Thoughts for Life: May 2014

Thursday, May 29, 2014

#88 Receive Words from God

C. Peter Wagner tells us: An
important part of what happens
when intercessors spend long
periods of time in very close
relationship to God is that they
hear directly from Him.

My friend David Bryant, leader
of the dynamic Concerts of Prayer
movement, calls this the "strategy
of silence."

In the strategy of silence we go before God to seek His direction even in what we should pray about and how we should pray.

Openness and obedience are keys to hearing from God.

At times the instructions God gives are almost as unconventional as when He told Ezekiel to eat a scroll or lie on his lift side for 390 days or shave his head and beard and burn one-third of his hair in the middle of the city. Ezek. 4-5.

But intercessors anointed for this strategy of silence have developed the discernment to know when it is authentic.

A few years ago I was doing a church-planting seminar in Toronto. I called Cathy Schaller on Tuesday and she prayed for me on the phone.

She sensed that God wanted to use me to "release gifts of healing."

This was hard to understand because it had nothing to do with the subject of the seminar, nor was I in the habit, as some of my friends are, of praying to release gifts in others.

My understanding of spiritual gifts is a bit more conservative than that and Cathy knew it. She indicated that God would show me what to do the next day, Wednesday.

I expected He would show me what to do in my prayer time, but I got nothing. Meanwhile, Joseph Mak, one of our Fuller graduates, had called Doris a week previously asking her if I would pray for two sick people, one in the hospital, when I went to Toronto.

I was reluctant because I ordinarily do not do that, but I sensed God wanted me to do it this time so I agreed.

When I arrived in Toronto, Joseph Mak said that God had used the telephone call to Doris as the turning point in the sickness of Anisa, the woman in the hospital, and that she had been discharged. We then agreed to pray at the hotel Wednesday afternoon.

Anisa was late for the appointment, but the other woman I was to pray for, Rita, was there with her pastor.

Her finger had been damaged in a badminton game, but when I asked her about it she said she was already healed.

I said how? She said, "I prayed and God healed me." When I told her this was really unusual, she said it had happened to her many times. Then I asked her if she prays for healing for others. She said, "No, I wouldn't dare. I have only told one other person about this other than you."

By then I knew she had a gift of healing and I told her so. "No, not me," she protested, "I'm not a doctor like you."

Before we left, Rita prayed both for Anisa and her pastor and saw God's healing power manifested. I then prayed that God would release the gift of healing in Rita, and exhorted her to begin to use it, holding herself accountable to her pastor and Joseph Mak.

So far as I can recall, this is the only time I have ever ministered in this way.

My point is this: The indication that this incident was God's will came through an intercessor who was accustomed to practicing the strategy of silence and discerning the will of God.

#88 Receive Words from God,

in the series taken from C. Peter

Wagner’s book, PRAYER SHIELD,

How to intercede for pastors, Christian

leaders and others on the spiritual

frontlines. (pgs. 165-167)
By Regal Books

(Emphasis added and Google image)

(Be sure to read my post on the 15th of June, How CAN We Hear from God? To date, I have 20 ways!)

Let’s pray:

Father, let me hear Your words at times I am quiet and listening. Help me write them so I will remember them.

May I discern Your Voice and receive all You speak to me.

There are times You've impressed me with thoughts that I'm sure are from You, and I've tried to obey.

Cause me to know the source of what enters my mind, and be able to "put down" any thoughts that are not peaceful, but which are frustrating and cannot be from a loving and caring God.

I ask this in Jesus' Name, Amen.

Today’s Bible verse: Amos 3:7 "Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servant the prophets."

Today’s quote: Dr. Mike Evans – “Your brain weighs approximately three pounds and has more than 12,000,000,000 individual cells. There are well over one-hundred trillion connections between your brain cells that allow you to think, reason and function.

Like a computer, the output of your brain is determined by what you program into it. Is your mind filled with the thinking of the world, or with the thinking of God? A Christian who is walking in the power of the Holy Spirit and thinking with a renewed mind is a great danger to the kingdom of Satan.”

