Preach Christ

Has the primary focus of what is now called “the gospel” shifted from being about Jesus to being about what Jesus will do for people? How can you avoid this in your preaching/sharing/ministry?

This was a discussion question for one of my classes at IHOPU about Christology. The relevance of the answer to this question is so pertinent to us as believers in our generation that I thought I would share my answer here. 

In the church, the primary focus of Sunday morning messages and the sharing of “the gospel” has shifted from being about the person of Jesus and knowing Him in His identity to what He can do for us. One of the reasons that Jesus is so rarely talked about is that people do not fully grasp the unequaled splendor and majesty that He has. They are not fascinated by Him in all of His mind-blowing glory, and thus do not preach about His supreme beauty, but rather preach of what He can do for us. Jesus , the second person of the trinity, has been demoted from the place of high honor and reverence, to a pocket genie who can help us when we get stuck running our own lives. As forerunners in our generation we are called like Paul to preach Christ and Him crucified.

But we preach Christ crucified….1 Corinthians 1:23

For I am determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. 1 Corinthians 2:2 

Yes, we preach about what Christ has done for us but we do it from a place of considering the great worth and unhindered glory of Christ. The only way to preach Christ effectively is to know Him intimately and deeply. Our reach must never relent in pursuing the knowledge of Christ. 

“No Christ is not in your sermon, sir? Then go home, and never preach again until you have something worth preaching.”- Charles H. Spurgeon

Jerusalem Post

I had to write a paper on the events surrounding Jesus' second coming from the perspective of the Millennium for my class on Zechariah and Haggai. It was so exciting that I thought I would share it here:

Jerusalem Post

Peace Returns to the City of the Great King

The Events that have taken place in the recent times in Jerusalem are staggering. Peace has finally come to the City of the Great King. The Messiah has returned and delivered Israel from her enemies and brought blessing and favor upon her! 

This hope for peace began seven years ago when the Antichrist set up a false treaty with the nation of Israel only to break that treaty in the middle. He then began his ruthless destruction of the people of Israel because he hated the inhabitants of the City of the Great King. Many Jewish people cursed God and fled for their lives. In actuality, the Lord raised up the Antichrist due to Israel’s rejection of the good shepherd when He first came as a lowly babe. This was the Lord’s discipline plan to bring the nation back to Himself. Orchestrating the whole event, the Lord wanted to use this conflict to judge the nations in order to cleanse them and Israel and replace their national governments. Throughout these 3 1/2 dreadful years, almost 2/3 of the population of Israel was slaughtered by the Antichrist and his kingdom. He led all of the nations together to hate Israel and gathered them for battle to take over the City of the Great King and dispose of it’s inhabitants. Jerusalem was surrounded on every side with no hope of victory. This siege against Jerusalem lasted 3 1/2 years. The Antichrist’s kingdom sought to capture Jerusalem for religious purposes. Throughout this time, the landscape around Jerusalem was drastically changed from the wars and other natural disturbances. 

Before He returned, the Lord had supernaturally empowered the Israeli army as His agents to defend Israel against attack, but not to wage war. He empowered the soldiers in Judah first to create unity with Jerusalem. The tribes of Judah and Benjamin returned and were restored. The Lord blessed the tiny Israeli army militarily so that they would not be wiped out. People reported seeing angels encamped around Israel on several occasions. Great miracles were released by the Lord in accordance with His coming.

One glorious morning now known as the Day of the Lord, the Messiah appeared in the sky on a white horse with His multitude of armies. When He first came 2500 years ago, He came on a lowly donkey, but this time He came as a victorious warrior. That day for the Antichrist kingdom was erie as there was no light. The sun, moon, and stars were darkened, creating utter gloom and darkness. But the brightness of His appearing lit up the entire sky. Every eye saw Him coming in great glory and power. The trumpet of God was blown and the dead in Christ rose first. It was terrifying and glorious to see body parts floating up from the ground and dead people coming to life as they received a glorified body and joined in ranks behind Jesus. Descending to Earth, He came up from Ephraim and Bozrah in the South marching straight to Jerusalem, rescuing the Jewish remnant that had fled to Egypt and Assyria or had been taken captive along the way. As the greater Moses, He delivered the Israelites from the prison camps. When His feet touched the Mount of Olives, there was a ear-splitting trumpet blast as a earthquake of enormous magnitude divided the mountain in half allowing Jewish remnants trapped in the Valley outside Jerusalem to flee in panic and escape the Antichrist’s armies.

