Lordship—and The Fear of the Lord
The days are long but the weeks are so short.
“Freedom is found in surrender and submission to God!”
“To get saved requires a yes, but to be a disciple of Jesus requires everything!...”This was a week that will change my life forever and I hope that as you read that God will as well change yours!
“God is not about self-improvement—He is about self-destruction!”—This statement will either terrify you or free you, I think to me it did both, but because God is both big and Good I know He is safe as I trust Him to take me and you through the refining fire to take away the dross and show us His gold in us!
What do you make Lord of your life??? Everyone worships something… we have been created to worship—We worship, ourselves, alcohol, food, T.V. shopping, media, friends, family, sex.. we all worship something. What if God asked you to give something up or away, what do you hold so closely you could never sacrifice ???
Thoughts on what a Transformed Christian looks like:
1. Has an undiluted devotion to Jesus—that means we need a personal relationship
2. Worships with a spirit of continuous repentence. Do you repent daily? Hourly??
3. Builds healthy human relationships—Loves God and Loves people-do you have fences to mend?
4. Knows how to engage the Larger world
5. Senses a personal “call” and unique competencies
6. Merciful and generous to those who are weaker—or are we judgmental or critical?
7. Appreciates that suffering is part of faithfulness to Jesus-if you have never suffered for Christ are you living the life of love and conviction the Lord desires?
8. Intentional and disciplined in seeking God’s direction
9. Eager and ready ot express the content of Your faith
10. Overflows with thankfulness—do you overflow with thankfulness or complaining??
11. Overflow and has a passion for reconciliation
12. Intentional and disciplined in seeking God’s direction.
In an alter call—We must get ALTERED-how many of us answered a question or walked to an alter but never chose to be different, making God Lord of our Life takes our initative and hard work! It is the must glorious work we can accomplish.
Our teacher took us through an entire day of “application” to the Lordship of Christ. We learned about the O.T tabernacle where God had careful instructions to build for His presence to dwell. We learned the modern day application of the tabernacle pieces. I pray these stories touch your heart…
We were asked to bring something to praise—a song, an instrument, ect, a story of Thanksgiving, a “burnt offering” our sin and repentence and our hearts ready to allow God to bring change. This day started at 8:30 and didn’t end until 11:00 in the evening…
There were 50 of us that had this blessed experience to spend the day together.
First we prayed over one another, there is something beautiful when you ask God what to pray for someone and God gives you a word of truth and love for them. God reminded me through prayer and our beginning worship that He sees me, He has always been faithful and He has always walked with me. A small thought with big repercussions, so often we feel like God misses us!
People brought a “burnt offering” with them, and people gave away physical things that God had spoken to them and blessed another. In an instance (not in our class) a girl gave a purity ring to a girl and another girl gave her a white dress not knowing what the other was giving. The receiving girl had been raped and this was a beautiful picture of God blessing and healing. In our class, people gave away clothing, watches, money, one young man paid for anothers entire outreach ($4000) A father gave away his very expensive camera to a man in our class that could not bring his children. A woman struggling with shame was given expensive perfume. A girl struggling to learn English was given a precious bible and a promise that God would use her speaking in English! A girl in my class who gave away all her clothes before she came here except what fit in her suitcase gave me a jacket. I had borrowed it when I had been cold one day, and when she placed it in my hand with a smile I was humbled beyond measure, this was a girl who had so little in physical possessions, yet was willing to bless me and tell me that I would look beautiful in it. God smiled on me and reminded me not only does He provide for us, He blesses our socks off. Our God is a good father who wants to clothe us in robes of righteousness not leave us as a begger on the street!
Ture heard God speak to give his tablet to a young man from Uganda that has an awesome call upon His life. I know this blessed Shadrach, but even more for our family that we are living in obedience and in sacrifice that we will not allow physical possessions to control us or to have any place in our life higher than God. I have never been more proud of my husband and the incredible sacrifice He was willing to make to declare God Lord in His life and being willing to listen and obey.
