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Prayer

Worship and Intercession Part 1

Last week on a zoom prayer call I asked that we start with worship before intercession. Worship goes hand in hand with intercession. Whether corporate or our private prayer time, worship releases intercession. In Revelation, the smoke of incense, together with the prayers of the saints went up before God from the angel’s hand. (Rev. 8:1-4) From this passage and many others we can draw the conclusion that worship is a necessary part in the releasing of our prayers. When intercession flows from our worship, a mighty work of God is accomplished in heaven, that brings forth the purposes of God on earth.

Worship and intercession go hand in hand. The person with a true heart of intercession will quite naturally find themself slipping into worship, because both of these aspects of prayer are fueled by the Holy Spirit and flow from our spirit. Worship is the propellant which sends our prayer-rockets heavenward and gives them the “boost” to make it all the way to the throne.

Those of us who are intercessors have a very important role in the corporate worship settings where seeking His presence is understood. This carries over to whether we are praying corporately in a group, with a couple of others or just you. In my private prayer time I might worship God with His word, in song or just my words.

Let me elaborate on His Presence. Yes God is omnipresent, meaning he is everywhere at the same time. So, in that sense, He is always present among His people. What I am speaking about here, when I say His Presence among us, I mean a tangible sense that He has drawn very near. For the spiritually attentive person, God’s presence will be suddenly felt, whereas it was not felt moments before, and we know He has “entered the room or “come down” among us. When we worship with clean hands and a pure heart, experiencing this communion with the Lord in this way should be the norm, once we know that we can expect it.

In the next few weeks I will elaborate more on this topic because it does impact our corporate and personal prayer time so much.



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Focus on the Healer

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Todd and I were at the Asbury Revival on Sun/Mon, February 12 & 13. After doing personal business with the Lord I began to intercede for others. 

Praying for one another without visible results can wear us out and tempt us to throw in the towel. When we don’t see answers from God in the timeline we would like, we may be inclined to assume that if He were going to answer our prayers, He would have done so by now, But one of the most important dimensions of intercessory prayer is endurance. If our focus shifts we can grow more weary. As we patiently pray that God will answer our prayer by working in someones life, by providing or by healing it is possible to forget what our focus should be. It happened to me during my visit to Asbury University. 

On Monday morning as I am praying for a precious friend with cancer and some pending results from tests I had last week, God clearly spoke to me and said “Focus on the Healer, not the healing.”  As my heart shifted to the Healer, I am filled with peace, hope and joy. No longer weary during this prayer I am lifted and encouraged. Regardless of the outcome of my prayers it is well with my soul. I  feel the presence of Jesus. I feel His love. I hope this does not sound too mystical or woo woo but as I am praying in Hughes Chapel I feel as though I am having an out of body experience. I know. I know. And I have deleted this sentence several times because I don’t want to be seen as too far out there. But I cannot deny what happened to me during this prayer time. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit in Hughes Chapel was difficult to describe but I have done my best.

On Thursday I spoke to my friend with Stage 4 Cancer. She asked about the Asbury Revival. She shared where she is physically. I only had one thought to share with her….Focus on the Healer not the Healing. 

Losing my Mother…1 Year Later

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When a daughter loses a mom the world changes. You realize that no one will ever love you like that again. I always knew that no matter what I did, good or bad, she loved me anyway. Not to say that my husband or son’s love isn’t great, but it’s not the same as the love of a mother.

A mother’s love isn’t judgmental. It’s kind and forgiving yet bold and endearing. It’s the love written about in I Corinthians 13. And when you can’t see or hold that love anymore the world is different.

The early morning I got the call that my mom was ill I pleaded with God and prayed all the way to the hospital…”God, please don’t let my mom die today.” Over and over the same prayer. My request was not to be. I didn’t even get to tell her goodbye. It was her time to go.

A year ago today I lost a chunk of my heart. Today is the last first. Her first birthday, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Mother’s Day, Easter, my birthday, etc. has passed. Today is bittersweet. On one hand I know I’ve made it through some of the really tough days so I know I will survive. But after a year, I still feel “okay, that’s enough time to wake up not from this terrible dream.”

I don’t think a daughter can be prepared for the passing of her mother. I thought I was. I’m an educated, intelligent, successful woman. I read plenty of books on death, dying and grief. I spent years in full time ministry. I thought I was ready to face it. My mom and I spoke tenderly about my life without her. She was a devout Christian and ready to go. But I wasn’t ready to lose her. Oh how I wanted more time.

Sitting with her for an hour after she passed, I called my husband and my son who was an intern in DC. Walking out of her room for the last time felt so surreal. Kissing her forehead. Covering her with a blanket. I actually felt weird leaving her alone.

My son Matthew was home sleeping when I woke him to share the news. The day was filled with calls to my siblings and other family members who lived out of town. In a blur I went to the funeral home to make arrangements. I chose the dress she wore to my wedding. I chose her lipstick. I planned her after funeral luncheon. I wrote her eulogy. It only took me 10 minutes but I believe God gave me the perfect words.