All the kings of the earth were gathered with their armies around Jerusalem to fight Jesus and His armies at the Battle of Armageddon. The Lord terrified the horses of the Antichrist’s army and struck the horses blind, causing great panic as they were led by insane soldiers. In sight of all nations, Jesus destroyed the Antichrist’s armies surrounding Jerusalem by the breath of His mouth and liberated the Jewish prisoners. Anyone who fought against Israel was struck with disease. The flesh, eyes, tongues of enemy soldiers dissolved even as they stood on their feet. Great agony and blood-curdling screams could be heard from those perishing. Even the animals caught the plague and died. Great fear and panic caused the Antichrist’s army to fight against their own soldiers. That day, Israel gained the wealth and spoils of the nations of the earth. God saved His people because they are valuable to Him, showing His goodness and beauty and His people as His crown jewels.

God’s judgement and salvation came to nations surrounding Israel. Humbling their pride, He cleansed them of their sin, offered them salvation, and allowed them participation in His kingdom. This happened to the cities that oppressed Israel including: Syria (Hadrach, Damascus, Hamath), Phonecia (Tyre, Sidon), and Philistia (Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, Ashdod).

Upon the salvation of the city, loud lamenting could be heard through the streets as the Jewish people gazed upon the one whom they had pierced. Realizing they had rejected their Messiah 2500 years ago, they wept with sorrow. National repentance was clearly evident throughout the land. Though the Messiah knew the gravity of the sin they had committed, He forgave them and called everyone to celebrate the Feast of Atonement. He brought salvation as He is just and humble. He poured out the spirit of grace and supplication so that they could receive revelation, power, prayer, and salvation. Though they rejected Him the first time, Jesus was loyal to them for centuries while they despised Him. The love that Israel has for Him now because of this is tangible in the streets of the city. Through the process of global war, the Lord saved, refined, and transformed Israel. The leaders of Jerusalem received Jesus, a Jewish man, as their Messianic King. Rejoicing is heard in the streets. As the greater Joshua, He lead Israel refugees back to the promised land.

Now we have entered into the Messiah’s reign and people are calling it the Millennium due to the prophecies from the Bible. Establishing His throne in Jerusalem, His dominion stretches from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth. As the greater David, He won back Jerusalem and established His throne there. Now that Israel has received her Messiah, Jesus begins to cleanse the land. Through His dominion He has caused all war to cease. Promising to restore double what the enemy took from Israel, the nation has been blessed agriculturally, spiritually, and governmentally. This is the active fruit we have seen thus far of Jesus ruling as King in Jerusalem. He has also regathered Israel from the nations in great numbers and brought them back to Jerusalem. This is possible due to the drastic alteration in the landscape from the earthquake and war desolation. Jerusalem is now a large, plain set upon the highest mountain in the entire earth. Now two rivers of living water with supernatural healing properties flow from the Temple and throne of God flowing east toward the Dead Sea and west toward the Mediterranean Sea. 

Idolatry is completely removed from the nation as well as bad leadership and government. This is an expression of Jesus’ righteous anger and zeal for the affections of His people. Children have a unique, dynamic relationship with Jesus as they see Him as their source of security and strength instead of relying on what their parents say from experiencing the Lord. Another phenomenon is that there is no night in this Millennium, but everything continues to run their cycle of life. The sun, moon, animals, vegetation, and topography are all different. They have been restored and are incredible as they are freed from the chains of sin and death. There is no light as the Lamb is the light of the Temple and illuminates the whole earth. Jesus is King of Kings over all the earth as all the kings of the earth pay homage to Him, worship Him, and serve Him. This includes the Gentiles as well as the Jewish people. Jerusalem is the safest city in all of history. Everything in the City of the Great King has holiness to the Lord written on it. 

 Next month, be sure to make your way to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles. Those who don’t attend will experience a drought upon their land and agricultural growth will be low. Besides, who doesn’t like a feast? Let us rejoice and be glad, for Israel’s Messiah has come. The Prince of Peace, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father has come. His government and peace shall know no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over His kingdom establishing it and upholding it with justice and righteousness from now until forever. His name is Jesus!

My life theme.....send me

Romans 10:15:

How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring Good News of Good Things!"


Yeah, that basically sums it up.......SEND ME.

It's a life binding covenant

My Sermon on the Mount class yesterday was on Matt. 5:27-36, about immorality, adultery, marriage, and oaths. Something that I realized in a greater measure was the nature of the covenant (our sub-teacher was really emphasizing covenants). He was talking about how when two people get married they join into a covenant that lasts forever. They are agreeing that from that time forth there are 'no more options' for a spouse. They are with the only option. (he was talking about avoiding lust) We kept discussing it and how with all the Biblical covenants (Abrahamic, Noahic, Davidic, New Covenant, and Mosaic) they all were 'sealed' with the shedding of blood.

What hit me was that when people have sex (for married couples, consummating the marriage), they are making a covenant with each other with the shedding of blood. Whether they mean to or not, want to or not, know it or not, or realize it's happening. I'm realizing that this is why it's stronger than a crush, stronger than a soul tie, stronger than a boyfriend/girlfriend relationship. It's a life binding covenant. That's why when two people have sex and then break up later why it is so hard and painful. They don't realize the covenant made.

