10,000 Hours....42 Days With Jesus

In my last blog, 10,000 Hours...It's Going To Cost You, I posed the question,

"Who is willing to pay the price?"

Since then I have had something brewing on my heart.  That something was to start 2014 by giving Jesus 1000 hours of our time or focus.  But HOW to do that was the issue.  

My first thought was to cut off all entertainment and devote all that freed up time to prayer and the Word.  Then I considered creating a calender check list and schedule.  Then writing a to do list for those who were twiddling their thumbs as they sat around with nothing to do. Then every week blogging assignments...then...then...then...

Can you say complicated?

It almost reminds me of how the Pharisees took just 10 commandments and after adding in their two cents that law became a terrible burden and a yoke that brought no one closer to God.

So this is what I'm going to do and if it helps you at all feel free to join me.

The Bible says all of the law can be summed up in two commandments...

Love God with everything that is in you and love your neighbor as you would love yourself. (Matt 22:27-40)

Starting Jan 1, 2014 for 42 days I am cutting off television, movies, surfing the Internet, other mindless forms of entertainment, and dedicating the time I would have spent doing that to seeking the Lord OR blessing other people.  The two greatest commandments.

Why 42 days?

42 days is roughly 1000 hours. Imagine if the church dedicated 1000 hours at the beginning of every new year?  And what if at the end of 42 days we did not go back to the same old ways of doing things but increased in our time with Him and our love for people yearly?  The spiritual growth in knowing Him and loving and serving people would be amazing!

But wait you can't possibly spend 24 hours every day doing nothing but seeking God or helping others...or can you?

This is where I where I will need to focus, listen, and get my daily marching orders from the Holy Spirit.  Time with God is not so difficult most of the time as I have a daily prayer time...more time with God requires that I simply pray and read (or worship) as opposed to turning on the television. Being sensitive to the needs of others requires that I listen to that still small voice and do God lays on my heart.  Make that phone call,  send an encouraging text, write a letter, pray and fast for others, give that right gift. 

I'm a Christian but I don't really pray or read my Bible.

Then this is a perfect time to get started.  You're at zero time with God right now.  Can I honestly tell you something?  You are in a dangerous place and you need to create a discipline of daily prayer.  Do we honestly think we can go to heaven simply because we believe in God?  The demons believe in God but have no relationship with Him nor a place in heaven. Prayer and Bible reading draw us into relationship with the Lord.  You cannot have a relationship with someone you don't know.  Please consider this scripture...

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.  Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’  And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ Matt 7:21-23

But you have to sleep.

The Bible says

It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he gives his beloved sleep Ps 127:2

I believe as I spend my days seeking the face of Jesus and striving to do HIS will that when it is time to sleep He will not only watch over me but all that I have put in His hands.  As I lay my head down with God as the last thought of my day He will honor my efforts and work on my behalf as I sleep.  So yes our work still has an effect as we rest daily.

Ok,  but what about work?  How can you focus on God and work at the same time?

I am blessed to Have a job that doesn't require much thought.  So as I work I am able to meditate on scripture, sing, or pray in tongues.  But for those who need to think as they work remember this...

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.  Col 3:22-24

If you dedicate every day to doing your best work for the Lord, keeping your Christian testimony, and shining your light so that others may be drawn to Jesus,  this is also acceptable to God.  Your focus will still be on Him and others.

I do suggest starting your day with prayer and Bible reading before you go to work.  Also turn off talk radio or Christian pop music in your car and worship God on your way to work and back home.  Consider praying in tongues as you drive.  If you have a 15 minute drive to work you will have prayed in tongues 30 minutes a day.

But I don't watch TV or movies much, or surf the Internet?

Find out what is preventing you from giving more time to God and people and cut it out of your life or at least limit the time you spend on that thing.  I also suggest organizing your time better.  We are all given 24 hours in each day and a bulk of that is wasted somewhere.  Keep a to do list, a calender, or reminder notes of what you need to accomplish each day and don't waste time doing things that will keep you from the Lord.  If you want to do this it will require effort.  It will cost you.

Family?

I heard a man say Americans have no idea how to fellowship with their own families.  We are so entertainment/media driven that our idea of intimacy involves movies or spending money.  If your spouse will do this with you then cut off the television/video games for 42 days for everyone.  At first it will be uncomfortable but as we ask the Lord to show us how to really bond with our own spouse, our children, and our church family I think we will all be surprised at how creative and intimate we can be with one another.  

Kids don't spend time reading, drawing, creating, playing like they used to.  This will be a good time to expand their thinking on how to spend their time.  

Also there used to be a time where families would gather together and read the Bible.  Would that be such a bad thing to introduce to our children?

What else can I do with my time?

Exercise, go on a date or take a walk with your spouse, cook supper together and sit at the table as your eat, bake cookies, work on your home and yard, have people over for a pot luck and fellowship, talk, clean out your car, visit the elderly or the sick, dejunk...in other words there are things God has made us stewards over that we are neglecting.  There is plenty to do but the main thing is more time with the Lord.

Listen if you have been feeling that you want more intimacy with God, you want to know His will for your life, you want to be Spirit led, AND the thought of turning off the TV for 42 days distresses you then you NEED this more than you know.

42 DAYS WITH JESUS STARTS JAN 1, 2014. 

YOU HAVE UNTIL 11:59 P.M. DEC 31, 2013 TO COUNT THE COST.

 

10,000 Hours...It's Going To Cost You!

