A 21 Day Spiritual Journey Day 21

https://jelillie.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/the-road-to-the-future.jpg
“Why does every road eventually narrow into a point at the horizon? Because that’s where the point lies.”
― Vera Nazarian

So here I am at the end of this road and ready to turn onto the next one.  This 21 day journey has taught me much. Let’s review some of these lessons:

Day 1- The greatest tragedy in life is that our prayers go unanswered because they went unasked. -Mark Batterson

Day 2-These are the days when we will all be called to rise up not in fear but in faith.

Day 3-I am realizing I haven’t given up on my dreams. I am just afraid to pay the price and wind up failing anyway.

“There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: The fear of failure.” -Paul Coelho

Day 4- The art of leadership is saying no, not saying yes. It is very easy to say yes. Tony Blair

Day 5-“If we seek answers we may never find them but if we seek God the answers will find us.” Pastor Brad Hackett

Day 6-I’m beginning to think God’s as much in these distractions as HE is in the devotion. Somehow I am being challenged to walk in contentment and peace even in the place of constant disturbance.

Day 7-I am coming to see that problems become possibilities in the light of God’s promises. My Jerichos are not issues they are opportunities God is going to use to fulfill the passions of my heart!

Day 8- be praying for more divine interruptions and the heart to recognize them when they come.

Day 9- every opportunity opens one door and closes another.

Day 10-My take away from the day is that the work  which lies ahead is going to take careful preparation in order to execute. I am not going to be able to waltz into God’s next level of ministry by accident. I am back to the words God gave me a year ago….SLOW- CONSTANT- INTENTIONAL

Day 11-I will need to call forth help and entrust myself to godly men and women to help me accomplish much of my call

Day 12- I believe that God gave the dreams to be fulfilled at exactly this time and any future events in the world are not hindrances to my dreams they are only contexts in which they are to be fulfilled. My dreams and all future events in my life and the world will work together for good!

“Listen to the mustn’ts, child. Listen to the don’ts. Listen to the shouldn’ts, the impossibles, the won’ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me… Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.”  
―    Shel Silverstein

Day 13-“To conquer frustration, one must remain intensely focused on the outcome, not the obstacles.” 
― T.F. Hodge

Day 14-It’s interesting that sometimes seeing your dreams realized means letting them go.

Day 15-As I take this spiritual journey I am  seeing that prayer is the crossroads where my weakness meets with God’s ability. It is at this place called prayer where I can get off the road of failure and join the way of success.

Day 16-Part of praying in faith is behaving in belief…that is acting like I expect  God to answer to my prayers.

Day 17-Prayers don’t always come to pass over night and while they are supernatural in scope they aren’t magic.

Day 19-“The function of prayer is not to influence God, but rather to change the nature of the one who prays.”
― Søren Kierkegaard

Day 20-If God’s people cannot dream into the days ahead who can?

Which of these lessons spoke most to you?

Oh a publisher called me last night….:)

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Fire

“Like when you sit in front of a fire in winter — you are just there in front of the fire. You don’t have to be smart or anything. The fire warms you.” ― Desmond Tutu

Walk with the dreamers, the believers, the courageous, the cheerful, the planners, the doers, the successful people with their heads in the clouds and their feet on the ground. Let their spirit ignite a fire within you to leave this world better than when you found it…” ― Wilferd Peterson

each of us is born with a box of matches inside us but we can’t strike them all by ourselves”

Pastor Wrinkles: Chapter Charts Pt. 143

  When things go wrong we often point the finger at God and ask “why”. The old adage usually holds though “when you point at someone remember there are  four fingers pointing directly back at you.”  I can’t speak for you but I know some of my life’s biggest issues have more to do with how I am than with how God is.

David understood this from the lessons he learned in II Samuel chapter 12 and 13

Here’s what I see:

II Samuel chapter 12 sermon topics/ titles:

1. The Lesson of the Little Lamb: II Sam. 12:1-6

2. What Will You Do When God Calls You Out? II Sam. 12:7-13

3. Knowing When To Grieve: II Sam. 12:15-24

II Samuel chapter 13 sermon topics/ titles:

1. The Trouble With Crafty Cousins: II Sam. 13: 1-11

2. When We Arrange Our Own Temptations: II Sam. 13: 6-14

3. The Wait Of Revenge: II Sam. 13: 13-29

Have you ever blamed God for a hurt only to later realize you had brought about your own pain? What do you see in these chapters?

 

 

A 21 Day Spiritual Journey Day 20

“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.”
― C.S. Lewis

I am realizing this, my first spiritual journey of 2013, has been about restoring dreams to my life. It’s odd that God should be rebuilding my dreams in these times of gathering gloom; But then again maybe that’s not so odd. If God’s people cannot dream into the days ahead who can? Further, while this old world order may be passing away, we are about to enter into our time…the reign of Jesus. Perhaps now is the time for us to fill our virgin lamps with the oil of Spirit-inspired dreams (MA 25)!

Here are things I am dreaming and praying about:

1. For my son, Joe, to be excepted into the Masters program he has applied to and to received an assistantship.

2. For my daughter, Melanie, to be led to the right Masters program and for her to obtain a job as children’s pastor or as a school teacher.

