Power of As IF

Key Scripture: "Being justified freely by His grace.." Romans 3:24

Power Point:

     In years past, one of my Bible teachers taught me that you could interpret the word "justified", as "just-as-if-I've never sinned." That's a pretty profound thought isn't it? When you look at the promises of God for us, they really are based on justification. God really looks at His children just as if they've never sinned.  Just like Jesus.
    I hear people use the phrase, "as if" frequently.   It usually is meant to imply that what we are saying is too silly to believe-too impossible for words. Mothers are particularly familiar with this term. "Right Mom! As if!"
    That leads me to the thought that if Jesus makes a difference in our lives, it may look strange to other people, but that's not supposed to stop us is it?

Are we not supposed to live as if heaven was available on earth? Is that silly?

Is the Bible true? Then aren't we supposed to live our lives as if it means what it says?

If Jesus said He came to set us free, then why do we live as if we are still bound up?

Is there anyone beyond His reach as if He can only reach so far?

Is there anything too difficult for Him to transform into a good thing as if His power was not greater than whatever is in the world around us?

As if.  You hear people say that as though they're really denying something.  "Yeah. Right.  AS IF!"  They look at you when you try to tell them that God loves them as though you had two heads and they are thinking "As if that could really be true!"

People will believe the Jesus in us when we live as if He is alive and well.

They will want more of a Savior who treats them as if they had never sinned.  They will be more accepting of a God who doesn't condemn them but acts as if the best is yet to come.

You will find your own life more powerful and peaceful when you begin to believe that what Jesus said is what He meant.  As if abundance in our lives was a goal for Him and a promise to us.  As if  safety, and comfort and love were meant to be a daily occurrence for us.

When we live life as if Jesus is relevant to every part of it , and as if His promises are true for every one of us, you won't be able to keep people away from Him.

Power Thought:

When we live as if Jesus matters.  He will. To us and to everyone we know.

Power Of Preparation

KEY SCRIPTURE:  "I go to prepare a place for you." John 14:2

Power Point:

     I've been thinking a lot lately about the value of being prepared.  After all I WAS a Girl Scout when I was younger and that is their motto.  

     Life can throw you a few curves can't it?  You can be strolling along your normal comfortable path and suddenly the earth shifts beneath your feet and you find yourself hanging on to anything you can grab onto for dear life.  I've been seeing a lot of pictures lately of houses with huge sinkholes developing under their foundations and swallowing them up.  Not a pretty thought, I know, but very descriptive.

     The thing is, that when the unexpected happens we have to scramble to find our footing don't we? What I've discovered over the years is that as I look back behind my present circumstance, I always find the path that God had been preparing for me.  He knew that when the earth would begin to shake under my feet, that I would need to know He had my back. I've learned that from experience.   I've also learned that I can't put God in a BOX!  He doesn't like them and He doesn't fit.  He keeps getting out.  He keeps doing things in a totally different way that He's ever done them before.

     Julie and I were talking to a young woman yesterday.  She has been a Christian for twenty years or more but her view of God, her experience with Him, is still trapped in the vision of Him that she had when she was fifteen. He was patiently trying to tell her that He could do more, BE more and be BIGGER than she could imagine.  She spent quite a while telling us how she was perfectly satisfied with God where He was.  We got the feeling that God would REALLY like to get out of that BOX!

     The box she had Him in was “peace”. As long as she could find peace in a situation, that was all of God she needed.  He likes peace and He IS peace but He's also joy.  Lots of it!  He enjoys quiet, still times with us but He is also a Man of action. This lady was walking through some pretty deep waters and she was sinking beneath the waters of her circumstances. It was time for a new revelation of who God wanted to be for her. 

     When you think about it, God is actively at work in us, for us, and ahead of us.  Jesus said, "I go to prepare a place."  While He is busy doing that, the Holy Spirit is busy preparing us for that place.  In the meantime, He expects US to prepare ourselves to receive what He has prepared.  Remember the 10 virgins? Five of them were so busy NOT preparing that when the time came (that they should have been prepared for), they missed the party. And in fact, they missed the joy of the preparation. They missed those special times with Holy Spirit, growing and enlarging their vision of what heaven wants to be on earth.

     Beloved, God is prepared to do much more in your life, so much more. He is, of course, love and joy and peace, but He is also POWERFUL. He does miracles every day for someone.  Why not you?

