Well, this is the first of three final entries of the Deeper Still prayer blog. How bittersweet. Bitter in that the Deeper Still conference is over and we no longer have the anticipation and excitement of its arrival, yet sweet because the conference is now a treasured memory to reflect back upon and ponder.
Reflect and ponder. Exactly what I want to do in this post. We must do so in order to allow the Word that we heard from God on Friday and Saturday to steep into us. We must ponder, think upon and ask the hard questions to ourselves and each other. We must allow what touched our Spirit to stir us into action. We can begin with talking and hashing it out amongst ourselves, but it ultimately must move from 'talking it out' to 'walking it out'. I loved Michelle Hick's post at the Deeper Still blog on this very thing. I encourage you to check it out.
So, shall we dig in and discuss?
Ephesians 1:19 states that we have 'his incomparably great power for us who believe.' The word power in this word means dynamite. Friday, as Kay Arthur delivered His message, it was as if dynamite had been ignited and sparks were a flying. Kay Arthur's delivery of God's Word was so infused with His power, that it testified to Eph. 1:19 filling and spewing forth in her life (can anyone give me an Amen?). She whipped around and moved with such energy as she spoke, you would have thought she was twenty-seven, not seventy-seven. Amazing, amazing it was.
Miss Kay challenged us to truly break free that weekend in Freedom Hall. She said that when you know the Truth, the Truth will set you free! She specifically talked upon the freedom and power that comes from knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that God loves you. That he loved us so very much that He sent His son to die for us--that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. She talked about the depth of His love for us--that we as believers have the power within to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ (Eph. 1:18).
She then moved on to the topic of sin...going on to say that we are living in a generation of silly women. That we are too entangled in the affairs of this life...that we no longer want to work or wrestle things out. Are you working for God? Are you living with passion? Passion comes from laying everything at His feet--everything.
Miss Kay quoted Ephesians 5:3-7: '3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. 4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.[a] 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7 Therefore do not be partners with them.'
She went on to ask: Is there sin in your life? Does it make you doubt His love? Do you habitually sin? Is your habit of your life sin? Because no one who is born of God habitually practices sin, for such people practice lawlessness. She summed this up by saying that the majority of people in church are not born again...if the power of sin is not broken in your life than you are not His child.
...Sobering, sobering message...
Miss Kay concluded her message by explaining what a Biblical perspective of love is. She quoted 1 John 3:10: 10 This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister. Also quoting 'we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren' (1 John 3:16), 'let us love one another for love is from God' (1 John 4:7), 'Hope does not disappoint us because love of God has been poured out throught the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5), and 'The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self control (Gal. 5:22). She asked if we were going to believe, receive and embrace 1 John 5:1-5: 1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. 2 This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. 3 In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, 4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.'
She concluded with 1 John 4:18: 'There is no fear in love because perfect love casts out fear and that fear involves torment,' and Romans 8:28: '28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[i] have been called according to his purpose.'
Oh my goodness, Miss Kay is a Walking Bible. How apparent it is that her first love is her Lord and Savior! How inspiring, how convicting.
Miss Kay's teaching left me wrestling with the following questions: Am I characterized by being a silly woman, caught up in the culture? Do I have habitual sin in my life? Do I reflect Christ's love to others? Do I have the kind of love for others that lays down my life (i.e. my desires, wants, feelings, etc.)? What is keeping me from doing so? Is it due to selfishness? Is it due to fear? Why? I believe I desire to wholeheartedly live for Christ, but do I, really?
God's Word tells us that we are to work out our salvation with fear and trembling (Phil. 2:12b). Miss Kay's message was that kind of message for me. It made me really think about my life and whether it truly reflects the fruit of one who is a child of God. I hadn't heard such a message in a while--it's been a little too long, I think. It has given me a renewed sobering of spirit, for sure.
What about you? What convictions did Friday night's session stir up in you?
