As I read the Word today, like many days, I come across passages of Scripture where I pause and something in my spirit quietly whispers "insert your name here".
The beauty of being in Covenant Relationship with an omniscient, omnipresent and sovereign God is that ALL of His promises are Yes and Amen. While teaching the other night on this topic, the Spirit impressed upon me that God is the one who says "Yes", but we are the ones who respond with "amen". In other words, we must AGREE with the Word of God. It must become our thoughts and our speech and actions. It is a transformer of our lives. As we allow it to penetrate the dark areas of our heart, it reveals itself in our speech and then becomes our actions.
There is something quite powerful in putting my name in the Scripture passages I read. It allows me to process the Word in a more personal way. It reminds me that this Word is for me and that the God who spoke it through the writers is an intimate God. He had me in mind since the beginning of time ; eternity past, present and future. It also holds me accountable; it asks the question "do you believe Me." And it reminds me of His faithfulness to all generations. He never changes. His love endures forever. Inserting my name in certain passages awakens my soul, my very being, to the reality which is Christ.
This morning, I am reminded as I read in the book of Genesis, 18:17-19, that because of the Covenant God has made with me, he listens to my prayers and requests. I can come boldly to His throne and plead my case before Him, just as Abraham did for his family. Listen to God's response to Abraham. Listen to His response to us... Vs 17: And The Lord said, "shall I hide from Abraham ( Claudia) my friend and servant, what I am going to do...vs 18: for I have known, chosen and acknowledge him (her) as my own, so that he (she) may teach and command his (her) children and the sons of his (her) house in the way of The Lord and to do what is just and righteous, so that The Lord may bring him (her) ALL that he has promised him (her). "
Covenant requires a commitment from both parties. I can tell you through experience, that God holds the majority of it. I fail, I fall short. Apart from Him, I can do nothing. But God... he even accounted for my failures. In Christ, I have a new Covenant. I am fully covered by His righteousness and grace. All of His promises are Yes and I agree. AMEN!
Friday, June 6, 2014
Sunday, May 11, 2014
How do you know? A Mother's Day tribute
How do you know your children will walk with The Lord ? The question came, but what they really wanted to know was " why are you confident and at peace in the midst of the nightmare ?" The answer truly lies not in how I know, but rather in WHO I know.
As my journey with The Lord continues and as I grow in faith, what I realize more and more clearly is that God is everything He says He is. Now I know that sounds like a simple, cliche statement, but what I mean is that each day God reveals Himself to me personally and demonstrates His character and His nature in a deeper, more meaningful way, which causes me to trust Him and rely on Him More than I did the day before. His Word says that when we search for Him, we will find Him.
Years ago, I searched for His blessing: His provision, His protection, etc. I sought out the hand of God for my life. I didn't do this with a malicious heart. I didn't do it because I couldn't be bothered learning the nature of God. I simply did not know better. I did not know or understand the heart of God. It's similar to other relationships; when they are new, we learn about each other in a 'what's on the surface' type way. As the relationship grows and matures we dig a little deeper and discover the other persons values, what is important to them, and so on. We then decide if this is a relationship we wish to pursue on a deeper level. If we do, then we make choices to spend more time with the other person. Or, we may decide that this is a person we would like to keep at arms length. We are satisfied with the depth of the relationship as is. We make all the same decisions in our relationship with Christ.
Ephesians 3:18-19. My paraphrase: I pray that you will have the power to come to know, practically through experience, the height and the depth, the breadth and the width of the love of God for us who are in Christ. That you would be filled to fullness with the Presence of God... This is the prayer my mother prayed for me. I know this because after she went home to be with The Lord, I read it numerous times in her prayer journal with my name written in the place of the "you". She prayed it for me and I pray it, names inserted, over each of my children. I continue too, to pray it over my brother and sisters, as she asked me to do on the night she died. She left this earth in the knowledge that God answers prayer for those who are in covenant with Him. She, like Moses, didn't get to see the fulfillment of all of her children walking by faith, but she left this place in the hope that on the other side of Glory, she would meet all of her children. She had Faith, not only that her prayers would be answered but also, and most importantly, She had faith in God, for no other reason than He is God. She believed in Him and she believed Him--every word.
So, How do I know? Because I know the One who formed them. I know the One who created each of them for His Glory. I know the One who is a Covenant keeping God, who calls Salvation a household word, who completes Every good work He begins, and who does it all for His Name's sake. He has marked my children, of this I know, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against them. They may kick and squirm, but as the master potter, His hand never comes off the clay until the vessel He creates is prepared and ready.