Since this is my first time realizing this and pondering this concept, I don't have answers to my questions. Some of them include: so what happens when you have sex with someone you don't marry? My mom always told me that I don't have to marry someone just because I had sex with them or just because they got me prego. One mistake doesn't need to lead to two. Do you have to 'break' a covenant like you do soul ties? Can you break covenants?

This semester has been huge in my training as a missionary. One of the classes I had was Systematic Theology trying to figure out what I actually believe about God and foundations of Christianity. Then there was the death of my uncle and me wrestling with ideas of what it means to be dead, what true salvation is, who can be saved, what it means to be saved, lifestyles of righteousness and what it looks like, and much more. Then there was an issue of immorality someone confided in me about and me asking myself what I think about the situation. Was it right, was it wrong? Was it sin, or was it love? What does my culture say? Is my culture's thinking inside of me? What does this mean regarding the scriptures? What do they actually say? What is a covenant? What happens when the covenant is broken? How do you walk out healing and restoration?

This training has taken my 'head knowledge' and made it 'heart knowledge' because it isn't just stories and scenarios.....it's my real life. It's real people. And it affects my emotions. This is real missionary training. So even though this has been hard for me, I'm thankful God is taking me through this training and preparing me for the nations. 

Christ is everything we need

I read this in my Old Testament Survey class textbook and it made me so excited when reading it! So thankful that Jesus is all of these things!!!!

Christocentric themes are found in each one of the 66 books of the Bible. In the Old Testament Christ is the Seed of the woman (Gen. 3:15), He is the Passover Lamb (Ex. 12:3), the Atoning Sacrifice (Lev. 17:11), the Smitten Rock (Num. 20:8, 11), and the Faithful Prophet (Deut. 18:18). Christ is the Captian of the Lord's Host (Josh 5:15), the Divine Deliverer (Judg. 2:18), and the Kinsman Redeemer (Ruth 3:12). Christ is anticipated as the Anointed One (1Sam. 2:10), and as the Son of David (2Sam. 7:14). In 1 and 2 Kings Christ may be viewed as the coming King and in 1 and 2 Chronicles as the Builder of the Temple (1Chron. 28:20). Ezra represents Christ as the Restorer of the Temple (Ezra 6:14-15), Nehemiah shows Him as the Restorer of the Nation (Neh. 6:15), and Esther portrays Him as the Preserver of the Nation (Esther 4:14). Christ is also seen as the Living Redeemer (Job 19:25), as the Praise of Israel (Ps 150:6), the Wisdom of God (Prov. 8:22-23), the Great Teacher (Eccles. 12:11), and the Fairest of Ten Thousand (SOS 5:10). Christ is the Suffering Servant (Isa. 53:11), the Maker of the New Covenant (Jer. 31:31), the Man of Sorrows (Lam. 3:28-30), the Glory of God (Ezk. 43:2), and the coming Messiah (Dan. 9:25). He is also depicted as the Lover of the Unfaithful (Hos. 3:1), the Hope of Israel (Joel 3:16), the Husbandman (Amos 9:13), the Savior (Obad. 21), the Resurrected One (Jon. 2:10), the Ruler in Israel (Micah 5:2), the Avenger (Nah. 2:1), the Holy God (Hab. 1:13, the King of Israel (Zeph. 3:15), the Desire of the Nations (Hag. 2:7), the Righteous Branch (Zech. 3:8), and the Sun of Righteousness (Mal. 4:2).

In the New Testament Christ is presented as the King of the Jews (Matt 2:2), the Servant of The Lord (Mark 10:45), the Son of Man (Luke 19:10), and the Son of God (John 1:1). Christ is the Ascended Lord (Acts 1:10), the believer's Righetousness (Rom. 1:17), Sanctification (1Cor. 1:30), Sufficiency (2Cor. 12:9), and Liberty (Gal. 2:4). He is revealed as the Exalted Head of the church (Eph. 1:22), the Christian's Joy (Phil. 1:26), and the Fullness of Deity (col. 2:9). In the Thessalonian epistles Christ is the believer's Comfort (1Thes. 4:16-17) and Glory (2Thes. 1:12). He is seen as the Christian's Preserver (1Tim. 4:10), Rewarder (2Tim. 4:8), Blessed Hope (Titus 2:13), and Substitute (Philemon 17). He is also High Priest (Heb. 4:17), the Giver of Wisdom (James 1:5), the Rock (1Pet. 2:6), and the Precious Promise (2Pet. 1:4). John represents Christ as the Life (1John), the Truth (2John), and the Way (3John). Jude portrays Christ as the Advocate and Revelation shows Him as King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Rev. 19:16). It is literally true that the Bible is all about Christ!

