Testing

Art use permission by Amanda Geisinger

 

 

Coming off of another rough year of uncertainty, cuts and threats and even verbal abuse in mine and my husband’s work situations, it has been a learning and growing process for us spiritually.

In the midst of what sometimes seemed like silence from the LORD, it was our seeking for Him that He desired.  I recently saw an image that read, “The teacher is usually quiet during a test.” Had He instantly rushed to our aid we would have thought less of Him being the one that provides it.  We wouldn’t have asked for His help, nor would we have seen our own weaknesses.  We wouldn’t have learned to come to Him in all things and trust in Him in these ways of challenges.  Also, we wouldn’t have seen our own weaknesses of where we were untrusting, afraid and the poor behavior in those things.   

Hardships bring about strengthening if we decide to hold to faith.  We are never left on our own; God doesn’t leave us. Test times in the Bible often show up in the number forty.  Forty years of wandering in the desert and then the Promised Land.  But, they still had some overcoming to do to gain that.  It rained forty days and forty nights before it stopped and the waters began to recede.  Four hundred years in exile was a forty times ten.

Jesus was tempted in the desert for forty days.   Matthew 4:1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.  That verse blew my mind the first time I read it.  He was purposely led by the Spirit to be tempted.  Tested.  It made some of my temptations and tests take on a divine purpose.  As exhausting and difficult as they were and are, they help me to become stronger and equipped.  Like I said, God also doesn’t leave us. Matthew  4:11 Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.

Exhausted by the testing and fasting, Jesus endured as one in our own human weaknesses, angels came to Him when it was over to strengthen Him and attend to Him.  Then Jesus began His ministry.  He had withstood the temptations and tests.  Graduation was His.

Hebrews 4:15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet he did not sin.

This is talking about Jesus.  He empathizes with us.  The last part, –yet he did not sin.  Ooph, how often have I sinned in following through with the temptation or the time I was so challenged by verbal abuse that I lied to keep from calling that person for fear of being abused again.  I detested what fear had driven me to do.  But, having gone through it, I am stronger.  I am aware of my weaknesses and more aware of God’s strength and what He can see me through when I hold to Him.  Tests show us what we know and don’t know. 

At the height of finals time for college students, I found an article written Nov. 10, 2013 by Stanford administrators for Stanford College students.  It was helping them relieve test anxiety.  It carefully reminded the students that their value is not diminished on how they performed, but that the tests are to help them see what they have learned and therefore strengthening their confidence in those matters as well as making them aware of areas that they may need to learn more in order to become stronger in it.  It categorized “learning deeply.”

1.What does it mean?

2.How does it work

3.Why is it important?

4.How does it fit with the other things I’m learning

As we endure those tests and hardships it’s like a faith work-out.  After some testing it has been exhausting, but I get restored by others or helped in the midst of it.  When that same type of test comes around again, I notice how much stronger I am.  My faith abs have become like steel, so to speak and it can be looked at as Stanford indicates “learning deeply.”

Enduring and learning from them allows us to learn the answers.  When someone else is going through the same type of tests in their life, it’s okay to share the answers you learned!  You just may be a “ministering angel” to someone else.  The other part is that like Jesus, we can empathize with them.  That in itself is a gift to one in the midst of trying to find the answers.  Empathizers do minister even if they don’t have exactly my answers, but can recognize the hardship and offer comfort and hope.

Ultimately, every test is an opportunity to draw nearer to the LORD.  Coming into His presence and place is perfect peace. Everything circumstantially can be more than we can handle, but when we put our faith in Him, the peace comes, strength comes and hope comes. 

When similar tests come back around again, the strength to face them and react more strongly in faith has blessed me to let me know how much He has grown me and strengthened me over that time.  I quickly fill in the blank with the answer I learned and see just how much He has taught me.  

When Mary returned to the grave site of Jesus, He had already risen and He made Himself known to her.

 

John 20:16 “Mary!" Jesus said. She turned to him and cried out, "Rabboni!" (which is Hebrew for "Teacher").

