This week was an answer to prayer. Thank you all who prayed for settlement in this new season of life. I woke up monday morning with a peace and confidence in this place. Sunday night, after a first long week away from friends I skyped quite a few from school and left the conversation very sad. I knew I was to be here, but I was having a hard time being content here. All week I was happy, excited and refreshed with truth over and over. I was content and at ease with the surounding so first, thank you all who prayed for that!!
Now im going to kind of jog through my notebook, trying to log all the things that happened so bare with me if its kinda all over the place.
This week was hearing the voice of God and learning about intercessory prayer. We are called to be the light in the darkness, and part of that is coming to Jesus with a clean heart. Acknowledging that Jesus is Lord over all, including our past, renouncing the power satan has over us and the things he has planned to keep us both ineffective and in habitual sin, and last but not least to forgive those who have hurt us, or whom we have hurt, either intentionally or unintentionally.
We are to wait on God, and listen to His voice because He DOES speak and wants to reveal His perfect and sovereign will to us. In this, we learned about dealing with things that are spiritually deadly (tongu twister!) in our past that force us to think negatively about God’s character.
We talked a lot about ways God speaks to us and things he uses to tell us things. It was neat to hear a lot of crazy stories. ( let me know if you want to hear anything specific and i’ll gladly respond to you!!) Part of these lessons were about asking God for open and closed doors. Sometimes we are too broad about asking God questions. For example we talked about asking God, “Should I do a DTS in Orlando, in Jan of 2011?” Instead we first need to ask if we are to do a DTS, then where and then when. because he may say yes to one, wait to another and no to the last part. So being specific with God is important.
We also talked about waiting on the Lord when He doesnt speak, and always going back to the last thing He said if He isn’t speaking. That was cool for me, because I learned how to be patient and not jump to conclusions, some times He wants you to wait because He’s waiting to show you something, in maybe a month or a few months, He wont speak untill that happens and you understand why He said the last thing He did.
On Monday I was praying prayers of confession as I was focusing on hearing God’s voice in prayer but knowing that he wants to speak, only when I am submidting to him with humility. It was hard for me to admidt to things this week to people about things that happned years ago. I had a few convos with people that needed to happen a long time ago and it was scary but so freeing to feel forgiven and clean. It’s hard to be honest sometimes when you know you are or were wrong but its the best feeling when you can come to the Lord knowing you did the right thing. So monday I prayed through those things but also for patience with the blind who have no idea they can’t see. So many people think they are Christians in America. And yes, they may believe in God. It says in James 2:19 that even the demons believe and shudder. They may acknowledge that Jesus died on the Cross for their sins but have they surrendered their whole heart to the Lord? Have they made him Lord of their life?? This is hard for me to share Jesus and His importance with people who think they know it all already when they arent living like He is number one. So i’ve been praying for humility and a loving heart like Jesus loves his children. Like the father loved his son in the parable of the prodigal son.
That afternoon in class, my teacher (Jon Bills) talked about the lost sheep and how Jesus said “My sheep hear my voice.” Jon Bills talked about how God’s voice is everywhere, but we are like tuners on a radio, we need to find the right station and zero in, getting rid of all the static. Turning the dial of your hearts away from the noise.
IÂ wrote this in my notebook,
“It’s the little lamb who wanders. Who walks away ALL the time. The sheppard breaks the lambs legs and carries it around on His shoulders till the little lamb heals. Comforted by the shepard in being carried around and always hearing their sheppards voice. Just like Jesus breaks our pride, image and status, so we can get closer to Him. So He can comfort us and mold our hearts to hear and answer to His voice.
He doesnt allow bad things, or things that are hard to happen to see us squirm. He wants to see us utterly dependant on Him, relying on Him fuly without things in the way.
side note: God never asks us to consider IF we are to give. He tells us to give EVERYTHING
The Lord brought up relationships I needed to mend. I started working on that this week. the thing is when Jesus said, ” I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them and I in them.” He was talking about us being as close to the father as He is. Jesus, the son of God is not only the human form of God but He IS God. and He wants to be that close to us. The creator of the universe, JESUS CHRIST wants to be THAT close to you.
Along with this we talked about having a personal revelation of truth from the Lord. I’ll kinda expand on this later cuz this will get too long if I share mine but yes again, ask me if you wanna know right away.
We were challenged to sit in silence some time this week and ask “God what do you want to speak to me right now?” and only giveing the silence two minutes, cuz yes we have imaginations that run wild. Don’t be afraid to ask this!! And dont run from the first thing that pops in your head, often thats the best. Then to ask God, “Lord what do you really think of me?”
all he said to me was “beautiful”  🙂
we went through the 4 voices we hear: God, the enemy, self and others. basically how to decern the difference between, we talked about examples of each and the significance of them all. We then wrapped up the week with how God uses his voice, ways he likes to speak, putting all into practice on Thursday during worship and warefare and then Friday for intercessory prayer time.
the things i found interesting and important about this lesson is remembering that you cant step out in faith against the enemy unless God calls you there. you cant beat satan on your own power. We have to always step out in faith, trusting and hoping (expecting) God will speak. You are cheating Him of glory and joy for yourself by asking out of anything but utter expectation; He will speak. He wants to show you the plans He has for you, BUT you have to wait and listen, willing to set aside yor own preconcieved ideas. During intercession God told us to pray for hungry children, giving us all images of little kids with sand around them. he brought up living and pure water to all of us and gave us pictures and verses of hope for these children like psalm 84:10 that says, “better is one day in your courts than thousand elsewhere.” (this is the reference i got, when i looked it up i was stunned to see how the Lord was showing us that its not just a physical hunger these children have but an eternal spiritual hunger for something more than life on this earth)
this week we also got into our sports dts group, it was fun to have small group with the girls and get to know our team better. Not a whole lot new but the team grew a little, another young married couple and 2 more guys my age added. We started learning about the westbank, and middle eastern culture which im beyond excited about. i have a new heart for the world.
thats all for now, this week i wil hopefully share two things: my story on expecting big things and what im learning about outreach.
please pray for continued growth, bonding for our team and cheap flights as we are hunting right now, and also for my heart to continued to be purified as this is the number one thing the Lord is showing me right now.
blessed be the name of the Lord. <>< keep seeking Jesus and dont be afraid to send prayer requests. i’d love to pray!!
last but not least, remember that God sent His son to die. He sent HIS SON to die for you. can you imagine sending your child to an utterly painful, shameful, excruciating death? what about your little sister or brother for those of you who are not parents? It would be so hard to do that. And HE did that for YOU because He LOVES YOU.
oh how he loves us, how he loves us so.
Dear Samm, 