Mother Teresa's Missional Prayer

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The prayer Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity say before leaving for their Apostolate:

Dear Lord, the Great Healer, I kneel before you, Since every perfect gift comes from you. I pray, give skill to my hands, clear vision to my mind, kindness and meekness to my heart. Give me singleness of purpose, strength to lift up a part of the burden of my fellow suffering men [sic], and a true realization of the privilege that is mine. Take from my heart all guile and worldliness, That with the simple faith of a child, I may rely on you.

Reposted from Kurt Miller's blog: http://www.letincensearise.com/  

The Nations

If you have been following my blog, you will have noticed that I changed the website's url to heart4asia. For those of you who know me, my heart truly is in Asia. It's only a matter of time until I'm there. As I've been here at IHOP-KC, I've begun to realize the extent of love that God has given me for the Asian people groups and the 10/40 window. I've known since I was a little girl that I was to be a full time missionary. I just did not know what that would entail. Now, looking at how he is leading my life and directing my steps, the puzzle pieces are beginning to fall.

Recently in the prayer room I felt like I was supposed to list the nations I wanted to serve in one day and make a lasting impact for Christ in. So, here is my list/goal. A daughter can ask her dad for anything right? =)

China   Taiwan   Singapore   Malaysia   Vietnam   Cambodia   Thailand   Laos   Fiji   Tahiti   Guam   Mongolia   Paupa New Guinea   Hong Kong   Turkey   Iraq   Iran   Afghanistan   Pakistan   India   Nepal   Burma   Japan   South/North Korea   Philipeans   Indonesia   Bhutan   Tajikistan   Samoa   Lebanon   Kazakhstan   Tibet   Bangladesh   Marshall Islands   Solomon Islands 

Basically, most of Asia and Arabia! I am so excited to see how all of this plays out. I cannot wait to see what God has planned!

Nations to go to

Nations I have been to

If you want to support me financially, would like to be a prayer partner, and/or would like to receive blog updates on different mission trips I take, please don't hesitate to contact me! 

pricea@ihopu.org

atponpointe@yahoo.com

Or on:

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Twitter: @babelovescoffee (soon hopefully changing to new one-will keep you updated)

Saved from abortion by prayer-Guest post

Hey guys! It's been a long time since I last wrote. Check out what happened to me this summer in Taiwan, Japan, and New Zealand by clicking here:

http://asiatravels2012.blogspot.com/

One of my friends was a guest author on Bound for Life's blog. It was so touching to my heart that I asked if I could re-post it here and she said yes. I am so thankful for Katie!!!! Thank you God for sparing her life!

Jesus, I plead your blood over my sins and the sins of my nation. God, end abortion and send revival to America!

By Katie Kotila
My birth-mother, Alisha, was 16 and afraid. She discovered she was pregnant in December 1991 and the most terrifying thing to her at that moment was telling her father. He immediately scheduled an abortion for her and later she told me she thought he felt the situation was a reflection of his parenting. I, who I was a fetus at that moment, had just a few days to live.
Alisha was against this decision, but as simply a junior in high school she didn’t really feel like she had a choice. Three days before the scheduled abortion, my grandfather gave her the choice; abortion or adoption. Alisha gladly accepted the latter, writing in her journal “I was so happy I didn’t have to kill the baby, so I agreed. It deserved a loving family.” I was finally born on July 28, 1992.
 For the next 18 years, while I was being raised in a loving Christian family, Alisha and I kept in contact through letters, pictures and of course, Facebook. In 2010 I was an intern at the International House of Prayer in Kansas City. Once a week my friend and I would lead the prayer room in prayer for the ending of abortion. One week after we were finished, he turned to me and said, “Has the thought ever crossed your mind that what you are doing in prayer right now, is actually what might have saved you from death?”  The idea intrigued me, but I had no idea that he was actually speaking more truth than I could ever imagine. One month before my 20th birthday, my best friend and I made a pro-life “video letter” that explained my story and gave statistics of abortion in America. By this point in my life, I had met Alisha, different members of her family, and was beginning to develop more of a relationship with all of them. I shared the video with her and my grandmother, Kathy who then, in turn shared it with all of her Facebook companions. A few days later, Kathy messaged me with something a friend of hers had written after watching the video:

“I remember years ago you told me that Alisha’s decision had to be made by the morning… but what I haven’t told you before was that I laid face down on my dining room floor and prayed with all my being for that precious infant’s life… and I feel so blessed to see the complete fulfillment of that prayer…first, by being present at the hospital just after Katie was born to see her ‘physical’ life, but also seeing her now…a life abundantly beautiful! And I am so overjoyed to see YOUR joy, because I know that it was not easy for a lot of years. God is good…VERY good!”

    
This is why my heart is for those who have been silenced…because I was almost one of them, and I believe with all my heart that this woman’s intercession is what saved me. Thank God for her, and thank God for LIFE!

