Yesterday, I finished reading a book called, 'The Presence and Work of the Holy Spirit' by R. A. Torrey. As I closed the final page, I was astonished to realize how much I had learned.
I couldn't help but wonder why I did not know a lot of what was written here. After all, not only had I attended a Catholic Grade School, but a High School as well. Upon Graduation, I then attended a Full Gospel Church, switching from Catholicism to Pentecostal, because I didn't feel I was being adequately fed. I wanted to be taught straight from the Bible itself. Though I do not attend the same Pentecostal church I did all those years ago, I have remained in Bible teaching churches until this present day, yet this book taught me things I had yet to know. I was shocked, to tell you the truth. After all, I've attended churches that profess to allow Holy Spirit free reign. That's what I wanted, and thought I was receiving.
Oh well, I also suppose it is much like going to the doctor in today's world. In order to get proper medical treatment, you must, in a sense, "be your own doctor." When you visit a physician, it's a wise decision to armed with information. It's a good idea to bring a list of questions to ask them, and not to fully rely on them to do all the deciding for you in regards to your health. Thank God for the Internet, second opinions, and of course, good old fashioned prayer!
I've found that it is the same in regards to our spiritual health. We have to seek for ourselves the truth that will guide us rightfully on the path, not only to the destiny that God has for each one of us, but ultimately to the path of Eternal Life. Only Holy Spirit can truly show us these paths. We have to know Him, though, in order to be led by Him.
One of the statements in this book is, "We should not ask, 'How can I get more of the Holy Spirit?' but rather, 'How can Holy Spirit have get more of me?'" (The paraphrase is mine.) Until this morning in prayer, I never knew there was a difference.
For years, I have had a challenge in my dealings with a certain family in my life. I could never put my finger on what the problem was, so I did what the book said to do, and asked Holy Spirit to show me. Within minutes, I could see things that I didn't realize before. He showed me what I was harboring in my heart towards them. Although I could say these attitudes were justified because of their behavior to me over the years, I have come to know that there is no such justification as far as Jesus is concerned.
His command is clear. He says, "Forgive, and you will be forgiven." Period! He doesn't say, "I understand that they have treated you so unfairly, and down right mean, over the years. You have a right to hold your feelings against these people!" No! He says, "Daughter, if you do not forgive them, I cannot forgive you!" Yikes!
As Holy Spirit showed me, one by one, the things I was holding against them, I confessed each resentment I was harboring as sin, and applied the Blood of Jesus to them, one at a time. I had no idea there were so many!
As I continued to do this, I heard that still small voice that the Bible talks about. In my mind, and in my heart, I heard, "This is how you give more of yourself to Me. By doing what you are doing, you are making more room in your heart for Me to dwell. Now, I've got more of you!"
In that moment, I understood that there was a difference, and what that difference was. I was then able to say in response, "Holy Spirit, now I understand! Thank You! I will ever make more room for You to dwell in me!"
1 Corinthians 6:19 "What? know ye not that
your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God,
and ye are not your own?"
Friday, March 14, 2014
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
I Had a Dream
Dawn was breaking. The pictures of my dream were still fresh under my closed eyelids.
I was in the house where I grew up, enjoying the company of my mother, and two sisters. We were preparing for a trip. A man who was helping us pack, turned to us and said, "I'm sorry to tell you this. I just heard over the radio that two rays of light are in the atmosphere. They are coming from opposite directions, and are about to collide. Just before they do, an alarm is going to sound. When they hit each other, all electrical power over the entire earth will be lost. In addition to that, our atmosphere will fail to give light, and we will be surrounded by complete darkness. This is about to take place momentarily."
At first, we thought that he had lost his mind, but the look on his face told us that he was not kidding. This forced me to go look out the very tiny window that was in the closed front door. I spotted two men talking with our neighbors who lived across the street. One of the two strangers, a rather large fellow, looked up at our house. I knew instantly that he was up to no good. He darted across the street towards our home. I immediately turned the deadbolt to lock the door, and yelled for my sister Mary to come help me push our weight against the door to ensure that he would not gain entrance. Just then, the alarm sounded. My heart sank, as all color drained from our faces, and sheer terror took hold of us. The sky started to turn an eriee smoking amber color.
By now, the man was slamming his shoulder hard against the door. Mary, and I knew that our strength, and the deadbolt lock were no match for him. Soon, he would be in our house!
The sound of all this banging, as well as the screaming alarm suddenly made me realize that the only one capable of keeping this guy out, was Jesus. Through that tiny window, I looked him straight in the eye, and shouted at him, "In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, I command you to get away from this door, and leave us alone!" As I backed away from the door, I prayed, "Lord, we can't hold him back, but You can supernaturally bar this door so that he will not get in!"
