well and prospered much during the days of his pastor. Why? He sought the Lord. Zechariah spoke God's Word to King Uzziah and Uzziah was obedient. If King Uzziah was going astray, his pastor kept him in check. I'm guessing Zechariah died during King Uzziah's reign and from that point on, King Uzziah "did it by himself." Friends, we can't do it by ourselves. It isn't Biblical. If we think we're going to become all God created us to be without having spiritual leaders in our lives, we are in for a wake up call because it isn't going to happen. They watch out for our souls. I encourage you today to come to the realization of the importance of having a pastor in your life. If you struggle with the understanding of this importance, I encourage you to read the lives of Saul and King David found in 1 Samuel. They are perfect examples of this importance. Also, Juanita Bynum's book called Walking in Your Destiny would be a great resource as well. One more thing. Don't just acknowledge this importance. Walk in it. If your pastor gives you instruction or direction, take it. If he begins to point out sin in your life,then acknowledge it. If you receive rebuke, then accept it. His desire is for your best. He will not mislead you. Trust God with the pastor He has given you. Oh, and if you have a pastor that doesn't lead you, give you direction or point out sin in your life, then I question if he's the right pastor for you.
Be blessed. Be an appreciator of your spiritual authority.
2 Chronicles 26 gives us insight into the life of King Uzziah. The scripture tells us that he was only 16 years old when becoming king and as long as he sought the Lord, God prospered him. Verse 5 tells us that he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding of the visions of God. Zechariah was King Uzziah's pastor. The scripture tells us that during the days of Zechariah, King Uzziah sought God and God prospered him. Now, during this time, Uzziah became a very prominent King, a powerful and strong king. The Message Bible states his reputation extended all the way through Egypt. You might say - he was the man:)
Now, verse 16 tells us that when King Uzziah became strong, he became arrogant and exalted himself above God. Because of his arrogance and disobedience, he contracted leprosy (YIKES). Not because he came into contact with a leprous person, God just let him have it - so to speak. He remained leprous until his death, living in an isolated house, by himself, cut off from the house of the Lord.
This is the point I want to make (though there are many to be made from this one chapter alone). We need our pastors! They are our shepherds, our spiritual fathers and the Word is very clear about the necessity of Divine order in our lives and the power of obedience. Pastors have been called to feed their sheep. They feed us and we are to eat. We don't always enjoy the feeding because it oftentimes cuts against our will, but when eaten and digested it becomes like honey to us, health to our soul. King Uzziah did well and prospered much during the days of his pastor. Why? He sought the Lord. Zechariah spoke God's Word to King Uzziah and Uzziah was obedient. If King Uzziah was going astray, his pastor kept him in check. I'm guessing Zechariah died during King Uzziah's reign and from that point on, King Uzziah "did it by himself." Friends, we can't do it by ourselves. It isn't Biblical. If we think we're going to become all God created us to be without having spiritual leaders in our lives, we are in for a wake up call because it isn't going to happen. They watch out for our souls. I encourage you today to come to the realization of the importance of having a pastor in your life. If you struggle with the understanding of this importance, I encourage you to read the lives of Saul and King David found in 1 Samuel. They are perfect examples of this importance. Also, Juanita Bynum's book called Walking in Your Destiny would be a great resource as well. One more thing. Don't just acknowledge this importance. Walk in it. If your pastor gives you instruction or direction, take it. If he begins to point out sin in your life,then acknowledge it. If you receive rebuke, then accept it. His desire is for your best. He will not mislead you. Trust God with the pastor He has given you. Oh, and if you have a pastor that doesn't lead you, give you direction or point out sin in your life, then I question if he's the right pastor for you.
Be blessed. Be an appreciator of your spiritual authority.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Prayer That Moves
I read something lately by T.D. Jakes that has caused me a great deal of time in thought. He said something similar to this, "If your prayer doesn't move you, then it probably won't move God." I think about the prayers I pray and how "heartless" they must seem to God at times. Though I know He hears every prayer, and I pray what is on my heart, I often pray very repetitive, redundant prayers. What about passionate prayers? Have I become so "familiar" with prayer and with God that I have become matter of fact in my relationship with Him? How sad. And it's completely to my detriment!
I want raw passionate prayer. Prayer that moves me. Prayer that moves God. Prayer that shakes the foundations of the earth. Prayer that causes the heavens to take notice. Prayer that expects answers. Prayer. Raw and passionate. Raw and passionate.
Lord, I want to pray my heart to you with passion. May I passionately seek You.
I want raw passionate prayer. Prayer that moves me. Prayer that moves God. Prayer that shakes the foundations of the earth. Prayer that causes the heavens to take notice. Prayer that expects answers. Prayer. Raw and passionate. Raw and passionate.
