I marvel at the realization that God wants to use me in spite of me, and He desires to use you, too. He created us in His image for His Kingdom. The only way He can accomplish the good plans He has for us (Jer. 29:11) is through the love and empowerment of the Holy Spirit. Meditate on Day 3 of Lee Grady's definition:
3. He is our Empowerer. When we are baptized in the Holy Spirit we are "clothed with power from on high" (Luke 24:49, NASB). The Spirit who already indwells us fills us to the point of overflowing. Jesus said the Holy Spirit's power would flow out of us like "rivers of living water" from our innermost being (John 7:38). This overflow releases supernatural boldness (Acts 4:31) as well as the anointing for various gifts of the Spirit including prophecy, speaking in tongues and healing.
Let your "river" flow and stay Focused On Him!
Ann
Friday, April 30, 2010
Thursday, April 29, 2010
The Holy Spirit #2
Below is the second of Lee Grady's definitions of the Holy Spirit. Meditating and chewing on the greatness of the Trinity - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - make me realize how great is His unfailing love for us, that when we were still sinners He died for us...and rose again to give us new life in Him!
2. He is our Regenerator. Jesus told Nicodemus that we are born again by the Holy Spirit (John 3:5). True conversion is the most supernatural thing we will ever experience! When a person puts his faith in Christ for salvation, it is the Spirit who opens the heart and quickens divine life. He then indwells us. While this is an invisible process, it is no less miraculous. When we are converted our hearts cry out, "Abba! Father" because the Holy Spirit is "the Spirit of adoption" (Romans 8:15); He gives us confidence that we are now children of God.
He is worthy of our praise, so stay Focused On Him!
Ann
2. He is our Regenerator. Jesus told Nicodemus that we are born again by the Holy Spirit (John 3:5). True conversion is the most supernatural thing we will ever experience! When a person puts his faith in Christ for salvation, it is the Spirit who opens the heart and quickens divine life. He then indwells us. While this is an invisible process, it is no less miraculous. When we are converted our hearts cry out, "Abba! Father" because the Holy Spirit is "the Spirit of adoption" (Romans 8:15); He gives us confidence that we are now children of God.
He is worthy of our praise, so stay Focused On Him!
Ann
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
The Holy Spirit
In my prayer life, I find myself spending a great deal of time praying in tongues. I realize that is a controversial subject for many, but since I have experienced the Holy Spirit in this way, I know it is true and very much a reality. I am so thankful for the Holy Spirit as the third member of the Trinity, and have been enjoying His presence for several years. Recently, I read an article by Lee Grady, who is an editor with Charisma magazine. He identified the Holy Spirit so well, that I thought I'd give you some of his thoughts over the next few days. Here you go!
1. He is the Spirit of the Lord. He is not a force (as in Star Wars), a magical power or an "it." The Holy Spirit is God, and we should revere Him as God. The concept of the Trinity doesn't make sense to the human mind. Yet Scripture reveals God as a triune being. As theologian Norman Geisler writes: "God is one what (nature) with three whos (persons). This is a mystery but not a contradiction."
Stay Focused On Him!
Ann
1. He is the Spirit of the Lord. He is not a force (as in Star Wars), a magical power or an "it." The Holy Spirit is God, and we should revere Him as God. The concept of the Trinity doesn't make sense to the human mind. Yet Scripture reveals God as a triune being. As theologian Norman Geisler writes: "God is one what (nature) with three whos (persons). This is a mystery but not a contradiction."
Stay Focused On Him!
Ann
Friday, April 16, 2010
Definitions...
Ok, so I've come up with some new definitions:
KNOWLEDGE: knowing about Jesus. This includes reading about Him, memorizing scripture, storing Bible facts in your brain. It's all Knowledge.
INTELLIGENCE: Accepting Jesus as your Savior. When presented with the fact, intelligent people accept Heaven as their preferred outcome for eternity. This is called "surviving".