3. For my daughter, Amanda, to see her dream clarified by the Spirit and for her to be given the fortitude to stand in the dream no matter what comes.

4. For God to lead me in the best path through a complicated issue in my life.

5. For my mother’s salvation.

6. For the supernatural healing of my eyes.

7. For financial provision and increase to help provide for my children’s college expenses, for a new car and for finances to keep the old car running until the increase.

8. For supernatural direction in my travels and opportunities to preach when I travel.

9. For” RTW” to receive 500,000 hits this year (I have been afraid to even state this dream as it seems so far out there but sometimes that is faith)

9a. For direction in joining a certain life-changing blog contest.

10. To publish the book and sell 125,000 copies (again…wicked out there to use the New England vernacular).

11. For direction to get to the next level in our compassion ministries at Cornerstone church.

12. For a team of 30 healing prayer ministers 15 of whom are equipped to lead healing prayer sessions.

13. For God’s 2013 vision for our worship teams (I have said to our congregation it is raining guitar players and song writers). God never provides things we have no use for. So I am asking God to reveal what our next step is as a worship ministry.

14. For God to give me His 2013 vision for C.cada artists community. How does he want us to impact the artistic community for Jesus? How does He want me to promote our Christian artists and help them to attain the next level?

15. To lose 40 lbs.

16. To restore my family home and property to tip-top shape.

It is a little daunting to write these visions down for everyone to see because it makes them real. It means my success or failure can now be measured; But I have realized for about a week now that telling you all my dreams was one of my steps of faith.

What dream is God building inside of you? What dreams would you like to see restored?

Today’s quotes:

“Those who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night.” ― Edgar Allan Poe

“Dare to live the life you have dreamed for yourself. Go forward and make your dreams come true.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Far away there in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them, and try to follow where they lead.” ― Louisa May Alcott

“All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake up in the day to find it was vanity, but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible.” ― T.E. Lawrence,

Walk with the dreamers, the believers, the courageous, the cheerful, the planners, the doers, the successful people with their heads in the clouds and their feet on the ground. Let their spirit ignite a fire within you to leave this world better than when you found it…” ― Wilferd Peterson

“We wrapped our dreams in words and patterned the words so that they would live forever, unforgettable.” ― Neil Gaiman, Fragile Things

A 21 Day Spiritual Journey Day 19

“The function of prayer is not to influence God, but rather to change the nature of the one who prays.”
― Søren Kierkegaard

“The saddest prayers are not the ones that go unanswered but the prayers that go unasked.” Mark Batterson

I have used this month to set a host of prayer goals and to seek vision regarding the things I think God wants me to work on. I started with about 10 items on my prayer list but God grew my  list as I sought Him these last three weeks. Some of the goals have been met and some have gone through changes. Here I’ll show you:

1. I started out praying for direction and provision for my son as he heads toward graduation. I asked God to help him quickly pay off his college loans because he was called to the mission field not to loans.

“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”
― Eleanor Roosevelt

My son unbeknownst to me has begun applying for a Masters program in PA. He has also applied for an assistedship which would pay for his schooling and leave him with a small stipend to meet expenses! So my prayer for him has changed. MAy God grant him entrance into the Masters program and the assistedship. God has clarified my prayer.

2. I have been praying for my daughter Melanie direction and provision as she heads toward graduation. I asked God to help her quickly pay off her college loans because she was called to the mission field not to loans.Since I started praying Melanie has been suggested for a position as a children’s minister at an inner city church and possibly for a teaching position at the elementray level in a private school near Boston. She could then pursue her Masters in counselling through one of two schools she is looking into. Again God has clarified how I should pray.

3. For my daughter Amanda who is two years from graduation I have been praying the God dream. One of Amanda’s professors just happened to give her an assignment this semester to present her vision to a class of fellow students. She has found an accountability partner who is helping her to clarify and follow the dream.

4. I started out praying for a new car. God told me to fix my old one. So now I am praying for money to refurbish what I have. The first $300.00 was provided this week.

Has God turned any of your prayer directions lately? How?

Heaven Pt. 91

Once more the king sent a third captain with fifty men. But this time the
captain went up the hill and fell to his knees before Elijah. He pleaded with See how the fire from heaven came down and destroyed the first two groups. But now please spare my life Then the angel of the LORD said to Elijah, “Go down with him, and don’t be afraid of him.” So Elijah got up and went with him to the king.him, “O man of God, please spare my life and the lives of these, your fifty servants. 2 Kings: 1:13-15

When last we left Elijah he was calling fire down from Heaven to burn up some enemy soldiers. You would think that after losing fifty servants to the flames of God King Ahaziah would have wised-up and left well enough alone. Twice more, though, he sent squadrons of fifty to apprehend the rebel prophet. The second time the results were the same. Fifty soldiers went up the hill fifty cremated bodies were carried down the hill.

But the captain of the third squadron was a little wiser than the first two. He was smart enough to know that insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. So instead of confronting the prophet the third captain humbled himself before God and his man. That won the day. Elijah was given the God go-ahead to come down to Ahaziah. All God was looking for was a man humble enough to admit his need rather than rattle his saber.

