Well.. this week we have started new endevours with homeschooling might I say..its not easy. But its so rewarding to see with my eyes my girls knowledge and learning and to see areas that they excel and need help in. To know that all of the short comings I was worried about are going to work out. In 3 short days, I have already determined areas that can be corrected that will aide their education for years to come. Being able to devote myself 100percent to their learning.. priceless.
((And they Love it!)))
Last week, my father in law, had back surgery. After 5 hours, it seemed to have went well. 1 big problem. Confusion, hallucinations. My father in law is the most 'with it' person I have EVER and probably will ever encounter. A true man of God. And he was not himself whatsoever. Between all the medications he has been given, his potassium and calcium bottomed out.. horrible!
I woke up Tuesday with a burden on my heart to go pray for him right away, a call to my brother in law and a full fledge prayer meeting and annointing..he went home last night. Not to mention, his lab work was perfect. Potassium normal. Calcium normal. Electrolites normal. Amazing the power of God and how we just, ask. He has made a 160 in his recovery process in 24 hours. I am exstatic how God works!!
After speaking with my brother in law this morning and talking about it, he said ya know after we prayed and annointed him, I knew it would work and to be frank I knew it couldnt be an immediate change or else I wouldve had a heart attack right there. So the Lord put a '24 hour hold on it' for us to be able to soke it in.
Its really made me think, we go to God for things of His will He gave us the ability and power to call out things against the enemy...how often are we really standing in the way..how often is He just waiting on us..even if nothing else.. not to frighten us.
Just so Thankful for The Big God that I SERVE...
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Monday, August 22, 2011
Being a faithful messenger..He chose YOU!
Being a faithful messanger
Proverbs 25:13 “ Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest Is a faithful messenger to those who send him, for he refreshes the soul of his masters”
Think about this verse:
Lets break it down.
• Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest….
-In the time of great heat when men desire some cool relief
-cold of snow – certain places of the world, especially in biblical times, snow was used as we use ice to cool a drink. How much more refreshing is a cold drink on a hot day than a ‘lukewarm drink’
• A faithful messanger…
-a messanger, one who delivers a message think back to biblical days no email, no phone, no cars to find an individual you could actually depend on to get a message to another was probably not so easily found. The work was hard requiring devotion as well as sacrifice.
Jesus is The great messenger.
He brings Gods message to us and bears our message back to God.
The messanger is faithful and will refresh the souls of those who trust there petitions into His hand. Jesus bore tidings of mercy to us, thought through the wrath and pain of bearing the cross. What a message.
During Jesus ministry on earth, he spent more time with 12 men that with everyone else put together.
In john 17 Jesus recounts his ministry before going to the cross, he doesn’t mention the multitudes he preached to or the miracles he performed as great as those events were they were not his primary focus.
Forty times Jesus speaks to and about the men in whom he had invested His life, they were His focus.
Everyone who Christ saves, he uses.
The fact that we are here and not in heaven is proof some work awaits.
Jesus told His disciples in Acts 1:8 He has chosen to this office those who trust in His salvation and are called by His name.
Read Acts 1:8-11
He doesn’t send angels to proclaim His name, He could. He could use anything of this world to proclaim, but He chose you. We should be encouraged and stimulated to know that The Lord who redeemed us has appointed us.
Upon each of our coming to faith in Jesus Christ, we have been empowered with the Holy Spirit.
Through the power of the Holy Spirit God has gifted each of us with certain gifts, all different in their own way.
Myself for example, Teaching. Why was I called to teach?
I was not called to teach to organize ministry for people but, to mobilize people for ministry, Gods ministry.
. God has written different stories for each of our lives, filled with varied circumstances and challenges
. He has soverignly led each of us to certain life stages and situations surrounded by different opprotunities.
Each of us has been called by God to serve the people that surround us in different ways – using our own gifting.
God has built into our everyday lives opprotunites and platforms to spread the gospel.
Now read acts 1:22
Jesus gave the disciples one command: Make Disciples. Do with others what I have done with you.
Matthew 28:19 “go therefore and make disciples of all the nations”
1 Peter 2:21 “for you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving an example for you to follow in His steps”
Read 1 Peter 5:2-3
-Now we are to take up the cross and follow him, we are to be messengers proclaiming the word of Jesus Christ.
What kind of messanger are you?
We cant be unfaithful messangers.
Jesus gave his life, life is at stake there is no time for softness slackness or scrutinizing – there is simply no time.
