October 26, 2006
On Tuesday afternoon we had our womens afternoon Bible Study. Before the first one, last week, ____ had phoned and said not to worry about numbers, but to remember that if just one or two turn up, You are there.... and I am being obedient to Your call on my life! And only 2 did turn up, besides me, and we had such a blessed, deep time in Your Word. Oh, Lord, it is awesome to spend 1 1/2 hours really digging into Your Word - and then 1/2 hour or more in prayer (with some sharing and lots of real fellowship, all mingled in!). Thank You, Lord!
This week, I just now realized, the attendance doubled! And oh, it was so great again. We just dug deep into Your Word, and I was once again overwhelmed by Your vastness, Your Sovereignty, Your authority, Your will - and Your purposes and headship structures You have created for our good and for Your glory! It is so safe and comforting - and exciting! - to be in Your will! Oh Lord, please bring this understanding to all Your people!!
And then we prayed! And such prayer! ___ asked if we were willing to pray and anoint with oil 2 of the women who have been having health and family and other struggles. And I just felt so glad! Your Word came to my mind: "Anoint with oil and the prayer of faith will heal the sick." ___ led in this prayer ministry and it was so awesome.
I have felt so long that in our church - and among Christians here, generally, to a large extent, we have quenched - and even directly disobeyed - Your Spirit and Your Word, by not being obedient to all Your Word clearly teaches. There has been, I believe, a "fear" of the "extremes" of "charismatic practices"... and so we have not anointed with oil, not expected healing (though we do pray for it in a sort of hopeful way) - and certainly we have not accepted and encouraged the use of "charismatic" gifts. Perhaps in our bid to "be in control" in services etc., we have actually tried to control You, rather than simply trying to stay within Your will and Word. (Hmmm... I wonder what 1 Corinthians 15:40 really means? Every time I hear that verse or think of it, I hear the voice of that brother shouting out "Pastor, take control!" when one of the sisters wanted to pray for the eyes of an old grandmother [in another church I attended long ago]). Verse 33 says, "For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace..." Godly peace does not come from human control but from continual, growing obedience to and trust in, the Spirit of God! Isn't that right?
So how does that connect to submission to the authority pattern that God has created, when those in authority are in "control mode"? Prayer for them, of course! Fasting and praying for our leaders, and loving them, and being in gentle, loving, obedient submission in all areas that do not contravene the Word of God, and encouraging them, and doing kind things for them, and supporting them in all things they do that are positive and good. And giving Godly advice and correction - speaking the truth in love by the power and direction of the Holy Spirit! - according to the methods provided in Scripture (which may - Lord? - mean not giving it directly... since I am a woman... but taking one's concerns to other leaders - perhaps my husband, or? - who can speak to the leader as peers, following the Word and instruction and purposes and plans of God! And how else to do that but to truly learn Your Word!!!
Hosea 4:6 says "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee that thou shalt be no priest to me; seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children." I really, really honed in on that need for Godly knowledge - knowledge of God and about Him - knowing Him, getting deep into His Word and deep into relationship with Him through His Spirit, along with His Word, His people, etc. That goes along with Proverbs 1:7 "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction (s/a 1:28-29, 2:3-5 and 2:6 "For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of His mouth cometh knowledge and understanding" - what a great chapter!). And then there is Colossians 1:9-10 and through to 23 and so on and on! "For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God... If ye continue in the faith, grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven.... Christ in you, the hope of glory: Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom: that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. Whereunto I also labour, striving according to His working, which worketh in me mightily."
Alright, where was I? Oh yes... Bible study... prayer... anointing with oil... and when we did that and were obedient to God - what prayer! People felt warmth and "electricity/tingling going through their hands" as they prayed, and those being prayed for felt warmth spread through their bodies and into the places of pain. some prayed quietly in tongues. Big hugs all around. Words of knowledge and wisdom! I felt very strongly led to pray for total healing of ___'s stomach - and oh, I was nervous, realizing I really was afraid to pray out loud for that "in case it didn't happen"... but I did pray it aloud, though still with trembling and some strong "what if's" in my mind... but my heart (God's Spirit, I totally believe, speaking to my spirit) said "Do this," so I did - in obedience (even if my trust was small or non-existent. And yet there must have been a "mustard seed" of faith, because I was able - by the Spirit of God: it was not in my self to do it - to be obedient!). Now I'm just waiting for the report of healing!
Thank You, Lord, for Your Words to me, Your little child, by the mouth of your faithful servant, _____. I don't even remember exactly what was said, but it brought me joy and peace and courage to step out more and more in obedience to You - and to follow You and know You with all my being! Thank You, Lord! Please help me - every moment - to continue in You! Please help me - every moment - to continue in You! Wow! Blessings! What a Mighty God we serve! :-)
Amen!
Time for my daily reading... and prayer! amen!
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