Dr. Fuchsia Picket, celebrated speaker and writer was my friend and mentor.
She lived to be eighty five and went out in ministry until the last six months of her life. She was seasoned and wise and freely shared with me the wisdom God had given her through her years of serving Him.
One day over lunch she leaned forward in her seat and said, "Remember that Paul not only counted the loss, he suffered the loss as well". (Phil. 3:8)
She had experienced loss and God had given her understanding of how to deal with loss without discouragement and disillusionment.
The key is that Paul counted everything dung compared to the great privilege of really knowing Jesus. If we esteem those relationships or possessions in light of the great possession of Christ Himself it is much easier to let them go should the time come.
No matter what happens or how many losses we suffer, we still have Jesus.
And He will never leave us or forsake us. He showed me one more key.
If relationships or possessions are lost, face the fact that they are lost and that He has allowed it. Then acknowledge you will probably never have those things again. They are gone and grieving will not bring them back. A great liberty comes when we lay down our disappointment and yearning for those things and trust Him wth our losses.
Anything we give up for the kingdom's sake will be rewarded a hundredfold.
That is a great replacement. And above all else, we still have Jesus.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Friday, January 14, 2011
Our church just finished a week of prayer and fasting which was a wonderful success. How do we know we have succeeded in a time of prayer when prayers operate in the invisible realm of the Spirit?
It's not really that difficult. First of all, we had an excellent percentage of our church involved in each of the two prayer meetings held every day that week.
Next, the people had a mind and heart to really be involved in the praying.
And last, there was a sense among the congregation that there was much accomplished.
You see, we can't always know exactly what has happened as a result of our prayers. But we have the promise of God that if we ask it shall be given, if we seek we shall find, and if we knock it shall be opened.(Matthew 7:7)
God's promises cannot fail. This is assured. But people can fail to gather for prayer, they can fail to fast, they can fail to pray sincere and fervent prayers.
I have preached on prayer in many churches, and the pastor usually shares with me that his greatest problem is getting the church to gather to pray.
I believe this difficulty arises primarily from unbelief. Those in a church who have the firm conviction that prayer changes things, and that prayer is the privilege and responsibility of believers, these are the ones who respond to the call to prayer.
There are many ways to build churches -- marketing, image, compromise, influence, money. But the Biblical way to build a church is on our knees. Actually, we don't "build the church" -- that is Jesus' job. (Matthew 16:18)
But, through prayer, we allow the Holy Spirit to lead us and instruct us how it should be built.
As I am now finishing a new book on prayer I have had opportunity to be reminded of how our ministry, Shekinah Church, was built through a series of miracles.
Beginning with six families taking the responsibility to buy 100 acres of property (and then develop it as the church grew), I am amazed myself how we prayed ourselves into a place of faith to attempt these things.
But our church has been saturated with prayer from day one.
Prayer opened the way to the vision for our ministry. Prayer brought miracles that built the ministry. Prayer
has sustained us through every difficulty. Thanks to God for the privilege and power of prayer.
It's not really that difficult. First of all, we had an excellent percentage of our church involved in each of the two prayer meetings held every day that week.
Next, the people had a mind and heart to really be involved in the praying.
And last, there was a sense among the congregation that there was much accomplished.
You see, we can't always know exactly what has happened as a result of our prayers. But we have the promise of God that if we ask it shall be given, if we seek we shall find, and if we knock it shall be opened.(Matthew 7:7)
God's promises cannot fail. This is assured. But people can fail to gather for prayer, they can fail to fast, they can fail to pray sincere and fervent prayers.
I have preached on prayer in many churches, and the pastor usually shares with me that his greatest problem is getting the church to gather to pray.
I believe this difficulty arises primarily from unbelief. Those in a church who have the firm conviction that prayer changes things, and that prayer is the privilege and responsibility of believers, these are the ones who respond to the call to prayer.
There are many ways to build churches -- marketing, image, compromise, influence, money. But the Biblical way to build a church is on our knees. Actually, we don't "build the church" -- that is Jesus' job. (Matthew 16:18)
But, through prayer, we allow the Holy Spirit to lead us and instruct us how it should be built.
As I am now finishing a new book on prayer I have had opportunity to be reminded of how our ministry, Shekinah Church, was built through a series of miracles.