James 1:2-4 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

-Special thanks to Amanda Geisinger for giving me permission to use her art.  She is a skate boarder and talented artist in New York City working for Nickelodeon and she has her own personal blog of art work.  She is intellectual with an ability to tell a simple story through her art.  Two of her personal comics are “Amanda Goes to Church” and the other, “ Amanda Stays In Church.”  She includes in the sub title that she was an atheist with a cross out insertion to An “former” atheist's assorted explorations of Christianity.

Asking permission for art use and photo use has been one of the most fun parts of my blogging.  The people I get to connect with have been outstanding!

 

 



 

 



Eyes On One

 

As Christmas nears, I am reading e-mails, messages, cards and posts. There is a sea of situations as unique as each life I am reading about. 

Anticipations of weddings, babies and first Christmas’ together.

There are those celebrating Christmas with the feeling of an absence of loved ones that no longer are with them. 

Some are deep in need of answered prayers.  A baby gasps for breath in a hospital, another’s brother is air-lifted on a heart-lung machine to Mayo, a toddler just diagnosed with stage 4 cancer at her routine check-up and now is suddenly leaving their home of Russia to get treatment in Cologne, Germany.

We pray.

There are those in treatment over-coming addictions, mental health being sought, and financial struggles to pay bills. There are the lonely and there are those that are surrounded by friends. There is the anniversary of cancer beaten and the celebration of new jobs miraculously given.

Praises are lifted by another set of parents whose child has returned home with breath again after weeks of being ventilated in the hospital.  Joy is expressed by friends and family returning home after long absences and the thrill of anticipation of loved one’s first-time visits.

Then there is a photo of a gentleman that has followed my Christian writings.  He lives in Ethiopia and he is standing with other Christian friends of his just outside of a prison wall. They are looking down upon blood that was shed at the door.  The photo needed no words. 

Lives lived, lives lost, but the hope of Salvation has come.

In this mix; cookies are being baked, prayers are being sought, Bible verses shared, friends stand together, gratitude for what is and hope for what will be; the people I am reading have one thing in common.  They all have their eyes on Jesus. 

They look to Him. They are thankful to Him. They place their hope in Him and know that love, grace, strength, peace and eternal life comes from Him. 

Our days have waves of highs and lows, but He is constant.  He came to us in a world needing Him and He is worthy of our praise.  Leaving the comforts of a throne to place His head in a manger, to be crowned with thorns, we are not forsaken.  Becoming "with us is God," the meaning of Immanuel, He did not remain separated from us, but took the sin that  separated us upon Himself to join us in this place and to bring us into His. 

His Kingdom come.

We are loved. 

This is Christmas. 

We look to One and there we find peace.

Psalm 29:11 The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace

John 16:33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world

Isaiah 9:6 

For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given,
    and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
    Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

More Than the Right Name

Coming through the line of the House of David, Jesus was prophesied He would be from David’s throne and family.

Enter Joseph of Nazareth.

There isn’t a lot told about Joseph. His family came from Bethlehem, so it was there that he needed to register.  He was returning because of his family line.  Apparently his family connections weren’t remembered or regarded to save him a room.

Joseph didn’t say words that were recorded. 

But, his actions spoke louder than words.

Who is this man that had the right lineage, but was also the right choice for God to call as an adoptive father for his Son?  What is it about him?  As God chose a father for His own Son, wouldn’t He want a father that would have similar characteristics as Him?

Matthew 1 begins reading that Mary was pledged to marry Joseph, but before they married, she was found to be with child.

Matthew 1:19 Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

Righteous is defined as following divine law.  It is also defined as “holy in heart.” Joseph did not want to follow the laws of the people that included public disgrace and the judgment of a stoning death for an unwed woman who was carrying a child who  happened to be the woman he was betrothed to.  Joseph, “holy in heart” did not want to shame her or disgrace her, but would spare her life and offer her grace. 

Joseph began to consider quietly divorcing her, but after he had thought that thought an angel of the Lord came to him and told him that the child  in Mary was conceived by the Holy Spirit.  The angel told him that she will give birth to a son and that His name is to be Jesus, which in Hebrew is Yeshua -YHVH Saves/delivers. The angel tells him that His name is this because he will save his people from their sins.

