I've not disappeared. It is year end right now at work so I'm going to be putting in some long hours between now and the 8th. Most time I have at home will be spent with my family so you won't be hearing much from me in the next week. Don't go away though. I may be able to sneak some moments to spend with all of you and even if I can't I'll be back with lots to say soon!
I'll miss all of you!
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Goals, Dreams & Ideals
This is a meme that Laura over at Writing Thoughts tagged me for. Normally I do these things on my Moment in My Life blog, however this one fits with this blog and my recent desire to have a more focused life.
In fact one of the things the Mike Bickle talk I was listening to spoke of is how when he was about 18 or 19, he wrote down what his goals in life were. He wrote down a short list of things he wanted to be known for when he died.
A few months ago Juan had talked about this schedule and led us all through an exercise where we wrote down what we wanted to be known for when we were 50. At the time none of this sunk in. I guess I was not ready for it yet. Now I've been thinking about all of this again and I think this meme fits in.
In the past I would have said I wanted to be known as a famous author, someone everyone looked to for answers because of my knowledge, a successful business woman, but now those things don't mean much to me anymore.
Here are my Goals, Dreams & Ideals. I'm making one list because I think they are all very interwined just as Laura states in her post.
1. I want to be known as a woman of God, who loved Him with everything that I posesses. But more importantly, even if nobody else ever sees this in me I want to follow God in everything and live a full life in Him. I want to step into the promises He has for me. I want to hear "Well done, good and faithful servant!" when I stand before my God.
2. I want to be known as a loving and faithful wife. I want to be seen as a woman who loved her husband just as our vows said. Just as God has loved us, I want to love my husband. I want to be a godly wife who supports my husband. I truely want to be a Proverbs 31 wife to my husband.
Proverbs 31:10 - 12
A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.
Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value.
She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.
Read the entire Proverbs 31 chapter.
3. I want to be a loving and nuturing mother who raises my children in the ways of the Lord. A mother who always looks for what is best for them and teaches them the greatness of our Lord and Savior.
4. A loyal and loving friend. I want to be the seen by my friends, my church family, as someone who is transparent with them. I may not always have it together and I'm honest with them about that. We lean on one another, pray for one another and encourage one another. I want to be a friend who speaks boldly in love when it is needed, who forgives when needed and and most importantly, who is humble enough to ask forgiveness when it is necessary.
Those are my dreams, goals and ideals. They are in that order: God, Husband, Children, Family/Friends. I know the only way I can ever attain these is to put my trust and my life in God's hands. I need to fully step into what he has laid out for me and not look to the cares of this world. It will be a tough journey and I know I'll fail at times. But I also know He loves me and if I turn back to Him, He will take my hand and lead me back onto the right path. In the end, it will be more than worth it! Nothing else will ever fulfill me, only His path for me can do that!
In fact one of the things the Mike Bickle talk I was listening to spoke of is how when he was about 18 or 19, he wrote down what his goals in life were. He wrote down a short list of things he wanted to be known for when he died.
A few months ago Juan had talked about this schedule and led us all through an exercise where we wrote down what we wanted to be known for when we were 50. At the time none of this sunk in. I guess I was not ready for it yet. Now I've been thinking about all of this again and I think this meme fits in.
In the past I would have said I wanted to be known as a famous author, someone everyone looked to for answers because of my knowledge, a successful business woman, but now those things don't mean much to me anymore.
Here are my Goals, Dreams & Ideals. I'm making one list because I think they are all very interwined just as Laura states in her post.
1. I want to be known as a woman of God, who loved Him with everything that I posesses. But more importantly, even if nobody else ever sees this in me I want to follow God in everything and live a full life in Him. I want to step into the promises He has for me. I want to hear "Well done, good and faithful servant!" when I stand before my God.
2. I want to be known as a loving and faithful wife. I want to be seen as a woman who loved her husband just as our vows said. Just as God has loved us, I want to love my husband. I want to be a godly wife who supports my husband. I truely want to be a Proverbs 31 wife to my husband.
Proverbs 31:10 - 12
A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.
Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value.
She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.
Read the entire Proverbs 31 chapter.
3. I want to be a loving and nuturing mother who raises my children in the ways of the Lord. A mother who always looks for what is best for them and teaches them the greatness of our Lord and Savior.
4. A loyal and loving friend. I want to be the seen by my friends, my church family, as someone who is transparent with them. I may not always have it together and I'm honest with them about that. We lean on one another, pray for one another and encourage one another. I want to be a friend who speaks boldly in love when it is needed, who forgives when needed and and most importantly, who is humble enough to ask forgiveness when it is necessary.
Those are my dreams, goals and ideals. They are in that order: God, Husband, Children, Family/Friends. I know the only way I can ever attain these is to put my trust and my life in God's hands. I need to fully step into what he has laid out for me and not look to the cares of this world. It will be a tough journey and I know I'll fail at times. But I also know He loves me and if I turn back to Him, He will take my hand and lead me back onto the right path. In the end, it will be more than worth it! Nothing else will ever fulfill me, only His path for me can do that!