The memories of August 2, 2018 will stay in my heart forever. So here I am one year later. I don’t feel like I have crossed a finish line on achieving any type of closure. I don’t feel healed. I still have my grief with me. It is a part of me now. The past year has allowed me to find a way to accommodate my grief, like a sudden and permanent limp that doesn’t stop you completely but will forever alter the way you move through the world.

Wild Things Still Happen When I Pray

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After over 30 years I am still amazed at the wild things that God does when I pray. I love what Mark Batterson says about prayer: “Prayer adds an element of surprise to your life that is more than a surprise party or a surprise gift or surprise romance. In fact, prayer turns life into a party, a gift, a romance.” (The Circle Maker)

Just a week ago a young lady confided in me that a teacher saw her over the weekend and in front of other people called her a “piece of trash.” There was no confrontation or argument, this was shared as a greeting. The girl was dumbfounded and I’m sure felt embarrassed and devastated. This happened in front of friends and in front of parents of a boy she had planned to attend homecoming with. As a result of his parents hearing this comment they told their son he was not allowed to go to homecoming with her unless they drove them.

This girl has a heart of gold and is in fact a precious young lady that my family has grown to love. I encouraged her to talk to her mom but she decided not to in fear that she would be hurt as well. After praying about this situation we asked her permission to talk with the school supervisor. We spoke to the supervisor last Thursday and she agreed that the girl is a wonderful young lady and would speak to the teacher.

The rest of this story is what is wild. My heart was still burdened about this whole thing. I had never met her young guy friend or his parents but decided to pray intentionally that I could meet them and speak up for this girl. Last Friday at an event I met the young man. I was disappointed that his parents were not there.

I continued to pray that I could somehow meet them. Please understand that that we had never met him or his family and had no connection with them whatsoever. Yet I wanted to take up for this girl as any mother would.

Yesterday Todd and I are meeting in his home office and Aaron came in and said something was going on in front of our house. There were 5 cars out front and a police car. I went outside and saw the young man who was going with our friend to homecoming. I asked if he needed anything and he said no that his sister had just been in an accident. I then asked if his parents were there and he pointed to his mom. She walked over to me and I introduced myself and told her I had met her son the week before when our young lady friend had introduced us. Do you realize what just happened? I PRAYED AND ASKED THE LORD FOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET THESE PARENTS AND THEY PARK IN FRONT OF MY HOME AFTER HAVING AN ACCIDENT. WOW!

In closing I bragged on our young lady friend to the parents in hopes of correcting a wrong.

I have so many stories of wild things happening when I pray. Just wanted to share this one that I am still amazed with.

Are you praying for the little things in your life as well as the big? I challenge you to do so and experience the gift of surprise every time He works.

Would love to hear your comments of how God has answered prayer in your life.

Trusting God in the Dark

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When I left Birmingham that November for Colorado Springs it was already dark. After a year on staff at Briarwood Church in Birmingham The Navigators had recruited me. I was eager and excited. Within a few hours I was on an isolated highway in Mississippi. The headlights on my car were the only light for miles. I was driving along singing one of my favorite hymns It is Well With My Soul when my car died. The timing of the chosen hymn was ironic and I did feel it was well with my soul. For about 10 minutes. It was 1 AM and not another person in sight.  I remember thinking if my mom could see me out here alone with a broken down car she would freak.  After praying for divine intervention I attempted to start my car several times. Nothing happened. I began to question God’s call. He had called me to full time ministry hadn’t He?  He was Jehovah Jireh wasn’t He? Well where was He now? It was so dark. Around 2 AM by now. This was before cell phones.

 

 Within minutes a car stopped on the opposite side of the road. People rolled down their windows and I could hear music and laughter. They invited me to join them. I felt uneasy and told them no because Help is on the way. I did want to believe the Lord would send help and speaking it out loud seemed to calm me. They informed me that a gas station was just a few miles down the road in my direction.  When they were out of sight I got out of my car to walk and was thankful for the flashlight.  After just half a mile I heard a tractor trailer truck coming. I prayed O Lord, please let him pass.  Please don’t let him stop. He slowed and then stopped. O Lord, please don’t let him get out of the truck. He got out of the truck. O Lord, please let me out run him even though I have on my cute shoes with the high heels that my mom told me not to wear but I did anyway. I couldn’t run because my legs were frozen. He slowly walked toward me and said do you need some help?  I said No thanks, I’m just walking to the gas station down the road. Thanks anyway. His reply:  Well, if you were my daughter I would hate to see her out walking on this dark highway all alone. Are you sure I can’t give you a lift? All of a sudden my fear was replaced with a peace and I said OK, that would be great. Just to the gas station though. I’m on a tight schedule. That sounded pretty dumb but that’s what I said! A schedule?  As soon as we got in the truck I noticed he had a stack of New Testament cassette tapes. I asked with surprise if he was a believer. He said yes and we shared testimonies. He told me how his 16 year old daughter had just come home this day and informed him she was pregnant. He had prayed for help. I tried to encourage him. He asked where I was going and I shared my story of being called to full time ministry. He responded by sharing he would love to do something for God but without a college education or seminary he felt there was nothing he could do.

