Saturday, March 29, 2008

Rest in the Lord

I wonder if anyone else finds themselves trying too hard. I mean living in their own strength. It is my default mode. If I wander in my heart, or mind from the Lord, it is because I am relying on me again.....

Today my husband was off work and he likes to talk through his plans with me (I just sit down and make a list, so I don't understand this need) So I find myself feeling impatient and, instead of just giving myself to listening and allowing the Lord to minister to him through me. I am sitting there thinking I have "whatever" to do...As if "whatever" is more important. Then I feel anxious to move on to "whatever" when it is not nearly as important as the ministry to my husband that the Lord has called me to. UGH!

This week I have been feeling the weight of things instead of resting in the Lord. I am so sorry. It isn't pleasant and I am forsaking the peace and rest He has so generously given me. Am I doubting His love? Am I too focused on the tasks or the people and not on Jesus? It's time for me to leave my Martha mentality and sit like Mary. What is odd is I have spent time in His Word, and praying, but I wonder if I haven't made the right connection...much like my time with my husband, maybe I wasn't really listening with my heart.

O Lord, make me more like you! Thank you for the daily power washing in your cleansing blood. Grace free and forever. Praise you, Jesus!!

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Baptism in the Holy Spirit

I have been investigating this more. I went on our Christian and Missionary Alliance website archives and found a couple of articles from the past. One from 1986, and the other from 1947. In reading these two articles, I found striking similarities, which caused me to grasp a whole new facet of what this baptism is about.

In the past I simply had a picture in my mind of the Holy Spirit falling like at Pentecost on groups or individuals, and usually by the laying on of hands and a manifestation of Spiritual gifts. I believe the Lord is expanding my understanding.

We understand water baptism as symbolic of our death (old self) and resurrecti0n (new creation in Christ). John the Baptist said "I indeed baptize you with water; but there cometh he that is mightier than I, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worhty to unloose: he shall baptize you in the Holy Spirit and in fire" Luke 3:16 R.V.

Jesus said: "I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is completed!" Luke 12:49,50 . This was after His water baptism by John the Baptist, so it is apparent that our Lord is referring to his death and resurrection when He speaks of His future baptism in this passage. Why does He call this experience a baptism?

Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. Romans 6:3-5 In this passage, Paul is equating baptism with death and resurrection.

For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body-whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free-and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Now the body is not made up of one part but of many....Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.
1 Cor. 12:13, 14, 27.

And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everyting for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. Eph 1:22,23.

For now, I will conclude with this quote:
"Water baptism signifies the Christian's union with Christ by a judicial death and resurrection. But baptism in the Spirit is a collective work, uniting believers corporately as members of Christ's "body." We call attention to the fact that the word "baptize" is never used in the Word of God in the sense of empowering or anointing; consequently such an experssion as "baptize with power" is unscriptural and actually contradicts the Bible use of this word. "Anoint" is the word to be used (see Luke 4:18)." Quote from: The Alliance Weekly/ Rev. L. Bowring Quick/ August 10, 1947.

To be continued...Welcoming any insight!















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!

Friday, March 14, 2008

My Baby

Oh, Lord, help my baby!! He is going to get his license on the 25th. Already tonight, he cannot sleep. I think he's been counting the days since he was 14 years old...asking me if I could get the law changed so he could get it early! Heavens, I am not ready to have him get it now! That means my BABY will be independent...I know, he will still need money, and...advice (if he is being the submissive boy that we have raised him to be :-) But, we are entering a new phase of life.

He is already learning some lessons. When my brother died a couple of years ago, he had a truck he wanted to fix up. My dad gave it to Ethan, as he is mechanically inclined and he and his dad work on stuff all the time. Ethan finally got the truck done and it sold last night (he wouldn't be caught driving a FORD-he's a Chevy man) Now he is on a quest with his money for the right car and trying to figure out how to buy a car and have enough money for gas for the remainder of the school year, as he has chosen to do track and doesn't have time to get a job.

This morning his dad reminded him he had to tithe and as his mind did the math, I think he got a little discouraged. I reminded him (like any good mother would :p) that God loves a cheerful giver and He is provider. Of course I got "I know, mom". I prayed for him and then he left for school. Then I prayed for him some more. I was thinking of the process of growing that we have to do and the new beginnings he is embarking on in his walk with the Lord. The testings and trials that the Lord uses to refine us. And I prayed some more. I am so glad that Jesus is so good and powerful and patient. That I can trust Him so completely. Oh Lord, bless my baby!!

Help him to know and rely on the Love you have for him. Thank you

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Can You See The Wind?

You cannot see the wind, but evidences of it are obvious. You can see if it is strong, you can see it's force. You can see the direction it is coming from. You can feel it's effects too.

Can you see the Holy Spirit? No, but like the wind, you can see evidence of Him. You can feel Him. I went to a confrence last weekend called "Set Apart". It takes place at Northwestern College in Roseville, Mn. This was my 7th year attending, and it is the 7th year that the Lord has renewed my mind, and refined my heart. This years theme was "Refined". The keynote speakers were Lois Evans, and Sylvia Hurney. Wonderful truth came to us through their life experiences and what God has done. Great teachers and Sylvia is sooo funny!!

