The Blog About Anything and Everything....

I have no clue where this is going, so forgive the scatter-brainedness. It's been almost 3 months since I've written a blog! I am such a slacker! But, over the last couple of weeks and days this blog has been popping up in my mind. So, I figured I might as well sit down and see what types out. I actually love the moments when I blog. I have a lovely vintage looking lamp that my mother in law gave me glowing at the corner of my desk and worship music playing as I tap away. It gives me a moment to slow down and just, meditate on the Lord. And when I say "worship music" I mean, get down to business, ain't nobody got time to play church, either get in or get out, big choir in the background, break it down slow on the verses kinda music. That kind stirs my spirit and reminds me how fervent my worship, my prayer life, my relationship with the Lord should be. You remember those services where the music started, folks began to worship the Lord, His Spirit just swooped in and took over? They just kept singing song after song, going from one to the next as the Spirit led them - You could hear the whole congregation worshiping the Lord with everything they had. I remember one particular night my mom and I had gone to a ladies' camp meeting. This has been years ago now, but I still remember it so well. They invited everyone down to the altars at the end of service and I, being about 19 or 20, went up to the front with most of the congregation. I remember that I really didn't go up there to ask the Lord for anything in particular, I just wanted to be as close as I could to His presence. Now, I know His presence is everywhere, but you know what I mean. I wanted to be right in the middle of everything. As the other women began to pray, praise and seek the Lord He showed up right in our midst. There was a sweet lady behind me that I knew as an acquaintance but didn't know her very well. As I was there worshiping the Lord she gently put her hand on my back and prayed for me. She didn't bring any attention to herself. She didn't even really say anything to me. But, I still remember what it meant to my young heart just to feel that encouragement from her. As I was there with my mind on the Lord just worshiping Him, He came down right that very moment and answered a prayer for me that I'd been praying for years. I didn't ask Him for it. I wasn't even up there to ask Him for anything. But, He met me there, right there, in the middle of all those ladies He worked a miracle in my life and I'll never be the same because of it. I felt so much joy in the Lord that night. As I realized what He had done and the prayer He had answered, I remember looking up and seeing the power of God hit another person there and they just began to dance and shout in the Spirit. I don't know that I've ever been more joyful in my entire life. As I watched God pour His spirit out on them and after just feeling what He had done for me I just wanted to weep with joy at the amazing power of God and what He was doing. We see that powerful movement of God many times in church settings but don't seem to experience that in our every day lives many times. I've been reading and thinking a lot about seeking the Lord. Not just praying, but seeking the Lord. I'll be honest, I don't fully understand what it means. I know it means to look for Him and to go after Him. But I feel like there's so much more to the simple word "seeking" than what I realize. I've also been trying to take the battle to who it belongs to. Yes, we need to pray for each other. I have so many friends and family members that are facing obstacles they have no idea how to handle. And, I need to pray for them - That God would give them strength, clarity and power. But I also need to battle against the true enemy. Satan himself. Ugh, if it hadn't been the beginning of a sentence I wouldn't have even capitalized the ole booger's name. While I'm praying for them to have strength I also need to rebuke the enemy and all that he's trying to do in their lives. God's Word tells us, "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." (James 4:7) So, I've started my resistance so to speak. I've rebuked him in about every way I can think of, for me and for those I love. Living for the Lord, seeking Him, claiming His promises, worshiping Him, loving Him is, I don't even know how to put it. Serious doesn't seem to be a "serious" enough word. It's the difference in life and death. It's the difference in victory and defeat. It's the difference in your marriage making it or not. It's the difference in your child making it or not. It's the difference in your church making it or not. It's the difference in your ministry making it or not. It's the difference in YOU making it or not. It should saturate every part of our being. This is real. This relationship with God we so often talk about with God is real. His Spirit, His calling, His majesty, His love, His wrath, they're real. They're more real than anything we can see. Why do we treat it as optional? Why do we delve into matters only looking through carnal eyes when the real war is in the spiritual realm. We so often hear the question, "What do you have to lose?" The true answer? Everything. All that we are, all that we have and all that we will be depends on and comes from God alone. Let's get serious about this. I fully believe that most of us, me included, live just on the edge of all that God really is. If God Himself were the ocean, most of us are standing at the edge not getting in any deeper than our ankles. And there's God, waiting with more than enough depth for us to be completely submerged in all that He is. And you know what lies in those deep waters? Peace, love, joy, victory, leadership, discernment, freedom, forgiveness, mercy, clarity. Lord, may we dare to go out into the depths of all you have for us and not miss one single thing. We can't afford to live this life without You in every aspect of it.

#Mercy #faith #miracles #answeredprayer #peace #Jesus #Devotion