Yesterday was a life interrupted in so many ways. What was “planned” to be a visit to be there for support during a heart surgery turned to so much more. In the interest of this blog, things are oversimplified, and many details just cannot be shared due to time, space and privacy, but the theme is the same… as hard a day as it was yesterday, I would not trade it for having been anywhere else.
While at the hospital, God led me to go pray with a complete stranger who was obviously distraught about news of a loved one. Knowing no other details, He had me go over, kneel down beside her and ask that sweet lady if I could pray for her. She enthusiastically agreed. During the prayer, she spoke in tearful agreement with what I was praying. Yes, Jesus. Please, Jesus. Jesus. After I prayed she informed me that no one in her family or friends were “a praying person” and she had so needed that prayer. My comfort briefly interrupted. Her grief interrupted. Life interrupted.
I also had opportunity to visit a dear friends family member who had been in hospice care in the hospital for a couple of days and I had visited previously, even that morning. When I got to her room, she was still unresponsive, but sadly, alone. God led me to stay. Play some quiet instrumental music version of praise and worship songs. Pray with her. Read to her. Sit quietly with her. Upon return of my friend, literally within a very few minutes this loved one entered eternity. Tears. Prayer. Praise for peaceful passing. Packing up belongings. My comfort interrupted. Her lonely departure interrupted. Life Interrupted.
So what is the point? My life, and yours, is shaped by plans, priorities, comforts, and responsibilities, but there are times when God nudges you to be somewhere you just know you are supposed to be, and comfortable or not, Some of the toughest situations in life render the most amazing experiences with Christ. How humbling to be used in His plan. How powerful to be holding peoples hands when God changes their eternity, either in death or in life.
That day, the dear friend and I returned to the waiting room to hear news of a successful surgery. Waiting room full of thanksgiving and relief. As we all prepared to leave we interrupted life yet again. This time, it was interrupted before we all departed and got on with our daily lives, to stop, circle up hands and hearts, yes, right there in the middle of the waiting room, and offer a prayer of thanksgiving for God’s hand during the surgery and upcoming recovery. Someone comfort interrupted…this time not mine. Walking away without returning to say thank you to The Master interrupted. Life Interrupted.
In all the ways yesterday was interrupted, God was glorified. I desire to live that kind of a life interrupted by His presence anytime!
On the way to the hospital early that morning, I was listening to a song, and praying it would be true all day…I believe it was…
“He Is Here”
He is here, Hallelujah, He is here, Amen
He is here, Holy Holy, I will bless His name again
He is here, listen closely
Hear Him calling out your name
He is here, you can touch Him
You will never be the same
VERSE 1
I sence an awesome moving of the Holy Spirit
I see His countenance resting on your face
I know that there are angels hovering all around us
For the presence of the Lord is in this place
CHORUS
He is here, Hallelujah, He is here, Amen
He is here, Holy Holy, I will bless His name again
He is here, listen closely
Hear Him calling out your name
He is here, you can touch Him
You will never be the same
VERSE 2
I searched for peace among the shadow, dark and lonely
Gave up on finding that strong and lasting love
I tasted all the things that sin could think to offer me
But today I feast on manna from above
CHORUS
He is here, Hallelujah, He is here, Amen
He is here, Holy Holy, I will bless His name again
He is here, listen closely
Hear Him calling out your name
He is here, you can touch Him
You will never be the same
He is here, you can touch Him
You will never be the same
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Praise and Worship
Just as thankfulness opens doors for miracles, worship opens the doors of heaven for the real and palpable presence of God Himself.
Psalm 22:3 (KJV)
But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.
Our God, the One who called us to eternal salvation, The One who always has been, and always will be, The One who sent us the comforter in the Holy Spirit, The One who sacrificed His only Son, inhabits the praises of His people. He dwells and stays and hovers where there is praise.
Our fast is an act of praise and worship. Each hour we praise Him more for sustaining us. Each moment we realize just what a personal loving God He truly is. Each time the temptation of hunger or distraction or compromise hits…PRAISE HIS NAME! Turn up the worship music. Do a praise dance around the room. For The God of heaven and earth is there with you to strengthen you, to speak to you, to love on you. Offer Him an additional sacrifice of praise. Place your mind on worshipping Him in spirit and in truth. See if He will not show up mightily.
I know that day 3 is typically the strongest battle day with my dear body. That day will also be an incredible day of praise and worship! Crank up the music, make up your own song, sing your prayers of thanksgiving to the Lord, sing songs about the names of God…”Alpha and Omega”, “El Shaddai”, “Holy, Holy, Holy”. Lift up His name in worship. Lift up your act of praise and present your bodies a living sacrifice. It is our reasonable duty. It is our hope. It is our power from the Holy Spirit. And He alone is worthy. There is strength in His Name. There is joy in His presence.