Oh, how very thankful I am to have teachers such as Kay Arthur in my life to challenge me and propel me forward in my walk with Christ!
Post #2 will rehash Priscilla Shirer's message on 'The Freedom that comes from a Sabbath rest'.
Until then--happy day!
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Friday, June 10, 2011
Freedom Hall drinking in the Living Water
I drove up to the facility this morning for a prayer time and I caught my breath as I took in the sight: on the front of the building were the large white words loud and clear: 'FREEDOM HALL'. Right below the words there stood a water fountain, spraying in the air. Large white words, water flowing, encompassed with the clear blue sky--it was almost more than I could bare. I thought of all of the prayers we have uttered over the past three months asking Jesus to 'set the captives free'...to see those words so large on the side of the building today with the water spouting up underneath...a picture of the Living Water making a way in the desert, freeing those enslaved by sin, relieving the parched, dry souls with His refreshment...a refreshment that quenches one's thirst evermore. It was a beautiful sight to take in and to my mind John 4:8-15 was brought:
When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” 8 (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)
9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.[a])
10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”
11 “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?”
13 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.”
...God knew. When they named this building. When the architects strategically put this water fountain write below WHITE letters, no less. He knew. He knew that Deeper Still was going to be held in this facility on June 10, 2011. He knew. He knew who would be attending and what kind of refreshment they would be needing. He knew what chains are needing to be severed for good. He knew. He knows. He is a God of intimate details. Oh, how I love serving our amazing God!
As I ran this morning, the humidity was so thick you could almost see the steam in the air. It felt oppressive, almost smothering. I envisioned the Holy Spirit being so tangible tonight that you can almost see it. So oppressive that it raises the goose bumps on the arms and you cannot deny Him. Just as the humidity is sticky and sweaty and you can't get away from it, I am praying that this weekend will 'stick' with us --that what we learn will change us in a way that we can't go back to mediocrity. That we will go forward, freed, changed and move into that which God is calling. I am praying that this weekend will be the beginning of some soul-sweating...some moving and shaking and doing in His Spirit...that we will not be content to live life for ourselves and for our own pleasure but for the sake of the Kingdom. May His Spirit smother us with His calling and His purpose.
Looking forward to sharing this weekend with each of you as He takes us deeper still...May the Living Water awash us anew and drench us...may He refresh, rejuvenate, redeem and restore as only He can do!
When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” 8 (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)
9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.[a])
10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”
11 “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?”
13 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.”
...God knew. When they named this building. When the architects strategically put this water fountain write below WHITE letters, no less. He knew. He knew that Deeper Still was going to be held in this facility on June 10, 2011. He knew. He knew who would be attending and what kind of refreshment they would be needing. He knew what chains are needing to be severed for good. He knew. He knows. He is a God of intimate details. Oh, how I love serving our amazing God!
As I ran this morning, the humidity was so thick you could almost see the steam in the air. It felt oppressive, almost smothering. I envisioned the Holy Spirit being so tangible tonight that you can almost see it. So oppressive that it raises the goose bumps on the arms and you cannot deny Him. Just as the humidity is sticky and sweaty and you can't get away from it, I am praying that this weekend will 'stick' with us --that what we learn will change us in a way that we can't go back to mediocrity. That we will go forward, freed, changed and move into that which God is calling. I am praying that this weekend will be the beginning of some soul-sweating...some moving and shaking and doing in His Spirit...that we will not be content to live life for ourselves and for our own pleasure but for the sake of the Kingdom. May His Spirit smother us with His calling and His purpose.
Looking forward to sharing this weekend with each of you as He takes us deeper still...May the Living Water awash us anew and drench us...may He refresh, rejuvenate, redeem and restore as only He can do!