When Joseph woke up from the visitation of the angel he DID what the angel commanded him and took Mary to be his wife.  It reads that he had no union with her until she gave birth.  He had self-control and he honored her, God and the child.  When Christ was born, he gave him the name Jesus.

 Joseph lives Spiritually; responding to the Spirit.

He is obedient.

He is filled with grace.

He is merciful.

He is patient.

He honors.

He listens.

He adopts with the heart of a father as the Father has for us.

He is holy in heart.

After Jesus was born and they were in Bethlehem for a time, King Herod became threatened at the word of a new King that was born.  An angel appears again to Joseph and tells him to take Mary and the child and escape to Egypt and to stay there until Joseph is told to leave, because Herod is in search of the child and wants to kill him.

Matthew 2:14  So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt.

Joseph immediately delivered the baby from death; moving during the darkness of night to provide safety and security.

He is a protector.

A deliverer.

A provider of safety and security even amidst darkness.

After Herod had died and the threat had passed, the angel appeared to Joseph again in a dream and told him to “Get up and take the child and his mother” and go to the land of Israel.  Again, Joseph got up and went, but when he heard that Archelaus, son of Herod was reigning in Judea in place of Herod from a warning in another dream.  Still as a man, it says he was afraid and he withdrew as he was warned and went to the district of Galilee and lived in a town called Nazareth.  So fulfilling what the prophets said, “He will be called a Nazarene.”

Joseph is responsive.

He is flexible.

He is mindful of their well-being.

This is the man Joseph, whom God called to be the adoptive father of Jesus.

In Joseph, we see the beautiful attributes of God’s own heart. 

Righteous is Joseph, holy in heart.

 

 

 

The Dietitian and the Farmer

Our daughter is a dietitian so her life revolves around food and many aspects regarding it.  Some of the aspects are how it is given, how it is received, nutrients that help in healing, strengthening and surviving and so much more. She makes sure that the food is safe and safely given. But most of all, that it is received.

There are the IV feedings, the tube feedings going directly into the stomach, the pureed, the soft food and no restriction diets.  One time she shared with me a lactation consultant’s instructions regarding a newborn and breast feeding.  They had said that the child will root and find its food source naturally.  That in their effort they enjoy it that much more and have a tendency to latch on better.  She told her that if a newborn is being “made” to eat, it is like shoving a hamburger into its face. 

A friend of mine that I admire very much raised a strong point and it caused me to consider his remark in this way of what is best received regarding one’s Christianity.  He had remarked that to him the example of a Christian in their being and actions spoke to him far more than one who professes their Christian faith.  He receives by their example. 

As he searches in understanding his own faith and where that lies, he is being shown much.  It is how he receives.  He is extremely intelligent and to tell him things is not how he receives.  He knows his level of what he has taught himself and learned on his own.  To hear others tell it to him is not how he receives.  He can take a knife and fork and cut his own steak.  He’s not going to have someone put it on a fork and then open his mouth for it.  Our son responds negatively when I put a piece of meat on his fork as he responds, “I can do it myself!” The people that I knew that liked my friend's comment regarding the preference for that kind of representation of faith are also people that share in his ability to learn and receive independently.

There are others that desire or need hand- feeding or are open to it when it comes to faith. Either they haven’t quite worked it out themselves or they are open to more and what others profess and the sharing helps them to gain or strengthens them.  There are those that can tolerate a variety of ways of being fed. 

Physically, I can feed myself, but at a nice restaurant, my husband will take a piece of what he ordered and feed me a bite on his fork so that I can taste it, too.  I receive it.  If my waiter did that to me, I’d probably turn my head away laughing.  If the waiter kept at it and I didn’t want it, I would probably become agitated.

Sometimes we receive better from people we know when it comes to professions of faith.  Sometimes we are so hungry and in need and don’t know how to get it that anyone that comes with a bit of guidance is hungrily received.  As ones who show their faith, we need to be considerate of the way people receive. 