 Katie and her birthmom, Alisha

You can read Katie’s personal blog account of her story here: http://acceptedloved92.blogspot.com/
Katie is on staff at the International House of Prayer. She has been gripped with the issue of abortion from a young age, believing every life is just as precious as her own. This passion grew during her year as a student in TheCall Institute. Her heart is to see the adoption movement spread across the country and a culture of LIFE established in America.

The Power of Laughter

I recently read this article from Elijah List. It was short and very amusing so I decided to post it here. Enjoy! ;)

The Spirit Realm and Holy Laughter

When I was speaking in Auckland, New Zealand, a pastor friend of mine, Ian Johnson, suddenly fell off his chair onto the floor in the middle of the message. He just laid there, so I carried on speaking. It was a very wide room. About six minutes later another friend, Sheryl Morgan, slipped off her chair on the other side of the room, and started laughing hysterically. Everyone else was just listening to me. I didn't feel anything was out of order in the spirit so I carried on speaking.

After about 14 minutes Ian sat back in his chair and Sheryl got up also and sat back in hers. They were quite far away from each other and like I said, the room was very wide so they didn't know what happened to each other.

When the meeting finished I went and spoke to pastor Ian. "What happened?" I asked. He said, "I was just listening to you and I saw a chariot in front of me, so I got in it, and the next minute I was inside my friend's church in Fiji. He was preaching and I saw a big black island demon come straight at him. Then I heard this laughter and the demon left, then it came back and I heard the laughter again and it left. Then I was back in this meeting with you."
"Hmm..." I thought, and then I went to find Sheryl. "What happened to you?" I asked her. She had no idea of anything that happened to Ian as she was sitting quite a ways from him. Sheryl is always laughing and smiling. "I am not sure," she said. "I just kept seeing this big black demon thing and laughing at it."

Now you do know that Holy Ghost laughter is one of the biggest warfare weapons there is, right? God looks on His enemies and laughs, and has them in derision (see Psalm 2:4). The laughter comes when your spirit picks up on a victory that's happening in the spirit realm.
You probably have had an experience like this: you are praying for someone or counseling or something, and maybe they are telling you some pretty awful stuff in the natural and you suddenly start laughing. They look at you like "What's wrong with you?" and you say, "Don't worry about it, something good is happening for you in the spirit realm" and it is. Your spirit picks up on that and responds. It may not look like anything in the natural, it may not sound like anything, but you know your spirit knows something good is happening!

Well you know the next day the pastor from Fiji called Pastor Ian. He said, "Ian, you were in my church yesterday, weren't you?" Ian said, "Yes I was." The Fiji pastor said, "I was preaching in the service and I got attacked by an island spirit, then we all heard this laughter and it left. After a while it came back and we all heard the laughter again and it left." Ian laughed and said, "Yes, I know."

Well, you know a while later a ministry team came over from Fiji to Auckland, and one of the team members came up to talk to Sheryl in a meeting. "Oh, I've heard your laughter before," he said, smiling.

So while I was having my meeting in Auckland, God took two people from that meeting, took them away in the spirit to Fiji, and delivered a church from oppression… yeah, God!

Keep your spiritual antenna up. God can use you too. Meanwhile make sure and get a download of my teaching, The Fanatic in the Attic – it talks all about this.

Kathie Walters
Good News Ministries
Email: kathiewalters@mindspring.com

Kathie Walters is an international speaker who brings freedom to those who feel they have to "qualify." She also ministers in the supernatural and believes that the supernatural realm is for everyone

Truths that are taking root

Truths are like seeds.....they are planted, and you know that they are there. But you can't feel them or see them. Until they start to grow. That is what I experienced this morning in the prayer room. Truths started to peak their way out of the soil in my heart and I realized they are taking root!!! So here is an excerpt from my journal:

I want to fall more in love with you Jesus. Take me down the road that leads to life. I know the journey will be hard and scrape off my dirtiness, but the treasure in the end is way worth it. After learning about sin issues in my life, my heart almost wants to 'reverse' what has been done and 'serve' my way out to make up for the lost time as if I could accomplish something and prove myself in my own strength and striving. But my place isn't for striving. I don't work, I believe.....so that I can work. So, I believe that I am righteous and pure in his eyes because I have been forgiven. His blood is enough. It is his blood that cleanses my conscience. Thank you Jesus! I have been hand selected and chosen for his purposes. Therefore, he redeemed me, adopted me, and set me high above every principality, right next to himself. He made me holy and righteous, for his good pleasure, because he delighted in me. His grace is sufficient for me. He refreshes and restores. I am blameless before his eyes. HE is in love with ME. He so greatly desired me, that he himself became the sacrifice for my sin to appease his own wrath. Not only did he rescue me, he gave me an inheritance that goes beyond eternity. And, if that wasn't enough, he gave me himself by placing the Holy Spirit inside of me. What kind of God is this? Who is this one that loves me so deeply? Who is this one that cares about us to the uttermost? I want to know this man!!! Praise be to God, the sustainer of all things! He alone is worthy to be praised. Teach me to be like you, walking in meekness and humility. This is my heart's cry: I want to see your face! For your face is lovely and your voice is sweet. I want to learn how to serve, to serve others well. Teach me how to love, to pour out myself for others like you did. Give me grace to be selfless and go low. I give myself to you. Have all of me. I just want you.