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
40 Days for 40 Years
I received this email from a friend in my House Church and wanted to share it with all of you. It is a worldwide fast that will be starting the evening of June 28th through July 7th. I've not really fasted before so instead of a full blown fast I will be doing what is called a Daniel Fast. I've heard this described as just fruits and veggies and I've heard it described as a "sweets and meats" fast. I'll be doing the sweets and meats fast. I tell you this not to drawn your attention to me and my fasting but to encourage you to read the entire email which I'm posting here. Check out the websites listed as well to learn more about this. Then I encourage you to join in this fast. Our God is Awesome and I believe He has some amazing things awaiting us!
Email - 40 Days for 40 Years
God has graciously raised up Lou Engle to call America to a 40 day fast. Lou has mobilized thousands of leaders who are committed to this vision as well. All the major Christian TV networks are announcing it to get the word out - it is time for America to fast and pray as a nation. The article below, written by Lou, explains the urgency behind this initiative. The IHOP-KC family is standing with The Call and belivers during these 40 days. Please forward this to everyone you know who has a heart for America.
40 days for 40 years
by Lou Engle
by Lou Engle
There are moments in history when a door for massive change opens, and great revolutions for good or evil spring up in the vacuum created by these openings. In these historic moments key men and women and even entire generations risk everything to become the hinge of history, the pivotal point that determines which way the door will swing.
The rebellious generation of the 60’s seized its moment, and history crashed into the deep abyss of drug addiction, sexual immorality, hatred for authority, and a rejection of the law of God. 1967 was a culminating and defining moment in that rebellion. In 1967, 100,000 young people, aged 15-25 flocked to San Francisco to experience the hippie movement. This mass convergence was sparked by the hit song, San Francisco, (Wear a Flower in your Hair). Once there, they experimented with LSD, pot, casual sex and Eastern mysticism in what became known as the “Summer of Love.”
When these newly recruited Flower Children returned home at the end of the summer, they brought with them new styles and ideas, flooding the cities of the US and Europe with a message that opposed authority and scorned conservative morals. This counterculture rebellion was fueled by music and art, and it rapidly shifted global culture.
For 40 years we have been falling headlong into a black moral morass in America and all through the west. We are reaping the waves of destruction in every sector of our post Christian society. Can America survive another 40 years? We are declaring NO! A thousand times NO! Unless a massive spiritual shift occurs at this moment our children will live under an antichrist system and Godless enculturation that will bring about the demise of America, as we know it.
But God has a prescription for such a massive shift and it is revealed in the power of the great transitional 40-day fast. God in His sovereign control over the parade of history delivered the Israelites out of Egypt. Longing to release a moral code that would give foundations for righteousness, for time and eternity, God summoned Moses to a 40-day fast on Mount Sinai. In that fast all of history changed and the law of God was delivered from heaven to earth. And if America is going to return to God it must recover that law again as its foundation for truth.
Elijah, at the height of Jezebel’s cultic dominion over Israel fasted 40 days, broke the spell of Jezebel off of his own life and received a mandate to anoint the next generation. That fast unleashed a movement that toppled Jezebel’s regime of hell, which perpetrated the destruction of family, the killing of innocent children, the silencing of the voice of God’s people and the widespread culture of sexual immorality. The fruit of that fast culminated in the utter destruction of Baal worship in Israel.
Also in the fullness of time the glorious gospel era was born when Jesus fasted 40 days and those who sat in darkness saw a great light. Clearly the 40-day fast is heaven’s great transitional prescription, moving nations from failure to fulfillment of promise. Is it any surprise that when Jesus was to enter into His great sacrifice where death would be swallowed up in victory, Elijah and Moses appear with Him on the Mount of Transfiguration. All three of them were together as the 40-day fasters. They presided over the great transitions of history.
When the Israelites were poised to move into the Promise Land, spies were sent out for 40 days. When they returned carrying an evil report, a whole generation was infected with unbelief and they turned there back on the Promise Land. God’s sentence on that generation was, “And your sons shall be wanderers in the wilderness for 40 years and bear the brunt of your infidelity until your carcasses are consumed in the wilderness. According to the number of the days in which you spied out the land 40 days, for each day you shall bear your guilt one year, namely 40 years, and you shall know my rejection.” (Numbers 14:33-34) It was 40 years of judgment for 40 days failure.
Conversely the great prophet Ezekiel received a 40-day prayer assignment for a 40-year failure of Judah’s iniquity. “Lie again on your right side, then you shall bear the iniquity of the house of Judah, 40 days I have laid on you a day for each year.” (Ezekiel 4:6) It was clearly 40 days prayer for 40 years of failure.