(( this is found in Matthew 10:38)
Lets put this in the perspective of a ballgame,
- you have made the team (being saved in Jesus Christ you are His team),
-you got your jersey on,(your clean soul).
Why do ball teams go to practice?*(to learn plays----thus we go to church to get encouragement, we study the word to learn ..)
So are you sitting on the bench, or are you in the game? What is your position on the team?
We are to make disciples, who will make disciples, who will make disciples, who will make disciples.
Its not optional. If you are on the team play! The team is so big, Jesus (our couch) has given us each a position to play, that is why we are all gifted differently, so he can fill every position on the team.
You may feel at times that you are the wrong person, not gifted enough, smart enough, talented enough, or qualified enough to engage in effective ministry, this is simply not true.
You have the word of God before you, The Spirit of God in you, and the command of God to you.
More often than not, God used ordinary lives of men and women to accomplish His will.
Few examples:
Mary mother of Jesus. Was just an average obiediant teenager
Ruth- the great grandmother of David was a hardworking daughter in law
Gideon – one of Isreals greatest judges was the least in his fathers house
Even several of the disciples were simple fisherman with humble beginnings.
All of these lives were insignificant and obscure but God used them in miraculous ways to do great things.
Matthew 10:19b do not worry about how or what you are to say; for it will be given you in that hour what you are to say it”
Ask God to make your life count where you live for the spread of the gospel and declaration of his glory to the ends of the earth. You cannot allow Satan to deceive you with his lives of feeling you don’t or cant have significant impact right where you are.
Matthew 10:32 “everyone who confesses me before men I will also confess him before my father in heaven”
Jesus, our messanger, our go to guy to the Father will take our name to God for doing what he told us to do, empowered us to do.. How awesome. You are so important they are talking about you!
To think that we, each one of us can be refreshing to God…
How we can ‘disciple’
When you think of ‘go make disciples’ what exactly do you picture that as being?
Certain words?
Do you know that going out and making disciples can be to women who are saved?
Discipleing someone means helping them become everything God wants Them to be. Whether it is to get saved and lead them to the Lord or it could be that one who is saved who needs encouragement. Ever known someone who is backslidden? Maybe God is using you as a tool in her life to help get her back on track, hopefully better than before.
Who are you to disciple?
Who ever crosses your path, God have soverignly placed them there.
Now, I want to go a step further with this. The Bible tells us that we are the minority, there will be those who reject what we are trying to lead them to.
There are people who want more than you are able to provide, do what God leads you to do. You cannot fulfill every need of every person and God doesn’t not expect you to.
There are tons and tons of women readily available with teachable hearts.
If you invest your time with women who really don’t want your help you’ll feel like you are spinning your wheels, going nowhere.
You may become discouraged about the whole process and decide that this discipling is not going to work.
DON’T ALLOW IT TO HAPPEN.
I Am no saying you are not to sow a seed, but we don’t have to be in hot pursuit. We certainly don’t want anyone to become ‘stiffnecked as the scripture says”
Love is the basis of discipleship
Allow the Holy Spirit to show you who to disciple.
Use your godly wisdom
Glorify God with your words
Humble yourself, be open to Gods challenges.
Proverbs 31:26 She opens her mouth in wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
I cant save anyone, you cant save anyone Only Jesus can, We can simply ‘relay the message’ I want to be found a faithful servant, don’t you.
So, What are you afraid of?
-Fear of rejection
*Pray for boldness. Though this fear is natural its not right.
We are called to pattern our lives after The Way described in The Bible.
We are not called to fear what following the Way of Jesus may require of us, but that doesn’t mean fears will not crop up.
A life of Christ, requires relinquishing those fears when they come up. It means refusing to let your fears of what others think, your fears of rejection, keep you from pursuing the truth through the Holy Spirit and what God tells you to do.
Are you willing to pursue truth in your journey to know and be known by The Holy Spirit?
-What if God doesn’t come through?
God promises to give us the Holy Spirit if we ask.
* There is a difference between what God has promised and praying for things you would like to be true.
pray confidently for what God has promised.
Fear of God failing us leads us to ‘ cover for God’ This means we ask for less, expect less, and are satisfied with less because we are afraid to ask for or expect more. We even convince ourself that we don’t want more. That we have all of ‘God’ we need or want.
Read Luke 11:13
God is a good Father and wants to give us gifts.
-Do I even want this?
The flip side of fearing God wont show usp is fearing that He will.
If God shows up and says to do something that is uncomfortable are you going to tell Him no, or ignore Him?
The truth is The Spirit of God will ask you to go somewhere or do something you wouldn’t usually choose to do.
