I've been in a bit of a rut lately to be honest. Not feeling much excitement about seeking God's face or spending time listening. Like a stubborn child I moped. I grumbled. I did things half-heartedly. On Sunday we meditated on Proverbs 3:5-6 and I had some serious soul searching to do, searching my heart to see if it was truly open and available to trust in God. You see I, like you, have hopes and dreams in my heart for certain things, things which I have tucked away in a treasure chest in my heart. Is it wrong to have a treasure chest of hopes and dreams? I don't think so, but I'm pretty sure God wants full access to what's inside the treasure chest. Not only that, He wants full access to our hearts. Don't get me wrong. There's nothing wrong with most of your hopes and dreams, but God wants to be #1. He wants to be the -I will sell everything I've got for Him treasure. The I don't care about anything else treasure. The I will be complete when I have Him treasure. He wants to fill our hearts and push out worry, fear, anger, disappointment, and everything else that is not from His kingdom, and make our paths straight! Amen and Hallelujah!
So what's holding you back from giving God your hopes and dreams?
Monday, September 16, 2013
Thursday, July 18, 2013
How your smart phone can help you hear God's voice
Lately, I've felt a hunger to read God's Word. I had become lazy and failed to fill up my spirit with God's Word on a daily basis. Although I had read the entire bible using a daily plan, I feared making a commitment and the constant failings of missed readings and long catchup sessions. Lo and behold----the Bible app! About two weeks ago I signed up for "The Bible in a Year" on You Version, and I have been loving the daily prompts to read the Word and the ease with which I can do it. I can read it anywhere and anytime with just a few taps on my smart phone. Awesome! So, for those of you out there needing to dip into God's Word, why not read along with me? The clearest way to hear God's voice is in His Word!
http://www.a.youversion.com/free-bible-apps
http://www.a.youversion.com/free-bible-apps
Thursday, June 27, 2013
The value of looking to spiritual markers
The other night I started to look through a workbook I borrowed from my in-laws called Experiencing God as Couples by Henry T. Blackaby. In it Henry Blackaby writes, "When God gets ready for you to take a new step or direction in His activity, it will always be in sequence with what He has already been doing in your life." He goes on to talk about looking to spiritual markers in your life to help you discern God's leading. I kinda like to think of spiritual markers as those piles of stones you see on hikes, pointing you in the right direction toward your destination.
For my husband and I, God has used this workbook as a spiritual marker today. Let me explain. About a year and a half ago, a couple that we knew in ministry asked my husband and I for pre-marital counseling. We were shocked and humbled, to say the least, that this godly couple had asked us to help them prepare for marriage. We had no credentials or degrees or experience in doing this...none whatsoever, but we prayerfully lifted this up to God and waited. To our astonishment, He confirmed that He wanted us to do it. So we prayerfully created some topics to discuss with them, and stepped out in faith. Each meeting we prayed that the Holy Spirit would lead and guide our time with them, and all I can say is WOW. God met us each time, revealing His presence, and showed my husband and I how to work as a team. His gifts and my gifts were like a symphony, complementing and working in perfect unity together. We could do nothing but give God the glory for the miraculous ways he moved and worked in us.
After that amazing experience we began to wonder if God has a special ministry to couples in our future. To make a long story short, several months ago we began a major apartment room change and organization project. Living in New York City, our space is extremely tight. We chose to do this to maximize our space for our family and also to make it big enough to host more groups for ministry in our home. Our project included making our master bedroom into our living room, our living room into our dining room, our office into our bedroom, and our hallway into a large office/storage area! If your head is spinning just thinking about it, imagine what it was like for us! We had to sell furniture, including our beloved king size canopy bed, and add a gazillion bookshelves to our walls, but we are now in the final stages of getting our apartment together. Thank God!
This morning right after I had prayed for guidance in writing this much overdue blog, my husband called and I told him how much I wanted to order the DVD set and go through the Experiencing God as Couples workbook with him. As I looked into buying the set online and thought about the topic of this blog, the spiritual markers suddenly became clear. We can use our bigger living space and invite other couples to go through the workbook together! Wow, thanks God!
How about you, what are the spiritual markers in your life? Where might God be directing you?
I'd love to hear your thoughts on this.
For my husband and I, God has used this workbook as a spiritual marker today. Let me explain. About a year and a half ago, a couple that we knew in ministry asked my husband and I for pre-marital counseling. We were shocked and humbled, to say the least, that this godly couple had asked us to help them prepare for marriage. We had no credentials or degrees or experience in doing this...none whatsoever, but we prayerfully lifted this up to God and waited. To our astonishment, He confirmed that He wanted us to do it. So we prayerfully created some topics to discuss with them, and stepped out in faith. Each meeting we prayed that the Holy Spirit would lead and guide our time with them, and all I can say is WOW. God met us each time, revealing His presence, and showed my husband and I how to work as a team. His gifts and my gifts were like a symphony, complementing and working in perfect unity together. We could do nothing but give God the glory for the miraculous ways he moved and worked in us.