In all spiritual battles we face, praise and worship are key. Why would we not want our Lord as close to us as possible when we face the enemy? Why would we not praise Him before the battles end knowing He is victorious in all things. He alone is worthy. Praise and worship and honor and glory belong to Him. I am humbled to be His and be able to come before Him in praise.
Another great source of encouragement and teaching on fasting is www.jentezenfranklin.org.
Psalm 22:3 (KJV)
But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.
Our God, the One who called us to eternal salvation, The One who always has been, and always will be, The One who sent us the comforter in the Holy Spirit, The One who sacrificed His only Son, inhabits the praises of His people. He dwells and stays and hovers where there is praise.
Our fast is an act of praise and worship. Each hour we praise Him more for sustaining us. Each moment we realize just what a personal loving God He truly is. Each time the temptation of hunger or distraction or compromise hits…PRAISE HIS NAME! Turn up the worship music. Do a praise dance around the room. For The God of heaven and earth is there with you to strengthen you, to speak to you, to love on you. Offer Him an additional sacrifice of praise. Place your mind on worshipping Him in spirit and in truth. See if He will not show up mightily.
I know that day 3 is typically the strongest battle day with my dear body. That day will also be an incredible day of praise and worship! Crank up the music, make up your own song, sing your prayers of thanksgiving to the Lord, sing songs about the names of God…”Alpha and Omega”, “El Shaddai”, “Holy, Holy, Holy”. Lift up His name in worship. Lift up your act of praise and present your bodies a living sacrifice. It is our reasonable duty. It is our hope. It is our power from the Holy Spirit. And He alone is worthy. There is strength in His Name. There is joy in His presence.
In all spiritual battles we face, praise and worship are key. Why would we not want our Lord as close to us as possible when we face the enemy? Why would we not praise Him before the battles end knowing He is victorious in all things. He alone is worthy. Praise and worship and honor and glory belong to Him. I am humbled to be His and be able to come before Him in praise.
Another great source of encouragement and teaching on fasting is www.jentezenfranklin.org.
Monday, January 2, 2012
Fasting Begins...Give Him Thanks!
Here is praying that you are feeling thankful this morning. Thankful that the Lord called you to this very special time with Him to begin the new year. Thankful that we serve a God who speaks to us, loves us, and cares for us.
He cares for us so much that I want you to know that He beat us to this day. You see, God sees the intent of our hearts. So as you began preparing for today to start the fast, our Loving Father began answering. Aren’t you glad we serve a God who does not have to see our completed obedience before it moves Him to act in our lives. Even with our own children, does it not spur you to action as you see your children beginning to turn from disobedience, their hearts soften to correction, their desires to be to live in obedience. Our Father loves us even more, and is acting in our lives from the moment our hearts turn to Him. Do you really think that the act of salvation only takes place at the altar? I believe that salvation takes place and it is the love and measure of faith that God alone gives that even helps us take that first step out of our pews.
Today, we are taking that first step in fasting. Our hearts have already heard Him calling to us. Our spirits have aligned with Him in obedience of following through with the fast He calls us to. He is already at work. He arrived at this time of fasting before we did. He issued the call to join Him here.
Spend today thanking Him. Thanksgiving precedes the miraculous.
Micah 2:13 HCSB
One who breaks open the way
will advance before them;
they will break out, pass through the gate,
and leave by it.
Their King will pass through before them,
the LORD as their leader.
Here's another great fasting resource from Campus Crusade for Christ...
http://www.ccci.org/training-and-growth/devotional-life/7-steps-to-fasting/01-personal-guide.htm
He cares for us so much that I want you to know that He beat us to this day. You see, God sees the intent of our hearts. So as you began preparing for today to start the fast, our Loving Father began answering. Aren’t you glad we serve a God who does not have to see our completed obedience before it moves Him to act in our lives. Even with our own children, does it not spur you to action as you see your children beginning to turn from disobedience, their hearts soften to correction, their desires to be to live in obedience. Our Father loves us even more, and is acting in our lives from the moment our hearts turn to Him. Do you really think that the act of salvation only takes place at the altar? I believe that salvation takes place and it is the love and measure of faith that God alone gives that even helps us take that first step out of our pews.
Today, we are taking that first step in fasting. Our hearts have already heard Him calling to us. Our spirits have aligned with Him in obedience of following through with the fast He calls us to. He is already at work. He arrived at this time of fasting before we did. He issued the call to join Him here.
Spend today thanking Him. Thanksgiving precedes the miraculous.
Micah 2:13 HCSB
One who breaks open the way
will advance before them;
they will break out, pass through the gate,
and leave by it.
Their King will pass through before them,
the LORD as their leader.
Here's another great fasting resource from Campus Crusade for Christ...
http://www.ccci.org/training-and-growth/devotional-life/7-steps-to-fasting/01-personal-guide.htm
Friday, December 30, 2011
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Entrusted
I don’t know about you, but I count it an honor to be a person who can be trusted. One who people know they are safe with, they can count on, who won’t back out on them when times get hard, one who is covenant minded instead of contract focused. I also want to be known as a person of faith, one who encourages others to walk faithfully by the way I live my life.
