I spent the first half of my Saturday speaking at First Baptist Mize women's brunch. Even on a rainy, dreary day, the church was packed. They had to line the walls with chairs! These women were so full of life and were eager to hear from the Holy Spirit. Thank you, ladies, for a "Son-filled" weekend after all!
The more older I get, the more I realize the need to hear the voice of God. Luke 12:47 makes a brutal statement, "That servant who knows his master's will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows." That isn't the kindest passage, is it? As I reflect on last week's fast and the fast I'm currently on, I'm seeing that prayer and fasting makes one sensitive to the voice of the Lord. With all of the pressures and schedules pulling me here, there and yonder, it is enabling me to hear Him above everything else going on around me.
I wonder why we as Christians have gotten out of the habit of prayer and fasting? Instead we've gone to setting out "fleeces" in an attempt to know God's will for our life.
As a parent, I have a tendency to say, "just wait" or "just hold on" to my children. If I keep giving them this same answer, they become frustrated over time and do whatever they want to anyway. When I give a "no" answer, it is because I don't believe my child is ready for whatever they've asked for or what they've asked for is not good for them. When they get older and show more maturity and demonstrate responsibility, my "no" is lifted and becomes a "yes".
God knows what we can handle and He knows what is good for us. He already knows what we will do with what He gives us. Therefore, God doesn't answer our prayers in vague terms. His answers are specific and to the point. Because we Christians no longer hear the voice of God clearly, we act like immature preteens and end up getting ourselves into trouble in the process. It's time we grow up and act like adult believers.
Through last week's fast, I learned that every decision I make should be inspired by God; every move I make should be ordained by Him. If my decisions and moves aren't ordained by Him and His will for my life, I shouldn't be surprised when it isn't a success. God isn't trying to hide His will or to make it some mystery difficult to figure out. I think He just wants to be able to communicate with us anytime what it is He wants for us. He wants us to seek Him.
Acts 17:27 says it best, "God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us."
Monday, January 18, 2010
Friday, January 15, 2010
Thinking Yourself Happy
Last night before bath time, Gracie asked if she could take a shower. Knowing she once tried to take a shower and she lasted all of 10 seconds, I reminded her of her last attempt. "But momma, I just want to try it again. Please?" she begged. I consented and explained to her how to take a shower. She stepped in and took it from there. "When you get finished, let me know," I yelled through the door. "I'll help you get out." Gracie yelled back, "I'm finished, mom. But I want to stay in here alittle longer and sing!" So, Gracie commenced to singing in the shower. Gracie's melodies reminded me of the importance of being happy.
Think about the Apostle Paul. He was snake bitten, shipwrecked, beaten, or in the middle of prison and he would probably say, "I feel like singing now because Jesus is in my heart and I'm counting on God." How would you like to have been chained to Paul for a year? Paul wasn't some lonely, confused, bitter preacher.
If you read about Paul's presentation in the king's court, you'll see what I mean. King Agrippa, his sister Bernice, Governor Festus and all of the military leaders, lawyers and other important people were there when Paul came in. They wanted to make fun of him, but you can't make fun of a happy man. Paul probably had the least reason to be jovial of anybody in that whole crowd. Standing around him were people who had power and money, fame and prestige but Paul says to King Agrippa, "Oh, king, I think myself happy." (Acts 26:2)
Paul told them all about how Jesus Christ came to earth, was crucified, rose from the dead and is alive. Before it was over, I can just imagine King Agrippa shaking from conviction. The kind said in verse 28, "Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian." I think that's one of the saddest stories in the Bible because as far as we know, the king never accepted Christ and found the unspeakable joy that Paul had. Although he heard testimony from one of the best preachers other than Jesus himself, the king was more concerned with what his friends thought. King Agrippa died a poor, broken man.
One translation of Acts 26:2 puts it this way, "I have been congratulating myself". I don't think Paul was boasting of who he was in the flesh. Paul was boasting of what God had accomplished for him through Christ. Paul was bragging on redemption.
It reminds me of a song we sang in church Sunday:
Joy unspeakable that won't go away
Just enough strength to live for today
So I never have to worry what tomorrow may bring
Cause my faith is on solid rock, I'm counting on God
I'm counting on, I'm counting on God!