The Spirit will lead you to the way of the cross, just as He led Jesus to the cross, which is not a safe pretty place to be. The Holy Spirit of God will mold you into the person you were made to be. Its often a painful process. It strips us of selfishness, pride, and fear.
The Holy Spirit does not seek to harm us, but to make us Christ like.
As Jesus’ disciple – being in a relationship with Him must be our focus.
*Don’t hide your fears.
First, Admit them to yourself.
Secondly, Confess them to God.
Share with godly friends and allow the Spirit to continue freeing you.
The Lord challenges us to suffer persecutions and to confess Him.
He wants those who belong to Him to be brave and fearless. He himself shows how weakness of the flesh is overcome by courage of the Spirit. This is the testimony of the apostles and in particular of the representatives administering Spirit. A Christian is fearless.
-Tertullion
Proverbs 25:13 “ Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest Is a faithful messenger to those who send him, for he refreshes the soul of his masters”
Think about this verse:
Lets break it down.
• Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest….
-In the time of great heat when men desire some cool relief
-cold of snow – certain places of the world, especially in biblical times, snow was used as we use ice to cool a drink. How much more refreshing is a cold drink on a hot day than a ‘lukewarm drink’
• A faithful messanger…
-a messanger, one who delivers a message think back to biblical days no email, no phone, no cars to find an individual you could actually depend on to get a message to another was probably not so easily found. The work was hard requiring devotion as well as sacrifice.
Jesus is The great messenger.
He brings Gods message to us and bears our message back to God.
The messanger is faithful and will refresh the souls of those who trust there petitions into His hand. Jesus bore tidings of mercy to us, thought through the wrath and pain of bearing the cross. What a message.
During Jesus ministry on earth, he spent more time with 12 men that with everyone else put together.
In john 17 Jesus recounts his ministry before going to the cross, he doesn’t mention the multitudes he preached to or the miracles he performed as great as those events were they were not his primary focus.
Forty times Jesus speaks to and about the men in whom he had invested His life, they were His focus.
Everyone who Christ saves, he uses.
The fact that we are here and not in heaven is proof some work awaits.
Jesus told His disciples in Acts 1:8 He has chosen to this office those who trust in His salvation and are called by His name.
Read Acts 1:8-11
He doesn’t send angels to proclaim His name, He could. He could use anything of this world to proclaim, but He chose you. We should be encouraged and stimulated to know that The Lord who redeemed us has appointed us.
Upon each of our coming to faith in Jesus Christ, we have been empowered with the Holy Spirit.
Through the power of the Holy Spirit God has gifted each of us with certain gifts, all different in their own way.
Myself for example, Teaching. Why was I called to teach?
I was not called to teach to organize ministry for people but, to mobilize people for ministry, Gods ministry.
. God has written different stories for each of our lives, filled with varied circumstances and challenges
. He has soverignly led each of us to certain life stages and situations surrounded by different opprotunities.
Each of us has been called by God to serve the people that surround us in different ways – using our own gifting.
God has built into our everyday lives opprotunites and platforms to spread the gospel.
Now read acts 1:22
Jesus gave the disciples one command: Make Disciples. Do with others what I have done with you.
Matthew 28:19 “go therefore and make disciples of all the nations”
1 Peter 2:21 “for you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving an example for you to follow in His steps”
Read 1 Peter 5:2-3
-Now we are to take up the cross and follow him, we are to be messengers proclaiming the word of Jesus Christ.
What kind of messanger are you?
We cant be unfaithful messangers.
Jesus gave his life, life is at stake there is no time for softness slackness or scrutinizing – there is simply no time.
(( this is found in Matthew 10:38)
Lets put this in the perspective of a ballgame,
- you have made the team (being saved in Jesus Christ you are His team),
-you got your jersey on,(your clean soul).
Why do ball teams go to practice?*(to learn plays----thus we go to church to get encouragement, we study the word to learn ..)
So are you sitting on the bench, or are you in the game? What is your position on the team?
We are to make disciples, who will make disciples, who will make disciples, who will make disciples.
Its not optional. If you are on the team play! The team is so big, Jesus (our couch) has given us each a position to play, that is why we are all gifted differently, so he can fill every position on the team.
You may feel at times that you are the wrong person, not gifted enough, smart enough, talented enough, or qualified enough to engage in effective ministry, this is simply not true.
You have the word of God before you, The Spirit of God in you, and the command of God to you.
More often than not, God used ordinary lives of men and women to accomplish His will.
