Power of Intercession

Power of Intercession

Key Scripture:  “He always lives to make intercession for them.” Hebrews 7:25

Power Point:

My grandchildren and Kim are here for their annual summer visit.  As I was praying about our time together a few months ago the Lord told me that this summer was to be “Days of Grace”.  As it turns out, the entire summer has been an opportunity to grow in grace, extend grace and learn what it really means. Imagine my surprise when I found an article I had saved called “Days of Grace”.  Somehow I missed the author but I’d like to quote from it:

“When Job "prayed for" his friends (Job 42:10), God fully restored him. We are to "pray for the peace of Jerusalem" (Ps. 122:6), and "pray for" each other so that we may be healed (James 5:16). Paul wrote that God "desires all men to be saved" (1 Tim. 2:4). Therefore, he urged "that entreaties and prayers…be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority" (vv. 1-2).

The nature of our calling is to pray for people in difficulty, in sin, in sickness, and in need of God.”

That’s the nature of grace and mercy and it should give us a clue as to what God does for us. In fact, n Isaiah 59, it says that God couldn’t find anyone to intercede for us so He came Himself. That’s a good thing to remember. Jesus was the perfect result of God’s intercession for earth. What a great example He was. He spent His nights in prayer for every person in His life. His last words were His prayers for those that He was leaving behind.

Perhaps the hardest thing we have to do is take a step back from what we see going on in someone’s life and pray for them, in faith. In the Old Testament intercession means that we reach out to God for them, meet with Him on their behalf, and ask for His favor on their life. In Hebrews 7:25 it says that because Jesus is our priest forever, He still lives to make intercession for us. The meaning is much the same. It means that He meets with the Father on our behalf Just take a moment and think about that crazy thing you did yesterday and then think about the Savior of the world on His knees right now for you.

He lives to pray for us. He lives to help us. He lives to show us the “real thing.” He lives to show us what real love joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness and self-control and what it can mean in our lives.

It’s our job to do the same for everyone else. We get to partner with Him in bringing God into their lives as we pray for them and call on God to show them grace and mercy. We get to pray for their healing, for their peace, for their blessing, and of course for their forgiveness. That’s what it really means to forgive others as we are forgiven.

Is it time to re-set your mind on what God wants to do in our lives and their lives? Is it time to bring heaven’s heart to earth for that person who gets on your last nerve?  How would that change your thinking today? What if all your negative energy were now transformed into intercession for that someone? What if you busied yourself  “calling forth those things which do not exist as though they did?”

Just a thought.

Power Thought:

When I’m busy praying for someone, I don’t have time to complain about them- even to God.  I’m too busy finding out what He sees for them and calling it out.

Power of Sitting on The Edge of Your Seat

Key Scripture:  “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow.  They neither toil nor spin.”  Matthew 6:28

Power Point:

I heard a message on TV this week by Joseph Prince. He was telling the story of a noted heart surgeon in the last century.  Quite by accident and by an unexpected source the surgeon was the first to discover that stress was a leading cause of heart disease.  The doctor had sent in some of his patient chairs to be reupholstered.  When the lady who had re-covered them brought them back to his office she asked him why the “edges” of the chairs were the parts that were worn out. In all the other chairs she re-covered they were worn at the back and in the middle. As he thought about it he realized that his patients were always on the “edge of their seats”.  As he began to look further he discovered that most people parked their cars in his parking lot “nose-in”.  His patients parked “nose-out” always ready for a fast getaway.

In the Old Testament the Amalekites were always snapping at the heels of the children of Israel. In one battle Joshua leads the battle against them at Rephidim. I tell you all that to tell you this. The word for “Amalekite” means “worrisome toil”.  The word for Rephidim means rest. Joshua defeated “worrisome toil” at the place of rest. Moses built an altar there and called it “The Lord Is My Banner”, Yahweh-Nissi.  The banner was where the armies would rally to fight. When it was lifted up the people knew they were to assemble there for further instructions. Moses knew that the place of rest was where the presence of God could be found.

