We sang this song in church on Sunday and i just can't get it out of my head!
"Holy fire burn away
My desire for anything
That is not of YOU
And is of me
I want more of YOU
And less of me
empty me, empty me
fill, won't you fill me
with YOU"
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Sunday, January 25, 2009
The more I am trying to prepare myself for this upcoming trip, the more my heart breaks. It breaks for the fact that such horrible abuse and slavery happens to so many. (although human trafficking was recorded in Genesis - Joseph's own brothers sold him into slavery because of jealousy.....) I am so thankful there are organizations trying to help these victims. I feel overwhelmed though. There are SO many victims and only so much these organizations can do. I find my mind going to that place : "where is God when the babies are crying for their mothers after being taken by traffickers? Why isn't God sending help to the little girls who wonder why these men hurt them in so many ways? Why doesn't God just put an end to this vicious cycle??" Mostly it's the "where's God & why God?" And then I read this:
INCAPABLE OF COMPREHENDING
by Charles R. Swindoll
Read Job 42:1--11
God's plans are beyond our understanding and too deep to explain. Perhaps God doesn't explain Himself because knowing and understanding His way may not help us all that much. Stop and ask yourself: Does knowing why really help? Is the pain removed by knowing the cause? Ours is a world filled with devastating catastrophes, random shootings by hidden snipers, jets crashing into tall buildings, deliberate poisoning of elderly people at rest homes, serial rapists and murderers, mothers who kill all of their own children, droughts and famines, wives in automobiles who run over their husbands, preachers who are fraudulent and phony, CEOs who take unfair advantage of their employees. The list doesn't end. How could God permit such things? Would it really help to know why? In a fallen world full of depraved people who act out their worst thoughts, would it change the wrong?
I'll go a step further. Maybe God doesn't explain Himself because we're incapable of comprehending His answers. Since He lives in an existence that is completely unlike ours and in a realm far beyond our comprehension, ours being tactile and limited by space and time, within the rigid boundaries of all the physical laws, how could we possibly understand? None of our limitations apply to Him, so what would enable us to grasp His plan?What bothers us is that He doesn't act as we think He ought to act. He doesn't do what our earthly dads would have done in similar circumstances. While I'm at it, where was He when His own Son was crucified? To the surprise of many, He was there all the time working out His divine plan for our salvation. As the process was running its course, Jesus' own disciples didn't get it---they were the most disillusioned people on the planet. Do you remember what they were thinking? They were wondering how in the world they could have believed in a hoax. From their perspective, their Master's death didn't make any sense.
Do you know what Job finally sees? Job sees God, and that is enough. He doesn't see answers. He is to the place where he doesn't need answers. He has gotten a glimpse of the Almighty, and that is sufficient. Have you had glimpses of His glory?
INCAPABLE OF COMPREHENDING
by Charles R. Swindoll
Read Job 42:1--11
God's plans are beyond our understanding and too deep to explain. Perhaps God doesn't explain Himself because knowing and understanding His way may not help us all that much. Stop and ask yourself: Does knowing why really help? Is the pain removed by knowing the cause? Ours is a world filled with devastating catastrophes, random shootings by hidden snipers, jets crashing into tall buildings, deliberate poisoning of elderly people at rest homes, serial rapists and murderers, mothers who kill all of their own children, droughts and famines, wives in automobiles who run over their husbands, preachers who are fraudulent and phony, CEOs who take unfair advantage of their employees. The list doesn't end. How could God permit such things? Would it really help to know why? In a fallen world full of depraved people who act out their worst thoughts, would it change the wrong?
I'll go a step further. Maybe God doesn't explain Himself because we're incapable of comprehending His answers. Since He lives in an existence that is completely unlike ours and in a realm far beyond our comprehension, ours being tactile and limited by space and time, within the rigid boundaries of all the physical laws, how could we possibly understand? None of our limitations apply to Him, so what would enable us to grasp His plan?What bothers us is that He doesn't act as we think He ought to act. He doesn't do what our earthly dads would have done in similar circumstances. While I'm at it, where was He when His own Son was crucified? To the surprise of many, He was there all the time working out His divine plan for our salvation. As the process was running its course, Jesus' own disciples didn't get it---they were the most disillusioned people on the planet. Do you remember what they were thinking? They were wondering how in the world they could have believed in a hoax. From their perspective, their Master's death didn't make any sense.