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Freedom's Calling
Aren’t you just absolutely amazed by how detail-oriented our God can be?! What a blessing when we are attentive… seeking, listening and watching….when our hearts and minds are “stayed on Thee,” all the thoughts and imaginations coming from our minds supported by God alone. Some days it is like a process of connecting the dots for me or maybe like following the trail of Living Bread crumbsJ. A Scripture in an emailed devotion is confirmed by my friend’s facebook status….then I listen to a sermon online while I fold laundry and the message is the same. Later, I find myself humming words to a song with a reminder of the very truth the Lord is speaking to me. I just want to keep pen and paper at my side to record it all. In fact, I would be smart to record His Words to me when I hear them, when I really hear that He is speaking straight to my situation, so that on the rough days, when I am struggling to look up from some pit I’ve found myself in, I could pull out that paper and read His promises, His instructions…the very voice of the Holy Spirit moving within me to calm me, to assure me that He is completing a good work in me, reminding me that He has never, ever left me or forgotten about me, promising me that He is Faithful and True, that He is Good and Loving and Perfect for me.
As I prepare today to travel to Louisville tomorrow by packing my bags and thinking through details, I have this dot to dot phenomena going on in my spirit. My heart is singing exactly as my husband prayed this morning….”freedom’s calling, chains are falling”….Lord, let it be so in Freedom Hall. I have a picture in my mind of a banquet table set up for us (from a John Piper sermon I listened to a few days ago). The Lord God, our King, is the Host. He has prepared this place for us and is leading us to attend. He is preparing the table for us. I am hearing from Psalm 23, a familiar psalm to many of us. He is leading many from green pastures….places of comfort and rest, growing, abundant places. Many are being led from the valley of the shadow….dark, grim places of loss, struggle, shame, fear, disappointment, worry. Where ever you are coming from, or better said, being “lead through” as on a journey, your journey is leading you to the banquet table this weekend. There we will eat and drink of His goodness, of the truth of His Word. There we will fellowship with one another in love. We will fellowship with the King of Kings as He anoints our heads with oil as His honored guests, Our cups will overflow. He is the Master Host, meeting every single need and nourishing every cell of our being, all for His name’s sake. The Word of God will speak and we will be delivered! Freedom’s calling us to Freedom Hall. The power of sin is broken. We are free….free to enjoy the abundance of Life at His table, in His presence, both this weekend and forevermore.
Psalm 23 (GNT)
The Lord is my shepherd;
I have everything I need.
2 He lets me rest in fields of green grass
and leads me to quiet pools of fresh water.
3 He gives me new strength.
He guides me in the right paths,
as he has promised.
4 Even if I go through the deepest darkness,
I will not be afraid, Lord,
for you are with me.
Your shepherd's rod and staff protect me.
5 You prepare a banquet for me,
where all my enemies can see me;
you welcome me as an honored guest
and fill my cup to the brim.
6 I know that your goodness and love will be with me all my life;
and your house will be my home as long as I live.
As we anticipate the gathering at Louisville Deeper Still, would you prepare our hearts and minds for the refreshment of Living Water, for the nourishment of the Bread of Life, for healing as you anoint us with the oil of gladness, the fullness of the Spirit without measure. Lead us from green pastures. Lead us from the deepest darkness. Lead us to the table prepared in advance for us. Lead us in accordance with Your will for our lives, all for Your honor and Your glory and Your name’s sake. Freedom is calling us, drawing us. Glorify Yourself in Freedom Hall. Magnify Your name. Our hearts and hopes are set on You both now and forevermore.
Amen.
~Contributed by Susan Moffitt with Lifeway Church Resources
Day Ninety!
