Sunday I heard a very anointed sermon on how powerfully the Lord moves through us, in us, and for us as believers when we choose praise instead of dwelling on the seemingly never-ending parade of problems that are found in this world. I was very convicted to say the least. I've always held to the belief that praise holds untold amounts of power, but this week, Jerry Taylor helped me to re-examine my alleigiance to its truth. The Spirit used him to help me clean out the trash of worldly influences over my mind and to put fresh relevence on what this truly means. He fleshed it out and helped me to cling to it with ever-more deepening fervency. Here is how the Holy Spirit rephrased his thought as it swirled around in my consciousness and found a solidified and very personal, permanent place in my spirit and heart:
"Lauren, steward yourself in gratitude and thankfulness. Allow Me to fill you with an increasing joy that is fully fueled by the promise that choosing praise instead of dwelling on the never-ending parade of problems of this age is far more powerful in the life of a believer. Futhermore, fervent praise instead of selfish and incessent worry moves God's heart to rescue, redeem, and restore to its fullest measure."
As the Holy Spirit penned this upon my spirit, I was overwhelmed by the power of this thought. Can you imagine this thought being put into action? The world we live in would change in ways that are impossible for man to comprehend. I love that we serve a God that specializes in bringing about things that seem impossible in our finite minds, but are completely accessible and possible by His power and creativity. I want to rely on His creativity, power, and what stirs His heart with a white-hot passion and abandon to my own ways of thinking and doing. I love that God does not have our mind or our flawed methods of thinking or reasoning. I desperately want to allow the Holy Spirit to dictate how I spend my time and my money, I want Him to author and ordain the pursuits of my mind, and I want Him to continually reveal His secrets to me. I desire to be teachable. I don't ever want to be finished being His student. God speaks softly, yet powerfully through and in a life that is surrendered upon the altar of His teaching and a believer that is fully given to His callings is sure to be part of an unforgettable adventure full of rich rewards, fulfilled dreams, and untold blessings that await those who don't want to miss what God is bringing to those who diligently seek to know Him, His character, His precepts, and the ways he moves, that quite honesly, in my very humble opintion, put anything of this world to complete and utter shame.
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Wow. Really, what else can I say to you Lauren! You have reminded me of things I have heard and seemed to have forgotten. You are right, just imagine what God could do if we ALL really just asked him faithfully to release his goodness into this world and to use us as his vessels! I love you and I am CONSTANTLY amazed by the depth of your understanding! Thank you!!!
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