Immediately, I woke with the complete understanding that is imperative for us Christians to walk in the realms of the supernatural, so that signs, wonders, and miracles, are a common, and regular occurrence. This is an absolute necessity. We need to be walking in the power of Christ at all times. Then, and only then will we be able to stand, regardless of whatever dark times we may have to face.
Now, I'm not one to think this way! I've always hated to hear prophets, preachers, teachers, and evangelists shout their doom and gloom messages from the mountain tops. In fact, I'd be first to turn the channel, close the web page, or walk out the door. Until this dream, I never thought about preparing myself should something catastrophic ever happen. The dream impacted my whole day. I couldn't shake it, no matter how hard I tried.
I started to question, "What would I do if all the power in the whole world was lost, and the sun, the moon, and the stars failed to give off their light?" I could recall in intricate detail the utter terror I felt during this dream, and how it coursed through my veins in a way I had never felt before. I remembered panting to breathe, feeling completely helpless in my meager strength. I meditated on the fact that all overwhelm was calmed, and all panic subsided the second I realized just how powerless I truly was to help myself in any way. When I fully understood that He was the only One capable of keeping that door barred, I knew that even if He choose to let it fling wide open, everything would still be okay.
The minute I stopped trying to keep that evil man from getting through that door, and physically took a step back away from it to let Jesus do the barring, complete rest, and assurance flooded my soul. That didn't happen though, until I quit trying in my own strength to do anything, and completely gave the whole dilemma over to Christ!
Scriptures were racing through my head; "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit says the Lord...If you pray believing, then will I hear from heaven, and whatsoever you ask in My name, it shall be done for you..."
My thoughts turned to the story in the Bible about the boy who had a fish sandwich in his lunch box. He gave it over to Jesus. Jesus took it, blessed it, multiplied it, and dispersed it. With this seemingly insignificant snack, Jesus proceeded to feed a crowd of over five thousand people. I wondered, "Should there ever come a time when food becomes so scare that we will have to do this too? Is this why the Bible says that, "in those days", men will come flocking to the Christians? What days? Why are they flocking?"
I always thought they would be "flocking" because they were scared, and needed prayer to calm their ravaged hearts, but could they come running because they are starving, and need us to multiply food in order for all of us to survive? Can it ever get that bad? Will it ever get this bad? You read about the possibility of stuff like this happening. We all know that many people are already stockpiling food. How long would those stockpiles last anyway? Isn't it all so pointless? If it ever came to that, stockpiles wouldn't do us any good for long. We would need supernatural intervention, and divine miracles to take the place of stockpiles!
I don't want to think about all this. I want to stay in my happy place, and la-de-da myself skipping down a daisy-lined lane, whistling some upbeat tune. Surely God would never let His children go through such horrific things! Or would He? What about the Scriptures? What about the persecution the early church endured? But that was then. We live under a new dispensation of "Grace and Mercy" right? Wait a minute! So did the early disciples of Christ! Oh, now my head is surely spinning. It all becomes too big for me to think about.
This morning's dream, I cannot deny. According to the Bible, God speaks to us in visions, and in dreams. Since I believe that, now I'm stuck. I'm faced with all the big "What if's..."
I have so many questions, but one thing I know for sure is that we must all go to the deep place with God, and in God. We must seek His face, and His face alone, cultivating an intimate relationship with our Heavenly Father, with His Son, Jesus Christ, and with Holy Spirit, our Comforter, Who was sent to take the place of Jesus on the earth until Jesus comes back again to our planet. The Bible tells me that He is readying Himself for this trip even as I write this; even as you are reading this. We must ready ourselves, too. How do we do this? By seeking a relationship with the Trinity, or else none of us will know what to do when the alarm sounds.