Conversely the great prophet Ezekiel received a 40-day prayer assignment for a 40-year failure of Judah’s iniquity. “Lie again on your right side, then you shall bear the iniquity of the house of Judah, 40 days I have laid on you a day for each year.” (Ezekiel 4:6) It was clearly 40 days prayer for 40 years of failure.
When Jesus fasted 40 days and was tempted of the devil he quoted from the book of Deuteronomy saying, “It is written man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” And again, “You shall not tempt the Lord thy God” and again, “You shall worship the Lord your God and Him only shall you worship.” Jesus in His victory over Satan was quoting the book of Deuteronomy, the portion of scripture delivered by Moses to the generation who failed in the desert. Jesus in His 40-day fast was clearly identifying with that passage of scripture and that generation that came out of Egypt. As an intercessor in His 40-day fast he was fulfilling what a generation had failed in for 40 years. 40 years are up! Could the church of America in a 40-day fast deliver a nation out of a 40-year curse? We have scriptural precedent to believe for such a turning! Therefore, we are trumpeting a call to 40 days of fasting like Moses, like Elijah, like Ezekiel, and like Jesus. We must cry for mercy for 40 days of prayer with fasting for the past 40 years of inquiry, divorcing God in America, embracing a culture of sexual immorality, hedonism, materialism, abortion, and the rejection of Christ in the public place. But we are also calling for 40 days of fasting and prayer for the greatest outbreak of the kingdom power, in signs and wonders, and spiritual awakening in America that will collide with this present darkness and topple its cultural dominion over our people. Thousands went on 40-day fasts in 1946 and in 1947 the great healing revivals broke out. In 1948 the latter rain outpourings began. Bill Bright and Billy Graham’s ministries were born at the same time, and Israel became a nation. Could it be that the 40-day fast preceded this explosion of power by the Spirit. After Jesus’ 40-day fast the scripture says He returned in the power of the Spirit. Yes the promise of Joel 2:28 is that after the fast I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh…
40 years ago in 1967 the Jesus Movement broke out, a youth revival starting on the streets that swept across the country, exploding in college campuses and coffee houses. People were being saved everywhere. Now 40 years later we are crying, do it again God, way beyond the Jesus movement!
In 1967, in a war and obviously by the supernatural hand of God, Jerusalem was taken and once again brought under the control of the state of Israel. This was a monumental signpost in the shifting of eras. The dispensation of the times of the Gentiles was now beginning to shift to the times when Jerusalem will become the last days focus for God’s activity in the earth. For 40 days we are joining Israel in a 40-day fast crying out to God that they would see there Messiah and that they would begin to receive their greatest spiritual awakening since the days of the Apostles.
Brothers and sisters moments like these come only once in a lifetime. To miss such a moment could be to miss the purpose of God for a generation. The generation that refused to cross over the Jordan did not know that they had only one day to make the decision, and missing that day meant 40 years in the desert.
Even now we are receiving reports that other countries are calling 40-day fasts. Could we be in a Global 40-day season of fasting like Jesus to see a global outbreak of light when great darkness is covering the earth? Beginning the evening of May 28 we are calling 2 generations to 40 days of fasting and prayer culminating on July 6 to prepare us for 7-7-07, the perfection of time, in a massive national gathering of fasting, intercession, repentance, and worship declaring we want to remarry the Lord. We want to cross over into the promise land of national revival. We want to break this 40-year curse.
May thousands seek God in water, juice, and Daniel fasts from May 28-July 6 in preparation for The Call Nashville on 7-7-07 (a national solemn assembly).
What would happen in America if for 40 days we sealed the electronic cultural sewer that flows nightly into our living rooms and spent our strength seeking the Lord? What if tens of thousands of fathers and mothers across our nation fasted for 40 days repenting and cleansing themselves of inward toleration of sexual immorality, pornography, addiction to food and entertainment, and materialism? What if they prayed daily for their spiritual and physical children to see them converted to Christ and freed from rebellion, from addictions, depression, and suicide? What if the young generation fasted for 40 days to be cleansed from lust, media addiction, rebellion toward there parents, believing that a double portion of the Holy Spirit would come upon there lives?
Moses fasted 40 days and mentored a spiritual son named Joshua, which means the Lord saves. Elijah fasted 40 days and threw his mantle on a double portion son Elisha, which means the Lord saves. And John the Baptist fasted in the desert and prepared the way for a double portion son named Jesus, which means the Lord saves. Jesus fasted 40 days and unleashed the apostolic glory of the eternal Son of God into the earth. What If we are preparing a generation for the greatest day of salvation in history? And so, what if tens of thousands of both generations fast together and gather on 7-7-07 for The Call Nashville in LP Field, to cry out to God in a Joel 2 moment for great national returning to the Lord?
