About a month in a half, maybe 2 months ago, someone very close to me, whom I trust, spoke into my life that the Lord was going to use me in a political arena to change laws both in my state and in this nation for families with children like mine. Not everyone knows, and not everyone needs to, but some of our kids are "special needs" (translation: not what the social world considers to be normal or acceptable based on their own shallow standards). There are many systems in this world which were set up to help families like mine, but these systems for the most part are failing right now. Priorities are mixed up. Intentions are great, but the actions are minimal if any at all.
Over the last 2 weeks, I have had several people come to me looking for answers on what to do, where to go, who to speak to. At first I was answering minimally, and thinking to myself, "I'm no expert. I am still learning and figuring things out myself, so why come to me?" and then I realized, that through all these people who are speaking to me, and the issues they are facing, I am also having visions. I have great visions of a place where people can bring their kids and get therapies, ASL classes, ABA classes, school subject tutoring, parenting classes...all these things, and for a minimal cost, with the right kind of people working with them. PEOPLE WHO CARE!!!
But mostly, I am seeing a place where people come and those who are working with them are laying hands on these kids while working with them, and are praying with true faith, and watching God heal them and deliver them. It's not a question of sickness or disease, it's a matter of perspective. Accept it or don't accept it. I don't believe that EVERYTHING is a sickness or disease. There are some things that I believe God created or allowed to be "difference". He Himself was not your "ordinary" guy, now was He?
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Friday, September 18, 2009
1 Samuel 14 - 1 Samuel 24
I have been reading 1 Samuel 14 - 1 Samuel 24 and I am AMAZED at the relationship that Jonathan and David had with one another. I had heard the story before, and I thought, "Ok, so he was his armor bearer, he had to do whatever David asked of him."...But after reading it over for myself and with a little help and insight from Graham Cooke's teachings, my eyes were opened to something much deeper.
1 Samuel 18:1 says "...the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul." Jonathan loved David so much that it's mentioned 3 times in these passages. (3) "And Jonathan and David made a covenant because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan took of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, even to his sword and his bow and his belt". What Jonathan REALLY did, was he gave up his rights to the throne of his father as the rightful heir, and gave it to David, whom he loved and saw as the chosen king by God.
First, let me just say..WOW!! A friendship like that, I have never had! But it's more than that. I was listening to Graham Cooke teach and he was discussing this relationship, and the job of an armor bearer. I found myself not thinking about my friendships, but more about my husband and my children.
If we were to look up the word armor bearer in a regular dictionary we would find a basic explanation about one who bears arms...DUH!! But if we were to really dig through the bible and history and discover the different people who were called "armor bearers", we would see that there is so much more to this job. These were men who were loyal, humble (even when they slaughtered men by the thousands), gave freely of themselves without question or dishonor, trusted advisers, encourager, strong hearted, ( I would imagine thick headed to some degree as well...I know sometimes the people we are closest to whether in work or life in general, are usually the hardest ones to be around during difficult moments ;) and they were willing to go to the lengths to accomplish whatever the desires were of that person they were in covenant with.
1 Samuel 14:7
"So his armor bearer said, to him " Do all that is in your heart. Go then; here I am with you according to your heart."
1 Samuel 20:4
"So Jonathan said to David, "Whatever you yourself desire, I will do it for you."
1 Samuel 23:16
"So Jonathan, Saul's son, arose went to David in the woods and strengthened his hand in God."
In my thoughts and times of study and prayer, I began to question my relationships. Am I as open and willing to do whatever it takes, whatever is asked of me (obviously within reason and right mind) in order for my husband and our children to have the things that they desire in their heart for themselves(even if I might not like the idea myself, or if it's asking me to step out of my comfort zone)? Am I humbling myself in my daily work for them ( right down to scrubbing the toilets without even so much as a "thank you mom", or the fasting behind the scenes when others complain about not having enough to eat) ? Am I laying everything on the line because I believe wholeheartedly in the desires and plans that the Lord has placed within them even before they were born? This was an eye opener, let me tell ya. I know that I love my family without limits or boundaries, and I feel like I do everything I can for them, but that wasn't what caught my attention in my prayer time..... it was my heart attitude!
An armor bearer is not only supposed to watch the other person's back, support them, work for them, help them, edify them, encourage them, love them, protect them, minister to them ,etc.....but an armor bearer's job is to do all these things and more, BUT WITH THE SERVANTS HEART OF HUMILITY AND LOVE! Let me just finish out with this bit of food for thought.....it's great that we do all we can for those we love, but do we honestly do it with the heart of humility and love the way these great examples before us have shown? I, personally can say, no, not always. And with that I am also praying that the Lord would open my eyes to see the potential relationships that I could have with my family and to give me the heart of the armor bearer that I might become their armor bearer.
1 Samuel 18:1 says "...the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul." Jonathan loved David so much that it's mentioned 3 times in these passages. (3) "And Jonathan and David made a covenant because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan took of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, even to his sword and his bow and his belt". What Jonathan REALLY did, was he gave up his rights to the throne of his father as the rightful heir, and gave it to David, whom he loved and saw as the chosen king by God.
First, let me just say..WOW!! A friendship like that, I have never had! But it's more than that. I was listening to Graham Cooke teach and he was discussing this relationship, and the job of an armor bearer. I found myself not thinking about my friendships, but more about my husband and my children.
