Power Of The Afterflow

Power Of The Afterglow

Key Scripture:  “And don’t be conformed, be transformed.” Romans 12:1,2

Power Point:

     The presence of God is supposed to transform us into His image. It’s supposed to make us shine as a light to the world, just as Jesus did. His presence, if we’re truly in it, should have an outward demonstration of His glory on the inside of us.

     Do you remember when Moses ascended to Mount Sinai and God showed Him His goodness?  Following that, Moses spent forty days and nights in the full awareness of the presence of God.  He was so engrossed in his encounter that he neither ate nor drank. This is what scripture says next, “Now it was so, when Moses came down from Mount Sinai that Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone while he talked with Him.” (Exodus 34:29). In fact, Moses face was so luminous with God’s presence that the whole camp of Israel was afraid to come near him.  That’s quite a transformation isn’t it?

     When Jesus led Peter, and James and John onto a high mountain, “He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.”  Wow.

It appears that when we encounter God alone on the mountain top, there is an obvious change that should happen. If you think about Moses, all he asked God was who He really was. In effect, he simply asked God, “What makes You so wonderful?” And God showed him. It was such a stunning revelation to Moses that the glory of God lit up his face like the sun and everyone else could see it too. It must have been a very distinctly different sight that no one had ever seen before because it frightened people.

     Do you remember when the Holy Spirit came and poured out all that He was on the people in the Upper Room? People thought they were drunk. It was a distinctly different Peter that began to speak to them than the Peter who had entered into the Upper Room 40 days earlier.

     Do people see the difference in you and on you when you’ve been with Jesus?  Do they see His light on you?  When you open your life to the power of the Holy Spirit, could you be accused of being distinctly and drastically different?

     What effect does God have on you? We were never intended to stay the same Beloved. God’s plan has always been to transform us and make us distinctly and drastically different, just like Him. We are to shine with the light of the Son and to glow with the fire of the Spirit.

     Can people see the difference in us? Does it make them wonder at the "wonder"?  The thought occurs to me that when Moses came down from Mt. Sinai, there was a whole of less of him and a whole lot more of God; so much so that it shone on his face.  I'm off to look in my mirror.  How about you?

Power Thought:

The afterglow of the glory of God should be shining so brightly that the overflow of the afterglow bathes everything in its path with the Light and the Fire of God; a genuine transformation. Have you let the Sonshine in? Is He shining out?

Power Of Fresh Snow

Power Of Fresh Snow

Key Scripture:   “…I remember the feeling of hitting the bottom. But there’s one other thing I remember, and remembering, I keep a grip on hope.  God’s loyal love couldn’t have run out, his merciful love couldn’t have dried up. They’re created new every morning. How great is your faithfulness.”  Lamentations 3:22-24, The Message

Power Point:

     All the kids in my area were hoping for a “snow day” yesterday. Not one flake of snow or drop of rain or ice fell however, and they were stuck with going to school as usual. A few years ago the Lord told me that every day I would have “fresh snow”. A fresh anointing, a refreshing, and a reminder of His goodness for me that day.  In the kingdom, every day is  a “snow day” for us isn’t it?  Every day we have a clean slate, a fresh path, a new awareness of His love and kindness and care.  When we don’t allow the tracks of dirty snow to creep into my new day, it’s always fresh.

     I love it when  the fresh snow falls. I love looking out and seeing the pristine beauty of each flake clumped together to make a beautiful, fresh scene for me to encounter. It’s so beautiful.  By the end of the day, however, the snow has been walked on and played on, and at my house, the poodles have peed on it. It’s not nearly as pretty.

In the spirit I experience that too, don’t you?  By the end of the day there are “tracks” across my soul that can discourage, or defeat or disappoint me. But morning comes and in the morning, God opens the windows of heaven to pour out all the “fresh snow” I could ever need. The path before me is pure and clean, and if I don’t allow yesterday to “make tracks” in my soul, I can simply enjoy the “new”, the “fresh”, and the stirred up anticipation of His goodness for me that day. I can do that because I know that His love never fails and His mercy lasts forever. So can you.

