This morning, as Jesus says, "Come to me all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest..." I came. Weary. It seemed everywhere I went in my house was an unfinished task or one needing tending. Laundry, messy bathroom, etc. On top of that were the other duties of the day: wrapping, baking, and preparing for hosting Christmas here on Thursday. I was frankly feeling like a failure and discouragement was threatening to set in. You know the kind? Like you are sitting down to eat an elephant in one sitting...and you think you might throw up just looking at it...
As I came to Him, His word spoke clearly, "Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit," says the Lord Almighty. Zech 4:6
I took note that He added 'Almighty' to the end of His Name.
Then He said to me, "I remove mountains, part seas & bring down walls by the hands of my servants."
I realized the emphasis I was placing on me to get the things done that I was feeling overwhelmed about. And He gently re-reminds me that it is not in my strength that I accomplish anything.
I said, "here I am again, Lord." relying on little ole me. Isaiah 41:14 Do not be afraid, O worm Jacob (Kathy), O little Israel, for I myself will help you," declares the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.
Forgive me. Cleanse me. Help me.
I then rearranged my expectations by stepping back and looking from a different angle, changed my focus (From me to HE), and set about conquering the elephant "one bite at a time" with the help of my Emanuel. God with me. The Great Gift of all time. The whole point of our Christmas celebration.
I just needed to experience His Presence (my Present) afresh.
And to think...He gave me frosting on the elephant, I have time to blog at the end of the day!I'll say it again...AMAZING GRACE!
Showing posts with label Power. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Power. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Monday, April 14, 2008
The Upside Down Kingdom
That's what Michael Card calls it (Heaven) in his book "Scribbling in the Sand". My blogging sister Heather inspired me to read the book again when she wrote about it on a recent post. It will bless anyone who reads it, you don't need to be an official artist. Actually as I am reading the book, I see that being a mother is one of the most artistic opportunities I can think of...Michael Card describes art or creativity as a response of worship to God. As I read more about our creativity (as we are created in the image of our Creator) All things seem to be an expression of creativity, whether it is building a building, planning an event, running a household,or working at Walgreens...we are creating with our actions and words. And if we love Jesus, we are glorifying Him in all we do.
Anyway...regarding the upside down kingdom idea, using Phillipians 2:5-8, he highlights that Jesus came in humility and to be a servant, and through His radical obedience -on the "other side" (Heaven) He is the opposite...Exalted and Lord.
He chooses the foolish things of the world to shame the wise...If you want to be great in God's kingdom, you must be a servant of all...To save your life you must lose it (in this life) and in losing is gain...
I just finished another book that everyone will be blessed to read-it is AMAZING. It is called "The Heavenly Man" by Paul Hattaway. It is an autobiography about a Chinese man and his work in the church in China. Or should I say his walk with Jesus that included so much suffering we could never imagine it in our land. I don't think he is much older than I am and he is the father to thousands and thousands of brothers and sisters in Christ. He adds onto the "upside down kingdom" idea, (adds on in my mind:), by stating that suffering should be embraced as a blessing. That we should welcome it as a friend. After reading his book, I am so challenged to change my outlook, my habits, my attitude about hardships. I stand amazed at the fire of God and what power it has through one laid down life. I am also so encouraged by reading of the ways that God intimately came through for him in his times of need. That whatever he needed in the suffering he was called to endure (encouragement, strength, healing, etc) was ministered to him in profound ways. OH HAIL THE KING!!
The freedom of absolute trust in Jesus no matter what we are called to endure brings joy in ways that those who don't know the King want to know Him after seeing His amazing grace in one of us. I was in tears in the middle of the book when I learned that after fasting from all food and water for 74 days in prison, being tortured, shocked, urinated upon and placed in human feces, after he broke the fast with his first visit from his mom, wife and sister (they broke bread and shared communion) he then went back to his cell and they mocked him there as usual, placing bets on how soon he would die, when a couple days later he stood to his feet and preached to them with authority telling them they needed to repent and trust Jesus to save them and every one of them (I think there were 11 or more) dropped to their knees in tears and became born again then and there. Wow!
