On Fire

Many years ago I saw this piece of framed art that just took my breath away, ever since then I have wanted that picture. This picture by the way is based on historical events.

The bible verse that is on the plaque at the bottom is Psalm 18:2:

The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;

my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge.

He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, 

my stronghold.

Here is the YouTube video:

During this Christmas, I came across this picture, and after many years, I bought it for myself. As a Christian I have always known the the Lord is my Savior, and in those years if I had sought after Jesus just as much as I sought after this picture, I would not have spent these last years feeling like the failure I thought I was, and always asking why me? I spent so much time going after earthly things, and the things that I wanted to do that God did take a back seat. I should have turned my eyes to the one who saved me first, instead of doing it my way. 

 In the end, I lost everything. My mother, the wise and wonderful woman that she is said "sometimes God will take everything, so the only thing left is God." I have come to believe that this is true. This Fall I was invited to a bible study "The God I Never Knew" by Robert Morris. Up until this point I have kept myself away from church, and bible studies, but I felt this was something that I needed to do, and I am glad that I did. I had my eyes opened, and there are some parts that I am still trying to wrap my head around, but GOD ignited a fire in me. 

The study is about developing a friendship with the Holy Spirit, now, at least in my life and the churches that I have attended the Holy Spirit is usually only mentioned as part of the Trinity. There is so much more to the Holy Spirit than I has ever been taught before. 

There are so many things that happen that some would call a coincidence, I no longer believe in coincidence to me they are the moments that God, or the Holy Spirit is talking to me, or showing me something. As I am writing this, the song that comes on is My Revival by Lauren Daigle. This speaks to me in many ways, first and foremost I am going through a revival- I have asked the Lord to renew my mind, heart, spirit & my strength, telling Him that I trust Him everyday, and that I need to lean on Him more. The part of the lyrics that really speak to me are: 

I will soar on wings like eagles

Find my rest in your everlasting name

You are my revival

Jesus on you I wait

And I lean on your promise 

You will renew my strength.

The song is based on Isaiah 40:28-31, and I love the commentary in my Bible which is the Life Application Bible NIV version:

Even the strongest people get tired at times, but God's

power and strength never diminish. 

He is never to tired or too busy to help and listen.

His strength is our source of strength.

When you feel all of life crushing you and cannot go another step

remember that you can call upon God to renew your strength!

Isn't it wonderful to know that no matter what you are feeling, tired, exhausted, weak, unloved, rejected, guilty, depression, fear, and many, many others you can just call upon God, and He hears you!!!

Back to the picture for a moment, for so long I felt like I was that man standing in that doorway, and those waves were going to just wash me away, but the more that my eyes have been opened to all the things that the God and Holy Spirit have had to show me, I can now see those wave as God's WINGS of protection, because He is my rock, my fortress in whom I take refuge. 

On a 2nd Note:

Since the study has ended I have been listening to past teachings on our wonderful world wide web, and there is no one that I have listened to that gets me more on fire for God than Beth Moore. This woman has such as passion for God and a love to teach what she studies and knows to women around the world. I have seen her a few times at her live events. The teachings that I have been listening to recently were all recorded in 2016 at live events. She tells you like it is, and makes sure that you understand what she is trying for you to understand, she is a little "stick of dynamite for the Lord." What I love is her love for us, and the LORD. 

I am a student and love to take notes, her 27 minute teaching lesson will take me at least over an hour to listen to because I have to keep stopping the video, and rewinding so I can write down exactly what she said, the way she said it. I'm going to end with a few of her quotes that have struck me.

1. This is from February 3, 2016 entitled Women of God-Part 1: "Jesus changes the story of every woman He meets' and "You have the greatest story, you just don't know it yet-because Jesus is still writing it." I really liked this last comment because we were all put here for a purpose, and that purpose is our story. You don't have to be stuck in your shame, or your perfect brokenness because we were made broken by a perfect God, you has a plan for each and every one of us.
2. This one is from Women of God-Part 2 from February 10, 2016, she called it "Identity Declaration: I AM A WOMAN OF GOD, REDEEMED BY JESUS CHRIST, LOVED PURSUED AND CHOSEN, EQUIPPED WITH WORDS OF LIFE, CLOTHED IN STRENGTH AND DIGNITY, COMMISSIONED HERE AND NOW, GIFTED BY THE SPIRIT, FORGIVEN AND UNBOUND. BLESSED IS SHE WHO BELIEVES.
3. From Women of God-Part 3 from February 17, 2016: "We have so much clutter (that is definitely me), and so much going on, that we treat God as an 'add on'. In this teaching she puts emphasizes on how much we need girlfriends, because a woman's joy is not the same without girlfriends to share it. She continues that we have 1000's of contacts on social media but very few comrades. 

One of the things that would be on my bucket list- just meaning something that I hope I can accomplish sometime in my life would be to meet this beautiful, passionate woman, and as a student I want to understand how she studies. This would be one of most joyous gifts that I could be given, if it is God's will, it will happen. Until/if then I am content listening to her teachings on the web. 

Beth- you have touched my heart with your messages many times, and when I saw you at your live events I felt like you were speaking directly to me, it was a message at the time that I needed to hear, and it was on shame, I'll never forget it. God has blessed all of us women (and some men) with your messages, and I am so thankful to you for what you do. Thank you Lord for putting this beautiful woman in my life. 

I am leaving you today with some Love& The Outcome- He Is With Us

Lord, I ask that you will let all who read this know that you are with them, you know their struggles, hurts and that you know their heart, wrap them in your wings of protection, let them feel your love, and that you are close, and you will never leave them or forsake them. Let them know that they can trust you, for you are their rock, and their fortress, their deliverer. I pray that you will ignite a spark in them and that you will continue to let that spark grow, to make them hunger for you, until it is an all consuming fire. 

This I pray in your beautiful loving name,

AMEN.