Just as Joshua defeated the Amalekites at Rephidim, Jesus has defeated worrisome toil in our lives with His offer of rest. In Hebrews 4 we are cautioned for what I think is the one and only time to be very afraid of something. We’re told to be afraid if we do not enter into God’s rest. Why? Only true believers are able to enter that rest. If you find yourself “restless”, anxious, worried about many things, or driven to distraction then you have not entered into God’s rest. The author of Hebrews defines the cause of that as “not allowing the word you hear to profit you because you don’t mix it with faith in God.

Have you ever been there? You know that God has said something specific to you about your situation. He’s raised the banner in order to rally the troops and yet your faith seems to have dwindled to nothing and you find yourself without comfort and without confidence that He will do what He has promised. Your peace has passed.

Beloved, that’s the point where we need to take a step back and plant our feet firmly in the “rest” that Jesus has provided for us. Plant your feet on the solid ground of the Truth that sets you free so that the peace and rest that He died for you to have can blossom in your life. Worrisome toil only keeps you on the edge of your seat. Sit back and relax and know that your heavenly Father is taking wonderful care of you.

Power Thought:

Rest is our way of showing that we believe in Him.

Power Of Being Set UP!

Key Scripture: “…And set your minds and keep them set on what is above-the higher things-not on the things that are on the earth.”  Colossians 3:2, Amplified Bible

Power Point

My children used to love “Jello” and so I made it often. There were times that I did something wrong and I just couldn’t get it to “set up”.  Which meant I had to throw it out and start over. In Colossians 3:1 Paul says we are to “set” our minds on things above and not on things on the earth. Throughout scripture we are told to “set” our thoughts on God’s Word and not listen to the voice of the enemy. We’re encouraged to “set” our thinking on the good not the bad, the lovely not the ugly and things worthy of praise. I have a perfect example of what happens when I don’t do that.  The other morning I was having my usual chat with the Lord.  I was tired. I was grumpy. (I know you must find that hard to believe!) Instead of beginning my usual time of just thanking Him and listing all the things He was doing for me, I began to slide down the slippery slope of grumbling and complaining. The first words out of my mouth and onto my computer journal were all the things that were going wrong. I had only written a couple of sentences when I just stopped, and closed my eyes and sat back. This was not making me feel better. To my knowledge I did not touch my computer but as I opened my eyes and looked down somehow all the negative words had been deleted. There was a fresh page waiting to be written. I got the message and started over again. What I understand is that God was gently reminding me where my mind is to be set.

Is your mindset set on the fact that you are loved by Your heavenly Father today? Is your mind set on all the wonderful things He has planned for your future; all the gifts He has ready and waiting, even for this day? Are you thoughts “set in stone”? Have you “pre-set” the path of your thinking so that it will bring life and not death, faith and not doubt, hope and not fear?

If you look at all the writings of Paul it’s easy to see that he did exactly that. Before he entered a “tough” time, or an overwhelming time, his mind was set on what God had done and on what He had promised to do that day and in all the days to come. His mind was set on the extravagant gift of grace God has given us, the riches that are there to fill our lives bringing peace, joy, and power.

You my friend, are being loved, established, guarded, kept, delivered, and blessed today. Think about that.  Pastor Bill Johnson says, “I always look at what God is doing, not at what He is not doing.: It’s good advice.

Will you push “delete” on those thoughts that are taking you down the wrong path today? Will you write His words on your heart so that they can bring His life to your life today? How about letting the things that God has promised you “set up” firmly in your mind so that your mindset is established in His faithfulness?

Power Thought:

Are you expecting God to show up in your life today? He has already said that He would. Think about that. It’s settled in His mind.  Is it settled for you?

