Colossians 3:2 "Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth."
We have to always see above earth... above circumstances... speak things as though they were... BEFORE we see the result. That is true faith!
I don't want to murmur and complain as the children of Israel did. He gave them what they wanted when they were complaining about the manna He had provided. They were complaining how that the food was better in Egypt (how crazy is that... their place of bondage--they'd rather go back in bondage to have what their flesh was craving). He said He would let them eat flesh for a whole month until it came out of their nostrils and became loathsome to them. His anger was so kindled against them that he brought a great plague while they were having a "flesh fest"... "the flesh was yet between their teeth". I notice that He said "...because you have despised the Lord... asking why came we forth out of Egypt." Could it be that our complaining about the provisions He's made for us is the same in His eyes as despising Him? Wow!
I want to be ever thankful for every little portion of "manna" in my life! Maybe you have big dreams that aren't fulfilled yet... maybe you don't see the end from where you are... HE sees. HE knows. That's all that counts. Let's not let a "murmuring spirit" stop the flow of all He wants to fulfill in us. Sometimes He only gives manna along the way... but it will always be enough!
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Going through the motions
The last two mornings on the way to school, the boys & I have been hearing about an 18 year old boy named Ryan who had posted the lyrics of this song on his Facebook page because he wanted his friends to keep him accountable about not just "going through the motions". That same day he was killed in a car accident. Matthew West was performing live on KLOVE today and told some of this story.
Powerful song! Enjoy... http://www.matthewwest.com/motions/
Powerful song! Enjoy... http://www.matthewwest.com/motions/
Monday, April 27, 2009
Miracle in the Cook House!
If you look back to last Monday's blog, you see how God started convicting me about praying FIRST... before any other thing in my day. What I didn't mention was the fact that previous to this, I had been going by the church to pray every morning. It's something I had always wanted to do, and since we have been living in town for the past 7 months, it has been something I can do. I didn't even think about the fact that prayer INSIDE my home was being neglected. Beginning last Tuesday, home prayer was restarted in the Cook home. WOW! What things have unfolded since then.
Daniel 2:28 "...But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets..."
I am so overwhelmed at the way He shows us things when we really and truly seek Him with our whole hearts and ALL our effort! I was off last Thursday and after dropping the kids off at school, I felt such an urgency to pray in our home. He began to lead me and show me things... I could literally FEEL the hurts and burdens of my teen. I cannot begin to tell you how deeply, passionately and LOUDLY I cried out for hours... I lost track of time, didn't care who heard, had no appetite... I say this not to lift myself up but to make a point of the urgency I felt in my spirit. He would later nudge me with a burning question, "Will you feel this degree of urgency for other hurting, lost souls that you may not even know?"
My mom had come to stay the night because of a women's conference that was taking place here locally. I had shared all of this with her and the next day she left the conference early to join me on my prayer shift at church. We agreed together for so many things and I can't tell you the incredible privelege to be able to intercede with my mother... the very one who I remember hearing "cry out" for me in intercession as a teen.
To make a long story short, we both felt compelled to pray for Tanner (actually both boys) IN our home. Our pastors have really been trying to focus us on BEING the church... making our homes a place of worship and breaking forth the WORD. That afternoon we anointed both boys with oil and prayed over them. Nothing drastic happened (or so we thought)... they didn't jump up & down or have some big revelatory moment. We just felt peace. ...simple as that!
Later that night we were all standing around in the kitchen and Bryan put his arm around Tanner. He suddenly gave an excited, OH MY WORD! Let me explain... about a year ago we found out Tanner has scoliosis. It causes him to slump over. One shoulder is higher than the other. You can actually see his curved spine protruding between his shoulder blades. We're constantly telling him to stand up straight so it doesn't get worse. It hurts him to straighten up though. We have been told that he would probably need surgery or a back brace. Tanner even commented that he and a friend had just felt it the day before and were talking about it. It was very obvious! Standing in our kitchen that night, his shoulders were as straight as an arrow. We could hardly even feel his spine. It was back in its rightful place! Did we ask God for healing? No. We asked Him to be with Tanner, to take care of everything that concerns him, to lift his burdens, to be so real to Him, to give him a personal touch. I want to shout it from the rooftops! OUR GOD IS STILL IN THE MIRACLE BUSINESS!!!! Sometimes He just throws in a healing to show us that He hears us... that He WILL take care of all the things we've asked Him that are unseen. My prayer is to release those cries and intercessions for whomever He chooses! ...not just someone that I love so dearly and so deeply.
