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2009-6-1 – Hillsongs United – Jumping Around
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Experiencing GOD | Thoughts
You know guys,
I have to say that reading this article has totally refreshed some thoughts I had forgotten. Isn’t so amazing that we get caught up in many years of work FOR GOD that we forget what it feels like to BE WITH GOD?
I have just awakened this morning to the fact that I have gotten into a routine and have forgotten the relationship. Over the last months I have found Poppa slowly, but surely drawing me back to a close friendship. It’s so easy to read the Bible, have a prayer time, do ministry and even see GOD working through the miraculous. It really doesn’t TAKE a relatioship to do any of these things. Now, hear me, this sounds very strange, but it’s true.
The special relationship of “Friend” takes much more than simple service or right standing as son or daughter. It requires the onus of care, concern and forethought to be on us.
Read the below article by Henry Blackaby and think about the following:
When you are in a relationship with a husband or wife, you do the following:
1 – Think about what they love.
2 – Think about what they don’t like.
3 – Anticipate their needs.
4 – Anticipate their thoughts.
5 – Serve, give, listen to, and spend time with them.
6 – Inside of that serving, giving, listening to and spending time with them, you actually have a give and take going on with true interaction and life giving and life receiving for both parties.
7 – Ask yourself pertinent questions about the one you are in relationship with related to the above, ex:
– Would __________ love this?
– Would this hurt _________?
– Is this something that will fulfill _________’s needs?
– Is this going to set _________ up for success?
– Is this going to build ________ up?
– Is this going to raise ________ up in others’ minds?
Do we do this for Poppa? I wonder what would happen if we actually CARED what HE thought and how HE felt? I wonder if it would change our services, our music, our writing, our ministries, our lives, our activities if we actually took a moment and said, “Poppa, what do you want me to sing to you today?”
“Poppa, what do you want to do today?” “Poppa, is there someone you want to reach today?” “Poppa, how do you want me to spend time with you today?”
I wonder how our lives would change if we actually had relationships with Poppa GOD?
pd
Friends of God
“No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.” (John 15:15)
You do not choose to be a friend of God. That is by invitation only. Only two people in the Old Testament were specifically described as “friends of God.” Abraham walked with the Lord so closely that God referred to him as His friend (Isa. 41:8). Moses spoke to God face to face as a man speaks with his friend_(Exod. 33:11).
By His very nature God is a friend to us. He loves us with a perfect love and reaches out to us with salvation when we can offer Him nothing in return. It is quite another thing when someone has a heart so devoted to Him that God initiates a special friendship. David’s heart was totally devoted to God (1 Kings 11:4). Although David was not sinless, he loved God. David hated sin (Ps. 103:3); he loved to worship God (Ps. 122:1); he took genuine delight in God’s presence (2 Sam. 6:14); he loved to speak about God (Ps. 34:1); he was keenly aware of his transgressions (Ps. 51:3–4); and he delighted in offering gifts of song, thanksgiving, and praise, asking for nothing in return (Ps. 100). So closely did David walk with God that his words were on Jesus’ mind as He hung upon the cross (Matt. 27:46).
Jesus called His disciples friends. He said He would disclose to them things that the Father had shared with Him, because they were His friends. There developed such an intimate friendship between them that He would share what was on His heart with His friends.
If you cannot describe yourself as a friend of God, commit yourself to seek after God with all your heart.
Ratatouille – Looking Ahead
“As long as ypu focus on what you left behind, you cannot see what lies ahead.”
I love this thought!
This simple statement from Ratatouille is a deep truth that often takes many years to understand. After seeing GOD move in the ’90’s, I found my self foundered by the very fact that I had seen HIM move before. This in fact kept me from seeing HIM moving now.
However, now I SEE! Look ahead!
pd
the Thread | GOD’s Ways or HIS Face?
Hey Tapestry Folks,
I am sharing this wonderful post by Henry Blackaby in the wake of an amazing Prophecy Seminar at the Tapestry. The reason I am sharing it is because we all have an amazing opportunity right now to make a decision. Do we want to be satisified simply knowing about GOD and HIS ways or do you want more? Are you one of those few out there that are not content simply watching the Red Sea part…
Do you want to go into the tent of meeting?
I don’t know about you, but I do….
Blessings!
pd
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God’s Ways
He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel. (Psalms 103:7)
Are you satisfied with merely knowing the acts of God, or do you also want to know His ways? There is a difference. This difference is illustrated in the lives of the children of Israel as compared to Moses. The Israelites witnessed the miracles God performed; they walked across the dry Red Sea just as Moses did. They ate the manna and quail from heaven even as Moses did. They were content to receive God’s provision without ever knowing God Himself. Yet Moses saw beyond the provision of God to the person of God. Others, such as the Egyptian magicians, might perform miraculous acts, but no one else did things the way God did (Exod. 7:11–12). The way God acted provided a window into His nature. If Moses had been content with only God’s power, he could have accepted the presence of an angel and been victorious in his efforts (Exod. 33:15). But Moses wanted to experience more. He wanted to experience God Himself, not just God’s activity.