Power of Blended Families

Key Scripture:  …”I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named…” Ephesians 3:15

Power Point

The thing about family is that all of God’s instructions about relationships are also to be applied to the family.  Honor. Blessing not cursing. Loving. Generosity. Intercession for. Tenderhearted forgiveness. Speaking only words that edify and build up. Walking in unity. Walking in the Spirit. Should I go on? I love the picture of family that God the Father, Jesus and Holy Spirit represent. They never speak badly of each other. They never allow division between themselves and they are always working together for good. They work as a flawless team to bring their plans for our future to pass. When we were adopted into their family, we became part of an extraordinary life giving, motivating force for good. God and Jesus and Holy Spirit live together, they move in power together and it would never occur to any of them to speak a bad word about the other. They are very protective of each other.

What can we do if our family isn’t the perfect representation of what God wants for us? (YET!)

It only takes one person to change things. With the Holy Spirit moving in our lives  miracles are on the way. It takes just one person in union with Him realizing that changes need to be made and then changing themselves, not the other person.  It takes one mom, dad, sister, brother, daughter or son or grandmother or grandfather realizing that it just doesn’t feel “right” and then asking God to help. I remember one day, interceding for my family, and my heavenly Father said to me, “I am the Father of this family.” What a relief! I could release them to their future, knowing that as their Father, He would guide, teach, accompany and bless them.

Is it time to give up your “right to be right” about that family member? Have you excused yourself from not being the biggest cheerleader that person has because they just haven’t done it right?

You will never have perfect peace if you are holding someone else’s sins against them. You will never be “just like Jesus” if you do not bring peace wherever you go. You will never experience the freedom of forgiveness in your own life if you do not forgive them.

I know. It’s hard. But remember, God is on your side. If each of us decided that “we” would be the one who would grab hold of God’s heart and His power to bring change for our families what would happen? What would that look like? Do our families bring Him glory by walking out what He has worked into us? Are we a great example of the love of God?  When God said, “bless your enemies” He included families. We hear a lot about “blended families”. I was thinking about how I make my morning “power” drink. I put all sorts of different things into my blender and turn on the power. The result is a brand new flavor. The word blended means to combine something so that you can no longer see the differences. As God’s family, we are the perfect picture of the “blended family” aren’t we? That means that even though we may be different we can combine together to make something wonderful. That means your family too. So turn on the “blender”!

Power Thought:

Blended is blessed. When God said, “bless your enemies” He included your family!

Power of Enjoyment

Key Scripture:  “…don’t set your hopes on uncertain riches but on God, Who richly and ceaselessly provides us with everything for (our) enjoyment.”  I Timothy 6:17 Amplified Bible.

Power Point:

When I go to Phoenix to see the “grands”,  I always take an extra large suitcase. It’s not filled with clothes, it’s filled with presents for them, including Baron the wonder dog. Actually Baron is the first one to go running to the suitcase.  He can hardly wait until I get it open.  He knows there will be treats for him and a new toy.  The “grands” gather round. They carry the suitcase in from the car. They place it in “Gami’s room” and then look at me hopefully and excitedly. I can see their little brains whirring with anticipation, “What has she brought with her for ME?”

It’s perfectly okay to be that excited because we have a wonderful family relationship. They are absolutely sure that the Gami they know will have gifts for them. They know that I am good to them. They would never expect anything less from me.

Baron and his best friend Odie

Beloved, isn’t that how we should be with our heavenly Father? Shouldn’t we anticipate His “visits” with great excitement and pleasure? Because we are “family” shouldn’t we expect our Father to have brought in His huge suitcase filled with answers to every prayer for us?  Didn’t He say that whatever we ask in Jesus name He would  do for us? Shouldn’t we expect fun and happy times with Him? Didn’t He say that His children are “blessed”? Doesn’t that mean that we should be ”happy, to be envied and spiritually prosperous (that is-filled with life-joy and satisfaction in His favor and salvation, regardless of our outward conditions” (because that’s what “blessed” means)? Of course we should!

When I leave Phoenix to head back to Atlanta I always leave a “Gami gift”. It’s waiting for each of them at their place at the table when they wake up. Originally I did that because I knew they would be sad that I had gone and I wanted to give them a happy surprise to remind them that I loved them. Jesus did that for us too.  He left the Holy Spirit for us to help us not be sad that He was gone and surprise us with lovely gifts to remind us that He loves us and is thinking about us always.

