Japan 3/2011

As I pray for Japan in this difficult time, I am drawn to Psalm 29:10-11
"The LORD sat as King at the flood; Yes, the LORD sits as King forever. The LORD will give strength to His people;  The LORD will bless His people with peace."

Lord, let it be according to Your Word in Japan today.

For this picture, I chose the Japanese Cherry Blossom, because it is a beloved tree in Japan, representing many things: transient nature of life, innocence, drops of blood, and new life.  In the wake of the devestation of the earthquake and tsunami, only Jesus' blood can restore and bring new life, strength, and peace to Japan.

I Will Uphold You

Isaiah 41:10
"'You are My servant, I have chosen you and not rejected you.  Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.'"

41:15-20
"'Behold, I have made you a new, sharp threshing sledge with double edges; You will thresh the mountains and pulverize them, and will make the hills like chaff.  You will winnow them, and the wind will carry them away, and the storm will scatter them;  But you will rejoice in the Lord, you will glory in the Holy One of Israel.  The afflicted and needy are seeking water, but there is none, and their tongue is parched with thirst;  I, the Lord, will answer them Myself, as the God of Israel I will not forsake them.  I will open rivers on the bare heights and springs in the midst of the valleys;  I will make the wilderness a pool of water and the dry land fountains of water.  I will put the cedar in the wilderness, the acacia and the myrtle and the olive tree; I will place the juniper in the desert together with the box tree and the cypress, that they may see and recognize, and consider and gain insight as well, that the hand of the Lord has done this, and the Holy One of Israel has created it.'"

I like this passage for a couple of reasons.  First, that God chooses us and in so doing, chooses to be intimately invested in us, holding us up with His righteousness.  

Secondly, I love the part where He tells us that we get to "pulverize" the mountains in our path!  He's equipping us and instructing us to move ahead, no matter what we're up against...it will turn to chaff before us and the wind will carry it away! 

Lastly, the striking visual of the last half impacted me: God says that as we go through a wilderness season, even there He has put a luscious landscape for us!  Rivers, springs, pools, fountains, cedar, acacia, myrtle, olive, juniper, box tree, and cypress...I don't know about you, but that sounds like a beautiful place to me!  God doesn't intend to teleport us out of the desert places of life, but He has provided strength, joy, beauty, provision, rest, and refreshment in the midst of it.

Be encouraged, my friend!  If you are feeling alone, know that God has chosen you and taken a personal interest in strengthening, helping, and upholding you!  If you are eyeballing a mountain obstacle, know that God intends for you to pulverize it and watch it blow away!  If you find yourself in the middle of a wilderness, know that God has already established the rivers and planted the beautiful desert trees for your strength and refreshing along the way!

It is yours in Christ....receive it! 

Be blessed!
Sarah

Spiritual Greenhouse

While listening to Graham Cooke's talk "Turning Passivity Into Prophecy" last week, God told me that our house is like a spiritual greenhouse: the atmosphere is just right for growth!  Whoever comes here will have, not only an experience of God, but also the opportunity to grow rapidly in Him.  There is a quickening spirit here!  As Sam and I live in this atmosphere, we will produce much fruit of the Spirit, and that fruit is for the blessing and refreshment of others.

Notes from Kris Valloton "Developing Champions"

 Tidbits from a great talk by Kris Valloton:

Acts 9:26-31
Barnabas ("son of encouragement") sees the gold in a Saul, before he became a Paul. He had the ability to recognize and call the treasure out of darkness. 

Disciple someone until they outgrow you.  

Accountability should be less about keeping us from sinning, and more about keeping us on track in our destiny! 

God wants to give us eyes of the owl, to see through the deep darkness to know what is what, what is inside of people, what their destiny is. 

Call out the gold in people. 

God is calling us to be a people of prophetic declaration...stop prophesying earthquakes and start stopping them!

Treat people not as they are, but as God see them, inviting them into their destiny! 

I got saved by believing in Jesus, but I get changed by knowing that He believes in me.  Find Jesus in the eyes of the person next to me...He is there in a different form. 

Condemnation connects sin with identity ("You lied, you're a liar." "You stole, you're a thief."); conviction separates us from the sin ("People like you, a daughter/son of God, royal priesthood, holy nation, do not behave that way.  That is not who you are, you don't have to act that way!"). 

Create an atmosphere of believing in people, taking the time to say, "Lord, how do You see this person?" 

Footsteps of Joy!

I hear the footsteps of Joy in our house.  He is dancing, skipping, leaping, kicking.  He has come to dwell with us, because, Joy, Your name is Jesus!  There is energy, strength, feet loosed to dance for the Joy of the Lord is our strength.  I see Joy as sparks of electricity that are floating around our house.  They come to rest on people's hearts as they enter, igniting a fire of Joy in them!