YOU'RE Still Good...

 YOU'RE Still Good...

There I sat in the dimly lit room in the morgue, holding her hand, angry and bitter.  I was so furious.  I thought I felt warmth coming back into her hand. I wanted that so badly. She died anyway. I prayed as hard as I could, then I cursed. I cursed her so hard.  I cursed God so much.  This was so wrong. How could this happen, without notice.  It was so sudden, and definitely too soon.  This was not how it was supposed to end.  So abruptly. So unprepared I was.  We'd just spoken two days ago.  No one told me it got complicated.  She never told me it got complicated.  I could have come sooner. I could have dropped everything and come sooner.  It hurt so much, even now it still does.  An entourage met me at the airport, but I didn't think anything of it.  I mean, it was thanksgiving right.  No one said anything about it. But once I opened the apartment door I just knew.  The gut wrenching pain I felt in my stomach, like someone was playing tug of war with my insides. The pull, the tear, the pain. I bellowed so hard.  Somehow I just knew.  I sensed that she had died, and I let them take me to the morgue to see her.   

It was a normal checkup, a regular checkup.  They made a mistake, and just like that, she's no more.  A simply wrong dosage. A small error, and she was no more. I literally just spoke to her. Why didn't she tell me to change my flight? We'd talked about things we were going to do, like make her perfect tiramisu for thanksgiving, etc...  This was just too much.  The walls came tumbling down. There I stood in a Jericho moment. Have you ever had one of those?  The moment everything that's supposed to be stable, powerful and perfect comes crashing down uncontrollably. Imagine, maybe your:

• Perfect marriage
• Secure family
• Beautiful children
• Super relationship
• Awesome friendship
• Secure job
• Financial security

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You just can't imagine your life otherwise. Especially if it happens suddenly. Death, no matter how anticipated is always painful for those left in the aftermath.  1 Samuel 31 David's best friend Johnathan dies in battle.  He'd been there for David and saved him from his father's wrath on several occasions.  Yet David couldn't save him and it broke his heart tremendously.  Several years later, David's son dies at the hand of God.  He had coveted a man's wife and got her pregnant.  Then he got the man killed to cover it up, and married the man's wife afterwards.  God killed the innocent child. 2 Samuel 12.  Then God sent a prophet with a judgement proposal for David.

2 Samuel 12: 15 - 20

15 After Nathan had gone home, the Lord struck the child that Uriah’s wife had borne to David, and he became ill. 16 David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and spent the nights lying in sackcloth on the ground. 17 The elders of his household stood beside him to get him up from the ground, but he refused, and he would not eat any food with them.

18 On the seventh day the child died. David’s attendants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they thought, “While the child was still living, he wouldn’t listen to us when we spoke to him. How can we now tell him the child is dead? He may do something desperate.”

19 David noticed that his attendants were whispering among themselves, and he realized the child was dead. “Is the child dead?” he asked. “Yes,” they replied, “he is dead.”

20 Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they served him food, and he ate.

Samuel 24. Again, David sinned by taking a census of his soldiers.  He had forgotten that his victories were not as a result of his army, but God's power.  He was taking the glory for himself.  God is a jealous God.  Exodus 34.  David had done something that God did not authorize.  Be careful not to do those things.  Especially when you come into power, stay humble.  Only God deserves the praise. 

Proverbs 21:1

The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will. Every way of a man is right in his own.

John 19 During HIS trial, Jesus told Pilate , "You would have no power over me at all unless it were given you from above". This is a reminder that all earthly power and authority is permitted by God. Jesus voluntarily submitted to his crucifixion as part of a divine plan, not because of the inherent authority held by Pilate.  Power to God is like oxygen to man. It's innate.  It doesn't marvel God and it shouldn't marvel us.  We were made in HIS image and likeness. Infact from the very outset, in Genesis 1 God gave man power to dominate.  HE commanded us to dominate the earth.  What HE expects from us is reverence, honor and humility.  We're supposed to love on each other, not lord things over each other.  That was God's original intent for mankind. There was only supposed to be one Lord, and that would/ should be HIM.  However, we got the wrong memo. We keep trying to outdo each other, not understanding that we have different assignments.  Each life has a unique role, just as each body part serves a different purpose.  Sometimes we re-assign or reconfigure our roles.  (That's why we need the Holy Spirit to teach us).  But God is patient with us.

Despite our errors, God understands that we're HIS children.  As a father, HE gently guides us by the leading of the Holy Spirit.  Especially when we hurt, we need to maintain an attitude of submission.  This is learnt.  When we come to realize God's love and affection towards us, inspite of ourselves.  Sometimes our wounds can lead us into dark spaces.  Even when HE punishes us like David, HIS arms are always open towards us.  HIS arms are always ready to craddle us.  Romans 5.

Romans 8:32 

"He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?"