I got a Mother's Day call today from my youngest. Some will say he is my prodigal son, some say he will never come back, he is too far gone. But I agree with what God says. "My children are mighty and blessed on the earth. My God will pour out His Spirit upon them and they will say of themselves, "I am the Lord's". My children will walk in the fullness of the love of God for them. They will know and obey His voice. They are blessed to be a blessing and they will finish the faith race strong and hear the words of their God saying, 'Well done my good and faithful servant, come, enter into my rest.'
My God is always at work. He never sleeps or slumbers. His hand is not too short to save. His heart overflows with compassion for His creation. He intercedes for the rebellious. His mercies are new each morning and His incredible love never fails. Amen. Do you know Him? I invite you to get to know Him through His Word, the Bible.
As my journey with The Lord continues and as I grow in faith, what I realize more and more clearly is that God is everything He says He is. Now I know that sounds like a simple, cliche statement, but what I mean is that each day God reveals Himself to me personally and demonstrates His character and His nature in a deeper, more meaningful way, which causes me to trust Him and rely on Him More than I did the day before. His Word says that when we search for Him, we will find Him.
Years ago, I searched for His blessing: His provision, His protection, etc. I sought out the hand of God for my life. I didn't do this with a malicious heart. I didn't do it because I couldn't be bothered learning the nature of God. I simply did not know better. I did not know or understand the heart of God. It's similar to other relationships; when they are new, we learn about each other in a 'what's on the surface' type way. As the relationship grows and matures we dig a little deeper and discover the other persons values, what is important to them, and so on. We then decide if this is a relationship we wish to pursue on a deeper level. If we do, then we make choices to spend more time with the other person. Or, we may decide that this is a person we would like to keep at arms length. We are satisfied with the depth of the relationship as is. We make all the same decisions in our relationship with Christ.
Ephesians 3:18-19. My paraphrase: I pray that you will have the power to come to know, practically through experience, the height and the depth, the breadth and the width of the love of God for us who are in Christ. That you would be filled to fullness with the Presence of God... This is the prayer my mother prayed for me. I know this because after she went home to be with The Lord, I read it numerous times in her prayer journal with my name written in the place of the "you". She prayed it for me and I pray it, names inserted, over each of my children. I continue too, to pray it over my brother and sisters, as she asked me to do on the night she died. She left this earth in the knowledge that God answers prayer for those who are in covenant with Him. She, like Moses, didn't get to see the fulfillment of all of her children walking by faith, but she left this place in the hope that on the other side of Glory, she would meet all of her children. She had Faith, not only that her prayers would be answered but also, and most importantly, She had faith in God, for no other reason than He is God. She believed in Him and she believed Him--every word.
So, How do I know? Because I know the One who formed them. I know the One who created each of them for His Glory. I know the One who is a Covenant keeping God, who calls Salvation a household word, who completes Every good work He begins, and who does it all for His Name's sake. He has marked my children, of this I know, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against them. They may kick and squirm, but as the master potter, His hand never comes off the clay until the vessel He creates is prepared and ready.
I got a Mother's Day call today from my youngest. Some will say he is my prodigal son, some say he will never come back, he is too far gone. But I agree with what God says. "My children are mighty and blessed on the earth. My God will pour out His Spirit upon them and they will say of themselves, "I am the Lord's". My children will walk in the fullness of the love of God for them. They will know and obey His voice. They are blessed to be a blessing and they will finish the faith race strong and hear the words of their God saying, 'Well done my good and faithful servant, come, enter into my rest.'
My God is always at work. He never sleeps or slumbers. His hand is not too short to save. His heart overflows with compassion for His creation. He intercedes for the rebellious. His mercies are new each morning and His incredible love never fails. Amen. Do you know Him? I invite you to get to know Him through His Word, the Bible.
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Fixer Upper
Once again I am in a place where I have a great deal of time on my hands and the choice I face each day is whether or not to grumble and complain or to dig deep in the wellspring of Life. I admit, the first few weeks I was grumbling and complaining; so much so, I didn't want to be around myself! But Praise God, His Holy Spirit in me always trumps.
I am living among builders. These are not only people who build houses and remodel homes, they are also builders of men and women, as the case may be! Through the years I have seen them take people in to their home; some have grumbled and complained and left there unchanged, others have entered into the rest and shelter God provided and still others have truly gleaned from who they are inside.