 

The garage at the station was closed but the truck driver knew the mechanic and called him from the pay phone. The mechanic arrived and offered to take me to my car.  I had a peace about it so I got in. After looking at my car he thought it was too serious for him to fix. He only did minor repair on tractor trailers and I would need a regular auto garage. The bad news was this was the weekend after Thanksgiving. Did I mention I had cash for my travel to Colorado but nothing more? I didn’t believe in credit cards and I was not prepared for this emergency. I didn’t share this info to the man I had just met. He then said:  I know you don’t know me and I don’t know you. But I’m a Christian and believe I am supposed to invite you to come to my home and stay with my wife and I. You’re out in the middle of nowhere and there is not even a hotel around here. I know it sounds crazy but I had a peace about this so I thanked him for his hospitality and said Thank you. I would be most grateful for your hospitality and help. I got in the car and shared my testimony. Before he had a chance to share his we were pulling up in his driveway.  All of a sudden I was thinking that I sure hope he had a wife and also that she was home. I didn’t know that this man had called his wife from the garage to tell her he was bringing a houseguest home. We walked in to find that she had cooked a huge breakfast for me. Thought you might be hungry she said.  After we shared a meal together she told me she had put clean sheets on their bed (their only bed) and suggested I get some sleep while they looked for a mechanic that might be open. They invited me to stay the weekend but I told them I was committed to be in Colorado by December 1st and had to keep to my schedule. While I was sleeping the mechanic found a garage open called “Christian Brothers Automotive.” I needed a new clutch. They repaired my car and gave me an invoice for $300 and told me I could pay them when I had it. I gave them $100 and after thanking everyone got on the road.

 

The remainder of the trip was uneventful until I was about 2 miles from my exit to Glen Eyrie.  My gas gauge had stopped working and I was out of gas. It was about 11:30 PM and I put my flashers on. Soon a small sports car pulled up behind me. A guy got out and asked if I needed help. I told him what I thought was wrong. He told me he was a police officer and offered to take me to get gas for my car.  We filled the car and I was able to keep my arrival commitment of December 1st. 

 

A few days later I called a friend at a church on my support team to inform them I had arrived safely and casually shared a summary of what had happened. The pastor called me back and wanted to tell me a mission’s organization had been praying for a truck driver to recruit and wanted to know if I had the truckers contact info. I did.  He also told me that their church wanted to pay for my car repair.  Wow. This was a lesson for me on trusting God in the dark.

 

In my early 20’s this was adversity. Today I see it as such a small hiccup in the road of life. Yet at the time it was a defining moment for me. It was that experience that made Psalm 139 became a fire in my heart. Oh, He even sees me in the dark! At night I am immersed in the light! It’s a fact: darkness isn’t dark to you; night and day, darkness and light, they’re all the same to you. Whatever the darkness God wants me to trust him. The lessons God continues to teach me about darkness…

1.      God is in control

2.      God has a plan

3.      God wants to be my refuge

4.      God will provide everything I need

 

What about you? Are you going through a dark time right now?  Are you experiencing…

·        Unemployment

·        Burn out

·        Loneliness

·        Divorce

·        Depression

·        Fear or Anxiety

·        Cancer

·        Death of a loved one

 

Whatever darkness you may be facing God will meet you there.

#1 Way To Change Your Life Today

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I read a study once that said the majority of people that can change their health, marriage, relationships or finances are unwilling to do what it takes to do so.  Ouch!  This is also true in our spiritual lives. 

BC (before children) I was able to invest in my life in a way that reaped remarkable benefits. It was like choosing an incredible stock that continued to climb every day.  I was able to prioritize  spending a half day with God every single week.  Every Monday I would go to a small prayer chapel (always empty) or a remote place on the beach.  Sometimes our student ministry would try to organize spending a day alone with God. We would gather as a group on campus, the beach or a park and then disperse. After 4 hours or so we would meet with our brown bag lunch and share about our time with the Lord.  For many years I would spend 7-10 days with the Lord during the Christmas break and go up to Arrowhead Springs, CCC headquarters.  It was usually pretty empty at that time and I had a room and grounds pretty much to myself.  During summer break I would take 2 weeks and go somewhere.  Usually took about 10-12 books with me. The first week was spent unwinding from finishing out a busy school year of working 60+ hour weeks.  The second week I was more prepared to pray, read His Word and listen.  This investment in my relationship with the Lord…the daily devotion time, the half day every Monday, the monthly day with the Lord, the week at Christmas break and the two weeks in summer….was life changing. 

I can imagine what many of you are thinking. Who has that kind of job flexibility? You’re right. At that time in my life I made my own schedule and was very fortunate to have that kind of freedom.  Most of you probably can’t make that type of investment. No longer can I.  We have demanding jobs with certain hours, children that need to be taken care of  and a family to serve.  But I still believe it is possible to change our lives in one day.  Here is how…

Spend a daily time with God. God wants a relationship with us. For those of you married, can you imagine what your marriage would be like if you rarely if ever spent time with your spouse?  It would be cold and distant. A marriage without time is a disconnected marriage.  Start with just 10 minutes then work your way up to 30-45 minutes alone with God. 