Few examples:
Mary mother of Jesus. Was just an average obiediant teenager
Ruth- the great grandmother of David was a hardworking daughter in law
Gideon – one of Isreals greatest judges was the least in his fathers house
Even several of the disciples were simple fisherman with humble beginnings.
All of these lives were insignificant and obscure but God used them in miraculous ways to do great things.
Matthew 10:19b do not worry about how or what you are to say; for it will be given you in that hour what you are to say it”
Ask God to make your life count where you live for the spread of the gospel and declaration of his glory to the ends of the earth. You cannot allow Satan to deceive you with his lives of feeling you don’t or cant have significant impact right where you are.
Matthew 10:32 “everyone who confesses me before men I will also confess him before my father in heaven”
Jesus, our messanger, our go to guy to the Father will take our name to God for doing what he told us to do, empowered us to do.. How awesome. You are so important they are talking about you!
To think that we, each one of us can be refreshing to God…
How we can ‘disciple’
When you think of ‘go make disciples’ what exactly do you picture that as being?
Certain words?
Do you know that going out and making disciples can be to women who are saved?
Discipleing someone means helping them become everything God wants Them to be. Whether it is to get saved and lead them to the Lord or it could be that one who is saved who needs encouragement. Ever known someone who is backslidden? Maybe God is using you as a tool in her life to help get her back on track, hopefully better than before.
Who are you to disciple?
Who ever crosses your path, God have soverignly placed them there.
Now, I want to go a step further with this. The Bible tells us that we are the minority, there will be those who reject what we are trying to lead them to.
There are people who want more than you are able to provide, do what God leads you to do. You cannot fulfill every need of every person and God doesn’t not expect you to.
There are tons and tons of women readily available with teachable hearts.
If you invest your time with women who really don’t want your help you’ll feel like you are spinning your wheels, going nowhere.
You may become discouraged about the whole process and decide that this discipling is not going to work.
DON’T ALLOW IT TO HAPPEN.
I Am no saying you are not to sow a seed, but we don’t have to be in hot pursuit. We certainly don’t want anyone to become ‘stiffnecked as the scripture says”
Love is the basis of discipleship
Allow the Holy Spirit to show you who to disciple.
Use your godly wisdom
Glorify God with your words
Humble yourself, be open to Gods challenges.
Proverbs 31:26 She opens her mouth in wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
I cant save anyone, you cant save anyone Only Jesus can, We can simply ‘relay the message’ I want to be found a faithful servant, don’t you.
So, What are you afraid of?
-Fear of rejection
*Pray for boldness. Though this fear is natural its not right.
We are called to pattern our lives after The Way described in The Bible.
We are not called to fear what following the Way of Jesus may require of us, but that doesn’t mean fears will not crop up.
A life of Christ, requires relinquishing those fears when they come up. It means refusing to let your fears of what others think, your fears of rejection, keep you from pursuing the truth through the Holy Spirit and what God tells you to do.
Are you willing to pursue truth in your journey to know and be known by The Holy Spirit?
-What if God doesn’t come through?
God promises to give us the Holy Spirit if we ask.
* There is a difference between what God has promised and praying for things you would like to be true.
pray confidently for what God has promised.
Fear of God failing us leads us to ‘ cover for God’ This means we ask for less, expect less, and are satisfied with less because we are afraid to ask for or expect more. We even convince ourself that we don’t want more. That we have all of ‘God’ we need or want.
Read Luke 11:13
God is a good Father and wants to give us gifts.
-Do I even want this?
The flip side of fearing God wont show usp is fearing that He will.
If God shows up and says to do something that is uncomfortable are you going to tell Him no, or ignore Him?
The truth is The Spirit of God will ask you to go somewhere or do something you wouldn’t usually choose to do.
The Spirit will lead you to the way of the cross, just as He led Jesus to the cross, which is not a safe pretty place to be. The Holy Spirit of God will mold you into the person you were made to be. Its often a painful process. It strips us of selfishness, pride, and fear.
The Holy Spirit does not seek to harm us, but to make us Christ like.
As Jesus’ disciple – being in a relationship with Him must be our focus.
*Don’t hide your fears.
First, Admit them to yourself.
Secondly, Confess them to God.
Share with godly friends and allow the Spirit to continue freeing you.
The Lord challenges us to suffer persecutions and to confess Him.
He wants those who belong to Him to be brave and fearless. He himself shows how weakness of the flesh is overcome by courage of the Spirit. This is the testimony of the apostles and in particular of the representatives administering Spirit. A Christian is fearless.
-Tertullion
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