The Marathon of the Christian Life
In the marathon of the Christian life there are a variety of competitors. Some are like jack rabbits; they start off strong and fast but burn out quickly due to inadequate training. Then there are those who spend too much time talking and laughing with the other participants. For them, it is just one big party and after awhile, they lose sight of actually ever finishing the race. Others, they spend their whole race focusing on the cramp in their foot, the ailment in their hip, last year’s injury that still hasn’t healed properly…their focus becomes the problem of the moment rather than the finish line—they, too, fade into the background. Some fail to plan appropriately. They forget to bring their water or wear the right kind of shoes—they don’t last long. Then there are those who are going strong until they get to the hills. The hills require bucking up and enduring some pain. Choosing comfort over the prize, they drop off. And then there are the ones who are too fearful to go it alone. They rely too heavily on their training partners and when their partners drop out, they just ‘follow the crowd’ and drop out too. Some are just too lazy; they would much rather be a spectator than actually be a part of the race. Others get so caught up in their sportswear and how they look that they forget that they’re even in a race. There are the overly competitive who are too concerned with how everyone else is racing. They spend all of their time and energy watching those around them, measuring themselves against their competition...after awhile their goal becomes more about others than attaining the prize… The super-athletic—the elite performers—everyone has their eye on them, for sure. Yet, they have made the race all about working and performing in their own strength...unfortunately for them, in the marathon of the Christian life, hard work ethic alone doesn’t cut it.
So, in the end, which competitors cross the finish line and attain the prize? It’s those that adequately prepare and train by getting up day after day, consistently putting in the hours of training, not because they want to beat everyone else, but because they are looking forward to running into the arms of their Savior. It’s those that are encouraged along the way by the cheers of their friends, yet they don't get sidetracked by their friends. It’s those who keep their focus on Christ and not on the cramps and ailments—tempted not to quit for the comfort of the temporary, for their eyes are on the Eternal One. It’s those who buck down and endure the tortuous hills, knowing the One to be gained in pain is most worthy of the cost. It’s those who aren't afraid to go it alone because they know that the prize at the finish is better than any temporal fellowship they might have along the way. It’s those who don't pour all their resources into their wasting-away, outer appearance; instead, they focus on the refined-by-fire, unseen imperishables, resulting in a rock-solid faith that carries them through the race. It’s those who don’t pridefully do it on their own, but realize the power is really in their weakness; letting go of their own ability, their Father infuses them with His strength and carries them across the finish line.
Which kind of competitor are you?
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 1 Cor. 9:24
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us (Heb. 12:1.)
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you that You are El Shaddai, the All-Sufficient God! Everything we need to live and function in this world comes from You and You alone! Lord, I sadly see myself in far too many of the competitors that are not running their race for You. I specifically see myself in ________________. Forgive me, Lord. Redeem this area of my life for You and Your glory alone! I want to persevere in the work You have for me; I do not want to start off strong and burn out before Your will is complete. I don’t want to waste my life on entertaining myself to death; I want my life to live under the umbrella of your purposes. As important as fellowship and other people are, I don’t want to put them and their relationships ahead of my relationship with You. Lord, make me strong in You so that I don’t easily give up when circumstances get hard. Make me aware of how much I rely on the comforts around me—show me when the comforts are causing complacency, so that I will actively purge them out of my life. Show me where I am just being downright lazy; may the love I have for You spur me on in my work ethic. Open my eyes to my vain preoccupation with my appearance. Show me the root of that sin in my life so that I can pull it out at it’s core! I know that I spend too much time comparing myself to those around me instead of just running the race You’ve marked out for me. Forgive me for this Lord. Nor, do I want to be preoccupied with stuff. It just snuffs Your spirit right out of my life. I don’t want to work in my own strength Lord, I want to rest in You and Your strength! Open up my eyes to the blind areas of my life! May I throw off all of these sins that so easily entangles and run with perseverance the race marked out for me (Heb. 12:1). I want to be the runner who runs to get the prize of Christ Jesus (1 Cor. 9:24)
Lord, there will be women at Deeper Still entangled in so many of the sins mentioned in this prayer… I pray that You will expose these blind areas to them. Open up their eyes! Apply Your healing balm to their wounds. Consecrate us all, Lord. Consecrate us all.
...Take my life and let it be, consecrated, Lord to thee.