The parade of history has brought us into a profound generational landmark, and a great vacuum has opened again. If the church does not seize this moment Muslims will! Antichrist rage will! Sexual perversion will! Anarchy will! But now is the time for key men and women, even an entire generation to risk everything to become the hinge of history, the pivotal point which determines which way the door will swing in America and in the nations of the earth. Its 40 Days or 40 Years! Seize the Day!
We will be launching this fast with a worldwide simulcast on God TV on May 26th.
For all information on the 40-day fast and The Call Nashville please visit www.fastandpray.com and www.thecall.com.
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Bible Study
My friend Traver recently sent out an email with a question someone from our house church network had asked him. He wanted to know why people say they are in a Bible study when often the primary text they are reading is not the Bible? Traver immediately got his point and so did I as I read the email.
It also made me think back to a few years ago. At that time I was always excited to start new Bible Studies. I pursued knowledge wherever I could and was an avid reader. Looking back though I remember many times being bummed when we had a lot of Bible verses to look up for the study or long Bible passages to read. I wanted to get to the "good stuff", the commentaries by the author of the study.
Looking back now, I can clearly see how absolutely ridiculous it was that I was not wanting to read much of my Bible for the "Bible" study. However at that time it never occurred to me that my thinking was illogical.
I'm still an avid reader, however I'm working to include much more actual Bible reading and I'm praying a lot more. I still love my share of fiction books, but I find myself reading less and less of it. I've also noted I tend to take longer to read things now. Instead of just powering through something I tend to stop and ponder what the author is saying. And I tend to turn back to God's Word to compare on my own what the author is saying to what God says.
The second CD I had listened to during my trip regarding Living a Focused Life, dealt with Bible Study. Mike Bickle has two suggestions for studying God's Word. One is to read large sections each day. The one plan he has would get you through the New Testament once a month. Can you imagine what God could teach you if you read the New Testament 12 times a year! The other method is to read much smaller sections at a time along with a couple commentaries. You then reflect prayerfully on what you've read, paraphrase what the passage is about and write what you've learned from it. I think this would be very effective as I am a note-taker and find things stick with me much more when I write them down in my own words and write down my thoughts.
I'm relistening to this CD, because I had originally listened to it late at night and I'm not sure I got the details down very well. I think I'm going to try a bit of a combination of the two ways Mike suggests. Mike's main point is that we need to schedule in our Study Time as I discussed in a previous post and we need to be focused on how we are studying the Bible. If we don't have a plan in place, we will tend to wander and not get much out of our study.
The other thing God is showing me is the difference between Knowledge and Wisdom. I am trying to ensure I pray before and during my study times. I want to pursue God's Wisdom, not just knowledge. It is easy to start pursuing knowledge for the sake of knowledge and lose sight of our real goal, developing a relationship with the Lord.
Do you have a scheduled time to study God's Word each day? Even it if is only 30 minutes, it is a start and will flame that desire to dive in more. Do you have a focused plan for studying God's Word or do you just float around from book to book, passage to passge without getting much out of it?
I'm working on my schedule right now and will share it with all of you. One, to give you an example and two, so I'm held a bit more accountable for sticking to my schedule. Remember even keeping the schedule 80% of the time will result in changes in your life as you become focused on what is important to you. I'll also be sharing some of the wisdom God imparts to me as I begin my focused study of His Word.
It also made me think back to a few years ago. At that time I was always excited to start new Bible Studies. I pursued knowledge wherever I could and was an avid reader. Looking back though I remember many times being bummed when we had a lot of Bible verses to look up for the study or long Bible passages to read. I wanted to get to the "good stuff", the commentaries by the author of the study.
Looking back now, I can clearly see how absolutely ridiculous it was that I was not wanting to read much of my Bible for the "Bible" study. However at that time it never occurred to me that my thinking was illogical.
I'm still an avid reader, however I'm working to include much more actual Bible reading and I'm praying a lot more. I still love my share of fiction books, but I find myself reading less and less of it. I've also noted I tend to take longer to read things now. Instead of just powering through something I tend to stop and ponder what the author is saying. And I tend to turn back to God's Word to compare on my own what the author is saying to what God says.
The second CD I had listened to during my trip regarding Living a Focused Life, dealt with Bible Study. Mike Bickle has two suggestions for studying God's Word. One is to read large sections each day. The one plan he has would get you through the New Testament once a month. Can you imagine what God could teach you if you read the New Testament 12 times a year! The other method is to read much smaller sections at a time along with a couple commentaries. You then reflect prayerfully on what you've read, paraphrase what the passage is about and write what you've learned from it. I think this would be very effective as I am a note-taker and find things stick with me much more when I write them down in my own words and write down my thoughts.
I'm relistening to this CD, because I had originally listened to it late at night and I'm not sure I got the details down very well. I think I'm going to try a bit of a combination of the two ways Mike suggests. Mike's main point is that we need to schedule in our Study Time as I discussed in a previous post and we need to be focused on how we are studying the Bible. If we don't have a plan in place, we will tend to wander and not get much out of our study.