Spend a half day with God.  This may seem impossible but with some creativity it can be done.  It is amazing what 3-4 hours with the Lord can do to you. Try to schedule this. What about when the kids go off to school?  If you work weekdays what about the weekend?  Get up early on a Saturday and leave.  If that doesn’t work what about a Sunday?  What about letting your family go to church and then out to lunch while you have a half day with the Lord somewhere.

Spend 24 hours with God.  This can be more of a challenge with a busy family but it can be done. Do you ever go on an overnight for a retreat or conference? Consider doing this somewhere by yourself. It can be a powerful time in your life and that of your family. 

I read a tweet recently that said something like When we close the Bible God closes his mouth. When we open the Bible God opens his mouth.  We can’t live out Jeremiah 29:11 without spending time alone with God.  No matter how good a church is, it is not the number one way for spiritual growth. Nor is listening to a pastor speak. Spiritual growth comes from personal time with God.

“Everyone has the power to impact the outcome of his life.  The way to do it is to focus on today.  Today is the only time you have. It’s too late for yesterday. And you can’t depend o tomorrow.”  ~ John C. Maxwell

My next post will discuss creative ways to spend your devotional time with God .

Why I Resigned

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Over 20+ years ago I still remember a coffee and prayer time in La Jolla, CA with a co-worker (Fred Wevodau) that radically changed my thinking.  The Holy Spirit used a simple prayer to serve as a catalyst in better understanding strategic praying to advance the kingdom. Prayer has been a vital part of my life since becoming a Christian as a teen.  But on that day I was convicted that more of my prayer time needed to be aligned with what God was doing and desired to do.  Fred prayed we want to co-labor in what you are doing. Not just ask you to bless what we think we should be doing for you.  Some of you may be thinking is that it?  That changed your thinking?  Please hear me out and keep in mind the biblical principle that where two or three are gathered He is there. The Holy Spirit was working in my heart.

My view of full time ministry was that I worked for God.  I saw my role as that of sales rep and God was the CEO.  He had his office and I had my territory. My territory at the time was the campus of UCSD.  He was just a prayer away.  Sure the results were up to God but I had to do my part and work hard.  The more hours the better.  For years I averaged 60-80 hours a week.  The prayer with Fred was the beginning of a paradigm shift. Colabor with what God is doing?  Rather than work for God I began to work with God.  Rather than check in with him each day and then go at it I checked in with him and followed.  I begin to understood the truth of getting involved with what God is doing vs. asking Him to bless what I was doing. 

As I became more aggressive in my prayer time my passion for Jesus grew.  As a result I felt God more in each moment. I began to taste the thrill of fellowship with the Lord that was more amazing than anything I had experienced. Instead of prayer being something I did from obedience that I could check off my list it became a delight. In addition to my daily quiet time I began to spend every Monday with the Lord.  Every summer and winter I would take a week long prayer retreat.  The more time I spent with Jesus the more I began to experience John 15.  Communion with the Lord was not just something I did because  I knew I should but it bacame like a passionate fire burning in my heart.

A result of the paradigm shift is that I resigned as sales rep.  I don’t miss that role. The one of co-laborer is much easier.  The results are bigger and better. What difference does that decision make to my life today? As a wife and mom of children I can’t pick up and spend a week alone with the Lord as I did when I was single.  Nor can I take off one day a week by myself. But I am very grateful for the years I had to lay a foundation that I am still reaping from today.  Under extreme pressure and stress I am still tempted to take control but if I listen the Holy Spirit will remind me of the truth in 2 Corinthians 6:1-10.

Ministry Ain’t For Sissies, Part 3

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Has God put a new vision on your heart that is HUGE?  Are you excited and terrified at the same time?  Do you feel like your passion for Him is so on fire you will burn up if you don’t share about Jesus with others?  Have you survived a period of brokenness and come out on top?  Do you wake up excited about co-laboring with Christ in ministry to the world?  Do you feel like He is enlarging your territory?  Do you have a burden to reach the lost?  Have you recently re-surrendered your life to God and said “I’m yours Lord, where ever you lead me I will go.”  If you answered yes to any of these questions, this post is especially for you.  Please sit down, grab a cup of coffee and read on.

Satan is ticked off!  At you.  He hates you. He is scared of the vision God has given you.  He is scared of your faith, passion and willingness to be used by God.  He is scared of your surrender, your brokkeness and especially your burden to reach the lost.  You are going after people that are currently his.  The enemy is scared of any Christian leader that will co-labor with the King of Kings.  Don’t think for a minute that he will go down without a fight. Remember Scripture teaches he is going down. Because Greater is He that is in us, than he that is in the world.  But the fact remains if you answered yes to any of the questions above and you are a pastor or missionary you will experience spiritual warfare on a magnitude that most people cannot identify with.  