     When you wake up in the morning, remember that God is not looking at the dirty tracks, He’s got a whole heaven full of fresh snow ready to fall on your life. Sit down with Him and enjoy the falling snow of His love and mercy and let it obliterate the tracks of yesterday. He’s offering a new path. Will you take it? Is it time for a refreshing from the Lord? Is it time for all that seed to grow? How great is His faithfulness.

Power Thought:

“The rain and snow come down from heaven and stay on the ground and water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry.”   Isaiah 55:10, NLT

Power Of Bursting At The Seams

Key Scripture:  “Through wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches.”  Proverbs 24:3

Power Point:

      How do you measure God? If you were building a new house, how big would the space be that you build for Him? Is He in a broom closet or in the Master Suite?  Is He in the attic or the basement or is He free to go wherever he likes?

     How big is the space you are building for God this year? Are you giving Him more room than last year?  Is He going through a growth spurt? Have you decided to give Him the run of the house?  Is it time to get rid of some clutter?

      Proverbs says that a home is filled with all good and pleasant riches.  I’m sure you’ve seen pictures or know someone whose house is filled with beautiful things. They have the finest that money can buy yet there is no wisdom in that house. It has been established without understanding. There is no knowledge of God that can make that house a home.  On the other hand, you probably also know people who don’t have the finest sofas, or paintings or carpets and yet you love to go to their house because it’s filled with the true riches. It’s filled with peace. Love overflows in its rooms. Kindness abounds. You feel right at home.

God’s presence offers us His wisdom and His Holy Spirit offers us the means to add His wisdom to our lives. Applying what He tells you is how He grows bigger.  I found out a lot about God last year. I intend to find out more this year.  How about you?

     It truly is easy to measure the room He has in our lives isn’t it?  Love should be growing by leaps and bounds. Peace should be large enough to fill the air. Wisdom should definitely be evident in every decision.

     Will you make room for God’s grace to grow in you and through you this year?  Will you make room for a growth spurt of all that He is and all that He has given you?  Will you come to the end of this year knowing that it’s time to add on more space for God?

Power Thought:

Is your life bursting at the seams with the goodness of the life of God? 

Power Of The Last Day

Power Of The Last Day

Surprise!

Key Scripture:  “…the time of my departure is at hand.  I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."  2 Timothy 4:6,7

Power Point:

     What if you had an early morning telegram from God?  What if He told you that today would be your last day on earth? Aside from your sadness at leaving loved ones behind, what would be your first reaction to your last day on earth. Nothing bad is going to happen to you, it’s just that at the end of this day, Jesus has decided that He wants you with Him from now on to enjoy all the things you’ve been dreaming about. How would you spend your very last day on earth?

What would you listen to?

     This is your last chance to tell everyone the most important things on your mind. I probably wouldn’t waste time by telling my daughter to be sure to empty the dishwasher. I wouldn’t tell my grandkids to be pick up their rooms. I would want to leave every person in my life with something really good to remember me by. Wouldn’t you?

     Would you spend your time wishing you had cleaned out your closets? What would be the last thing you would say to your friends and family?

Would you focus your thoughts and your time and energy on what’s been wrong with your life and with everyone in it? Would you be excited or fearful? Would you feel that your dreams had been fulfilled and your purpose completed? Would you know that you had said every good encouraging word that needed to be said? Would you believe that you had left a legacy of faith and love?

     Beloved, if we live each day as if it is our last day, then if today really is our last day; it would be the greatest day wouldn’t it? If we are truly united to God’s purposes for our lives and we are working on the piece of that puzzle every day, when the next day is the last day, we’ll be ready. We’ll be blessed and  we’ll know that what we leave behind is a testimony to the goodness and kindness and faithfulness of our heavenly Father.

     So how will you spend your day today? Will the words you leave behind be words of blessing or complaint? Will people remember your humility? Will they know how much you loved them? What will you wish you had done or said? There's still time Beloved.

     Live today as if it’s your last one and then make sure that you do the same thing tomorrow. That would be a purposeful life wouldn’t it? It would be a satisfied life.

Power Thought:

Tomorrow these will be the “good old days”. How will you want to remember them? Today is the BEST day of the REST of your life. How will you live it?
Your heavenly Father has some great ideas He'd love to tell you about!