Daniel 2:28 "...But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets..."
I am so overwhelmed at the way He shows us things when we really and truly seek Him with our whole hearts and ALL our effort! I was off last Thursday and after dropping the kids off at school, I felt such an urgency to pray in our home. He began to lead me and show me things... I could literally FEEL the hurts and burdens of my teen. I cannot begin to tell you how deeply, passionately and LOUDLY I cried out for hours... I lost track of time, didn't care who heard, had no appetite... I say this not to lift myself up but to make a point of the urgency I felt in my spirit. He would later nudge me with a burning question, "Will you feel this degree of urgency for other hurting, lost souls that you may not even know?"
My mom had come to stay the night because of a women's conference that was taking place here locally. I had shared all of this with her and the next day she left the conference early to join me on my prayer shift at church. We agreed together for so many things and I can't tell you the incredible privelege to be able to intercede with my mother... the very one who I remember hearing "cry out" for me in intercession as a teen.
To make a long story short, we both felt compelled to pray for Tanner (actually both boys) IN our home. Our pastors have really been trying to focus us on BEING the church... making our homes a place of worship and breaking forth the WORD. That afternoon we anointed both boys with oil and prayed over them. Nothing drastic happened (or so we thought)... they didn't jump up & down or have some big revelatory moment. We just felt peace. ...simple as that!
Later that night we were all standing around in the kitchen and Bryan put his arm around Tanner. He suddenly gave an excited, OH MY WORD! Let me explain... about a year ago we found out Tanner has scoliosis. It causes him to slump over. One shoulder is higher than the other. You can actually see his curved spine protruding between his shoulder blades. We're constantly telling him to stand up straight so it doesn't get worse. It hurts him to straighten up though. We have been told that he would probably need surgery or a back brace. Tanner even commented that he and a friend had just felt it the day before and were talking about it. It was very obvious! Standing in our kitchen that night, his shoulders were as straight as an arrow. We could hardly even feel his spine. It was back in its rightful place! Did we ask God for healing? No. We asked Him to be with Tanner, to take care of everything that concerns him, to lift his burdens, to be so real to Him, to give him a personal touch. I want to shout it from the rooftops! OUR GOD IS STILL IN THE MIRACLE BUSINESS!!!! Sometimes He just throws in a healing to show us that He hears us... that He WILL take care of all the things we've asked Him that are unseen. My prayer is to release those cries and intercessions for whomever He chooses! ...not just someone that I love so dearly and so deeply.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
I'm An Original
Galatians 5:26 from The Message "...we will not compare ourselves with each other as if one of us were better and another worse. We have far more interesting things to do with our lives. Each of us is an original."
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Perspective
So many times we think "if only I were debt free... if only my kids were totally devoted to God... if only my boss were nicer to me... if only I didn't have a sick loved one... if only, if only, if only..."
The secret is in our perspective. There is a place of complete safety and calm that comes in His presence. This place of peace is completely unwavered by surrounding circumstances. When I look back at some of our happiest, most peaceful times, it was when we were in financial stormy seas or other treacherous storms. What made the difference? It was the moments that we finally learned to give it to Him and trust that He was in control anyway. Why should we worry? What kind of lens are we looking through?