The next part of our day consisted of standing before the cross and surrendering “idols” in our life. People got up and surrendered chocolate, fast food, credit cards, money, music, T.V . books, relationships, security, and we kneeled before the cross and had an incredible time of worship thanking God for pointing out places that we value other things and find security comfort and hope in other than God. Many of these things are not sin in and of themselves, but we make them sin because we worship them and find security and comfort rather than in God. People made commitments to surrender and replace. For example our roommate surrendered junk food and committed to getting up an hour earlier every day to have a time to read her bible and pray every day.
The next part of our day we stood before the room and confessed any sin that still stood in our life before God. God will forgive us of all and any sin, but we must repent, and turn away from that sin and accept God’s grace. We must then live forgiven and live differently. This was powerful. When we publically confess there seems to be beautiful opportunity for God to bring healing. Public confession is not necessary, but there is incredible power when we speak, so even if you are in your prayer closet- repent-physically say Lord I repent for----- and ask him to forgive you and replace that action or though with a Godly fruit of the spirit.!
The rest of the night was followed by holy communtion, incredible praise and jubilee, and prayers for freedom. People laughed and danced and wept and were free of even demonic strongholds as we stood free from sin before God the Holy Spirit was able to move and speak and bless.
There are not many days in which our lives will stop and give us an entire day to devote to praising God, often we don’t feel we have a moment to pray, but I urge you, I beg you to take these steps and infuse them into your days, Give God praise for who He is, “God you are great, you are strong and mighty. You are Faithful and Loving, Kind and Generous.” Point out specific instances in your life that He has sustained you. God you were loving as you wrote your heart across the sky in the sunrise this morning. I encourage you to hold loosely your earthly possessions, and be free to bless others, Be quick to repent and live a repentant lifestyle. We often want to live in forgiveness towards others which is vital, but we need to also take responsibility and specific action against our sinful, thoughts actions, habits as to change our destiny.
To get saved requires a yes and prayer, to be a disciple of the King requires radical change in our lives on a daily basis! Love God enough to look deeply at your thoughts, actions and habits and ask if all are pleasing to Him, and then love Him enough to listen, He will love you enough to speak, and you will never be the same.!
The days are long but the weeks are so short.
“Freedom is found in surrender and submission to God!”
“To get saved requires a yes, but to be a disciple of Jesus requires everything!...”This was a week that will change my life forever and I hope that as you read that God will as well change yours!
“God is not about self-improvement—He is about self-destruction!”—This statement will either terrify you or free you, I think to me it did both, but because God is both big and Good I know He is safe as I trust Him to take me and you through the refining fire to take away the dross and show us His gold in us!
What do you make Lord of your life??? Everyone worships something… we have been created to worship—We worship, ourselves, alcohol, food, T.V. shopping, media, friends, family, sex.. we all worship something. What if God asked you to give something up or away, what do you hold so closely you could never sacrifice ???
Thoughts on what a Transformed Christian looks like:
1. Has an undiluted devotion to Jesus—that means we need a personal relationship
2. Worships with a spirit of continuous repentence. Do you repent daily? Hourly??
3. Builds healthy human relationships—Loves God and Loves people-do you have fences to mend?
4. Knows how to engage the Larger world
5. Senses a personal “call” and unique competencies
6. Merciful and generous to those who are weaker—or are we judgmental or critical?
7. Appreciates that suffering is part of faithfulness to Jesus-if you have never suffered for Christ are you living the life of love and conviction the Lord desires?
8. Intentional and disciplined in seeking God’s direction
9. Eager and ready ot express the content of Your faith
10. Overflows with thankfulness—do you overflow with thankfulness or complaining??
11. Overflow and has a passion for reconciliation
12. Intentional and disciplined in seeking God’s direction.
In an alter call—We must get ALTERED-how many of us answered a question or walked to an alter but never chose to be different, making God Lord of our Life takes our initative and hard work! It is the must glorious work we can accomplish.