Today, I renewed my determination to take time everyday to sit quietly before God, to say to Him, "Here I am. I am going to clear my mind of every thought, except You. I am not going to let Chatter, Clutter, or Static creep in. I am not going to let Requests creep in. Every time I catch myself thinking about anything but You, I will refocus my attention onto You. Please help me. I need to know You, My Daddy God. I need to know Your Son, Jesus, and I need to know Holy Spirit, Who will guide me in this quest to know. Like never before, I will give You this time everyday. I won't let the devil tell me that five minutes doesn't count. I will give you focused time everyday, regardless that sometimes five minutes may be all I have. Some days, I may find myself spending five hours in this quiet time before You. It doesn't matter. What matters is that I come everyday. Coming before You, and focusing on only You during that time. Those are the important things. My time, and my focus. I will not let the enemy rob me of doing this. This is the battle. This is the war. I will fight. I will do this. I will win in this. I will not try to do it. Trying is cop out. I will do! No matter what. I know that when I do this, You will do the rest from there. You will lead me, guide me, and speak to me whatever it is that I need to know. I will step away from the door that the bad man is trying to smash down, and let You do the barring. You do better than I ever could, anyway! I will study, not just read Your Word, which is Your book that is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path. I will ask Holy Spirit, my Guide, and my Teacher to illuminate the meanings to me. And thus, I will know You, instead of just knowing of, or about You. I will know You!"
Zechariah 4:6 "...Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord of hosts."
I was in the house where I grew up, enjoying the company of my mother, and two sisters. We were preparing for a trip. A man who was helping us pack, turned to us and said, "I'm sorry to tell you this. I just heard over the radio that two rays of light are in the atmosphere. They are coming from opposite directions, and are about to collide. Just before they do, an alarm is going to sound. When they hit each other, all electrical power over the entire earth will be lost. In addition to that, our atmosphere will fail to give light, and we will be surrounded by complete darkness. This is about to take place momentarily."
At first, we thought that he had lost his mind, but the look on his face told us that he was not kidding. This forced me to go look out the very tiny window that was in the closed front door. I spotted two men talking with our neighbors who lived across the street. One of the two strangers, a rather large fellow, looked up at our house. I knew instantly that he was up to no good. He darted across the street towards our home. I immediately turned the deadbolt to lock the door, and yelled for my sister Mary to come help me push our weight against the door to ensure that he would not gain entrance. Just then, the alarm sounded. My heart sank, as all color drained from our faces, and sheer terror took hold of us. The sky started to turn an eriee smoking amber color.
By now, the man was slamming his shoulder hard against the door. Mary, and I knew that our strength, and the deadbolt lock were no match for him. Soon, he would be in our house!
The sound of all this banging, as well as the screaming alarm suddenly made me realize that the only one capable of keeping this guy out, was Jesus. Through that tiny window, I looked him straight in the eye, and shouted at him, "In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, I command you to get away from this door, and leave us alone!" As I backed away from the door, I prayed, "Lord, we can't hold him back, but You can supernaturally bar this door so that he will not get in!"
Immediately, I woke with the complete understanding that is imperative for us Christians to walk in the realms of the supernatural, so that signs, wonders, and miracles, are a common, and regular occurrence. This is an absolute necessity. We need to be walking in the power of Christ at all times. Then, and only then will we be able to stand, regardless of whatever dark times we may have to face.
Now, I'm not one to think this way! I've always hated to hear prophets, preachers, teachers, and evangelists shout their doom and gloom messages from the mountain tops. In fact, I'd be first to turn the channel, close the web page, or walk out the door. Until this dream, I never thought about preparing myself should something catastrophic ever happen. The dream impacted my whole day. I couldn't shake it, no matter how hard I tried.
I started to question, "What would I do if all the power in the whole world was lost, and the sun, the moon, and the stars failed to give off their light?" I could recall in intricate detail the utter terror I felt during this dream, and how it coursed through my veins in a way I had never felt before. I remembered panting to breathe, feeling completely helpless in my meager strength. I meditated on the fact that all overwhelm was calmed, and all panic subsided the second I realized just how powerless I truly was to help myself in any way. When I fully understood that He was the only One capable of keeping that door barred, I knew that even if He choose to let it fling wide open, everything would still be okay.
The minute I stopped trying to keep that evil man from getting through that door, and physically took a step back away from it to let Jesus do the barring, complete rest, and assurance flooded my soul. That didn't happen though, until I quit trying in my own strength to do anything, and completely gave the whole dilemma over to Christ!
Scriptures were racing through my head; "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit says the Lord...If you pray believing, then will I hear from heaven, and whatsoever you ask in My name, it shall be done for you..."
My thoughts turned to the story in the Bible about the boy who had a fish sandwich in his lunch box. He gave it over to Jesus. Jesus took it, blessed it, multiplied it, and dispersed it. With this seemingly insignificant snack, Jesus proceeded to feed a crowd of over five thousand people. I wondered, "Should there ever come a time when food becomes so scare that we will have to do this too? Is this why the Bible says that, "in those days", men will come flocking to the Christians? What days? Why are they flocking?"