Some thoughts today: Some tests for our thoughts:

Do they build me up?
Do they agree with Scripture that I know?
Do the words witness to my spirit?
Do they promote obedience to God?
Is there a consistency with my life?
Will it improve my character?

31st- Saturday’s post: Feelings vs. Truth Kandy Wooter

June 1st- Sunday's post: How Long? James Cagle

1st- evening's post: Keeping the Family Ritual Sirmal Marthenis

3rd- Tuesday's post: #89 The Miracle for Pastor Everett C. Peter Wagner

A popular post: #10 The '59 Revival in Ireland Dr. R. A. Torrey tells us, "The news of what God was doing in 1857 in America spread to the North of Ireland, the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Ireland sent a Commission to America to study the work and to come back and report."

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Tuesday, May 27, 2014

#87 Close Relationship to God

C. Peter Wagner shares
again from his book, PRAYER
SHIELD: I like the way my
friend Evelyn Christenson
describes her prayer time.

She says it is no longer a "grocery
list" of a few minutes of praise
and intercession as it used to be.

"I've learned that my closet prayer
time involves so much of His
replenishing my emotional needs
—with God and I exchanging our mutual love.

There's much more listening on my part than before."

Evelyn speaks for many intercessors when she says, "My average day starts at 4:30 a.m. and I spend several hours alone with the Lord almost every day."

Her last resort, "thread-bare" time is two hours.

All Christians have a desire to be close to God. But the honest truth is that for the majority of Christians the time set aside for prayer is relatively short and the actual feelings of closeness to God during those times is not, for the most part, all that we hear the intercessors describing.

Intercessors are not just average Christians any more than evangelists or pastors or prophets or teachers are.

Part of their difference from others is not how many lost souls they lead to Christ, but their intimate relationship with the Father.

Relatively few would feel that their life goals were being fulfilled by spending 10 hours a day in prayer 365 days a year as do the Sisters of Perpetual Adoration in Anchorage, Alaska.

One correctly says, "Many cannot understand our lifestyle, not even many of our families." Then she explains, "But for us, this has brought us very close to God, and fulfills our potential."

Historically, one of the
most famous intercessors

is Julian of Norwich who

spent her life as an

"anchoress," cloistering

herself alone for prayer in
the early fifteenth century.

Her memory remains mainly
because of her book, Sixteen

Revelations of Divine Love,

which profoundly describes her closeness to God.

She directed her thoughts to those who "deliberately choose God in this life for love"; people she called "the little and the simple."

For a shortened version of her book she uses the meaningful title Comfortable Words for Christ's Lovers. The deep closeness of intercessors to the Father apparently has not changed much at least over the past 600 years.

(Emphasis added, and Google images)

Let’s pray:

Father, although we can't spend many hours with You in prayer each day, draw us aside at some particular time, to pray.

My desire to commune
with You needs to be
strengthened I know, so

please impress upon my

heart to see the
opportunities given me
during the day to pray.

As I sit quietly before You, I invite You to speak to my heart what I need to know for the day.

I ask this in the Name of Your Son, Jesus, Amen.

Today’s Bible verse: Eph. 2:18 "For through Him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father."

Today’s quote: Starr Ayers – “Our God delights in our company and yearns for us to walk with Him. He is gentle and humble in heart. Our load is not too great for Him. He will help us carry it. Lean into His side and allow Him to lead you. It is there you will find rest for your soul.”

Some thoughts today: Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord because He was looking for it. He walked with God and became blameless in His sight. He was not perfect, but acceptable. We are made "perfect" in Christ Jesus.

- When we walk with Christ, we become like Him. Our insufficiency will breed humility before Him.

- Let God do a deep work in you to undo evil influences. You'll discover the "grasping" spirit you had will turn into a "giving" one.

29th- Thursday’s post: #88 Receive Words from God C. Peter Wagner

31st- Saturday's post: Feelings vs. Truth Kandy Wooter

June 1st- Sunday's post: How Long? James Cagle

1st- evening's post: Keeping the Family Ritual Sirmal Marthenis

A popular post: Peacocks and Their Kin The following are taken from OUR DAILY BREAD: "Male peacocks are resplendent creatures with iridescent blue-green plumage and elongated trains tipped with 'eyes' colored in hues of gold, red, and blue."

jowildflowers@gmail.com

AuthorsDen.com
Where authors and readers come together!

