Why are you looking there?

“Why are you looking for the living among the dead?”—Luke 24:5b HSCB

This was a verse spoken to my spirit last night right before going to bed….I wasn’t thinking about this passage nor had I read it, in fact I am preparing for the prayer seminar next week and none of my preparation has me reading this passage or anything close to this topic.  So right away I knew God was speaking to my spirit about something He wants me to grasp---this morning the verse I was led to is Ps. 143:8—“Let me experience Your faithful love in the morning, for I trust in You. Reveal to me the way I should go because I long for You.”  Last night it was a  wakeup call for me---God knows the area(s) I needed to hear His direction in but sometimes I insist on going and moving in my own direction.  It doesn’t always have to be for the bad—it can be something good and positive but God doesn’t have “life” for me there.  In trusting in God I can rely on His direction and He will show me the way I should go---the verse this morning was right on as well. 

Through His word God pieced a message for me:  hey, why are you looking for something good (life) among what is dead? There’s nothing of what you are seeking there---what is there is dead.  Leave it. Let it be.  Instead trust in me to reveal my direction to you. Let me guide you where you need to go and there you will find what is alive—because of my love in the morning you will trust me! Trust me to guide you where you will find life!

Wow I love God’s word!! And I love how He speaks and guides us…

Maybe this is something you needed to hear/read:  let it speak to you!

Adelante!

Bea

Generation Glory

Iglesia Cristiana Adonai

Youth/Young Adults Pastor

Be HIS Witness

He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or periods that the Father has set by His own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”—Acts 1:7-8

This was Jesus’ response after His resurrection to the disciples.  What was the question you ask? “Are you restoring the Kingdom to Israel at this time?”  Jesus pretty much tells them look God in His own authority has periods and times set and these times and periods won’t always be something you will know or should know etc.  God has times and periods already in motion from the beginning of time to the end of time.  What is my role and function in this?? Jesus tells them after His initial response--- your role and place in God’s times and periods is to be a witness, and for this you will receive some help—my Holy Spirit. This might seem very Christianity 101 but how come it’s so hard to do that one thing? Be a witness. 

I’ve been pondering upon this for about three weeks now. I think sometimes too much knowledge of theology or the Word gets in the way of the supernatural pure power of the Holy Spirit. We want to explain everything by the theories and interpretations of the Bible. Don’t get me wrong I’m not saying we need to put aside the pure gospel. What I am saying is sometimes like the Bible says; too much knowledge puffs up.  Too much theology gets in the way of me walking in the pureness of God’s spirit and simply being a witness.  On my way to work this morning something spoke to my spirit: “be my witness.”  Just that…and then it kept ringing in my ears—“you will be my witness.”  Sunday at church we heard pastora say “forget about representing the church, REPRESENT JESUS!” This is very true.  We are not called to be Jesus’ attorney and defend Him, he can do that on His own. We are called to be a witness.  It’s so true how easy it is to play church and just attend a church meeting and use only that meeting time to worship God in song and raising of my hands.  Nothing wrong with this—not at all, but God and Jesus His Son called me to something big— that as I do that something, I’m worshiping, investing in the Kingdom, and touching heaven!! Jesus’ answer is clear to all of us---the Kingdom isn’t just for Israel the Kingdom is for everyone and when you are a witness you are taking the Kingdom to the ends of the earth and to mankind. “Be my witness”  Jesus says.  He says this every day and until He returns.  That’s my calling---to be His witness. That’s the reason to fill myself with Holy Spirit power to—Be His Witness.

Remember, until we fulfill the purposes of God  we will be truly at peace with ourselves and our life.  The main purpose we are here is to be His witness. When we tap into this I promise we’ll find the answer to our questions.  And we’ll be at peace and rejoice that we’re a part of that question and answer Jesus had with His disciples thousands of years ago.

So go now and BE HIS WITNESS….

REMEMBER....

Deut 8:1-10 NIV. "Be careful to follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live and increase and may enter and possess the land the LORD promised on oath to your ancestors.  Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands.  He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years.  Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the LORD your God disciplines you.Observe the commands of the LORD your God, walking in obedience to him and revering him.  For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land—a land with brooks, streams, and deep springs gushing out into the valleys and hills;  a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey;  a land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing; a land where the rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills. When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you."

