Faith and Corresponding Action

So it's been a few weeks and I have had several things I wanted to share, but God was not done downloading His lesson. Now it may be ready... we shall see  :)

Have you ever been dumbfounded by someone saying: "I'm just waiting on God" and you watch them pass up so many boats, helicopters and speedboats, and eventually drown... (ok, this is based on a story about a man stuck on a roof in a flood, who prayed for help but then turned down the means of rescue God sent him because he was waiting on God to rescue him). Moral of the story, God uses people and situations to show us His will and give us His wisdom. We don't have to have a direct line to heaven, if we are listening He is always speaking. 

A few weeks ago I hit a wall in some things in my life... I stopped seeing the things God was doing and started being overwhelmed by the challenges those near and dear were enduring. Like Peter, I stepped out on the water and then seeing the height of the waves, I started to sink. 

See we start out great, faith is high, God is present and we are excited about this new thing God is doing, but then weeks, months or years later... its not new anymore and we're not excited anymore and it seems like God is absent. We begin to question ourselves: was it really God, did I miss it somewhere, will it really matter if I just throw in the towel, say: "I made a good run of it but I'm passing the baton now"and exit stage left. 

Two keys today: 
1) Keep your eyes on Jesus, the author and the finisher of the work...
I have heard eyewitness accounts of an anointed healing minister who would be preaching and praying so passionately that she would step off the stage and just walk on air, completely unaware, because her eyes and heart was heavenward. 

So heres the first key, Eyes on Jesus, walk on water, air or whatever needs walked on to get to where He's called you. 

2) Faith is only Faith when its listening to God
Faith is not believing in your idea of who God is, defined by your life experiences of Him, and limited to the ways you have seen Him speak to you in the past. Faith is FAITH in GOD. Its believing that who He is and what He's done is enough. Its resting in the knowledge that the battle is won, but the skirmishes with the renegades may be challenging. Its knowing His voice but walking in the peace of His silence. Its not looking for a new high or a new calling or a new experience to repair the lack of relationship we have. 

And the second key: Faith is Love in Action. 

Are my family going through some trying times? Yep. I can choose to doubt all that we are doing and have done or I can act in Love and pray, read the word, listen for His voice and keep doing what He last told me to do. 

James 2:26 AMP says it this way:
 For as the human body apart from the spirit is lifeless, so faith apart from [its] works of obedience is also dead.

Who's ready to step out with me?!

love you all dearly,
Abigail

When ordinary becomes extraordinary

Day 3

Let the standard of all things be Christ 

First I wanted to mention that it's an upside down world we live in today, good is called evil and evil good... A quick glance at the movie blockbusters show an increasing amount of sex, violence, gore and evil served up in pretty Hollywood packaging. It seems like being a wizard or a vampire or a zombie is the norm these days and regular people are the exceptions! I like that train of thought very much! In fact it's taken me two days to fully articulate this point.  If you are a normal Christian person, with regular morals and values you may be a rare breed of extraordinary human - one who has not been swayed by the lure of the world and has kept your way pure.

At this point I want to mention a prophesy Josh made to the ladies on Sunday... He said that we see ourselves as lumps of coal but God has us in the palm of His hand, and though the pressure of the narrow boundaries of life in Christ may seem constricting... When he opens His hand the diamond is revealed. 

The pressure of narrow boundaries cause us to be transformed into precious gems in God's hands.

So I encourage you today, love your boundaries! Really embrace being in a hidden place in God...it's a good place, a safe place and the pressure brings out the treasure within!

3/13/13

Patterns and palindromes

I love patterns and palindromes are even better, because I am left handed, the idea that reading whether left to right or right to left arrives at the same place is very reassuring to me.

So the date today is a palindrome and that brings me to the day 2 challenge : 

determine to be patient with yourself. 

We are an instant generation, and sometimes apply that same expectation to God and His work in us. I prayed and nothing happened... Well that's all fake then, didn't work for me! God has not forgotten you, nor has He left you. You may not be where you want to be with Him but you're still here, in the race... So today, be merciful with yourself as God is merciful, extend kindness to yourself. 

God's word talks about "line upon line and precept upon precept" which is in the Bible, but if I go to my Bible app to try to paste it here, this whole page of typing will disappear... So bible scholars can help out by quoting the textual reference in the comments and the rest of us will just follow along with y'all. 

Basically what that says is that God knows he has to repeat himself to us :)  Seriously, He is not surprised by our in attentive or disinterested or foggy brainspace. He knows that it takes time to learn a new habit and He knows we fall and He actually knows how many times we're going to fall before we graduate to walking and then running the race of faith. Like any good father he is for us, cheering us on, come'on baby, you can do it, try again, get up sweetheart, I know you can do this! What Dad says to his 1 year old, who has just fallen down for the 15th time that day: "that's it! You're never gonna walk! I'm done with you!" Yet we believe the lies of the enemy when he says those very words masquerading as our Heavenly Father on the judgement seat... 

So today lets keep emptying out the lies we have received as truth, the judgments we have accepted from men, which were not God's voice, but came from his people, and replace them with His truth - you are Loved and nothing you do can separate you from that love.

 Life in God is a Palindrome - just because we start out from opposite directions doesn't mean we can't end up in the same place.

