Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Just Thinking

How often I think "why can't I live out my life alone wit God?--Just me and God.  Life for me would be so much simpler.  In my mind it would seem as if I would have a better relationship with my heavenly Father.
 
Yet I know for God to purify me--transform me into the image of His Son and grow into that place He has for me; there must be others in my life.  Yet I know at the time of "His kiss" that precise moment of His entrance in my body, mind and soul my crisis lifts and a view of heaven is revealed.  From that moment on I choose to act and be willing to change.  there is no going back a new life awaits me if I choose to accept the change.  it is a life style of continued walking--growing--pursuing God in "all " my ways.
 
It is God's plan for all of us to use our God encounter of deliverance--healings as a platform of hope, to reach others.  It is within relationships with others that we continue to grow!  It is within relationships with others that God can reach them!  In doing so we are finishing the process of wholeness. 
 
I look forward to hear what you think....maybe share some scripture on this matter!  Let us encourage each other:)

Monday, June 11, 2007

FAMILY

Look at my past track record in guiding our children in god's ways has its' pros and cons.  Mostly cons.  However, I find myself praying for their spiritual beings so that the goodness the Lord has placed within them will manifest in their lives. 

 

At one time non of our grown children were in a church family.  Now, all but one family has found a place to fellowship and worship.  Thank god for His work within them.  I pray for our grandchildren also.  For they like our children are effected by their parents' maturity in the Lord.

 

As I understand the scripture—me and my household will serve the Lord.  They too must understand that for themselves and their children.  Now I will confess that my decendants from generation to generation will serve Him and do mighty works for the Lord here on earth.

 

For His mercy and grace is upon them and flows thru them in their time of need!  I know I can not change them nor can I teach them any longer.   I can be an example and available for emotional support.  Most importantly, I can pray and lift them to the Lord knowing that He will be faithful to those who rely on Him.   I am ever thankful Lord for gathering your chicks and preparing them for a work you have designed for them specifically.

 

These are some scriptures I proclaim for our sons and daughters and grandchildren!

 

Isaiah 54:13 (per Dianne) My children are taught of the Lord and great is their peace.  My children are taught of the Lord as they grow old and great is their peace.

 

Psalm 112:2 (per Dianne)My children's descendants will be mighty on earth; generation of the upright will be blessed.

 

Luke 1:50  (per Dianne) His mercy is on those who fear (honor and worship) Him from generation to generation.

 

Stand for your family today…The Lord is waiting for you to declare their lives to Him!

Tuesday, June 5, 2007

DRIFT AWAY WITH ME

Be still in My presence so that My Glory will be known..  Sit and be still and Know that I'm your God.  You have spent much time and effort on doing and looking to do that I have not had the opportunity to pour into you. 

 

So drift away into the dream land of My isolation and solitude.  There I'll bring fruit of refreshing—meat for strengthening--and water of cleansing shall be available to you. 

 

There is no need to exert any energy or mental anguish—Just come for I'm waiting to serve you—come I'm waiting to love you—Come I am totally yours, Come.  Receive your kiss from heaven.  Just Come!

 

Hosea 2 18-20 "…lie down in peace and safety, unafraid and I will bind you to me forever with chains of righteousness and justice and love and mercy.  I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness, love and you will really know Me then as you never have before"  

 

In John 21 (after the resurrection) Peter was out on boat fishing.  He saw a fire on shore and jumped out of the boat and swam ashore.  Jesus was preparing a fire to cook and feed the men.  It was noted 153 large fish and the net did not break!  "Come and I have breakfast"  So they came and allowed Jesus to minister (serve) them.

 

The Spirit of the Lord is calling come; so our Father can love on us!  This is what the Lord is calling for us to do…Be in His presence.  Once we have achieved this personal quieting of our souls in Him; He will be able to fall amongst us corporately in all!!!

Saturday, June 2, 2007

Healthy Tomato Plants

When I was young my uncle Tony, who lived in Silver Lake, taught me about how to grow juicy tomatoes. There was a whole process starting with 'preparing the way'—fertilizing the soil, aerating, etc. Then those tiny plants he began from seeds—he would carefully plant in the prepared soil and watch them grow. His tomatoes were the size of soft balls, juicy, meaty and satisfying to the pallet.

In John 15:1-2, I found some interesting comparisons to Uncle Tony's teaching.

I'm the vine and my father is the Gardner. He lops off every branch that doesn't produce.

As the plants grew and grew, some branches began to flower, others just grew larger and thicker then most. "See those larger thick branches under the budding branches? We are going to pinch them way back so they do not grow any longer. They take all the nutrition from the branches with the flowering buds that will produce the fruit."

I could not help but think that God our Father responds to us the same way. As we grow in Christ and begin to flower—begin to walk and talk as He would have us—He comes into our lives and begins to take those sucker branches off. Now the fruit will be able to grow. All the areas where we begin to grow—He takes away the sin and obstructions that hold us back from producing 'Great Fruit'. Notice He only removes those sucker branches that will stop growth. This could very well mean that some of our character defects remain for another time of pruning.

When I look back on my life I see He has done the same for me! The day of my healing the Lord took that sucker branch of sickness and then another branch of fowl language (cursing). All so that I could produce fruit of health and be able to produce fruit from the testimony of my lips.

Another important thing happened. He grafted me into His vine and stripped me from my husband's mortal vine! No longer do I place all my trust in my husband and have ungodly expectations for his performance. Now I am grafted into the eternal vine, the true vine of life.

As those tomatoes branches grew and the flowers and buds grew into maturity, Uncle Tony began pinching back those other little sucker branches and even some younger flowers on the same branch. This encouraged the more mature tomato on that branch to grow to the max in size and taste!

I have come to this understanding in my life's process with relationships. As I pursued what God had for me while at the same time reaching out to others, we all produced fruit. For whatever reason, circumstances severed those relationships. Possibly those relationships were becoming sucker branches to all parties! I believe for me to produce further fruit and to continue growing separation had to occur. At times like this we do not realize or understand the process. But as time passes and we continue to press into Him we produce—bigger fruit—other viable relationships develop so that more fruit can be produced.

John 15:2-3 He prunes those branches that bear fruit for even greater crops. He has already tended you by pruning you back for greater strength and usefulness by means of the commands I gave you.

All the while the soil is being tended to with proper nutrition. It has all the plant needs to grow, just as God the Father provides for His Son, Jesus. So as I live and breathe in Christ the Father continues to prune and nourish and free me.

I can not help but to think of a ministry we have now, to collect bread and disperse it into the community. For us personally it is coming to an end so God can further develop the fruit He has designed for us to produce in a greater way! Others will be stepping forward so that we may continue to advance also! This is also about the ever evolving nature of our Sunday gathering--to be open for God to pinch us so that the better fruit may be grown!

I don't want to be one of those wild plants—growing haphazardly; growing every which producing little fruit if any at all! No I want the Vine dresser and the sweet breeze of the Spirit to dress me and guide me as I take my nourishment from the true Vine—Jesus Christ.

May this writing inspire you to carry on in Christ and to produce His kind of fruit—allowing Him to address your vine!

John 15:7-11 If you stay in me and obey my commands you may ask any request you like, and it will be granted. My true disciples produce bountiful harvests. This brings great glory to my Father. I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Live within my love When you obey me you are living in my love, just as I obey my Father and live in His love. I have told you this so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your cup of joy will over flow!