I always thought they would be "flocking" because they were scared, and needed prayer to calm their ravaged hearts, but could they come running because they are starving, and need us to multiply food in order for all of us to survive? Can it ever get that bad? Will it ever get this bad? You read about the possibility of stuff like this happening. We all know that many people are already stockpiling food. How long would those stockpiles last anyway? Isn't it all so pointless? If it ever came to that, stockpiles wouldn't do us any good for long. We would need supernatural intervention, and divine miracles to take the place of stockpiles!
I don't want to think about all this. I want to stay in my happy place, and la-de-da myself skipping down a daisy-lined lane, whistling some upbeat tune. Surely God would never let His children go through such horrific things! Or would He? What about the Scriptures? What about the persecution the early church endured? But that was then. We live under a new dispensation of "Grace and Mercy" right? Wait a minute! So did the early disciples of Christ! Oh, now my head is surely spinning. It all becomes too big for me to think about.
This morning's dream, I cannot deny. According to the Bible, God speaks to us in visions, and in dreams. Since I believe that, now I'm stuck. I'm faced with all the big "What if's..."
I have so many questions, but one thing I know for sure is that we must all go to the deep place with God, and in God. We must seek His face, and His face alone, cultivating an intimate relationship with our Heavenly Father, with His Son, Jesus Christ, and with Holy Spirit, our Comforter, Who was sent to take the place of Jesus on the earth until Jesus comes back again to our planet. The Bible tells me that He is readying Himself for this trip even as I write this; even as you are reading this. We must ready ourselves, too. How do we do this? By seeking a relationship with the Trinity, or else none of us will know what to do when the alarm sounds.
Today, I renewed my determination to take time everyday to sit quietly before God, to say to Him, "Here I am. I am going to clear my mind of every thought, except You. I am not going to let Chatter, Clutter, or Static creep in. I am not going to let Requests creep in. Every time I catch myself thinking about anything but You, I will refocus my attention onto You. Please help me. I need to know You, My Daddy God. I need to know Your Son, Jesus, and I need to know Holy Spirit, Who will guide me in this quest to know. Like never before, I will give You this time everyday. I won't let the devil tell me that five minutes doesn't count. I will give you focused time everyday, regardless that sometimes five minutes may be all I have. Some days, I may find myself spending five hours in this quiet time before You. It doesn't matter. What matters is that I come everyday. Coming before You, and focusing on only You during that time. Those are the important things. My time, and my focus. I will not let the enemy rob me of doing this. This is the battle. This is the war. I will fight. I will do this. I will win in this. I will not try to do it. Trying is cop out. I will do! No matter what. I know that when I do this, You will do the rest from there. You will lead me, guide me, and speak to me whatever it is that I need to know. I will step away from the door that the bad man is trying to smash down, and let You do the barring. You do better than I ever could, anyway! I will study, not just read Your Word, which is Your book that is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path. I will ask Holy Spirit, my Guide, and my Teacher to illuminate the meanings to me. And thus, I will know You, instead of just knowing of, or about You. I will know You!"
Zechariah 4:6 "...Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord of hosts."
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Now I Understand
Yesterday, I finished reading a book called, 'The Presence and Work of the Holy Spirit' by R. A. Torrey. As I closed the final page, I was astonished to realize how much I had learned.
I couldn't help but wonder why I did not know a lot of what was written here. After all, not only had I attended a Catholic Grade School, but a High School as well. Upon Graduation, I then attended a Full Gospel Church, switching from Catholicism to Pentecostal, because I didn't feel I was being adequately fed. I wanted to be taught straight from the Bible itself. Though I do not attend the same Pentecostal church I did all those years ago, I have remained in Bible teaching churches until this present day, yet this book taught me things I had yet to know. I was shocked, to tell you the truth. After all, I've attended churches that profess to allow Holy Spirit free reign. That's what I wanted, and thought I was receiving.
Oh well, I also suppose it is much like going to the doctor in today's world. In order to get proper medical treatment, you must, in a sense, "be your own doctor." When you visit a physician, it's a wise decision to armed with information. It's a good idea to bring a list of questions to ask them, and not to fully rely on them to do all the deciding for you in regards to your health. Thank God for the Internet, second opinions, and of course, good old fashioned prayer!
I've found that it is the same in regards to our spiritual health. We have to seek for ourselves the truth that will guide us rightfully on the path, not only to the destiny that God has for each one of us, but ultimately to the path of Eternal Life. Only Holy Spirit can truly show us these paths. We have to know Him, though, in order to be led by Him.
One of the statements in this book is, "We should not ask, 'How can I get more of the Holy Spirit?' but rather, 'How can Holy Spirit have get more of me?'" (The paraphrase is mine.) Until this morning in prayer, I never knew there was a difference.