Do you know what Job finally sees? Job sees God, and that is enough. He doesn't see answers. He is to the place where he doesn't need answers. He has gotten a glimpse of the Almighty, and that is sufficient. Have you had glimpses of His glory?
Thursday, January 8, 2009
This is something I have been praying every day and ask for you to join me.....
Warfare Prayer
by Victor Matthews
Blythefield Hills Baptist Church
Heavenly Father, I bow in worship and praise before You. I cover myself with the blood of the Lord
Jesus Christ as my protection. I surrender myself completely and unreservedly in every area of my life
to You. I take a stand against all the workings of Satan that would hinder me in my prayer life. I
address myself only to the True and Living God and refuse any involvement of Satan in my prayer.
Satan, I command you, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, to leave my presence with all your
demons. I bring the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ between us.
Heavenly Father, I worship You and give You praise. I recognize that You are worthy to receive all
glory and honor and praise. I renew my allegiance to You and pray that the blessed Holy Spirit would
enable me in this time of prayer. I am thankful, Heavenly Father, that You have loved me from eternity
past and that You sent the Lord Jesus Christ into the world to die as my substitute. I am thankful that
the Lord Jesus Christ came as my representative and that through Him You have completely forgiven
me; You have adopted me into Your family; You have assumed all responsibility for me; You have
given me eternal life; You have given me the perfect righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ so I am
now justified. I am thankful that in Him, You have made me complete, and that You have offered
Yourself to me to be my daily help and strength.
Heavenly Father, open my eyes that I might see how great You are and how complete Your provision
is for this day. I am thankful that the victory the Lord Jesus Christ won for me on the Cross and in His
resurrection has been given to me and that I am seated with the Lord Jesus Christ in the heavenlies.
I take my place with Him in the heavenlies and recognize by faith that all wicked spirits and Satan
himself are under my feet. I declare, therefore, that Satan and his wicked spirits are subject to me in
the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
I am thankful for the Armor You have provided. I put on the Girdle of Truth, the Breastplate of
Righteousness, the Sandals of Peace and the Helmet of Salvation. I lift up the Shield of Faith against
all the fiery darts of the enemy; and I take in my hand the Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God. I
choose to use Your Word against all the forces of evil in my life. I put on this Armor and live and pray
in complete dependence upon You, blessed Holy Spirit.
I am grateful, Heavenly Father, that the Lord Jesus Christ spoiled all principalities and powers and
made a show of them openly and triumphed over them in Himself. I claim all that victory for my life
today. I reject all the insinuations, and accusations, and the temptations of Satan. I affirm that the
Word of God is true and I choose to live today in the light of God's Word. I choose, Heavenly Father,
to live in obedience to You and in fellowship with Yourself. Open my eyes and show me the areas of
my life that do not please You. Work in me to cleanse me from all ground that would give Satan a
foothold against me. In every way, I stand into all that it means to be Your adopted child and I
welcome all the ministry of the Holy Spirit.
By faith and in dependence upon You, I put off the fleshly works of the old man and stand into all the
victory of the crucifixion where the Lord Jesus Christ provided cleansing from the old nature. I put on
the new man and stand into all the victory of the resurrection and the provision He has made for me to
live above sin.
Therefore, today I put off all forms of selfishness and put on the new nature with its love. I put off all
forms of fear and put on the new nature with its courage. I put off all forms of weakness and put on
the new nature with its strength. I put off all forms of lust and put on the new nature with its
righteousness, purity, and honesty. I am trusting You to show me how to make this practical in my
daily life.
In every way I stand into the victory of the ascension and glorification of the Lord Jesus Christ,
whereby all the principalities and powers were made subject to Him. I claim my place in Christ as
victorious with Him over all the enemies of my soul. Blessed Holy Spirit, I pray that You would fill me.
Come into my life, break down every idol and cast out every foe.
I am thankful, Heavenly Father, for the expression of Your will for my daily life as You have shown me
in Your Word. I, therefore, claim all the will of God for today. I am thankful that You have blessed me
with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. I am thankful that You have begotten me
unto a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. I am thankful that You have
made a provision so that today I can live filled with the Spirit of God with love and joy and peace, with
long-suffering, gentleness and goodness, with meekness, faithfulness and self-control in my life. I
recognize that this is Your will for me and I therefore reject and resist all the endeavors of Satan and
his wicked spirits to rob me of the will of God. I refuse in this day to believe my feelings and I hold up
the Shield of Faith against all the accusations and distortions and insinuations that Satan would put
into my mind. I claim the fullness of the will of God for my life today.