In praying this morning, I asked God to help me be that person. Help me walk in faith. Help others see Him in how I react to adversity. And then, what I probably already knew somewhere hidden in my heart was facing me head on. In order to be that person, I must accept that the only way to do that is to go through trials faithfully. Praying to be a person who models faith was intrinsically telling the Lord that I accepted the trials I would have to face in order to model that faith He gives us.
Sometimes in prayer, God reveals the necessity to sit back and ponder if I truly believe what I am praying. Do I truly accept those trials? Do I truly want to model faith, or is there something else I could pick? Let’s see…patience? Well. We all know how that works. Same principle. In order to model and live the characteristic we desire, we must face trials and temptations to exhibit something other than the desired result.
What if we shift our focus? What if we realize what is going on, and we come to the understanding that we have been ENTRUSTED with the trials of life. God has hand-picked us to shine His light in a certain situation, He has counted us TRUSTWORTHY to walk through this trial and complete the test in full faith. Faith not in the promise of a positive outcome, or our protection, or our promotion, but simply faith in the One who is the object of that faith and the supplier of all faith. Faith in Christ alone. We have not been blindsided with the loss of a job, we have been entrusted to walk that road in faith. We have not been cursed with the trials of life; we have been entrusted to live a life that brings Him honor and glory through them.
Entrusted…by God. That puts a whole new light on it. It is absolutely the person I want to be. I want to be entrusted in trials and tests, because I also know I will be enabled to walk through those situations with God getting the glory for however they turn out. You see, if we walk through the trial in faith, we win. The situation may or may not turn out as we had hoped, but if no matter the outcome we remain in faith, the victory and the glory are already gained, and they both point others to Christ. Not to mention the black eye it gives Satan. I am not advocating asking for trials, or being a martyr in life. I am crying out to Him for that renewed focus on those struggles when they find me in their path.
Philippians 1:29 states, “For you have been granted [the privilege] for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in [adhere to, rely on, and trust in] Him, but also to suffer in His behalf.” We don’t hear it that way very often do we? But it is true. It is a privilege to be entrusted by God for the glory of Christ, even and especially in the trials, suffering and persecution.
I thought on all this for a while during my prayer, and came to a conclusion. I would not dodge one trial and risk the privilege of my life bringing glory to Him. How about you?
2Timothy 1:8-12 Paul writes to Timothy, and to us, “Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me.”
In praying this morning, I asked God to help me be that person. Help me walk in faith. Help others see Him in how I react to adversity. And then, what I probably already knew somewhere hidden in my heart was facing me head on. In order to be that person, I must accept that the only way to do that is to go through trials faithfully. Praying to be a person who models faith was intrinsically telling the Lord that I accepted the trials I would have to face in order to model that faith He gives us.
Sometimes in prayer, God reveals the necessity to sit back and ponder if I truly believe what I am praying. Do I truly accept those trials? Do I truly want to model faith, or is there something else I could pick? Let’s see…patience? Well. We all know how that works. Same principle. In order to model and live the characteristic we desire, we must face trials and temptations to exhibit something other than the desired result.
What if we shift our focus? What if we realize what is going on, and we come to the understanding that we have been ENTRUSTED with the trials of life. God has hand-picked us to shine His light in a certain situation, He has counted us TRUSTWORTHY to walk through this trial and complete the test in full faith. Faith not in the promise of a positive outcome, or our protection, or our promotion, but simply faith in the One who is the object of that faith and the supplier of all faith. Faith in Christ alone. We have not been blindsided with the loss of a job, we have been entrusted to walk that road in faith. We have not been cursed with the trials of life; we have been entrusted to live a life that brings Him honor and glory through them.
Entrusted…by God. That puts a whole new light on it. It is absolutely the person I want to be. I want to be entrusted in trials and tests, because I also know I will be enabled to walk through those situations with God getting the glory for however they turn out. You see, if we walk through the trial in faith, we win. The situation may or may not turn out as we had hoped, but if no matter the outcome we remain in faith, the victory and the glory are already gained, and they both point others to Christ. Not to mention the black eye it gives Satan. I am not advocating asking for trials, or being a martyr in life. I am crying out to Him for that renewed focus on those struggles when they find me in their path.
Philippians 1:29 states, “For you have been granted [the privilege] for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in [adhere to, rely on, and trust in] Him, but also to suffer in His behalf.” We don’t hear it that way very often do we? But it is true. It is a privilege to be entrusted by God for the glory of Christ, even and especially in the trials, suffering and persecution.
I thought on all this for a while during my prayer, and came to a conclusion. I would not dodge one trial and risk the privilege of my life bringing glory to Him. How about you?
2Timothy 1:8-12 Paul writes to Timothy, and to us, “Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me.”
Friday, November 18, 2011
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