The LORD feeds in different ways.  He knows how each one can receive.  When we look at the ways we do receive and see His hand in it, we know He knows us, too.  There is a Bible teacher that I can listen to time and again and I always take something in from her.  I know God uses her to reach me that way.

Some people receive from my writing and others don’t.  I know that God is using me for the ones that He knows receive this way.  I don’t get bent out of shape by the number of hits I have or don’t have.  It’s who He is drawing to this work.  It’s not about me, it’s about Him.  Surprisingly, I have noticed that 25% of the people reading my work lately are in Sweden.  I have no idea why.  Maybe they like this flavor or identify with me in the snow picture.

When I see the variety of denominations, pastors, T.V evangelists, volunteers, organizations and people in the name of Christianity purely serving, I see the varieties of the way He feeds.

My Mom grew up on a farm.  She saw the way that God feeds in different ways more so in her later years.  She had grown up thinking her denomination was the “it” way to heaven.  Then, she started to see the LORD as The Farmer.  The Farmer doesn’t feed the chickens the same way he feeds the cattle, or the sheep, or the hogs, or the young lamb whose mother was not feeding it.  Some grazed on their own, some had seed scattered about so they could pick and peck as they choose, some were given most everything at a trough and some were held and given a bottle of milk.  By reflecting on her denomination and the various denominations, she saw it as different ways of being fed. 

What I find universally is that most all religions find a need to make a sacrifice.  From tribes sacrificing children or virgins to those that put their best fruit in front of their idol, there are also people sacrificing themselves in a lifestyle of monk or nun. There is a belief that some sort of a sacrifice or offering needs to be made somehow because they have done wrong or are not up to the goodness of the one they are offering to or they want to give their very best to that one.

In Christianity there is so great a sacrifice made for all from the One we worship.  The sacrifice was made for everyone… the world. But as far as religions, only Christianity has that kind of God that is without ego, but will sacrifice and humble His state to be so personal and relational to come into our world with us and then be the sacrifice for us out of His love for us.  No other faith has that that I’m aware of.  No faith speaks of it prophetically coming and then fulfills it.  It is a life and blood sacrifice to make right and remove what we have as our knowing of our wrong and broken responses.  The knowledge between good and evil. 

The Blackberry Bush Course calls this, “Broken responses to impossible demands.” The course goes on to teach that as demands are placed on us, which are usually for our good, we can’t fulfill them and we respond in broken ways. “Don’t touch the stove, it’s hot. Be a good student”… don’t kick the ball in the house and the demands grow.  A response, “ I didn’t break the vase, it was my brother.”  We lie, or take or sneak or scheme or cover.  An early Bible example is Abel’s better sacrifice than Cain’s and Cain responded in a broken way by a demand that he didn’t meet. His broken response; he killed his brother.

 Only in God’s coming as Christ are we freed from this.  We need saving. How we receive that is the way He is going to feed us.  Some will by this writing, others won’t, some may have this as their appetizer, they who like it will take this and maybe offer it on a fork to someone they love. 

Sacrifice is the ultimate example of love.  A recent movie was released by Disney called, “Frozen.” It is largely themed on sacrifice and is a take on one of Hans Christian Andersen’s stories.  We gravitate towards this display of love.

 I know of a marriage that recently did not occur because each individual desired their own career path and had location needs.  Neither was willing to sacrifice their desire for the good of the other.  The love wasn’t there.  It is telling.  Love involves sacrifice and in Christ came sacrifice and love. 

John 15:12-15 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you

In this kind of love back to Christ we are willing to lay down our own ways for His ways.  To live a life that is like His.  In doing so, we need to present ourselves in a loving way and love one another.  Where Jesus spent most of His time keeping people in check was with the religious leaders and those who thought they were so good.

To love as He commands. 

How you show your faith or tell of  it will be the food for thought for another and maybe not for someone else, but God will present Himself in the way that they best receive through another or another way.  Be who you are, but be you through love and be sensitive and  loving to those who are fed in different ways.   

Psalm 34:8  Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!

Can you Love?

