Who has the Power?

Luke 6:19 “and the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all.”

Here we see Jesus going through the towns and people are coming from all over, not to hear Him preach, but to have a life changing experience with Him. See people today are looking everywhere to have a life changing experience. It may be a healing of the physical, mental, or emotional, nevertheless, people want to experience the power of God. It is something real and IT IS TANGIBLE. You can’t touch it, but it touches you.

When we went to Disneyland we went on the Indian Jones ride, and my spirit was stirred up. The ride was fun, but as we were in line I began to see the idols and images that line the walls. You were told not to look at the idol in the eye for she would make you blind. So, I wondered, many of the Indian Jones movies are of Indian looking for artifacts that reference God. Like the Ark of the Covenant which represents God’s presence, or the Holy Grail (it has no power) is the cup the Jesus used at the last supper. Why couldn’t they have used something like that for the ride? The answer is easy. It is more acceptable to give power to a stone image than the God of creation.

We are in a day and age where it is not “politically correct” to give praise to God or to be disgusted with sin. I say NO! This world is hunger and lost and they need to know the awesome healing power of God. It needs to be heavy upon us so that people don’t run to church buildings, but run to experience His power.

Are you an agent of His power today?
Does it ooze out of you?

Be infectious, and let people feel Gods presence all over you. This is how we change the world.

I Do!!!

This past weekend Anthony and I celebrated 10 years of marriage. Ant re-created our visit to Disneyland after dating for one year. We had an awesome time together. I learned a few things while we were there.

· The new Space Mountain is too fast for me.
· Ant and I no longer fit together in one seat on the Matterhorn.
· The candy apples are huge.
· The ice cream is delightful.
· Wearing a Disneyland Happy Anniversary buttons gets you perks.
· Couples time, is needed often.
· Laughter still describes our relationship.

Ant and I became a living testimony of what a God centered marriage looks like this weekend. So many people were blown away when they found out that we were celebrating 10 years. Not just because of our age, but as one woman put it, “people don’t stay married that long”. How sad that marriage is not recognized as a lifetime commitment. Would you like to know something even greater, we dated for 6 years before we got married, that’s a total of 16 years. I love being married to Ant and you will often hear me say this, “marriage is fun”.
Someone might be thinking, what is so different about your marriage? It wasn’t that we had the greatest examples of how a marriage should look like, far from it. But what we did have is this,

1. A common foundation on and extreme passion for Christ. Ant and I started with Christ as our standard back when we were dating, first as individuals and then as a couple. He is what binds us together.
2. We do not believe in the “D” word. It is not an option, nor is it ever spoken of.
3. We laugh a lot, together and at each other. Laughter keeps a happy marriage.

Whether you’re married or not, keep a close relationship with God, keep your standards high, and laugh until it hurts. God bless.

Pray of the Heart

Lamentations 2: 11 "My eyes fail from weeping, I am in torment within; my heart is poured out on the ground because my people are destroyed, because children and infants faint in the streets of the city."

Jeremiah was not always treated well due to the prophecies that God gave him foretelling the people’s destruction. God does not threaten as we parents do sometimes and not fulfill the punishment. He means what He says and is strong enough to know that without punishment your children lose respect and don’t think you will ever do what you say.

Jeremiah was a man with a huge heart. Even while prophesying God’s judgment, he longed for his people, his neighbors, to repent and serve God with their whole heart. Now with his own eyes, he sees the judgments being fulfilled. He is physically sick and emotionally overwhelmed at the pain and death that the people are going through.

What if we looked at our world, our neighborhood, our churches and had this deep pain and anguish at the results of sin? What if we loved enough to forget about our blessings enough to bombard heaven for the sins of our cities? Has anything so bad ever happened to you that you cried so much you thought you might die of a broken heart? Then you know, as I do, how consuming it is. Jeremiah had this heart for his nation. What do you need to pray for today? Put your heart into it.

Position yourself

• Get in and/or near God’s presence. If you can’t or don’t know how to get God’s presence, then go where you know it is. Church, youth, singles, friends, prayer time, worship. Samuel 3:3” The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was. “
• Even the prophet of God knowing that this had to happen, did not stop interceding. Hear the voice of God today, get near Him, and be encouraged. Take your passions and pain to throne. “Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and the door will be opened to you.” Matthew 7:7

Lord, let me hear your voice today and give me a heart that is longs for healing in the land and in the people. Amen

Boys to Men

For the last two days I have been listening to Focus on the Family in the morning and the topic of fathers and sons. It has stirred my spirit. We have a generation of fatherless children running around and mothers desperately trying to be both mother and father. But the fact remains that boys need fathers. Don't get me wrong, single moms you have done a fabulous job. My mother-in-law is a huge example of strength and courage, but I know where her strength comes from. Prayer. God has given us women the power to pray and not just a simple prayer either. Specific prayers, change specific needs.

I challenge all mothers, grandmothers, aunties, sisters, and cousins to pray in these specific areas for the boys in our lives. Pray that their father and/or godly father figure would:

* Encourage and praise them often
* Spend time with and do activities with them

Book recommended: The Power of a Praying Parent by Stormie Omartin http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=922067&event=71457AUT140449171457#curr

Men, I have not forgotten about you. I encourage you no matter how your father treated you or was not there for you, fight for your sons. God is a perfect father and will give you all the tools you need. Ask him for godly manly friends so that you will have the male bonding you need and need to model. You can do it, don't give up.

I have put the link to today’s broadcast(http://www.focusonthefamily.com/popups/media_player.aspx?LatestDaily=1 ) and I would encourage you to listen to it. Specifically the story of the how the Nigerian men take their sons from the mother’s house to train him on how to be a man. Powerful.

Lord, I thank you for being an awesome Father and caring about our sons.

Invitation

Everyone loves to be included in something. It makes you feel loved and important and no matter what people say, God has created in us a desire to be liked by others.

I want you to know you are special. You are loved. You have value. I invite you to join me as I share my heart with yours. There are times in our lives when all we have is questions and concerns. It is my prayer that the information that I share with you will ease your pain, lighten your burdens, and lift your hearts. I have learned that God has equipped this generation with multiple tools to encourage and enhance our relationship with Him and make us the people He created us to me.

So, be encouraged and empowered and as I "raise" sinking hearts.