For years, I have had a challenge in my dealings with a certain family in my life. I could never put my finger on what the problem was, so I did what the book said to do, and asked Holy Spirit to show me. Within minutes, I could see things that I didn't realize before. He showed me what I was harboring in my heart towards them. Although I could say these attitudes were justified because of their behavior to me over the years, I have come to know that there is no such justification as far as Jesus is concerned.
His command is clear. He says, "Forgive, and you will be forgiven." Period! He doesn't say, "I understand that they have treated you so unfairly, and down right mean, over the years. You have a right to hold your feelings against these people!" No! He says, "Daughter, if you do not forgive them, I cannot forgive you!" Yikes!
As Holy Spirit showed me, one by one, the things I was holding against them, I confessed each resentment I was harboring as sin, and applied the Blood of Jesus to them, one at a time. I had no idea there were so many!
As I continued to do this, I heard that still small voice that the Bible talks about. In my mind, and in my heart, I heard, "This is how you give more of yourself to Me. By doing what you are doing, you are making more room in your heart for Me to dwell. Now, I've got more of you!"
In that moment, I understood that there was a difference, and what that difference was. I was then able to say in response, "Holy Spirit, now I understand! Thank You! I will ever make more room for You to dwell in me!"
1 Corinthians 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
I couldn't help but wonder why I did not know a lot of what was written here. After all, not only had I attended a Catholic Grade School, but a High School as well. Upon Graduation, I then attended a Full Gospel Church, switching from Catholicism to Pentecostal, because I didn't feel I was being adequately fed. I wanted to be taught straight from the Bible itself. Though I do not attend the same Pentecostal church I did all those years ago, I have remained in Bible teaching churches until this present day, yet this book taught me things I had yet to know. I was shocked, to tell you the truth. After all, I've attended churches that profess to allow Holy Spirit free reign. That's what I wanted, and thought I was receiving.
Oh well, I also suppose it is much like going to the doctor in today's world. In order to get proper medical treatment, you must, in a sense, "be your own doctor." When you visit a physician, it's a wise decision to armed with information. It's a good idea to bring a list of questions to ask them, and not to fully rely on them to do all the deciding for you in regards to your health. Thank God for the Internet, second opinions, and of course, good old fashioned prayer!
I've found that it is the same in regards to our spiritual health. We have to seek for ourselves the truth that will guide us rightfully on the path, not only to the destiny that God has for each one of us, but ultimately to the path of Eternal Life. Only Holy Spirit can truly show us these paths. We have to know Him, though, in order to be led by Him.
One of the statements in this book is, "We should not ask, 'How can I get more of the Holy Spirit?' but rather, 'How can Holy Spirit have get more of me?'" (The paraphrase is mine.) Until this morning in prayer, I never knew there was a difference.
For years, I have had a challenge in my dealings with a certain family in my life. I could never put my finger on what the problem was, so I did what the book said to do, and asked Holy Spirit to show me. Within minutes, I could see things that I didn't realize before. He showed me what I was harboring in my heart towards them. Although I could say these attitudes were justified because of their behavior to me over the years, I have come to know that there is no such justification as far as Jesus is concerned.
His command is clear. He says, "Forgive, and you will be forgiven." Period! He doesn't say, "I understand that they have treated you so unfairly, and down right mean, over the years. You have a right to hold your feelings against these people!" No! He says, "Daughter, if you do not forgive them, I cannot forgive you!" Yikes!
As Holy Spirit showed me, one by one, the things I was holding against them, I confessed each resentment I was harboring as sin, and applied the Blood of Jesus to them, one at a time. I had no idea there were so many!
As I continued to do this, I heard that still small voice that the Bible talks about. In my mind, and in my heart, I heard, "This is how you give more of yourself to Me. By doing what you are doing, you are making more room in your heart for Me to dwell. Now, I've got more of you!"
In that moment, I understood that there was a difference, and what that difference was. I was then able to say in response, "Holy Spirit, now I understand! Thank You! I will ever make more room for You to dwell in me!"
1 Corinthians 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Cheese and Crackers
Today, my Pastor made a very good point in his message. Thank God for Pastors who spend time at the feet of Jesus!
He told a story of a foreign family who was aboard a ship that was headed for America. In order to save money, they brought along cheese and crackers for their journey. Every meal for two weeks consisted of their cheese and crackers.
Sounds of laughter, and chatting could be heard by this family, as the other passengers passed by their cabin on the way to the dining room at each meal time. They would listen to these same passengers returning from dinner, raving about how delicious the meal of steak, lobster, and luscious deserts were.
