"I indeed...but Him!"

“I indeed baptize you with water…but He…

shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and fire.”

Matthew 3:11

Have I ever come to a place in my experience where I can say - "I indeed...but He?"

I indeed am at an end, I cannot do anything; I have given my very best until I can give no more.

This is when He can begin and do the things no one else can ever do!

INSPIRATION

Baptize with water…anyone can do this!

     Demonstration of confession and repentance.

     Sense of uncleanliness and guilt.

     End of self-centeredness!

     I must decrease…

TRANSFORMATION

Baptize with Holy Ghost and fire…ONLY JESUS can do this!

     Evidence of His Presence and possession.

     Sense of unworthiness and Awe.

     New Life that is Christ-centered!

     HE must increase…

WHAT ABOUT THE FIRE?

The outpouring of the Holy Spirit activity brought persecution and suffering also-that’s the FIRE!  Example:  Paul & Stephen; and all Apostles were martyred.  We don’t see this as real…

JESUS said, they hate Me, they will hate you! 

Thank You, Lord, for giving clearer understanding and experience of Your Spirit – being baptized with Your Spirit and fire.  Study has shown that fire is trials and suffering.  The Holy Spirit equips those who witness for You to bear the sufferings that will follow. 

Help me, Lord to give You glory whatever my circumstances.

(Read John 15:18-27 and all of chapter 16 for more understanding of the Holy Spirit and results of His activity in our lives.)  Also:  Matthew 10:22; John 15:33; John 17:14

Confession, Celebration & Invitation!

Sunday, August 19, 2018

SUBJECT:  REVIVAL

Today began the first of Revival services at First Baptist Church, Nashville, GA

In the 10:30 am Service  Bro. Bob Pittman brought a simple and powerful message from Matthew 7:13-23 considered the most famous sermon of the greatest Preacher of all time - Jesus Christ.  The emphasis was Eternity is going to be in 2 places…a provoking word; but that’s not what I want to share as good as that was.

Tonight the message was from  Psalm 32:11:  Bro. Bob Pittman thinks this could easily be among the top 10 greatest verses in the Old Testament of the Bible.  I think I may put it near the top for me after tonight. 

Confession:  For well over a year I have struggled greatly about the spiritual condition of my church and leadership.  For the first time in 70 years of faithful participation in my church, I became discouraged and found little reason to attend services or participate outside of my Sunday School class.  I had lost the joy of worship and fellowship, feeling cast off and ridiculed.

For the first time in my Christian life, I didn’t feel like I had any spiritually like-minded person in leadership that I could go to for counseling.  However, the past year has been one of the best ever personally in my relationship with The Lord.  Every day has been an exciting and challenging and amazing journey of realizing the Reality of the Presence of God always with me.

My greatest desire as a Child of God is that I want to finish well, and I don’t want to miss a single thing that God has planned.  Even though I have enjoyed this delight time in personal fellowship with my Lord, my heart has remained broken, burdened and hungry for fellowship with the Body of Christ and His Love being expressed from the filling of the Spirit of God.

Celebration:  Tonight I heard the message I needed to see how to get back my JOY!  I share my notes for my own refreshing, and maybe help someone else who might be struggling with loss of joy.

*3-Fold description of a Child of God

      …”in the Lord”   2 Corinthians 5:17 a new creation;   Romans 8:2 assurance of faith;  

 Romans 8:38-39  Nothing can separate the Love of God in Christ.

     …”righteous” – a gift of God that comes with Jesus.

     …”upright in heart” – a straight heart; a brand new heart  Jeremiah 17:9

3-fold results

     …”be glad” – full of cheer; splashing over!  Why would we not “be glad” if we are “in Christ?”

     …”Rejoice” – to turn around as in dancing.

     …”Shout for joy” – like a pressure cooker – If the joy doesn’t come out, it will explode!

     Psalm 40 – like a new song you can see!

What robs JOY?

     *Sin – It doesn’t have to be a big one…a grudge, bitterness, unforgiveness, resentment

     *Critical People – Joy Robbers, always negative.  (When someone wants to vent, Bro. Bob asks:   Pointing to his ear – What is this?  That’s right, it’s an ear – NOT a garbage can!)

     *Devil – he causes to doubt salvation;  question the Love of God

Revival should bring joy and rejoicing and should be spilling out!

Revival happens in individuals…and you don’t have to be in church!

Revival comes to those who know they really need it!