    

Power Thought:

If God is prepared to BE more in my life, why don't I make room for Him to do that? Here is a simple prayer to invite Him to do that:

"Father, Will You enlarge my vision of Who You are, of Who You want to be for me, and What You are prepared to do in me and through me? I want to bring heaven to earth with You. I want to let you out of the Box I’ve prepared for You so that You can prepare miracles and good works for me.  I want others to see how BIG You really                                                         are!  Thank YOU!”

Are you aware that "It's Time To Power UP!", the book is available on Amazon.com?

Power Of Combat Boots

Key Scripture: "Every place on which the sole of your foot treads shall be yours."  Deuteronomy 11:25
Power Point:
     God loves to give extravagant promises.  When you think about the one above, is appears to be beyond extravagant doesn't it?  EVERY place? The interesting thing about the word "tread" is that it means, wherever you go. It can mean the street where you live.  It means that wherever you habitually walk on a daily basis, it's all yours.
     Our feet are to tread on all the power of the enemy.  What does that mean? It means that we are to be a proactive people who take ground wherever we go. We step on offense, hatred, anger, accusations, whisperings, division, and strife and crush it.
    Can you imagine an army platoon marching? They have on their combat boots.  Those heavy boots don't look peaceful.  They aren't pretty.  But they tread well.  Your "boots" of peace are meant to destroy bitterness, or anger, or selfishness. Your marching orders are to bring a new thought life, which brings a new heart, which results in  a new outcome.  We are to STOMP on all the lies of the enemy.  We are to REFUSE to walk there.  We are to follow the Father's orders for victory and walk in faith, hope, love, and peace and forgiveness. We are to bless and not curse; help and not harm.  We are to radiate kingdom life, kingdom power and kingdom authority as we TREAD on all the power of the enemy.

     Years ago, The Lord taught me one of the greatest lessons of my life.  I was in a particularly hurtful relationship and I couldn't seem to change it no matter how hard I tried.  One day The Lord said, "Suzanne, that person is not the enemy. The ENEMY is the enemy! They are the losing their battle with the enemy and you are the one I've chosen to do battle for them.  Notice He said "FOR"and not against them. When you think about it, that's exactly what Jesus did isn't it?  He battled FOR us, not condemning us or thinking about all the things we'd done wrong. He laid down his life so that we might be free.

Are you willing to lay down your life on the battlefield so that someone else can be free?

Tough question, I know.

Are you ready to march with a Rock solid determination to  bring peace and wholeness for them?

Are you ready to clothe yourself with humility and compassion and "go to the mat" against the enemy for them?

Will today be the day when you allow God to give you a new vision, a new perspective on that person so that they can see Jesus in you? 

Are you willing to lay down your rights and your "rightness" to intercede and to believe for their wholeness?

My favorite new prayer is "Father, please love them into wholeness." Isn't that an awesome prayer?  Isn't that the Father's heart?  Isn't that really praying, "Thy will be done!"?

Yes, Beloved, it is.  That's what Jesus did and continues to do every day.  Go forth and do likewise. Stop letting the Enemy dance in God's space.  Stomp him out!  TREAD and TAKE the Land!
Power Thought:

“No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is from me,” says the Lord. Isaiah 54:17

Power Of Replenishment

Key Scripture:  “…so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”  James 1:2,3

Power Point:

     My daughter and I were talking yesterday about a habit we both have of making sure that we replenish our “whatever” before it runs out.  When I look in my pantry and see that certain things are running low, and they are things I can’t live without, I go to the store and buy more before I need them.  That way I seldom run out of things that I need.

     I have some friends who wait until the last drop of something is gone and then go into crisis mode and have to put everything aside to run to the store and buy what they are out of.  They don’t WANT to run out but they tend to procrastinate.

     I’ve seen people do that spiritually haven’t you?  They know they are running low on spiritual sustenance. They know they should take time to replenish their resources but somehow other things are more important.  They wait until they are in crisis mode and then go running full tilt to the Throne and plead to be filled up.

    The unfortunate thing about that is that the supply that they needed was there all the time. There was an abundant supply-more than enough than they could ever use, waiting on their heavenly shelves.  I’ve heard people say and I certainly have experienced the truth that it’s a lot easier to receive the promises of God if you have spent time with Him. It's a lot easier to pass the test when you already know the answers.
   "Replenish” is to make full or complete again, to make up what is lacking.  Beloved, it’s important to keep our spirits stocked full of all that God has offered us.  Jesus never told us to pray for peace.  He told us to “take it.” He intended that we keep our shelves and ourselves well stocked.

