This stronghold is a matter of listening to the Spirit and responding immediately! That is what He is asking. If I can come to terms with this situation, let's not sugarcoat it -SIN - and begin to hear Him speak and then respond that would give God more reason to trust me.
I think more times than not we tell people to trust God and He is so trust-worthy, etc. All is true, but I think He is at times sitting back on His throne and saying, "I am have never changed ya'll. Oh course I am trustworthy!! But why don't you take a look at yourselves and make sure that I can trust you!!" Do we live our lives in such manner that we are trustworthy. Oh yes, we make sure to meet a friend for coffee or lunch. Or the Starbucks people can always trust that you're going to drop by. Or the Subway people can always trust you will be by to say "hello". Our pew friends can always trust that we are going to be at church and even always late, but nevertheless there! Even our neighbors can trust that we will speed out our driveways at the same time for work every morning - we would never be late for work.
But as we sit down in church or as we cry out for His help in the middle of the day or as we bow our heads to say grace, is God thinking "everyone else can trust you, but why can't I trust you to start your day off right. Why can't I trust you to come to me first, why can't I trust you to seek me. I have so many things I want you to do to to further my kingdom and make a hge impact, but can I trust you. I do want to answer your dreams, requests, and bless you immensely, but can I trust you? Are you going to do it in your own power or will you seek me. 2 Chron. 16:9, I am looking for those that I can strengthen, those that are fully committed to me and those that I can trust. Those that will respond when I lead and those that can hear me! Those that are willing to go the extra mile with me and those that are willing to..."
That is what this stronghold is all about. If I were to reveal its specific name, you would laugh and roll your eyes, but just know it is about obedience and trust. If the Lord and I can get over this deal then He will know I am a bit more trustworthy!! If He can know that He can whisper to me in the day and I can actually respond in obedience, then my trust with Him grows.
In Neh. 3:5 it talks about the nobles not putting their shoulders to the work. I never want to be viewed in God's eyes one that would not put my shoulder to the work. I am willing to do the visible things that He allows me to be apart of, but am I willing to do the invisible things He needs me to be apart of - the hard work and changing process He is set before me, the discipline, the refining, the obedience!! Lord, find me trustworthy!
Showing posts with label Nehemiah. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nehemiah. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
818 - Bold and Rev!!!
This morning I come to you Lord with the idea of reverence and boldness. Not a new concept with me, but one that I just heard coined. I am going through Nehemiah again and just feel in love with the way Neh. prays his first recorded prayer.
So many times we are implored by ministers, evangelists, etc. to beg God to bless us. One of the greatest all time selling books was about Bless Me Lord, Enlarge my territories, etc. That is fine and all and I think that God kind of like dares us to ask Him to bless us - as if He hasn't enough already - but there has to come something in our prayer lives before He blesses or before we are so bold to ask for blessings.
In chapter one, Nehemiah starts out with such reverence for our Lord. There are many times we start praying to God and I feel like we never started addressing Him in the right or appropriate manner. It is like we are praying and all of a sudden He says - "Oh you were addressing me. I am not familiar with one just jumping straight to requests or I don't listen until you have made the appropriate exhortations and confessions. We need to make sure you know who you are because I indeed know who I AM!" I know it is not like that possibly, but it could be!
The next thing I love about Nehemiah's prayer is that he includes himself in the confessing. His present duty in life is to rebuild the wall and He may not have had a lot to do with it falling, etc, but yet he still includes himself in the confession. That demonstrates to me a true realization of the Body of Christ. Realizing that when one falls, the whole body suffers - or that is the way we should see it. When one in the family - of Christ - is seeking to destroy their literal family through divorce, we ought to seek out everything possible to see that not happen. It should destroy us in a sense because the "whole" body is getting broken down more. BUT more times than not, we judge, we destroy further, we condemn, we release to the dogs, we wash our hands of it all. That should not be so!
The next thing, I say it all the time in my speaking "You hold God to His Word.", is exactly what Neh says to God. He is reminding God of His past actions in a similar situation with Moses and asking God to do the same. That shows God we have studied His word proving we BELIEVE it and then being bold enough to ask God to do the same again.
