Easter April 12, 2009

Today is Easter, I felt like sharing a bit on what the Lord is teaching me or leading me through. I've been sick the past couple of days. Friday I went to get malaria test and its not malaria. Since it was good Friday and I didn't seem I was in an emergency condition, I decided to wait. It has been a rough weekend to say the least. Elisha is going through a very rebellious time when it comes to eating so now is not the time to slack on discipline and training him up in the Lord. I would of rather given him a chocolate bar and made him smile rather than spank him and make him sit and eat his macaroni and cheese. But we were consistent with making him obey mommy and daddy. We finally after an hour had success and he ate. I have no idea what sickness is going on in me but I do know Jesus is the healer and I am trusting in Him. Praise the Lord oh my soul and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. psalm 103:3. I wont scare or bore you with spiritual warfare going on around here. Tomorrow I go to the Dr. and get some tests done.

I woke up this morning again feeling icky. Weakness, weird bump on the throat that hurts, nausea, bad head ache, body aches, sweating.... we ruled out pregnancy as well. So Bud went out to church and I stayed in bed. Hollie was so incredible to stay and help with the babies. I woke up at one point to find them asleep and her washing dishes. Such a sweet and gracious friend! She also went and got me a bar of chocolate with hazlenuts in which I devoured. Yes, I ate an entire chocoalate bar. I can't remember the last time I did that. I ate an apple this morning though so I'm pretty sure that balances out right? Hey, it's Easter. Be free. So I had the opportunity to lay in bed and listen to a sermon. I was led to a Bill Johnson sermon from the podcast we download from Bethel Church. It was titled "Overcome or be overcomed". It stuck out so into my bible I dug around while listening to Mr. Johnson. Here is part of it I felt the urge to type out while listening...
There’s not two groups, the destroyed and the survivors. There’s the overcome and overcomers. We should be fixing our hearts in such a way that we live our life, not to survive, cause you can easily survive but more to be overcoming. Overcome or be overcomed. We have not been assigned to a task to just hold on until Jesus returns, we are here getting a job done so that when Jesus returns he comes back for a victorious bride, a glorious church. We live in a time where crisis and victory goes on. A verse that sets a standard is Isaiah 60:1. "Arise and shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For behold darkness willl cover the earth and deep darkness the peoples; but the Lord will rise upon you and His glory will appear upon you." Parallel: Things get difficult but also gets better. It’s a great time to re-look at priorities. For those who truly value the things that the Lord values, you’re about to enter the most significant season of your life. For everyone that adjust the values of their heart, to make sure that becomes the supreme thing, that the earth is filled with the glory of the Lord, that the people of the Lord are encouraged and strengthened. Those simple values that were illustrated to us by Jesus and the early church taught us.
It ended up being a very encouraging and yet extremely challenging message that I needed to hear. It went perfect with what we celebrate today- the life of Jesus Christ. He didn't die and raise from the dead so we could live a convenient non confrontation life. Not just to get by but to overcome things in our life because He has overcome the world by conquering the grave! We are called to the front lines and as I sat and listend to Holy Spirit minister to my soul He reminded me that I am a Warrior Princess Bride, a daughter to the King of Kings. That sounds like a fairytale but its not, its who the God of heaven and earth calls us to be and to act. Sometimes we forget who we are by the way we act and talk. Priorities? Yes, even here in the midst of doing ministry almost 24/7, do I forget my priorities. Not by coincidence, my sweet sister in Christ, friend, and mentor wrote me an email with a challenge. She is so good to be up front in a loving way. I so needed that today. I hope she doesn't mind I am going to quote a small part of what she said to me and maybe someone out there needs to be asked this as well.
"What do you really believe? What has God called you to do and what of the gospel do you really believe? Is your face set as flint on following the Spirit and raising up end time revival across the continent? What do you believe? "I am not ashamed of the gospel (good news) of Christ (anointed one) for it is the power (dunamis-dynamite) of God unto salvation (sozo-forgiven, eternal life, deliverance, healing, wholeness, peace, prosperity) for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek." Romans 1:16. "
So as I lay in bed in much weakness, inside I regain strength to press on towards the goal. Not doing it half harted but setting my face as flint looking upward and not to the left or right. Saving orphans isn't enough for me. It's a intimate relationship with Christ, and doing whatever it takes to make known to a dying world the love of Christ, the death of Christ, and the life of Christ. I want to be part of preparing the church, the body, for the coming back of Jesus. I want to see revival in a desolate land of poverty and hunger. I want to be part of what Jesus is doing. "that I may know Him and the power of His ressurection and the fellowhip of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the ressurrection from the dead... I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." Phillippians 4:10&14.

Ill set you as a seal upon my heart, as a seal upon my own. For there is love that is as strong as death, jealousy demanding as the grave. And many waters can not quench this love. (from the song You wont relent by Misty Edwards) Let me just add... I STRONGLY recomend the cd Relentless by Misty Edwards... it's anything but mediocracy but going after the Lord in worship with all ya got!