In reading this today I simply thought of the word REMEMBER.  Remember what God is doing or wants to do; remember what God has done.  Remember what He wants out of us.  Remember how much He loves and longs for us.  Remember everything that God has given you in promises and hopes for your life.  But most importantly remember God’s purpose and reasons for things in our life.  Read the passage above…and listen to God speaking directly to our lives.  He is telling us remember---as you read notice the journey in the road to a promise or promised land. Notice how God allows and leads us through a road of humility and how unless we truly grasp this we’ll never get to our promise. Notice how even though He is leading or leads us through this road He still watches after us—He never abandons us.  Notice how in the end when and as we receive His promises He wants more praise more worship.  That’s all He’s about---and don’t stop worshipping.  No matter what you have or don’t have---there is only 4 days left in 2011---can you end them just worshiping Him and not asking?  Don’t ask any more for what you want or need—He knows already.  As you worship---remember.  Remember that if we don’t know how to worship now---we won’t know how to worship Him when we’re in the promise and enjoying of the promise.  “…He humbled you by letting you go hungry. (vs 3) Wow…what a line---this is deep and I will just leave it at that!! Let God speak to you about your unmet hungers---Would God ever not answer or “let us go hungry to humble us?” hmmm….well He did it with His beloved children of Israel.  But then He gave them manna---hmmm….I feel a lesson coming for me and a possible prayer method…(more to follow next year)…

In the meantime, REMEMBER…

If you remember may it lead you to more worship and devotion of Him!

Adelante!

Bea

Generation Glory

Iglesia Cristiana Adonai

Youth/ Young Adults / Single Pastor

Great Statement!

“Unless we are burning we can never set anybody else on fire. We can be so orderly, doing everything with dignity and decorum but … without fire! Correct but cold. On Mount Carmel the pagans laid everything correctly on the altar ready for the sacrifice but the devil could not bring a spark from hell to light it. Elijah then rebuilt the altar, stones, wood, sacrifice, everything according to the book, and called down fire from heaven. And it came! And it comes!”-Reinhard Bonnke

Very true---we can do everything correctly and even by the good book—but if it lacks fire—it lacks impact! I’ve been someone who has done both---I’ve done things by the book and with no fire and I have done things on fire because I’m on fire---I rather do the 2^nd!  Be on fire and light others up---catch the fire and burn!  Sometimes during my talks with God I tell Him I’ve tried everything else and it doesn’t work what else is there?? And here’s the answer—the fire.  To keep the fire burning takes daily fire maintenance.  Exodus 30 says the Aaron was to light the fire every morning he was to tend the flame---which means I can’t burn one day and burn w/ the same flame the next day.  This is another bad habit I broke at the end of last year---living on old fumes!  I realized to burn I had to light up every day.  With one day I don’t light up I won’t burn! Simple as that---and well let’s be leaders, teachers, friends, daughters, wives, and future wives that live on fire! 

Adelante

Bea

Generation Glory

Iglesia Cristiana Adonai

Preparing for a Breakthrough

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“Then Manoah prayed to the LORD: “Pardon your servant, Lord. I beg you to let the man of God you sent to us come again to teach us how to bring up the boy who is to be born.”—Judges 13:8 NIV

I started reading Judges 13 last night---I was brought to this passage when I read vs. 19 the Lord did “an amazing thing” while Manoah and his wife offered sacrifice to God---what was so amazing that God did?? He literally showed up in the flame (this is another topic on worship and God showing Himself during worship).  But as I read the whole chapter God brought this lesson to my heart.

