Joshua 24:15
.......But as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD.
Step # 3
Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
I don't know how many times I have taught on Step # 3......many.
But it wasn't until this morning, during my quiet time, that I saw something that had been right in front of my face for a long time.
Turning our will over to God isn't giving up our will. I use to think that it was simply me becoming a kind of blank slate on which God would write instructions. Not true.
We are turning the focus of our will toward God to follow Him.
To do what He tells us to do.
To go where He tells us to go.
To say what He tells us to say.
The will is very much still in play, it is just that I have now (in the knowledge that I am powerless) focused myself on listening only to Jesus, not my old nature or lusts.
Oswald Chambers, in his devotional My Utmost For His Highest, writes, "Will is the whole man active. I cannot give up my will, I must exercise it. I must will to obey, and I must will to receive God's Spirit." In other words, the will remains present but the focus is almost an oxymoron. I will myself to not will myself to do the wrong thing. I will myself to give up and not give in to the thought that I must use. How do I do this? By turning my will to God.
It all goes back to what Jesus taught in Luke 9:23 ---"You want to follow me? Then deny yourself." There is the "Bingo"moment we have been looking for. That by denying what my sinful nature wants, I must have something to turn to in order to combat the lust that would seek to drag me away into sin. I turn, by my will, to Jesus. He is the HIGHER Power and as such, has the Power to break the lust and desire to do the wrong thing.
I Peter 4:2
And you won't spend the rest of your life chasing after evil desires, but you will be anxious to do the will of God.
Where your heart is....
There your thoughts will be...
Where your thoughts are....
The body follows.
Turn your heart toward Jesus and follow hard after him.
God on you....
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Friday, July 8, 2011
Thursday, July 7, 2011
14 Years...Wow! Seems Like 1...Seems like a Bazillion
July 7, 1997 is the anniversary of my ordination as a pastor.
Jim Bently, Senior pastor of Gadsden Vineyard Church ordained me and released me into ministry.
It was a heady time for me since I had been called to pastor back when I was a teenager.
I was too afraid and unsure of myself back then to have answered that call, so for over thirty years I ran from it. Now here on this day, I was finally going to surrender to God's call.
God has been beyond gracious to me and my family over these past 14 years and to have finally found a place at Rapha is beyond my wildest dreams. I cannot (nor would I want to) see myself doing anything else.
I am grateful that God continues to follow us even when we run from Him. Thank you Lord for not giving up on me.
It wasn't until August 1, 1998 that I began full time ministry. It truly was simply trying to hear God and having the feeling that you were kind of flying by the seat of your pants. I remember beginning to go out to Rapha to work and teach as a volunteer and God stirring me to begin a Saturday night service for the men and anyone else who were either in addiction or in recovery. You have to remember that this was before Celebrate Recovery so there really wasn't a pattern on how to do church for people in recovery . All I knew was that the music would be different and the message would short and to the point. I knew also that we would be having a ministry time at the end of our meetings.
August 21, 1999 - we held our first House of Blue. We chose that name because the color blue symbolizes an open heaven, that God wants to communicate with His people. We also chose it because the blues is a universal music that seems to speak across age lines, ethnic lines and touches all hearts. The only difference in the music would be that it would point to God who is the healer of all. We held our first meeting and it was totally unreal. I went away that night thinking, "God! You rocked the house so how are you going to top that next week?" He did. He did every Saturday night for 4 years.
March 8, 2004 -- I came on staff at Rapha as the staff Pastor, first as part time and later that year ( August ) full time. I continued to work at Gadsden Vineyard Church as well as teach and minister at Rapha.
April 28, 2006 - I preached my first message at the Church@Rapha that morning, followed by my final teaching at Gadsden Vineyard Church. I was now free to devote myself totally to Rapha. There was great sadness as Vicki and I left what had been home for 12 years to us. But we were excited about all the possibilites that lay ahead.
May 31, 2008 - We move our Sunday Morning meeting to Saturday night at Rapha and see an increase in God working among the men. For whatever reason, I have always functioned better at night. I think God may have simply created me to be that night time pastor. Saturday night was such a night that the devil used in the lives of addicts that God wanted to take it back.
These have been 14 incredible years and in some ways, I feel as though I have had a lifetime of experiences and opportunities given to me. I know that God isn't finished with me yet and Vicki and I will continue to go and love and minister to the men who come through the program.
I always tell people that I have the most tremendous position in the world.
I get to sit in one spot and God brings an endless stream of people to me for ministry. How great is that?