10,000 Hours.  I got Malcom Gladwell's book (Outlier's) and read the chapter on 10,000 hours.  Last week I wrote a brief blog concerning my fascination with this. 

As I read the chapter my take away was the fact that the time spent was not random nor casual.  But people who wanted to master a skill were very purposeful and focused in that time.

 For instance violinist with the potential to become world class soloists started playing at about five years old just like everyone else. Also they practiced roughly two to three hours a week just like everyone else.  However as they grew older the amount of practice hours increased until they were practicing well over thirty hours per week....UNLIKE everyone else.

By the age of twenty these elite performers had logged in 10,000 hours while their peers had only logged in 4,000-8,000 hours of practice.

Also those at the top did not just practice more than everyone else they also worked much harder at it than those who did not reach the top.

For those who desire to become great in the kingdom this information should speak to us. 

Those we consider consider to be spiritual giants have logged in hours and hours of dedicated prayer and service to God.

God used them greatly not because they are or were more talented or gifted but because of they are simply more available and willing to work harder than most Christians.

John Wesley, Martin Luther, William Seymour, Brother Lawrence, Charles Spurgeon, Hudson Taylor, Leonard Ravenhill...these are just a few names that came up when I Googled men of prayer.  We may not know their total story but if their names are familiar it's because they spent time (lots of time) with God and dedicated their lives to serving Him. 

Do you want to be great?  It's going to cost you.

Who is willing to pay the price?

Luke 14:28

10,000 Hours

10,000 Hours.

From time to time you may have seen this number posted on this page. I got this from an article where two people read a book by Malcom Gladwell called Outliers.  In this book Mr.Gladwell expounds on a theory that it takes 10,000 hours of dedicated practice to master a skill. I personally do not completely (I said completely) agree with his theory. After all if I cannot carry a tune I can practice singing for a million hours and I will still sound like a toad. However I am still intrigued by 10,000 hours a dedicated practice.

 In this article one of the subjects wanted to master knitting, the other golfing. These skills will not change the world but still I admire the dedication. What if Christians had this sort of dedication? 

 Am I saying God can be mastered?

 Not at all. 

But the disciplines that draw us nearer to Him can be. 

 Imagine a life with only two goals in mind...to know God and do His will. If nothing else we would certainly be a people who spend time in prayer and know His Word...two things that are severely lacking in the church.

10,000 hours. I am intrigued. It's time to do something about it. Stay tuned.

Intimacy With Your Leader

For the one who desires to be a disciple, as opposed to being just a church goer, there is a need for closeness to the leader they are following.  However,while necessary for growth, there is an element of danger in this type of relationship.

When walking in relationship with the one God is using to train and disciple (discipline) you there is every opportunity for you to be open and transparent.  Your leader will note your successes, your strengths, and your anointing.  They will also see your glaring faults, weaknesses, or failures....and the ones not so glaring.

If you have a leader who tends, by their personality, to keep you at arms length concerning their own personal issues this is safest for you.  This leader does not see you as their confidante simply because of the nature of your relationship.  Safely you will be discipled without the added burden of "friendship".

But what do you do when the leader you are following tends to be a people person?  They love fellowship, they are open and gladly share their life with you..the successes and the failures.  They speak with you as a dear friend and not just a person in authority over your life.  They trust you enough to lay their life bare to you and due to this level of intimacy you see more of their humanity than you wanted to.

Human nature tends to take for granted anyone we feel equal or superior to.  The disciple who has a leader who draws a line in the sand and limits the level of intimacy with them is the safest person to be discipled by.  However the disciple, being loved from afar by their leader, misses out on training at a more intimate level.  God Himself wants to be known in an intimate way.  The servant who knows every detail about His master is better equipped to serve them and to train others to serve them. 

IF...

they can, with Godly fear, remember their place.

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him."  John 13:16

"For three things the earth is perturbed, For a servant when he reigns, A fool when he is filled with food,
A hateful woman when she is married, And a maidservant who succeeds her mistress."  Prov 30: 21-23

 

When walking in intimacy with your leader pride, presumption, and bitterness are strong temptations.  Because you see the human side of your leader, when they must bring correction the temptation will be to cast of restraint because they themselves have issues that need correction.

Haughtiness can fill your heart when you think you know better than your leader.  This may be true in some cases however God still demands a high level of reverence for the mantle of leadership that He has placed upon their shoulders.  Serving your leader with humble and loyal prayer offered on their behalf  is pleasing to God and keeps your heart from disloyalty.

Competition and ingratitude will flood your heart the minute you are wondering why God is using your leader when you are much more educated, talented, or even more spiritually gifted than they.

When God calls you to be a disciple of another every talent, gift, or bit of knowledge should be offered up to God as being at complete disposal of the leader for the good of the ministry.  These were given to you by God not for self promotion, but for the edification of others and for the furtherance of God's mission.

It is a sad thing when people poke fun at or kid their leaders in private or in front of others.  While the leader may not be overly concerned about such carelessness God is concerned. People who do this either lack maturity or have forgotten God's commandment to...

"...Touch not my anointed, and do my prophets no harm." 1 Chron 16:22

Making your leader the butt of your jokes will demean not only them but their God given authority.

If you have a close and  intimate relationship with your leader my advice to you is draw a line in the sand and NEVER cross it.  That line should always remind you that your leader is to be reverenced (hence the title Reverend in some circles) and treated with Godly fear at all times.