Satan concentrates on pastors, missionaries and other Christian leaders because he knows if he can get them he may also influence thousands of others by his diabolical plan.  The Word teaches he will attempt to keep people from trusting Christ in the first place. But if they do embrace Jesus, he makes every attempt to keep them from growing and developing.  If he is not successful at that, he will spend years in an effort to cause the Christian to fall. 

Sometimes one of the most weakest areas for a Christian leader is to continually yield hour by hour to God’s Holy Spirit.  We get busy “serving the Lord” and doing so many things that we can began to cheat our personal communion time with Him.  We are not keeping the communication lines open with God as Scripture commands us.  When we do this we are no longer plugged into the power. Ministry will cease to be an overflow of our walk with the Lord.  Instead it becomes a task that we do in the flesh.  We depend on gifting and experience vs. the power of the Holy Spirit.  Sometimes ministry can come between you and God. Please don’t allow this.  When that happens you are wide open for the enemy to attack head on.  You are no match for that battle.  But Jesus in you is.  We must rely on Christ vs. ourselves  for the battle to be won.

I believe Satan often temps us in an area where we seem most vulnerable.  This can be different with each person.  If you have issues with pride, jealously, insecurity, anger, fear or other undesirable traits, he may zero in on those weak areas.  If he can’t get you then he will go after those closest to you.  He will go after your spouse or children. He may go after your inner circle or your team. 

Although we are assured of victory, we must engage in the struggle until Christ comes, because Satan is going to battle against all who are on the Lord’s side.  We need supernatural power to defeat Satan and God has provided that in His Holy Spirit within us and His armor.  (Ephesians 6:10-20)  When (not if) you become discouraged in the battle, remember Jesus words to Peter:  Upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell shall not preail against it.  Matthew 16:18

Are you putting your armor on every day?

Ministry Ain’t For Sissies

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Last night Aaron, my 11 year old, had a nightmare.  In summary he dreamed that we were in a war but it was not bloody or gory.  The weapons were bow and arrows and swords.  Though the world was in danger most people were not aware a battle was going on. He, our family and many others were being attacked by a mob that had the bow and arrows. Aaron was afraid. We only had dull swords that did not seem to cut anything.  But when he would swing the sword through the opponent’s body they would turn into something different, a new person who became a “good guy.”  The battle was intense. At times the “good guys” thought they were winning and then the “bad guys” would return in supernatural numbers.  The good guys were losing the battle and decided to send Aaron off to the mountains to get a new strategy. In the mountains he found a huge book. The book was huge and required five to carry it.  From the mountain top they opened the book and held it up.  A bright light shined down on the battle field and there was a red cross in the middle of the light.  Our injured were healed and the battle was won. 

Aaron’s dream was another reminder to me that we are indeed in a war.  Throughout scripture we are taught that the enemy will always come after the leader’s family.  I was also reminded of this in a blog today by Pastor Perry Noble.  www.PerryNoble.com  Here is a summary of his post…

“In Matthew 10:34-39 Jesus clearly tells those He has called and gifted your life is not going to be one of relaxation and enjoyment on a consistent basis. 

It amazes me the number of times Jesus clearly told people in the Gospels that following would cause controversies and divisions.  It you want a nice, quiet, peaceful life; the ministry is not a place for that.  We will experience family problems, we will experience emotional problems, and we will experience spiritual warfare on a magnitude that most people cannot identify with.

When we begin to do effective ministry the target on our backs for every demon in Hell to take a shot at gets larger and larger so if peace, prosperity and niceness is something we achieve to, ministry should not be the road we go down. 

Jesus never promised us a peaceful life this side of eternity.  In fact, He promised the opposite.  We should not be surprised when all hell breaks loose…because it usually means the stage is being set for God to show how AWESOME He really is.” 

What has been your experience with spiritual warfare? 

We will continue with this topic ‘Ministry Ain’t For Sissies” tomorrow.

 

#1 Job Of A Spiritual Leader

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This week I have been  reading  through Habakkuk.  From his example I continue to learn the the #1 job of a leader is not being a “doer.”  As a prophet his job was to feed and guide his peeps but this was not his first priority.  His #1 job was his own personal walk with God. I imagine to live that out he had to turn down several other ministries that he could have been involved in.  He probably had to turn down time with people to guard his walk with God. Maybe he referred some counseling requests to others. I wonder if folks got ticked off at him because he did not do everything they thought a spiritual leader should? Maybe he went to  bed before midnight so that he could get up while it was still dark to pray.  Do you think he turned down watching much TV so  that he could live out his priorities?  I imagine the choices he made caused others to question what he was doing at times.

In the New Testament, we learn that Peter gave himself to the Word of God and Prayer. This is the #1 job of a spiritual leader.

Ticked Off At God

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I love Habakkuk.  God called him to  lead in troubled times. His name means to embrace. In the beginning of his ministry he struggled with God and the decisions He made, He felt that the Lord was not answering his prayers fast enough and was kind of ticked off about it. Have you ever felt that?  This prophet questioned how God could  be so tolerant of such a sinful and immoral Judah. Then when Habakkuk learns God is going to use a nation more wicked to discipline and correct Judah he freaks out. God, Do you really know what you are doing here?  Through it all Habakkuk learns to trust and in the end of this book has developed a deep intimacy with God.