Of course Vicki and I pray a prayer each day that Rapha would go out of business because no one needs a rehab to go to. Silly Prayer? Maybe but I'll keep going out to Rapha to love and teach and minister, all the while expecting God to destroy the monster we call addicition.
On the day of my ordination, at the end of the service, Jim came to me and shook my hand. Leaning into me he whispered in my ear, "Your life will no longer be your own." Never has such true words been spoken to me. But you know what? I would not have had it any other way.
God on you....
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Jim Bently, Senior pastor of Gadsden Vineyard Church ordained me and released me into ministry.
It was a heady time for me since I had been called to pastor back when I was a teenager.
I was too afraid and unsure of myself back then to have answered that call, so for over thirty years I ran from it. Now here on this day, I was finally going to surrender to God's call.
God has been beyond gracious to me and my family over these past 14 years and to have finally found a place at Rapha is beyond my wildest dreams. I cannot (nor would I want to) see myself doing anything else.
I am grateful that God continues to follow us even when we run from Him. Thank you Lord for not giving up on me.
It wasn't until August 1, 1998 that I began full time ministry. It truly was simply trying to hear God and having the feeling that you were kind of flying by the seat of your pants. I remember beginning to go out to Rapha to work and teach as a volunteer and God stirring me to begin a Saturday night service for the men and anyone else who were either in addiction or in recovery. You have to remember that this was before Celebrate Recovery so there really wasn't a pattern on how to do church for people in recovery . All I knew was that the music would be different and the message would short and to the point. I knew also that we would be having a ministry time at the end of our meetings.
August 21, 1999 - we held our first House of Blue. We chose that name because the color blue symbolizes an open heaven, that God wants to communicate with His people. We also chose it because the blues is a universal music that seems to speak across age lines, ethnic lines and touches all hearts. The only difference in the music would be that it would point to God who is the healer of all. We held our first meeting and it was totally unreal. I went away that night thinking, "God! You rocked the house so how are you going to top that next week?" He did. He did every Saturday night for 4 years.
March 8, 2004 -- I came on staff at Rapha as the staff Pastor, first as part time and later that year ( August ) full time. I continued to work at Gadsden Vineyard Church as well as teach and minister at Rapha.
April 28, 2006 - I preached my first message at the Church@Rapha that morning, followed by my final teaching at Gadsden Vineyard Church. I was now free to devote myself totally to Rapha. There was great sadness as Vicki and I left what had been home for 12 years to us. But we were excited about all the possibilites that lay ahead.
May 31, 2008 - We move our Sunday Morning meeting to Saturday night at Rapha and see an increase in God working among the men. For whatever reason, I have always functioned better at night. I think God may have simply created me to be that night time pastor. Saturday night was such a night that the devil used in the lives of addicts that God wanted to take it back.
These have been 14 incredible years and in some ways, I feel as though I have had a lifetime of experiences and opportunities given to me. I know that God isn't finished with me yet and Vicki and I will continue to go and love and minister to the men who come through the program.
I always tell people that I have the most tremendous position in the world.
I get to sit in one spot and God brings an endless stream of people to me for ministry. How great is that?
Of course Vicki and I pray a prayer each day that Rapha would go out of business because no one needs a rehab to go to. Silly Prayer? Maybe but I'll keep going out to Rapha to love and teach and minister, all the while expecting God to destroy the monster we call addicition.
On the day of my ordination, at the end of the service, Jim came to me and shook my hand. Leaning into me he whispered in my ear, "Your life will no longer be your own." Never has such true words been spoken to me. But you know what? I would not have had it any other way.
God on you....
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Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Go Home
Mark 5:19
.......But He said to him, "Go home to your people and report to them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He had mercy on you."
The man was demonized. They flooded his thinking. They directed his movements. They tormented him. He lived among the tombs, if you could call it living. His life was literally hell here on earth. Into this wretched existence stepped Jesus, the Son of God.
With authority and power, Jesus spoke and commanded the demons to leave the man. Talk about healing! The man was set free from this power of darkness that had owned him. Jesus simply spoke, just as He had spoken at creation ("Let There Be Light!"). Here in is the mystery, in that Jesus' spoken words have power to change, to create, and to do battle and victory over the devil. Of course, in this case, it wasn't much of a battle.