Invitation:  When the invitation was given, my heart was filled with conviction that I knew needed confession…as I prayed, my heart was broken and I began to see that the church and leadership had not been the reason I lost my joy…it was me!  I knew that I needed to also confess and seek forgiveness from my Pastor.  I went to him in tears and told him how I had blamed him and the church for losing my joy and to please forgive me.  He not only forgave, but prayed for us to be able to work together.  Nothing sweeter than reconciliation and JOY restored!

THE PRICE FOR SEEING GOD!

“In the year that king Uzziah died, I saw also the Lord.”

Isaiah 6:1

THE PRICE OF SEEING GOD!

EVERYTHING (Anything, anyone)

 that takes my eyes off HIM!

EVERYTHING that’s not my best for Him;

that does not honor Him; must be put to death.

 IF “I” won’t do it…HE will!

(3 Fires, 3 Divorces)

*He must be a delight, not a duty!

Thank You, Lord for removing everyone and everything that took my eyes and heart off You. Thank You for purifying my life and giving me Your Character so that I can glorify You and know the delight of Your Love and Presence and JOY unspeakable.

<><   ><>

(*Nana’s Gnawledge)

Need to study Sabbath rest from work

to honor Creator.  (Exodus 20:8-11)

Background:  Jeremiah & Daniel 70 years of captivity to bring “rest” to the land 

that they didn’t do.

Right now, Israel is in position for judgment because of not honoring 

the 7^th year rest of the land and the Jubilee (50^th year).

KOINONIA FELLOWSHIP

July 10, 2018

“Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together.”

Hebrews 10:24-25

Inspired by Hebrews 10:24-25 during my daily delight time with The Lord, I desire to make this Word of The Lord a reality by the leadership of The Holy Spirit to put into practice Koinonia Fellowship.  I am reminded of another time The Lord impressed upon me about how to fellowship properly as a Christian, especially in the church.  I made this suggestion to the Fellowship Committee of my church in 2015.

“And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayer…and they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart.  Praising God and having favour with all the people.” 

“Above all things have fervent love among yourselves…use hospitality one to another without grudging.  As everyone has received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.”       Acts 2:42, 46

Koinonia Fellowship:  ~that's fellow Christians in a ship steered by

The Holy Spirit!   They were sharing the things of Christ.

At the Last Supper, Jesus said:  “A new commandment I give to you, Love one another…” (John 13:34)  “This is my body which is given for you:  this do in remembrance of Me…For as often as you eat this bread, and drink this cup, you do show the Lord’s death till He comes.”  (Luke 22:19, 26)

“I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto Myself…”  (John 14:1-3)

When the Church was born at Pentecost in A.D. 33 (1985 years ago!) a 120 disciples of Jesus were together in the same place, in one accord, in prayer celebrating and waiting for The Promise of The Holy Spirit of God that Jesus said would come.

After they were ALL baptized with The Holy Spirit, they were ALL changed instantly – filled with power and began to rejoice in excitement.  Their sharing with one another became their “witness unto Jesus” as others heard and observed their celebration!

A note of interest:  They were gathered together waiting for The Promise Jesus said the Father was sending them, but they were there also at that particular time observing and celebrating the Feast of Pentecost which is 50 days after Passover.  It commemorates God giving the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai fifty days after the Exodus.   This began the night before.  They were up all night celebrating  with a feast of lots of dairy foods (like smoothies, cheesecake, blitzes, cheeses of all kinds, use your imagination), they had a reading of the 10 Commandments and the book of Ruth and other Scriptures and lots of prayers.  It was during the morning prayer of Shema that God chose to send His Spirit.  The Shema is basically praying what we call The Great Commandment given in Deuteronomy.  So, you see they were already celebrating and excited when the Main Attraction entered the room! 

You thought they were celebrating before, that room had more emotion and celebrating than being part of the winning team of the Super Bowl!  We need to get a better picture of that moment than what we have been accustomed.

I have a point!  We need to catch the vision and listen to God’s instructions from His Love Letters about “fellowship” and start a new tradition.  So help me to set up some guidelines based on the First Church that you think Jesus would want us to do when we have a Fellowship.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

COME AND SEE

June 12, 2018

“Master, where do you dwell?...Come and see

…Follow Me.”

John 1:38-39, 43

COME AND SEE

(And they abode with Him that day!)

  We know that one of these two men that were disciples of John the Baptist was Andrew.  I believe the other was John the brother of James.  We learn from the Gospels that Andrew, Peter, Philip, Nathaniel, James and John were from Bethsaida and had heard about John baptizing and rumors of him being the Messiah and came to see.

