Excited at the Invitation

       When I was a little girl, I remember being invited to weddings which included us children.  We would dress up in our fancy clothes, and sit through the ‘boring’ ceremony just to get to the best part- the party afterward.  There was an air of excitement to the day, but at night it would turn to joyful fun and laughter…  and there would be dancing!  It was great back then because it gave us something to look forward to.



No, this really isn't what I saw!



       Often I feel that same excitement when I go to church service.  I’m so eager to see all my brothers and sisters, and I can’t wait to hear what God’s been doing and see what’s going on in their lives.  Plus, I just love being with them, which is why I understand the reason the early church (just after Jesus rose) got together every day for teaching, fellowshipping, breaking of bread and prayer. (Acts 2:42,46)

       So it was on Wednesday night that I found myself just at the end of the exit ramp of the expressway waiting for the light to change.  As I looked to the left around the corner I saw what seemed to be a person under the overpass, not with my natural eyes, but with my spirit for he was not completely tangible. (I checked the time- 7pm- service started)

       He was excited and was signaling with His hand for me to follow.  Deep inside of me I knew it was the Holy Spirit, and oddly enough, He stayed ahead of me going down the road, continuing to signal yet He looked to get more excited as I drove.  I wasn’t sure where He was leading, so I determined to follow where ever He led.  Inside of me, pleasure bubbled and my eyes began to water.

       Seven minutes later, the Spirit was standing at the corner where I turn to go to service and I parked as quickly as I could and ran to the door wondering what on earth was going on inside as I’d never seen anything like this before.  By that time I was crying at His ‘amazing-ness’ as I heard Him speak to my spirit saying something like, "Hurry up, I’m so excited to be here.  They’ve invited and welcomed me."

       Now, that doesn’t mean He’s never been invited before, after all, I’ve been going to evangelical services for 29 years. I’ve seen the Spirit move many times, and I ‘feel’ Him there- present at most services, but for some reason- this time- He wanted me to see how excited He gets when invited to be with us.  It has changed how I understand Him… and now, I’ll never ‘look’ at our precious Holy Spirit the same way again.

Determination

       Late in 2007 I went through chemotherapy that caused minor heart damage.  It was not enough for the doctors to be concerned, but for me it was something I lost which I shouldn’t have.  At the time I was forty, and though I often rode my bicycle long distances as a teenager, I hadn’t done much exercise since then.  Still, determined to regain at least some of my heart strength, I started exercising by jumping on a small trampoline as my knees couldn't handle running.

       The first day I lasted five whole minutes! J  The second day I did ten and worked my way up to twenty minutes by the end of the week.  Every day I forced myself up on that trampoline early in the morning even though I hated to do it.  I had one goal on my mind… a stronger heart.  Months later, still working out six days a week, I was doing 45 minutes a day plus (men’s) pushups every 10 minutes and weights every other day.  (I finally worked my way up to a treadmill.)

       The side benefit for me was I lost the thirty pounds I’d gained in chemo (yes, some people gain weight, and I was one. L)  Anyway, it was that determination to regain what I’d lost that pushed me to continue exercising even on those days my body and mind said “just take today off…”  Basically, I wouldn’t allow my body to dictate what I was doing or not, and that took solid resolve.  I made an absolute decision to persevere and improve my heart and health as much as I could.

       Now I am determined to find that same determination for doing God’s will by following the Holy Spirit completely- all the time.  I’m not going to give up until it happens.  My plan is to keep crying out to God for help, pleading for Him to help me understand Him better, to be one with Him as John 17:21 states, to be in His presence and to learn more about Him any way I can… to press in.  My goal is to let that determination dictate my decisions, and not my feelings.

I just love the Lord so much I want to be all in.

How about you?

Does God Answer Our Prayers?

       Yes, He always answers our prayers, but not always in the way we expect.  Sometimes, instead of removing the problem or removing us from the problem, He gives us strength to get through the problem.  Although this is one of my least favorite ways He answers (since my flesh would just rather have the problem removed), in reality I appreciate the lessons learned and strength with endurance gained which are worth far more than the removal of the difficulty.

In the day when I cried thou answered me (paid attention and responded), and strengthened (encouraged) me with strength in my soul. Ps. 138:3  (dropped the st’s on the verbs for easier understanding)

When I pray, you answer me, and encourage me by giving me the strength I need. TLB

       God gave strength to David in his trials and it is available to us as well.  The thing is, when troubles arise, we have to look to Him, (Heb. 12:2); not walk away because we’re mad at Him, not look for man’s way out, rather seek Him first. (Mt. 6:33)  And those times the Lord doesn’t take away the problems, He will walk with us through them “I will be with thee” (Is. 43:2) and as above, give us the strength to endure.  We have the Lord’s assurance that He will never leave or forsake us (Heb. 13:5) and that includes when we are in the midst of trials.

Some blessings come by not getting what we want!

Oh, blessed Hope, thank You for hearing us, for answering us,

                                   and for knowing best how to answer all our prayers.

From One Man

       We all know the story of the beginning: God created man, then woman who then populated the earth.  In other words, we are all from the same family. (read Gen.)  Sure, Noah and his sons and their wives repopulated the earth, but again they were from the same Adamic origin.  So, every tribe, every nation, every human being on the Earth comes from the same original man and woman.

       That is why it is difficult for me to understand discrimination and hatred between culturally diverse people.  Why is it we seem to have trouble accepting differences in others?  It’s not that we should accept the immoral things that people do in life, but we all do wrong (Rom. 3:10)- sin is not culturally specific.  Also, what makes anyone think that the colour of a man’s skin dictates their intelligence?  Just where in the Bible does it say that?  The only distinction is foolish men who, for example, don’t accept wise instruction (Pr. 1:7)- and every race has some of those.

       A lot of horrible, ungodly things have been done in the name of ‘racial purity’ and ‘superiority’ of the races.  I’ll just never understand.  We are of the same ‘pure’ Adamic human race and no human is superior to another.  “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son…”  He loves us- all inhabitants, and Jesus died for all of us.  Racial bigotry goes against the 1^st and 2^nd greatest commandments according to Jesus: to wholly love God and to love your neighbour as yourself. (Mt. 22:37-40)

For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Rom. 10:11-13)

…the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. (1Sm. 16:7) 

Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him. (Acts 10:34:35)

Lord, I am very grateful for the wonderful variety of people on this Earth, both in looks and in personality and spirit.  Life is far more interesting and fun because of your astounding creativity.  Thank You that we are all ‘brothers and sisters’ of the human race.  Help us all to love each other without discrimination for differences.