God is For Us

Over the past couple of weeks, I have to say have been a whirlwind of late nights talking with Jesus; waking up at 2:30 AM and praying for hours, searching scripture and pouring into God trying to understand His plan for me greater than ever before. The Lord has spoken to me and encouraged me through His word and shown His faithful when I didn't understand everything or anything for that matter. The question I have asked myself is has the Lord spoken to me now more than ever or have I actually been listening and searching like the "watchman" that David speaks of in Psalms. I believe it is more that latter.

3 weeks ago, I had my first opportunity to share my heart and give a message on a Wednesday night. I didn't know at the time that I would have another week to share another message. I thought that the first message I gave was okay - it was something that I had been mulling over in my heart and life over the past several weeks prior and was able to deliver a message out of it that hopefully encouraged those around me. Now the second week, I was faced with trying to figure out a message. That week was a very difficult week for me. Gracie was pretty sick and we didn't see much sleep. I was trying to wrap my mind around something to speak about and praying for direction. God laid on my heart about the book Soul Detox that I had been reading from Craig Groeschel. I actually looked up and found sermons that he spoke about regarding his book. I listened to several including "the Heavy Soul" and "the Restless Soul." Both of these spoke to me immensely and I felt as if they could speak to a multitude within an audience. Little did I know that I would have to live out my sermon this past couple of weeks...I had heard pastors speak about God letting them live out things that they teach, but surely I was only creating one message and it wouldn't be me having to practice and put into place what I was preaching. Man, was I completely wrong. I found out quickly that I can't ask for God's anointing and then expect life to continue on like before. My entire life, my soul and who I am has truly changed from that time I experienced speaking and receiving that anointing. I look at ministry different including people and situations. I feel a different burning within me that I didn't know could exist and it excites me to push forward and harder than ever before.

Through small group, I have been studying Romans. I personally think that Romans chapter 8 is my absolute favorite chapter in the bible (for now, anyway). I was studying it very closely this morning and what hope Paul describes within the chapter. He starts the chapter with explaining that if we belong to Jesus, sin has no power over us because Jesus was sent as a final sacrifice to complete the Mosaic Law which man could never receive true reconciliation with the Father. Paul clearly states that if you are a slave to sinful nature, then you only think about sinful things, and are therefore, an enemy of God. However, if you are a slave to the Spirit (Jesus), then you think only on things to please God and the Spirit. If we are saved and belong to Jesus we then have the same power of Christ living within us that was resurrected from the dead and we are no longer going to receive death from sin, but receive the glory of God. We are considered heirs of the glory which we do not deserve because He considers us children whom can refer to God as Daddy, Father. Paul does make it clear that in order to receive the glory of God, we will have to suffer like Christ, but he quickly states that the suffering does not even compare to the Glory that we will share in. The hope for final completion and reconciliation with God is given to us when we accept Jesus into our hearts and are saved. We, therefore, long for that moment but until then, God gives us the Holy Spirit which is a taste of the glory that we will experience. What a way to see the Holy Spirit! A foretaste of the glory of which is to come. Even further, the Holy Spirit is given to us to aid us in our weakness in our flesh and intercedes on our behalf to God in order for our will to be united as one with God. God even knew in the beginning of time who His followers would be and would pursue them and call them to himself in order to reconcile them and give them His glory. Because He was willing to give us His only Son, there is nothing that God isn't willing to do to show us His love and passion for us. Paul encourages us with the truth that nothing can separate us from God's love as Jesus is standing on the right hand of the Father, pleading for our behalf.

Wow. God not only let His only Son die for us just so that we could have the opportunity to know Him intimately and be made right with Him, but he has given us His Spirit that we can have eternal glory which we don't deserve as His children. He allows His Son who took on all of our sins to sit next to Him and plead for our behalf as well as gave us the Holy Spirit to encourage us in our weakness, intercede to God for us and help us understand just a taste of what that glory will be like when we meet the Father. To say that God doesn't love and doesn't give is a complete lie. We have received so much and have not done one thing to deserve it. God is awesome, amazing, all-knowing, loving, wise, holy, perfect, just, righteous and the list goes on and on. Praise be to God forever. 

Women of Faith

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to meet an older woman who had the sweetest spirit and smile. She was very kind although she was not feeling well and had better days than the one that she was experiencing. After several hours, we had the opportunity to share a little of our stories about life. Come to find out, at the ripe age of 79 she still was working and was very healthy. We were talking about where I lived and where I was from. So I explained to her that my husband and I are from Warner Robins and that we moved to Hazlehurst to do ministry. It then opened the door for us to talk about the Lord. We shared about our churches and then we spoke about Sunday school and how out of 800 members at her church, only about 200 attend. I spoke with her that we have the issue with our church and that's why we started small groups. She stated that they also had success with small groups. We then spoke about that something that created so much excitement within me; it stirred my Spirit for the Lord. 

We began talking about people's lives changing before our eyes; having the opportunity to watch the Lord shape and mold people's lives forever. The sparkle in her eyes and the excitement in her voice about the situation was so changing for me. It made me more excited about ministering to people and realizing as Paul states that "God has given us the privilege and authority as apostles to tell Gentiles everywhere what God has done for them, so that they will believe and obey him, bringing glory to his name." (Romans 1:5) While studying in Romans, this verse has really stuck with me. That we have the privilege and authority to minister to people. This woman and I truly bonded and spoke about the importance of praying for other people and that we would remember each other in our prayers. She stated that she rather someone pray for than give a $1,000. What a statement. 

The Lord has an amazing way to bring people in our lives that make an impact; large or small. This woman, whether she realized it or not, made an impact on my life yesterday. She was someone that I look up to and pray that I have her sweet, kind, gentle spirit as I grow older. Although she was sweet and kind, there was a sense of strength about her that I admired and I know she drew it from the Lord. I believe Jesus was speaking to me yesterday and confirming something within me that He has been trying to tell me for the past few weeks - we have an opportunity everyday to make a difference in someone's life. It can be positive or negative depending on our actions and words. I pray that I can make a positive influence on those around me and that I take it very seriously to be mindful of the reactions I have to situations as well as words that I say. I always thought that this was a burden as a Christian, but again, God has shown me it is a privilege to do so. (Yes, I said burden.) I know that I fail time and again with this, but the Lord shows me that His grace is sufficient and as long as I strive everyday to make it a new fresh start and die to myself, it is possible.