Recently, they have included me on a building project they are working on. They are looking for my help from a design standpoint. (Those of you who know me, know that it is one of my passions!) As we have come together night after night, creating this beautiful plan for a home, I am awestruck at the orchestration of gifts and wisdom each person brings to the table. More than that, I am captured by what the Holy Spirit is speaking to me about the building or remodelling of my own life.
A month or so ago I heard God whisper, "Take Me at My Word". I believe it was God calling me to a deeper faith. Like a house of cards that falls to the ground, I began to yield myself once more to the demolition process. Strongholds and walls of negative thinking and doubt are being torn down. Gaps in my foundation are being filled with Truth, and God is once again insulating my heart with His love. The process is messy and exceedingly dusty. Some of those walls have been up for a long time and they were disintegrating from the inside-out. There are days when I am excited about the process. I have my eye on the prize, the finished product! Then there are days when all I can see is the debris. I feel hollow and wonder when it will end. I want to get to the "good stuff", the finishes, the accessories and the pretty part of the process--the decorating, the crown! And I hear God whisper, "not yet, trust me" and once again I yield to the painful view of some other unsightly part of my house that God wants to inhabit.
I don't know where you are on your journey, but I believe with all my heart that God desires to create in each one of us a "pure home" for himself. Maybe you are like me, an old "fixer upper". I encourage you today to allow God to do the work. I'm not going to sugar-coat it; it isn't always easy. He is not obligated to let you know the how, what, when and whys of what He is doing. He is a master builder. He is the Supreme Architect. He knows exactly what He is doing. He has no need of "measuring twice and cutting once". He already knows the exact measure of your life, and His cuts come with a promise! He loves this old house and from the dust on up to the mansion, He will be with us every step of the way.
Father, I thank you that you bring to completion every work you begin. Strengthen each of us while we wait. Give to each of us the vision you have for our lives. To you be the glory. Amen
I am living among builders. These are not only people who build houses and remodel homes, they are also builders of men and women, as the case may be! Through the years I have seen them take people in to their home; some have grumbled and complained and left there unchanged, others have entered into the rest and shelter God provided and still others have truly gleaned from who they are inside.
Recently, they have included me on a building project they are working on. They are looking for my help from a design standpoint. (Those of you who know me, know that it is one of my passions!) As we have come together night after night, creating this beautiful plan for a home, I am awestruck at the orchestration of gifts and wisdom each person brings to the table. More than that, I am captured by what the Holy Spirit is speaking to me about the building or remodelling of my own life.
A month or so ago I heard God whisper, "Take Me at My Word". I believe it was God calling me to a deeper faith. Like a house of cards that falls to the ground, I began to yield myself once more to the demolition process. Strongholds and walls of negative thinking and doubt are being torn down. Gaps in my foundation are being filled with Truth, and God is once again insulating my heart with His love. The process is messy and exceedingly dusty. Some of those walls have been up for a long time and they were disintegrating from the inside-out. There are days when I am excited about the process. I have my eye on the prize, the finished product! Then there are days when all I can see is the debris. I feel hollow and wonder when it will end. I want to get to the "good stuff", the finishes, the accessories and the pretty part of the process--the decorating, the crown! And I hear God whisper, "not yet, trust me" and once again I yield to the painful view of some other unsightly part of my house that God wants to inhabit.
I don't know where you are on your journey, but I believe with all my heart that God desires to create in each one of us a "pure home" for himself. Maybe you are like me, an old "fixer upper". I encourage you today to allow God to do the work. I'm not going to sugar-coat it; it isn't always easy. He is not obligated to let you know the how, what, when and whys of what He is doing. He is a master builder. He is the Supreme Architect. He knows exactly what He is doing. He has no need of "measuring twice and cutting once". He already knows the exact measure of your life, and His cuts come with a promise! He loves this old house and from the dust on up to the mansion, He will be with us every step of the way.
Father, I thank you that you bring to completion every work you begin. Strengthen each of us while we wait. Give to each of us the vision you have for our lives. To you be the glory. Amen
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Your Presence is Heaven to Me
As I was praying the other night I heard the Spirit whisper, "Take Me at My Word". I was encouraged to hear the command and the encouragement therein. I know the Word of God and hearing the Spirit's reminder to take it to heart not just to mind, was a blessing.
As I turn to the Psalms today, I am quickened yet again to allow the Word of God to wash over my heart and mind. To drink in the peace. To allow the words to comfort my soul and eradicate the doubts. To simply lay down and be refreshed in the presence of God; allowing the Holy Spirit to calm my fears. Nothing and No One can settle me down like that. Utter peace...perfection!