After that amazing experience we began to wonder if God has a special ministry to couples in our future. To make a long story short, several months ago we began a major apartment room change and organization project. Living in New York City, our space is extremely tight. We chose to do this to maximize our space for our family and also to make it big enough to host more groups for ministry in our home. Our project included making our master bedroom into our living room, our living room into our dining room, our office into our bedroom, and our hallway into a large office/storage area! If your head is spinning just thinking about it, imagine what it was like for us! We had to sell furniture, including our beloved king size canopy bed, and add a gazillion bookshelves to our walls, but we are now in the final stages of getting our apartment together. Thank God!
This morning right after I had prayed for guidance in writing this much overdue blog, my husband called and I told him how much I wanted to order the DVD set and go through the Experiencing God as Couples workbook with him. As I looked into buying the set online and thought about the topic of this blog, the spiritual markers suddenly became clear. We can use our bigger living space and invite other couples to go through the workbook together! Wow, thanks God!
How about you, what are the spiritual markers in your life? Where might God be directing you?
I'd love to hear your thoughts on this.
Monday, June 3, 2013
It's raining today
...and I'm waiting to hear Your voice. The rain is a reminder of your constant provision to water the earth, to cleanse what is dirty, and restore life to that which grows. Mostly I'm annoyed by the rain. I'm annoyed that my clothes get wet, and that the sky is gray. I want sunshine and blue skies always, and never the rain. Yet our planet needs the rain, just as I need a fresh anointing of Your Spirit.
Lord, fill my parched soul with the refreshing rain of Your Spirit. Cleanse my heart. Heal what is broken. Let no crevice in my being remain unfilled by You. Open my eyes to see You, Jesus.
Thank you, Jesus, for Your everlasting love for me demonstrated on the cross. You suffered for my sins, my shortcomings, my bad attitudes, my grumbling, my jealousy, my apathy, my brokenness, my dirtiness, my JUNK. You suffered for the joy of defeating death, defeating sin, and defeating the power of darkness. You died for me and even though I do not deserve it you have proclaimed that I AM YOURS and that YOU ARE MINE!
I pray for all who are reading this. I pray for God's divine anointing on you at this very moment. I pray that the waters of God's healing and forgiveness would wash away the pain, the depression, the anger, the bitterness, the hate, and bring complete healing in Jesus' name. I pray for freedom in Jesus' name! I pray that the eyes of your heart would be opened to know God's great love for you through Jesus. Yes, Lord, come in power. We need you.
Lord, fill my parched soul with the refreshing rain of Your Spirit. Cleanse my heart. Heal what is broken. Let no crevice in my being remain unfilled by You. Open my eyes to see You, Jesus.
Thank you, Jesus, for Your everlasting love for me demonstrated on the cross. You suffered for my sins, my shortcomings, my bad attitudes, my grumbling, my jealousy, my apathy, my brokenness, my dirtiness, my JUNK. You suffered for the joy of defeating death, defeating sin, and defeating the power of darkness. You died for me and even though I do not deserve it you have proclaimed that I AM YOURS and that YOU ARE MINE!
I pray for all who are reading this. I pray for God's divine anointing on you at this very moment. I pray that the waters of God's healing and forgiveness would wash away the pain, the depression, the anger, the bitterness, the hate, and bring complete healing in Jesus' name. I pray for freedom in Jesus' name! I pray that the eyes of your heart would be opened to know God's great love for you through Jesus. Yes, Lord, come in power. We need you.
Monday, April 29, 2013
Good Morning God
Good morning, God.
This morning I'm thinking of the song I heard on the radio with the lyrics, "Tell me who I am to you."
God, remind me who I am to you.
(Listen) What do you hear?
I hear: Beloved daughter, the one I love.
I'm listening, God. Who do you want me to pray for?
(Listen) What do you hear?
I hear: Pray for those who don't know me. (Pray)
Pray for those who are hurting. (Pray)
Come to me with your own burdens. (Pray)
Water of Life, come fill me up. Show me your face that I might see You. Thank you, Lord.
Amen.
This morning I'm thinking of the song I heard on the radio with the lyrics, "Tell me who I am to you."
God, remind me who I am to you.
(Listen) What do you hear?
I hear: Beloved daughter, the one I love.
I'm listening, God. Who do you want me to pray for?
(Listen) What do you hear?
I hear: Pray for those who don't know me. (Pray)
Pray for those who are hurting. (Pray)
Come to me with your own burdens. (Pray)
Water of Life, come fill me up. Show me your face that I might see You. Thank you, Lord.
Amen.
