How God is working

Oh yes my friends.......that time is correct, I am up and at em this morning. I find so much truth in the phrase, "What doesn't kill us only makes us stronger". The past few days I have walked around defeated, broken and physically weary. I was telling my friend the yesterday that all I've wanted to do is curl up in bed and sleep.....that is not me. The Lord has given me so much strength this morning and I truly cannot thank you all enough for your comments and support. It just about knocked me off my feet! Especially at one point in my day yesterday I just cried out to the Lord to show me some encouragment, and at that very moment God used someone in a very special way!!!

This morning the Lord has lead me to 1 Chronicles 29:17 "I know my God that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity. All these things I have given willingly and with honest intent." I can see from this verse that the Lord does test our motives......I feel like it's most likely a constant thing, throughout our day, whether we think about it or not. I will be the first to admit there have been times in my life where my motives have not been pure, and if one of us says there hasn't been a time like that, then we'd better really pray this verse! =) I guess what hurts though, is how Satan uses other Christians to knock us down when our motives are pure and with honest intent. And I think the battle begins we when, the Christian don't recognize the enemy at work through us.......we let our pride, anger, jealousy, envy and just plain dislike allow us to be a vessel.

I have seen God's hands moving big time in our church.....I feel like we as a church on on the verge of a huge breakthrough IN CHRIST. But, I think I see that to many times, myself included, we as a church have questioned the motives of our leadership, pastors and other believers. And YES, absolutely if there are things that are happening that shouldn't be, we should be a "gentle" vessel and guide them to scripture. But, I think what is happening is that people are beginning to see the power of prayer. If we allow God to change someone, rather then trying to do it ourselves, it's going to be much more effective then ANYTHING we could ever do or say.

But, I don't just mean these "Oh Lord help so in so...." prayers. When we come before the throne of God first of all in adoration of WHO God is, and secondly recognizing ALL HE has done for us, we are united and when we unite our hearts in prayer......oh my oh my.....big things happen. I see it, with my own eyes, I've experienced it in my own life! It's this deep presenece of the Lord.....truly coming before him, removing all of our thoughts and focusing on HIM. It's not pushing out the Holy Spirit but allowing the spirit to work freely, as God intends. So many times when we are in worship at church, it has to stop because of a clock...oh I can't stand it sometimes, but I realize that they can't just go on and on forever! There will come a great day when in heaven the worship truly will never end....oh I look foreword to that day!!

I look at my life the past few months.......my....... have we as a family been through a lot. I never want to grieve the Holy Spirit in my girl's lives....and trust me, God uses them in HUGE ways to speak to me sometimes!! Just last night as we were having our devotions as I expressed my heart's desire for them to know and love God more than anything else in this world.....my little HopeAnn's eyes filled with questions of "But how Mommy? How do we love God?" I told them that it can only come from time spent with the Lord themselves...they have to grow in Him just like I do. Taylor asked me, "Ok...so do I have to MAKE time or does this time already exist?" I couldn't help but laugh......I said, "Yes Taylor you have to make time for God." She rambled through a list of things she could give up, school being one of course, to spend time with God.

So to tie all this together, somehow........, the more time we spend alone with God, the more we will be able to put this verse into practice. Each day asking God to test our motives.....to see if we are indeed pure in heart.....to see if there are things in our lives that we need to be bold on and take the courage to say, "Yes, I'm wrong." Oh what an awful friend that ol pride is.......he's always lurking, awaiting the next victim. My point is this, God knows our hearts, He always will....and if we are truly seeking Him, He will show us step by step our faults and guide us into His loving arms of grace. It's that gentle voice, that still voice, that tug on our hearts......oh may I not grieve the Holy Spirit today, may I freely let Him work in my life.

Dearest Father,

Oh Lord, I know there are times when my motives are not pure in heart and I do and say things that make your heart sad. And Lord thank you for revealing it to me so clearly again this morning, that the more time I spend with you , JUST YOU, the more you are going to make my motives pure and my intentions right. Lord, there are many things in my life that are happening that make my heart sad....but there is so much to rejoice in as well.

Thank you for providing for us this week, thank you for your children that you have given to me....thank you for your love and grace that I am free to experience each day. Thank you that you are changing me and Kris...oh Lord, thank you. Thank you that you are at work in our church....that your hands are moving through your people. Oh Lord, don't let me grieve the spirit today. Let me know you and experience all that you have for me today.

I pray for Taylor's teachers old and new, Lord let your hands be upon them today. Lord, what an awesome responsibilty you have given them and I pray for their strength today. I ask that you give them just what they need today, provisions, blessings, encouragment...whatever it is. And if Lord there are things I can do, show me.......show me how to be a blessing to them.

I lift up everyone who reads this blog and their own lives. Lord there are many things happening and you see and know them all. Children in new schools, health concerns, pregnancy's, financial needs, marriages that need healing, lives that need to be broken, hearts that need to be healed......oh Lord I truly could go on forever today but time does not allow it anymore.

Thank you for the boldness and courage that you have given me today. Thank you for picking me up out of the pit and placing me back where I belong. I love you Lord, use me today..

Have a blessed day my friends! I love you!!