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Not until you've been backed into a dark space like the prodigal son in the pig's pen.  When you realize that your own efforts caused you to choose wrongly.  When you understand that you are powerless to make it right.  Then you will begin to appreciate God's unconditional fatherly love for you.   As HIS child, you'll allow yourself to experience HIS eyes searching for you; HIS arms waiting for you, and HIS wealth ready to enfold and smother you with HIS honest affection.  God isn't fickle.  Sure HE punishes us. But that's just a very small part of the process.  Our father in heaven, inhabits our praises.  Like David worship HIM.  After David's son died he chose to worship God.  This is the remedy.

When my sister died, I ran so far and hard.  But HE waited.  And everywhere I turned I kept hearing this song in my head: 

I Trust YOU Lord..

 

I had a Jericho moment. It's one of the hardest things I've ever encountered. Over the years, Our Father God has proven HIS faithfulness to me, over and over again. Sometimes I ran off like the Prodigal son Luke 15. And sure enough, there HE was looking out, and waiting with open arms. Sometimes, God chases you.  HE waits patiently in the background for you to wake up.  Love forgives without condemnation.   There are consequences, but it's just a part of the process.  The goal is reconciliation.  Sometimes like Job, my friends have accused me of things they don't understand. Job 4. Another Jericho moment. People are people! And Life is lifing! Jericho moments are the ebb and flow of it all. The only thing constant is the love of Our Heavenly Father towards us. No matter how many times we get it wrong, HE'S still good. HE'S still the most loving encounter we'll ever experience in our lifetime. Today, as I stand in yet another Jericho moment, I'm not running away. Instead, I've learnt to seek HIS embrace. It's safe, it's peaceful and it's rejuvenating. Are you hurting? What have you lost? What do you feel powerless to change or save? If you do, know this, HE forgives! HE heals! HE resurrects! HE'S the G.O.A.T. on restoration. Ask David, ask Paul. Better yet ask Jesus.

Romans 8:1

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

After over 30 years of a relationship.  My testimony is... HE'S STILL GOOD! 

Let HIM show you!

Speaking In Tongues Is For Every Believer!

Speaking In Tongues Is For Every Believer!

Sometimes we tend to complicate such simple truths like the fact that "speaking in tongues is for every believer in Jesus Christ as Lord".  First of all, Jesus Christ came to earth in the form of a human being in order to introduce us to our ability to be able to use spiritual power and authority on earth.  When Adam and Eve disobeyed God in Eden they lost the priviledge of dominion.  They gave it to the devil. (That's why Jesus had to die on the cross. God would only accept a pure sacrifice as atonement.)  Jesus took it from him and gave it back to us.  Romans 8 However, because it's new to us, we need(ed) a tutor.  So Jesus gave us the Holy Spirit as our tutor to fix the problem.  The problem was that, as long as Jesus was in the earth in physical form, HE was the only person who was enabled by the Holy Spirit.  HE had to leave in order for us to receive enablement.  John 16 The Holy Spirit enables humans to access the supernatural power of God.  This allows us to:

• Communicate with God effectively.
• Gain wisdom, understanding and solutions for everyday challenges.
• Use the power and authority God gives to every believer.
• Overcome the world. i.e. represent the greatest power on earth. 
• Live fearlessly.
• Manipulate the atmosphere.

Speaking in tongues is a spiritual experience.  It is when a believer is enabled to speak in an unknown language for the sake of edification.  It can be self edification or that of other person(s).  The person speaking the language has never been formally taught the language.  It is the Holy Spirit that gives the enablement.  1 Corinthians 14 Speaking in tongues can manifest itself in different forms such as at Pentecost when the disciples were in Jerusalem in the upper room. Acts 2. Or when Peter was speaking to the gentiles at Cornelius's house in Acts 10. Or when Paul was speaking to the jewish believers in Ephesus about the baptism of the Holy Spirit in Acts 19 Sometimes we are just the vehicle.  The Holy Spirit advocates to God on our behalf in our weakness and about things we know nothing about.  God's thoughts and ways are far more higher than ours.  Other times, there's prophecy when God sends a message through one believer and the revelation/ interpretation through another.

Speaking in tongues is empowerment.  It was a norm for the  believers during the time of the apostles.  In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul had to admonish the saints by letting them know that it was not a competitive gift.  Love was what was imperative, not speaking in tongues nor the gift of prophecy.  When a believer accepts Jesus Christ as his/her Lord and Savior God gives them the Holy Spirit as a companion/ tutor to teach them about the kingdom of God.  Just as physical baptism is an outward show of a believer's allegiance to God, so too is 'spiritual baptism' as an allegiance to the Kingdom of God.  Speaking in tongues is a sign of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, like a ring is a sign of marriage.  What is important is your commitment, covenance and faithfulness to its laws.  It is the vows that make the union, not the ring.  As we seek to know and understand the Kingdom of God; the Holy Spirit will reveal it to us. And one of the instruments which He uses, is the gift of tongues.  The end goal is not the gift, but the giver. Jesus came that we might have life, and have it more abundantly.

TESTIMONY: Sam Nadler found answers about God and the Holocaust in the most surprising place!

WORSHIP: Holy Spirit By Meddy

Draw near to God, and HE will draw near to you!