Remember to not let one thing cross your lips OR your mind that is critical, overly familiar, or rebellious toward your leader. 

An intimate loving relationship with your leader is to be treasured and guarded at all cost.  The devil and your own flesh will do all it can to to pull you out from under their protective headship.

If you keep your heart with all diligence you will reap the rewards of this special relationship God has given you and your leader will continually give God thanks for the refreshing he receives by your loyal and reverent service.

Whosoever keeps the fig tree shall eat its fruit: so he that waits on his master shall be honored. KJV 2000
The one who guards a fig tree will eat its fruit, and whoever protects their master will be honored. NIV

Whoever nurtures the fig tree will eat its fruit, and whoever obeys his master will be honored. ISAV

He who tends the fig tree will eat its fruit, And he who cares for his master will be honored. NASBV

Proverbs 27:18

Raising Strong Children For Christ

There is a common refrain among our children.

Whether they speak it out, act it out, or both their nature is to conform to this world.

At least in the U.S. (I cannot speak for other nations as I have not had the chance to visit overseas) most of our children want to wallow in entertainment, comfort, and attain some degree of fame.

We as parents have to be careful that we do not pander to those desires. As a parent it is our responsibility to keep our children headed to Christ and doing His will until they reach adulthood.  However too many parents either lack the courage to command their children to God or we feel they should be allowed a childhood with little responsibility and serious thinking.  Or worse we feel we must support every desire even though those same desires will conform our children to this world and not God.

To raise strong children WE must first be strong in the Lord.  Parents who waver in their faith, are moved by every wind of doctrine, are rebellious and self seeking, and whose faith in the word of God is purely focused on His promises of blessings are not setting a standard for their children to follow.  In an Army, the standard must fly high for all to see and follow.  We must not lower Jesus' standard but raise it high.  We must believe that though the standard is high our children can attain it by God's grace.

We must also be courageous.  The nature of a child, particularly teenangers, is rebelliousness.  They will, if we let them, fight going to church, fight prayer, fight the will of God.  They will weep, pout, throw temper tantrums, and accuse us of ruining their lives. Why can't they do what their friends are doing?  Hold fast, pray, and do not be moved by the displeasure of your children but train them up the way they should go. (Prov 22:6)

To raise strong children you must not let your emotions get the best of you.  Do not teach your children to be carnal.  Their are parents that teach their children, boys in particular, to get in the first punch during a conflict yet they will not teach them they must pray and get the first punch in with the devil.  If they are being picked on by their peers they must forgive.  If they are being laughted at for their faith teach them to rejoice in the face of persecution (Matt 5:11-12).  Do not let pity for your child's distressing circumstances to cause you to baby them.  Give them the Word of God and command them, with compassion, to obey and trust God.

Do not be afraid to command your children to pray and read the Word daily.  We cannot force our children to love God but we can create in them habits that will be difficult to shake when they become adults. 

Have your own prayer life and let them hear you pray, repent, rejoice, intercede, and worship.

Their rebelliousness or talking back to adults, irreverence in the house of God, tantrums, name calling, lying etc...is not cute. Discipline them promptly. (Prov 13:24)

Be a parent of strong convictions.  Children  are observant and know when we are being wishy-washy.  One day we are going all out for God, the next we are couch potatoes.  A consistent walk with God will give your children security in their growing faith.

When your children moan that they don't have friends, they just want to be normal and be like everyone else, that they feel alone.  Remind them that walking with God sometimes is a lonely road.  Share stories of how you felt left out or rejected at work, in your family, or even in church because of your faith but how God got you through.  Remind them that this is why we pray.  If we are in relationship with God we are never alone.

Allow your children to obtain what they need in life through prayer.  Yes, we bless our children as we are able.  But when they have a desire that is beyond us join with them in prayer and let them see God move on their behalf.  This will boost their faith.

Teach your children to give.  Teach them with every cash gift to take out the tithe and an offering to God first.

Be, for lack of a better word, nosey.  Check their rooms, phones, ipads etc..  As long as your child lives in your home their is no such thing as the need for privacy.  Because we do not live in sin our lives should be an open book.  The only thing that needs to be hidden are those things that we do not want to be exposed...sin or compromise.  So goes it for our children.  Unless they are hiding something or they pridefully do not want to be questioned they should not hesitate to let you hear what they are listening to on their ipod or looking at on the internet.  For that matter all internet use should be limited and supervised. The world and the devil will use anything to capitvate the hearts of our children.

Teach your children that life can and will be difficult.  That God is in the good and the bad circumstances of life.  That even so they must be grateful and rejoice in God.  They must not complain but learn to take what comes with faith bringing it to God in prayer.

Do not give your opinion.  Give them the Word of God.

Do not let your child spend the night or go on extended day trips with families that you do not know well.  If you are not close with those parents and cannot speak openly with them about concerns you have with your child while in their care then do not entrust your child with them.  Have their friends over to your house.

Let other spiritual adults speak into the lives of your children.  Welcome concerns of your peers or leadership about your children.  Parents who get offended when other adults come to them about the behavior of their children are prideful. Parents who insist their children keep dark family secrets and allow them no other adults to turn to in their distress are hurting them. (Prov 24:6)

Teach your children that church attendance is important.  We cannot grow in God, be fed, build strong relationships with one another, or serve the body if we are not present.  Teach them that if an after school activity will conflict with church then church must be the top priority.