     Every day we face test and trials.  Every day we have the opportunity to go to God and be replenished before we run out of spiritual strength.  I’ve learned the hard way that the words the Lord gives me in the morning WILL be tested in the coming days.  It’s so much easier to spend my time allowing Him to replenish my resources BEFORE I run out so that I can USE the resources that I have to push through a hard place instead of going into crisis mode and running around the problem trying to figure out how to get THROUGH it.

    Jesus is the best example of this isn’t He?  Before His day began, He spent time with His Father, listening and seeing from a heavenly perspective.  I’m sure at times the Father said, “Son, someone is going to try to hurt You today. This is what I want you to do.This is My promise to You.”  He spent whole nights in prayer after whole days of endless activity. He replenished Himself by being in heavenly places, before He actually NEEDED to be.  I can’t think of one time when Jesus called for help in the middle of a dire situation. He was always full.

     He preceded His tests with being fully replenished before He was in crisis.  He passed the test before He took it.

   

Power Thought:

  Faith and Patience do not come easily in crisis. That means that we have to stock them up before the crisis. We are replenished to fullness before we are empty;well stocked with truth that sets us free and full of His Spirit to guide us through.

     

Power Of Waiting

 Key Scripture: "That is why waiting does not diminish us, any more than waiting diminishes a pregnant mother.  We are enlarged in the waiting. We, of course, don't see what is enlarging us. But the longer we wait, the larger we become,and the more joyful our expectancy." Romans 8:23-25, The Message

Power Point:

     WAITING.  I'm not fond of it.  Waiting is hard work. I've gotten better at it over the years, but then I've had a lot of practice.

     When I was first married, and I was waiting for the most important person in my life to come home from work, I would stand by the window waiting with great anticipation.  Everything else seemed unimportant compared to his coming home.

     Over the years there have been wonderful times of waiting-as when the clock was winding down on my pregnancies and I knew that at any moment that precious child would appear.  There have been times when the situations were not GOOD situations; waiting for a loved one to make their way to heaven; waiting for a relationship to be restored; waiting for hearts to change or healing to come.  Learning to wait is a key part of the kingdom of God. In fact, God uses that term a lot!

      Wait on The Lord.  Be of good courage. And He shall strengthen your heart.  WAIT on HIM!  Psalm 27:13

      No one who waits on The Lord will not be ashamed. Psalm 25:3

      Rest in The Lord and wait patiently for Him.  Psalm 37:7

   I think that the word for "WAIT" should be in capital letters!

  We tend to think of waiting as a passive thing like simply sitting in a chair.  "WAIT" in Hebrew means a very active and violent action, like picking something up and throwing it against a wall. It literally means to be twisted and turned and tied in knots.  God thinks that the waiting is the time when His best work is being done in us.   It is in the waiting for answers that we are desperate for Him.  It is in the waiting that faith and patience are formed. What we consider a means to an end, He considers the important part of the journey.

    You may find yourself in the WAITING part of your life today. There is absolutely nothing that you can do to change anything and so you can either tie yourself up in knots of doubt, fear or unbelief or you can be just as determined to wait patiently on the Lord. In the waiting, you firm up your faith, you learn to stand strong and you allow God to give you a whole new vision of Himself.  You can be enlarged in the waiting or you can shrink. The outcome of being enlarged means that you will not be ashamed of waiting on Him, and He will strengthen you to persevere. You'll be bigger in the end than you were in the beginning.  The outcome of shrinking back or timidly hiding in a corner until the problem passes by, is that it gives God nothing to work with. Refusing to declare what you know in the face of what you see causes you to shrink.  Actively waiting and violently waiting is what brings you peace in the WAITING. Sometimes that means an active battle and sometimes that battle is learning to REST in Who your God is, and in what He has promised you. That is what faith is after all isn't it?

     I pray that this pregnancy of your promises will cause you to be enlarged until the perfect time of their delivery.  What a GLORIOUS day that will be!

 I love what Max Lucado said, in  "He Took The Nails".

"Now even that after three days in a dark hole he (Jesus) stepped into the Easter sunrise with a smile and a swagger and a question for the lowly Lucifer–”Is that your best punch?"

God has never lost a wrestling match with Satan.

    In the words of the song, "Our God", by Christ Tomlin, it says:

If our God is for us than who could ever stop us-

If our God is with us than who could stand against?

WAITING is hard work but it will be worth the WAIT!

Power Thought:

Waiting is a period of learning. The longer we wait, the more we hear about Him for whom we are waiting. 

Henri Nouwen

OUR GOD:  Chris Tomlin

http://youtu.be/NJpt1hSYf2o