Verses I was meditating on:
Heb. 9:14, Rom. 4:2-5, Rom. 5:1-2, Eph 1:4-14

Martyrdom-the great sacrifce of love

Allen Hood talked about martyrdom in class yesterday. It struck me because he was talking about how God saves some and others he lets die. It is not for us to know why, but to continue to believe he is sovereign and in control. One of the main reasons it hit me was because I’ve felt like since I was 12 that I was going to be martyred. Especially with my calling to the 10/40 window, I know that threat is very real and close to me. When I ask myself, are you scared?, the answer in my heart is no. I know that whatever God has called me to, he will equip me for. No matter what that may entail. But I know that I need equipping. This is not something that is accomplished in one's own strength. Martyrdom is the great sacrifice of love. To not love oneself unto death and to fully give yourself to the desire of God for your life. It is an act of picking up your cross and following his call for you. Some are called to be rescued and saved to show God's power and might, while others are called to be sacrificed to show that his love is worth everything, even life itself. Martyrdom need not be a hyped up reality. It is a serious and sobering calling. To those he calls, he equips.

God, begin now to prepare my heart for not only surviving imprisonment and suffering, but thriving and remaining strong in who I know you to be. Strengthen me even now to be faithful to the point of death, not withholding anything from you. Allow my heart to remain alive in you and in your word. Prepare me for the greatest testament of my faith. Prepare me to die for you.

 

Tears-joyful adoration

This is an entry from my journal I thought I would share:

Tears. Tears are the fast ramp to the soul. Tears are an outward emotion of pain, hurt, anger, and frustration but they can also be an expression of joyful adoration, laughter, thanksgiving, worship, love, and happiness. When one has experienced a small portion of the fullness of God and tasted of his infinite pleasure, thanksgiving and tears are only a natural response. Not only is this the only age in which you can worship God in the night season (Rev. 21:25-There will be no night there), but it is also the only age you can worship God with your tears. It says in Rev. 21:4 that he will wipe away the tears from their eyes and there will be no more crying when heaven comes to earth. We can only serve him in loving adoration in this life with our tears. This past week being Good Friday and Easter, I have found my own heart to be tender soil. I cry when I just think about Jesus and his goodness. And if you know me, I don’t cry. Ever. So this is a new thing in my life. I can’t help but be suspicious that it is part of praying in tongues on a regular basis, one of our assignments for Corey's class, that is tenderizing my heart. I have cried and wept for Jesus’ return. I have cried myself to sleep several nights longing for Jesus to return. The phrase on my heart and that has consuming my mind is I MISS JESUS. I just want him back. I want him to rule on the earth NOW. Life would truly be better if he was here. There’s nothing on earth worth my clinging too. No job opportunity, no marriage, no grand kids, no life pleasures….nothing is worth postponing his return for a few 20 more years. I want him now. I just want Jesus to come back. I just want to be with him. I miss him. I love him. I want others to be infected with this “I miss Jesus” so that we will all say, “Come, Lord Jesus” and he can return. I miss Jesus! This is part of who I am as a missionary: to infect others with missing Jesus and long for his return. I want Jesus to return quickly! Come, Lord Jesus!!!

Devotion

I've been contemplating what it means to be 'not dating'. And to me, or for me, not dating isn't just a physical reality. It's an emotional one too. So I can't even like anyone in order to fulfill what God has called me to in this season. Because being single is also being single at heart. Not just the outside. True love really does wait. My calling is to love Jesus, point people to him, and seek my calling in Asia. If a guy is part of that plan, then God will provoke him to pursue me. But for now, I wait and love Jesus. The world may say that's foolish. But I have found a love that will never run dry. This is my plan and I'm sticking to it. Jesus is enough. He satisfies.

Questions for Mary

In my Excellencies of Christ class taught by Allen Hood, we had an assignment where we had to come up with 20 questions to ask Mary, the mother of Jesus, if we were given a chance to sit down and talk with her. The assignment was for us to just think on the person of Jesus and just meditate on who He is. And it worked! I thought I would list my questions here for you to ponder. =) Enjoy!

Questions for Mary:

1. What was it like watching Jesus grow up and being perfect, while his siblings would get in trouble and need to be disciplined? Were his siblings ever confused as to why he never got punished?

