Monday, July 26, 2010

Jesus Christ In Me

I am reading an oldie goldie entitled Crisis Experiences by Dr. Edman. It's one of Dad's old books from the Grapevine.

The chapter about Charles Trumbull was especially interesting. He looked around at his Christian friends and saw that some had a greater insights, some whose only Christian resource was Jesus Christ. He observed a man who "enjoyed habitual consequences of the presence of the Savior with him always." Trumbull says that even mature Christians were having break-throughs, "laying hold on (Christ) in this new way." He only knew that he himself had "great fluctuations in his spiritual life, on occasion in conscious fellowship with the Savior, and then again down in the depths of defeat." He said, "It seemed to me that it ought to be possible for me to live habitually on a high plane of close fellowship with God."

After he pressed through in prayer, studied a sermon on the subject and prayed some more, God gave him this never ceasing close fellowship. This quote got me to thinking.

"Jesus Christ does not want to be our helper; He wants to be our life. He does not want us to work for Him. He wants us to let Him do His work through us, using us as we use a pencil to write with- better still, using us as one of the fingers on His hand."

Monday, July 19, 2010

Holy Spirit

Cori forwarded me an article by David Wilkerson (from Jan 6, 2010). I wanted to post and respond to it here on my blog in length.

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Subject: FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT
“According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue” (2 Peter 1:3).
For years I’ve claimed to be filled with the Spirit. I have testified that I’ve been baptized in the Spirit. I’ve preached that the Holy Spirit empowers me to witness, and that he sanctifies me. I’ve prayed in the Spirit, talked to the Spirit, walked in the Spirit and heard his voice. I truly believe the Holy Spirit is the power of God.  
I can take you to the place where I was filled with the Spirit, at eight years of age. I’ve read everything that Scripture says about the Holy Spirit. Yet lately, I’ve found myself praying, “Do I really know this incredible power that lives in me? Or is the Spirit just a doctrine to me? Am I somehow ignoring him? Am I not asking him to do for me what he came to do?”
The fact is, you can have something very valuable and not know it. And you can’t enjoy what it is you have, because you don’t understand how valuable it is.
There’s a story about a farmer who worked his small farm his whole life. For decades he tilled the rocky soil, living poor and finally dying in discontent. At his death, the farm was passed down to his son. One day, while plowing, the son found a gold-streaked nugget. He had it appraised and was told it was pure gold. The young man soon discovered that the farm was full of gold. Instantly, he became a wealthy man. Yet that wealth was lost on his father, even though it was on the land his whole life.
So it is with the Holy Spirit. Many of us live in ignorance of what we have, of the power that resides in us. Some Christians live their entire lives thinking they have all the Holy Spirit brings, yet they truly haven’t received him in fullness and power. He isn’t accomplishing in them the eternal work he was sent to do.
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I think that this is right on. Several years ago, I promised the Lord that I would witness at least once a day to someone, whether it be a student or stranger. And I have kept that promise for every day that I have left the house to work. Over this period of time, I have felt more spiritually empowered and emboldened than I ever have in years past. My spiritual energy and ministry output is much stronger, and I have been making use of more spiritual gifts than ever before. 
The more I spend myself for the Lord in His Harvest work, the more of the Holy Spirit I feel I am getting...a continual filling I might say. I want to become more and more "perfect, even as (my) Father in heaven is perfect," so this must continue for me to be the woman of God that I have been asked to be. As 2 Peter states, if He has given me "all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him," then He is enabling me to KNOW Him, and by knowing Him, I will have everything that I need for life, dealing with my sins quickly, and developing Godliness. 
I have never been ignorant of the Holy Spirit in me. My own childhood experience with Jesus and the Holy Spirit was moving and memorable. I have had a constant sense of His presence in my life since I was saved. But I want His infilling continually. I never want spiritual apathy or stagnation to drown His wooing and whispering. 
Fill me up, Lord! Let me come to You continually for the Water of Life!

Monday, July 12, 2010

goin' to the chapel


Marisa & Dusty were married on Saturday. The ceremony was at the picturesque Gonzales United Methodist Church, a beautiful structure. Sarah and I iced and decorated their wedding cake early in the morning. I got to wear my new pink & green dress. :-) I pray that they would center their marriage in You, Lord, and be blessed with many happy years together!


2010 has certainly been THE WEDDING YEAR for my former students...the first was Sarah Stevens in March, then Marisa. Next will be Rachel Strehlow, Katie Callow, and Lucas Dove.