In Luke 10:23 it says, "And he turned him unto his disciples, and said privately, Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see:"
Notice that He spoke "privately" to them. They had spent much time in His presence. They had learned of Him. They had great revelation that others didn't have. They were looking through the eyes of fresh revelation. I want all of Him I can possibly have. I want to see through eyes of faith... eyes of fresh revelation. Yesterday's word will never be enough. He brought fresh manna daily to the children of Israel. They couldn't put it away for the next day. Maybe that's what He's trying to say to us about the things He wants to speak into our lives. See what He will say TODAY!
Matthew 6:22-23 "The eye is the lamp of the body. So if your eye is sound, your entire body will be full of light. But if your eye is unsound, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the very light in you [your conscience] is darkened, how dense is that darkness!"
The Message says it like this: "Your eyes are windows into your body. If you open your eyes wide in wonder and belief, your body fills up with light. If you live squinty-eyed in greed and distrust, your body is a dank cellar. If you pull the blinds on your windows, what a dark life you will have!"
The secret is in our perspective. There is a place of complete safety and calm that comes in His presence. This place of peace is completely unwavered by surrounding circumstances. When I look back at some of our happiest, most peaceful times, it was when we were in financial stormy seas or other treacherous storms. What made the difference? It was the moments that we finally learned to give it to Him and trust that He was in control anyway. Why should we worry? What kind of lens are we looking through?
In Luke 10:23 it says, "And he turned him unto his disciples, and said privately, Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see:"
Notice that He spoke "privately" to them. They had spent much time in His presence. They had learned of Him. They had great revelation that others didn't have. They were looking through the eyes of fresh revelation. I want all of Him I can possibly have. I want to see through eyes of faith... eyes of fresh revelation. Yesterday's word will never be enough. He brought fresh manna daily to the children of Israel. They couldn't put it away for the next day. Maybe that's what He's trying to say to us about the things He wants to speak into our lives. See what He will say TODAY!
Matthew 6:22-23 "The eye is the lamp of the body. So if your eye is sound, your entire body will be full of light. But if your eye is unsound, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the very light in you [your conscience] is darkened, how dense is that darkness!"
The Message says it like this: "Your eyes are windows into your body. If you open your eyes wide in wonder and belief, your body fills up with light. If you live squinty-eyed in greed and distrust, your body is a dank cellar. If you pull the blinds on your windows, what a dark life you will have!"
Monday, April 20, 2009
The Wee Hours
When I take the time to look back over the last year or so, I find that He speaks some of the same things to me over and over. I don't know if it's that I'm not getting it or that He wants to show me how much He really means what He's speaking to me personally. I looked it up and I posted this very subject on 12/3/08. However, He led me to the same verse this morning.
Proverbs 8:17 "I love them that love me, and those that seek me early shall find me."
Over the last few years, I became convicted about this and started getting up earlier and allowing time to get into the Word before everyone gets up. Now that I've adjusted to that, I feel Him calling me to more. I remembered what He spoke to me after our time of sacrifice this year: Each level in Me will bring greater sacrifice but you will hardly notice if you make the journey at the pace I've set before you.
Oh, to be pliable in His hands! Giving up food, sleep, time is never easy. I want to walk the path He has before me so that the sacrifice doesn't even feel like a sacrifice. ...only a giving of love to my Master... the least I can do.
David was considered a man after God's own heart and he frequently speaks of seeking Him early. Psalm 63:1 says "O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;"
Then, as if to "seal the deal", I found this verse in the Amplified and wasn't even looking for it!
Psalm 65:1 "TO YOU belongs silence (the submissive wonder of reverence which bursts forth into praise) and praise is due and fitting to You, O God, in Zion; and to You shall the vow be performed."
There goes that word again... "silence"... I don't know of a more silent time than early in the morning. I will give it my best effort, Lord! You truly have a sense of humor because you know I am NOT a morning person. I do know that there is no sacrifice too great to abide in the shadow of Your presence!
Proverbs 8:17 "I love them that love me, and those that seek me early shall find me."