 

Paul and Jan Crouch

 

 

Heart changes have come more frequently the older that I get.  There have been levels of forgiveness that I have come to that I didn’t think possible.  Forgiveness for myself and forgiveness in ways I hadn’t even realized needed to be addressed.

A few years ago I had prayed and asked the LORD to show me who I needed to forgive and who I held resentment for.  That is a loaded prayer!  The LORD reminded me of one person after another.

It wasn’t like I saw the actual person, but I would see look-a-likes.  People from decades ago and people that I held even minor resentments for.  Even people I didn’t actually know, but were public figures and I resented them for one thing or another. I forgave in my prayers each one that He reminded me of and I prayed blessings for them.  The freedom was instant, but even greater was what came in its place.  It was love.  Love filled the places that once held hurt, anger, judgment and resentment. 

I was loving like I never had before.  I was filled with love.

However, there were other places of judgment.  One area was when I would watch television evangelists.  An older woman that had been very successful in their ministry and Christian broadcasting had pink hair.  I was startled when I first saw the exaggeration of the size of hair and the color. (Hypocritical of me; I had once had really big hair) She and her husband co-founded Trinity Broadcasting Network and countless ministry venues.

When she spoke, she spoke as one that really knew Jesus and loved Him so completely.  I sensed the LORD say to me, “Can you love a woman with pink hair?”  I thought to myself how much He must love her and I knew yes, I can love her, too. 

I started praying blessings for her.  My heart had been softened for her and I felt tremendous love for her. 

This weekend her partner in life, love and ministry passed away.  They had recently celebrated over 40 years of their Christian broadcasting network.  Not long ago he had been in the hospital and was back on television with her.  She was so grateful and loving and praising God that he was well enough for them to be there together to celebrate. 

Today my heart weeps for her.  My spirit mourns for her loss and grieves.  Through tears and prayers this transformed heart shares her heartache and prays for this precious woman with pink hair that mourns her husband. 

Only by the love of Jesus and through Him could He move me like this to carry some of her heart-ache and pray so earnestly for her while tears stream down my own face.  The love Jesus has pours first in us and by His overflow we can love others. Sometimes that overflow is through our tears for them.  To be in Him also puts us to be in Him for others and desire His comfort and compassion with the sincerest of prayers for them.  Even for people we have never met. 

There is nothing like love. Living in love is a joy, even through tears of compassion.  Because that compassion is a glimpse of the love He has for us. He sees our hearts and knows the number of hairs on our head no matter what color they are. 

We are loved.

Ezekiel 36:26 NLT  And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.

 



 

 





One Phone Call

I had a friend that I went to high school with.  That was over thirty years ago.  His mom attends the church that I attended most of my life.  She is also friends with my mom.  They aren’t the kind of friends that get together very often, but the kind that have the same heart and faith and the few times that they do get together they both leave blessed. They both belong to a traditional Lutheran church over those years, but they knew the LORD in His fullness of His Spirit.  Both of them lived with the gifts of His Spirit.  

Rarely spoken about in the church, these charismatic women would find each other and have a prayer time in their private homes where they were free to pray in His Spirit and worship in His fullness and power.  It was a little bit of an underground, but those prayers kept families, often unknowing pastors, and one another going.  These women are remarkable and I am blessed to have grown up under their prayers and love.

My mom has been spending time in Florida during some cold Minnesota months.  Apparently she wrote her friend a letter and she shared some of the things happening in our lives.  Good things.  God things.

I had just finished writing another article and I sat in the quiet and wondered to myself, “Now what?”  The phone rang and broke through the silence.  It was my mom’s friend.  I may have had conversations with her on the phone two times in the last thirty years. She was crying.  She quickly told me she was crying and praising.

She began sharing that she got a letter from my mom and she was moved by what my mom had shared in regards to the miracle of our new grandson.  From there she proceeded to pray for my family, my children, my husband, my brother and his family.  She prayed blessings, she praised and she prayed in the Spirit.  She wept, prayed, prophesied and praised some more. 

As the ring of the phone burst into the quiet, so did her prayers like a sudden gust of wind.  I can’t really describe it.  I received her prayers.  As quickly as it blew in, it was done and we hung up.