In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I completely surrender myself to You, Heavenly Father, as a
living sacrifice. I choose not to be conformed to this world. I choose to be transformed by the renewing
of my mind, and I pray that You would show me Your will and enable me to walk in all the fullness of
Your will today.
I am thankful, Heavenly Father, that the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through
God to the pulling down of strongholds, to the casting down of imaginations and every high thing that
exalts itself against the knowledge God, and to bring every thought into obedience to the Lord Jesus
Christ. Therefore, in my own life today I tear down the strongholds of Satan and smash the plans of
Satan that have been formed against me. I tear down the strongholds of Satan against my mind, and I
surrender my mind to You, blessed Holy Spirit. I affirm, Heavenly Father, that You have not given me
the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love and of a sound mind. I break and smash the strongholds of
Satan formed against my emotions today and I give my emotions to you. I smash the strongholds of
Satan formed against my will today; I give my will to You and choose to make the right decisions of
faith. I smash the strongholds of Satan formed against my body today, I give my body to You
recognizing that I am Your temple. I rejoice in Your mercy and goodness.
Heavenly Father, I pray that now and through this day You would strengthen and enlighten me. Show
me the way Satan is hindering and tempting and lying and distorting the truth in my life. Enable me to
be the kind of person that would please You. Enable me to be aggressive in prayer and faith. Enable
me to be aggressive mentally, to think about and practice Your Word, and to give You Your rightful
place in my life.
Again, I cover myself with the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and pray that You, blessed Holy Spirit,
would bring all the work of the crucifixion, all the work of the resurrection, all the work of the
glorification, and all the work of Pentecost into my life today. I surrender myself to You. I refuse to be
discouraged. You are the God of all hope. You have proven Your power by resurrecting Jesus Christ
from the dead, and I claim in every way this victory over all the satanic forces in my life. I pray in the
name of the Lord Jesus Christ with thanksgiving. Amen.
Warfare Prayer
by Victor Matthews
Blythefield Hills Baptist Church
Heavenly Father, I bow in worship and praise before You. I cover myself with the blood of the Lord
Jesus Christ as my protection. I surrender myself completely and unreservedly in every area of my life
to You. I take a stand against all the workings of Satan that would hinder me in my prayer life. I
address myself only to the True and Living God and refuse any involvement of Satan in my prayer.
Satan, I command you, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, to leave my presence with all your
demons. I bring the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ between us.
Heavenly Father, I worship You and give You praise. I recognize that You are worthy to receive all
glory and honor and praise. I renew my allegiance to You and pray that the blessed Holy Spirit would
enable me in this time of prayer. I am thankful, Heavenly Father, that You have loved me from eternity
past and that You sent the Lord Jesus Christ into the world to die as my substitute. I am thankful that
the Lord Jesus Christ came as my representative and that through Him You have completely forgiven
me; You have adopted me into Your family; You have assumed all responsibility for me; You have
given me eternal life; You have given me the perfect righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ so I am
now justified. I am thankful that in Him, You have made me complete, and that You have offered
Yourself to me to be my daily help and strength.
Heavenly Father, open my eyes that I might see how great You are and how complete Your provision
is for this day. I am thankful that the victory the Lord Jesus Christ won for me on the Cross and in His
resurrection has been given to me and that I am seated with the Lord Jesus Christ in the heavenlies.
I take my place with Him in the heavenlies and recognize by faith that all wicked spirits and Satan
himself are under my feet. I declare, therefore, that Satan and his wicked spirits are subject to me in
the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
I am thankful for the Armor You have provided. I put on the Girdle of Truth, the Breastplate of
Righteousness, the Sandals of Peace and the Helmet of Salvation. I lift up the Shield of Faith against
all the fiery darts of the enemy; and I take in my hand the Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God. I
choose to use Your Word against all the forces of evil in my life. I put on this Armor and live and pray
in complete dependence upon You, blessed Holy Spirit.
I am grateful, Heavenly Father, that the Lord Jesus Christ spoiled all principalities and powers and
made a show of them openly and triumphed over them in Himself. I claim all that victory for my life
today. I reject all the insinuations, and accusations, and the temptations of Satan. I affirm that the
Word of God is true and I choose to live today in the light of God's Word. I choose, Heavenly Father,
to live in obedience to You and in fellowship with Yourself. Open my eyes and show me the areas of
my life that do not please You. Work in me to cleanse me from all ground that would give Satan a
foothold against me. In every way, I stand into all that it means to be Your adopted child and I
welcome all the ministry of the Holy Spirit.