Think about the Apostle Paul. He was snake bitten, shipwrecked, beaten, or in the middle of prison and he would probably say, "I feel like singing now because Jesus is in my heart and I'm counting on God." How would you like to have been chained to Paul for a year? Paul wasn't some lonely, confused, bitter preacher.
If you read about Paul's presentation in the king's court, you'll see what I mean. King Agrippa, his sister Bernice, Governor Festus and all of the military leaders, lawyers and other important people were there when Paul came in. They wanted to make fun of him, but you can't make fun of a happy man. Paul probably had the least reason to be jovial of anybody in that whole crowd. Standing around him were people who had power and money, fame and prestige but Paul says to King Agrippa, "Oh, king, I think myself happy." (Acts 26:2)
Paul told them all about how Jesus Christ came to earth, was crucified, rose from the dead and is alive. Before it was over, I can just imagine King Agrippa shaking from conviction. The kind said in verse 28, "Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian." I think that's one of the saddest stories in the Bible because as far as we know, the king never accepted Christ and found the unspeakable joy that Paul had. Although he heard testimony from one of the best preachers other than Jesus himself, the king was more concerned with what his friends thought. King Agrippa died a poor, broken man.
One translation of Acts 26:2 puts it this way, "I have been congratulating myself". I don't think Paul was boasting of who he was in the flesh. Paul was boasting of what God had accomplished for him through Christ. Paul was bragging on redemption.
It reminds me of a song we sang in church Sunday:
Joy unspeakable that won't go away
Just enough strength to live for today
So I never have to worry what tomorrow may bring
Cause my faith is on solid rock, I'm counting on God
I'm counting on, I'm counting on God!
Monday, January 11, 2010
My Fasting Reflections
(This blog entry is alittle heavy, so let me warn you of my inmost feelings ahead of time!)
Saturday night, I traveled to Topeka Baptist Church outside Jayess. I've never been to Jayess and neither had my GPS! In fact, my GPS said the town and the church did not exist, so I knew I must have been in the right place. What an awesome night with those ladies! It was a sold out crowd and one I will not surely forget in weeks to come. It became apparent to me why I had fasted the week before as more and more ladies would come up to me and tell me what I had spoken about was just what they had been dealing with. Now THAT is a God-thing!
That was topped off by our worship service yesterday. Our pastor never got the chance to give his sermon, only because the Holy Spirit was falling on us all. I like to joke that I'm a good Baptist girl, but I was about ready to run the aisles! Don't you just love it when you step out of your comfort zone and let the Holy Spirit lead?
I've done quite a bit of personal reflection on last week's fast and, boy, have my eyes been opened. I read Isaiah 58:1-12 and was floored by my own lack of fasting and prayer. I think we have abandoned fasting and praying because we didn't seem to get the desired results we wanted before. Is the problem with God? When we pray and fast and don't get a breakthrough, there is something in our life that needs to be dealt with.
John 14:12 says, "I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father." Notice Jesus promised "greater things", not lesser works. So we should expect and receive "greater things"!
My purpose in fasting should be what is spelled out in Isaiah 58:6-7, to "loose the chains of injustice", to "untie the cords of the yoke", to "set the oppressed free", and to "break every yoke". This is the heart of God. When we begin praying the heart of God and fasting for the desires of the heart of God, we see results. If I can only fast for a new car, a new job or house, my motives are wrong and I will be disappointed with the result of my sacrifice of going without food. If we really put God first, He will never fail to put us first. But if we put him third, He is not obligated to answer our every whim and fancy. If having fun is more important to us than having God's favor on our lives, there isn't much hope for our spiritual futures.
God is saddened because He knows that prayer and fasting can make us powerful in the Spirit. Meantime, Satan is thrilled because, without the power of the Spirit of God, we can never stand against him.
Saturday night, I traveled to Topeka Baptist Church outside Jayess. I've never been to Jayess and neither had my GPS! In fact, my GPS said the town and the church did not exist, so I knew I must have been in the right place. What an awesome night with those ladies! It was a sold out crowd and one I will not surely forget in weeks to come. It became apparent to me why I had fasted the week before as more and more ladies would come up to me and tell me what I had spoken about was just what they had been dealing with. Now THAT is a God-thing!
That was topped off by our worship service yesterday. Our pastor never got the chance to give his sermon, only because the Holy Spirit was falling on us all. I like to joke that I'm a good Baptist girl, but I was about ready to run the aisles! Don't you just love it when you step out of your comfort zone and let the Holy Spirit lead?