Finally in the conclusion of the prayer Neh asks God to bless. Notice all that Neh has gone through to even get to that point in His prayer. Praise, confession, claim promise or past action, and then finally asking for blessing or requests or supplications! It gets too turned around when crisis hits quickly. We go straight to the "give me" part of the prayer and never even mention to God with the slightest bit of reverence who we are addressing. That should not be so!!
Lord, more than anything I want to put my studies to practice. It is great for me to study your WORD and to write about it so I don't forget and to even memorize it, but if I can not practice it in everyday life, what good is it. But I must remember and remind myself of your wonderful promise - "The Word will not return void"!! Praise the Lord!! Work Lord, do what you have to do!
So many times we are implored by ministers, evangelists, etc. to beg God to bless us. One of the greatest all time selling books was about Bless Me Lord, Enlarge my territories, etc. That is fine and all and I think that God kind of like dares us to ask Him to bless us - as if He hasn't enough already - but there has to come something in our prayer lives before He blesses or before we are so bold to ask for blessings.
In chapter one, Nehemiah starts out with such reverence for our Lord. There are many times we start praying to God and I feel like we never started addressing Him in the right or appropriate manner. It is like we are praying and all of a sudden He says - "Oh you were addressing me. I am not familiar with one just jumping straight to requests or I don't listen until you have made the appropriate exhortations and confessions. We need to make sure you know who you are because I indeed know who I AM!" I know it is not like that possibly, but it could be!
The next thing I love about Nehemiah's prayer is that he includes himself in the confessing. His present duty in life is to rebuild the wall and He may not have had a lot to do with it falling, etc, but yet he still includes himself in the confession. That demonstrates to me a true realization of the Body of Christ. Realizing that when one falls, the whole body suffers - or that is the way we should see it. When one in the family - of Christ - is seeking to destroy their literal family through divorce, we ought to seek out everything possible to see that not happen. It should destroy us in a sense because the "whole" body is getting broken down more. BUT more times than not, we judge, we destroy further, we condemn, we release to the dogs, we wash our hands of it all. That should not be so!
The next thing, I say it all the time in my speaking "You hold God to His Word.", is exactly what Neh says to God. He is reminding God of His past actions in a similar situation with Moses and asking God to do the same. That shows God we have studied His word proving we BELIEVE it and then being bold enough to ask God to do the same again.
Finally in the conclusion of the prayer Neh asks God to bless. Notice all that Neh has gone through to even get to that point in His prayer. Praise, confession, claim promise or past action, and then finally asking for blessing or requests or supplications! It gets too turned around when crisis hits quickly. We go straight to the "give me" part of the prayer and never even mention to God with the slightest bit of reverence who we are addressing. That should not be so!!
Lord, more than anything I want to put my studies to practice. It is great for me to study your WORD and to write about it so I don't forget and to even memorize it, but if I can not practice it in everyday life, what good is it. But I must remember and remind myself of your wonderful promise - "The Word will not return void"!! Praise the Lord!! Work Lord, do what you have to do!
Monday, January 05, 2009
Thursday, May 31, 2007
349 - Believing God
Lord Jesus - tonight is the night. The Believing God series begins at my house at 8pm. I know Dori and Nise and Holly have a long drive from their perspective states, but it will be great to have them. Ha! But i am Believing!!! I have been here in Illinois for almost 6 months and I am so excited to have this group.
I think there is nothing I love more and have missed more than having Bible study in my own house. I love filling my house with prayer and praise. I love my kids seeing others get together for this purpose - I want them to know I am not the only one that wants to study the Bible- many other moms too! I love seeking the Lord with other people and then getting back together each week to discuss how that adventure went. I love being able to pray with someone about a specific request in their lives - and I love seeing God do something because of the prayers lifted - that may be one of my favorites. I love to see others fall even more madly in love with Jesus, learn more about Him, and want to pursue this relationship with great intensity... Oh do it, Lord. DO this for even us.
This morning the Lord led me or reminded me of the Nehemiah mission. So i have been studying Neh. 1. Oh it is some good stuff. Here is the deal.......... Nehemiah is the cupbearer to the King. His brother comes to him after coming from Jerusalem and seeing the city, Holy city in shambles and ruins. The Israelites are living in ruins, sin, and disobedience. They have been overtaken and ensnared into all sorts of things - just plain abandoned their faith and heritage! This extremely bothers Nehemiah - so much so that he cries, prays, and fasts. Does that sound so much like our nation. Well on second thought - doesn't that sound so much like the church as a whole. We have so many churches not even practicing the things of the Lord. We have churches that have been deceived into believing certain things that are way against the scripture. We have pastors that are loosening their message as to not step on toes or make anyone feel uncomfortable. We have leaders leading double lives. We have teachers not even praying before delivering a message! Our walls of the CHURCH have fallen down and we as Christians are believing anything and accepting even worse! It can't be!