Are you or have you ever been in a situation where God does not seem to make sense? Maybe you feel the need to be rescued. Maybe you wonder why someone seems to be getting away with wicked behavior.  Maybe you have circumstances where have been in a deep trial for a long time and just don’t understand why there is no help on the horizon. You may question what in the heck God is doing. Or why he does not seem to be doing anything. And life goes on.  Through it all may we learn to trust the Lord and develop a greater intimacy with Him as Habakkuk did. Can I challenge you to read the book of Habakkuk? It’s filled with so many great life lessons.

Night Watch

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Last night I was on night watch with my youngest son.  Most of you know what this is, but just in case you have not had the experience ~ night watch is caring for someone who is ill during the sleep hours.  Aaron has severe asthma and fortunately it has been well controlled since his last severe attack in October of 2007.  Last night around 10PM he started coughing which is a red flag to begin his breathing treatments.  To our dismay his nebulizer would not work so Todd and I made the decision that Aaron would sleep in our room so that I could watch him during the night.  I was very attentive so that I could hear every breath he made.

This morning I was reading in Habakkuk 2 and was struck by vs. 1:  I will stand on my guard post and station myself on the rampart.  And I will keep watch to see what He will speak to me.  This guard post means the same as a watch tower and it implies that Habakkuk waited on the Lord.  Waiting is an act that most leaders dislike.  We learn in this book that leaders must learn to cherish the waiting time before they get their answers.  We learn in Habakkuk that:

  • Not everything that happens conforms to God’s will and wishes
  • Nothing that happens gets overlooked by God
  • Everything that happens will one day be addressed with justice
  • Nothing that happens should distract us from continuing to respond faithfully

Only when we listen will we hear what God wants to say to us.

3 Prerequisites To Knowing Where God Wants You

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Can I share some good news with those of you who haven’t found your God-ordained passion or dream,  big audacious goal or one God idea or life mission? Here it is: God wants you to get where God wants you to go more than you want to get where God wants you to go. So that takes the pressure off of us.  But there are some necessary prerequisites to knowing where God wants you. Here they are…

#1 Prerequisite – A Relationship With Jesus

Many of my readers have already accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and acknowledged Him as Lord.  But if you have not made this important decision, most of what you read on this blog will have little meaning for you. Spiritual matters can only be understood by those who have the Spirit of Christ dwelling in them (see 1 Cor. 2:14).

If you don’t know for certain that you are a Christian or have doubts, now is the time to settle the matter and accept Jesus as your Savior and Lord.  Ask God to speak to you as you read the following Scriptures.

·         Romans 3:23 All have sinned.

·         Romans 6:23 Eternal life is a free gift of God.

·         Romans 5:8 Because of His love for you, Jesus paid the death penalty for your sins.

·         Romans 10:9-10 Confess Jesus as Lord and believe that God raised Him from the dead.

·         Romans 10:13 Ask God to save you and He will. 

To place your faith in Jesus and receive His gift of eternal life, you must —

·         Recognize you are a sinner who needs a saving relationship with Jesus Christ.

·         Confess (agree with God about) your sins.

·         Repent of your sins (turn from sin to God).

·         Ask Jesus to save you by His grace.

·         Turn over the rule of your life to Jesus, letting Him be your Lord.

If you need help, call on a pastor or a Christian friend for help.  If you have just made this important decision, tell someone the good news of what God has done in your life. Email me at dseeley@winfluence.org  with your address and I will mail you a free Bible. Then find a church that teaches the Bible and will help you grow in your relationship with Jesus.

#2  Prerequisite – A Daily Time with God.

Can you imagine going on a trip across country without a map, GPS or road signs?  Even with a good sense of direction it would be very difficult to reach your desired destination.  Can you imagine going on a flight with a pilot who flew his plane by intuition?  You could expect to crash. Same with life. If you don’t spend regular time with God in His word you will struggle with knowing where He wants you or what He wants you to do.  You may often think God is distant or lack intimacy with Him.  Scripture tells us Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. You can enjoy intimacy with the Lord.

To know God and what He wants to say to you personally you must prayerfully read His word.  I hear people say that they spend daily time with God because they pray all the time…shower, car, while listening to music, on the subway, bus and at the office. This is good but to know God and what he has to say to you the Bible is a necessary part. And not just a devotional book or a book written about God or even a Bible study book that someone has written.  A devotion or a quiet time is spending time with the Lord in prayer and His word. Not just praying in your car on the way to work.  If you are in a Bible study ask the leader to personally teach you how to have a quiet time. 