And finally do not just release your child because they have turned 18 or 21.  Until they marry you are still their covering.  While we do not treat our adult children as we did when they were children we still need to prayerfully watch over them.  We should not be afraid to step in and ask them the hard questions.  If they are acting in some carnal way inquire how you may pray for them.  I am not saying you should be a tyrant or controlling but in the church when our peers our acting in some fleshly way we confront them in love.  It is no different with adult children.  Your correction is needed even when they become adults.  However we do this in love and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  If your child has been raised in the Word and you have set a pattern of this all their lives it will be no shock to them that it continues into their adulthood.  Though it may annoy them deep down they know they should listen...they especially will know it and even appreciate it if the Holy Spirit has already been convicting them because they have a prayer life.  This is why we command daily prayer when they are small.  That it may continue into adulthood.

For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice, that the Lord may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him. Gen 18:19

Only take heed to yourself, and diligently keep yourself, lest you forget the things your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. And teach them to your children and your grandchildren...  Deut 4:9

Prosperity?

Having money does not mean you are prosperous. You are not blessed because you have material wealth, business success, or the respect of the multitudes.

Like wise you are not impoverished because you lack financial security.

The word prosper (prosperity, prosperous, prospered) really is an Old Testament word. In the New Testament we only find prosper and prospereth used once in 3 John 2,

Beloved, I wish above all things that thous mayest prosper and be in health even as thy soul prospereth...

and prospered used in 1 Cor 16:2,

Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God has prospered him...

In each of these scriptures the Greek word euodoo is used. This word does mean success in business affairs in a figurative sense. But the main definition is simply, help on the road.

I'm finally learning that true wealth has nothing to do with how many zeroes are at the end of a number. True wealth is not found in what you possess but in who possesses you. It's not in who you know but who you put your trust in. Who is helping you along the way makes all the difference.

Jesus became poor that we might become rich. What does that mean? When Jesus hung on the cross His fellowship with the Father through the Holy Spirit was broken. This is true poverty. But Jesus was willing to pay the price that through His suffering we might all receive the treasure of God with us. The Holy Spirit is the grace of life that enables us to excel beyond our own earthly and fleshly limitations.

Riches are not money...true riches are inside information. It's almost like cheating. We don't have to figure out everything ourselves the way the heathen do.

 

We need first to be in relationship with the Holy Spirit and second be listening for His slightest whisper. There is no value in wracking your brain and burning the midnight oil in worry. God favors those who are devoted to His Spirit and understand without Him they can do nothing.

God's people perish for lack of knowledge needlessly. He who holds all knowledge hungers for eager students. He will give help to any who will trust Him...and wait.

Let us say we are prosperous because He is our help. Let us say we are blessed because we trust Him who has all knowledge. Let us say we are rich because He loves us and gave us His Spirit....our Helper on the road.

...For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds. Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God...1 Cor 10:4-5 KJV

Find Me On Facebook

If you're on Facebook click on the following link and "like" The Holy Spirit and the Word page.  My blogs are posted here as well as other encouragement for those who want more of God.
https://www.facebook.com/theholyspiritandtheword?ref=hl

My Apologies Everyone

Dear readers I have not disappeared.  I have suffered MUCH difficulty with Blogger for about 2 months and have not been able to post (My new post page always read error).  I think this is being resolved so I should be back to Blogging next week. 

More

I am on one particular vein; walking with and knowing the Holy Spirit.

I believe their are many Christians who feel the pull to cast off all restraint and fling themselves wholeheartedly into the fire of God. I believe that if any of us are saved then the Spirit of God is within us. He will ever draw us nearer to the Father, glorifying Jesus who died to bring us into relationship with the One He loved.

Yes, I believe that so many want more.

I also know many believers will never obtain that more.

 Let me explain.

Nothing gets done until one deals with self truthfully. Knowing the motives of the heart is so imperative in our walk with God, but we cannot know motives of our own hearts unless the Spirit and the Word reveals them.
So many Christians do not pray or spend time seeking God in His Word. May I clarify seeking God?
I am talking about prayer from the heart not empty religious gestures. Not the punching in of the Christian time clock.

Prayer ought to position the believer to hear truth because the believer hungers for truth.

Petitioning God for our wants and problems is not the heart of prayer. Jesus lived to know and do the will of the Father. He was able to boldly say He knew and loved the Father because He lived to please Him alone.

Jesus prayed.

In our Bible reading there ought to be more than skimming words on a page. Where is the careful study, memorization, meditation, and application (read obedience) of the Holy scriptures? Yet this is not enough without a hunger for truth.

In Jesus' day none prayed, fasted, or knew the Word of God better than the Pharisees. Yet when Jesus showed up they rejected their Messiah. How could this be? The Pharisees loved the adulation of men more than the quiet praise of God. (Jn 12:43)

Do you think the Pharisees knew this was in their hearts? Do you think they honestly confessed their sin? Of course not. They searched for an excuse that would appease their guilty conscience and fixated on it until they believed it was truth.

This is human nature.

Our human nature is to be feared far and above all the works of the devil and his angels with him.

We are capable of such creativity, reasoning, brilliance, and courage. We are capable of the most heinous of crimes and cowardice. We can even lie to ourselves.

When one determines in his heart that he will give all to God, the Holy Spirit begins to deal with that heart.

So few allow that dealing.

We are looking for the touch of God that pleases us.

He is looking for holiness, purity of heart, and faith that please Him.