We aren’t called to tough it out in our own strength. We are called to pray it through by throwing ourselves on the mercy of a God who is so much bigger than we are.

 

A 21 Day Spiritual Journey Day 18

“The function of prayer is not to influence God, but rather to change the nature of the one who prays.”
― Søren Kierkegaard

I preached today. I’m not sure it was my best sermon but the Holy Ghost showed up so my performance was not what everyone was looking at anyway (that’s always best). There’s this funny story in the book of Acts chapter 20. Paul got to preaching one night and evidently forgot his watch because before he knew it the time had moved past midnight. It seems he wasn’t preaching a barn burner either because a young guy named Eutychus listening from a window above fell fast asleep and fell to his death on the street below.  Now that’s one way to put the kibosh on a church service! I’m quite sure had the Holy Ghost not shown up that night Paul would have been in big trouble with the congregation. But God didn’t leave Paul swinging in the breeze. Paul did his part even if it only succeeded in boring one young man to death; Then God showed up and raised Eutychus from the dead.  After that Paul preached until morning! Maybe he was hoping someone else would fall asleep….:)

Well I don’t think anyone fell asleep today. I know no one died so I guess I’m ahead of the apostolic curve here; But no one was going to write home about the profound nature of my words either. Then God showed up and showed off. A message in tongues and interpretation told us that God was aware that the battle was not finished but that we were not to be afraid because He had joined the battle. A prophetic word called people to the altar to receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit for strength. Twelve people came forward and two received the baptism with the initial evidence of speaking in other tongues! Hallelujah!

God is doing amazing things through this time of fasting and prayer. If nothing else my level of expectation has risen exponentially. I am looking to walk in the miracle these days. I will be seeking even more of God’s power during the Lenten fast starting in a few short weeks.  Does anyone want to join me?

A 21 Day Spiritual Journey Day 17

“The function of prayer is not to influence God, but rather to change the nature of the one who prays.”
― Søren Kierkegaard

One of the many goals on my prayer list is that I would be able to get the woods next to my house totally cleaned out. Years of neglect and several winter storms and hurricanes have left them filled with dead wood, fallen and standing. Much of the cutting I am going to have to hire out because the patch is filled with widow makers; But since I have yet to become independently wealthy I can’t leave it all to the tree cutters. So when today’s temps rose almost to freezing I decided to take a step of faith and start cleaning out what I could. Into the woods I tramped saw in hand and after about an hour I had accumulated a sad little pile of wood for burning. It doesn’t seem I have even touched the patch.

And that is today’s lesson.

Prayers don’t always come to pass over night and while they are supernatural in scope they aren’t magic. There is much in this particular prayer request I am going to need God’s help with. I need his guidance and provision (particularly with all the other financial things I am praying into); But part of praying hard is learning where I need to partner with God and to put my own shoulder to the plough.

If you intend to walk in the miracle you can’t stand still!

Today’s quotes:

“You’ve got to get up every morning with determination if you’re going to go to bed with satisfaction.”

— George Horace Lorimer

The secret of success is constancy to purpose.”

— Benjamin Disraeli

“Genius is divine perseverance. Genius I cannot claim nor even extra brightness but perseverance all can have.”

— Woodrow Wilson

A 21 Day Spiritual Journey Day 16

“The function of prayer is not to influence God, but rather to change the nature of the one who prays.”
― Søren Kierkegaard

Our study during this journey is called The Circle Maker.   Its basic premise is that we should dream again and ask largely of our God who desires to give us good things. As I have launched into the deeps of prayer during this season  God has been enlarging my personal prayer list on almost a daily basis. I am finding that as I pray God is building my faith by giving me steps to take in order to put me in a position to see His hand move in my ever-increasing list. Part of praying in faith is behaving in belief…that is acting like I expect  God to answer to my prayers.

One of the prayers on my list is about a trip I would like to take this year. I have told God I would like to go if I get a certain amount back in my taxes. Now my tax appointment is not for another two weeks. Yet in prayer yesterday God told me that if I hoped to go I must set the dates aside. Planning for the trip is my step of faith.

My heart asks “But what if God doesn’t meet you with the money?”

To which  my spirit replies, “What if He does?”

So what is your step of faith?

A 21 Day Spiritual Journey Day 15

“The function of prayer is not to influence God, but rather to change the nature of the one who prays.”
― Søren Kierkegaard

“Let us never forget to pray.  God lives.  He is near.  He is real.  He is not only aware of us but cares for us.  He is our Father.  He is accessible to all who will seek Him.” 
―    Gordon B. Hinckley,    Standing for Something: 10 Neglected Virtues That Will Heal Our Hearts and Homes

“I have been driven many times upon my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had no where else to go. My own wisdom and that of all about me insufficient for that day.” 
―    Abraham Lincoln

As I take this spiritual journey I am  seeing that prayer is the crossroads where my weakness meets with God’s ability. It is at this place called prayer where I can get off the road of failure and join the way of success.

Where are your prayers taking you these days?