Take my moments and my days, Let them flow in endless praise.
Take my hands and let them move, At the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet and let them be, swift and beautiful for Thee.
Take my voice and let me sing, always, only for my King.
Take my lips and let them be, filled with messages from Thee.
Take my silver and my gold, not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use, every pow’r as Thou shalt choose.
Take my will and make it Thine, It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is Thine own, It shall be Thy royal throne.
Take my love, my Lord, I pour, at Thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself and I will be, ever, only, all for Thee, ever only all for Thee...
In Jesus Name, I pray all of these things, Amen.
You made it!
If you are reading this, than you have most likely completed thirty, sixty or ninety days of intercessory prayer—way to go, sister! I am so proud of you.
The closer we get to the finish, the more powerful our intercession will become. Think of a snowball rolling down a mountain, packing on more and more snow…accumulating speed and becoming bigger and bigger until it is a full blown avalanche. This is exactly what our prayers are doing as we are continue to intercede together. They are gaining strength and power and might. Oh, that our avalanche of prayer would shake the heavenlies and roll into the throne room with a thunderous roar! Oh, that His throne room wouldbe so full of our intercession that He would have no choice but to descend upon us on June 10-11 in all His glory!
Well done, good and faithful servant-sister. Thank you, for your perseverance, for bearing the load—it is achieving an eternal purpose, a glory of all glories. Until we meet at Deeper Still, in the midst of His renown, I leave you with this beautiful hymn:
The Servant Song
I will weep when you are weeping, when you laugh, I’ll laugh with you,I will share your joys and sorrow, ‘til this journey sees us true.
I will hold the Christ Light for you, in the night time of your fear.
I will hold my hand out to you, speak the peace you long to hear.
We are travelers on a journey, fellow pilgrims on the road.
We are here to help each other, walk the mile and bear the load.
There will be a guest post this afternoon by a Lifeway staff member--don't miss reading this last post before the conference tomorrow!
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Day Eighty-nine
This current season of joblessness has definitely been a challenge of faith for my husband and I. As I am a stay-at-home mom and we have five children to provide for, the responsibility of providing can seem overwhelming at times. Overwhelmingly, that is, when we are shouldering the responsibility ourselves. God is teaching us the importance of resting in His provision—that He has it all under control.
Even so, I have moments where I lose my God focus and put on my ‘world-filtered’ lenses. Yesterday, I was having one of these moments. I was about to sink into that ‘lie-infested’ pit. Darts were being fired left and right: ‘life is over without a job… we must have done something wrong for things to be this way...things are never going to get better, etc., etc., etc...’ Down, down, the road of discouragement I was going. Spiraling fast, I was. Recognizing the enemy’s attack, I started praying out loud. After several minutes of this, I felt no relief… I frantically pulled out my ‘Streams in a Desert’ devotional, all the while praying, ’Help me, Jesus…’
Right about then someone knocked on my door... It was my sister-in-law with a big smile on her face, just dropping by for no other reason than to visit and bring us some teacakes she had just made. As delicious as the teacakes were—and let me tell you, they were divine—it was really the gift of fellowship I was needing. How like God to show up with this provision right about the time I was about to sink… His timing is perfect.
This whole episode got me thinking… When we are being hit with lies from the enemy, we should always turn to God’s Word and prayer first. Always. It is our best offense. However, sometimes God’s deliverance is going to come through another venue. A phone call. A note. An unexpected visit. It might seem small and even trivial from the giver’s end—but that small, little gesture might be the catalyst God uses to stop some pit dwelling from occurring.
Sometimes God uses the small, ordinary things we do for others to accomplish His extraordinary purposes.