Until we know how to have a quiet time we will continue to make decisions based on our emotions vs. what God wants us to do and also be dependent on others for our spiritual growth.  Even prayer regarding a decision will be influenced by our emotions  vs. the Holy Spirit.  A few years ago a pastor friend went to visit the wife of another pastor who was in the hospital with terminal cancer.  He casually asked her How has the Lord been speaking to you through His Word?  Long story short…the woman said she prayed all the time but admitted she had no idea how to have a devotion, no one had really ever taught her, nor had she ever heard anyone speak like  this.  Our friend spent time teaching her how this can be done and had a quiet time with her.  At her funeral the husband went over and said to our friend…Thanks for what you did to help my wife spiritually. She said her last 6 months were the best she had ever had with God. The husband shared this to encourage and thank the co-worker but our friend felt very sad that this woman in her 60’s, married to a pastor, did not know who to have a quiet time and hear God speak through His word. When we know how to have a quiet time we will know how to recognize the Lord speaking to us and our spiritual growth will come from this daily fellowship with God.

#3 Prerequisite – Short Accounts With God and Others

The Bible is very clear that if there is sin in our heart against God or another person God will not answer our prayer (Psalm 66:18, Romans 12:18, Matt. 5:23-24).  I had a friend who once said that spiritual maturity is not someone who never blows it but someone who is quick to confess and deal thoroughly with sin.  Immaturity is one who attempts to justify or excuse sin. 

Pride and a calloused heart will hinder us from keeping short accounts with God and others.  I believe if we are in fellowship with a Holy God we will be convicted on a regular basis of sin. If it has been a while since you felt convicted by the Holy Spirit check your heart to see if it has grown calloused. 

As you follow Jesus one day at a time, He will keep you in the center of God’s will.  The Holy Spirit will be your personal teacher and the Scriptures your source of authority. 

The Stone Was Rolled Away

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Very early on Sunday morning, as the sun rose, they went to the tomb.  They worried out loud to each other, “Who will roll back the stone from the tomb for us?”  Then they looked up and saw that the stone had been rolled away, although it was extremely large.  ~ Mark 16:2-4

Is there a huge stone in your life right now that you are worried cannot be moved? Maybe…

·         A troubled marriage?

·         Recovering from a divorce?

·         A rebellious child?

·         Death of a loved one?

·         Cancer?

·         Addiction?

·         Death of a dream?

·         Fill in the blank

Because of the resurrection your stone can be moved too.  Lord, I pray for everyone who reads this post that whatever their stone may be, you give them the faith to believe you are bigger.

 

God’s Presence

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At the beginning of last year I taught a community Bible study called Enjoying Intimacy With God.  My objective each week was to teach how we can know and experience God’s presence daily.  This can be a challenge when God’s presence is often a hidden presence, one that needs to be discovered.  The loud, boisterous noises of the world make us deaf to the soft, gentle and loving voice of God.  A Christian leader is called to help people hear that voice on their own.  Sometimes a leader is tempted to slip in to the role of adviser vs. teaching a person to listen and hear the voice of God.  The latter takes longer but is our responsibility.  The joy is seeing a person learn this is one of the greatest I have ever known.

Unplugged

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Today through sometime in 2009 I will be unplugged.  In addition to spending focused time with my family I will be spending some special time with the Lord.  As I will be spending much extended time in prayer I invite you to share a prayer request and I promise to intercede for you during this time. May God richly bless you and yours as we celebrate this Holy Season.

#1 Benefit Of Adversity

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My husband made a decision to have a very special service on Dec. 28th.  It’s called Amazing Grace.  Our first experience with a service like this was under our Pastor at Skyline Wesleyan, Dr. John Maxwell.  In San Diego we looked forward to this service with great anticipation.  Jesus was always lifted up as we sang praise and worship and heard testimony of His goodness.  As we have prepared for this service I have been thinking a lot about the #1 benefit of adversity. 

When adversity comes, not if but when, the greatest benefit is that a result of adversity is brokenness.  I doubt if someone asked who wants to be broken that I would raise my hand. Yet I have seen that adversity is indeed a gift.  It is a tool that helps you reach your greatest potential in Christ.  In my life I have experienced several types of brokenness…emotional, relational, financial and physical.  Each type leads you to new areas of growth and development.  I believe brokenness from adversity leads us to the building of character traits such as maturity, humility, compassion, mercy, joy, peace, patience and kindness.  The bottom line is with adversity we can become more Christlike.  It is our choice whether circumstances will be a stepping stone or a stumbling block.  Our response to them is the key that opens the door to receive this gift.  As we surrender our hearts to God’s penetrating, though sometimes painful workings, we will never be the same again.  In our brokenness we realize that the difficulties in life are not the plans of a hard hearted God, but rather, products of life which God intends to use to make you stronger and more in His image.

How has brokenness changed you?

Caught in the Storm

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Most of America has been closely following Hurricane Ike in the past 48 hours.  Unbelievably it was reported to be almost the size of Texas…600 miles wide!  Ever found yourself caught in the storm of lif?.  Jesus was the Son of God and never sinned, but he was caught in a storm.  Demanding crowds, doubting friends and a roaring sequence of bad news.  Within a 24 hour period he faced some of the same pressure and fears that you and I face.  Waves of pressure, winds of anxiety and clouds of darkness.  Yet he remained calm and at peace.  How did he do this?  Is it possible for us to do this?  Here are 3 principles Jesus modeled:

1.  He knew when to withdraw and did so. 

2.  He focused on the big picture.

3.  He chose to trust and surrender to the Father’s will.

Someone wrote that God is heard best in a storm.  Do you agree?  Why or why not?

