Walk Close, Be Fervent and Hope in Renewal

I am reading a Beth Moore book "Paul:  90 Days on His Journey of Faith". The section I read this morning from Acts actually talks about Peter and  got caught up in verses Acts 9:36-42. God raised Tabitha from death after Peter arrived, privately prayed and spoke "Tabitha, get up." Now my thinking went to Peter's closeness to God and as he prayed getting instructions from God on what His will was for Tabitha and the community. Peter didn't just get all spiritual on the spot but had been close with God before his prayer that day.

1.  From God: "That's where you need to be Jane, close every day." And my thoughts went to the story of the dry bones and can I and even America get away from a dry spiritual condition. So as I began searching for that scripture about bones I found II Kings 13:14-21.

This tells about Elisha being sick before he died. King of Israel Joash came to Elisha weeping and they had a special time together with both their hands on a bow and arrow. Elisha prophesied that Joash would overcome the Syrians consuming them. As Elisha instructed Joash to smite the ground with the arrows, Joash struck the ground only 3 times. Elisha followed with anger that Joash was not more fervent striking 5 or 6 times and so he would only be able to overcome the Syrians 3 times.

I know this passage has nothing to do with the dry bones or Peter but I guess God is taking me a path through the Bible to bring some instructions home to me.

2.  From God:  Be fervent in what you're doing for God. Don't stop at only a 3 time effort but go on to 5 or 6 like you really want to accomplish what I want you to.

Now I look for the dry bones passage again. Vision of the valley of dry bones Ezekial 37:1-14 Read it.  "Shall these dry bones live?" "And ye shall live ; and ye shall know that I am the Lord."

3.  From God:   Israel's hope was lost, their spiritual bones were dry. But God has abundant life and hope for dry bones, then and now.

Summary:  Walk close, be fervent, and hope for God brings renewed life.

Prayers That Need Resurrection Morning Answers

I have several prayer burdens for specific individuals that have been weighing on me in prayer for a long time. Several of them have bad health and are up in years. Some of them are long standing relationship needs. Oh God may I see some Resurrection morning answers. This morning they are magnified as my main prayer requests as I woke up at 4 am. I am longing to see some bursting forth of answers like when Jesus rose from the tomb. As buds come forth in the spring after seemingly being dead all winter.

I have been reading about Stephen in the book of Acts and the effect it had on Paul. The seeds that became planted in Paul's mind later produced fruit in his life to turn him around 180 degrees. That is what I long to see and hear of. That is what I long to have my faith believe for. May my faith burst forth also as the spring.

Milestones: God's Been Good

Reviewing a few things in my mind this morning:

1.  I turn 60 this year! Wow! I think that number sounds so young this year :)

2.  Rick and I will be married 40 years on August 17! Wow! We had a Christmas picture where we had a chalkboard that said something like "It gets better with age."
God has blessed us so much to have each other.

3.  It dawned on me that I need to remember my spiritual birthday! 45 years old this year on the Sunday before Thanksgiving. Thank you to the Peters who spent time with me to show me the way to God. Boy, God has had a lot of patience and teaching to do in these years. As I said recently, I can't believe how many times He has had to adjust my GPS when I got off track. But I love Him so and wouldn't want my life without Him.

     My thoughts this morning turned to the importance of not the number of 45 years in my spiritual life but what have I accomplished in those years. Not as much as I would like. I have always considered myself to have the "gift of helps" as stated in I Cor 12:28.
     Paul said in I Cor 3 that some plant, some water, some sow, but God gives the increase. I am not pushy with the gospel.  I know what it has done for me and rejoice in how real God is to me every day. I hope others will want that same relationship that God so willingly offers:  to wipe out our past when we ask forgiveness, every day to have Him as our leader and guide and a glorious home in heaven. Hallelujah!

Wonderstruck again!

It has been such an awwwwesommme day of worship and prayer and.........whohoo!

Started yesterday and here is a quick timeline:

God inspired "prayer box" like a recipe box for my prayer burdens. First time I used it yesterday morning and a God inspired prayer enveloped me and He blessed me all day.

Wonderstruck Sunday School lesson today on being wonderstruck by prayer. Try praying in brief 3 or 4 word phrases concentrating on your request without a bunch of "filler words".  You don't have to pray like this all the time but boy does it help you to focus and not have mindless prayers. Praying for a couple in our class who are certain God is going to answer prayer about the husband's recently diagnosed cancer in his neck.

Wonderful worship service with lots of praise, inspiring message, prayer at the alter and rejoicing closing song.  I received more than I prayed for yesterday. :)

Started instrumental worship practise playing my flute with a group.  Always wanted to learn real worship instrumental music.

Wonderful time at evening Bible study on prayer.  God gave the 2nd confirmation on a prayer request that we have had for years. Men and women were teary eyed as we learned and relearned how important prayer is over top of everything else we do for God. Closed with great heartfelt prayer for each others soul burdens.

I tried to go to bed on time so I can get up early to go to gym before work. But I'm just bubbling over...it's bubbling...it's bubbling...it's bubbling in my soul. So here I am up again.

Ok...I'm starting to feel sleepy......

God Wonders

Involved in Sunday School class Bible study on God Wonders. Looking for wonders of every day to be thankful for.

3 for today:

Good evening with my husband and I together.
Making progress on year end accounting at work.
Able to have Bible study at the gym this morning

Another day:

Beautiful sky in the morning
Someone at the gym asking me what I was reading in the Bible
Encouraging service at church

Also, there is a group I found on facebook that is eliminating negativity for Lent and replacing it with positive God thoughts.