2. What did other moms say about Jesus?

3. What was it like holding Jesus as a baby and seeing his tiny feet, yet knowing that he created you?

4. What were some of Jesus’ favorite: games? food? things to do? color? smell? flower? music?

5. Was there a light in his eyes that was missing from other people’s?

6. What was his humor like?

7. When he said, “Mommy, you look pretty”, did it feel different than when your other children said it?

8. What was your favorite thing to do with him?

9. What was his personality like?

10. Was it ever confusing when he would say things like, “I remember when I made that!” or “I remember Abraham had the greatest smile!”? When did he ‘know’ that he was God?

11. Did he have any birthmarks?

12. What was his laugh like?

13. How did he act at weddings?

14. What was it like seeing Him crucified when you knew he was innocent?

15. Who was his childhood bestfriend?

16. Did he ever get a faraway look in his eye?

17. What did his resurrected body look/feel like?

18. Did you ever talk about your life problems with him?

19. His first public miracle was when he was 30 years old, changing water into wine. But you knew he could do it…..what kind of miracles did he do at home and with his friends? When was his first miracle?

20. What color were his eyes? Did they look like an amber/fire color?

Weakness: the vessel to transformation

School has started again! That means early morning prayer room. =) Really good to be back....really hard to wake up. =) This morning in the prayer room I was meditating on a couple of different verses and phrases and thought I would share my thoughts here.

One phrase that I have been meditating on is from a devotional book called Jesus is Calling. The phrase was, "My weakness and woundedness are the opening through which the light of the knowledge of His Glory shines forth." It was a really moving phrase that stuck out to me so I decided to look up the verses that I knew supported this verse.

First I looked up the 'light of his Glory' part. Isaiah 60:1 says, "Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you." And then also 2 Cor. 3:18, "And we with unveiled faces all reflect the Lords glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." As we reflect/think about God we are transformed into his likeness.

So then I decided to look up the weakness part. I knew about 2 Cor. 12:9 so I looked it up. "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." One of my favorite verses!!! Typically I follow it up with Phil. 1:6, "being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ." LOVE that verse!!! God is faithful and trustworthy!

But anyway, back on topic, I plugged those verses back into the phrase. What I found was that my weakness and woundedness are vessels for transformation. Transformation to become more like him. To show his power. My brokenness is the key to ever-increasing glory. Praise God! I'm really good at being broken! =)

All the while during my meditations, Jon Thurlow was leading worship. (It was a really good set!!! At the bottom is the link. If it didn't work, it was the 8am set on 1/24/12 around the 45min to 1hr and 40min mark) Some of the phrases he kept singing were matching up exactly to what I was meditating....except he was singing from Psalm 16. I love it when that happens! Here are some of the moving choruses he sang:

-There's something beautiful, there's something holy going on. (transforming power of mercy)
-Suddenly it puts everything into perspective, when I gaze upon the one who is Holy (transforming into his likeness)
-You're so big and I'm so small and it's so good to let you hold me (God has the power to transform)
-I have never seen another one as beautiful (beholding unto transformation)
-All of the weights, they begin to lift off my shoulders when I gaze on the one who is Holy (freedom found in beholding)
-Come up higher, child. I'm waiting for you (invitation to gazing/fascination-arise and shine)
-I lift up my eyes, I lift up my eyes to You
-If there's one thing I've learned, It's that I cannot keep myself. If there's one thing I know, I need you Lord
-I have no good apart from you. Preserve me, oh God (my weaknesses)
-Preserve me, oh God, In you I trust
-I need you like the desert needs the rain. I need you like the ocean needs the rivers. I need you like the morning needs the sun. I need you Lord, You are my only One-I take up the yoke, I know that it's so easy. I take up your burden, it's light.
-I'm holding on to your divine love, I'm holding on and I'm not letting go. It's not my zeal, it's that your love is strong. It's not my strength, it's that you're faithful! 
-When I am weak, that's when you are strong. When I let go, I'll fall into your arms (his power made perfect in our weakness)
-I look into your eyes of mercy. I remember that your heart is for me.
 

So yeah.....this morning prayer room was really good!!!! =) Weakness is the key to transformation.


http://mediasuite.multicastmedia.com/player.php?v=zg318g5t&video_uuid=zg318g5t

I will wait

Super cool poem I found:

So it seemed, that it was cool, for everyone to be in a relationship but me..

So I took matters into my own hands… and ended up with him

Him who displayed the characteristics of a CHEATER, a LIAR, an ABUSER, & a THEIF

So... why was I surprised when he broke into my heart?

I called 911, but I was cardiac arrested for aiding and abetting,

Cause it was ME who let him in…

Claiming we were “just friends”..

It was already decided for me by the first date, that even if he wasn’t!