God promises pools of refreshment for His children. His Presence is just that! Psalm 34:4 AMP I sought (inquired of) the Lord and required Him (of necessity and on the authority of His Word), and He heard me and delivered me from all my fears.
There are times (earlier today) when I have cried out to God for this or that; a job, or a family member's need, etc., and then there are times when I cry out FOR GOD, period. I simply cannot go another minute without His Presence. There is nothing else that I need more than the enveloping Presence of my Jesus. I can't really explain it. Its kind of like getting an extra long hug from someone, you know, truly loves you. But even that doesn't come close! It is an extraordinary thing! Each time I experience it (Him), I am humbled, most especially because I am reminded that He is always available. "Come to me all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest". We used to sing a song, "...come to the Fountain, dip your heart in the streams of Life. Let the pain and the sorrow be washed away, by the waves of His mercy..." sorry, I can't remember the name of the song or the rest of the lyrics, but the message of it is exactly what happens when I cry out for Jesus--not for anything else, no requests, Just Jesus. That's where I am satisfied. That's where I find the Peace that surpasses all understanding. That is the place where I find the love and forgiveness, the grace and the strength for another day.
Peter said it best, "Where else could I go, YOU have the Words of Life".
I'll leave you with a song. Your Presence is Heaven to Me. A friend sent me the link the other day!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQAwpMFS_9o
Thank you Lord for Your Presence. Thank you for taking this journey with me. Thank you Emmanuel. I love you Lord
Monday, December 31, 2012
Experience is greater than mere Knowledge
As I lay awake yet another night crying out to God for the answers to my many questions, it never ceases to amaze me when I hear His still small voice. Its funny, when God starts to speak, everything which seemed so chaotic only moments ago, suddenly is calm. It must have been truly remarkable to have been one of the Apostles in the boat with Christ the night He spoke to the wind and the waves and it all became calm... No threats, no worry, no fear. Just calm.
What an experience! Then and now. That same voice still tells the wind and the waves of my heart and mind to be still and they are.
I don't know how much time you spend in reflection, but I spend a great deal of time in that mode. I find that there are certain places and times I revisit. Times when I received a nugget of wisdom or revelation from God. It seems to help me as I struggle to make some sense of this journey of life I'm on. Tonight, has been one of those nights.
For whatever reason, I was thinking about a letter my Mom wrote to me just before she went home to be with the Lord. It was a beautiful letter about how much she loved me and how proud she was of me, but somewhere in the middle of that letter was her prayer for me, taken right out of Ephesians 3.
She wrote that I would one day know through practical experience, the love of Christ for me. I remember asking God one night for that very thing. How in the world would I Know through practical experience, the love of Christ?
Tonight, God revealed the answer to that 17 year old question! I don't know why it took so long for me to get it, but I'm sure glad I've got it now! God has revealed His Love to me (and perhaps to you) through the Body of Christ. I can't help but think that the night I asked God that question 17 + years ago, He just smiled and said, "oh baby girl, I'm gonna bring you to Savannah, GA one day and you are gonna have people love on you like never before; then you will KNOW, through practical experience, how much I love you."
Maybe you are like me. Maybe you rack your brain trying to figure out what God is up to. Maybe you, like me, spend so much time asking, that you nearly miss the experience of it all. If so, head on over to Ephesians 3. Read the whole chapter. It's a great chapter! But don't miss the part where Paul writes in vs 19 "That you may really come to know (practically, through experience for yourselves) the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge (without experience); that you may be filled unto all the fullness of God ( the richest measure of his divine Presence, and become a body filled and flooded with God Himself!"
My time here in Savannah is drawing to and end. I'm going back home to Connecticut. But I go away from this place full, overflowing actually, of the experiential love of my Savior. "Jesus, with skin on" is not just a catchy phrase. It is who WE are called to be. It has been demonstrated to me and I plan on mimicking it from now on because Experience is Far Greater than Mere Knowledge!
What an experience! Then and now. That same voice still tells the wind and the waves of my heart and mind to be still and they are.
I don't know how much time you spend in reflection, but I spend a great deal of time in that mode. I find that there are certain places and times I revisit. Times when I received a nugget of wisdom or revelation from God. It seems to help me as I struggle to make some sense of this journey of life I'm on. Tonight, has been one of those nights.
