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Tuesday, April 10, 2007
 Changing me and changing you We have come with open hearts O let the ancient words impart." ~ Lynn DeShazo~ Jesus had promised another gift before His ascension. The gift of the Holy Spirit. He told his disciples and followers in Acts (and us): ‘And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, "you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."’The waiting began. The early Christians didn’t just wait. They read His Word, they prayed, they broke bread together. Sometimes I long for being like the first Christians. Sure, I wouldn’t like to be persecuted like them—I just long for their community. Certainly we have our churches where we worship behind closed doors. We have our doctrine we follow. Please don’t misunderstand me—there is nothing wrong with that. What I do long for is that we worship all together on Sundays. We all believe that Jesus is Lord; that He died for our sins. We believe that there is one God, who is infinitely perfect, existing eternally in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God gave us all the same Holy Spirit. His Spirit is changing us from the inside out to become more like Christ… Okay, so maybe I am just dreaming too big. I probably just have to wait for His second coming to see my dream come true--the dream of a unified Church without the ‘walls’ of doctrine. I think that is why I love the on-line community so much. We respect each other; pray for each other, love each other as Christ commanded us to do… ‘And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”’ ~ Matthew 22:37-39 (ESV) My sweet sisters, let us continue to encourage each other and reach out to the ones that don’t know Him yet. With His help and the community of believers we will reach the finish line… Lord of Heaven and Earth. You gave us Your Holy Word and Spirit to change us from inside out. Help us to reach the finish line. Continue to guide us in Your Word that we may never depart from it. In the precious name of our Lord and Savior, in Jesus’ name we pray ~ Amen…  Please visit this week's hostess Loni to read more takes on this week's IOW quote... Labels: "In 'Other' Words", Iris's Articles, The Word Leave a comment... 20 Comments Links to this post I sensed that something wasn’t right by the tone in her voice, the way she turned the monitor away from my view, and the discomfort she expressed before excusing herself from the room. Something was terribly wrong—again. A solemn look washed over the doctor’s face as he walked into the room. “There seems to be a problem, …” he said as he began to explain the severity of what they were viewing on the monitor. I was sent for fetal assessment where they could survey the situation in detail. It was all too familiar a place, since I had been a regular there in the past. The same doctor who urged me to consider “my options” was there, as well as the nurse who made it abundantly clear that I “still had time to abort.” The smile on my face, and the calm reply to their horrifying news gave them only one conclusion—she doesn’t get it. Perhaps that’s why they called my husband at work, and rang me at home several times--to make sure that we did. We sat in the same office again looking at a new little being, marvelously and wonderfully made. Being only six inches long, his kidney was already enlarged to about an inch. “This one is a case far worse than the last. He will have severe kidney problems if he even makes it to term. You have options…” The only option I had was that of prayer. And we did pray, fervently and in faith before God. Lying in bed one night alone in the dark, I felt the gentle voice of God whisper, “Nathaniel,” in my ear. Nathaniel? I wondered, Why Nathaniel? It hadn’t been a name that had ever crossed my mind. I jumped out of bed, clicked on the lamp, and flipped through the pages of my reference Bible till my finger rested on the words… Nathaniel: Gift from God. I turned that name around in my thoughts the next day wondering why. Why “gift from God?” why not John or Mark, Luke, or Ichabod—why? Until the answer came to us, clearly and directly as though God was speaking Himself. Sitting in my living room that very night a woman prayed, “Every day that this child lives is a gift from you, Lord.” We knew from that very second that his name would be Nathaniel. I went back to fetal assessment for what would be the fourth look at the little man that God was forming inside me. The child who gave me only one option, and that option was to pray--and pray fervently before God. The little man who, one day, would be my living, breathing, giggling, praying, cart-wheeling, hand-holding gift from God--my Nathaniel. After looking at the screen, the nurse excused herself from the room. I sensed that something was right by the tone in her voice, the way she turned the monitor away from my view, and the confusion she expressed before excusing herself from the room. Something was very right.  An astonished look washed over the doctor’s face as he walked into the room. “There seems to be a mistake, …” he said as he began to explain the miracle of what they were viewing on the monitor. The confused look on his face, and their inability to explain this miracle gave me only one conclusion--they didn’t get it. Perhaps that’s why God called me to their office several times--to make sure that they did. Martin Luther said, "To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing." In Nathaniel’s case, as with most of my children that’s true in the literal sense. When pain rips through your life taking down everything you’ve tried so hard to hold on to--perhaps even life itself, your left with only one option and that option is to pray--and pray fervently before God. Iris is hosting "In 'Other' Words" this week. Head over to Sting My Heart to read her take on the quote and meet other participants.  Labels: "In 'Other' Words", Darlene's Articles, Healing, Prayer Leave a comment... 24 Comments Links to this post
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