This lovely lady in her eighties has been widowed two times.  She told me that she is alone in her home and she sings and praises and sings towards that empty place where her husband used to lay beside her. He has been gone for two years.  She says she misses him, but she doesn’t grieve any longer.  She said it is because she knows how happy her husband is with Jesus.  

Instead of counting her loss, she counts his gain.  She sings and praises and prays for others.  She says she likes this quiet time because she’s free to fill her house with singing to the LORD.

Her exuberance in the call, her hope and joy were life to me.  Her prayers for the people I love dearly were a blanket of comfort and protection.  It was a shower of gifts; one gift after another, with every word of life, love, hope, blessing and prayer.  Her words that were spoken in tongues that I did not understand were velvety and beautiful and sounded like they belonged in a palace for a King.  And they were.  She did not hold anything back from the flow of His Spirit. 

I am still in a bit of wonder from what feels like such a holy time that burst through my quiet.   I am inspired by one so sweet and courageous to boldly speak this kind of blessing and celebration into my mind, heart and soul.  She prayed for and blessed going down the generations of my family; my husband and me, our children and our grandchild. 

Her choice to use her time and life by placing a phone call praying and blessing while praising the LORD was a powerful choice and it gives much into our lives.  She is an example of living life boldly and that we can continue to do great things in life and in His Name  even from a home alone, but filled with His Presence.

If you come across older women with twinkles in their eyes and smiles on their faces, there may be a whole lot more going on than you thought and if they offer to pray for you, let them.

Psalm 145:18  The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.

Ezekiel 34:26  I will bless them and…there will be showers of blessing.

 

 

 

It's Okay

 

Striving, getting from here to there, making the right connections and trying to catch that right moment can bring about a huge amount of stress. 

A simple drive in a car brings about these same types of things.  Catching the light, choosing the right line on the entrance ramp, watching out for people in your way or getting around the ones that are slowing you up and most of all…getting there on time.

Freedom, relief and peace can come in such a simple phrase when we hear, “Its okay.”

I’ve realized I have finally reached that place in my life. It’s okay. 

Time after time God has shown me that no matter what I do, He is there and He takes care of me.  I can’t make it happen, but He can and He does. 

He’s timed a license plate in front of me that read, “O LORI” at a critical time for forgiveness.  He’s had me meet people that later are part of a bigger plan that He had already started.  He has timed things to the second after years of Him putting all the details together.  I didn’t miss that moment.  I got there exactly at the right time and so did the other person and events. 

In all of these things I have relaxed.  I know that when it seems I’m held up, it is His timing.  When I think it’s happening too fast, He helps me keep up. 

He’s got this.

Last week I was on my way to an evening planned for women that was offering prophetic encounter times.  I left home half an hour before it was to start.  I anticipated a 25 minute drive.

One road close after another.  A wrong turn.  A missed light.  Huge traffic back-ups and finally I got there.  It was the wrong campus. It had reached ridiculous status. I walked back across the parking lot with my head tipped back and laughingly said to God, “Are you kidding me?!”

I knew deep down He was with me and its okay. 

I began the trek to the other campus.  The same things happened.  I finally got to that church and the sign on the door said it was in the school next door.  I laughed out loud.  ‘”C’mon!  This is a prophetic encounter, do you You think You could have given me a clue as to at least one or two better roads to go on to get here?!”

I was nearly an hour and a half late at this point.

Humorously exasperated with Him, I walked up to the table where some women were taking names.  I told them what time I had left home and wished that the LORD could have given me a clue about the right roads to take since this was a night focusing on prophetic.  They giggled, too.  As I bent over to write my name on the list, there, three names ahead of mine was my dear friend’s name.  She had arrived not much earlier than me.

Neither of us knew that the other was attending or even knew about it.

A woman led me into the room filled with women singing and waiting for their time to go and pray.  Not knowing, she seated me directly in front of my friend. 

As I watched all of this happen, I nodded my head and smiled to myself, I knew I was right on time.  My friend saw me and waved at me with surprise as I slipped into my chair.

