This blog entry is a few different thoughts. Nothing too deep or noteworthy today. It is Dr Seuss week at school in kindergarten. It has been a crazy hectic week and I'm pretty pooped.
Have you noticed the emotional and physical sensation-heightening language used to promote church events? Look at the language that is being used nowadays to describe what participants will experience at conferences, meetings, by reading a book..., for example, at the Alpha Summit Men's Conference, it is stated that it will be "power packed" ...and "super-charged".
Jentezen Franklin promotes his book on Fasting by saying that when he doesn't "sense that cutting-edge anointing", or "when I need a fresh encounter with God" fasting will deliver those sensations to him.
I love Jesus, and to me He is always fresh. I'm satisfied with a regular anointing. I don't even know what a "cutting-edge anointing" is and how it is different from a regular one. I don't need an "encounter" with Jesus, because He is always present in me and with me.
Bill Hybels says of his new book, Power of a Whisper, "Without a hint of exaggeration, the ability to discern divine direction has saved me from a life of sure boredom and self-destruction."
I'm so glad that for Mr Hybels that Jesus died to save him from a boring life.
When did church-related activities need to be promoted as something like a bungee jump? Lately it seems that Church-related conferences, meetings, activities etc are frequently promoted as something of a 'turbo experience' driven by adrenaline, rather than a learning experience or even a spiritual experience. The only problem with appealing to the sensations is that they always need to go higher to retain the same oomph. Eventually you can't go higher and you run out and go off the cliff.
On another topic, tomorrow I'll be writing about demon possession in children. I've noticed that people are extremely interested in the demonic side of the spiritual realms. I am too. I only post occasionally about that side of things though because I like the focus to be on Jesus. We are victors, and we have won the battle. While it is good to be aware, and vigilant, there is no need to constantly seek information about the demonic.
However sometimes it does us good to review what the bible says about that issue. I am going to do so because the question came up in my own life this week. Can children be possessed? If so, what can we do about it? I've been praying and researching, and Lord willing, I'll have some information tomorrow.
Today a friend I ran into in the parking lot at the grocery store said "Hey, you look good." Now in physical life I do not look good. I need a haircut, my clothes are ill fitting and out of style, and I'm exhausted and look it. But she went on, "You are always joyous, and you can't fake that. Teaching must agree with you."
Now there are two points here. The first is that I ask the Spirit every day to make me a light for His name. It is said in Matthew 5:14-16, "“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven."
The Spirit is so gracious, this verse from Matthew 7:7-11 comes true every time I pray and ask in His name for the things I know He wants me to have: "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. “For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. “Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone? “Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!"
Do you ask the Spirit for the things you need? For more understanding of the bible? For strength to operate under pressure? For mercy when you sin? For open ears to hear His prompting? For opportunities to speak His name in love and bear witness to the lost? I ask, and He gives, every time!
But now here comes the second part, the bad-on-me part. The conversation had already just about ended and I was partway across the parking lot. When she said that I just smiled and said, "I sure do love kids!" and then waved a final goodbye. But I ask for opportunities to witness, and I could have said, should have said, "It is Jesus that is the light in me that you are seeing." It's three hours later and I'm still feeling bad about missing an opportunity to share Him, even for taking the credit myself, when I know that all joy comes from Him.
I stumbled, but I'll ask for another opportunity and I apologized to Him. He heard, and He will give me another opportunity to share the Truth. Meanwhile, His forgiveness and grace are balms to my soul, He is just that kind of Father.
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