If we were to look up the word armor bearer in a regular dictionary we would find a basic explanation about one who bears arms...DUH!! But if we were to really dig through the bible and history and discover the different people who were called "armor bearers", we would see that there is so much more to this job. These were men who were loyal, humble (even when they slaughtered men by the thousands), gave freely of themselves without question or dishonor, trusted advisers, encourager, strong hearted, ( I would imagine thick headed to some degree as well...I know sometimes the people we are closest to whether in work or life in general, are usually the hardest ones to be around during difficult moments ;) and they were willing to go to the lengths to accomplish whatever the desires were of that person they were in covenant with.
1 Samuel 14:7
"So his armor bearer said, to him " Do all that is in your heart. Go then; here I am with you according to your heart."
1 Samuel 20:4
"So Jonathan said to David, "Whatever you yourself desire, I will do it for you."
1 Samuel 23:16
"So Jonathan, Saul's son, arose went to David in the woods and strengthened his hand in God."
In my thoughts and times of study and prayer, I began to question my relationships. Am I as open and willing to do whatever it takes, whatever is asked of me (obviously within reason and right mind) in order for my husband and our children to have the things that they desire in their heart for themselves(even if I might not like the idea myself, or if it's asking me to step out of my comfort zone)? Am I humbling myself in my daily work for them ( right down to scrubbing the toilets without even so much as a "thank you mom", or the fasting behind the scenes when others complain about not having enough to eat) ? Am I laying everything on the line because I believe wholeheartedly in the desires and plans that the Lord has placed within them even before they were born? This was an eye opener, let me tell ya. I know that I love my family without limits or boundaries, and I feel like I do everything I can for them, but that wasn't what caught my attention in my prayer time..... it was my heart attitude!
An armor bearer is not only supposed to watch the other person's back, support them, work for them, help them, edify them, encourage them, love them, protect them, minister to them ,etc.....but an armor bearer's job is to do all these things and more, BUT WITH THE SERVANTS HEART OF HUMILITY AND LOVE! Let me just finish out with this bit of food for thought.....it's great that we do all we can for those we love, but do we honestly do it with the heart of humility and love the way these great examples before us have shown? I, personally can say, no, not always. And with that I am also praying that the Lord would open my eyes to see the potential relationships that I could have with my family and to give me the heart of the armor bearer that I might become their armor bearer.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Matthew 6:19-22
I've been thinking about this scripture quite a bit lately and I have heard it used mostly in sermons pertaining to tithing or giving to the poor. Yet, as I read it over and over to myself, I don't feel that it is talking about "treasures" in the aspect solely of money, but that it is talking about other things in our lives. Yes, it could have something to do with material things, since it does say "where thieves can break in and steal" and that would be the obvious thoughts. However, I believe there is something deeper to this scripture, and felt I should share.
Matthew 6:19-22
"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroy and thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, your heart is also."
Ok, I read the entire chapter before stopping at this one point, and I think it's important to see what was really being spoken about to set us up to this point. Matthew 6 is talking about our secret lives and relationship with the Lord. It's talking about our prayer life ("go into your room and when you have shut the door, pray to the Father who is in the secret place" verse 6) and our personal fasting rituals ("when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so you do not appear to men to be fasting" verse 17) and other aspects of our private relationship with the Lord. So why then would this scripture be preached as a "financial message"? It seems to me that our "treasures" are not meant to be material at all.
I believe the "treasures" being referred to here are actually those things of value to the Lord. Things like our wisdom and knowledge of the Word, our knowledge of and belief in the Lord, and His works, and of the love and relationship we have with Him. These are all things that can not be measured, eaten, ruined,destroyed, or stolen, but can only be found in heaven and through the knowledge and seeking of His Kingdom, His presence, and His desires for us.....just some food for thought.
The only way anything could happen to these "treasures" is if we allow the world to pull us away from the Lord, or if we allow the enemy to drive us astray and allow him to "steal" our joy and cloud our knowledge...but ultimately these "treasures" are ours for the taking, and can not be taken or destroyed without our permission.
Matthew 6:19-22
"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroy and thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, your heart is also."
Ok, I read the entire chapter before stopping at this one point, and I think it's important to see what was really being spoken about to set us up to this point. Matthew 6 is talking about our secret lives and relationship with the Lord. It's talking about our prayer life ("go into your room and when you have shut the door, pray to the Father who is in the secret place" verse 6) and our personal fasting rituals ("when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so you do not appear to men to be fasting" verse 17) and other aspects of our private relationship with the Lord. So why then would this scripture be preached as a "financial message"? It seems to me that our "treasures" are not meant to be material at all.
I believe the "treasures" being referred to here are actually those things of value to the Lord. Things like our wisdom and knowledge of the Word, our knowledge of and belief in the Lord, and His works, and of the love and relationship we have with Him. These are all things that can not be measured, eaten, ruined,destroyed, or stolen, but can only be found in heaven and through the knowledge and seeking of His Kingdom, His presence, and His desires for us.....just some food for thought.
The only way anything could happen to these "treasures" is if we allow the world to pull us away from the Lord, or if we allow the enemy to drive us astray and allow him to "steal" our joy and cloud our knowledge...but ultimately these "treasures" are ours for the taking, and can not be taken or destroyed without our permission.
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