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you that You are El Rachum, the God of Compassion. You care about every little detail of our lives, even the emotional crisis we have when our thinking is off. Thank you that You hear us when we cry out to you during these times. Thank you that You bring deliverance in the most unique ways and sometimes in the smallest of things. May I be other-focused this week. Give me opportunities to bless others in small ways. In fact, I pray that You would bring someone to mind right now that I could bless with a little ‘pick-me-up’. Lord, I pray You would be in even the small, seemingly insignificant details of the conference. I pray each woman will be thinking about those who are sitting around her. If someone needs a tissue, one would extend a tissue. If someone needs a pen, one would kindly offer it. A smile, a friendly wave or conversation... Work through these small gestures to bring women to know You. May the believers in the audience, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe themselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience (Col. 3:12). May these qualities in the believers be so evident that it brings You glory.
Father, use this conference to bring unity among the women of Louisville. Use it to break down barriers in our city: political, social, racial, economical...break them down, Lord. May we bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances we have against one another. May we forgive as You have forgiven us. And most importantly, may we put on love, which binds everything together in perfect unity (Col. 3:13-14).
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
Even so, I have moments where I lose my God focus and put on my ‘world-filtered’ lenses. Yesterday, I was having one of these moments. I was about to sink into that ‘lie-infested’ pit. Darts were being fired left and right: ‘life is over without a job… we must have done something wrong for things to be this way...things are never going to get better, etc., etc., etc...’ Down, down, the road of discouragement I was going. Spiraling fast, I was. Recognizing the enemy’s attack, I started praying out loud. After several minutes of this, I felt no relief… I frantically pulled out my ‘Streams in a Desert’ devotional, all the while praying, ’Help me, Jesus…’
Right about then someone knocked on my door... It was my sister-in-law with a big smile on her face, just dropping by for no other reason than to visit and bring us some teacakes she had just made. As delicious as the teacakes were—and let me tell you, they were divine—it was really the gift of fellowship I was needing. How like God to show up with this provision right about the time I was about to sink… His timing is perfect.
This whole episode got me thinking… When we are being hit with lies from the enemy, we should always turn to God’s Word and prayer first. Always. It is our best offense. However, sometimes God’s deliverance is going to come through another venue. A phone call. A note. An unexpected visit. It might seem small and even trivial from the giver’s end—but that small, little gesture might be the catalyst God uses to stop some pit dwelling from occurring.
Sometimes God uses the small, ordinary things we do for others to accomplish His extraordinary purposes.
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you that You are El Rachum, the God of Compassion. You care about every little detail of our lives, even the emotional crisis we have when our thinking is off. Thank you that You hear us when we cry out to you during these times. Thank you that You bring deliverance in the most unique ways and sometimes in the smallest of things. May I be other-focused this week. Give me opportunities to bless others in small ways. In fact, I pray that You would bring someone to mind right now that I could bless with a little ‘pick-me-up’. Lord, I pray You would be in even the small, seemingly insignificant details of the conference. I pray each woman will be thinking about those who are sitting around her. If someone needs a tissue, one would extend a tissue. If someone needs a pen, one would kindly offer it. A smile, a friendly wave or conversation... Work through these small gestures to bring women to know You. May the believers in the audience, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe themselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience (Col. 3:12). May these qualities in the believers be so evident that it brings You glory.
Father, use this conference to bring unity among the women of Louisville. Use it to break down barriers in our city: political, social, racial, economical...break them down, Lord. May we bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances we have against one another. May we forgive as You have forgiven us. And most importantly, may we put on love, which binds everything together in perfect unity (Col. 3:13-14).
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Take the Risk
Read Mark 15:42-47.
Wedged between the ugly-beautiful of the crucifixion and the glory of the resurrection is a story with deep implications.
I’ve read it many times, passing by quickly on my way to the richness of the resurrection. It is the tender account of 2 men – Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus – preparing the body of Jesus for burial and placing Him in the tomb. Profound itself – the Seed of Heaven being planted in the very soil of the earth He Himself created.