Some today, like the Israelites, are content to experience God’s activity without ever coming to know God. They are the recipients of answered prayer, yet they never come to know the Provider. They are blessed by God’s providential care over their families, their homes, and their jobs, yet they are satisfied not knowing the One from whom the blessings come. They benefit from God’s protection, yet they never become acquainted with the Protector.
Have you come to know God more personally as a result of your experiences with Him? As you observe the acts of God, look beyond them to the revelation of His character (Gen. 22:14; John 6:35).
Dustin Hedrick
Head Pastor
The Tapestry Vineyard Church
PO Box 2394
Kensington, MD 20891
Phone 301-251-4082 x13
Fax 240-206-3244
Email dustinhedrick@tapestrychurch.com
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Experiencing GOD for today!
I found this article from Henry Blackaby truly encouraging today since I am still fighting out the details of how to fund the work in Kenya. The funds are not the issue, it’s getting them there. I cannot tell you how my heart burns as I fight through the issues. However, I am finally at the end of it all.
With that said, read this article. It will encourage anyone else out there who finds themselves fighting to “take the land…”
Blessings!
pd
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“Look, the LORD your God has set the land before you; go up and possess it, as the LORD God of your fathers has spoken to you; do not fear or be discouraged.” (Deuteronomy 1:21)
One of the paradoxes of the Christian life is that God’s gifts often require labor on our part. God brought the Israelites to the Promised Land and told them He was going to “give” it to them (Num. 13:2). The gift of the Promised Land sounded great to the Israelites until they realized that, with the gift, came battles against giants and fortified cities! Perhaps they assumed God was going to obliterate the inhabitants of the land before they entered. Ideally for the Israelites, they could then have entered a vacant land with houses and cities already built and ready to inhabit.
Instead, God said they would have to fight for it. They would not have to fight in their own strength, however; God would be present to fight for them. God would bring down the walls of cities, give them strategies to defeat their enemies, and empower their warriors to fight. The Israelites would have a divine advantage over anyone they fought, but they would still have to fight.
It would be wonderful if, when we become Christians, God would fill our minds with a complete knowledge of the Bible and with Bible verses already memorized. It would be easy if God would instill in us a delight in spending hours in prayer each day and a fearless desire to share our faith with others. But God doesn’t relate to us that way. Instead, He gives us the free gift of His salvation and then tells us to “work out” our salvation in fear and trembling (Phil. 2:12b). Are you discouraged because the Christian life is more difficult and challenging than you expected? Don’t be. God’s gifts to you are perfect because, through them, God makes you perfect as well (Matt. 5:48; James 1:17).
Welcome to Blackaby Ministries
Matthew West | The Motions
I had to add this song because it simply revolutionizing my heart. So, here is the Video from Youtube, the lyrics and the LastFM link.
Here’s Matthew’s site as well: http://www.matthewwest.com/
Video|
Lyrics|
This might hurt
It’s not safe
But I know that I’ve gotta make a change
I don’t care
If I break
At least I’ll be feeling something
‘Cause just ok
Is not enough
Help me fight through the nothingness of life
I don’t wanna go through the motions
I don’t wanna go one more day
Without Your all consuming passion inside of me
I don’t wanna spend my whole life asking
What if I had given everything?
Instead of going through the motions
No regrets
Not this time
I’m gonna let my heart defeat my mind
Let Your love
Make me whole
I think I’m finally feeling something
Take me all the way
Take me all the way
Take me all the way
Last FM |
http://www.last.fm/music/Matthew+West/_/The+Motions
Keith Green | Asleep in the Light | Lyrics
I love this song for so many reasons. I loved Keith Green as a kid and miss his heart today. I just wanted to share the lyrics of one of my favorite songs of all time here. If you want to hear it on LastFM, click here: http://www.last.fm/music/Keith+Green/_/Asleep+In+The+Light
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Keith Green | Asleep in the Light | Lyrics
Do you see, do you see
All the people sinking down
Dont you care, dont you care
Are you gonna let them drown
How can you be do numb
Not to care if they come
You close your eyes
And pretend the jobs done
Oh bless me lore, bless me lord
You know its all I ever hear
No one aches, no one hurts
No one even sheds one tear
But he cries, he weeps, he bleeds
And he cares for you needs
And you just lay back
And keep soaking it in
Oh cant you see its such a sin
cause he brings people to you door
And you turn them away
As you smile and say
God bless you, be at peace
And all heaven just weeps
cause jesus came to you door
Youve left him out on the streets
Open up open up
And give yourself away
You see the need, you hear the cries
So how can you delay
Gods calling and youre the one
But like jonah you run
Hes told you to speak
But you keep holding it in
Of cant you see its such a sin
The world is sleeping in the dark
That the church just cant fight
cause its asleep in the light
How can you be so dead
When youve been so well fed
Jesus rose from the grave
And you, you cant even get out of bed
Oh, jesus rose from the dead
Come on get out of your bed
How can you be so numb
Not to care if they come
You close your eyes
And pretend the jobs done
You close your eyes
And pretend the jobs done
Dont close your eyes
Dont pretend the jobs done
Come away, come away, come away with me my love
Come away, come away, come away with me my love