Last week I wrote a little bit about waking up. How there are many who have became kind of "ho-hum" in their Christian walk. I'm not being critical. This happened to me for several years, especially at one point in my life. It's just that around 10 years ago I started waking up. It was through a Vineyard Church that we were attending in Parma Heights, Ohio where the stirring began. Through their pastor, Rick Evans and the many solid believers in the church, I started to re-learn to expect the unexpected from God. To not settle for the "I've seen everything that God wants to do in my life" attitude. Everything in my being woke up to the idea that Jesus, being the author (or originator)and finisher (or perfecter) of my walk of faith, wasn't done writing my life. A good author is always looking to write something new or fresh. JESUS IS A GREAT AUTHOR! He isn't finished with you either, no matter what your age or background.
If you have been slumbering, wake up! Join with me in running this great race. These are the days of grace. I believe that God, in only the way that God can, is somehow making an extension of even more grace for anyone who wants or needs it right now. God reminded me earlier this week that not only did He give me one very powerful dream about grace being poured out from Heaven, (which I described in great detail here) but He's given me two. Earlier this year while in Wilmington, North Carolina I had the first. I also had mentioned that dream in a June blog post about dreams and visions, although I didn't go into great detail. At the right time I will, but that isn't today. Just a few evenings ago a friend shared a prophetic email that he had received about much grace for the town in which we live. God wants to do that all around the world and in every nation. I think of how on payday we often fill up our vehicle gas tanks. "Payday" is here for you today. Start getting filled up!
Now can I tell you something that is really, really, really, really cool? It is possible for you to realize that God wants to do new and creative things through you, but here is the really, really, really cool part. God desires to begin to reveal to you what those things are!!!!! He may not reveal them to you completely,(He can) but He is willing to begin to give you hints, clues, or indications. Listen, here it is. Keep your eyes and ears open.
Oh how I love the New King James translation, but I'll splash this to you using the New Living Translation. We will start with 1 Corinthians 2:9, but then let revelation explode to you beginning in verse 10. Ready???!!!!!!
"This is what the scriptures mean when they say, 'No eye has seen, no ear has heard and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him.' (10-12) But we KNOW these things because God has REVEALED them to us by His spirit, and His spirit searches out everything and SHOWS us even GOD'S DEEP SECRETS. No one can know what anyone else is really thinking except that person alone and no one can know God's thoughts except God's own spirit. And God has ACTUALLY GIVEN US His spirit (not the world's spirit)so WE CAN KNOW the wonderful things God has freely given us." (emphasis added on what I feel are some key words.)
Wow, you actually need to read the rest of that chapter, but WOW!!!! Read it again and let it sink in. God has stuff that He wants to do through you and give to you and reveal to you that you don't even know about yet, but the Holy Spirit WILL begin to reveal them to you. There are revelations that I have received and gifts that I am operating in that just a few years ago I would not have thought would have been possible. The same with my wonderful blue eyed wife, Kay. I will share with you just one of the things that God has developed in her. Often while prayer is going on she will see a picture, a literal picture, a prophetic picture about what God is doing or wants to do regarding who or what is being prayed for. To be really honest I was always a bit envious (ok, quite a bit envious!) of how the Holy Spirit allows her to see pictures like that, so I started asking God to do that for me, too and it's actually starting to happen once in awhile. Not like it happens for Kay, but it is still pretty sweet. There are gifts and abilities like this just lying dormant inside of all of us waiting to come alive. Waiting to be used for His purposes.
I think it's really important that we all desire the spiritual gifts, maybe more than ever. Not for our own glory, but for God's and so we can bless others. There are lots and lots of people who are looking for answers and needing ministered to in desperate ways. This is only going to keep increasing. Look at everything that is going on in the world. We need to be as fully equipped with God stuff as much as possible. The bonus in all this is that this stuff is REALLY, REALLY fun, too. God doesn't expect us to be so serious all the time. He gave us the gift of laughter and the Bible often speaks of great joy in the Lord. Enjoy your walk with Jesus. I know that I surely am.
I'm being really serious with you when I say that if we all began to live up to the potential that God has for us, we would turn our neighborhoods and governments upside down. God is waiting for people like you and me to lead the way. At prayer tonight there was repentance for having little faith and small expectations. New standards have been set; the bar is being raised.
Don't let the snooze button go off even one more time. "Arise, shine; for your Light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you."
All For Jesus,
Mark S.
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