It has been a nice weekend. I've been cooking, doing laundry, swimming, reading, cleaning, and budgeting. Now I am off to finish payroll taxes and mop the kitchen, two things that I hate! :-(

I pray for God's peace to reign in our home...no fears or worries- financial, relational, or otherwise. Less of me, Lord, and more of You!

Sunday, July 11, 2010

published

http://ylcf.org/2010/07/single-minded-to-glorify-god/

I wrote an e-mail to YLCF awhile ago in response to their "Purposeful Singleness" series. Young single girls were writing articles about how hard it is to wait for God's will in marital issues. My thoughts were...when you are in your 20s, you have NO IDEA what being single is like, at least not until you get to the end of that decade!!! 

I was so full of ideas and thoughts when I was younger too...but NOTHING can prepare you for long-term singleness as much as developing a content and peaceful heart. That needed GRACE comes every day to walk out a life pleasing to our Lord and Savior!!!

It got me to thinking...most (not all) of the single women in my acquaintance and church life has been consumed with hanging out with their friends and attending one social event after another and one singles meeting after another. So many seem self-absorbed, or in need of a reality check. Women who live immorally, and then seek God's blessing on their lives and wonder why nothing seems to go right for them. 

Then on the other extreme I know women who stay at home and do nothing but play the roles of second-mothers to their siblings, fulfilling no obedience to the Great Commission or to that great unction in 1 Corinthians 7: "The unmarried woman cares for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married cares for the things of the world, how she may please her husband." The things of the Lord would be work in the Great Harvest of souls and being FAITHFUL to do the work God has called us to (whether it be ministering to our families or to others).

I have always felt almost alone with my sisters (in the local area churches) in our pursuit of holy singleness. Last week Gretchen e-mailed me back and asked if they could publish it. I have been published many times, but it has been several years now. :-)  I pray that many girls will be encouraged to pursue God's call on their lives, especially if their single hood is stretching out long!!!

Monday, July 5, 2010

Sono Harris Tribute

Sono Harris, one-half of the famed homeschool pioneer advocate couple with her husband Gregg Harris and mother of 7 "world changers," has gone to be with Jesus after a short battle with cancer! My thoughts and prayers are with her family at this difficult time. 

I can empathize, having lost Dad to cancer last year. I wonder if she sought treatment though. Here, two of her sons give tribute to her legacy: Goodbye, Mama

Mom and Dad started homeschooling back when it was illegal in most states; we had friends to go to jail for it! For many years, we homeschooled in Tennessee in secret...not even our only living grandma knew until after four years or so! The Harrises were among the few brave souls who risked everything to pave the way for legal homeschooling here in the US. 

Bless her memory!

the 4th

We had a great July 4th with most of the family gathered at the "White house" for fun, food, and general niece-enjoyment! Corrie Lynn was a hoot the whole day...what a character! Mom, Trish & I got there a little after 2 and finished setting up the food service. Nanny Linda came late, but she seemed to enjoy herself. Sarah came for a short while, but only ate and slept and left early. Daniel worked so he didn't come. Trish and I took CL in her little red car down to the water for a stroll. Several of their neighbors were putting on competing fireworks shows; it was fun to watch. Then we got out the sparklers that I had gotten at the tent sale and CL LOVED them. Cute pics coming! :-D A lovely day in all.


I think that Cori is having a boy, but we should find out for sure in several weeks. She is carrying very high this time, and the heart beat is slower than CL's was, even though they could hear it earlier this time. He will be Benjamin Michael (I know...common name). Anyway, I would like for it to be a girl. But then again, I don't really care which it is! :-D More to LOVE!!!

Upon finding out that Sono Harris had died today, I perused several blogs by her family members and found this article about their household of Faith Community Church's tenants. It mirrors almost exactly what I believe about the Holy Spirit and His gifts. Not being a cessationist makes me different in theology from just about everyone I know in my literary world and the homeschool community in general. I had no idea, except for the fact that Josh took over C. J. Mahaney's pastorate, that they were full-gospel.  Charismatic In Ministry
I did know that they were Reformed/Calvinist. I wonder if there is a branch church nearby here anywhere. Something to research. Our local full-Gospel churches are liberal in doctrine, so we haven't ever fit in anywhere.

Marisa gets married on Saturday. Looking forward to that. She and Dustin are very happy together! :-)
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