By faith and in dependence upon You, I put off the fleshly works of the old man and stand into all the
victory of the crucifixion where the Lord Jesus Christ provided cleansing from the old nature. I put on
the new man and stand into all the victory of the resurrection and the provision He has made for me to
live above sin.
Therefore, today I put off all forms of selfishness and put on the new nature with its love. I put off all
forms of fear and put on the new nature with its courage. I put off all forms of weakness and put on
the new nature with its strength. I put off all forms of lust and put on the new nature with its
righteousness, purity, and honesty. I am trusting You to show me how to make this practical in my
daily life.
In every way I stand into the victory of the ascension and glorification of the Lord Jesus Christ,
whereby all the principalities and powers were made subject to Him. I claim my place in Christ as
victorious with Him over all the enemies of my soul. Blessed Holy Spirit, I pray that You would fill me.
Come into my life, break down every idol and cast out every foe.
I am thankful, Heavenly Father, for the expression of Your will for my daily life as You have shown me
in Your Word. I, therefore, claim all the will of God for today. I am thankful that You have blessed me
with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. I am thankful that You have begotten me
unto a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. I am thankful that You have
made a provision so that today I can live filled with the Spirit of God with love and joy and peace, with
long-suffering, gentleness and goodness, with meekness, faithfulness and self-control in my life. I
recognize that this is Your will for me and I therefore reject and resist all the endeavors of Satan and
his wicked spirits to rob me of the will of God. I refuse in this day to believe my feelings and I hold up
the Shield of Faith against all the accusations and distortions and insinuations that Satan would put
into my mind. I claim the fullness of the will of God for my life today.
In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I completely surrender myself to You, Heavenly Father, as a
living sacrifice. I choose not to be conformed to this world. I choose to be transformed by the renewing
of my mind, and I pray that You would show me Your will and enable me to walk in all the fullness of
Your will today.
I am thankful, Heavenly Father, that the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through
God to the pulling down of strongholds, to the casting down of imaginations and every high thing that
exalts itself against the knowledge God, and to bring every thought into obedience to the Lord Jesus
Christ. Therefore, in my own life today I tear down the strongholds of Satan and smash the plans of
Satan that have been formed against me. I tear down the strongholds of Satan against my mind, and I
surrender my mind to You, blessed Holy Spirit. I affirm, Heavenly Father, that You have not given me
the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love and of a sound mind. I break and smash the strongholds of
Satan formed against my emotions today and I give my emotions to you. I smash the strongholds of
Satan formed against my will today; I give my will to You and choose to make the right decisions of
faith. I smash the strongholds of Satan formed against my body today, I give my body to You
recognizing that I am Your temple. I rejoice in Your mercy and goodness.
Heavenly Father, I pray that now and through this day You would strengthen and enlighten me. Show
me the way Satan is hindering and tempting and lying and distorting the truth in my life. Enable me to
be the kind of person that would please You. Enable me to be aggressive in prayer and faith. Enable
me to be aggressive mentally, to think about and practice Your Word, and to give You Your rightful
place in my life.
Again, I cover myself with the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and pray that You, blessed Holy Spirit,
would bring all the work of the crucifixion, all the work of the resurrection, all the work of the
glorification, and all the work of Pentecost into my life today. I surrender myself to You. I refuse to be
discouraged. You are the God of all hope. You have proven Your power by resurrecting Jesus Christ
from the dead, and I claim in every way this victory over all the satanic forces in my life. I pray in the
name of the Lord Jesus Christ with thanksgiving. Amen.
Let's Get it Started!
I am starting this blog to keep family and friends up to date with my upcoming Thailand trip with Women At Risk (http://www.warinternational.org/) February 12-22, 2009.
We are going to a VERY dark place. A place where women and children are sold into sexual slavery. The women who work in brothels are numbered. As they work "customers" "order" the women they want by their number as if they are casually placing an order for the day's lunch special at a restaurant. It's unbelievably cruel and sick. We will be able to go to the brothels and try to "recruit" these women to work in jewelry shops. If they choose to come with us they will be able to live in a safe house, get an education and earn a living by learning a new trade (sewing, baking, jewelry making, etc....) They get paid as much doing these trades as a college graduate earns which is very appealing to them since many of them do not even have a G.E.D. Most importantly they will be presented with the word of God. They will learn how they can become spiritually freed from the slave of sin just as they were freed from their earthly life of slavery. It is my prayer that we can show them how beautiful they are!