There are promises and prophetic words spoken to us either in the Bible or through a person or preaching.  We take in these words and believe God for them.  We don’t know when and how they will happen but we accept them.  Maybe some of us forget these words and never pray them into existence but Manoah does something that tells us he really has believed the prophetic news.  Keep in mind his wife was barren—no sign or possibility of them getting pregnant.  Manoah asks God—bring back the angel who brought the message not so I can believe or see if its true but basically so you can tell us how to raise our future child.  Wow!! What great faith!! What a statement of faith and humility.  Why humility?? Because Manoah was recognizing he didn’t have any experience or knowledge on how to raise a child. In my Christian walk and background I run into believers of all kind---I most commonly run into believers who when they have finally achieved a success of the Lord whether through a promotion, marriage, financial blessing, or answer to a petition the last thing they do is ask God “ok now how do YOU want me to handle this?” “What should I do with it?” these are rare questions. The believer assumes hey it was promised to me so it’s mine for the taking and enjoying…but God might have indications of what and how you are to handle that promise that has now been fulfilled….I know we don’t like asking for instructions especially us older adults.  We know what we’re doing we have knowledge and experience---yeah well how old were Manoah and his wife?? I’m pretty sure they had babysat and cared for other kids in the community and family members. But that wasn’t preparation enough for what God had in mind. They knew if God was giving them this special promise then He must have a specific way He wants us to raise the child.  And boy were they right!! From the moment Manoah’s wife receives the prophetic words she understands this aint no common baby---this is going to be a special child. God hands her some lists of things she is to do while pregnant....and she’s wasn't pregnant yet!!  God’s promises aren’t about when we actually receive them they are about preparing to receive a promise. Preparing years, months, days in advance.  Our preparing tells God many things—tells Him we believed Him, tells Him we realize we are not ready yet for it, tells Him we are depending on Him for it, tells Him we are in expectation of it etc.

We want the best of God and we want petitions answered but it takes more than just asking God for them---it takes a heart preparing to receive our promises. This couple was to prepare starting from the moment they receive the promise. They believe God so they start living as if its already there (the promise).  They don’t wait until they are pregnant—they offer a sacrifice to God immediately following the promise.  This sayss they were ready---this told God they were ready. I wonder how many times God has tested our readiness to receive a promise?? And we haven’t passed the test. We’ve failed and haven’t even realized it. Only God knows.  How many times has God wanted to give us that one thing we are asking for but He sees we still haven’t even bothered to prepare our spirits for it.  Maybe God has seen we’re not in the right mindset yet or our pride level is too high or maybe He knows this answer will separate us from Him and He loves us way too much.  Some promises and blessings from God can kill us. I’ve learned this and boy is it true.  I’ve seen things God has for me and others and why they don’t come---many times I’m able to see why some in the church don’t have a specific promise yet but I keep quiet because this is a sensitive topic and better God to reveal this.  All I can do is pray Eph 1:17 over unanswered prayers.  But I see and learn from Manoah one thing the Lord loves is humility before a promise.  Asking Him, inquiring of Him.  God’s promises aren’t just to make us happy they are to bless others and achieve His plans.  But if we don’t ask or inquire of Him we’ll never know.

Next time your breakthrough comes instead of enjoying it on your own involve God in it---after all He brought it about.  Sacrifice something to God; give Him your attention.  He might have specific instructions for you. That breakthrough isn’t meant to draw you away from prayer and service to God if it does---then don’t call it a breakthrough from God.  I’ve heard of believers who finally receive the promise from God and they forget about God.  Or others who receive a blessing from God only to allow that answer to be their idol.  They cut back time given to serving God and use the excuse of the actual blessing from GOD!!  I don’t think that’s what God’s breakthroughs should look like--Just the promise not even the actual fulfillment of the promise caused Manoah and his wife to offer sacrifice. How much more when the baby was actually born?? Let’s not devote ourselves to God for selfish reasons only to when we finally achieve a breakthrough start cutting back from our devotion.  Let’s be people who can ask God what do you want me to do with "X"  blessing? How should I handle it?? It might be God’s breakthrough has more demands from Him—and hey He can demand anything after all its His blessing and His answer!!  We who have ears to listen---let’s hear what God wants from us.  God wants our worship and anything that He knows will rob us of our worship He will not tolerate. He is jealous of me.  Loves me too much to let me focus on someone or something else.  Now imagine if I haven’t yet developed my worship of Him and something else comes to distract me---Yikes God must get nervous  so He does what He knows best—works in His will!! And His will always prevail!! God is good!! Too Good to loose me!

Vs. 9 starts with “God heard Manoah..”  God hears any humble heart needing instructions and directions from Him.

I know this is long but whomever read it...God bless you...and you'll probably hear this from me in person.

Adelante!!

Bea

Iglesia Cristiana Adonai
Generation Glory
Youth/Young Adults Leader