Oh Jesus, my cross has been like a toothpick compared to your humble servants in China and other countries like N. Korea. Help me to remember them in prayer more and to be willing, like them to do whatever you call me to do with joy. Give me courage and boldness and more of Your Spirit. In Jesus' name. Amen
Anyway...regarding the upside down kingdom idea, using Phillipians 2:5-8, he highlights that Jesus came in humility and to be a servant, and through His radical obedience -on the "other side" (Heaven) He is the opposite...Exalted and Lord.
He chooses the foolish things of the world to shame the wise...If you want to be great in God's kingdom, you must be a servant of all...To save your life you must lose it (in this life) and in losing is gain...
I just finished another book that everyone will be blessed to read-it is AMAZING. It is called "The Heavenly Man" by Paul Hattaway. It is an autobiography about a Chinese man and his work in the church in China. Or should I say his walk with Jesus that included so much suffering we could never imagine it in our land. I don't think he is much older than I am and he is the father to thousands and thousands of brothers and sisters in Christ. He adds onto the "upside down kingdom" idea, (adds on in my mind:), by stating that suffering should be embraced as a blessing. That we should welcome it as a friend. After reading his book, I am so challenged to change my outlook, my habits, my attitude about hardships. I stand amazed at the fire of God and what power it has through one laid down life. I am also so encouraged by reading of the ways that God intimately came through for him in his times of need. That whatever he needed in the suffering he was called to endure (encouragement, strength, healing, etc) was ministered to him in profound ways. OH HAIL THE KING!!
The freedom of absolute trust in Jesus no matter what we are called to endure brings joy in ways that those who don't know the King want to know Him after seeing His amazing grace in one of us. I was in tears in the middle of the book when I learned that after fasting from all food and water for 74 days in prison, being tortured, shocked, urinated upon and placed in human feces, after he broke the fast with his first visit from his mom, wife and sister (they broke bread and shared communion) he then went back to his cell and they mocked him there as usual, placing bets on how soon he would die, when a couple days later he stood to his feet and preached to them with authority telling them they needed to repent and trust Jesus to save them and every one of them (I think there were 11 or more) dropped to their knees in tears and became born again then and there. Wow!
Oh Jesus, my cross has been like a toothpick compared to your humble servants in China and other countries like N. Korea. Help me to remember them in prayer more and to be willing, like them to do whatever you call me to do with joy. Give me courage and boldness and more of Your Spirit. In Jesus' name. Amen
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Hands
We are going to be studying the doctrine of the Baptism of the Spirit in our Sunday School class in a couple of weeks. So I have been digging into the Word today (we had a snow day so I took a few hours) :-D
I ended up studying the laying on of hands, giving and authority. The Lord amazed me when I realized the simple (not much meditated upon before by me) truth that the hands have everything to do with giving and recieving. And that those in authority have responsibility and privelege of recieving from God and then giving what has been given.
Hand: to signify the agency of (a source); adv. Near (at hand); To apprehend (grab) Hand off or Hand over. To put or place.
Give: to grant, assign, distribute. To impart, or pass on. Hmm, the Christian life is all about passing on the gift...
Authority: the right to excercise power; the power to rule or govern; power of one whose will and commands are to be obeyed.
Notice that Moses and Jesus always went to God to be instructed and filled before they went out to minister. Moses to the mountain or tent. Jesus to the mountain, hillside or garden.
Of course the biggest and best ever gift of all was given to us by the hand of God. He who did not spare His own Son, but gave him up for us all-how will he not also, along with Him graciously give us all things? Romans 8:32 This gift we must recieve before we have anything to give. (without Him we can do nothing)
Numbers 27:23 Then he laid his hands on (Joshua) and commissioned him, as the Lord instructed Moses. This signifies that the gift (authority and leadership) that had been given to Moses was imparted to Joshua through the laying on of his hands.
Acts 19:6 When Paul placed his hands on them the Holy spirit came on them and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. Again, the Spirit was imparted by the laying on of hands. The gift was given by the one who was filled. Several other locations give account of this throughout scripture. Acts 8:18; Acts 13:3; 1 Tim 1:6; 1 Tim 4:14.
Continually I see that those in authority are giving the gift through the laying on of hands. All authority begins with God. He gave it to Moses who in turn imparted it to Joshua. He gave it to Jesus who then imparts it to His servants who impart it to other servants and so on...