The people of the nearby village came to see what all the hub-bub was about. This demonized man had been troubling them for some time. His screams at night kept the town doors locked. There had been several attempts to bind him, each one failing because of the supernatural strength given to this man by the devil. They had bound him in chains, only to see him break them off like they were strings. Now there sitting before the people of the village was the man formerly demonized, now in his right mind.
Jesus, preparing to leave, was stepping into a boat when the man came asked Jesus to let him go with him. Jesus turned and told him, "Go home! And tell what has happened to you." Isn't that really the heart of Jesus and His Kingdom? To tell our story.
You can take this story of the demonized man and see the evil, controlling life of addiction. You can see the devil's fingerprints all over a life of addiction. Yet through the Power of Jesus Christ, we can be set free to live a new and meaningful life. But this new life comes with a commandment, not a suggestion...not a hint. TELL YOUR STORY! Step #12 reads that Having had a Spiritual Awakening, we seek to practice these principals in all our affairs and to take this message to others who are struggling.
We "practice" these principals----this means that there is a discipline that we continue to follow in our daily lives. God, being a God of order, has given us tools to bring discipline into our former life of chaos. As we walk in this manner, we tell our story to others. That is why we are going to merge into our Saturday night meetings at Rapha, testimony from others who are walking in Step #12.
Last Saturday night, we had two former clients come to the meeting, both having a fair amount of clean time. I asked each of them if they would share some of what had been going on in their life. Each man spoke of how God had saved them from destruction and given them purpose to live out this new life. One added that he never had much use for the 12 steps, that his belief was all he needed was to go to church. Well, going to church is huge......but there was no discipline that aided him in his recovery. There is a saying that Jesus will save your soul, but he will not keep you sober. This may offend some who read this, but please see the truth behind this saying. Jesus has the power to bring healing to your life, but you must be responsible and do the things necessary to not place yourself back into temptations or people who may influence you to relapse.
Remember....
Your life....
Your testimony to the awesomeness of Jesus....
may be the only Bible that some people will read.
Do they see a life delivered and saved when the "read" you?
Praise God for his love for us!
God on you.....
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.......But He said to him, "Go home to your people and report to them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He had mercy on you."
The man was demonized. They flooded his thinking. They directed his movements. They tormented him. He lived among the tombs, if you could call it living. His life was literally hell here on earth. Into this wretched existence stepped Jesus, the Son of God.
With authority and power, Jesus spoke and commanded the demons to leave the man. Talk about healing! The man was set free from this power of darkness that had owned him. Jesus simply spoke, just as He had spoken at creation ("Let There Be Light!"). Here in is the mystery, in that Jesus' spoken words have power to change, to create, and to do battle and victory over the devil. Of course, in this case, it wasn't much of a battle.
The people of the nearby village came to see what all the hub-bub was about. This demonized man had been troubling them for some time. His screams at night kept the town doors locked. There had been several attempts to bind him, each one failing because of the supernatural strength given to this man by the devil. They had bound him in chains, only to see him break them off like they were strings. Now there sitting before the people of the village was the man formerly demonized, now in his right mind.
Jesus, preparing to leave, was stepping into a boat when the man came asked Jesus to let him go with him. Jesus turned and told him, "Go home! And tell what has happened to you." Isn't that really the heart of Jesus and His Kingdom? To tell our story.
You can take this story of the demonized man and see the evil, controlling life of addiction. You can see the devil's fingerprints all over a life of addiction. Yet through the Power of Jesus Christ, we can be set free to live a new and meaningful life. But this new life comes with a commandment, not a suggestion...not a hint. TELL YOUR STORY! Step #12 reads that Having had a Spiritual Awakening, we seek to practice these principals in all our affairs and to take this message to others who are struggling.
We "practice" these principals----this means that there is a discipline that we continue to follow in our daily lives. God, being a God of order, has given us tools to bring discipline into our former life of chaos. As we walk in this manner, we tell our story to others. That is why we are going to merge into our Saturday night meetings at Rapha, testimony from others who are walking in Step #12.
Last Saturday night, we had two former clients come to the meeting, both having a fair amount of clean time. I asked each of them if they would share some of what had been going on in their life. Each man spoke of how God had saved them from destruction and given them purpose to live out this new life. One added that he never had much use for the 12 steps, that his belief was all he needed was to go to church. Well, going to church is huge......but there was no discipline that aided him in his recovery. There is a saying that Jesus will save your soul, but he will not keep you sober. This may offend some who read this, but please see the truth behind this saying. Jesus has the power to bring healing to your life, but you must be responsible and do the things necessary to not place yourself back into temptations or people who may influence you to relapse.