WISDOM: This state of being occurs when you not only accept Jesus as Savior, but build a relationship with Him that makes Him the LORD of your life. This is called "thriving!"
Focus on Him and THRIVE!
Ann
KNOWLEDGE: knowing about Jesus. This includes reading about Him, memorizing scripture, storing Bible facts in your brain. It's all Knowledge.
INTELLIGENCE: Accepting Jesus as your Savior. When presented with the fact, intelligent people accept Heaven as their preferred outcome for eternity. This is called "surviving".
WISDOM: This state of being occurs when you not only accept Jesus as Savior, but build a relationship with Him that makes Him the LORD of your life. This is called "thriving!"
Focus on Him and THRIVE!
Ann
Monday, April 12, 2010
"God's Instead"
Ray and I have been learning a great deal about the "insteads" of God. Our church has been teaching us and we've been working to apply this change of thinking in our lives. It's all about our focus. Human nature, I think, is much more prone to look at the negative and focus on the woes of mankind and our personal lack or dysfunction. After all, when we can tweek someones pity, we are able to gain their full attention. And don't we all love to be the center of the universe?
But God calls us to put on the "mind of Christ". To think like He thinks. In fact, Philippians 2:3 says: "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. (4) Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. (5) Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus..." Phil. 4:8: "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things."
That pretty much knocks out all our whining, doesn't it?
I would like to challenge you to start looking for God's "insteads". Whatever our enemy, satan, throws at us is always a lie. God's "instead" is always the truth. A beautiful example is found in Isaiah 61. He promises us: beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning; a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. Then we will be Oaks of Righteousness...a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor!
Turn back a page to Isaiah 60:17: Instead of bronze I will bring you gold, and silver instead of iron. Instead of wood I will bring you bronze, and iron in place of stones. I will make peace your governor and righteousness your ruler!
I'm liking these Insteads! What Instead is God doing in your life? Look past the difficulty and know that it is really a picture of what God is doing Instead.
As Graham Cooke taught us: "Every problem has a promise. Every difficulty has a blessing. Every curse has a prophecy attached to it. Everything that is against you, I (God) will give you something else instead!"
Focus on God's Insteads.
It's all about staying Focused on Him!
Ann
But God calls us to put on the "mind of Christ". To think like He thinks. In fact, Philippians 2:3 says: "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. (4) Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. (5) Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus..." Phil. 4:8: "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things."
That pretty much knocks out all our whining, doesn't it?
I would like to challenge you to start looking for God's "insteads". Whatever our enemy, satan, throws at us is always a lie. God's "instead" is always the truth. A beautiful example is found in Isaiah 61. He promises us: beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning; a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. Then we will be Oaks of Righteousness...a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor!
Turn back a page to Isaiah 60:17: Instead of bronze I will bring you gold, and silver instead of iron. Instead of wood I will bring you bronze, and iron in place of stones. I will make peace your governor and righteousness your ruler!
I'm liking these Insteads! What Instead is God doing in your life? Look past the difficulty and know that it is really a picture of what God is doing Instead.
As Graham Cooke taught us: "Every problem has a promise. Every difficulty has a blessing. Every curse has a prophecy attached to it. Everything that is against you, I (God) will give you something else instead!"
Focus on God's Insteads.
It's all about staying Focused on Him!
Ann
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
I don't know who wrote the lyrics below, but there is truth in them.
“As time passes they begin to multiply
Adding up secretly like the rings of an old oak tree,
There are wounds in the way.
Some old, some new,
All stifling, debilitating and cruel.
And some are passed down from elder to youth – they don’t belong to you.
As time passes, they begin to accrue a strange sort of value;
Some you don’t think are worth holding on to
But you don’t want to change who you are:
There are wounds in the way”
When we are wounded by life, by our family, by generations long gone, we always have a choice to hold them close or let them go....but think about this today:
Jesus did not allow his wounds to get in the way of the resurrection.