Granny's Guide to Marriage in Verse
Kindle $2.99

Bridal Shower Devotional: Bridal

Wisdom for Women

Granny's Guide to Marriage in Verse

My book in paperback $7.95

(Check out the Reviews on the

Kindle page of my book)

Wisdom for Brides (Christian
Marriage, Counseling, & Help)
(Volume 1)

Sunday, May 25, 2014

Christ in the Storm

David McCasland shares with
us: At the age of 27, Rembrandt
painted the seascape, Christ in
the Storm on the Sea of Galilee,
based on the Story in Mark 4.

With its distinctive contrast of light and shadow, Rembrandt's painting shows a small boat threatened with destruction in a furious storm.

As the disciples struggle against the wind and waves, Jesus is undisturbed.

The most unusual aspect, however, is the presence in the boat of a 13th disciple whom art experts say resembles Rembrandt himself.

Mark's gospel describes the disciples' vivid lesson about who Jesus is and what He can do.

While they were frantically trying to save
a sinking boat, Jesus was asleep.

Didn't He care that they were all about to die? v. 38. After Jesus calmed the storm v.39, He asked the penetrating question, "Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?" v.40.

Then they were even more afraid,
exclaiming to each other, "Who can
this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!" v. 41.

We could also put ourselves in this story and discover, just as Jesus' disciples did, that to each person who trusts in Jesus Christ, He reveals His presence, compassion, and control in every storm of life. — David McCasland

"Be still, my heart; for faithful is thy Lord,
And pure and true and tried His holy Word;
Through stormy flood which rageth as the sea,
His promises thy stepping-stones shall be." —Anon

God is a safe dwelling place in life's storms.

Our Daily Bread 4/29/14

Please pray with me:

Father, it is with thanksgiving, that I come to You today, for I see that You really are willing to help me in the midst of my storms.

Once I understand my predicament, may I look to You for assistance in dealing with it.

It can look overpowering at times, and I may think that all is lost, but help me remember that You're with me!

My own problems are what You'll delight to help me walk through. May I be aware of Your presence at all times, dear Lord. In Your Holy Name, Jesus, I ask this. Amen.

Pray for your pastor: “Pray that your pastor will focus on the Word of God and walk in the fear of the Lord—rather than fear of man—as he prepares his messages. Pray that he will seek to please God rather than men, and pursue holiness rather than the praise of men.” Act 6:4; Prov. 19:23; 2 Tim 2:15; Heb. 11:6; 2 Tim. 4:1-2 www.lifeaction.org

(Google images added)

Today’s Bible verse: Ps. 91:2 "I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress; my God; in him will I trust."

Today’s quotes: Justus Martin - “Jesus looked into the people’s hearts that He met, to see their deep need. That is what He ministered to each time. When they were weary and fainting, He supplied food and rest. He healed, yes, but He took action to do something to minister to their inner needs.

Some thoughts today: The enemy doesn't want us to be successful. Don't focus on what he's doing. Ignore him! Focus on God, and what He's doing.

- If we minister in our own will, the Holy Spirit steps back. Pause, and let God direct you, and fill your mouth with His words for the situation. If you will, Christ will be praised, and you'll "fade away".

- We are only part of the plan, remember.

- The Kingdom of God sees things differently. There's more influence through love, than through authority.

27th- Tuesday’s post: #87 Close Relationship with God C. Peter Wagner

29th- Thursday's post: #88 Receive Words from God C. Peter Wagner

31st- Saturday's post: Feelings vs. Truth Kandy Wooter

June 1st- Sunday's post: How Long? James Cagle

A popular post: Trusting God With Your Future Mary Southerland - "It sometimes feels as if the fog of doubt and fear of darkness will never lift from our lives. The promises of God seem to get swallowed up by the problems we face."

Need help learning how to live a life of power and purpose? Check out Mary’s weekly online Bible Study, How to Become a Powerful Woman, and learn how to live a life of victory. Connect with Mary on her blog, or through email.
Web site: www.marysoutherland.com
Email: mary@marysoutherland.com

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