For whatever reason, I was thinking about a letter my Mom wrote to me just before she went home to be with the Lord. It was a beautiful letter about how much she loved me and how proud she was of me, but somewhere in the middle of that letter was her prayer for me, taken right out of Ephesians 3.
She wrote that I would one day know through practical experience, the love of Christ for me. I remember asking God one night for that very thing. How in the world would I Know through practical experience, the love of Christ?
Tonight, God revealed the answer to that 17 year old question! I don't know why it took so long for me to get it, but I'm sure glad I've got it now! God has revealed His Love to me (and perhaps to you) through the Body of Christ. I can't help but think that the night I asked God that question 17 + years ago, He just smiled and said, "oh baby girl, I'm gonna bring you to Savannah, GA one day and you are gonna have people love on you like never before; then you will KNOW, through practical experience, how much I love you."
Maybe you are like me. Maybe you rack your brain trying to figure out what God is up to. Maybe you, like me, spend so much time asking, that you nearly miss the experience of it all. If so, head on over to Ephesians 3. Read the whole chapter. It's a great chapter! But don't miss the part where Paul writes in vs 19 "That you may really come to know (practically, through experience for yourselves) the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge (without experience); that you may be filled unto all the fullness of God ( the richest measure of his divine Presence, and become a body filled and flooded with God Himself!"
My time here in Savannah is drawing to and end. I'm going back home to Connecticut. But I go away from this place full, overflowing actually, of the experiential love of my Savior. "Jesus, with skin on" is not just a catchy phrase. It is who WE are called to be. It has been demonstrated to me and I plan on mimicking it from now on because Experience is Far Greater than Mere Knowledge!
Sunday, April 8, 2012
In Their Place
The pain is overwhelming. The ache just won't go away. The grief almost too much to bear. The tears soak my face and neck; I can't make them stop, they just keep flowing. The separation has my heart torn in two. I can barely stand, my knees keep buckling under me. The weight is great; the burden too heavy to bear alone. I pull myself up. I'm standing--"keep standing, keep moving forward", I tell myself, "it will all be worth it".
Did you ever wonder what went through Jesus' mind as he took the punishment for us, as he endured the beatings and the stripes? Nails, tied to leather straps, ripping his flesh. Carrying the cross to that hill after the beating of his life. Nailed ( not the wimpy nails you hang pictures with, but the thick ones used to hold landscape ties together) to the cross?
The top paragraph is how I feel today. Just a lonely Mom. Aching for her kids. Praying to God that He would restore them to Himself. Crying out day and night for them. Hoping they are safe. Asking God to set His Angels round about them. Trying not to fear, or worry. Standing in the Gap for them. Interceding. Desperately trying to see through the eyes of Faith. Believing that God is moving. Believing that He loves them more than I ever could. Wishing I could put my arms around them and take away all their pain; like I did when they were young. Knowing in my heart that one day, these prayers will be answered. Holding fast and hard to the promises of the One, who suffered and died for us. The Resurrected One, the Resurrector. The Only God.
As I stood and sang this morning, God whispered to me that He has heard my cry. I was taken aback, awestruck. The God of all Creation entered into my pain, my suffering and He took it, once again, upon Himself.
I could never imagine what Jesus endured for us. I can not fathom what it was like to be separated from God the Father when He bore the sin of the whole world. I can't wrap my brain or even my heart around what it was like to endure all that he did. He tells us we must enter into His suffering. I'm not sure I understand exactly what that means, but what I do understand is that, as a mom, I would be more than willing to take any one of my children's pain. I would take their place. Maybe that is what it means. Loving others enough to be willing to take their place. Maybe, paragraph one, was exactly what He was thinking...
Did you ever wonder what went through Jesus' mind as he took the punishment for us, as he endured the beatings and the stripes? Nails, tied to leather straps, ripping his flesh. Carrying the cross to that hill after the beating of his life. Nailed ( not the wimpy nails you hang pictures with, but the thick ones used to hold landscape ties together) to the cross?
The top paragraph is how I feel today. Just a lonely Mom. Aching for her kids. Praying to God that He would restore them to Himself. Crying out day and night for them. Hoping they are safe. Asking God to set His Angels round about them. Trying not to fear, or worry. Standing in the Gap for them. Interceding. Desperately trying to see through the eyes of Faith. Believing that God is moving. Believing that He loves them more than I ever could. Wishing I could put my arms around them and take away all their pain; like I did when they were young. Knowing in my heart that one day, these prayers will be answered. Holding fast and hard to the promises of the One, who suffered and died for us. The Resurrected One, the Resurrector. The Only God.
