This weekend was the Divine Women's Conference by Free Chapel in Georgia that I signed my little sister and I up for around the first part of this year. I didn't know how either of us could financially go, but I thought it would be good for both of us. In my mind, both of us could have saved for it, and have it as a goal. It was something we both needed. And it would have been so fulfilling and we would have been blessed. But, with things happening earlier this year, I knew I couldn't go. And neither could my sister. So I donated the two tickets that I had bought, that perhaps someone who couldn't afford to go, could go. I would have had airline tickets and hotel to pay for too, so it's just not to be this year.
I'm watching worship with Free Chapel this morning as I write this. I usually do turn my phone on at 6AM when the first service starts. Yeah, I get some worship and a message before I even get ready for church on Sundays! Great worship that is good for my soul. Remember the song, "What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can wash away my sins? Northing but the blood of Jesus! O Precious is the flow, that makes me white as snow. No other fount I know, nothing but the blood of Jesus." Nothing but the blood of Jesus. He sets us free from our past; from everything. You can never know life until you have been washed by His blood and set free from the things that hold you.
There is Hope and there is Freedom... speak Jesus. His name is Power; His name is Healing. He will bring every stronghold, shine through the shadows, burn like a fire through those things that hold us in bondage. He can remove every fear and anxiety, and every soul that is held captive, He alone can set free. Powerful words. Read them again. Choose to speak the name of Jesus - He can set each one of us free from whatever holds us - He can shine through the shadows and break every stronghold. Wow!
My heart is really longing to get away with Jesus for a few days. No phone, no TV, no interactions with others, just Jesus. Unfortunately, hubby doesn't understand that feeling I have; he wants to go wherever I want to go too. Sure, he wants to spend quality time with Jesus, but he wants to do it with me and not let me go alone. That's the difference between us.... if he wanted to do it, I'd encourage it, and take advantage of my time alone at home to do the same. Perhaps I need to start out slow. It's been a few years, but perhaps I can convince him to let me have a Saturday morning alone here in my room - until noon at least - and just have that time alone with God. I just need to make sure I get it on the calendar so that he knows that is what I'm going to do. Sooner rather than later. Stay tuned on that.
It's Sunday and we will be getting ready for church soon. Our pastor has been 'on fire' in preaching the Word. I always walk away with learning something. I even take notes! But then I bury the notes in my Bible, and unless we talk about them specifically, that is where they will stay. I need to get better organized, for sure.
In fact, I was re-reading Draw the Circle by Mark Batterson this morning, and in it he talks about his prayer journal. Every time I read that chapter, I get inspired to carry one of my journals around with me. But, I write a lot of personal things int here and if I ever lost it... yipes! I need to SPEAK my prayers more than WRITE my prayers. In fact, in thinking back over the years,, I can remember when I changed from just writing things in a journal versus writing my prayers in the journal. Several years ago a friend mentioned that she wrote out her prayers each morning so that she could look back and see how God answered her prayers. That made sense to me, so I started doing it. Unfortunately, it caused me to use more of my time writing, and less time actually talking with God. My loss, for sure! I've been gradually getting back to the 'way it was' when I first became a Christian. There is nothing like spending time 1:1 talking with Jesus. Yes, I still write in my journals, but I don't want to write my prayers in there... I want to talk with Jesus. Journals are a tracking of my life. My emotions. My feelings about things. But prayers.... that is when I can lay it all out before God. Writing it just isn't the same.
Jentezen Franklin is on fire this morning! He is talking about how Jesus tells us to Follow Him... remember when Simon Peter and Jesus were walking and Jesus told Peter how when he was a child, he had freedom, but when he grew old, his hands would be bound and he would be led away. That was Simon Peter's future. As he pondered that, Simon Peter looked behind him and saw the beloved disciple, John. "What about him?" Simon Peter asked Jesus. And how did Jesus respond?
John 21:22 (NKJV): "Jesus said to him, "If I will that he remain til I come, what is that to you? You follow Me."
It doesn't matter what happens to us. It doesn't matter what people do or say to us. It doesn't matter the challenges we face. In all these things, Jesus just says, "Follow Me."
"Follow Me." The lessons we have learned over the years always draw us back to 'Follow Jesus'.
And that is going to be my challenge to you this morning. Jesus knows about every trial you or your child goes through. He knows what is ahead of you. With each one of these trials and heartaches, each thing you walk through, Jesus is drawing you to Him. Satan is a liar. Satan doesn't want you to follow Jesus. Satan knows that you can stomp on his head.
Choose Jesus.
Follow Him. Follow Jesus. You will never be the same.
Blessings!