When we accept Him as Savior and LORD, we are to daily put on the mind of Christ. Today, declare that you are growing from surviving with your wounds to thriving in His resurrection!
Stay Focused On Him!
Ann
“As time passes they begin to multiply
Adding up secretly like the rings of an old oak tree,
There are wounds in the way.
Some old, some new,
All stifling, debilitating and cruel.
And some are passed down from elder to youth – they don’t belong to you.
As time passes, they begin to accrue a strange sort of value;
Some you don’t think are worth holding on to
But you don’t want to change who you are:
There are wounds in the way”
When we are wounded by life, by our family, by generations long gone, we always have a choice to hold them close or let them go....but think about this today:
Jesus did not allow his wounds to get in the way of the resurrection.
When we accept Him as Savior and LORD, we are to daily put on the mind of Christ. Today, declare that you are growing from surviving with your wounds to thriving in His resurrection!
Stay Focused On Him!
Ann
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Saturday's Victory
All weekend I've felt a nudging from the Holy Spirit to mark the time: Thursday night,knowing He had been betrayed, He willingly broke the bread and passed the wine as a mark of covenant with us, went to the Garden and prayed the prayer of submission and then was arrested; Friday when He willingly was judged by the political powers, cruelly tortured and crucified,experiencing every torment possible and then finally died.
Then came Saturday. Saturday. The day in between. In the past it's always been a day between events...almost a day of rest before the big celebration.
But this year I've felt a nudging to pay attention to Saturday. What was happening inside that tomb behind the stone that was sealed to keep His followers out. Was Jesus just laying there, waiting for Sunday? I don't know about you, but I have come to view Saturday with a particular excitement. Saturday is all about FAITH. Saturday is all about staying FOCUSED. Even when every dream appears to be lost, every promise dead and buried, Saturday is the day to keep your eyes on the prize and hope alive. You see, Saturday was when Jesus conquered death, hell, and the grave. Saturday was the day He took the keys and proclaimed He is more than able to fulfill the words of the ancient prophets. Saturday was when the spiritual warfare was won and satan was defeated.
So when Sunday's first light came, the work had been completed, and JESUS ROSE FROM THE GRAVE.
So what's this mean? When every promise appears lost and the situation hopeless, God is still at work. When we can't see His hand or witness His movement, He is still fighting for us and accomplishing all that He said He could and would accomplish.
Saturday's come and gone, and GOD IS ON THE THRONE...FOREVER!
It's Easter Sunday, and HE IS ALIVE!!!!!!
Regardless of your circumstances and situations, JESUS IS ALIVE!
Stay FOCUSED ON HIM! He's the only view worth seeing.
Ann
Then came Saturday. Saturday. The day in between. In the past it's always been a day between events...almost a day of rest before the big celebration.
But this year I've felt a nudging to pay attention to Saturday. What was happening inside that tomb behind the stone that was sealed to keep His followers out. Was Jesus just laying there, waiting for Sunday? I don't know about you, but I have come to view Saturday with a particular excitement. Saturday is all about FAITH. Saturday is all about staying FOCUSED. Even when every dream appears to be lost, every promise dead and buried, Saturday is the day to keep your eyes on the prize and hope alive. You see, Saturday was when Jesus conquered death, hell, and the grave. Saturday was the day He took the keys and proclaimed He is more than able to fulfill the words of the ancient prophets. Saturday was when the spiritual warfare was won and satan was defeated.
So when Sunday's first light came, the work had been completed, and JESUS ROSE FROM THE GRAVE.
So what's this mean? When every promise appears lost and the situation hopeless, God is still at work. When we can't see His hand or witness His movement, He is still fighting for us and accomplishing all that He said He could and would accomplish.
Saturday's come and gone, and GOD IS ON THE THRONE...FOREVER!
It's Easter Sunday, and HE IS ALIVE!!!!!!
Regardless of your circumstances and situations, JESUS IS ALIVE!
Stay FOCUSED ON HIM! He's the only view worth seeing.
Ann
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