I've done quite a bit of personal reflection on last week's fast and, boy, have my eyes been opened. I read Isaiah 58:1-12 and was floored by my own lack of fasting and prayer. I think we have abandoned fasting and praying because we didn't seem to get the desired results we wanted before. Is the problem with God? When we pray and fast and don't get a breakthrough, there is something in our life that needs to be dealt with.
John 14:12 says, "I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father." Notice Jesus promised "greater things", not lesser works. So we should expect and receive "greater things"!
My purpose in fasting should be what is spelled out in Isaiah 58:6-7, to "loose the chains of injustice", to "untie the cords of the yoke", to "set the oppressed free", and to "break every yoke". This is the heart of God. When we begin praying the heart of God and fasting for the desires of the heart of God, we see results. If I can only fast for a new car, a new job or house, my motives are wrong and I will be disappointed with the result of my sacrifice of going without food. If we really put God first, He will never fail to put us first. But if we put him third, He is not obligated to answer our every whim and fancy. If having fun is more important to us than having God's favor on our lives, there isn't much hope for our spiritual futures.
God is saddened because He knows that prayer and fasting can make us powerful in the Spirit. Meantime, Satan is thrilled because, without the power of the Spirit of God, we can never stand against him.
Friday, January 8, 2010
Climbing Higher
Recently I watched a documentary on the climbers who tackle Mount Everest. As you know, this is the tallest mountain in the world. But the climbers can't go from the bottom to the top in just one day. It takes several days for their bodies to adjust to the high altitude. They have camps they stay at for days at a time so their bodies can get used to the atmospheric changes. Even medically, their bodies change. Their red blood cells actually double in number to be able to carry enough oxygen to keep them alive. I guess you could say this type of climbing must be in your blood in order for you to survive!
Psalm 24:3-4 says, "Who may ascend to the hill of the Lord? Who many stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false. He will receive blessings from the Lord and vindication from God his Savior." God challenges anyone who wants to move up higher in their relationship with Him. After He says we must have clean hands and a pure heart, He promises blessing from the Lord.
I mentioned Monday I would share with you what I set out to do for the new year. Well, I've been fasting since Sunday. I started out doing a liquid fast and transitioned to a Daniel fast late this week. And after writing down the things I wanted to hear from God and the people I was specifically praying for, I've continued it up to this point. No, it hasn't been easy and I've had to rely heavily upon the Holy Spirit to get me through the headaches as my body has dealt without caffeine. But I am convinced this is what the Lord wanted me to do and get 'uncomfortable' while I was doing it.
I'm learning there are some blessings we cannot receive from God at the level I'm currently at. We must move up higher in God's presence. And as we make adjustments to the altitude, we must also make adjustments to our attitude (not very easy!). I believe the true hunger in the heart of every believer is God's presence. I was convicted for 2010, it is time for me to move up higher in the glory of God. This where we are satisfied, fulfilled and where blessings flow.
It may take me some getting used to, it could get unpleasant at times, and there may be plenty of challenges along the way. But I'm letting the Holy Spirit be my guide and I'll trek on with my pursuit of a change in altitude!
Psalm 24:3-4 says, "Who may ascend to the hill of the Lord? Who many stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false. He will receive blessings from the Lord and vindication from God his Savior." God challenges anyone who wants to move up higher in their relationship with Him. After He says we must have clean hands and a pure heart, He promises blessing from the Lord.
I mentioned Monday I would share with you what I set out to do for the new year. Well, I've been fasting since Sunday. I started out doing a liquid fast and transitioned to a Daniel fast late this week. And after writing down the things I wanted to hear from God and the people I was specifically praying for, I've continued it up to this point. No, it hasn't been easy and I've had to rely heavily upon the Holy Spirit to get me through the headaches as my body has dealt without caffeine. But I am convinced this is what the Lord wanted me to do and get 'uncomfortable' while I was doing it.
I'm learning there are some blessings we cannot receive from God at the level I'm currently at. We must move up higher in God's presence. And as we make adjustments to the altitude, we must also make adjustments to our attitude (not very easy!). I believe the true hunger in the heart of every believer is God's presence. I was convicted for 2010, it is time for me to move up higher in the glory of God. This where we are satisfied, fulfilled and where blessings flow.