Lord, I want to pray my heart to you with passion. May I passionately seek You.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
God of the Impossible
My dear friends,
Why is it that we think repentance is a bad thing? I guess it's because we realize the wrong we've done and that's why we hate it so much. It isn't the repenting, it's the knowledge that we've come to that has caused our repentance. I hate that I've had to repent several times over the same issues. You would think that after the 10th (or 100th) time I'd get it. Forever learning and never coming the the knowledge of the truth. That's what God's Word calls it. I want the truth. Don't you? I want to learn and go forward. I hate living in the past, in yesterday. I don't want to find myself having the same thoughts today that I found myself having 2 years ago. Not thoughts that are not of God. I want God thoughts. As far as repentance goes, I've had to repent once again for my analytical thinking. I can't figure God out. Why after 13 years am I still trying? I say I don't want to put Him in a box, but honestly, if I can define Him, I can put Him in a box. God isn't boxable (new word).
I've wanted over several years of my walk to have a recipe for the things of God. Let's say our recipe for healing calls for: 3 days of fasting, 6 hours of prayer, 2 good deeds and an extra $10 in the offering for that week. Sounds like something I can do. But God doesn't want to give us a recipe. He wants us to believe Him. We want to mix the ingredients and once completed have our prayer answered. God wants our faith. He wants us to believe Him. Listen, not just to believe IN Him, but to believe Him. He says He will give us the desires of our hearts (Psalm 37:4) The only prerequisite for this is to delight ourselves in Him. He doesn't give us 5 steps to receive, He just wants us to believe.
Ok, like believing is an easy thing to do. Let's get real for a second, I think I'd rather have 5 steps, wouldn't you? Faith is hard. It's easy to believe the water is going to come out of the faucet when it's turned on. I paid the bill, I know the water is there. It isn't as easy to believe that God's Word is true for me when I don't see it coming to pass. I'm still in debt, I still have migraine headaches, my mother is still stricken with fibromyalgia as well as a slew of other issues, Seth still lacks common sense and he has health issues as well (I've prayed for 11 years for the same issue with this child). When my dad died, I wanted to tell him to get up. I was afraid my mom would flip out and I was afraid he wouldn't. Fear is bad for our faith!
Anyway, what does boxing in God and 5 steps to answered prayer have in common? I'm not really sure, but I think it boils down to faith. God began dealing with me yesterday (once again) about my faith. I can't go or grow in Him without it and neither can you. It isn't easy to believe for the impossible, but God is the God of the impossible. Nothing is impossible for Him. Nothing. Nothing. Have you read your Word today? Have you read of the Israelites being delivered out of Egypt? Or of the acts of the Apostles? Maybe, if you're lacking in faith, you should. I think I will.
Be blessed. Have faith.
Why is it that we think repentance is a bad thing? I guess it's because we realize the wrong we've done and that's why we hate it so much. It isn't the repenting, it's the knowledge that we've come to that has caused our repentance. I hate that I've had to repent several times over the same issues. You would think that after the 10th (or 100th) time I'd get it. Forever learning and never coming the the knowledge of the truth. That's what God's Word calls it. I want the truth. Don't you? I want to learn and go forward. I hate living in the past, in yesterday. I don't want to find myself having the same thoughts today that I found myself having 2 years ago. Not thoughts that are not of God. I want God thoughts. As far as repentance goes, I've had to repent once again for my analytical thinking. I can't figure God out. Why after 13 years am I still trying? I say I don't want to put Him in a box, but honestly, if I can define Him, I can put Him in a box. God isn't boxable (new word).
I've wanted over several years of my walk to have a recipe for the things of God. Let's say our recipe for healing calls for: 3 days of fasting, 6 hours of prayer, 2 good deeds and an extra $10 in the offering for that week. Sounds like something I can do. But God doesn't want to give us a recipe. He wants us to believe Him. We want to mix the ingredients and once completed have our prayer answered. God wants our faith. He wants us to believe Him. Listen, not just to believe IN Him, but to believe Him. He says He will give us the desires of our hearts (Psalm 37:4) The only prerequisite for this is to delight ourselves in Him. He doesn't give us 5 steps to receive, He just wants us to believe.
Ok, like believing is an easy thing to do. Let's get real for a second, I think I'd rather have 5 steps, wouldn't you? Faith is hard. It's easy to believe the water is going to come out of the faucet when it's turned on. I paid the bill, I know the water is there. It isn't as easy to believe that God's Word is true for me when I don't see it coming to pass. I'm still in debt, I still have migraine headaches, my mother is still stricken with fibromyalgia as well as a slew of other issues, Seth still lacks common sense and he has health issues as well (I've prayed for 11 years for the same issue with this child). When my dad died, I wanted to tell him to get up. I was afraid my mom would flip out and I was afraid he wouldn't. Fear is bad for our faith!
Anyway, what does boxing in God and 5 steps to answered prayer have in common? I'm not really sure, but I think it boils down to faith. God began dealing with me yesterday (once again) about my faith. I can't go or grow in Him without it and neither can you. It isn't easy to believe for the impossible, but God is the God of the impossible. Nothing is impossible for Him. Nothing. Nothing. Have you read your Word today? Have you read of the Israelites being delivered out of Egypt? Or of the acts of the Apostles? Maybe, if you're lacking in faith, you should. I think I will.
Be blessed. Have faith.
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