An Invitation Requires Preparation

My church celebrated our 20th anniversary yesterday with a blowout ONE family service requiring a convention center to hold the entire CLC family from all 5 campuses - including pastors & some guests from our CLC campus in Davoa City, Philippines. It was truly phenomenal and emotionally charged as we recognized our pastors and others who've faithfully served this past 20 years.

Serving with the praise team, I left the platform following worship to fulfill other responsibilities for another part of the service. Knowing I must eventually return to the platform for the final song, I simply sat near the stairs to enjoy the rest of the service while my crowded Servants of Praise members remained seated on the platform.

Dave & Nicole Binion were providing special music midway through the service & then again at the close for the final song - Heaven on Earth. When the Binions took the stage, my section leader motioned for me to come up to the platform. I suspect she thought we may be singing...standing up to sing. However, we were not called on to sing; thus, remained seated. Now, here I am...coming up to an already full platform of people - crowded, but comfortably seated. Though called to join them, there was no room for me. So, I discreetly sat down on the riser steps. NOT comfortable. Not feeling very discreet. Feeling very conspicuous & out of place. Didn't take long until I made my way back down the stairs to an empty seat to comfortably enjoy the remainder of the service.

Not sure at what point the thought came to me...doesn't really matter; but this is what I heard:

When you invite His presence & power into your life -- into your circumstances, you must make room. He is a gentleman & will not crowd nor force His way. He comes into that place prepared for Him.

Of course, now I must ponder...does God have room in life? Am I making a place for Him among in my schedule? In the business of living my life - living for Him - have I prepared a place for Him to settle? Or is He patiently waiting for me to clear out some of my stuff so He can really work?

Hmmmm....something to think about. Is my invitation null and void without proper preparation? I want God in the middle of who I am...in the middle of my circumstances, situations, though life, home life, work habits, study habits, service...oh, me. I have some preparing to do; clean up, clear out & make room for my Savior.

You Are Good

Everyday I'll awaken my praise; pour out a song from my heart...
You are good. You are good. You are good & Your mercy is forever.
Your kindness is forever. Your goodness is forever. Forever.

Wouldn't Take Nothing For My Journey Now

There's an old song we used to sing...or maybe I was singing along as someone else sang it; but it went like this: "I wouldn't take nothing for my journey now..."

I don't really remember the rest, but was pondering this morning just how blessed I am; not that things have been perfect or even remotely turned out how I dreamed or planned, but I would take nothing for my experiences & life to this point. :o) God is good. I trust Him. That thing He says about "all things work together for good to them who are called according to His purpose." I really believe that- lock, stock & barrel~

Or I could sing this old song...that's the thing about us music loving singing folks - we think in song -- either one we know or making up our own as we go along. So there's this one I've tooled around with this morning: "I am blessed. I am blessed. Every day that I live I am blessed. When I wake up in the morning, til I lay my head to rest...I am blessed. I am blessed." God is really good & I bask in the overflow of that goodness. He fills my cup to the point of spillage & I often sip from the saucer.

In the getting to know you stage with this new friend, I woke up thinking I misspoke during our last conversation. I love the life I've lived. Got a few dreams still tucked away waiting to burst forth...but overall, I am very satisfied with how things have played out. I have far more things checked off my life's to do list than things remaining. My passport is full & I've started a new one. No regrets, really...unless it would be - no, really - none. Life has been colorful - just plain FULL & I'm thankful. THANK FULL! Thankful & looking forward to what's around the bend or even just what's right there in front of me waiting for me to notice.

Bring it on. :o) Now, enjoy this little ditty. It's chanky chank, but it fits today.

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Power of a Praying Child

21 days of prayer & fasting culminated last night in a powerful prayer & celebration service. The most spectacular thing happened. Pastor called forward the children participating in the fast. Gracie was diligent in her fasting efforts; giving up sweets and videos/tv. The children lined the front, facing the congregation. Then a call was for people who didn't necessarily hear a specific word from God during the fast or still yet, wanted to hear something more. The children prayed for these individuals. It was so powerful..there was an incredible break in the spiritual realm. More & more adults responded, coming forward so the children could pray for them. Then the children were arranged in two rows - a prayer line was made & the entire congregation walked through that burgeoning army of prayer warriors. Then entire congregation - singers, musicians, nursery workers, pastors....they prayed for each on of us, laying hands on us as we worshiped & wept our way through the prayer line. Words just can't describe it~

Evotional.com

Evotional.com Borrowed entirely from Mark Batterson
A few years ago I read a book by Arthur Gordon titled Wonder. I actually remember where I was when I was reading. Lora and I were on the Island of Capri celebrating an anniversary. My favorite chapter is titled The Night the Stars Fell.