As I stood and sang this morning, God whispered to me that He has heard my cry. I was taken aback, awestruck. The God of all Creation entered into my pain, my suffering and He took it, once again, upon Himself.
I could never imagine what Jesus endured for us. I can not fathom what it was like to be separated from God the Father when He bore the sin of the whole world. I can't wrap my brain or even my heart around what it was like to endure all that he did. He tells us we must enter into His suffering. I'm not sure I understand exactly what that means, but what I do understand is that, as a mom, I would be more than willing to take any one of my children's pain. I would take their place. Maybe that is what it means. Loving others enough to be willing to take their place. Maybe, paragraph one, was exactly what He was thinking...
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
He Desires to Bless Us
Had a tough day yesterday. It was one of those days in which, when you get home, you just want to crawl into bed and pretend it never happened! As I was getting ready to do just that, the Lord called me to attention. It never ceases to amaze me that the Creator of everything would speak my name! He layed it out for me very clearly. Pity party or blessing? It was a no-brainer for me! As I got up to leave for Tuesday night prayer, I could not help but ask God, "what difference would it make if I weren't there?" His answer was "I want to bless."
When I arrived, I admitted that I really didn't want to be there. In my heart, I knew I was only there for the blessing God promised. As we all started to share testimony after testimony of the Awesomeness of God in our lives and families, my attitude turned to gratitude once again and I was truly blessed to be there; among friends, testifying to the Glory and Power of God, and drinking in the encouragement like a dried up sponge! I walked in weary, but I would leave there worshipping!
The blessing had come, I thought, while I was sitting there. Very cool--I didn't have to wait for it! I remembered at that moment what my Pastor had said the night before: We must begin to pray and expect God to move immediately (sorry, that's a paraphrase). The idea being that when we pray, we tend to ask for things in the future tense, rather than the present. Kind of a "hope deferred" type thing.
As the night went on, we had a time of worship and then prayer. I prayed each prayer as if I were asking from the mouth of a lion, or a fiery furnace! I actually was seeing myself in those places as I was praying. I asked for God to speak my requests into existence NOW. Not sure I have ever prayed that way before, but if the answers to those prayers (which came today) are any indication of God desiring for me to pray this way: I will, forever!
As I was reflecting on the Word today, I came across a short verse. It said: "Do you not know? My desire is to bless you..." What a verse! It lept off the page and buried itself in my heart.
I am truly blessed! I am so glad I went to prayer last night. I am so thankful that the format was not the usual. I am blown away that God continues to call my name in order to bless me-- Bad attitude and all--He knew what I needed last night. He knew I would respond to His voice. He knows it all. How could I not respond to this type of love...
Father, I thank you and praise you for all of your divine appointments. You continue to humble me with your overwhelming love and grace. I love you Lord.
Amen
When I arrived, I admitted that I really didn't want to be there. In my heart, I knew I was only there for the blessing God promised. As we all started to share testimony after testimony of the Awesomeness of God in our lives and families, my attitude turned to gratitude once again and I was truly blessed to be there; among friends, testifying to the Glory and Power of God, and drinking in the encouragement like a dried up sponge! I walked in weary, but I would leave there worshipping!
The blessing had come, I thought, while I was sitting there. Very cool--I didn't have to wait for it! I remembered at that moment what my Pastor had said the night before: We must begin to pray and expect God to move immediately (sorry, that's a paraphrase). The idea being that when we pray, we tend to ask for things in the future tense, rather than the present. Kind of a "hope deferred" type thing.
As the night went on, we had a time of worship and then prayer. I prayed each prayer as if I were asking from the mouth of a lion, or a fiery furnace! I actually was seeing myself in those places as I was praying. I asked for God to speak my requests into existence NOW. Not sure I have ever prayed that way before, but if the answers to those prayers (which came today) are any indication of God desiring for me to pray this way: I will, forever!
As I was reflecting on the Word today, I came across a short verse. It said: "Do you not know? My desire is to bless you..." What a verse! It lept off the page and buried itself in my heart.
I am truly blessed! I am so glad I went to prayer last night. I am so thankful that the format was not the usual. I am blown away that God continues to call my name in order to bless me-- Bad attitude and all--He knew what I needed last night. He knew I would respond to His voice. He knows it all. How could I not respond to this type of love...
Father, I thank you and praise you for all of your divine appointments. You continue to humble me with your overwhelming love and grace. I love you Lord.
Amen
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