Journal 10.23

I feel so overwhelmed today and not in the way you might think.  I feel overwhelmed with the presence of God.  Almost like I am in a haze or something.  As per the urging of the Lord earlier in the week, I have probably prayed more and read more from the Word this week than I have in a long while.  So, maybe its just a realization of well, reality.  That God is not only the mastermind and creator of the universe, but he walks among us every day as well.  I have asked Him for so much this week, so maybe its the Lord just giving me his calm assurance.  Who knows, but what I do know is that the passion I have been praying for, the "IT", I have been missing has come back with force.

I love that word....force.  It reminds me of one of my favorite passages.

Matthew 11:12
"From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it."

This verse brings up the kind of emotion I feel when Mel Gibson yells out "freedom" at the end of Braveheart.  A sort of barbaric spirit that should arise out of the soul of every believer.  That we are most definately not on the defensive end of God's strategy.  In fact he has placed us right in harms way.  yea, that's right....on the front lines.  Not because he wants us to fail, but bc he put the ability in us all to be warriors and victors.  Could you imagine what could happen if all believers began to carry the cross like William Wallace carried his slain wife's hankerchief?  He held it close to his heart and would die to protect it.  Heck yea, I just blew that off the top of my head.  But, how about it?  Would we, could we live with such reckless abandon?  I believe the first century Christians can answer that one for us.  As they were crucified, murdered and fed to lions instead of turning their backs on the one who gave them ultimate "Freedom."

So, as I just sit in this overwhelming presence of God I ask that He cloth me with such passion.  That if needs be I would lead the charge.

PG

Journal 10.21

As I laid in bed last night an overwhelming feeling came upon me.  That something imminent was on its way from the Lord.  So, I told Becky and we decided to fast today so to be in position to accept this Word from the Lord.  I don't know what to expect, but I am expecting.  Shouldn't that be out attitude everyday as we roll out of the bed.  To Expect!  We live these civil religious lives that are pretty much predictable.  But, we serve a supernatural God who is anything but predictable.  Anyways....

I had a great prayer time this morning.  Through that time something fell on my Spirit hard.  I have allowed time, experiences, denominationalism and church to literally extinguish the fire of God in my Spirit.  The Spirit of God that was made alive in me has at best played a dormant role for years.  And I am not talking about the polite understanding of the Spirits role in the life of a believer.  And there is a place for this because the Spirit is a total gentleman.  I am speaking of the violent shaking of a man's spirit that leads to a powerful display of God's supernatural hand.  Some people probably think I am nuts.   Good!  I think it is about time that we start living out the dangerous gospel that Christ came and established on Earth.  This modern domesticated Gospel that man has created really gets on my last nerve.  We are living in times when the power of the Holy Spirit through the life of the believer and church is needed more than ever, but we see that as being a little to over-bearing on those who don't understand.  I don't know about you, but there was a time when I didn't understand, but through that same life transforming power of God I came to understand.  You may think I am nuts and I really don't care if you agree, but that was so heavy on my mind this morning.

Acts 1:8  "And you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you;  and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

Some people dismiss this passage because is sounds to much like what those Pentecostals teach.  This has nothing to do with denomination beliefs and has everything to do with the power of our influence.  You want to influence the nations?  Then you have to be living in the power of the Holy Spirit.  The disciples knew this and did it.  They went to all the known world and kicked the hell out of hell because they believed it so much.

Father I pray today that you renew the spiritual passion that I once had.  Increase my desire to know you and to be known by you.  Open my eyes to the Scriptures like never before and use me to increase your kingdom-Amen