Remember Elisha asking for a double portion of Elijah's spirit? Remember Luke 11:9-13 talking about how much more will our Father in Heaven give you the Holy Spirit when you ask? We need to be asking!! Fill us Lord, we want more of you!!
Noticably, the gift of a mighty outpouring of the Spirit came when there were Spirit-filled believers together, praying, sometimes fasting, and UNIFIED. It resulted in God being glorified and many being healed, saved and sent out. No wonder the enemy works so hard to get us in discord and jealousy and competition!! He hinders us from having the power to do the work of God.
"United we stand, divided we fall"-I don't know where that is from, but how true!! O Lord, I pray that we may be one as You are One!! (John 17)Help us to continually come to the Spring of Living Water. Fill us and pour us out that you will be glorified and exalted by our offering of ourselves as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to you! (Romans 12:1,2) Use our hands to bless others, to impart your gifts. We stand amazed at your Power and your Glory!! Give us more understanding of our authority in Christ and our weapons of warfare that are mighty through God for the pulling down of strongholds! Thank you for choosing us to be vessels of this amazing power that is at work within us. That mighty power that raised Christ from the dead! Thank you that you love to show yourself strong on behalf of your people!! Halleluiah!
I ended up studying the laying on of hands, giving and authority. The Lord amazed me when I realized the simple (not much meditated upon before by me) truth that the hands have everything to do with giving and recieving. And that those in authority have responsibility and privelege of recieving from God and then giving what has been given.
Hand: to signify the agency of (a source); adv. Near (at hand); To apprehend (grab) Hand off or Hand over. To put or place.
Give: to grant, assign, distribute. To impart, or pass on. Hmm, the Christian life is all about passing on the gift...
Authority: the right to excercise power; the power to rule or govern; power of one whose will and commands are to be obeyed.
Notice that Moses and Jesus always went to God to be instructed and filled before they went out to minister. Moses to the mountain or tent. Jesus to the mountain, hillside or garden.
Of course the biggest and best ever gift of all was given to us by the hand of God. He who did not spare His own Son, but gave him up for us all-how will he not also, along with Him graciously give us all things? Romans 8:32 This gift we must recieve before we have anything to give. (without Him we can do nothing)
Numbers 27:23 Then he laid his hands on (Joshua) and commissioned him, as the Lord instructed Moses. This signifies that the gift (authority and leadership) that had been given to Moses was imparted to Joshua through the laying on of his hands.
Acts 19:6 When Paul placed his hands on them the Holy spirit came on them and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. Again, the Spirit was imparted by the laying on of hands. The gift was given by the one who was filled. Several other locations give account of this throughout scripture. Acts 8:18; Acts 13:3; 1 Tim 1:6; 1 Tim 4:14.
Continually I see that those in authority are giving the gift through the laying on of hands. All authority begins with God. He gave it to Moses who in turn imparted it to Joshua. He gave it to Jesus who then imparts it to His servants who impart it to other servants and so on...
Remember Elisha asking for a double portion of Elijah's spirit? Remember Luke 11:9-13 talking about how much more will our Father in Heaven give you the Holy Spirit when you ask? We need to be asking!! Fill us Lord, we want more of you!!
Noticably, the gift of a mighty outpouring of the Spirit came when there were Spirit-filled believers together, praying, sometimes fasting, and UNIFIED. It resulted in God being glorified and many being healed, saved and sent out. No wonder the enemy works so hard to get us in discord and jealousy and competition!! He hinders us from having the power to do the work of God.
"United we stand, divided we fall"-I don't know where that is from, but how true!! O Lord, I pray that we may be one as You are One!! (John 17)Help us to continually come to the Spring of Living Water. Fill us and pour us out that you will be glorified and exalted by our offering of ourselves as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to you! (Romans 12:1,2) Use our hands to bless others, to impart your gifts. We stand amazed at your Power and your Glory!! Give us more understanding of our authority in Christ and our weapons of warfare that are mighty through God for the pulling down of strongholds! Thank you for choosing us to be vessels of this amazing power that is at work within us. That mighty power that raised Christ from the dead! Thank you that you love to show yourself strong on behalf of your people!! Halleluiah!
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