I hope you are as excited about the gifts He’s left you as my grandchildren are with mine. They never ignore them or say, “this couldn’t really be for me”’ they tear into them and use them and play with them and ENJOY them. We shouldn’t do less with our “heavenly gifts” should we?

Power Thought:

Isn’t it time to get excited about and begin enjoying the joy of the good gifts God has given you? After all, every good gift and ever perfect (free, large, full) gift is from above; it comes down from the Father of lights for us.

Power of Being Found Faithful

Key Scripture: “When Jesus returns, will He find faith on the earth?” Luke 18:8

Power Point:

That’s a great question isn’t it?  Sometime you hear people, even Christians say, “Well, I’ve done this or that good thing-that should surely get me a few crowns in heaven!” Not really. God’s basic requirement for rewards in heaven is faith. In I Corinthians 4:2, we are reminded that as servants of Christ we “steward” the mysteries of God, we are to be found faithful. I heard someone put it this way the other day, “We have to have a “working knowledge” of faith. You can’t just read about faith and say to yourself, “I’ve got it!”  You have to take what you read in God’s word and then work with Him in a divine partnership to see the rewards of your faith in your own situations.  He promises. We believe. We act on what we believe. Then we see the promises fulfilled. That’s the “law of faith” and it’s the requirement for every single Christian. You can’t expect to apply doubt or unbelief to your situation and see the results of faith can you?

If my friend Donna arranges to meet me for lunch and we set a time for her to pick me up, then I’m going to do my best to be ready and waiting when she comes by, because I know her and I know she will be there. If I don’t trust her to come then I probably won’t change my clothes or do all the things that I need to do to go with her. If she comes and I’m not ready I would probably say something like, “I wasn’t sure you were coming.” Or “ I got busy with something else and I forgot.”

Remember the parable of the ten virgins?  The wise ones got ready and stayed ready. They had faith that the Master was coming because that’s what He had told them. The foolish virgins did nothing in response to the anticipated arrival. They weren’t sure were they? They missed the main event.

The thing about faith is that we are to be full of it. In fact, the reason Jesus is wondering if He will find faith on earth when He returns is that He’s given us His own faith. That seed of faith is in us-we get to cause it to grow. How?  By filling ourselves with His truth that sets us free. If you find yourself in a situation where things seem to be “over your head” and you’re close to drowning ask Jesus if you can borrow some of His faith. I’m pretty sure the answer will be a resounding “yes!” He doesn’t care whose faith you use, as long as you use it. As you use it, it will grow. As it grows it will become a tree of Life to testify to His faithfulness. Other’s will see it and be able to rest in the branches until their own faith grows.

Don’t get busy with something else today. Don’t let the tyranny of the urgent take the place of doing what you need to do to help your faith grow. Jesus is coming soon. Will He find faith at your house?

Power Thought:

Do you have a working knowledge of faith?

Power of Good Advice

Key Scripture:  “Fools are headstrong and do what they like; wise people take advice.”

Proverbs 12:15

“Hear counsel, receive instruction, and accept correction, that you may be wise in the time to come.” Proverbs 19:20

Power Point:

I’ve been given some really good advice in my life. Some I listened to and some, sadly, I didn’t. The best advice I ever took was to marry my husband. Yes and Amen! The best I advice I never took was to have more children, because of course, that would have meant I would have more grandchildren and everyone knows how much fun that is!

When I look back at my life I can see a lot of times when I was definitely headstrong and did what I liked. It never worked out well.

I can remember some good advice I got from my mom and I actually received it and applied it.  My husband and I were having a “discussion” one night and she came in quietly afterwards and said, “Honey, you don’t ever want to have any regrets.” I knew she was speaking from experience so I took her advice. And I’m very grateful.

One major thing I’ve learned in the last few years is that we need other people to help us along the way to make course corrections. Of course their “advice” needs to be filtered through what God tells us but our good friends and family members, those people who love us and just want the best for us, are probably going to give us good advice. They know us so well and their perspective on things can be so valuable can’t it?