He is looking for the one that says,

I will stand naked and unashamed before You and mankind..I am willing that You to expose me, humiliate me, and make me the least of my brothers. I willing to be the servant of Your servants. I am willing to be overlooked, unappreciated, unjustly treated, and falsely accused. I am willing to look like a fool for Your sake or to cover those in authority over me and my peers. I am willing to endure the crucifixion moments of my life that this flesh will be destroyed and I can walk in the truth of Your ways.

He is the Spirit of Truth.

He loves us and is so gentle. He will not break the spirit of the one who seeks him but He has no mercy on the flesh. His dealings cause pain. That pain is sometimes physical, but mostly it is a pain to our ego. A harsh blow to our pride. A destruction of the thing we love more than Christ which is most generally ourselves.

This is why I say many will never walk in the more or the fire of intimacy with the Holy Spirit on this earth.

The cost is indeed high.

But if you desire Him...all of Him...and you are willing to pay the price, fear not. Though it be a rough and treacherous rode He will be your guide. Remember Lots wife and never look back.

What lies ahead is glorious!

And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it— lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish’? Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple. Luke 14:27-33

The Fear Of Man

Let's just jump right in. If you long to walk with the Spirit of God the way I do you must put people, along with their opinions and expectations of you, in their proper place.

Being overly concerned (read obsessed) about what others think of you is a hindrance in cultivating intimacy with the Holy Ghost.

Even as a child I ran myself ragged trying to make everyone happy. As a young adult I was a chameleon. I did all I could to be like everyone in order to be liked.

I brought this into my walk with God. Wanting to be accepted I frantically tried to please everyone. If I at all sensed someone was displeased with me I lost sleep and did all I could to regain their approval.

Ridiculous! If Jesus Himself cannot please everyone then why would I think I can?

The greatest commandment is to love God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength. This cannot be done when the fear of man moves us to please people instead of God.

Approval seekers cannot follow or obey God unless they feel everyone approves of them, their decisions, their words, or their actions. Therefore deliverance in this area is imperative.

In attempting to be delivered of approval seeking I have seen people go the opposite way. Instead of seeking to please others they live to please themselves alone. People like this love the scripture that says we ought to obey God rather than men Acts 5:29. They adopt the stance that no longer are they subject to the authority of others and cast off restraint. This is rebellion and foolishness. My Granny would have said they are throwing out the baby with the bath water.

God's word is clear concerning to our submission to spiritual and natural authority. A good disciple, wife, child, or servant certainly should seek to please the one in authority over them. In doing so they please God as all authority comes from Him.

Selfishness is also not deliverance. After loving God the second commandment is that we must love our brother as ourselves. In Philippians we are exhorted to not only look out for our own welfare but also for the welfare of others. Serving, loving, helping, and sharing with one another is not approval seeking. It is Christianity in the practical.

When I speak of deliverance from approval seeking, people pleasing, and the fear of man I am really talking about freedom from SELF. SELF is always self-analyzing, naval gazing, and preoccupied with appearance. Bookstores, even Christian ones are filled with self-help, self-actualizing, and self-fulfillment books.

SELF is the biggest idol there ever was. Destroy SELF and you destroy the power of the fear of man.

When my mind is on God and not SELF I can acknowledge my sins, faults, and frailties without falling apart. I can repent without walking in condemnation. I can take correction without rebellion rising up. I can be rebuked and still not be defeated. Why? Because my faults are my faults. They are not me. If I love God I want Him to correct my faults because I want to be like Him. If I love people I want my faults to be corrected because I don't want to hurt anyone.

When my mind is on God and not SELF I can be judged, disapproved of, criticized, and falsely accused because I know what He thinks of me...and that's all that really matters. He is the only one I'll have to stand before on that great day.

When my mind is on God and not SELF everyone inthe world can hate me and I can still love them all. How do I know? Because Jesus did it first.

Because of the miraculous signs Jesus did in Jerusalem at the Passover celebration, many began to trust in him. But Jesus didn’t trust them, because he knew human nature. No one needed to tell him what mankind is really like. Jn 2:23-25 NLT

He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Is 53:3 NKJ

He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth. Is 53:7 NKJ

Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” Lk 23:34 NKJ

From Glory To Glory?

There are times as I sit in service and hear the people shout and clap, that I think to myself,

 

They hear but they do not hear.

 

Most of God's people must not pray or really read His Word. I laugh when I hear people shouting whenever some one preaches about going from glory to glory. They either don't know, or forget, that suffering and death precede glory. So yes, the victorious will indeed go from glory to glory but they're going to endure alot of pain on the trip.

I'm not trying to be a wet blanket. I love the exuberance and the prophetic words and the call to go higher. I just think that the majority of God's people are like the Jews on Palm Sunday. They love the triumphant march, the songs, and the atmosphere but they really don't know, or understand the mission of Jesus Christ.

 

He was born to die that others might live.

 

He expects us to do the same.

 

When Jesus told us to come and follow Him He didn't mean for us to simply accompany Him on His journey as a spectator, but to be as He is. He said if we would not be willing to lay down our lives and pick up the cross we couldn't be His disciples. If we would not allow ourselves to be nailed to that proverbial cross, endure it's shame and pain, and finally die on it...

 

DAILY

 

 ...we could not be called His children.