The other thing God is showing me is the difference between Knowledge and Wisdom. I am trying to ensure I pray before and during my study times. I want to pursue God's Wisdom, not just knowledge. It is easy to start pursuing knowledge for the sake of knowledge and lose sight of our real goal, developing a relationship with the Lord.
Do you have a scheduled time to study God's Word each day? Even it if is only 30 minutes, it is a start and will flame that desire to dive in more. Do you have a focused plan for studying God's Word or do you just float around from book to book, passage to passge without getting much out of it?
I'm working on my schedule right now and will share it with all of you. One, to give you an example and two, so I'm held a bit more accountable for sticking to my schedule. Remember even keeping the schedule 80% of the time will result in changes in your life as you become focused on what is important to you. I'll also be sharing some of the wisdom God imparts to me as I begin my focused study of His Word.
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Must Read Testimony
Practical Chick is a blog I've recently added to my blog log. She recently posted her testimony. If you have some time I recommend you take a few minutes to read it. It is a bit long, but it is definitely worth reading. I cried through most of it. At first because my heart broke for what she's gone through in her life, then I wept for joy because of our gracious God who has led her through this.
I asked her permission to link to this and her response was "Feel free to share it. I don't feel any sadness, grief, or pity anymore about my past. My pastor says that is a sign that I've forgiven and let go."
I definitely agree with her pastor. What an awesome God we have to bring her through and give her complete healing so that what the enemy meant for evil is now glorifying the Lord!
Please take time to read her Testimony. It will definitely bless you.
I asked her permission to link to this and her response was "Feel free to share it. I don't feel any sadness, grief, or pity anymore about my past. My pastor says that is a sign that I've forgiven and let go."
I definitely agree with her pastor. What an awesome God we have to bring her through and give her complete healing so that what the enemy meant for evil is now glorifying the Lord!
Please take time to read her Testimony. It will definitely bless you.
Living a Focused Life
As I mentioned before, I listened to some CDs on my way to and back from Washington State. One that made a huge impact on me was a talk given by Mike Bickle from IHOP (International House of Prayer) in Kansas City.
He was talking about how in order to accomplish the things we want to in life, we must focus our lives on those things. It won't just happen by accident. Now, don't get me wrong, we still need to lean on God, trust Him and follow Him. However, He is not going to just throw blessings your way if you just sit on your tush wasting away your time all day long.
Mike suggests you put together a schedule for your week. He redoes his every few months based on things going on in his life. We have 168 hours in a week and we need to determine how we are going to spend them. Now it is a given that emergencies will come up and God will lead you to things you've not planned. However that is not what happens the majority of the time. If we don't determine what we are going to do with that time, someone else will for us and it will probably be wasted. Mike suggests if you are able to keep to your schedule even 80% of the time you are doing good and will see things start happening in your life.
He has been doing this for quite a few years now and schedules his time by 15 minute increments. For now I'm going to do mine in 1 hour increments.
The four important things he suggests we all schedule into our lives are
The second CD I had got into some suggestions he had for your Study Time and I'll share that with you in a separate post.
The point of this is to get your life focused on what is truely important and what you want to do with your life. If you say you want to live your life for God and be a blessing to your family, then you need to ensure your life reflects that. Don't take this to the extreme where you get legalistic about keeping your schedule. It is okay to deter from it, especially if that detour is prompted by God. This is just a way to ensure you are focusing your time in a way that reflects what you say your values are.
I'm going to be putting together a schedule for myself and working to keep it. Even if I'm not able to get to the 80% I think I'll still see changes in my life and my relationships that are important to me. Will you try with me?
If you are interested in teachings by Mike Bickle you can visit the IHOP site. Here is the one that includes the things I'm talking about Power of a Focused Life.
He was talking about how in order to accomplish the things we want to in life, we must focus our lives on those things. It won't just happen by accident. Now, don't get me wrong, we still need to lean on God, trust Him and follow Him. However, He is not going to just throw blessings your way if you just sit on your tush wasting away your time all day long.
Mike suggests you put together a schedule for your week. He redoes his every few months based on things going on in his life. We have 168 hours in a week and we need to determine how we are going to spend them. Now it is a given that emergencies will come up and God will lead you to things you've not planned. However that is not what happens the majority of the time. If we don't determine what we are going to do with that time, someone else will for us and it will probably be wasted. Mike suggests if you are able to keep to your schedule even 80% of the time you are doing good and will see things start happening in your life.
He has been doing this for quite a few years now and schedules his time by 15 minute increments. For now I'm going to do mine in 1 hour increments.
The four important things he suggests we all schedule into our lives are
- Relationship Time (family & friends),
- Rest Time (sleeping and just relaxing at times),
- Study Time (Bible Study) and
- Prayer Time.