The Spirit was very evident there. We have 3 workshops to choose on Friday and 3 on Saturday. As it happens...they all dovetail together and seem to go in order for exactly what the Lord wants to teach me, or root out of my life. In a couple of the workshops, we were given time to write out/practice listening to the Lord. It is so profound to put your pen to the paper and trust the Lord to give you a message. So sweet to hear from God!!

It is God's desire to purify us, to make us more like His Son. To break away the outer man (our old self) and expose the fire of the Spirit within us. The process requires painful breaking, but produces eternal life in us and those the fire touches. As the gold is refined by fire, and the impurities come to the surface, so are our hearts refined and purified. Put under the heat of the flame of God working in our lives, allowing circumstances that are uncomfortable, the "dross" in our hearts rises to the surface and the Refiner can remove them as we yield to Him.

The lesson (fire)I was given was on the Wednesday before, I was on my first day of jury duty. I had no idea if the trial could go to Friday (when I was to be at the confrence), and was fighting anxiety about what to do. I also had asked my daughter to take work off so that she could work for me. My giftshop is open Friday and Saturday and I don't have any employees. The gal I used to be able to call got a full time job so she is unavailable. Well Kayla (my daughter) kept forgetting to ask her boss, and the week before when I checked again to see if she was able to work for me, her boss was out of town until the Thursday before I needed her....In my head I knew I should not be anxious but my heart was NOT in agreement. I kept trying to reprimand it, but to no avail. I gave the Lord the ticket if He wanted someone else to use it, that didn't help either. I still had such an anxious heart. Not until the Judge dismissed another juror for playing the organ that night did I realize I had freedom to say something if I needed to. Instantly my heart calmed down. Then wouldn't you know it??? Kayla did get work off and the Lord showed me mercy and loving-kindness despite my failure not to fear...Amazing grace.

Self-reliance is a battle I fight often, and this weekend I was given alot to help me see the Soveriegnty of God and learn to rest a little bit more. God is Good!! The evidence of His Spirit after the confrence (in my life) was an absence of anxiety in me on Sunday when I had back-to-back engagements (nearly overlapping) and walked in joy and freedom all day. Restin' in the Lord!!

Thursday, March 6, 2008

Balance

Trust and Obey...Faith and Works...Rest and Tremble... Heads and Tails...All of these are two sides of the same coin(s). I could add more: Faith and Repentance (necessary for salvation)...Rebuke and Encourage... Can you see it?

God wants us to walk in the balance. To avoid extremes. I find it hard to do. It is like walking on a tightrope sometimes, you must be attentive. Scripture calls us to "pay more careful attention to what we have heard..." Hebrews 2:1; "Be alert, and always keep on praying for the saints." Ephesians 6:18; "Watch and pray" Matthew 26:41

I woke up one day, and the Lord was speaking to me about this. I was thinking about the fact that we are sudposed to "work out our salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in us to will and act according to His good purpose." Phillipians 2 :12,13 Noah came to mind. He was building the ark as the Lord had instructed him to. He was putting action to his faith. He trusted the Lord knew what he was talking about (faith) and put his hand to the saw and hammer for about an hundred years (work). He was instrumental in the working out of his salvation. It was God who enabled him to do it. God sent the animals, God gave Noah skills and materials, God closed Noah in the ark after all was completed.

It is the same with us. We have to pursue our salvation by meeting with God daily(prayer and study), taking up our cross daily (dying to self), cleansing daily (confession) and daily obedience (doing the works He prepared ahead of time for us to do). Oh, it takes work! But in our work we rest in Him knowing it is His work. Can we figure this out? Can we ever really "get it"? But by faith and by the grace of God.

Trust and obey, for there is no other way to be happy in Jesus than to trust and obey.

Monday, March 3, 2008

Past Midnight

Okay, so I am into tomorrow already. I found music somehow. Blogworld is amazing. I just go on these journeys and land on "how to" and ta-da! I have music! Feel free to pause it, or click on a different song. Really, I could have been at this all night it was so fun to find songs I like. I was glad they even had some oldies. Check out The Coloring Song by Petra. It was songs like this in my beginnings with the Lord that bring me back to that first love time...rekindling. Kind of like if you and your hubby had "a song...our song" back in the day. If you hear the song, the feelings come back somehow.

Well, I had my "heart transplant" (Ezekiel 11:19)back in January 1989 when I was pregnant with my first baby. We grew up together, her and I. When she was crawling I was crawling (in the Spirit) too. When she was stumbling in learning to walk, I was too. When she was trying to be independant at the age of 2, I found I still had alot of that urge as well...And oooh the teen years. Turbulance, insecurity. Unfortunately, I had a teen spell too in my journey in the Lord. It is amazing what you come out of the teen years with though. Alot of pain, but oh so much gain for the way. Wisdom, understanding...of our need, our weakness, others' effects on us, etc. We couldn't jump over that area of life could we? Our God is so wise. So good.

I am so thankful for Jesus rescuing me from the dominion of darkness and transfering me into the kingdom of Light. New life. Eternal life. If you have time to listen, go over to the playlist and listen to "Deep Enough to Dream" by Chris Rice. Let the lyrics transport you to the eternal. The wonder of Heaven. Seeing and touching His loving and gentle, sweet face. Oh, what will it be like?
I just thought of another song I will have to go back and add to the list by Mercy Me..."I Can Only Imagine"... Will I dance? Or be so weak in the knees that I will fall at His feet?

Halleluiah!! This world is not my home, I am just passing through...For now though, I better pass on to bed:)

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