 

Satan's doctrine is spreading through out the church. It says you can be a Christian without being a disciple of Christ. It lulls those that call themselves by His name into false hope and security by promising painless salvation. It declares that the cross is only for the really dedicated and hyper-spiritual. It soothes the flesh that only special Christians are called to that kind of life, but it's not for everyone.

 

You don't have to be that radical to be saved, you're not Jesus you know.

 

This is the lie that keeps God's people running after the comfort of this world...running from the suffering of this present life.  Running to false doctrine, denial of Christ's mission, rebellion, and ultimately into eternal suffering and torment in hell.

Please understand, having your lights turned off because you spent your electric bill money foolishly is not suffering, neither is enduring the shame of pregnancy apart from wedlock. The hardship we endure from bad decisions, or sin, is simply reaping the consequences of what we've sown.

True suffering is the loss, persecution, or trials one experiences from being obedient to God. Biblical suffering often causes those we love to suffer as well, through no fault of their own. Suffering comes to all who will live Godly...to all who refuse to compromise their faith for the sake of comfort or popularity.

The servant will never be greater than the Master. Jesus set the example. We are to walk in His footprints and drink from the same cup.

 

Suffering is not a part of the Christian life, it is the Christian life.

It's the Jesus life.

I gave up all that inferior stuff so I could know Christ personally, experience his resurrection power, be a partner in his suffering, and go all the way with him to death itself. If there was any way to get in on the resurrection from the dead, I wanted to do it.

Phil 3:10 The Message

Prayer...Just Do It!

I  love prayer and the Word of God!

Oh, there are times when I'd rather do something else. There are times when prayer or reading my Bible seems as interesting as taking out the trash. I have found, however, if I just wait on God or press in a little more, read a few more verses, He always makes His presence known somehow.

When I first gave my life to Christ in 1995 prayer was better than television. I loved singing to Jesus and telling Him how awesome He was.

Within about six months my hunger for prayer began to wane. My prayer life was erratic and I had lost the fire of just wanting to be with my God.

I had been saved 14 months when I realized connecting to God in prayer was the most important thing in the world.

Shawn and I had been married less than a year and fights were almost a daily occurrence. It was my first day home with our new baby Shannon. In pain from the recent c-section I had a very short temper. I had probably not prayed the whole time I was hospitalized.

I don't remember what started the fight but the argument took place in the bedroom with our 3 day old baby asleep on our bed. The fight escalated until I finally slapped my husband who pushed me down on the bed. As we struggled furiously I suddenly realized we were on top of our new daughter. I suddenly sobered and with voice shaking said, "Shawn, we're on the baby."

He quickly stood up and I took the baby in my arms who, fortunately, was not harmed.

It was that day that I vowed to never be prayerless again. (It was that resolve to pray, and Shawn's decision to be a man of prayer that helped save our marriage.)

Without God I am capable of very ugly things. Without prayer we are all capable of very ugly things. It's remembering the story of how Israel was reduced to eating their own children during a famine that reminds me of the importance of prayer and keeping His Word.

It's in prayer that God convicts me of anger and impatience. Through prayer and His Word He slaps my behind and forces me out of my pity parties. He does it so gently, so lovingly, yet I'm reduced to tears because it is His goodness that drives me to repentance.

In prayer the real me is revealed. Yet God is not ashamed. He is not impatient but He is firm. Change is not an option yet God doesn't force it over night. He works with those who stay in His hand.

Just when I think I'm finally a spiritual woman He exposes yet another flaw and continues the good work He began in me. He began it and He will finish it. It is not our job, to change ourselves. If we were capable of that we would have done it a long time ago. We would have no need of the Holy Spirit or the blood of Jesus.

What is our part then? Our part is to draw near in prayer and behold our Creator...and keep beholding. As we remain in the light of His glory it is impossible not to change. Our part is to discover the purpose and desire of God through His Word, to come in agreement with Him, and with a contrite heart appeal to Him that He never leave us to ourselves. This is how we work out our salvation day by day.

I love prayer because God is faithful whether I feel Him or not.

As I cling to Him He reminds me how proud He is of me just because I am His. Yet I realize He is also Holy. I realize He is not my BFF (best friend forever) or my home-boy. He is GOD and He is to be reverenced. The same God that is proud of me today is capable of casting this soul into hell if I forsake my relationship with Him. He loves me. He still loves every soul that is in hell at this moment.

Yet I do not pray out of fear of hell but rather out of fear that I'll be separated from Him forever.

Imagine...an eternity of suffering in hell without even one glimpse of His precious face.

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Corinthians 3:18 (NKJV

I'm in the midst of transition. I personally love and despise (mostly despise) change.

I enjoy day dreaming about 'what will be' concerning the promises God has given me, but I personally wish God would let me write the script concerning how it will be done.

We were having a ladies meeting some years back and as we were worshipping God in song I was thinking some very judgemental thoughts about one of the ladies. In exasperation over my critical spirit I thought, Lord, can't I just go to a mountain somewhere and be alone with you? Right after that our Pastor's wife began to sing these words in the prophetic,

Who will go to the mountain of the Lord, who will go to the mountain of the Lord, who will go to the mountain of the Lord....I will!

Suffice it to say the next day I began a 40 day trek to the mountain of God. The Lord nudged me to begin to read Exodus and I was delighted to find there are exactly 40 chapters in that book...One for each day of my trip. Of course I was not making a physical journey to Horeb but each day that went by I learned  more about myself and about God. Though I hadn't left home it felt as if I was on a sabbatical.