I think the moment is tender, heavy with emotion, deeply profound and worthy of deeper reflection. But for today, with Deeper Still just days away – one phrase stands out. In the New Living Translation,Mark 15:43 reads like this, “ Joseph of Arimathea took a risk (emphasis mine) and went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. (Joseph was an honored member of the high council, and he was waiting for the Kingdom of God to come.)
Joseph was once a follower in the shadows, now willing to “take a risk”. This boldness and courage doesn’t show up when one would expect – post resurrection – but in the stillness and uncertainty of the loss, the sadness, the grief of the death of a friend, a dream. Let that settle for a moment.
We have the advantage as 21st Century students of the sacred page, to know the end of the story – Joseph did not. And still, he took a risk.
It is risky to go “deeper still” - risky enough with the beauty of the resurrection in our rear-view mirror – but in the midst of darkness, sorrow and even danger? Wow.
As you prepare the soil of your heart for the tender Seed from Heaven - consider Joseph of Arimathea. Consider taking a risk. Consider being willing to do whatever it takes to go deeper still in your relationship with Jesus. Oh friend, He is so worth the risk.
~Contributed by Kaye Hurta with Lifeway Church Resources
Wedged between the ugly-beautiful of the crucifixion and the glory of the resurrection is a story with deep implications.
I’ve read it many times, passing by quickly on my way to the richness of the resurrection. It is the tender account of 2 men – Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus – preparing the body of Jesus for burial and placing Him in the tomb. Profound itself – the Seed of Heaven being planted in the very soil of the earth He Himself created.
I think the moment is tender, heavy with emotion, deeply profound and worthy of deeper reflection. But for today, with Deeper Still just days away – one phrase stands out. In the New Living Translation,Mark 15:43 reads like this, “ Joseph of Arimathea took a risk (emphasis mine) and went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. (Joseph was an honored member of the high council, and he was waiting for the Kingdom of God to come.)
Joseph was once a follower in the shadows, now willing to “take a risk”. This boldness and courage doesn’t show up when one would expect – post resurrection – but in the stillness and uncertainty of the loss, the sadness, the grief of the death of a friend, a dream. Let that settle for a moment.
We have the advantage as 21st Century students of the sacred page, to know the end of the story – Joseph did not. And still, he took a risk.
It is risky to go “deeper still” - risky enough with the beauty of the resurrection in our rear-view mirror – but in the midst of darkness, sorrow and even danger? Wow.
As you prepare the soil of your heart for the tender Seed from Heaven - consider Joseph of Arimathea. Consider taking a risk. Consider being willing to do whatever it takes to go deeper still in your relationship with Jesus. Oh friend, He is so worth the risk.
~Contributed by Kaye Hurta with Lifeway Church Resources
Day Eighty-six
The missionary was serving as a medic in Africa. Periodically, he had to travel by bicycle through the jungle to a nearby city for supplies. It was a two-day trip, so he would camp in the jungle overnight. He had always made the trip without incident, but one day when he arrived in the city he saw two men fighting. One was seriously hurt, so he treated the man, shared Christ with him, and went on his way.
The next time the missionary traveled to the city, the man he had treated approached him. “I know you carry money and medicine,” the man said to the missionary. “Some friends and I followed you into the jungle that night after you treated me, knowing you’d have to sleep in the jungle alone. We waited for you to go to sleep, planning to kill you and take your money and drugs. As we started to move in to the campsite, we saw twenty-six armed guards surrounding you. There were only six of us, so we knew we couldn’t possibly get near, and we left.”
When he heard this, the missionary laughed. “That’s impossible. I assure you, I was alone in the campsite.” But the young man pressed the point. “No, sir. I wasn’t the only one who saw the guards. My friends saw them too, and we all counted them.”
