Praise and Glory to our heavenly Father! Thank you for reading my blog, for stopping in. Let it only be a blessing to you, even if it at times convicts you. I would imagine if you are like me, I am convicted many times daily, of things I just did recently, or when I get a glimpse at a past sin, through either reading the Word, or having that Word come through someone else. Remember, that is good. God is working on you, He has not forgotten you! We will never, ever feel completely whole until the day we meet Him face to face. Until that time, we are growing, and that means growing pains.
I had recently attended a Saturday night extended worship service at a neighboring church. Interesting. We drive there in winter weather conditions, we are concerned it may be cancelled because of the storm, we get there to worship, and I am not moved to worship.
You are cold in January in Iowa and if you are like me, I am a morning person, so I am not perky to worship in the evening. I get pretty worn by 4pm, as I get up at 3:30am during the week and around 5:30am on the weekends.
I was enjoying the music, but there was certainly something blocking my enjoyment. All kinds of thoughts going through my head. I haven't had this problem in worship really at all for many months since finding a really great church home.
This service consisted of some Bible reading by the leader, worship music and also anyone was invited to come forth with prayers for attendees and sharing of visions. And someone decided to pray for me, the lady with the long blond hair. (didn't know I had long blond hair, but I guess I do?) I finally figured out this woman was talking about me and she asked me to stand up. (Another first for me!)
I agreed. Her vision about me was that I was encircled by barbed wire. She said my posture was very perfect, but I was standing tall and careful because of the barbed wire. That maybe I had been hurt and I was afraid of anyone getting close to me. There was some mention she made about a hand trying to reach through the barbed wire for my hand, but if I went to grab it, it somewhat slipped away.
Well, I guess there is alot of truth in this vision, but it also could have meaning to just about anyone. What I found most interesting is that she noticed me, felt compelled to pray for me, and yes, I was struggling to worship that night.
It was nice after the service, she came up to me to pray for me. We talked for quite a while then, after the service. I liked that she was very honest about her and her husband's faith journeys. (I believe he is a pastor) I shared a little of mine, along with my sister sharing hers. It provides confirmation for new believers to hear how others turned inside out for Christ as well, and many of them did it years or decades ago. They are just as sturdy as the day they made that decision to follow Jesus.
I won't spend a ton of time on visions. I don't know much about them. I would guess that if they are helpful in solving something, they may be from God.
I can't say that I have had visions, but twice in church, and in two different churches, these last few months I did see what appeared to be a mist that went from an area in the congregation and then rested, then disappeared when it met at the place of the pulpit area. It was not scary. It was nice. It didn't disturb me, or make me worry about it. But, it was somewhat comforting and I knew it was good. I believe I shared this with a few people. I would guess that it could have meaning, but I didn't act on it. I just don't know much about these things and who interprets these, etc. If there is a message for me to produce, I trust the Lord will assist.
I noticed in myself a sense of urgency that arose out of me beginning just a few months after my conversion. I was worried at first that this meant my life was possibly coming to an end soon. I was finding myself writing a lot more than I ever did in my life, in fact, writing letters to loved ones. I was finding myself needing to quickly try to resolve my anger and anxiety issues and forgive those who I had not yet forgave. These are all such good things.
I have since put behind me the fear of my imminent death. There is nothing I could do about that anyways. I am sure God uses some of us believers in some ways according to our personalities and strengths. Also, He ultimately decides if and when we are saved, so, some of us wander through the wilderness for 42 years, really making a lot of life decisions without Him. Boy, do I have so many groups of people I could minister to because of all I have been through.
To end this blog today, I have to say this is interesting: The day after the pastor's wife prayed for me, I went to my new church for Sunday service. There, during the 8:30 service, one of our church leaders grabbed me during service to pray for me and my prayer request I sent to the church for restoration help from God in a relationship I am trying to build. She grabbed a hold of me (after asking permission), and prayed with me so dearly. I had such a tearful time anyhow during service, receiving communion and worshiping with such touching songs. What a prayerful weekend! It appears I really needed these women to pray for me, and I love this new journey that I am on. People praying for other people, intentionally. I'll never forget telling my precious Dee Dee one day she offered to pray for me over a year ago, "Denise, I don't think I have ever had anyone offer to pray for me, but please do since you offered". She was astounded that I had not had anyone ever pray for me like that.
I want to encourage you to find a church home. Please go church shopping. Make it a project, with of course a plan to settle into a church. Be open as you never have been in your life to you being the spiritual leader of your family, even if you are a woman or child. Make a plan to start somewhere. (That was a word from God I received in 2006).
Ask your family to put an end to memorized prayers before meals and bedtimes. Take a new route, not new at all to the first church families of the Acts of the Apostles: praying from your heart.
Find some religious televisions shows and just put them on for background noise until you notice some good ones. Notice how even on The Today Show, they are drinking alcohol in the morning, as though that is a healthy way to start a day? Show your family that you have a vision to save your family with the hand of God, by putting a Bible on the nightstand or the kitchen table. Then, open it and read it. You be the catalyst in this dying world. Doesn't your family deserve a plan like this? I urge you, as I did, to take a stand. My children are just fine! They actually are noticing their mom's changes (I glow for the Lord), and they ask questions, they are now seeking God as never before! It is subtle, the change in them, but it is outward and upward. We are all going in the right direction now!!! It is up to you! You can't drag your ex husband to the throne on judgement day to explain to God. You can't drag your parents who abused you up to the throne, you can't drag anyone with you. You need to go alone to God. How about before that time, you go alone, and meet Jesus right now. No one can intercede. You need to go to Jesus and get to know Him. I urge you to make that change today. I am so very, very glad I did.
Revelation 1:1-11 I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are our in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. On the Lord's day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, which said, " Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea".
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