Remember....
Your life....
Your testimony to the awesomeness of Jesus....
may be the only Bible that some people will read.
Do they see a life delivered and saved when the "read" you?
Praise God for his love for us!
God on you.....
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Tuesday, July 5, 2011
New Message In Podcast Section
Just Downloaded Message From Seth Barber: "And Now For The Rest Of The Story."
Enjoy....
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Enjoy....
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Day After The Fourth....The Fifth.
What an incredible 4th of July we had.
Ten men were baptized yesterday morning in the creek at Rapha.
Ten men celebrated their spiritual independence yesterday.
As we were standing in the creek preparing to baptize the first man, a snow white heron came flying down the creek and flew directly over our heads. I commented to everyone, "I guess that was the Rapha version of a white dove, a symbol of the Holy Spirit."
It is always a thrill for me to climb down the bank to that creek.
Wade out to the middle and prepare to receive each man.
As they come, they do so with many different stories from their past, not all of the them good.
But on this day, they are taking the steps to begin a new life in Christ.
One by one they made their way down into the water, and one by one we baptized each man.
Coming up out of the water, some shouted with joy, others were simply overcome by the experience.
It was a God moment.
After the baptism was over, Wayne Wimpee, Barry Hooks and I stood there in creek praying for one another. Wayne and Barry are our two elders for the church@Rapha. They had assisted me in hundreds of baptisms over the past 13 years. As I said before, we never tire of taking part in this ordinance that Jesus gave to the church.
Sunday night was another great time I got to take part in. I spoke at Celebrate Recovery North Glencoe Baptist Church. When it came time for ministry and prayer, people began to come to the front.....some to be saved...some to confess...some in need of pray and a touch from God...
Blessings on Seth Barber and everyone involved with this Celebrate Recovery.
Here it is Tuesday, the 5th, and we have to move on.
We can bask in the glow of the weekend and the holiday or we can turn our attention back to the call of Christ on our lives.
What call?
To be the person God created us to be.
To deal with our character defects, asking God to remove them and replace them with the fruit of the Holy Spirit.
To tell our story to those who haven't heard it yet.
To be salt and light in a world that has rejected Jesus.
Romans 6:4
Therefore, we are buried with him by baptism into death. That like as Christ was raised up from the day by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Instead of concentrating on "doing" for Jesus today, concentrate on "being".
If you are "BECOMING" the person Jesus created you to be, the you will be "DOING" what he has called you to do like it was second nature.
God on you.....
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Ten men were baptized yesterday morning in the creek at Rapha.
Ten men celebrated their spiritual independence yesterday.
As we were standing in the creek preparing to baptize the first man, a snow white heron came flying down the creek and flew directly over our heads. I commented to everyone, "I guess that was the Rapha version of a white dove, a symbol of the Holy Spirit."
It is always a thrill for me to climb down the bank to that creek.
Wade out to the middle and prepare to receive each man.
As they come, they do so with many different stories from their past, not all of the them good.
But on this day, they are taking the steps to begin a new life in Christ.
One by one they made their way down into the water, and one by one we baptized each man.
Coming up out of the water, some shouted with joy, others were simply overcome by the experience.
It was a God moment.
After the baptism was over, Wayne Wimpee, Barry Hooks and I stood there in creek praying for one another. Wayne and Barry are our two elders for the church@Rapha. They had assisted me in hundreds of baptisms over the past 13 years. As I said before, we never tire of taking part in this ordinance that Jesus gave to the church.
Sunday night was another great time I got to take part in. I spoke at Celebrate Recovery North Glencoe Baptist Church. When it came time for ministry and prayer, people began to come to the front.....some to be saved...some to confess...some in need of pray and a touch from God...
Blessings on Seth Barber and everyone involved with this Celebrate Recovery.
Here it is Tuesday, the 5th, and we have to move on.
We can bask in the glow of the weekend and the holiday or we can turn our attention back to the call of Christ on our lives.
What call?
To be the person God created us to be.
To deal with our character defects, asking God to remove them and replace them with the fruit of the Holy Spirit.
To tell our story to those who haven't heard it yet.
To be salt and light in a world that has rejected Jesus.
Romans 6:4
Therefore, we are buried with him by baptism into death. That like as Christ was raised up from the day by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Instead of concentrating on "doing" for Jesus today, concentrate on "being".
If you are "BECOMING" the person Jesus created you to be, the you will be "DOING" what he has called you to do like it was second nature.
God on you.....