So Nehemiah sits down and prays a prayer to the Lord. I love how Nehemiah does not NOT include himself. He understands that HE is part of the CHURCH even if he is not doing or even living in the area of ruin! You know that is the truth and a great example. We can not just slap our leg and wish others would "get it". We have to do something about it. We have to take a step and be courageous. We have to step out into the unknown and actually do something not just hope everyone else will. Oh Lord, lead me, lead us, lead Your Church!! We want to know You, we want to believe You, we want to please You, praise You, worship You!! Teach us Lord. Allow us to hear You tender whispers. Allows us to move when the Holy Spirit nudges. Allow us to respond in all situations with the Fruit of the Holy Spirit attributes oozing from our lips!!!
Father - I don't want this group just to meet and have a good time. I want us to bond and join in Spirit and in Truth - that is YOU!!! I am not looking for best friends, I have desiring ladies that desire nothing but Him. I am looking for more warriors - God can look down on us and say - Those are my go to girls. I know they will do whatever I ask. I am not looking for perfection and I hope no one else is because they won't get it from me!!! I want us to be real and break down all boundaries! I want us to join together to start revival in all of Southern Illinois. We are going to have so many churches represented - oh that excites me the most.
Lord, I know of 3 girls that can not be here tonight and possibly another. Oh Lord I pray we can get their books to them and hopefully they can see the video too. I know what it is like to get behind and it is hard to catch up!!! But Lord, you know of their plans and you know of their schedule - nothing is a surprise to my Lord!!! You do it - make everything flow!! Oh Lord, i also am well aware of how Bible studies can fade or ladies lose their enthusiasm. Keep us strong, keep us energized, keep us consistent, and keep us real!! Authenticity is going to be crucial!!!
I love you Lord - I am believing!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Be glorified - be honored, be worshipped, be praised - YOU are worthy!!!
(New purses posted in post below this one... Thanks for checking them out. Let me know if you are interested in any.)
Thursday, January 25, 2007
229 - I am not a Kid anymore
Lord, this week has been quite busy and Clay has been gone a few of the days. He gets back today - YEAH!!! Monday we went to the last grade school game. Tuesday the girls and I went to Evansville and then had basketball practice that evening. Wednesday after working out Dawn came over for the afternoon and tonight I have a PTO meeting at the school. Wow - then to top it all off I leave for Eastern Indiana on Friday possibly after another trip to Evansville with Courtney. In between these things i have been working out in the mornings and running in the afternoons with Alisha. Who says you can get bored in a small town - not me!!
This morning in I Samuel 17 we have the famous story of David and Goliath. But the part we were to focus on was the rejection and taunting the oldest brother gave David. "You are just a kid, you could never do that. Why are you here, we got this covered. Get to your little sheep, dirty boy." It is obvious why this brother is upset. Being the oldest and to passed over for anointing of the kingship was detrimental to him, i suppose. He was not just passed over to the next brother, but to the baby.
Reminds me of the 2 stories......... Joseph and the coat of many colors and Jesus not being accepted in His hometown. Joseph was the young one and given a dream of being in charge and great in the eyes of Israel. The stickler was that it was only a dream, not an individual of great authority telling him and others his upcoming position. And Jesus would try to teach, etc. in His hometown and people would just not have it. My friend Mary Beth - wonderful blogger and friend - made comment just the other day that it could have been because they never saw Jesus as a grown up. Kind of stuck in the "I knew Him back in the day when He was just a kid." Another thing just jolted me as well, that Jesus was doing some teaching at 12. This may have been seen by outsiders, jealous ones, suspicious ones as trying to show out, trying to "be the best" as my kids call it. As David's brother did not trust his heart and motives, others around town may not have trusted Jesus' heart or motives.