Of course, the best advice I’ve ever had has been from my heavenly Father. In fact, He usually has a good piece of advice for me at least once a day. I’ve learned that it always means that if I apply it I’ll profit from it.

The word “advice” means an opinion or a recommendation someone offers as a guide to your action, or conduct. If you are the “advisor” you need to understand that what you are offering is simply that-an offering of opinion. The Advisee does not have to “take it”. That’s when you go to Holy Spirit and ask Him to help you be gracious even though your advice has been rejected. It can be especially hard if the person who ignored you ends up falling flat on their face. That’s when you have to be really careful not to say, “I told you so!” or ”You should have listened to me!” It’s hard isn’t it?  I know.

In Proverbs it says that a man who has many people to give him good advice will be safe.  The major requirement is that those advisors are wise. You can usually tell that by the fruit of wisdom in their lives and families. You don’t want to take advice on finances from someone who is in debt.  You wouldn’t want advice on your marriage from someone who has been married three times would you?

The final authority is always the advice Jesus gave us in His word.  He promises that it will bring His life and energy to any situation we may be in. It’s always good advice.

Power Thought:

God never intended us to plow through life on our own. He’s always got some good advice for us. I guess that’s why one of His names is “The Helper” and another is "Wonderful Counselor".

Power of Change

Key Scripture:  “Be transformed.”  Romans 12:2

Power Point:

 What you do not change, will not change. In Romans 12;1,2 the best advice we are given is to change our minds.  We aren’t to stay in the old ways of thinking that never brought us peace. In Isaiah 59 God says, “they have made for themselves crooked paths; whoever takes that way will not know peace.”  In other words, we have to change our minds and then change our direction.

Most families have a way of relating to one another that they have accepted as the norm. Unless something changes then the same thing will continue to be the same thing. We make crooked paths for ourselves when we don’t listen to God’s good advice don’t we?  He advises us to pursue peace.  We tend to pursue what the world tells us. “They” need to change.  “They” need to stop/start doing that.  “They” will never get anywhere. When we look at “them”, it’s a lot easier to see what “they” should do isn’t it? In reality, the only person we can change is ourself.

Recently I was praying for someone whose family was in a very bad situation. I’ve known them for many years and the issues they face are really difficult. I’ve offered advice on occasions but it never seems to help. I’ve gotten in the middle of their muddle with them and felt their chaos touch my life. One day, the Lord showed me that I needed to “let my words be few”.  That would definitely be a change! But I have such good advice. Yes-and they were not taking it. That led me to be frustrated and very much in the middle of the pot of chaos that was their life. It was easy for me to see the problem but the truth is that if they didn’t change their minds and their direction then nothing was going to change.

That is a major truth to understand. You hear people blaming God for their problems and yet He has given them the tools they needed to change and they refused. Then they can’t understand why He won’t help.

Beloved if you want change, then something has to change. Those relationships that are stuck in the mire of your past need a fresh start. In Jeremiah 4:2, the Spirit of God says its time to “break up the fallow ground and do not sow among the thorns.” Fallow means uncultivated, unplanted, and unseeded ground. Is there a relationship in your life where the ground has become hard and unable to produce any good fruit? Have you neglected to water and till the soil of your heart in that area and plant new seeds of life there? Sometimes we develop calluses on our hearts and we become insensitive to change. We allow the old hurts and wounds to lie there and life is choked out.  We want God to come and make us feel better but we don’t want to make the effort to change our minds and think differently so that God can change things. Change will only come when He is allowed to break up the fallow ground in our hearts and till fresh soil and plant new seeds of truth there

Wherever you are “stuck” in an old thinking pattern today, ask Holy Spirit to help you to “see” things differently and get off those crooked paths that will never lead to peace. The thing about God’s thoughts is that they are definitely higher. Just as you look at someone else’s situation and see it more clearly than they do, He looks at your situation and says, “Hey I can change that! Let Me help you change your thinking. Try this!” His thoughts and solutions always lead us to paths that are peaceful. Really.