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Monday, July 4, 2011
Independence Day
Happy Fourth of July.....235 years old. Still a good place to live and raise a family.
Spoke at Celebrate Recovery North Glencoe last night. God was good and ministry was great as people came to the front to be pray and be prayed for.
Seth Barber, who heads up CR North Glencoe, continues to amaze me as God grows him and stretches him.
Karen led worship and the songs were totally directed to God, asking God to come and meet with us.
Several guys from my past were there....Good to see Steve Yarbrough, Vance Ritchey, Tim Holt, Mark Alexander, Terry Doster, Bubba Dutton, Nick Johnson and so many others.
Today will be a day of celebration for most folks.
There will be cookouts and fireworks.
Time at the pool or the river (not to mention the beach).
Family and friends will gather to eat and reminisce about old times.
The birthday of our country...........The fourth of July.
Jesus purchased our freedom at Calvary.
There blood was spilt to pay for my sin-debt, that I might live free from the bondage of the government of darkness and Satan.
God has called us "out" of the world into a life with Him.
II Corinthians 6:18 reads:
And what union can there be between God's temple and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As Gos said, "I will live in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people. Therefore, come out from them and separate yourselves from them" says the Lord. Don't touch filthy things, and I will welcome you. And I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters," says the Lord.
Just as America won their independence from Great Britain, we have been given our freedom from sin and hell. Therefore, we should never engage again with the things of the devil. That is why God calls us to come out from the world. To not do business or live like the world. There are many today who feel like it is the call of the church to act like, look like and sound like the world so we can attract people to come to our meetings. How backwards is this thinking. Now, before you go postal on me, I'm not suggesting that we all put on brown robes, wear sandals and grow organic vegetables on a mountaintop somewhere far away from the maddening crowd (although such a thought is very entertaining). What takes place in our life and in our church should be guided and given by the Holy Spirit of God.
We are a free people. We should live as such.
We should be the most assured people, because of God's Holy Spirit, that anyone has ever seen.
Folks around us are watching us to see how we handle adversity.
When they see us acting the same way as every one else, then why should they consider coming to church? We are no different in their eyes.
I am reminded of when the economy began to tank back in 2008.
People lost retirement accounts.
Stocks took a major tumble.
Fear was in the air and there was an undercurrent of panic.
God's people should have gone about their business with a calm and resolve. After all, trusting in God means that you don't have to trust the Federal Government.
My Father owns the cattle on a thousand hillsides. IF I find myself in need of something, I say, "It time we had a beef sale." My heavenly Father meets my needs. I can attest to this because that is what He has done over the past 38 years.
During all the hoop-la today, take time to remember who gave us real freedom.
Take time to worship Him today....
God on you.....
mb
Spoke at Celebrate Recovery North Glencoe last night. God was good and ministry was great as people came to the front to be pray and be prayed for.
Seth Barber, who heads up CR North Glencoe, continues to amaze me as God grows him and stretches him.
Karen led worship and the songs were totally directed to God, asking God to come and meet with us.
Several guys from my past were there....Good to see Steve Yarbrough, Vance Ritchey, Tim Holt, Mark Alexander, Terry Doster, Bubba Dutton, Nick Johnson and so many others.
Today will be a day of celebration for most folks.
There will be cookouts and fireworks.
Time at the pool or the river (not to mention the beach).
Family and friends will gather to eat and reminisce about old times.
The birthday of our country...........The fourth of July.
Jesus purchased our freedom at Calvary.
There blood was spilt to pay for my sin-debt, that I might live free from the bondage of the government of darkness and Satan.
God has called us "out" of the world into a life with Him.
II Corinthians 6:18 reads:
And what union can there be between God's temple and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As Gos said, "I will live in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people. Therefore, come out from them and separate yourselves from them" says the Lord. Don't touch filthy things, and I will welcome you. And I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters," says the Lord.
Just as America won their independence from Great Britain, we have been given our freedom from sin and hell. Therefore, we should never engage again with the things of the devil. That is why God calls us to come out from the world. To not do business or live like the world. There are many today who feel like it is the call of the church to act like, look like and sound like the world so we can attract people to come to our meetings. How backwards is this thinking. Now, before you go postal on me, I'm not suggesting that we all put on brown robes, wear sandals and grow organic vegetables on a mountaintop somewhere far away from the maddening crowd (although such a thought is very entertaining). What takes place in our life and in our church should be guided and given by the Holy Spirit of God.
We are a free people. We should live as such.