The second CD I had got into some suggestions he had for your Study Time and I'll share that with you in a separate post.
The point of this is to get your life focused on what is truely important and what you want to do with your life. If you say you want to live your life for God and be a blessing to your family, then you need to ensure your life reflects that. Don't take this to the extreme where you get legalistic about keeping your schedule. It is okay to deter from it, especially if that detour is prompted by God. This is just a way to ensure you are focusing your time in a way that reflects what you say your values are.
I'm going to be putting together a schedule for myself and working to keep it. Even if I'm not able to get to the 80% I think I'll still see changes in my life and my relationships that are important to me. Will you try with me?
If you are interested in teachings by Mike Bickle you can visit the IHOP site. Here is the one that includes the things I'm talking about Power of a Focused Life.
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
I'm Back and Things to Come!
Don't give up on me just yet. I know I've not posted much recently, but I'm back now. Last Thursday night I drove up to see my parents in WA state and I just got back this morning. I drove at night because I took both of the boys with me. I figured driving while they were asleep would be easier.
While driving I listened to some awesome teachings, all from speakers at IHOP. The one that made the most impact (at least for now!) was about focusing your life. I'll be blogging about that one in the next couple days. Most noteably the parts about scheduling time for things that mean the most to you, one of them being Bible Study time. It had a couple good suggestion on how to study the Bible as well that I'll be sharing. This will be one I'll probably listen to a couple times a year.
I'm going to have to listen to all of them again and I have a feeling I'll be sharing from them periodically. They had some great things to think about and have definitely given me some things to look into further myself. I'll be sharing along the way so keep coming back!
While driving I listened to some awesome teachings, all from speakers at IHOP. The one that made the most impact (at least for now!) was about focusing your life. I'll be blogging about that one in the next couple days. Most noteably the parts about scheduling time for things that mean the most to you, one of them being Bible Study time. It had a couple good suggestion on how to study the Bible as well that I'll be sharing. This will be one I'll probably listen to a couple times a year.
I'm going to have to listen to all of them again and I have a feeling I'll be sharing from them periodically. They had some great things to think about and have definitely given me some things to look into further myself. I'll be sharing along the way so keep coming back!
Saturday, May 12, 2007
A Mom's Mother's Day Prayer For America
- Joni Faith Ames
(Note: feel free to reprint or read as long as you
provide the contact information included at the bottom
of this.)
Oh Lord we stand and wait for you
To heal broken hearts
To open ears, make blind eyes see
And mend lives torn apart
Our nation's Moms cry for your help
In these uncertain times
To help restore the brokenness
And cause each life to rhyme
We cry out for the ones on drugs
Lord, bring deliverance
Release them, give them brand new life
And reason, Lord, to dance
Remove confusion, hurt, and pain
From those who've been abused
And cause your love to wrap them up
Inside of Your Good News
Release the ones held captive by
Disease, or pain, or fear
Please heal them, Lord, and let them know
Your love for them is clear
Take anger from the broken ones
Unclench hate from their fists
Remove the shackles Satan put
Around their feet and wrists
Restore the child like faith once there
Before the world turned bad
Raise up Your standards in our hearts
And give joy to the sad
Bring softness, love, and purity
In place of worldly wrong
Restore compassion in its' place
And give us, Lord, Your songs
Help us go after holiness
And righteousness, and YOU
And take away the shameful mess
From what all sin can do
Come forth, Lord, in America
And dry each Mother's tears
This Mother's Day, Lord, hear the cries
Of every Mother here.
- Joni Faith Ames
Written: Fri., May 11, 2007, 7:33 p.m.
===================================
Note: feel free to reprint or read as long as you
provide the following contact information:
Joni AmesP.O. Box 411501Charlotte, NC 28241E-Mail: JoniAmes@aol.com
Website: www.joniames.org
Newsletter site: www.joniames.net
- Joni Faith Ames
(Note: feel free to reprint or read as long as you
provide the contact information included at the bottom
of this.)
Oh Lord we stand and wait for you
To heal broken hearts
To open ears, make blind eyes see
And mend lives torn apart
Our nation's Moms cry for your help
In these uncertain times
To help restore the brokenness
And cause each life to rhyme
We cry out for the ones on drugs
Lord, bring deliverance
Release them, give them brand new life
And reason, Lord, to dance
Remove confusion, hurt, and pain
From those who've been abused
And cause your love to wrap them up
Inside of Your Good News
Release the ones held captive by
Disease, or pain, or fear
Please heal them, Lord, and let them know
Your love for them is clear
Take anger from the broken ones
Unclench hate from their fists
Remove the shackles Satan put
Around their feet and wrists
Restore the child like faith once there
Before the world turned bad
Raise up Your standards in our hearts
And give joy to the sad
Bring softness, love, and purity
In place of worldly wrong
Restore compassion in its' place
And give us, Lord, Your songs
Help us go after holiness
And righteousness, and YOU
And take away the shameful mess
From what all sin can do
Come forth, Lord, in America
And dry each Mother's tears
This Mother's Day, Lord, hear the cries
Of every Mother here.