Kenosis

Kenosis

Phl 2:7 emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. So on Day 1 of our journey to the miraculous - this word pursued and consumed me. Kenosis : to empty out of what we are, in order to serve and obediently follow... I am not talking about "emptying" your mind - in the sense of meditation etc... I am referring to emptying your heart... This pouring out of your heart to The Lord is vital, there has to be a release of the past, the hurt, the regrets, the failures, the unforgiveness... That is what God is calling for today... This song which we sang at our home group a couple of Sundays ago sums it up beautifully: Pour Out My Heart (Lyrics) Craig Musseau ©1994 Mercy / Vineyard Publishing Verse Here I am, once again I pour out my heart, for I know that You hear every cry You are listening No matter what state my heart is in You are faithful to answer With words that are true and a hope that is real As I feel Your touch You bring a freedom to all that’s within In the safety of this place Pour out my heart to say that I love You Pour out my heart to say that I need You Pour out my heart to say that I’m thankful Pour out my heart to say that You’re wonderful  Chorus (I’m longing to)

Expecting Miracles

Purpose!  We are all seeking it, longing for this defining stamp, this title, this vision or gift that we can suspend purpose on... 

What then is my purpose? I want to be hid in Christ.... Is that too simple or lofty a goal? I want to be so fully overtaken by His presence that all you see is Jesus. I am being purposeful in my pursuit because it won't happen without depth of commitment... I can sow into this purpose. How do I sow into this endeavor, it's His Word, and His voice and His love... It multiplies as it is sown.... Generously sow - it's a principle of God, whatsoever you sow you will reap.

I am expecting miracles! I know that God wants miracles to break out in our lives, because He said so in His word... Greater things shall ye do also!

Will you join me on a journey to birth the miraculous? Breaking free from all that holds you back and breaking in on your enemy and breaking out of your paradigms and breaking forth in His Glory!

The Future is Beautiful <3

Hidden Treasure

 Treasure by the worlds standards is gold, precious stones and rare jewels, or possessions of great value. I watched Treasure Planet with my daughter and it sparked my thinking about what the Bible says about treasure. 

Matthew 6:

 ¹⁹Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

 ²⁰But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

 ²¹For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

So I started thinking about the treasures we lay up in heaven, what are they? Good works? Converts to Christianity? Mission work? Service in the ministry? Hmmm, something was still missing.

Then as I studied it a little further, I began to look at what the Word describes as treasure ~ the Greek word surprisingly is 2344 "thesouros" ~ that got me thinking about the Bible and Jesus the Word of life. What could be more valuable than Gods word and His Son the living Word? In the new testament the word treasure is used several times to describe the Kingdom of God (eg. the parable of the pearl of great price). Ah but how to store up these things in heaven? 

I took a step back and it all became so clear. The Word, which was Jesus became flesh and died to birth the Kingdom, in us! We are the treasure and the treasure is in us. We store up treasure in heaven by living Kingdom life right here on earth and letting our light so shine before men that they are drawn to God's marvelous grace. God gave everything to ransom us. We are His treasure and exceeding great reward. The human race is more precious to God than an ever expanding galaxy of wonders we cant even fathom. 

There is in us that one thing that God put there when he first created us ~ His Image. His handprint if you like. Its easy to see the depravity of the world and evil multiplying daily, but hard to see the image of God in his people. We are hidden and rare and when a true prophet, healer, evangelist emerges, the world is changed forever. Because of His mark on them. They carry His presence, they bring His light, they leave His gifts, which are free. This treasure is not working harder at being a better person, its spiritual life in Jesus which transcends this earth/time continuum and is priceless, eternal, heavenly. 

This is the treasure that we aspire to ~ 

Romans 8:19
For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

Intersection of life and bible

My bible reading for 6 weeks has been Ephesians. (http://www.goodmorninggirls.org/2012/02 ) Life has been somewhat complicated these last two weeks and as life and bible intersect interesting things happen. I love that the word illuminates the exterior situations and the interior conditions of our hearts. Truly it is a lamp!

Its a little bit of a trip so hang onto your hat:

• Ephesians 3:6 reveals the mystery that was hidden in God, Gentiles are co-heirs with the Jews. This is the gospel in plain language. Everyone is welcome, without having been born into the Jewish lineage, married or adopted into Jewish tradition, no circumcision or beard or prayer shawl required. That's Good News! That's why Paul was languishing in prison.
• Verse 10 (Amp) tells us the purpose of this revelation is that the church (faithful followers) make known to the angelic rulers and authorities the wisdom of God. WoW ~ did I write that wrong or did you read it wrong?! We're supposed to make something, er  "wisdom"  known to angelic powers?! How?
• Verse 12 tells us that in Christ we have boldness and access! Access, sounds like a key to me! Therefore Paul gladly suffers imprisonment for our glory (vs13)
• Verse 14 give us another piece of the puzzle. "For this cause I bow my knees" Is there anything that brings us to our knees faster than trials and suffering? Paul's kneeling gives us the bridge to the next few verses - so beautiful I'm going to quote them :

Ephesians 3:16-19 (KJV)

 ¹⁶That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;

 ¹⁷That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,

 ¹⁸May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;

 ¹⁹And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

Look at the progression!

1st strengthened with might by his Spirit

2nd Christ may dwell in heart by faith

3rd Comprehend how GINORMOUS his love is

4th filled with all the fullness of God!

Do you think if you were filled with ALL the fullness of God, you might have wisdom?! Oh Yeah!

So if my life was not complicated these past 2 weeks I might not have read these words with the same hunger and desperation. If lives weren't hanging in the balance I might not have prayed with the same fervor and clung to the promise with every fiber of my being.

I am thankful for Paul and Jesus aren't you? If Jesus didn't suffer and die we would have no access to God, but without Paul we would have had to become Jewish to be heirs!

Paul; changed the course of history, by his obedience.

I pray that you are strengthened with might by the Holy Spirit, that Christ may dwell in your heart by faith, so you may comprehend how great the triune love is and be FILLED with all the fullness of God~ Amen