It may take me some getting used to, it could get unpleasant at times, and there may be plenty of challenges along the way. But I'm letting the Holy Spirit be my guide and I'll trek on with my pursuit of a change in altitude!
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Thursday's Winter Weather-Update
The moisture has moved out of the area today and the chill is moving in!
We received numerous reports of snow, sleet, icy conditions and sleet across our viewing area, as expected. The biggest threat we have now is the dangerous wind chill and temperatures this evening and into the weekend.
Also, if you are traveling early Friday morning, please proceed with caution. The bridges, overpasses and county roads could re-freeze overnight.
We received numerous reports of snow, sleet, icy conditions and sleet across our viewing area, as expected. The biggest threat we have now is the dangerous wind chill and temperatures this evening and into the weekend.
Also, if you are traveling early Friday morning, please proceed with caution. The bridges, overpasses and county roads could re-freeze overnight.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Winter Weather Possible
The big question I've been asked over the last couple of days: will we have any wintry weather this week? It is looking more and more likely.
In these kind of scenarios, 1 or 2 degrees can make all the difference when it comes to the precipitation type, whether it falls as rain, sleet or snow. Not only is the temperatures critical, but location is pivotal. While you may have all rain where you are, someone just 10 miles up the road could have sleet.
Although north Mississippi could be in for a small icing event, which could still cause power outages and travel problems, I don't think central Mississippi will get that much. Some light accumulations of rain, sleet and snow will be possible. And as I've mentioned several times on WLBT, if you are the least bit concerned about driving in this weather on Thursday and early Friday, don't. Roads will be passable, but it's the driving of the inexperienced that can cause problems. If you live in a rural area, be prepared for outages just in case you get a heavier glaze on powerlines and trees than others.
Here is the National Weather Service's graphical depiction of what is expected late tonight and Thursday. Find your county and you'll see what is "possible". Meantime, I'll be with you on WLBT throughout the duration, giving you the latest updates and forecasts.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Welcome to 2010!
I hope you had a few days to enjoy your family and friends as we celebrated Christmas and New Years. I took a few days off myself and it seemed to fly by as it always does.
In spending time away from work, I had a chance to go home to visit my family. Here is our annual Christmas picture taken in my parents' home. Me and my two sisters are on the back row with our husbands; my brother is next to my dad, and the grandchildren fill in the spaces.
So have you made your new years resolutions yet? Just for kicks, I went back to read over my blog entry I on January 5, 2009 to see what written as far as resolutions are concerned. Here is what I wrote:
In spending time away from work, I had a chance to go home to visit my family. Here is our annual Christmas picture taken in my parents' home. Me and my two sisters are on the back row with our husbands; my brother is next to my dad, and the grandchildren fill in the spaces.
So have you made your new years resolutions yet? Just for kicks, I went back to read over my blog entry I on January 5, 2009 to see what written as far as resolutions are concerned. Here is what I wrote:"I want to lose another 10 pounds which will get me back to my high school weight; I will shower heaven with more thankfulness for everyday blessings; and I want to finish writing my book."
I lost those other 10 pounds and lost a total of 54 pounds; I have certainly become more grateful and full of more praise; and I finished my book, which is already selling on Amazon and I have a full slate of book signings scheduled. Now for 2010's resolutions.
Although I want to continue working hard to keep the 54 pounds off that I lost, my challenges this year will be more spiritual in nature. To start with, I'm keeping my first challenge more personal for now. I'll share that with you this Friday after I've had some time to go through it.
This year, I want to be more of a Godly witness to those I come in contact with, those who watch me every day, and to my family. I want to finish reading the Bible through since I've more than half way through it.
I lost those other 10 pounds and lost a total of 54 pounds; I have certainly become more grateful and full of more praise; and I finished my book, which is already selling on Amazon and I have a full slate of book signings scheduled. Now for 2010's resolutions.
Although I want to continue working hard to keep the 54 pounds off that I lost, my challenges this year will be more spiritual in nature. To start with, I'm keeping my first challenge more personal for now. I'll share that with you this Friday after I've had some time to go through it.
This year, I want to be more of a Godly witness to those I come in contact with, those who watch me every day, and to my family. I want to finish reading the Bible through since I've more than half way through it.
For me, 2010 is all about sitting back and watching God move in ways that only He could get the glory for. So, what are you resolving to do this year? Share them with me right here on this blog. You can do it anonymously or you can sign in if you have a Google account.
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