Over the last few years, I became convicted about this and started getting up earlier and allowing time to get into the Word before everyone gets up. Now that I've adjusted to that, I feel Him calling me to more. I remembered what He spoke to me after our time of sacrifice this year: Each level in Me will bring greater sacrifice but you will hardly notice if you make the journey at the pace I've set before you.
Oh, to be pliable in His hands! Giving up food, sleep, time is never easy. I want to walk the path He has before me so that the sacrifice doesn't even feel like a sacrifice. ...only a giving of love to my Master... the least I can do.
David was considered a man after God's own heart and he frequently speaks of seeking Him early. Psalm 63:1 says "O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;"
Then, as if to "seal the deal", I found this verse in the Amplified and wasn't even looking for it!
Psalm 65:1 "TO YOU belongs silence (the submissive wonder of reverence which bursts forth into praise) and praise is due and fitting to You, O God, in Zion; and to You shall the vow be performed."
There goes that word again... "silence"... I don't know of a more silent time than early in the morning. I will give it my best effort, Lord! You truly have a sense of humor because you know I am NOT a morning person. I do know that there is no sacrifice too great to abide in the shadow of Your presence!
Friday, April 17, 2009
Distractions
So... I have finally succombed to the pressure and joined Facebook. My hesitation has always been that it would take up more of my time than I am willing to part with. Concerns confirmed! Now don't get me wrong... I love it! That's the problem.
Phillipians 4:5 says "...Let your moderation be known unto all men..." I'm no Bible scholar but I wonder if that's what He meant... By definition, moderation is "being within reasonable limits; not excessive or extreme."
Moderation can be such a hard thing... just look at our obesity rate here in the good 'ole USA. We have overdosed on all that entertains our old stinkin' flesh!
Noise, noise, noise... I know I've blogged about this before, but it's really "buggin'" me... I love to walk and I have opted to walk in silence. There is nothing like the renewing of the mind I feel when I am in silence. For the most part, I've even started driving in silence (when I'm alone, of course). I do walk with my cell phone (for safety reasons) but I also found that the "notes" section of my phone is handy for those times when I feel Him speaking so subtly into my spirit. This is what I felt him nudging me to type as I walked yesterday...
"Why do people love noise? They surround themselves with it. They bring it along... headphones everywhere! Why is man so afraid of conversation with Me? I created man to commune with Me yet he continually chooses busyness and noise over quiet times with Me. I only want a willing vessel to move through. I'm not looking for perfection... only availability."
Those aren't condeming words from me... only fleeting "whispers" from a Savior who loves me and continually challenges my thought processes. Now I must deal with another distraction that I've created in my life. I want to have moderation in all things. I don't want there to be any one thing that keeps me from tuning into Him completely.
Hebrews 12:1 "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,"
It's the "weights" that get us... no, they aren't sin. They are just distractions... things to consume our time... our precious time. I want to guard my time with Him. I pray that I can make Him, time with Him, a top priority in my busy, distracted day EVERY DAY!
Phillipians 4:5 says "...Let your moderation be known unto all men..." I'm no Bible scholar but I wonder if that's what He meant... By definition, moderation is "being within reasonable limits; not excessive or extreme."
Moderation can be such a hard thing... just look at our obesity rate here in the good 'ole USA. We have overdosed on all that entertains our old stinkin' flesh!
Noise, noise, noise... I know I've blogged about this before, but it's really "buggin'" me... I love to walk and I have opted to walk in silence. There is nothing like the renewing of the mind I feel when I am in silence. For the most part, I've even started driving in silence (when I'm alone, of course). I do walk with my cell phone (for safety reasons) but I also found that the "notes" section of my phone is handy for those times when I feel Him speaking so subtly into my spirit. This is what I felt him nudging me to type as I walked yesterday...
"Why do people love noise? They surround themselves with it. They bring it along... headphones everywhere! Why is man so afraid of conversation with Me? I created man to commune with Me yet he continually chooses busyness and noise over quiet times with Me. I only want a willing vessel to move through. I'm not looking for perfection... only availability."