- Joni Faith Ames
Written: Fri., May 11, 2007, 7:33 p.m.
===================================
Note: feel free to reprint or read as long as you
provide the following contact information:
Joni AmesP.O. Box 411501Charlotte, NC 28241E-Mail: JoniAmes@aol.com
Website: www.joniames.org
Newsletter site: www.joniames.net
Saturday, May 05, 2007
Response to Blasphemy Challenge
Frank Walton responded on my last post regarding a blog he has set up in response to the Blasphemy Challenge. Check it out - Blasphemy Challenge Blog
I'll be taking a closer look at his blog myself and posting on my Coffee Time with Ang4him about it this weekend.
I'll be taking a closer look at his blog myself and posting on my Coffee Time with Ang4him about it this weekend.
Friday, May 04, 2007
Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit
Today I found out about a website that saddens me. It is something I feel we should all pray about and pray for those who are participating because they do not know the Truth of the Lord.
The site is called The Blasphemy Challenge (I'm not going to link the site, but you can search for it if you want). The are offering a free copy of the DVD The God Who Wasn't There to anyone who is willing to upload a video in which they deny the Holy Spirit. They are basing it on the verse Mark 3:29 which says "But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin."
I'm not sad because I believe these individuals uploading the videos are damned eternally and can not be saved. I'm sad because they are believing the lies of the enemy. I'm sad because they don't understand how much the Lord really loves them and what He has done for them.
As far as the committing of an unforgivable sin, I believe this verse is being twisted. This is what the enemy does. He twists the truth, which works better than outright lies. While I don't claim to know everything regarding God's Word or even this verse, I don't believe this means just vocally denying the Holy Spirit, although that is a large part of it.
I've done some research online to see what others say about this. One site, Got Questions.org, claims this sin can not be committed any longer because it relates specifically to the action reported in the Bible in the context of the verse. Jesus has been accused of performing miracles in the name of Satan, instead of by the power of the Holy Spirit. This article states because Jesus is no longer on earth, this sin can not be committed any longer.
I don't tend to believe this is the case. I do believe that denying the Holy Spirit though is a very deliberate act in which the person performing the act knows EXACTLY what they are doing. And I mean REALLY knowing. These poor individuals making these videos may think they know what they are doing, but they really do not know God. I believe this sin means you know God and deliberately turn your back on Him. I've often been told, if you are worried that you may have committed this sin, then you haven't.
There very well may be some on this website that are committing the unparodonable sin, but that is not a call that I can make. Only they and God know their true intentions and understanding of what they are doing. I pray that this is not the case and that the Holy Spirit will speak to them and turn them around. Either way, this fills me with a deep sadness. I truely don't understand how someone can totally turn their back on their Creator. A few years ago this site would have angered me, but the closer I get to God, the more these type of things just sadden me.
Some other articles I found regarding Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit include:
Preacher Study.com
Apologetics Press.org
I don't necessarily agree with everything in each of these articles, but they do give you food for thought.
If you do a search for it, you'll come up with tons of articles.
The bottom line is that if you love God and are worried about having committed this sin, then you have not.
The site is called The Blasphemy Challenge (I'm not going to link the site, but you can search for it if you want). The are offering a free copy of the DVD The God Who Wasn't There to anyone who is willing to upload a video in which they deny the Holy Spirit. They are basing it on the verse Mark 3:29 which says "But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin."
I'm not sad because I believe these individuals uploading the videos are damned eternally and can not be saved. I'm sad because they are believing the lies of the enemy. I'm sad because they don't understand how much the Lord really loves them and what He has done for them.
As far as the committing of an unforgivable sin, I believe this verse is being twisted. This is what the enemy does. He twists the truth, which works better than outright lies. While I don't claim to know everything regarding God's Word or even this verse, I don't believe this means just vocally denying the Holy Spirit, although that is a large part of it.
I've done some research online to see what others say about this. One site, Got Questions.org, claims this sin can not be committed any longer because it relates specifically to the action reported in the Bible in the context of the verse. Jesus has been accused of performing miracles in the name of Satan, instead of by the power of the Holy Spirit. This article states because Jesus is no longer on earth, this sin can not be committed any longer.
I don't tend to believe this is the case. I do believe that denying the Holy Spirit though is a very deliberate act in which the person performing the act knows EXACTLY what they are doing. And I mean REALLY knowing. These poor individuals making these videos may think they know what they are doing, but they really do not know God. I believe this sin means you know God and deliberately turn your back on Him. I've often been told, if you are worried that you may have committed this sin, then you haven't.