From behind me she reached her hand out and touched my shoulder and leaned forward and whispered in my ear that she needed a little favor.  She had wanted to record her prayer time and her recorder wasn’t working.  She asked if I could write things down for her when her prayer time was happening. 

The trust and friendship that we have for one another is special.  It was me that got to be with her and she was comfortable.  She also blessed me by writing for me, too.  I hadn’t even thought of doing that.

Later she shared how she had an appointment at work that ran late and she didn’t leave her home until 40 minutes after I had.  She even lived further away from the event than I did.  She also shared that she had thought to invite me to this event, but didn’t because she knew I normally had another study I attend on that night.  The LORD had her covered and He blessed me through it.  Had I arrived at the start time I would have probably have been done and had left and never saw her.

When I did head home, it only took me twenty minutes to get home.

My husband had just filled the car for me before I had left for this.  I wasn’t too low on gas, but I would have been with the unplanned detours and missed turns.  I got back and he saw the mileage on the car.  He couldn’t believe how many miles I had put on to go there and jokingly asked if I had driven to Canada.

Every little detail is covered.

Every little minute is His and when we realize that it’s okay, there is peace and blessing.

He’s got this.

Psalm 40:5  Many, LORD my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us. None can compare with you; were I to speak and tell of your deeds, they would be too many to declare.

Revive

 Lately,  I hear more and more people praying for revival in their churches, cities and countries.  Some of these that pray have never experienced revival before.

As they have prayed I have asked the LORD what is it that brings about revival? 

“It is brought about by love.  When one stops judging, stops chasing their own dreams and lays them aside for Mine, I am free to move.  I am in the place of humility and humility is without motive.  It is sacrifice.”

The visions of this had come sooner to me than these words.  I first thought of the word revival and its definition.

 Revival ~ process of reviving somebody: the process of bringing somebody back to life, consciousness, or full strength     Bing Dictionary

In the physical reviving, a person is brought out of unconsciousness.  Reviving/resuscitating is performed for one who has lost consciousness and have ceased to move on their own in breathing.  Another comes and breathes their breath into them.

As a recipient in need, it is the lowest place of one’s life; a near end to it.  As they lay there they are without anything of themselves and lay in great humility. The recipient must receive another’s breath to breathe again.  The one giving the breath has sacrificed themselves for the good of the other.  They are leaving all that they were doing to bring life back into the other; kneeling down beside them and coming into where they are face to face, giving of themselves and…saving them.

Jesus came in great humility as a human child born in a stable. He came to where we are; meeting us face to face. By His love, He gave the ultimate sacrifice of death on the cross and in that humility, He lay dead for two days. 

Matthew 27:50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit.

He took our sin without judgment on us and took it onto Himself.  On the third day He came back to life.

Revived with His own power and Spirit.

Isaiah 57:15  For this is what the high and exalted One says-- he who lives forever, whose name is holy: "I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.

After He rose again He went to His disciples where they were.  In Hebrew, the word Ruach means Spirit and Breath.  He brought new and everlasting life and it starts here. 

To be revived you have to cease to function on your own.

They sat together grieving, terrified to go out for fear of the Jews.  Listen to how He revived them.

John 20:21-23 NIV  So Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you." 22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit". 23 "If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained."

Spiritually, we need to reach that place of no longer being self-conscious. No longer judging, but forgiving just as we need forgiveness.  Forgiving is love. It is life.  It is the place of the resurrection.  The greatest amount of forgiveness, love, and sacrifice was followed by His great resurrection.

From there our eternal life begins here… and in that power He said to receive the breath of life of His Spirit.

Revival is reviving and always includes His Spirit/Breath/Ruach. 

It is coming to life in consciousness of Him and in His Spirit.  And in Him is love.

Here is what His Spirit brings to life when we have been revived with His breath:

love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Galatians 5:22-23

⁷ Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. ⁸ To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, ⁹ to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, ¹⁰ to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.  All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines. 1 Corinthians 12:7-14

This is the breath of life of revival.  In these gifts comes the very works Jesus said we would do in order to revive others.

John 14:12 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. 

Let your breath become His in you.  This is revival.