Those aren't condeming words from me... only fleeting "whispers" from a Savior who loves me and continually challenges my thought processes. Now I must deal with another distraction that I've created in my life. I want to have moderation in all things. I don't want there to be any one thing that keeps me from tuning into Him completely.
Hebrews 12:1 "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,"
It's the "weights" that get us... no, they aren't sin. They are just distractions... things to consume our time... our precious time. I want to guard my time with Him. I pray that I can make Him, time with Him, a top priority in my busy, distracted day EVERY DAY!
Monday, April 13, 2009
Necks, Toes & Other Roles :)
I'm reminded of how vital our roles are in the body of Christ when I remember my mom and her broken toe. When our 14 year old was a baby, Mom was keeping him for us one night. As she was looking back at him (adoring his cute little face), she ran right into the door facing, breaking her middle toe. The days, weeks and months that followed brought new worries to her body. What at first seemed like only the pain of a broken toe, transferred to a hurting back, muscle aches in the legs... and many other pains that I can't even remember. The point is... without the toe performing it's proper function, many other parts of her body were having to compensate for the "bum toe". Who would have ever thought the middle toe made such a difference!
It's no different in the body of Christ! We all have a function and we can't compare ourselves and our giftings to each other and think that our part doesn't matter.
I Corinthians 12:12 "For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ." Verse 14: "For the body is not one member, but many."
He needs His body to operate fully... each part doing as He has assigned. When one part is not fully aligned, it cripples what He wants done. The body is not working to the full capacity and capability that He has planned.
There are no small parts in His Kingdom. They all matter to Him. He only wants our best... the firstfruits of all our efforts. Why do we give more attention and effort to our earthly/carnal jobs than we do to His work? He will always make up the difference of our inadequacies when we give Him our best. If we'll give each small task our greatest effort, He will multiply it!
Ecclesiastes 9:10 "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might..."
Whether He's called you to be a toe, a neck, an arm, a finger... let's do it with all our might!
It's no different in the body of Christ! We all have a function and we can't compare ourselves and our giftings to each other and think that our part doesn't matter.
I Corinthians 12:12 "For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ." Verse 14: "For the body is not one member, but many."
He needs His body to operate fully... each part doing as He has assigned. When one part is not fully aligned, it cripples what He wants done. The body is not working to the full capacity and capability that He has planned.
There are no small parts in His Kingdom. They all matter to Him. He only wants our best... the firstfruits of all our efforts. Why do we give more attention and effort to our earthly/carnal jobs than we do to His work? He will always make up the difference of our inadequacies when we give Him our best. If we'll give each small task our greatest effort, He will multiply it!
Ecclesiastes 9:10 "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might..."
Whether He's called you to be a toe, a neck, an arm, a finger... let's do it with all our might!
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Deeper Places
In Luke 5 Jesus told His disciples to "Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a draught." (for a "haul" according to the Amplified). Here's the thing... they had toiled ALL night and caught nothing, but out of obedience, Peter agreed. The amount of fish they caught was so great that the nets broke. They filled both ships to the point that they began to sink. What a haul! What caught me eye, however, was this verse:
"When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord."
The catch was so great that it caused Peter to recognize his insignificance in the big scheme of things. My point is this: when we are obedient to Him... do things His way... regardless of whether or not we've tried it before and failed... regardless of if it doesn't make sense to us... just be obedient... His wonders will be performed and in turn, we can't help but see that's it's only by HIM, HIS grace! We are nothing and He is everything! Deeper places bring clarity of His voice and the discipline of obedience... I want it all!
"When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord."
The catch was so great that it caused Peter to recognize his insignificance in the big scheme of things. My point is this: when we are obedient to Him... do things His way... regardless of whether or not we've tried it before and failed... regardless of if it doesn't make sense to us... just be obedient... His wonders will be performed and in turn, we can't help but see that's it's only by HIM, HIS grace! We are nothing and He is everything! Deeper places bring clarity of His voice and the discipline of obedience... I want it all!
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