Finally, the captain gave the announcement that the ship would arrive in America on the morrow.
This man said to his family, "I will be right back. I will go and inquire of the price to dine tonight with the rest of the passengers. I shall see how much is will cost us to celebrate with everyone else for our last meal aboard ship."
When this man inquired of the captain how much it would cost for him and his family to have dinner, the captain looked perplexed. Scratching his head, he stated simply, "Why, sir, there is no cost for you and your family to join us for dinner. Didn't you know that all of your meals were included in the price of your ticket?"
Pastor pointed out that those of us who are followers of Christ, act this same way much of the time. We settle for cheese and crackers, when the King has set a banquet table before us, filled with the choicest meats, the finest pastries, the most succulent wines, all the while longing for us to accept His invitation to "Come and eat...Taste and see..."
He went on to say that we do this because we fail to learn, and then fail to grasp once we are taught, who we really are in Christ; and what He truly extends to us in His act of forgiving our sins. We don't walk in His freedom from sin, nor of His sacrifice of paying the price for ALL of our wrong-doings and mistakes, because we allow the enemy to continually remind us of our tainted past.
He said, "Every time the devil reminds you of your past, remind him of his future! Tell him, 'That person you are throwing up to me no longer exists. That person is dead. The dead person did those things. That person has nothing to do with me anymore. I am alive in Christ. I am a new creature in Him.'"
I love that! Thank you, Pastor!
2 Corintians 5:17 "I am a new creation in Christ, old things have passed away and behold all things have been made new."
He told a story of a foreign family who was aboard a ship that was headed for America. In order to save money, they brought along cheese and crackers for their journey. Every meal for two weeks consisted of their cheese and crackers.
Sounds of laughter, and chatting could be heard by this family, as the other passengers passed by their cabin on the way to the dining room at each meal time. They would listen to these same passengers returning from dinner, raving about how delicious the meal of steak, lobster, and luscious deserts were.
Finally, the captain gave the announcement that the ship would arrive in America on the morrow.
This man said to his family, "I will be right back. I will go and inquire of the price to dine tonight with the rest of the passengers. I shall see how much is will cost us to celebrate with everyone else for our last meal aboard ship."
When this man inquired of the captain how much it would cost for him and his family to have dinner, the captain looked perplexed. Scratching his head, he stated simply, "Why, sir, there is no cost for you and your family to join us for dinner. Didn't you know that all of your meals were included in the price of your ticket?"
Pastor pointed out that those of us who are followers of Christ, act this same way much of the time. We settle for cheese and crackers, when the King has set a banquet table before us, filled with the choicest meats, the finest pastries, the most succulent wines, all the while longing for us to accept His invitation to "Come and eat...Taste and see..."
He went on to say that we do this because we fail to learn, and then fail to grasp once we are taught, who we really are in Christ; and what He truly extends to us in His act of forgiving our sins. We don't walk in His freedom from sin, nor of His sacrifice of paying the price for ALL of our wrong-doings and mistakes, because we allow the enemy to continually remind us of our tainted past.
He said, "Every time the devil reminds you of your past, remind him of his future! Tell him, 'That person you are throwing up to me no longer exists. That person is dead. The dead person did those things. That person has nothing to do with me anymore. I am alive in Christ. I am a new creature in Him.'"
I love that! Thank you, Pastor!
2 Corintians 5:17 "I am a new creation in Christ, old things have passed away and behold all things have been made new."
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Need For Speed
On my way to church today, as usual, I used the time to converse with God.
A few miles out onto the highway, the Lord starting talking to me about my speedometer. He pointed out the fact, that the numbers on it rarely match the numbers posted on the speed limit signs. Then, He politely mentioned that when I choose to speed, I am allowing a spirit of rebellion to operate in my life.
Honestly, I was a little stunned. I really never thought about it like that before. I simply found it fun, and chalked it up to the having a need for speed. I enjoyed playing games with the clock, always trying to reduce my time by another minute with each trip. I'm confident in my driving skills, and take a bit of pride in my ability to maneuver tight corners without needing to hit the brakes. Why, I'm one of the best driver's I know!
My first thought was, "Gee, how boring would driving become if I would stick to the speed limits? I don't know how I would even be able to do it!"
God wouldn't let me off the hook, though. He explained that the law is put into place to keep order. The law posts speed limits to keep the roadways safe, and even if I don't agree with what those speed limits happen to be, that I am still called to abide by them.