Power Thought:

Are you ready to be a pioneer for change? Then change.

Power of Endurance

           

Key Scripture: “And Peter walked on the water to go to Jesus.” Matthew 15:29

Power Point:

Up, up and away! Recently the whole world watched as Nik Walenda made his famous stroll across Niagara Falls on a high wire. It was breathtaking and it was also inspirational. As he made his way, step by step, across the raging rivers, through the mist, and the heavy winds that threatened to topple him from his high perch, his dad encouraged Nik the entire way.  “Good going son.  Just adjust the rhythm of your steps.  You’re doing just fine!” His calm, confident voice continually reassured Nik with every step. The most amazing thing to me was that as he walked, Nik kept praising God. “Thank You My Father!”  “Thank You Jesus!”  “You are my Savior, You are my king.  Praise You Jesus.” -and the network did not delete his words of praise.

About midway along the rope, a weather station had been added. The extra weight caused the rope to move more violently as the station was caught by the heavy winds. I noticed that during that time, Nik was praising God more than ever.

In an interview before his walk, Nik made some very interesting comments. “If I have fear, every move I make I am reacting to the fear. It causes me to come off the wire. You have to focus on the other side and you will achieve your goals, your dreams, anything.

As he got closer to the end, the reporter asked him, “How is it making your way up.”  He replied, “I’m drained. The wind is not easy. My hands are going numb.” “What will carry you?” asked the reporter. “Pure endurance and the crowds.” Nik had trained for this event for many years. He said that if he had listened to all the media reports of the winds and the difficulties he would face it would have become debilitating.

I couldn’t help but think of Peter when Jesus told him to come to Him on the water. When he lost focus he sank. When he looked at Who he was going to, he walked on the water.  Beloved, there will be times when the winds and the waves threaten you but if you’ve been in training with your Father, you will make it through.  You will always hear His voice encouraging you to remember what He has taught you. You have been in “training for reigning” and your spiritual muscles have learned the power of endurance whether you know it or not.

Nik’s great grandfather taught him one thing that he’s never forgotten:  “Never give up!  Set your mind to it and follow your dreams. You can achieve an unimaginable, impossible dream.”

The key to reaching your dream? Stay focused on “the other side’. Listen for His voice. Praise Him at every turn in the road and endure to the end. You will get to the other side safely.

Power Thought:

Adjust the rhythm of your steps when your Father tells you to. You'll be just fine. Pursue your dreams. 

This is the program: 

ttp://abc.go.com/watch/2020/SH559026/VD55211543/highwire-of-niagara-falls---live

Power of Forgiveness

Key Scripture: “In prayer there is a connection between what God does and what you do. You can't get forgiveness from God, for instance, without also forgiving others. If you refuse to do your part, you cut yourself off from God's part.  Matthew 6:14,15, The Message

Power Point:

I do not understand how we can ignore the blessing we have in being forgiven.  I can remember when I first asked Jesus to forgive me and live in me and take out the old and fill me with the “new”, I could barely understand how that could happen.  I would remember something I had done before I knew Him and Jesus would remind that I had been forgiven of that. Even that? Yes. Even that. As I began to realize the magnitude of that gift it changed my whole life. Then, as I would do a new “something old”, I would say, is that forgiven?
Yes. Even that. I knew about “that” then too.

The glorious freedom that forgiveness brings us is one of the greatest gifts we have isn’t it? It is amazing to receive that gift but it is even more amazing to offer someone else the gift of your forgiveness. When we realize how forgiveness frees us of the heavy burden of living a life tied down in unforgiveness it seems silly not to do it doesn’t it?  If you can, picture a beautiful hot air balloon tethered to the ground. You are on board with the pilot. You’ve prepared a wonderful picnic to eat while you are soaring in the sky and you are so ready to “take off”.  But something is wrong.  The ground crew for some reason cannot release you from the tethers and even though you’re in the perfect position to fly you remain on the ground. Choosing not to forgive does the same thing to our spirits. We want to fly but we are held back by the niggling thoughts about that other person.

