Have You Been Desperate for Jesus Lately?

In a recent prayer time of mine, I found myself on the floor and reaching out as far as I could. In my spirit, I was remembering the woman with the issue of blood, how she fought through the crowd to get to Jesus, just to touch a piece of His garment. She knew if she touched it she would be made whole. So she fought through desperately to get to Him because He was her last hope. Another woman, I thought of, was the woman who came into the private party, where Jesus was sitting with the Pharisee and this woman had to know that she was not worthy, the word says that she was an especially wicked sinner. In knowing that, it had to take a lot of courage deep within her to walk into that room nervous, scared, and shaking, she approached Him crying, and maybe with the thoughts of, I know I am not worthy to come to Him, but I am going to go and bring what I know is worthy and costly and give it to Him. As she walked in, eyes glared at her and she pushed past all that, keeping her eyes on Jesus, going straight to His feet and she began to anoint Him. ( Luke 7:36-50 & Luke 8:43-48)

As I lay in the floor thinking of these women and their desperation for Him, I asked myself this question, when was the last time I was so desperate for Jesus, that I didn't let anything stop me from getting to Him. These women just had to worry about the physical aspect of getting to Him, pushing past crowds, the negative voices, and the stare of a pharisee. We have to push past the spiritual to get to see Him, letting all the weights down. He is waiting on us to lay our weights down, to come to Him in our spiritual nakedness and say, I know You know all that is wrong and I know You still love me, so I am coming to You not holding anything back, You look upon me, get out what is wrong, cleanse me, but I will not leave until I have an encounter with You Jesus. He waits on us to push through, so now my question to you is this. When was the last time you were desperate for Jesus? We serve an Almighty God who desires to be with us, you know that is interesting to me that the God who created heaven and earth, the God who owns the earth and all that is within it and the dirt underneath, would desire to be with us! That is so awesome, to have this Father! (Psalm 50:10-12 & 1 Cor.10-26)

I want to encourage you to fulfill God's desires and go to Him, push everything aside whether its voices shouting, you can't get to Him, push past that and think on the woman with the issue of blood or the fact that there is sin in your life, ask forgiveness and push past that. Think of the woman who walked into a place where Jesus was and all eyes were staring at her for who she was, the sin in her life.

These women pushed past a lot in the physical realm to get to Him, let's push past in the spiritual realm to get to Him and just like these women, who left His presence never the same, we will never leave the same, you absolutely can not have an encounter with Jesus and not leave changed.

Finding ourselves in Battle

Have you ever found yourself in a spiritual battle and feeling overwhelmed? Upon reading Joshua, I discovered that GOD revealed a plan to use during the battle.

Joshua 1:7-9, (amplified bible) Only you be strong and very courageous, that you may do according to all the law which Moses, My servant commanded you. Turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe and do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall deal wisely and have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong, vigorous, and very courageous. Be not afraid, neither be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

Joshua was getting ready for battle, he was nervous because this was after the death of Moses and he was called to step up and be the leader. GOD then revealed a plan for Joshua to follow and that plan is part of our inheritance as a blood bought child of GOD, what HE revealed to Joshua is ours also.

Take the word, read it, and not only read the word, but study and not only study, but meditate, think on it, get it in you. Live by it, and let the word govern your life and your decisions! Don't turn from it, neither to the right or left but stay with it no matter what you have to stand for or how ridiculous you will look, don't turn from the word. GOD revealed it would take courage, boldness, and strongness! Whether we are coming against something in the physical or in the spiritual.

GOD revealed blessing in doing what HE said: Your way will be prosperous, You will deal wisely, and You will have good success. Now who wouldn't want to know that no matter what you come against if you will follow GOD and HIS ways, that your outcome will be good. You could face anything if you knew the outcome would be victory. Joshua followed GOD and HIS voice and he had victory every time, but every time he sought GOD and done exactly what HE said. The next battle we find ourselves in, no matter what it looks like lets follow GOD and HIS voice, refusing to turn any other way, than what we will have is, our way will be prosperous, we will deal wisely, and we will have good success!!

Live Life

So many things happen in the Summer. It is hard to keep it all together. The kids are out of school and then you go to camp. The next thing you know, you're shopping for school clothes. For me I seem to get lazy, but life keeps on going really fast. It's on days like today that I realize that I shouldn't be lazy, but I also shouldn't miss out on life by getting caught up in the hustle and bustle of the world around me. We all should cherish every moment that God gives us to live. It's Satan's job to get us distracted. Sometimes we become so focused on preparing for the future, that we forget that we live in the present. I would encourage everyone to enjoy the simple pleasures of everyday. If you spend all your time preparing for the future you just might miss out on the daily blessings God has for you. In James 4:14 The Amplified Bible says, "Yet you do not know [the least thing] about what may happen tomorrow. What is the nature of your life? You are [really] but a wisp of vapor (a puff of smoke, a mist) that is visible for a little while and then disappears [into thin air]." Life is too, short. Live it, don't miss it!