One of the things I realized as I read Exodus is how much we are inclined to resist God.

The Israelites cried out for deliverance from slavery but when the answer (change) came they resisted.

I imagine when they were praying for freedom they never imagined God would lead them out of Egypt on foot into the desert. They probably imagined some great warrior would rise up, storm Pharaoh's palace, there would be a mighty slaughter, and the Hebrews would rule Egypt. They would stay in that familiar place...maybe upgrade their houses but, except for the slavery part, life would go on as usual.

I have some opinions about how I think God should do things, but I never realized until now how much I cling to those opinions.

God wants to bless His church. He's been trying to get us on the move to the promised land and we've sat down in the sand like  mules (read jack a_ _?) and have refused to budge because the way He's doing it doesn't line up with the way we'd like to see it done.

This can't be God it's too different...no one else is doing it like that...what will people think?

God specializes in the unexpected which is hard for a control freak like me. I hate surprises. I want to know what's going on, make the decisions, give the orders.

 I WANT TO BE

...god.


I called forth the mighty army of Egypt with all its chariots and horses. I drew them beneath the waves, and they drowned, their lives snuffed out like a smoldering candlewick. “But forget all that— it is nothing compared to what I am going to do. For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.
Is 43:17-19 (The Message)

Scars

I have skin that scars very easily. As a child I would rarely wear shorts because my shins were so banged up. One morning as I was praying I glance down and the scars on my arms seemed to stand out in stark relief. The next few minutes of prayer went something like this,

God my arms are so ugly can't I just go dip in the Jordan River like Naaman and come out with skin soft, beautiful, and young? (2 Kings 5)

Daughter I love your scars.

 

What? What do you mean?

 

Well like that scar on your left forearm....

 

The big one I got from jumping a hurdle that was too high for me when I ran track in high school?

 

Yes! What I love about it is you didn't think you could do it, but when your coach told you to take that event you tried with all your might.

 

But I wiped out God...flat on my face.

 

But you didn't quit. That scar is a permanent reminder that you're no quitter. It speaks of who you are.

 

But my scars are so ugly God and permanent.

 

So are the scars in the hands and feet of my Son.

 

Every scar has a story to tell. Every scar speaks of a persons life; where they have been, what they spent their time doing, what they loved most. There are scars that carry shame and there are the scars of great warriors.

 

There are even those who carry no scars because they would never take a risk in life.

 

Obeying God involves risk. Those who say it does not perhaps have never had God challenge them to give up something they love. To do something they fear the most. Whether one risks their reputation, finances, or relationships, doing the will of God has a price. It's going to hurt one way or another. In the end there will be a wound that with time will become a scar.

 

A scar that tells the story of what it costs to obey God.

 

The rich young ruler should have had a scar. Jesus told him to sell all he had and follow Him. (Mk 10:17-23) With shaking hands, a lump in his throat, and the knowledge that everyone would think he was a lunatic, he should have obeyed the Master. Years down the road as he was preaching the Gospel and healing the sick perhaps a memory would surface of the comfort he gave up to follow Jesus. But as he saw people coming to the Kingdom of God, being set free from sin, he would smile and think,

 

It was worth it.

 

The ache of sacrifice now gone and the wound just a painless reflection of the cost of following Christ.

He was looked down on and passed over, a man who suffered, who knew pain firsthand.One look at him and people turned away. We looked down on him, thought he was scum.But the fact is, it was our pains he carried—our disfigurements, all the things wrong with us.We thought he brought it on himself, that God was punishing him for his own failures. But it was our sins that did that to him, that ripped and tore and crushed him—our sins!He took the punishment, and that made us whole. Through his bruises we get healed.We're all like sheep who've wandered off and gotten lost. We've all done our own thing, gone our own way.And God has piled all our sins, everything we've done wrong, on him, on him. Is 53:2-6 The Message

The House Of Kindness

There is a story in the New Testament that has always weighed on my mind in that I've never fully been at peace with the way some interpret it..

The story is found in John 5:1-9 and tells how there was a pool called Bethesda where miracles happened. At certain seasons an angel would stir the waters and whoever got into the water first was healed of whatever sickness they had.

Jesus comes on the scene and taking note of a man who had been lying by that pool for 38 years, He asked him,

"Would you like to get well?"

The man responds by saying that he could not get well because every time the waters were stirred someone would get in the water before he could. He had no one who would help Him.

I've heard this invalid described as an excuse maker, an apathetic man who was wallowing in self pity. I heard it said that if this man really wanted to be healed he would have found a way to get in that pool, therefore if you and I are not healed, delivered, or still struggling in some

area it's because we just don't want the victory bad enough.

I do believe that we are responsible to do our part when it comes to receiving things from the Lord. But, I also know that sometimes people suffer from conditions (Physically, mentally, spiritually) that they can do absolutely nothing about. They are not making excuses they just do not see a way out of their suffering. It is in these cases that God expects us to help one another.

It is amusing that the pool was called Bethesda which in the Hebrew means house of kindness.

Imagine this.

The pool is packed with the sick and infirm waiting for the angel to stir the water. They are as close to the pool as they can get. Day after day passes and everyone is afraid to sleep or take their eyes off the water for even a second. Everyone is on edge and no one is thinking about their neighbor. All they want is to be the first one in the water so they can be free from misery. Finally the waters begin to stir and the people are anything but kind. The sick are trampling on one another. Fists flail as each one desperately attempts to be the first to step in.