When we, as an act of faith and obedience, offer them the gift of our forgiveness, we untie ourselves from all that heaviness. We move back into our place of intimacy with our Father who has already offered us the gift of His forgiveness. Beloved, scripture tell us that if we don’t forgive others, our heavenly Father will not forgive us. You don’t want to live apart from Him do you? You don’t want to be tied down when you could be flying with Him right now do you? The truth is you are probably more bound by that unforgivenss than the other person is. When you give them that gift, you will receiving an even larger gift for yourself.

There’s no point in being tied down when you can soar to new heights just as you are meant to do.

Power Thought:

Here’s a simple prayer:  Father, I offer to ­­­­­­­­­­­_______________, the gift of my forgiveness. I release them and I release myself  from any more anger, criticism, bitterness or any other ties to unforgiving life. I choose to forgive because You have shown me Your forgiveness. I am living proof that it is a blessing. I choose to bless ____________and ask that You intervene in their lives to show them how to live blessed as well. From this point on we are both free.Thank You Jesus.

Power of Being Filled to the Full

Power of Being Filled to the Full

Key Scripture: “I will satiate (fill to the full) the soul of the priests with abundance, and My people shall be satisfied with My goodness, says the Lord.” Jeremiah 31:14

Power Point:

When His goodness satisfies you:

Hope fills you

Peace guards you.

Faith shields you.

Truth sets you free.

Grace and mercy follow you at every step

Power accompanies you.

And you know beyond your understanding that God loves you.

So that:

Power of Hearing

Key Scripture "Give ear and hear (listen and obey) my voice.  Listen and hear my speech.

…This also comes from the Lord of Hosts who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in guidance.” Isaiah 28:29

Power Point:

Recently the Lord has been talking to me about “silence”. I kept being reminded of the song by Simon and Garfunkel entitlIed, “The Sound of Silence”. In this song, which originated with a dream, the silence is not total lack of sound, it is not being able to hear God’s voice. The people are walking aimlessly in a subway tunnel. Here are some of the words:

People talking without speaking. People hearing without listening.

People writing songs that voices never share

And no one dared

Disturb the sounds of silence.

When you drive through a tunnel, you usually find that your cell phone won’t work or perhaps even your radio. The tunnel isolates you from the signals in the air.  There’s no reception. I think that’s what this song is talking about. The only thing that lit up the tunnel where the people walked were the neon lights of the world; the words of the world’s wisdom; the sounds that stole their attention from God’s voice.

Are you in a place where you are so busy listening to the “noise” around you that you can’t hear God?  I was reading this morning about King Jehoshaphat, the son of King Asa.  Asa was a godly king who instituted great reforms in Israel. In II Chronicles 15, the Lord sends a prophet to meet Asa and tell him, “The Lord is with you while you are with Him.  If you seek Him, He will be found by you, but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you.”  Those words were a real encouragement to Asa and he truly saw God defeat other armies. Then one day, Asa developed a disease in his feet. For some reason it did not occur to him, to seek the Lord. Instead he sought his own physicians. I have heard many times that this verse is a good reason to not go to the doctor when you are ill. But here is what my Bible says about it.

“The physicians were probably sorcerers or medicine men who operated with curses and magic, which is why they should not have been sought.” Asa made a bad choice didn’t he? He sought ungodly counsel and he ended up losing everything. Was it God’s fault? No. It was Asa’s choice. He had heard God but he didn't listen.

Asa’s ears were filled with the sounds of the “neon” voices around him, voices of people who were not saying anything worthwhile. How sad. The word for “hear” in Hebrew carries an amplification of what we would normally think it could mean. Instead of just hearing with our ears, God says, that we are to hear, listen to, consent to and obey what He tells us. In fact, James tell us “Don’t just listen. Do what he tells you.”  You do that when you hear, listen and obey.