Hurricane Gustav: Getting Ready For The Storm

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In less than two hours Hurricane Gustav will hit New Orleans.  At 9:25 AM this killer storm has already killed 94 people on the way to LA.  2 million people have been evacuated and  the ones who refused to leave the area are in danger.  If you have been turned in to the news you are aware of the difference between Katrina in 2005 and today.  What’s the difference?  The past 3 years have been spent getting ready for the storm.  If one thing good came out of Katrina it is this.  The best reaction from a tragic situation is to learn something of value.  America learned the important value of getting ready for the storm. 

The Bible teaches that each of us will experience personal storms.  Are you prepared?  What can you do today to prepare you for the storms of tomorrow?  Here are a few things I have learned over the years.

1.  Spend consistent time in the Word today learning who God is.  Knowing God will develop our faith and trust.  If you don’t know who he is and what he is like your faith will be tossed to and fro with doubt when trials come.  Notice I said “when” and not “if.”   When I disciple someone we do a lesson called “Who is God” and learn about his attributes.  Understanding who God is will be one of the best ways to get ready.

2.  Keep a blessing book.  When difficult seasons come it is tempting to focus on the trial today instead of his goodness of yesterday.  Reviewing how God has so richly blessed my life encourages me to focus on the positive instead of what I am tempted to view as negative.

3.  Read helpful stories of others.  The first time I read “Sacrad Romance” I did not like it at all.  I preferred a life without storms and accepting the principles forced me to acknowledge they were coming and I needed to expect them.  The second time I read this book I was motivated to accept the benefits of pain and trials.  There are other books I have read that have been helpful in preparing me…“Shattered Dreams”  by Dr. Larry Crabb and also “Today Matters” by Dr. John Maxwell. 

Experience teaches me that life can be calm one moment and chaos the next.  Within a matter of moments your world can be turned upside down.  The accidental death of a child, an unexpected job loss, a cancer diagnosis, divorce, rebellious teen, addiction or long term illness.  The life that was now calm is now stormy. 

My first  prayer is that you will be assured that within every torrent there is a calm center—the eye of the storm is Jesus.  My second prayer is that you will get ready for the storm and be prepared.  If you are ready it may be an unexpected pathway to joy.

5 Steps to Help the Healing Process

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Have you ever been deeply hurt by another Christian?  Unless you live alone on the island of Figi you probably have.  Sometimes pain caused by another is intentional but most of the time it is not. We are all sinners and make mistakes and most don’t desire to cause pain to others.  Today I want to talk about the rare kind of pain that is intentional.  The hurt may be by an individiual, by a group of people or it may even be by an unhealthy church. 

Todd and I are very fortunate in that the many churches we have attended or ministered at, 99% were healthy, Bible teaching, loved God and people.  But we have been around the block enough to know that there are some dysfunctional churches around and if that were not so there would not be so many books, articles and websites on this topic. 

In the last year my husband and I have had more than a few people call us to seek counsel in dealing with their pain and in search of healing.  Here are 4 steps in the healing process that God uses…

1.  Listening ear and support of a godly person  – Sometimes just having another person who will listen and offer emotonal support makes a huge difference.  We are made for fellowship and being heard by someone who can listen, give objective godly counsel, and be there in the crisis is huge.

2.  Prayer – Individual prayer before the Lord, praying with another or a small group and praying corporately with a church is very powerful.  Sometimes going to a church prayer meeting where you are new is extra helpful.  It is amazing how the Holy Spirit can speak to people how to pray for you without them even knowing the situation. 

3.  Consistent time with the Lord in His Word – If we listen God will speak words of truth.  Psalms is a great place for healing.  The Lord is the great physician and without a daily devotional time in Scripture the healing process will be delayed.

4.  Time – Growth takes time.  Healing takes time.  How long it takes depends on many factors.  Though I agree that forgiveness is a choice, sometimes working through the anger, hurt and forgiveness takes time.  Steps 1-3 will help speed up the process.  If you get stuck and do not seem to be moving through the healing process, maybe consider a professional grief counselor.  Make sure the counselor has the qualifications you want. 

In time we will see how the Lord uses pain to bring about His purpose in our lives.  I have learned that joy is not the absence of pain but joy is the presence of God.

5.  Biblical Confrontation – Last but not least is Biblical confrontation. This is listed last for a reason.  I don’t think Matthew 18 should be done in anger and sometimes it is.  Don’t forget that the purpose of confrontation is restoration.  This can be a final chapter in the healing process if the offender allows it.  As I said earlier, 99% of the churches Todd and I have been in have encouraged and supported the application of Matthew 18.  But there is that that 1% that believes Matthew 18 does not apply to Pastors, Elders or other Christains in positions of authority.  Unfortunately those who have this view most likeky never graduated from seminary or lack accountability for their actions to others.

This is my list.  What would you add to it?  Tomorrow I would like to list some good resources for people who are in this painful situation. 

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