Arthur Gordon was a small boy. His family was staying at a seaside cottage during the summer. And late one night his father came into his room where he was sleeping. He woke him up by picking him up in his arms. Then he carried his son outside. Down the porch. Down to the beach. Then his father told him to look up into the night sky and watch. Just as his father said it, a streak of fire blazed across the sky. Then another. And another. Arthur asked his dad what they were. He said, “Shooting stars.” He explained that every year on certain nights in August, the sky would put on a shooting star show.

Arthur never forgot that night.

"No doubt in my childhood I had the usual quota of playthings, but these are forgotten now. What I remember is the night the stars fell, the day we rode in a caboose, the time we tried to skin the alligator, the telegraph we made that really worked...father had, to a marvelous degree, the gift of opening doors for his children, of leading them into areas of splendid newness...he believed that a new experience was more important for a small boy than an unbroken night of sleep."

I love that. I want to be like that!

"This, surely, is the most valuable legacy we can pass on to the next generation: not money, not houses or heirlooms, but a capacity for wonder and gratitude, a sense of aliveness and joy."

Ardent

It is not enough to say a prayer, but we must pray in prayer. Our thoughts must be fixed, our desires firm and ardent, and our graces in exercise; and, when we thus pray in prayer, we shall speed in prayer. Elijah prayed that it might not rain; and God heard him in his pleading against an idolatrous persecuting country, so that it rained not on the earth for the space of three years and six months. Again he prayed, and the heaven gave rain, etc. Thus you see prayer is the key which opens and shuts heaven. To this there is an allusion, Rev. 11:6, where the two witnesses are said to have power to shut heaven, that it rain not. This instance of the extraordinary efficacy of prayer is recorded for encouragement even to ordinary Christians to be instant and earnest in prayer. God never says to any of the seed of Jacob, Seek my face in vain. If Elijah by prayer could do such great and wonderful things, surely the prayers of no righteous man shall return void.
Matthew Henry, Commentary on James 5

Yield

Jam 3:17

But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no partiality and is always sincere.

–verb (used without object)

8.	to give a return, as for labor expended; produce; bear.

9.	to surrender or submit, as to superior power: The rebels yielded after a week.

10.	to give way to influence, entreaty, argument, or the like: Don't yield to their outrageous demands.

11.	to give place or precedence (usually fol. by to): to yield to another; Will the senator from New York yield?

12.	to give way to force, pressure, etc., so as to move, bend, collapse, or the like.

Synonyms:
1. furnish, supply, render, bear. 3. abandon, abdicate, waive, forgo. Yield, submit, surrender mean to give way or give up to someone or something. To yield is to concede under some degree of pressure, but not necessarily to surrender totally: to yield ground to an enemy. To submit is to give up more completely to authority, superior force, etc., and to cease opposition, although usually with reluctance: to submit to control. To surrender is to give up complete possession of, relinquish, and cease claim to: to surrender a fortress, one's freedom, rights. 6. render. 10. give in, comply, bow. 14. fruit. See crop.

Antonyms:
4. resist.

The Mystery of the Empty Stomach by Joey Bonifacio

“Fasting is associated with desperate situations. Through the centuries, people fasted mostly when they found themselves in tight spots. Jesus, on the other hand, was espousing a new and higher motivation to fast – not one borne of desperation, but out of devotion.”

“We fast not to twist God’s arm so he will pay attention to us. We already have his undivided attention. We don’t fast in order to make ourselves worthy of his acceptance. We already have his unconditional love.”

“We fast not so he will hear us, but for us to hear him.”

“The Pharisees’ idea of fasting was to deprive the flesh in order to strengthen the spirit. They were focusing on the wrong thing. Jesus was telling them that fasting was not about depriving yourself. Rather, its about desiring the Bridegroom.”

So today as we deny ourselves our necessary food, may we hunger even more for a closer walk with our Bridegroom!

This, brought to you by Pastor Jerry McQuay at Between Sermons regarding great excerpts from Joey Bonifacio’s book, “The Mystery of the Empty Stomach” with thoughts of encouragement through this churchwide 21 day fast. For more devotions from the network of churches fasting with us, click here.

The Vine Dresser

Our vine dresser, God, is perfect. So when He prunes us, He doesn't make mistakes.
Pastor Bob, Harvester Baptist Church

prune 2 (prōōn) v. pruned, prun·ing, prunes v. tr. To cut off or remove dead or living parts or branches of (a plant, for example) to improve shape or growth. To remove or cut out as superfluous. To reduce: prune a budget. v. intr. To remove what is superfluous or undesirable. [Middle English prouinen, from Old French proignier, perhaps from Vulgar Latin *prōretundiāre : Latin prō-, in front; see pro-1 + Latin rotundus, round (from rota, wheel; see ret- in Indo-European roots).] prun'er n.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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