Well, you just have to walk with Jesus to find out. A while back I read the most life changing book, titled "52 Weeks with Jesus." I have read it so much the spine of the book has ripped away and the pages are falling out. I refuse to get a new one because this book shows my spiritual awakening. It has my notes, highlights, reflections, and insights from the Holy Spirit. Yes, I said the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit still communes with His people today. It's a matter of getting on His frequency and tuning your heart, mind, and ear to Him.
I had a wonderful conversation and prayer session with a good friend and my spouse last night and it was powerful. It reminded me of how sometimes we lose sight of God in our everyday lives and the importance of living a continual life of prayer and worship unto Him. If we do everything unto Him we don't have to pray such fancy prayers like the Bible says not to do. We can just pray. We can be honest. We can just tell God what we need and petition God for others.
A lot of times believers get down on themselves because we are not doing a series of devotional prescribed activities outlined by our peers and our leaders. We feel like we are not doing enough. The Bible says, "His grace is enough." If we are continually living a life of worship, then we feel a quickening in our spirt when God wants us to fulfill His will. When we build up our faith muscles of praying and meditatiating on His word, living for God becomes as natural as breathing.
Simple prayers like....come Holy Spirit come...Let your will be done.... are enough to invite the Holy Spirit into our situations.
The Bible shows us how to activate the power of the Holy Spirit organically. As we are walking and talking with our children, as we are doing mundane chores at home or aboard, and as we sit and talk with our friends. It is highlighted in how Jesus went to the women at the well and spoke with her and how He invites us to sit with Him daily to commune with Him. While we are doing these simple and uncomplicated chores and activities, we can connect with Him. These sacred moments of being simply in the moment. As we are working or playing we can actively be praying and lifting our prayers and petitions up to God. I usually have these sacred moments with my children eating ice cream, sitting in my car stuck in car pool lane, or taking a walk on the beach.
I know as a special needs person that it is important to have a prayer routine because I often get side tracked by everything. Therefore, routines are critical to staying on track for me. However, when I am in true distress I just cry out to my Heavenly Father or when I get super joyful and full of the Holy Spirit I can't stop myself from sharing with others no matter the time of day. (Sorry family) And this distress or moments of intense joy often times causes huge earthquakes among my family and friends.
You see, I have a unique relationship with God based on realness. I tell Him how I truly feel about everything and sometimes I am right about it and somethings my perspective is off base. That is why it is important to pray continuously without ceasing. He will show you and lead you in the way you should go. Sometimes He brings insight at the weirdest moments and I get overly excited or overly tearful. Especially if it shows things that grieve the Holy Spirit.
But, a true friend can read between the lines and say wow this person must need help if they are.....What can I do to help them. Often times it is something simple.
Chapter 2 Perservere during Difficult Times
I have always achieved my dreams by never giving up and staying the course. I know that God is ready to move on my behalf when everything in my life seems to be going wrong. Whenever the enemy keeps putting up fake obstacles that is my giant clue that I need to keep pressing onward. I need to keep praying, keep connecting, keep rejoicing with God and others. Not to give up. To be determined and even more intentional in staying faithful.
Right now my new air conditioning system is speaking very loudly again. My washing machine has stopped working. The cars aren't working properly. This month, my trees on my property are causing issues. Can't find no one to help. Keep scheduling home improvement companies to come in and they keep canceling. We tried everything and every online service. And it seems like everything and everyone around us seems to have abandoned us in our time of need. Yet, I ignore it all because during this season of Lent I know that God is teaching me discipline, perservence, and He is teaching me how to ignore the world around me and keep moving forward with Him how to be determined to stick with Him. Despite the numerous challenges and the indifference negative behaviors of others. God is showing me how to keep on trucking. To keep on listening. To keep on sharing everything with the people that I love. To keep showing up and knocking down obstacles and I do that by being faithful to what God is calling me to do. And it aint easy. This has been one of the hardest seasons of my life. I have wanted to quit many times and say Devil you can have them. However, I have to trust that God is still on the throne doing what He does best. Bringing Heaven to us when we fast and pray and when we don't allow real or imagined obstacles to get in our way of seeing and being with God. So get angry but sin not. Keep sharing and Keep loving till the good Lord shows up.
Who are we going to Believe? We am going to believe the report of the Lord.
I am choosing today to continue to do the things I have always done and keep buckling down until I see the deliverance of the Lord in every area of my life. Keep building on house upon the Rock.
It is true that joy cometh in the morning. For me it has. Whenever we keep being faithful and keep moving in obedience God always moves on our behalf.
Today, despite the many obstacles you and I are facing just keep looking up and onward towards the prize of the most high calling. Jesus is our prize so keep being faithful in loving God and loving others and He will get us there.
Keep going! Keep praying it doesn't have to be perfect. Just keep doing it. Knowing the good Lord will show up like the old timers sing, "He may not come when you call Him, but He is right on time. He is an on time God, yes He is...." Therefore, keep calling and texting, keep praying, keep knocking on your spiritual doors, and keep telling everyone what you are going through and sharing your testimonies. How else is the Lord going to unite His people and that's the power of community? That's the power of Holy Spirit uniting His people called THE CHURCH. We must not forsake in coming together regularly because it is in us coming together that He can bring deliverance and salvation to others all around the world.
Let's continue to work together every day and not giving up on one another. That my friends is what a good friend does they are closer than a brother, they keep on walking with you during good times and bad times. Like the story of the friends bringing their lame friend to Jesus. They couldn't get through the crowd so they climbed up and pulled him up and made a hole in the roof and lowered him at the feet of Jesus. And Jesus said you friends faith has made you whole. Now get up and Walk. So go out there are find some Jesus friends they are the best friends you will ever have and allow them to help you get to Jesus so you and everyone else can get to dancing for Him.
Let the Church say Amen.
The man of too many friends [chosen indiscriminately] will be broken in pieces and come to ruin, But there is a [true, loving] friend who [is reliable and] sticks closer than a brother.
One with many friends may be harmed, but there is a friend who stays closer than a brother.
Wix pik
Reminds me of my praying experiences in California, Maryland, and at Martha's Vineyard.
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