Monday, April 22, 2013
Hearing Together: The Role of Community in Discerning God's Voice
Yesterday during house church, someone asked for prayer to discern where God was sending him in the mission field. He and his wife had visited several different cities abroad and were uncertain about where they should go. While praying on his own he discerned that God was telling him not to go to one particular city. Hearing God clearly speak to him in this way was surprising and he said he didn't know what to do with what he heard. Hearing this, I recommended that we pray as a group and hear from God together.
I've learned from experience that God often speaks through corporate prayer. As concerns are lifted up, God will reveal things through different people using the gifts he has given them. In our group one person has a gift of discernment, another often sees images when praying for others, another has prophetic gifts, another tongues, and I have a gift of intercession.
Praying together with others who use their spiritual gifts is a powerful experience. I am always awed by the way God speaks through each person but in perfect unity, like a perfectly orchestrated symphony. One person may discern, "I sense God will lead you and make this clear to you." Another may say, "I see an open door." Another may pray over unmentioned hardships or struggles. Yes, each voice or petition or discernment is powerful, but together they form the most magnificent symphony.
Are you struggling to hear from God about something? Who can you reach out to in your faith community to help you discern God's voice?
I've learned from experience that God often speaks through corporate prayer. As concerns are lifted up, God will reveal things through different people using the gifts he has given them. In our group one person has a gift of discernment, another often sees images when praying for others, another has prophetic gifts, another tongues, and I have a gift of intercession.
Praying together with others who use their spiritual gifts is a powerful experience. I am always awed by the way God speaks through each person but in perfect unity, like a perfectly orchestrated symphony. One person may discern, "I sense God will lead you and make this clear to you." Another may say, "I see an open door." Another may pray over unmentioned hardships or struggles. Yes, each voice or petition or discernment is powerful, but together they form the most magnificent symphony.
Are you struggling to hear from God about something? Who can you reach out to in your faith community to help you discern God's voice?
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Prayer as peaceful as a deep slumber
Lately, as I have endeavored to listen to the voice of God, I have experienced prayer in a whole new way. Listening has caused me to slow down and, well,... listen. In the past prayer meant closing my eyes, rattling off my prayers, and finishing with a definitive amen. Now I tend to pray more internally and allow my mind to relax. You might be thinking, "But what about the distractions that come to mind?" Well, the best way I can describe this type of prayer is focused listening prayer. I focus on entering God's presence and listening. As thoughts and worries or people come to mind I pray about them or the circumstances surrounding them until I feel a quiet peace about it. Then I wait until something else comes to mind and pray again. If a scripture comes to mind, I accept it as a word from God. If a song comes to mind, I sing it.
You might be wondering, "Well how does this type of prayer work when praying with others?" The other day I experienced the most beautiful time of prayer with my friend Maria. We waited in silence for a few minutes before praying and as one of us was led we began to pray. Holding hands we prayed for each other and waited. I could feel the grasp of her hand in mine as we lifted up our concerns to our heavenly Father. Then after our words had ceased, we sat in the most beautiful silence. It was like being asleep, and I could not feel the grasp of her hand. At some point I realized our prayer would have to end, but I didn't want it to. When the doorbell rang I slowly finished our prayer, before getting up.
When I returned from going to the door, Maria and I discussed what we had just experienced. She, too, said that she did not want our quiet prayer to end, and said, "Liz, did you feel how we could no longer feel our hands? It felt like our hands were gyrating!" God was clearly present.
Sometimes, I think fear drives us to rattle off prayers, whether alone or in a group. Could it be that waiting and listening during prayer causes you anxiety that causes you to fill the space with words? Maybe you're afraid God won't speak to you in the silence or have been taught that this is how you pray. Perhaps you don't truly believe that God wants to speak to you. Whatever your reason, how about giving listening prayer a try? You might find that giving space for God to move is truly rest to your soul.
You might be wondering, "Well how does this type of prayer work when praying with others?" The other day I experienced the most beautiful time of prayer with my friend Maria. We waited in silence for a few minutes before praying and as one of us was led we began to pray. Holding hands we prayed for each other and waited. I could feel the grasp of her hand in mine as we lifted up our concerns to our heavenly Father. Then after our words had ceased, we sat in the most beautiful silence. It was like being asleep, and I could not feel the grasp of her hand. At some point I realized our prayer would have to end, but I didn't want it to. When the doorbell rang I slowly finished our prayer, before getting up.
When I returned from going to the door, Maria and I discussed what we had just experienced. She, too, said that she did not want our quiet prayer to end, and said, "Liz, did you feel how we could no longer feel our hands? It felt like our hands were gyrating!" God was clearly present.
Sometimes, I think fear drives us to rattle off prayers, whether alone or in a group. Could it be that waiting and listening during prayer causes you anxiety that causes you to fill the space with words? Maybe you're afraid God won't speak to you in the silence or have been taught that this is how you pray. Perhaps you don't truly believe that God wants to speak to you. Whatever your reason, how about giving listening prayer a try? You might find that giving space for God to move is truly rest to your soul.
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