Too Cloudy to Work

I don't know about you, but cloudy days usually make me want to relax. They sorta take the glare off of the day.

"When the priests left the Holy Place, a cloud filled The Temple of God. The priests couldn't carry out their priestly duties because of the cloud -- the glory of God filled The Temple of God!" -I Kings 8, verses 10-11

At our ladies conference a couple weeks ago, and at various ladies small groups in the last week -- we touched on this very point! God wants to BE with us more than He wants to use us!

That verse really struck me this morning -- how it would be to be in such a place at home or at church (or wherever) and to find God's presence so thick, so tangible that I physically couldn't DO anything - not even my "churchly duties!"

Except worship Him. BE with Him.

Now that's a sit-on-the-runway-for-2-hours kind of cloud.
A rain-packed, get-inside-the-house kind of cloud.
A cruising-altitude, unbuckle-your-seatbelt cloud.

The kind where either MY plans are halted so that good things can come (safe air travel or rain for my thirsty yard) ... OR the kind of clouds that block my view of everything else.


One other thing that really stuck a soul-chord with me today was also in chapter 8, verses 12 & 13 (sorry i can't use my colon key, my son ripped it off my laptop)...

"God has told us that He lives in the dark
where no one can see Him;
I've built this splendid Temple, O God,
to mark Your invisible presence forever."

And about that Temple...

"Can it be that God will actually move into our neighborhood?" (27) ... "People are going to be attracted here [Temple] by Your great reputation, Your wonder-working power..." (43)

This just really reminded me of how I am the temple of God! That people can't see Him, but they can see me -- and then see that it's really Him. It's just as if Solomon were to plunk down all that gold, cedar and bronze in my backyard and go to work!

I was gently reminded by the Holy Spirit that in my life, my home, neighborhood, grocery store, in my church.... people CAN be attracted to Jesus' reputation and His power ... IF i will do my part and have this temple always ready to be used, to do my part in the church for it to be ready.

I need a cloud!!

Learning to leave God to His own divices!

This scripture came alive to me when I was reading this past week and I didn't have a chance to get to the computer. Life sure has been busy lately.....good busy!
I was in a small group last week and one of the ladies there was sharing her concern about her sister and how she felt like she should be doing something to help her yet her sister didn't want her help. I totally identified with the feeling of responsibility and concern this lady had for her sister and even the helpless feeling and feeling rejected because her sister just wasn't wanting her help.

What do you do when the people you love are in the path that leads them away from God and they won't listen to you or receive you in any way and you see so clearly the path God wants them to take??

This story in 2Sam 14 is kind of a funny story in that Joab was trying to trick David into taking his (David's) son back by sending this lady to him with a story about her son and yet she was lying because she was really telling the story of David and his son. Joab was just wanting to see if David would see the situation in a different light if he didn't have his own relationship and feelings to think about. Well, Joab was right because David gave totally different advise to the lady than the advise he was taking for his own situation. But here is the good part - starting in verse 13 - she asks David why he doesn't treat the people of God, his own people, like he said he would treat her

"you have banished your own son. All of us must die eventually. Our lives are like water spilled out on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. (And here is the good part)
But God does not just sweep life away: Instead, he devises ways to bring us back when we have been separated from him."

I love that!!! We have to trust that God sees the whole situation and He is devising a way to bring our loved one back to Him! I haven't gotten a chance to share this verse with my friend from the small group yet....but I will. Maybe she'll even read it on this blog!!!

the power of the Presence

I am desperately behind, ladies. Please excuse this post. This is the reason I have not been posting, because I am constantly 1-2 weeks behind. But this was so good I wanted to write anyways!

I got such a kick out of 1 Samuel 5. The Philistines had captured the Ark of God. The very presence of God. Then, they thought it would be cute maybe... ??.... to put it next to the idol of their god, Dagon. The next morning when someone went to check on that place, there was Dagon, face down in front of the Ark of God. They put him upright and left him there again. Maybe they thought someone snuck in and did this or there was a small earthquake and he just happen to fall. Whatever the case, I would have been a little freaked out by what this Ark of God was!

The next day they found Dagon again face down in front of the Ark of God, this time with his limbs and head broken off his body and lying by the doorway! This managed to freak THEM out and they moved it away.

I love how strong the presence of God is. That very presence is what I walk with daily, especially when I am inviting God's presence in to my life and in to everything I do. That presence is POWERFUL! Demons fall face down in front of it! Thank God for that!!

A Note about our Spring Ladies Conference

Wow-what a really wonderful and impacting weekend we just had with Bo Stern. Her messages on Friday night, Saturday morning and Sunday morning touched my "soul" in ways that made me want to change to the image of my Savior more and more. She had a really great way of opening her life to us and allowing us to see what God has done in her so we could see what He wants to do in us!
Thank you Bo and thank you all who attended the meetings. So sorry we weren't able to record it (except for Sunday). But we will have her back and we will make sure we have the equipment ready then.
Pastor Susan

Friday, April 9, 2010 I Samuel 13, 14

"Saul's Kingdom Over Israel Lost Forever" would have been the title of an article in the Old Testament Times. How often do we find ourselves in situations where we become disillusioned or confused and don't immediately ask, "What does God want me to do?" How many times do we allow fear or frustration to guide our actions. We don't even think about it, we just react. If Saul had just prayed and asked for God's guidance and wisdom in this situation, it would have been a totally different outcome for him. God would have sent peace and provision to the camp. But Saul didn't and it cost him his crown.

What things do we stand to lose forever? What circumstances will we allow to control our inheritance in the Lord? Forever is a long time. We don't even fully understand it that meant for Saul to sacrifice offerings himself. After all, they were sacrifices to and for the Lord. But the offering of sacrifices was not what the Lord required of Saul. The Lord was looking for Saul, this man who the Lord had highly honored, to give honor and glory to God through trust and obedience. The Lord was looking for a man after his own heart.

Let us not be in the position to lose one of God's provisions forever. Let us not sacrifice our crown awaiting us. Lord, help us to come to you first in all situations. Let us be women after your own heart and let us display your grace and favor in our lives.

Pouring Out Our Heart

“Year after year it was the same – Peninnah would taunt Hannah as they went to the Tabernacle. Hannah would finally be reduced to tears and would not even eat.” (1 Sam. 1:7)

I would say that this verse is very early documentation of bullying! Today, the devil says to us, “Did God really say . . . ?” or “God won’t do that for you because you . . . !” That’s the Devil taunting, trying to be a bully in our lives!

Hannah was barren. Peninnah was producing babies but was loved less. Both wives were hurting. Both women made a choice. Hannah poured out her heart to God – spiritual choice. Peninnah provoked with her words and attitude – carnal choice. Each choice carried consequences . . . one restoration of peace and joy . . . the other bitterness.

But what really spoke to me were verses 15-16 in Chapter 1. “Hannah was in deep anguish, crying bitterly as she prayed to the Lord. Eli could see her lips moving as she prayed but could hear no sound, so he thought she had been drinking.” Hannah’s reply . . . “I was pouring out my heart to the Lord . . . I have been praying out of great anguish and sorrow.”

God used Eli to speak hope to Hannah . . . “Cheer up! May the God of Israel grant the request you have asked of him . . . Hannah went home and began to eat again and was no longer sad.” Can you see God gently wiping away Hannah’s tears, restoring her joy?

Hannah’s story forces me to look at my prayers. Are my prayers a pouring out of my heart to God or just lip service via casual, rote prayers? Are my prayers a reflection of God’s heart of love and compassion?