God Yearns Jealously

I don't pretend to comprehend these seven words from James 4:5:

"... GOD YEARNS JEALOUSLY... TO DWELL IN US!" (NRSV)

My God, I know the last seven words Your Son prayed in John 17 were "that I Myself may be in them!" While I do not understand a Love like Yours, I still say with all that is within me, "I'm Your sanctuary. Dwell in me, my jealous God. I love You so much because You first loved me too much!" In Jesus' Name. Amen.

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful (and Speechless, too.)

Double Portion

My God, I hunger and thirst for a right relationship with You. Don't let me settle for Your minimum presence, but let me inherit Your Maximum Presence in my life. I pray the words of Elisha recorded in 2 Kings 2:9 (NIV): "Let me inherit a double portion of Your Spirit." Yes, I ask for the double blessing, indeed I request a double portion of Your Anointing, Your Oil, Your Spirit, and Your Fire within me. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

Refused to Rest?

I recently read a line in a book written by a Messianic Jewish author. It wasn't my book, so I cannot retrace the author's name but I have not forgotten the line:

In the beginning God created Paradise, but the man and the woman refused to rest.

Refused to rest? How sad is that!

Lord, you say in Luke's Gospel that "the Kingdom of God is now within us." Sounds an awful lot like Paradise to me. Lord, help me to live in the atmosphere of Your Holiness. I want one of the undeniable proofs of Paradise within me to be that I don't refuse to rest in You. After all, if Your Kingdom is really within me, and I believe it really is, then surely You are my King meaning You are both resident and president within me. You have recreated Your Paradise within me. Let it never be said of me, ever again, that I refused to rest in Your Paradise. Lord forgive. Lord forbid. Your Name is Faithful. My name is Grateful. I'm exhaling NOW! Amen.

Luke 17:20-21 (NIV) -- (20) Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, "The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, (21) nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is within you."

IF MY PEOPLE... WILL? I WILL! God's Promise in 2 Chron. 7:14.
Grateful

When Our Strength Is Gone?

This song from years past is on my mind today. The artist who sang the song was Stephen Curtis Chapman:

Click > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LC_lld_vUCY&feature=related

I can do all things, through Christ who gives me strength.
But sometimes I wonder what He can do through me?
No great success to show, no glory on my own.
Yet in my weakness He is there to let me know.

His strength is perfect when our strength is gone.
He’ll carry us when we can’t carry on.
Raised in His power, the weak become strong.
His strength is perfect. His strength is perfect.

We can only know, the power that He holds,
When we truly see how deep our weakness goes.
His strength in us begins, where ours comes to an end.
He hears our humble cry and proves again.

His strength is perfect when our strength is gone.
He’ll carry us when we can’t carry on.
Raised in His power, the weak become strong.
His strength is perfect. His strength is perfect.

Indeed, when our strength is gone, we can still carry on because of the strength of Christ in us (Col. 1:27b). He carries us from within!

ALL JOY!
Grateful

God's Presence in Our Hearts & Our Homes

God's presence will never change our homes until God's presence first changes our hearts. Only His Extreme Heart Makeover within me, will result in His Extreme Home Makeover around me.

So I earnestly pray the words of this familiar praise chorus with all of my heart, mind, soul, and strength:

Change my heart oh God. Make it ever true.
Change my heart oh God. May I be like You.
You are the potter. I am the clay.
Mold me and make me. This is what I pray.
Change my heart oh God.
Make it ever true.
Change my heart oh God.
May I be like You.

Need a passage to saturate in for a heart change? Psalm 51 is a good prayer to usher God's presence immediately into our hearts and ultimately within our homes.

ALL JOY!
Grateful

Christ-Awareness Within Me...

The prayer below powerfully dominates my life these days.

I invite you to pray it along with me:

My God, please produce non-stop Christ-awareness within me.

In every circumstance, I want to live surrendered to Your holy responding, rather than settling for my human reacting.

Let my life be characterized by living in Your undeniable presence, not leaning on my unreliable performance.

I know if I saturate in Your Eternal Life, You will situate my earthly life. Lord, let Your Life be the fragrance of my existence.

As I stand in awe of You, my God, please stand in all of me -- me in Your presence and Your presence in me.

So I repeat...
My God, please produce non-stop Christ-awareness within me.
So be it for Your glory. Amen.

ALL JOY!
Grateful