He reminded me that His Word tells me that I am to submit to those who are in authority over me. He went on to say that if I really wanted to please Him like I say I do, then, from now on, I need to drive only as fast as the posted speed limits allow.
I really didn't want to hear that, but I knew that my speeding days were over!
He knew He had me the minute He said, "If you really want to please me, then you will choose to..."
Above all things, I want to please Him. I want to be like Jesus, and say to my Father, "Not my will, but Yours will I do!"
I backed off the accelerator, bringing my speed to a turtle crawl of 55mph. Without having cruse control, I found it difficult to keep my speed steady. Whew! I never knew driving could be such an effort!
Oh well, small price to pay to do the Lord's will...
1 Peter 2:13-14 "Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right."
A few miles out onto the highway, the Lord starting talking to me about my speedometer. He pointed out the fact, that the numbers on it rarely match the numbers posted on the speed limit signs. Then, He politely mentioned that when I choose to speed, I am allowing a spirit of rebellion to operate in my life.
Honestly, I was a little stunned. I really never thought about it like that before. I simply found it fun, and chalked it up to the having a need for speed. I enjoyed playing games with the clock, always trying to reduce my time by another minute with each trip. I'm confident in my driving skills, and take a bit of pride in my ability to maneuver tight corners without needing to hit the brakes. Why, I'm one of the best driver's I know!
My first thought was, "Gee, how boring would driving become if I would stick to the speed limits? I don't know how I would even be able to do it!"
God wouldn't let me off the hook, though. He explained that the law is put into place to keep order. The law posts speed limits to keep the roadways safe, and even if I don't agree with what those speed limits happen to be, that I am still called to abide by them.
He reminded me that His Word tells me that I am to submit to those who are in authority over me. He went on to say that if I really wanted to please Him like I say I do, then, from now on, I need to drive only as fast as the posted speed limits allow.
I really didn't want to hear that, but I knew that my speeding days were over!
He knew He had me the minute He said, "If you really want to please me, then you will choose to..."
Above all things, I want to please Him. I want to be like Jesus, and say to my Father, "Not my will, but Yours will I do!"
I backed off the accelerator, bringing my speed to a turtle crawl of 55mph. Without having cruse control, I found it difficult to keep my speed steady. Whew! I never knew driving could be such an effort!
Oh well, small price to pay to do the Lord's will...
1 Peter 2:13-14 "Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right."
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Hip, Hip, Hooray!
When I think about the word, "celebrate" or "celebration" I can't help but think of what it looks like when your home town football team wins a super bowl. That has happened in my town five times now, so I'm familiar with the look, and sound of this particular "celebration."
I am always amazed at how much noise people can make in regards to sports, and yet, I watch people actually fall asleep when the Preacher is telling them that all they have to do to possess Eternal Life with a loving Father in heaven, is to ask for it. I think that's some good news worth shouting about! I look around on Sunday morning to see blank faces, and glazed over eyes. I ask silently, "Weren't you the same person who lost your voice last week from cheering on that sports team you're so crazy about?"
I just don't get it! The King of Kings is in the house, and I see you yawning as He walks among us!
I'm not in the best mood tonight. I had to sit in bumper to bumper traffic on the way home from work due to another stupid sports event letting out. I wonder why I've never been stuck in a traffic jam due to a great church service letting out. Where is everyone then? I guess they're all over at the football stadium!
Psalm 47:1 "O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph."
I am always amazed at how much noise people can make in regards to sports, and yet, I watch people actually fall asleep when the Preacher is telling them that all they have to do to possess Eternal Life with a loving Father in heaven, is to ask for it. I think that's some good news worth shouting about! I look around on Sunday morning to see blank faces, and glazed over eyes. I ask silently, "Weren't you the same person who lost your voice last week from cheering on that sports team you're so crazy about?"
I just don't get it! The King of Kings is in the house, and I see you yawning as He walks among us!
I'm not in the best mood tonight. I had to sit in bumper to bumper traffic on the way home from work due to another stupid sports event letting out. I wonder why I've never been stuck in a traffic jam due to a great church service letting out. Where is everyone then? I guess they're all over at the football stadium!
Psalm 47:1 "O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph."
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
A Perfect Day
Driving to meet my sister, who happens to be my business partner, I noticed that one of my tires needed air. I pulled into a gas station to find that they had an air hose available free of charge. "Peculiar," I thought. "I haven't seen free air for years now."
The forty-five minute drive took only thirty, because the traffic lights seemed to all be timed in my favor. "That never happened before," I noted.