"In one of her moments of greatest weakness God chose to reveal Himself through her. The Holy Spirit whispered, "Speak what you see."
I see beauty.
She leans against her Savior, and she finds grace. Knowing that only GOD can sustain her, she stands in the face of fear and resolves not to give up. She recognizes that the things of God are the only things that matter. Seeking after the things of Christ, she lives a life of integrity. She is a fighter, a survivor, a women of strength.
She is beauty!" (Regina Franklin)
I am blessed beyond words to even be able to go on this trip. There are several proposes of this trip:
1. For my heart to be broken by our precious Father and put back together by Him in only a way He can put it back together. By this I pray Christ will shine through even more! I want to be in His will.
2. I will be getting exposure to the plight of women/programs in hopes of bringing more women & women ministries to us.
3. I will be able to meet national women and experience a whole new world! I pray I can be a part of making a difference in these women's lives but I know they will impact me more than I can even prepare myself for.
4. I will meet a new circle of protection and like minded women.
5. I will become a Prayer Warrior. And I pray that I will be able to keep the passion long after coming home.
I am not a "blogger" so this is solely for the purpose of the trip. I will be limited to Internet access so I will update when I can. (Probably more in the next few weeks before the trip & MAYBE a couple times after the trip.)
Isaiah 61:1-3 "The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim the year of the LORD'S favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion-to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of His splendor."
Our team will need your constant prayer . Several team members have already felt Satan's attack. He will continue to attack us as we are going into his territory. We are crossing the line into total darkness in hopes of bringing a blinding LIGHT!
Please feel free to leave comments/questions and I will be updating with more specific details of the trip later.
We are going to a VERY dark place. A place where women and children are sold into sexual slavery. The women who work in brothels are numbered. As they work "customers" "order" the women they want by their number as if they are casually placing an order for the day's lunch special at a restaurant. It's unbelievably cruel and sick. We will be able to go to the brothels and try to "recruit" these women to work in jewelry shops. If they choose to come with us they will be able to live in a safe house, get an education and earn a living by learning a new trade (sewing, baking, jewelry making, etc....) They get paid as much doing these trades as a college graduate earns which is very appealing to them since many of them do not even have a G.E.D. Most importantly they will be presented with the word of God. They will learn how they can become spiritually freed from the slave of sin just as they were freed from their earthly life of slavery. It is my prayer that we can show them how beautiful they are!
"In one of her moments of greatest weakness God chose to reveal Himself through her. The Holy Spirit whispered, "Speak what you see."
I see beauty.
She leans against her Savior, and she finds grace. Knowing that only GOD can sustain her, she stands in the face of fear and resolves not to give up. She recognizes that the things of God are the only things that matter. Seeking after the things of Christ, she lives a life of integrity. She is a fighter, a survivor, a women of strength.
She is beauty!" (Regina Franklin)
I am blessed beyond words to even be able to go on this trip. There are several proposes of this trip:
1. For my heart to be broken by our precious Father and put back together by Him in only a way He can put it back together. By this I pray Christ will shine through even more! I want to be in His will.
2. I will be getting exposure to the plight of women/programs in hopes of bringing more women & women ministries to us.
3. I will be able to meet national women and experience a whole new world! I pray I can be a part of making a difference in these women's lives but I know they will impact me more than I can even prepare myself for.
4. I will meet a new circle of protection and like minded women.
5. I will become a Prayer Warrior. And I pray that I will be able to keep the passion long after coming home.
I am not a "blogger" so this is solely for the purpose of the trip. I will be limited to Internet access so I will update when I can. (Probably more in the next few weeks before the trip & MAYBE a couple times after the trip.)
Isaiah 61:1-3 "The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim the year of the LORD'S favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion-to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of His splendor."
Our team will need your constant prayer . Several team members have already felt Satan's attack. He will continue to attack us as we are going into his territory. We are crossing the line into total darkness in hopes of bringing a blinding LIGHT!
Please feel free to leave comments/questions and I will be updating with more specific details of the trip later.
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