I was gonna make him ‘The One’..

You know… I was tired of being alone,

And I simply made up in my mind, that it was about that time so I decided to drag him along for the ride,

Cause I was always the bridesmaid & never the bride..

A virgin in the physical, but mentally just a grown woman on the corner in heat!

Who was tired of the wait!

So I was gonna make him ‘The One’.

He had a… form of Godliness… but not much..

But hey, hey I can change him! So (honey) I’ll TAKE him, I mean he’s close… enough

Ready to sell my aorta for a quarter, not knowing the value of its use to me

Arties so clogged with MY will, it blocked HIS Will from flowing through me

So, I thank Christ that His blood pressure gave this heart an attack,

That flatlined my obscured vision, put me flat on my back

Through my ignorance He sawed,

Through my sternum He sawed & cracked open my chest

TO transplant Psalm 51:10

A new heart & a renewed right spirit within!

So now I fully understand,

Better yet I thoroughly comprehend,

How much I NEED to wait… for You.

See, the bad thing is that I knew he wasn’t you from the beginning..

Cause in the beginning was the Word

And he didn’t even sound or shine like Your Son

Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks,

And all he could whisper was sweet, empty nothings –

Which meant NOTHING.

He couldn’t even pray when I NEEDED him to

Asking him to fast would be absurd!

So forget about being cleansed & washed with water through the Word…

But I know You.. ♥

You were already praying for me

Even never having met me

Let me assure you, I will wait for you.

I will no longer date, socialize or communicate with carbon copies of you

To appease my boredom or to quench my thirstiness I have for attention

And short-lived compliments from ‘sorta kindas’.

You know…. He ‘sort kinda’ right, but ‘sorta kinda’ wrong?

His first name LUKE,

His last name WARM.

I, I won’t settle for false companionship

I won’t lay in the embrace of his arms,

Attempting to find some closeness,

But never feeling so far apart cause, I just wanna be held

Cause ”all I gotta do is Say” No!

NO more ‘almost sessions’ of ‘almost coming close’

Passing winks & buying drinks,

I’ma, I’ma, I’ma flirt!

Who flirts with the ideology of,

‘Can you just tell me how much I can get away with & still be saved?’

NO more.

I’ll stay in my bed… alone, and write poems, about how I will wait for you

He won’t even come close,

Our fingers won’t even interlock

We won’t even exchange breath

Cause I have thoughts that I’ve ‘saved as’ in a file that God has only equipped you to open.

I will no longer get weighted down,

From so-called friends & family talks,

About the concern for my biological clock

When I serve the Author of Time.

Who is NOT subject to time,

But I’M subject to Him,

He has the ability to STOP, FAST FORWARD, PAUSE, or REWIND at any given time…

So if we could role play,

You would be Abraham & I would be Sara

Or you can be Isaac & I can be Rebecca – a servant’s answered prayer

I am bone of your bone, flesh of your flesh,

Made up of your rib Adam!

And once we meet, like electrons

I will be bound to your nucleus, completely indivisible atom.

We even speak the same math: 1 + 1 + 1 = 3, which really equals 1 if you add Him.

We were all created in His image,

But you have the ability to reflect, project & even detect the Son.

If I were to explain what you looked like,

You would have to look like a star,

A son of the Son..

I would gain energy simply from the light on me.

I would need you , in order to complete my photosynthesis

I await your revelation, but once again from the genesis, I will wait for you ♥

And I will know you… because when you speak I will be reminded of Solomon’s wisdom,

Your ability to lead will remind me of Moses,

Your faith will remind me of Abraham,

Your confidence in God’s Word will remind me of Daniel,

Your inspiration will remind me of Paul,

Your heart for God will remind me of David,

Your attention to detail will remind me of Noah,

Your integrity will remind me of Joseph,

And your ability to abandon your own will, will remind me of the disciples,

But Your ability to love selflessly & unconditionally will remind me of Christ.

But I won’t need to identify you by any special Matthews or any special Marks,

Cause His word will be tatted all over your heart.

And you will know me, and you will find me,

Where… the boldness of Esther meets the warm closeness of Ruth.

Where the hospitality of Lydia is aligned with the submission of Mary,

Which is engulfed in the tears of a praying Hanna.

I will be the one, drenched in Proverbs 31… waiting for you.

But to my Father, my Father who has known me before I was birthed into this earth

Only if you should see fit…

I desire Your will above mine,

So even if you call me to a life of singleness,

My heart is content with YOU – the One who was sent.

YOU are the greatest love story ever told,

The greatest story ever known

You are forever my judge & I’m forever Your witness

And I pray that I’m always found on a mission about my Father’s business

Oh, I will always be Yours!

And I will always wait for You Lord, more than the watchmen wait for the morning…

More than the watchmen wait for the morning… I WILL WAIT ♥