A rare calm fell over our meeting with the Director of the center where we proposed our fund-raiser. She liked every aspect of what we had to offer. Twenty minutes later, and my sister and I soaked in a feeling of peace while walking back to our cars. The meeting was a complete success.
Heading up the road, we stopped at a quaint, and cozy coffee shop. Sipping our delicious coffee, and tea, we satisfied our sweet tooth with a hearty muffin. Afterward, we strolled outside, where the weather was a perfect sunny, delightfully breezy, 72 degrees. Underneath our feet, pine needles and old leaves, cushioned our walk along a natural path that led to an empty gazebo, which was nestled next to a pond. It seemed to have been waiting for our arrival.
We spoke of things both frivolous, and concerting, as the sound of gentle winds rustled through the leaves on the trees that nestled us in so serenely.
About an hour later, a gentleman approached, politely asking us if it would be alright if he took a chair that was located nearby. We couldn't help but notice the large Bible he was carrying, and commented that we were pleased with his choice of reading. This led to a thirty minute conversation about a favorite topic for all of us, which happens to be, the goodness of God. He shared his story of his journey that led him into a relationship with Jesus. It was interesting, to say the least. He left us with his email address, and just like that, we had a new friend, and a new brother in Christ! Funny how that happened...
A stone's throw away, a newly established Interior Decorating Shop called our name. Intoxicating Victorian scents greeted us at the door. Enchanting music exhaled through the built in speakers, as we fondled each unique treasure that caught our eye.
By now, our taste buds were carrying us to another nearby shop, of which my favorite dish was being served. Taking our plates back outside, we ate at a beautiful stone table underneath the shade of the trees. The food was so good, I ordered a dish to take home to my son.
Five hours flew by. It was time to part ways. We didn't want the day to end, but family members were waiting for our return.
It was now right in the time frame of the traffic hour, so I prepared myself for a ride that would take well over an hour. I was gladly proven wrong. I made it home within thirty minutes once again. "That never happens!" I exclaimed. Then, it hit me! At last, I realized that indeed the hand of God had been upon every aspect of our day! "So this is what it's like to experience God's favor!" I gathered. "Wow! Thank you, Lord!" I said aloud. "I love you, too!"
Psalm 90:17 May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us--yes, establish the work of our hands.
The forty-five minute drive took only thirty, because the traffic lights seemed to all be timed in my favor. "That never happened before," I noted.
A rare calm fell over our meeting with the Director of the center where we proposed our fund-raiser. She liked every aspect of what we had to offer. Twenty minutes later, and my sister and I soaked in a feeling of peace while walking back to our cars. The meeting was a complete success.
Heading up the road, we stopped at a quaint, and cozy coffee shop. Sipping our delicious coffee, and tea, we satisfied our sweet tooth with a hearty muffin. Afterward, we strolled outside, where the weather was a perfect sunny, delightfully breezy, 72 degrees. Underneath our feet, pine needles and old leaves, cushioned our walk along a natural path that led to an empty gazebo, which was nestled next to a pond. It seemed to have been waiting for our arrival.
We spoke of things both frivolous, and concerting, as the sound of gentle winds rustled through the leaves on the trees that nestled us in so serenely.
About an hour later, a gentleman approached, politely asking us if it would be alright if he took a chair that was located nearby. We couldn't help but notice the large Bible he was carrying, and commented that we were pleased with his choice of reading. This led to a thirty minute conversation about a favorite topic for all of us, which happens to be, the goodness of God. He shared his story of his journey that led him into a relationship with Jesus. It was interesting, to say the least. He left us with his email address, and just like that, we had a new friend, and a new brother in Christ! Funny how that happened...
A stone's throw away, a newly established Interior Decorating Shop called our name. Intoxicating Victorian scents greeted us at the door. Enchanting music exhaled through the built in speakers, as we fondled each unique treasure that caught our eye.
By now, our taste buds were carrying us to another nearby shop, of which my favorite dish was being served. Taking our plates back outside, we ate at a beautiful stone table underneath the shade of the trees. The food was so good, I ordered a dish to take home to my son.
Five hours flew by. It was time to part ways. We didn't want the day to end, but family members were waiting for our return.
It was now right in the time frame of the traffic hour, so I prepared myself for a ride that would take well over an hour. I was gladly proven wrong. I made it home within thirty minutes once again. "That never happens!" I exclaimed. Then, it hit me! At last, I realized that indeed the hand of God had been upon every aspect of our day! "So this is what it's like to experience God's favor!" I gathered. "Wow! Thank you, Lord!" I said aloud. "I love you, too!"
Psalm 90:17 May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us--yes, establish the work of our hands.
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