After John the Baptist baptizes Jesus and introduces Him as the Lamb of God which takes away the sin of the world; these two who were following John began following Jesus to learn more about Him.  They end up getting invited to spending the day with Him.

As a result, they leave very excited that He IS the Messiah and goes to find their brothers to tell the good news!

After this, we know that Jesus called them to be His disciples (followers; learners) and more intimately, Apostles (means Called out ones); and they dwelt with Him for 3 years while He was in the flesh; and then forever in His Spirit!

Jesus' invitation is for ALL who are seeking Him…”Come and see…Believe…Follow Me…and live with Me forevermore.”

Lord, make Your dwelling and my life a reality of conscious fellowship.  Introduce me to Your life according to Your plans and my created purpose.

Thank You for the “new thing” You are doing in my life to help me to have all things new in the Reality of Your Presence; Your Spirit.

FROM HIS ASCENSION TO NOW

May 17, 2018

“And it came about, while He blessed them,

…He was carried up into heaven.”  

Luke 24:51

<<<<<<<>>>>>>> 

FROM HIS ASCENSION TO NOW!

Mankind has access to Holy God because of The Transfiguration, Cross, Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus Christ, the Son of God & Man!

“To those who believe and receive

 The Word that became Flesh and dwelt among us…

to them He gave the right to be called Children of God.”  

John 1:14; 12-13

 Jesus said:  “And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another…

that He may abide with you forever.  

Even the Spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive 

because it doesn’t see Him neither knows Him; 

but you know Him, for He dwells with you and shall be in you.” 

John 14:16-17

“What?  
Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, 

which is in you, which you have of God, and you are not your own?

For you are bought with a price; 

therefore, glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, 
which are God’s.”  

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

“All things work together for good 

to those who are called according to His purpose…

to be conformed to the image of His Son.”  

Romans 8:28-29

<<<<<<<>>>>>>> 

“Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy,  acceptable unto God…

and be not conformed to the world; 

but be transformed by the renewing of your mind 

that you may prove what is that good, acceptable 
and perfect will of God.”  

Romans 12:1-2

“…called in accordance to His purpose…

to be conformed to the likeness of His Son.”

O Lord, I am awed at the idea that the Glory of God 

can be manifest in me!  

Your Holy Spirit is set apart in me to help me be 

conformed to the image of Christ 

to prove Your Presence in my human life; and 

to help me transform my mind to know Your will.

Be Glorified in me for Your Purpose.

~Betty

DEVELOPING CHRIST-LIKE HABITS

May 14, 2018

“That life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.”  2 Corinthians 4:10

HABITS

My Daily Delight time with The Lord has revealed some things that have ignited my soul to challenge myself, and share with others, how to live in the Reality of the Presence of Almighty God living in me.

As I looked back over the past several days of my Daily Delight with The Lord, I realized that back on May 5^th it because with 1 Peter 4:17 “For the time has come that judgment must begin at the house of God.”

I received this as the place where Believers in Jesus Christ meet to worship and fellowship in His Spirit. 

Secondly, I received this as a personal word to Believers because we are the temple/house of God because of the indwelling Spirit of God.

Judgment always comes when people or places turn from God and become consumed in the things that are against God.

God ALWAYS gives us warning and time to REPENT and turn back to HIM…He has been doing it for a very LONG time and every day is a NEW opportunity…in actually, THE ONLY DAY WE HAVE is NOW!

Having been warned…and repented, how do we go forward?

…We need to begin to live in the standards of Jesus Christ and make Him our foundation for establishing new practices developing our faith and learning to live the life obeying God’s Word and bringing Him glory. 

…We have to have a vision of our life complete in Christ, and reach for that goal.  Peter tells us that we are to have resolution; determination; perseverance in adding to our FAITH – developing new habits in The Spirit.  2 Peter 1:5           

…We have to practice the Presence of God; making Him REAL!  Make it a habit of envisioning Him with you ALL the time, in all situations…acknowledging Him in all your ways.

…We need the habit of a conscience that is focused on God and training my mind to think like Him.

…We need the habit of praising God in all situations.  Disagreeable things come as a testing of our transformed mind…Praise is the passing of the test!

…We need the habit of watching to see where God is working and join Him.  He delights in using us to be “broken bread and poured out wine” to nourish others in delighting in feasting on His Word and having healthy activities in His Spirit.  That’s called Koinonia Fellowship – that's fellow Christians in a ship steered by The Holy Spirit!   They were sharing the things of Christ.

…We need the habit of claiming God’s Promises and believing they are Realities.