Several months later, the missionary attended his home church in Michigan and told of his experience. A man in the congregation interrupted his presentation by jumping to his feet and saying something that left everyone in the church stunned. With a firm voice, he said, “We were with you in spirit!” The missionary looked perplexed. The man continued. “On that night in Africa it was morning here. I stopped by the church to get some materials for a missionary trip. But as I was putting my bags in my trunk, I felt the Lord leading me to pray for you. It was an extremely strong urge, so I got on the phone and gathered some other men to come to church and pray for you.” Then the man turned to the rest of the congregation. “Will all of those men who prayed with me that day stand up right now?” and one by one they stood up—all twenty-six of them.
Intercessory prayer is pivotal and essential for corporate and individual deliverance.
Dear Father,
I call upon You and come and pray to You and You listen to me (Jer. 29:12). You tell me to call on You and You will answer me and tell me great and unsearchable things I do not know (Jer. 33:3). May I seek sweet fellowship with You and may you tell me when to pray and what to pray for. Use me in intercessory prayer, Lord! Use me for the glory of Your kingdom! Give me strong urges to pray for Deeper Still—we want to see You show up and be the Great Deliverer! Help me to stand fast in the liberty by which Christ has made me free, and help me not to become tangled in any yoke of bondage (Gal. 5:1). You tell us in Psalm 72:12 that you will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help. You will take pity on the weak and the needy and save the needy from death. Deliver the poor and needy out of bondage at the conference. Let them experience deliverance through Jesus the Deliverer! You, God, are mighty to save! Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward it. You are the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom (2 Cor. 3:17)! May Your Spirit be present in Freedom Hall in a thick and undeniable way.
In Jesus’ strong delivering name I pray,
Amen.
The next time the missionary traveled to the city, the man he had treated approached him. “I know you carry money and medicine,” the man said to the missionary. “Some friends and I followed you into the jungle that night after you treated me, knowing you’d have to sleep in the jungle alone. We waited for you to go to sleep, planning to kill you and take your money and drugs. As we started to move in to the campsite, we saw twenty-six armed guards surrounding you. There were only six of us, so we knew we couldn’t possibly get near, and we left.”
When he heard this, the missionary laughed. “That’s impossible. I assure you, I was alone in the campsite.” But the young man pressed the point. “No, sir. I wasn’t the only one who saw the guards. My friends saw them too, and we all counted them.”
Several months later, the missionary attended his home church in Michigan and told of his experience. A man in the congregation interrupted his presentation by jumping to his feet and saying something that left everyone in the church stunned. With a firm voice, he said, “We were with you in spirit!” The missionary looked perplexed. The man continued. “On that night in Africa it was morning here. I stopped by the church to get some materials for a missionary trip. But as I was putting my bags in my trunk, I felt the Lord leading me to pray for you. It was an extremely strong urge, so I got on the phone and gathered some other men to come to church and pray for you.” Then the man turned to the rest of the congregation. “Will all of those men who prayed with me that day stand up right now?” and one by one they stood up—all twenty-six of them.
Intercessory prayer is pivotal and essential for corporate and individual deliverance.
Dear Father,
I call upon You and come and pray to You and You listen to me (Jer. 29:12). You tell me to call on You and You will answer me and tell me great and unsearchable things I do not know (Jer. 33:3). May I seek sweet fellowship with You and may you tell me when to pray and what to pray for. Use me in intercessory prayer, Lord! Use me for the glory of Your kingdom! Give me strong urges to pray for Deeper Still—we want to see You show up and be the Great Deliverer! Help me to stand fast in the liberty by which Christ has made me free, and help me not to become tangled in any yoke of bondage (Gal. 5:1). You tell us in Psalm 72:12 that you will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help. You will take pity on the weak and the needy and save the needy from death. Deliver the poor and needy out of bondage at the conference. Let them experience deliverance through Jesus the Deliverer! You, God, are mighty to save! Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward it. You are the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom (2 Cor. 3:17)! May Your Spirit be present in Freedom Hall in a thick and undeniable way.
In Jesus’ strong delivering name I pray,
Amen.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)