I am not sure there is anything worse than having your motives questioned or your intentions tested. The testing actually is fine because hopefully one will see how you stay the course and come out shining true. But for someone to out loud possibly say, "I don't believe you nor do i trust you are doing things for His glory alone" - wow, that is big and hurtful. David rose above, stayed the course, and rode it out. As did of course Jesus, but Joseph as well.
Many, many months ago the Lord laid on me the thing i have called Nehemiah Mission. Where the churches of an area come together and worship and be fed as one. Not getting various people to change churches or anything like that, but just having churches darken the doors of other places creating unity and wholeness in the body of Christ. This vision is not dieing and yet burning even more brightly in my heart for this area - southern Illinois. How cool would it be to take like 4 times a year or 6 times one year going to the Methodist Church, the next time going to the General Baptist, then the Non Denominational, then another, then another. Like i said not getting you to try their new church, but to worship, fellowship, and learn all together just like it will be in heaven. There will be no denominations in heaven. Just us , angels, and the Lord. That way when we see each other out and about there will be more of a unity and sisterhood. There will be a common bond of the Lord and not so much "Oh she is nice, but goes to the freaky church." There will no longer be the thoughts of "what do they really do in there?". Everyone will have been in the churches and seen for themselves - experienced for themselves.
So Lord, how do we do it - no actually when??????? Who will help? Where should we go? How will it be funded? Would you please sell my house so I could help in a big way? Lord, I am ready, willing and excited. I will wait as you need me to. Allow me to see pieces fall into place and confirmations of Your Will. How far do we stretch?? I love you Lord. May you be glorified!
This morning in I Samuel 17 we have the famous story of David and Goliath. But the part we were to focus on was the rejection and taunting the oldest brother gave David. "You are just a kid, you could never do that. Why are you here, we got this covered. Get to your little sheep, dirty boy." It is obvious why this brother is upset. Being the oldest and to passed over for anointing of the kingship was detrimental to him, i suppose. He was not just passed over to the next brother, but to the baby.
Reminds me of the 2 stories......... Joseph and the coat of many colors and Jesus not being accepted in His hometown. Joseph was the young one and given a dream of being in charge and great in the eyes of Israel. The stickler was that it was only a dream, not an individual of great authority telling him and others his upcoming position. And Jesus would try to teach, etc. in His hometown and people would just not have it. My friend Mary Beth - wonderful blogger and friend - made comment just the other day that it could have been because they never saw Jesus as a grown up. Kind of stuck in the "I knew Him back in the day when He was just a kid." Another thing just jolted me as well, that Jesus was doing some teaching at 12. This may have been seen by outsiders, jealous ones, suspicious ones as trying to show out, trying to "be the best" as my kids call it. As David's brother did not trust his heart and motives, others around town may not have trusted Jesus' heart or motives.
I am not sure there is anything worse than having your motives questioned or your intentions tested. The testing actually is fine because hopefully one will see how you stay the course and come out shining true. But for someone to out loud possibly say, "I don't believe you nor do i trust you are doing things for His glory alone" - wow, that is big and hurtful. David rose above, stayed the course, and rode it out. As did of course Jesus, but Joseph as well.
Many, many months ago the Lord laid on me the thing i have called Nehemiah Mission. Where the churches of an area come together and worship and be fed as one. Not getting various people to change churches or anything like that, but just having churches darken the doors of other places creating unity and wholeness in the body of Christ. This vision is not dieing and yet burning even more brightly in my heart for this area - southern Illinois. How cool would it be to take like 4 times a year or 6 times one year going to the Methodist Church, the next time going to the General Baptist, then the Non Denominational, then another, then another. Like i said not getting you to try their new church, but to worship, fellowship, and learn all together just like it will be in heaven. There will be no denominations in heaven. Just us , angels, and the Lord. That way when we see each other out and about there will be more of a unity and sisterhood. There will be a common bond of the Lord and not so much "Oh she is nice, but goes to the freaky church." There will no longer be the thoughts of "what do they really do in there?". Everyone will have been in the churches and seen for themselves - experienced for themselves.
So Lord, how do we do it - no actually when??????? Who will help? Where should we go? How will it be funded? Would you please sell my house so I could help in a big way? Lord, I am ready, willing and excited. I will wait as you need me to. Allow me to see pieces fall into place and confirmations of Your Will. How far do we stretch?? I love you Lord. May you be glorified!
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