We should be the most assured people, because of God's Holy Spirit, that anyone has ever seen.
Folks around us are watching us to see how we handle adversity.
When they see us acting the same way as every one else, then why should they consider coming to church? We are no different in their eyes.
I am reminded of when the economy began to tank back in 2008.
People lost retirement accounts.
Stocks took a major tumble.
Fear was in the air and there was an undercurrent of panic.
God's people should have gone about their business with a calm and resolve. After all, trusting in God means that you don't have to trust the Federal Government.
My Father owns the cattle on a thousand hillsides. IF I find myself in need of something, I say, "It time we had a beef sale." My heavenly Father meets my needs. I can attest to this because that is what He has done over the past 38 years.
During all the hoop-la today, take time to remember who gave us real freedom.
Take time to worship Him today....
God on you.....
mb
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Watermelon Christians
What kind of Christian are you?
What kind of Watermelon Christian are you?
You can tell a lot about a person by the way they eat watermelon.
What kind of Watermelon Christian are you?
You can tell a lot about a person by the way they eat watermelon.
Me?
I one of those types who dive in when watermelon is served.
I one of those types who dive in when watermelon is served.
I don't flick out the seeds with my fork (We don't need no stinkin' forks to eat watermelon with) . That is why God created spitting. Spit them seeds out. Hey...make a game of seed spitting. Who can spit one the farther than anyone in the group?
I get juice on my face. I savor the moment and the flavor as the melon fills my mouth.
I get juice on my face. I savor the moment and the flavor as the melon fills my mouth.
Some people hold their watermelon away from themselves so as not to let the juice get on them. If they break off a piece to eat, they usually hold it between two fingers so as not to let the juice run down their hands. They lean over and bend at the waist, filling their mouth's with small bites of melon.
I guess you could say that I'm a slob when it comes to melon eating.
I don't care if the juice gets on me. I can always wash off later.
What does this have to do with anything?
Well, some folks want to experience God the same way they eat watermelon. They want to be in his presence.....see him work....they just don't want to get the juice (Holy Spirit) on themselves or in them. They are prim and proper in their Christianity never wanting anyone to see them in any other fashion. The idea that God would come and undo them, uncover them and leave them open and undone is terrifying to them. They digest God is small portions, as if this were something to be proud of. They cry and "praise God!" when someone gets saved or rededicates their life, but don't ask them to go to the altar for prayer. People might think something was wrong with them. Don't get that melon juice on you.....
What does this have to do with anything?
Well, some folks want to experience God the same way they eat watermelon. They want to be in his presence.....see him work....they just don't want to get the juice (Holy Spirit) on themselves or in them. They are prim and proper in their Christianity never wanting anyone to see them in any other fashion. The idea that God would come and undo them, uncover them and leave them open and undone is terrifying to them. They digest God is small portions, as if this were something to be proud of. They cry and "praise God!" when someone gets saved or rededicates their life, but don't ask them to go to the altar for prayer. People might think something was wrong with them. Don't get that melon juice on you.....
You know...I figure if God is a complete God, then I should be a complete follower. By that, I mean that I should have nothing to hide from God or others (Like I could hide something from God). I am grateful that God is not a slacker when it comes to dealing with me. I do not want to get away with anything. This is part of what I call "The world's most dangerous prayer". I use it at Rapha all the time, including myself when I pray it.
"Lord......don't let us get away with anything. Uncover us at every turn."
Whatever God does, He does completely.
He saves us 100 %....not 99.9 %
"Lord......don't let us get away with anything. Uncover us at every turn."
Whatever God does, He does completely.
He saves us 100 %....not 99.9 %
He heals us 100%......not 33 1/3%
He forgives us 100%....not 50%
So why should I hold back anything as I follow after God?
Why not just become totally fanatical about Him and His Kingdom?
We are fanatics about football and NASCAR.
We are completely bonkers over movie stars and singers.
We are completely bonkers over movie stars and singers.
So why not simply go "Fruit-loops" for God!
I Peter 5:5 reads:
"God sets himself against the proud..but he gives grace to the humble."
Don't let pride keep you from enjoying the fullness of God (Or some good watermelon).
Don't let pride keep you from receiving from God.
Let the grace of God flow over you and in you as you simply agree with God who God says you are.
Let the grace of God flow over you and in you as you simply agree with God who God says you are.
"That right Father...I am a seed-spitting...juice dripping...watermelon loving...child of yours."
I do love God....
God on you....
mb
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