Overflowing with the Greatness of God

On our last day of devotions in Mexico, Bro. Terry likened our relationship with God to our marriage relationship with our spouse. Some days are okay, nothing special happens - you are just going through the day; some days are bad, you don't talk much and things in your relationship don't seem to be going so good; some days are incredible and you share such special intimacy with your spouse and you are just overwhelmed at how in love you are. The same is true of our relationship with God - some days it seems that it is all you can do to get your Bible open and you hear nothing; some days you just walk with God - just steadiness; and then there are days when you are so full of God that it just oozes from every pore of your body. Wow. That is where I am right now. I am oozing! I begged God last night not to take it away or maybe I should say that I wouldn't let it go away; that I would continue to pursue Him every day, all day; that I would cultivate our relationship; that I would be sensitive to the leading and prodding of the Holy Spirit. Once you truly taste the greatness of God, I'm convinced that you don't ever want anything less.

Last week was so powerful and incredible and God's spirit was just thick every day, every where. Then we came home to our church's 25th anniversary yesterday. What a service! I will be buying DVD's and mailing them to some of you because it was just too good not to share. Some people may say it was showy - oh dear Lord, may it not be. Every person that sang or spoke did so out of an awesome love for their Savior. I cried like a baby at the greatness of God. We had cardboard testimonies. I don't know if you know about these or not, but, basically, a person takes a large piece of cardboard and on one side writes what used to hold them in bondage and on the other side they write how God has set them free. Wow. These people never speak a word, but their face and their cardboard says it all. They have been set free by the power of God. What humility to let people see their scars. I'm convinced that we, as Christian people, are seldom as real as this. We put up our fronts and our happy faces so that people some how get the impression that we are the happiest people ever, in love with Jesus, with no problems. How sad. If only everyone could know that their are so many people who long to help others carry their burdens, to pray for them, to stand in the gap; and most of all, God wants us to lay them down so that He can bring freedom. Thank You Lord!

Last night our choir recorded a live CD. It was just more icing on top of an already very rich cake. I could have stood on my feet with both hands held high the entire service because I have witnessed the greatness of God over and over this week. One of the guys that went to Mexico with us sang last night. He sang, "I'm Amazed". What passion he sang with - you could tell that he really was "amazed" by God. We have such a small faith don't we? How many times are we amazed at God? We pray and ask and then are so surprised when God answers. That is so funny to me. I think part of it is just the simple fact that we are human, but I wonder how much of it is just that we don't have the faith that we should have.

There are things that I have been praying about for months that God answered this week. Things that I have been almost ill over asking God "why". I know why now. I have also been praying that God would renew my joy over the crucifixion. I think some how over the years I have become used to it. I cringe as I even type those words and I wonder how can that be. How can I be "used to" the cross where Jesus gave His life for me? Thank You God for restoring the joy of my salvation this week. It took Bro. Terry talking about what Jesus gave up to drive it home to me. Can you imagine - Jesus walked and talked with His Father every day on the golden streets of Heaven. He left the joy and fellowship of that to come to a dark and dying world that we might be saved. Wow. Let that sink in. I also prayed that God would not let me come home from Mexico the same as I was before I left. You know what the theme of our week was in devotions? "I will never be the same again". Guess what song they sang yesterday morning as the cardboard testimonies were being done? "I will never be the same again". When God does something in my life I see it every where I turn. I love that. It is confirmation that it is from God. The greatness of God.