There very well may be some on this website that are committing the unparodonable sin, but that is not a call that I can make. Only they and God know their true intentions and understanding of what they are doing. I pray that this is not the case and that the Holy Spirit will speak to them and turn them around. Either way, this fills me with a deep sadness. I truely don't understand how someone can totally turn their back on their Creator. A few years ago this site would have angered me, but the closer I get to God, the more these type of things just sadden me.
Some other articles I found regarding Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit include:
Preacher Study.com
Apologetics Press.org
I don't necessarily agree with everything in each of these articles, but they do give you food for thought.
If you do a search for it, you'll come up with tons of articles.
The bottom line is that if you love God and are worried about having committed this sin, then you have not.
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
My Journey
I've said that this is my blog to detail my journey and pursuit of the Lord. In order for that to be true, I guess I need to be more transparent and let you see more of me. I hope this will encourage and help others.
I've been asking God for quite awhile now speak to me and to show me His Face. He is doing that now. This last week has been amazing. Nothing huge has happened in my life by the world's standards, but I have been pursuing the Lord and He has been beckoning me to follow Him.
There are two thing I'd like to share tonight. One is a song that describes my greatest desire right now. The other is something that I wrote yesterday and shared with my house church. They were so encouraging and I truely heard God speaking to me through them.
This is an older song, but I just heard it again yesterday while at work and almost cried. It so perfectly describes where I am right now.
Show Me Your Glory
by Third Day
I caught a glimpse of Your splendor
In the corner of my eye
The most beautiful thing I've even seen
And it was like a flash of lightning
Reflected off the sky
And I know I'll never be the same
Show me Your glory
Send down Your presence
I want to see Your face
Show me Your glory
Majesty shines about You
I can't go on without You, Lord
When I climb down the mountain
And get back to my life
I won't settle for ordinary things
I'm gonna follow You forever
For all of my days
I won't rest 'till I see You again
Show me Your glory
Show me Your glory
I can't live without You
The following is something I was thinking about yesterday and wrote about briefly in an email to someone from my church. At lunch, I spent some time by myself at a coffee shop and wrote this in my journal.
I've determined no matter what the enemy throws at me, I'm going to stubbornly pursue the Lord. I believe He is calling me to follow Him because He has something planned for me and the enemy is trying to distract me and keep me from that promise. I will not allow that to happen. I have a wonderful house church praying for me and I will lean on the Lord and pursue Him wherever that may take me.
Will you stubbornly follow Him?
I've been asking God for quite awhile now speak to me and to show me His Face. He is doing that now. This last week has been amazing. Nothing huge has happened in my life by the world's standards, but I have been pursuing the Lord and He has been beckoning me to follow Him.
There are two thing I'd like to share tonight. One is a song that describes my greatest desire right now. The other is something that I wrote yesterday and shared with my house church. They were so encouraging and I truely heard God speaking to me through them.
This is an older song, but I just heard it again yesterday while at work and almost cried. It so perfectly describes where I am right now.
Show Me Your Glory
by Third Day
I caught a glimpse of Your splendor
In the corner of my eye
The most beautiful thing I've even seen
And it was like a flash of lightning
Reflected off the sky
And I know I'll never be the same
Show me Your glory
Send down Your presence
I want to see Your face
Show me Your glory
Majesty shines about You
I can't go on without You, Lord
When I climb down the mountain
And get back to my life
I won't settle for ordinary things
I'm gonna follow You forever
For all of my days
I won't rest 'till I see You again
Show me Your glory
Show me Your glory
I can't live without You
The following is something I was thinking about yesterday and wrote about briefly in an email to someone from my church. At lunch, I spent some time by myself at a coffee shop and wrote this in my journal.
I feel as if I am at a crossroad. Ahead of me the Lord beckons me to follow Him, to pursue Him. However, something behind me keeps trying to pull me down one of the other paths. I swat at it behind me but can not dislodge it, so instead I dig my heels in and press forward pursuing the Lord with all that I am, with all of my strength.
As I go down the path, hands reach out to take hold of me, to distract me and pull me off the path. At times I look and start off the path, but then through the fog I hear His sweet voice calling me, beckoning me on. I focus on Him once again and my heart swells with Hope, Love and the anticipation of what is ahead of me.
The other voices just fill me with emptiness, yet I still steal glances their way and stumble off the path. But my Lord always comes back for me, offers His hand and waits patiently for me to grasp it so He can pull me to safety yet again. Then he walks ahead, His light shining as a beacon, continuously calling to me, beckoning me on. Asking me to pursue Him as He has pursued me.
I've determined no matter what the enemy throws at me, I'm going to stubbornly pursue the Lord. I believe He is calling me to follow Him because He has something planned for me and the enemy is trying to distract me and keep me from that promise. I will not allow that to happen. I have a wonderful house church praying for me and I will lean on the Lord and pursue Him wherever that may take me.
Will you stubbornly follow Him?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)