Finally a shout of triumph!

A young man with kidney stones had pushed down an elderly woman with cancer and stepped in the water first. Glorifying God he went home healed with out a second thought about those still sick. The crowd went back, each one to their place, some weeping, others grumbling, all dejected.

Then Jesus comes and His attention is immediately fixed on the one who had been there 38 years and his complaint was so genuine Jesus did not dispute it. There was no one who would help. So Jesus spoke and the man was healed.

I have several thoughts on the matter and even as I write I pray God convict me daily to put my needs on the back burner when I have an opportunity to show a kindness.

1) We are our brother's keeper. We have a responsibility to be the solution to another's problem. I imagine Jesus was angry at the selfishness of His people as they lay by that pool. He still gets angry. We get so wrapped up in ourselves, our trials, that we forget to have compassion for one another. When we get our breakthrough we praise God with our mouth but forget that our brother is still suffering.

I wonder what would have happened if someone had determined that the next time the pool stirred they would grab their brother and jump in together. Maybe God would have been so pleased that in His mercy they both would have been healed. Maybe a revival would have started and everyone who jumped in would have gotten healed.

Don't forget the four friends that tore up the roof of a house to get their paralyzed friend to Jesus. Jesus healed that man and said it was because of the faith of his friends. Mark 2:1-5

2) Jesus healed the man by the pool and it was the sabbath. Jesus knew by healing this man on the sabbath He was asking for persecution as it was considered unlawful to heal on the sabbath.

It will cost us to extend help to someone else. We will suffer the little...maybe giving up our eating out money to give another family groceries. We will suffer greatly...as do those who bring the Gospel of Salvation to countries where Christians are persecuted to the death. Yet those who are willing to lay down their life to bless someone else are called the friends of Jesus.

3) Finally, and my sincere apologies if this sounds cynical but, in the end, we can really only depend on Jesus.

 For 38 years no one would help this man and I imagine he must have reached out for help. He must have begged for help only to have people turn a deaf ear. For 38 years people had an opportunity to show kindness in the house of kindness and no one did. The man waited because he had no choice, but finally God showed up.

The proper response to this is to keep your heart soft and do not get bitter. Selfishness is human nature even in the most spiritual man or woman of God. The best of us have to fight off self more than the devil...how much more those in the church who do not seek God and His ways.

Just remember while you wait for God, though you may have been forsaken do not forsake others. When God shows up pay it forward.

We can all do something to help one another. We can even help those who make foolish decisions. Do not flippantly shrug your shoulders when, because of their rebelliousness or stubbornness, people suffer. Prayer and compassion is always needful, especially for the fool.

Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. Phil 2:3-4

From The Cross To Glory

A Sunday, some years ago, I was fasting. As I was listening to the sermon that morning I heard God say, 

 "Pray for My body."

So I continued the fast and each day focused my prayer on whatever the Holy Spirit led me to pray for His body. Among other things I prayed for the fear of the Lord, finances, missionaries, pastors, laborers for the harvest and workers to rise up.

One day I specifically prayed that God would heal His body. I felt such a certainty that the body of Christ was so sick and the sickness was like a cancer that was rapidly spreading.

On the last day of the fast  I woke up and before I had even opened my eyes, I had a song on my heart about the Cross. As I fully awakened I had a vision of Jesus. He was holding a cup in His hand and He said,

"The reason so many are falling away is because they refuse to embrace the Cross. The end is closer than ever before. For those who embrace the Cross the end is glorious."

He looked at me and held out the cup. "Will you drink from My cup?"

I hesitated because I knew it was the cup of suffering. I told Him I didn't want to drink from that cup and I needed His grace to help me to do so.

He said, "Embrace the cross, the end is glorious."

I took the cup and drank from it. It was so bitter and it made my stomach hurt. As I drank I saw so many things it was almost a blur and I couldn't see it all. I saw wars, strife, people suffering, others carrying or being nailed to their own crosses. Then all was silent and I was dressed as He was. My robe was so beautiful and everything was bright and white. Then I heard the worship of so many saints, all united in our praise of the Lamb. Finally My head was laid in His lap as He sat on His throne.

This vision could have lasted longer than a minute but for me the message was clear. In order for me to be with Jesus forever I must take up my cross, but in my flesh this is impossible. It is only through the strength of God that I can allow my flesh to suffer the agonizingly slow death of the cross.

When we think of suffering we often think of those who suffer unto blood shed. However in this country very few experience the pain of being martyred. At least for now. Our crosses tend more towards our dealings with people or circumstances. For instance when we encounter an offense the temptation is to respond in some carnal way, yet the Word of God says to forgive. To obey that Word I have to nail my fleshly desire for revenge firmly to the cross and graciously extend the hand of peace.

Crosses are not easy. No one wants to drink from the cup of suffering and humiliation. Yet Jesus gave the answer. In Luke 22:42-43 we find Jesus asking His Father to take away this same cup. Jesus was not spared but His Father sent an angel to strengthen Him.

The end truly is near folks and many are forsaking the Word of God to live their own version of Christianity where suffering and humiliation don't exist. Many are already deceived into thinking that they are still right with God despite the fact that they refuse to obey His Word.

Nothing in me wants to suffer. Yet God demands it because this flesh must die. So my part in the matter is to find my own Garden of Gethsemane and cry out to God for the grace to take up my cross, that I too may follow after Christ.

For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. Heb 12:3