I will be quite honest and agree that sometimes God’s counsel doesn’t seem to make sense in the short term. But I truly have found that it always makes sense in the long term. Are you listening to His excellent and wonderful counsel? Then I guess that means that you are doing what He tells you to do. Right? Right!

Power Thought:

If we don’t act on what He tells us we’re not really listening.

Power of A Warm Welcome

Key Scripture:  “All the friends here say “hello”.  Pass the greetings around with holy embraces!.” I Corinthians 16:20 The Message

Power Point:

I love people with the gift of hospitality.  Kim and David, (my daughter in law and son) are very hospitable.  When anyone enters their house they make them feel very welcome. My friend Donna is the same way. It’s lovely to have role models that show us how to welcome someone isn't' it?

In the South, where I live, we have an abundance of people who know how to give a wonderfully gracious welcome. However I still think God is the best at always offering us a warm and gracious welcome. 

James is well aware that even his brothers and sisters in the Lord are guilty of showing favoritism when they greet someone.  He says that when someone new enters the room and they are wealthy or cleaned up nicely we tend to be more welcoming to them than another man who enters that is perhaps homeless and dirty, and wearing ragged clothes. He reminds us that we are to treat them both the same, just as God does. In fact, he even defines any favoritism as being judgmental. 

Sometimes we’re asked to help people who don’t smell good or look good or act good but God says we are to look past the exterior and find the treasure in that person. I can remember praying for someone who didn’t measure up to my standards of cleanliness and when I finished they gave me a big hug. I survived. You will too.

Not only are we not to differentiate on the basis of how people look, God says we are to welcome all our brothers and sisters in Christ with open arms. We are to be respectful, honoring and gracious to everyone in the “family” of God. Why?  Because that’s what He does. He never lets us wear out our welcome with Him in spite of our differences. He always greets us with open arms, even if we’re a bit smudged or have morning breath. He is always delighted to see us.

We make Him happy.

Beloved, the only way we can offer someone a warm welcome is by drawing on the power of God within us isn’t it?

If God knows how to make people welcome, He’ll show us how. He’ll show us what a genuinely warm welcome is, and remember you can never wear out your welcome with Him.

I guess I need to work on that.  How about you?

Power Thought:

Is that your doorbell ringing?  Well, say “hello!” and greet them with a holy embrace. That’s what Jesus would do.

Power of Cleaning UP!

Key Scripture: “I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean. I will cleanse you for all your filthiness and from all your idols.”  Ezekiel 36:25

Power Point:

Recently I’ve spent a lot of time and energy sprinkling clean water on my house! It has been pressure washed, all the windows cleaned, and a lot of clean water has been applied on the inside as well. I was telling someone about it the other day and said, “My house is smiling.” And it really is. It’s the same when the poodles go to be groomed. They enter in fear and trembling but when they come out they are so proud of themselves and can’t wait to show you how clean and pretty they are.

Our souls sometimes need clean water don’t they? If we don’t allow God’s living water to flow over us and in us, the smudges of yesterday tend to darken our today’s don’t they?  I’ve often said how much I love my shower in the morning and the feeling of freshness it gives me for the day. I feel the same when Holy Spirit refreshes my spirit and my soul. All the harsh words I spoke and all the things I did that were not honoring to my Father or to me, or to anyone else, are washed away in the cleansing flood of His forgiveness. I remember Corrie Ten Boom talking about the “ocean of God’s forgiveness”.  Maybe that’s why seventy per cent of the earth is covered with water! Perhaps God knew we’d need reminding of how vast His forgiveness really is and how awesome it is to have our sins forgiven and plunged into the depths of the sea.

Have you done that recently? Have you asked Him to sprinkle clean water on you and cleanse away all the smudges in your life?  Have you allowed Him to show you the things that you have given more priority to than you give to Him-and allowed Him to refresh your heart for Him?

I know one thing.  If you do that, it will make your heart smile. It will be so proud of its cleanness and so happy to filled to the full with all the things that He longs to be for you.

Do you need the number of a good pressure washer?

Power Thought:

When He cleanses you, you are sparkling clean, any time you ask, forever.