Beginning with six families taking the responsibility to buy 100 acres of property (and then develop it as the church grew), I am amazed myself how we prayed ourselves into a place of faith to attempt these things.
But our church has been saturated with prayer from day one.
Prayer opened the way to the vision for our ministry. Prayer brought miracles that built the ministry. Prayer
has sustained us through every difficulty. Thanks to God for the privilege and power of prayer.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
The Beginning Of Miracles
The miracle that Jesus did at Cana when He turned the water into wine was the beginning of miracles (John 2:11).
When the Holy Spirit was outpoured at Azusa Street in 1906 it was the beginning of miracles in the twentieth century. By 1948 another great outpouring of the Holy Spirit brought miracles in yet another "beginning".
God has been faithful to move by His Spirit when we come to a lull in our spiritual experiences.
At the beginning of the Charismatic outpouring we heard many testimonies of miracles, healings, signs and wonders. And of course the River Movement in the nineties brought its unusual miracles, signs and wonders which many of us experienced.
And now it is time for another beginning of miracles. Jesus never changes. Though we get distracted He will always bring us back to the focus of His ministry. When John in prison asked if Jesus were the real Messiah or if they should look for another, His answer reveals His purpose for coming to earth:
The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. (Matthew 11:5)
My husband John and I visited the Bay of the Holy Spirit Revival last week.
There was a wonderful atmosphere of worship and there were miracles. We saw a lady crippled with Rheumatoid Arthritis completely healed.
Delia Knox, whose husband is a bishop known in the Mobile, Al. area was healed of paralysis at this same revival meeting in August. She had been paralyzed in an automobile accident twenty-three years ago when she was hit by a drunken driver. You can watch her complete healing on DVD, which began on August 27 when she stood and walked a few steps. Within a few weeks you can see her walking normally on the platform singing God's praises.
When I heard of this incredible miracle (put yourself in Delia's place), I said to my husband, "This is another beginning of miracles". And from that time miracles of all kinds have continued at the Bay Revival. The Lord gave me a message called, "How We Can Have The Miracles Jesus Promised". It gives three major reasons we are not experiencing miracles right now.
I am contending for miracles to be a part of everyday church life. A miraculous healing doesn't have to be instantaneous. It can be gradual like Delia's. Doctors and medicine often help a lot. In Delia's case there was nothing doctors could do. But Jesus hasn't changed. He still performs miracles and wants you to believe Him for yours.
When the Holy Spirit was outpoured at Azusa Street in 1906 it was the beginning of miracles in the twentieth century. By 1948 another great outpouring of the Holy Spirit brought miracles in yet another "beginning".
God has been faithful to move by His Spirit when we come to a lull in our spiritual experiences.
At the beginning of the Charismatic outpouring we heard many testimonies of miracles, healings, signs and wonders. And of course the River Movement in the nineties brought its unusual miracles, signs and wonders which many of us experienced.
And now it is time for another beginning of miracles. Jesus never changes. Though we get distracted He will always bring us back to the focus of His ministry. When John in prison asked if Jesus were the real Messiah or if they should look for another, His answer reveals His purpose for coming to earth:
The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. (Matthew 11:5)
My husband John and I visited the Bay of the Holy Spirit Revival last week.
There was a wonderful atmosphere of worship and there were miracles. We saw a lady crippled with Rheumatoid Arthritis completely healed.
Delia Knox, whose husband is a bishop known in the Mobile, Al. area was healed of paralysis at this same revival meeting in August. She had been paralyzed in an automobile accident twenty-three years ago when she was hit by a drunken driver. You can watch her complete healing on DVD, which began on August 27 when she stood and walked a few steps. Within a few weeks you can see her walking normally on the platform singing God's praises.
When I heard of this incredible miracle (put yourself in Delia's place), I said to my husband, "This is another beginning of miracles". And from that time miracles of all kinds have continued at the Bay Revival. The Lord gave me a message called, "How We Can Have The Miracles Jesus Promised". It gives three major reasons we are not experiencing miracles right now.
I am contending for miracles to be a part of everyday church life. A miraculous healing doesn't have to be instantaneous. It can be gradual like Delia's. Doctors and medicine often help a lot. In Delia's case there was nothing doctors could do. But Jesus hasn't changed. He still performs miracles and wants you to believe Him for yours.
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