Our teacher took us through an entire day of “application” to the Lordship of Christ. We learned about the O.T tabernacle where God had careful instructions to build for His presence to dwell. We learned the modern day application of the tabernacle pieces. I pray these stories touch your heart…
We were asked to bring something to praise—a song, an instrument, ect, a story of Thanksgiving, a “burnt offering” our sin and repentence and our hearts ready to allow God to bring change. This day started at 8:30 and didn’t end until 11:00 in the evening…
There were 50 of us that had this blessed experience to spend the day together.
First we prayed over one another, there is something beautiful when you ask God what to pray for someone and God gives you a word of truth and love for them. God reminded me through prayer and our beginning worship that He sees me, He has always been faithful and He has always walked with me. A small thought with big repercussions, so often we feel like God misses us!
People brought a “burnt offering” with them, and people gave away physical things that God had spoken to them and blessed another. In an instance (not in our class) a girl gave a purity ring to a girl and another girl gave her a white dress not knowing what the other was giving. The receiving girl had been raped and this was a beautiful picture of God blessing and healing. In our class, people gave away clothing, watches, money, one young man paid for anothers entire outreach ($4000) A father gave away his very expensive camera to a man in our class that could not bring his children. A woman struggling with shame was given expensive perfume. A girl struggling to learn English was given a precious bible and a promise that God would use her speaking in English! A girl in my class who gave away all her clothes before she came here except what fit in her suitcase gave me a jacket. I had borrowed it when I had been cold one day, and when she placed it in my hand with a smile I was humbled beyond measure, this was a girl who had so little in physical possessions, yet was willing to bless me and tell me that I would look beautiful in it. God smiled on me and reminded me not only does He provide for us, He blesses our socks off. Our God is a good father who wants to clothe us in robes of righteousness not leave us as a begger on the street!
Ture heard God speak to give his tablet to a young man from Uganda that has an awesome call upon His life. I know this blessed Shadrach, but even more for our family that we are living in obedience and in sacrifice that we will not allow physical possessions to control us or to have any place in our life higher than God. I have never been more proud of my husband and the incredible sacrifice He was willing to make to declare God Lord in His life and being willing to listen and obey.
The next part of our day consisted of standing before the cross and surrendering “idols” in our life. People got up and surrendered chocolate, fast food, credit cards, money, music, T.V . books, relationships, security, and we kneeled before the cross and had an incredible time of worship thanking God for pointing out places that we value other things and find security comfort and hope in other than God. Many of these things are not sin in and of themselves, but we make them sin because we worship them and find security and comfort rather than in God. People made commitments to surrender and replace. For example our roommate surrendered junk food and committed to getting up an hour earlier every day to have a time to read her bible and pray every day.
The next part of our day we stood before the room and confessed any sin that still stood in our life before God. God will forgive us of all and any sin, but we must repent, and turn away from that sin and accept God’s grace. We must then live forgiven and live differently. This was powerful. When we publically confess there seems to be beautiful opportunity for God to bring healing. Public confession is not necessary, but there is incredible power when we speak, so even if you are in your prayer closet- repent-physically say Lord I repent for----- and ask him to forgive you and replace that action or though with a Godly fruit of the spirit.!
The rest of the night was followed by holy communtion, incredible praise and jubilee, and prayers for freedom. People laughed and danced and wept and were free of even demonic strongholds as we stood free from sin before God the Holy Spirit was able to move and speak and bless.
There are not many days in which our lives will stop and give us an entire day to devote to praising God, often we don’t feel we have a moment to pray, but I urge you, I beg you to take these steps and infuse them into your days, Give God praise for who He is, “God you are great, you are strong and mighty. You are Faithful and Loving, Kind and Generous.” Point out specific instances in your life that He has sustained you. God you were loving as you wrote your heart across the sky in the sunrise this morning. I encourage you to hold loosely your earthly possessions, and be free to bless others, Be quick to repent and live a repentant lifestyle. We often want to live in forgiveness towards others which is vital, but we need to also take responsibility and specific action against our sinful, thoughts actions, habits as to change our destiny.
To get saved requires a yes and prayer, to be a disciple of the King requires radical change in our lives on a daily basis! Love God enough to look deeply at your thoughts, actions and habits and ask if all are pleasing to Him, and then love Him enough to listen, He will love you enough to speak, and you will never be the same.!