2-01-2011 will be a day much of the nation will remember, even as many of us are still digging our way out of the snow! It’s been quite an adventure these last few days with 14 inches of snow falling on Tuesday (blowing into ridiculously deep snow drifts) with even more snow that fell here yesterday. Tulsa is not as equipped as some other places where snow is a common occurrence, so it seems to have shut us down here for a bit.
In the midst, it’s been wonderful to hear stories of people helping people. My friend Ray has a huge servant’s heart and has been digging out all the neighbors. And little did I know when I bought my Highlander last June that is was going to be in a Tulsa blizzard that the 4WD would come in handy! Ray’s wife, Chris, is a nurse at one of the local hospitals, so Ray was able to use my vehicle to get her to work when many others couldn’t. People have been helping others get their cars out of ditches, getting food for those who can’t get out… And a huge team of people rallied together at RHEMA when a building emergency necessitated relocating everything in the main church building to other buildings on campus. They are still working on getting the snow off the roof of the building that's causing the problem (pictured here). It’s always wonderful to see people coming together in times that could otherwise be considered a crisis, though.
In a different way, the snow storm has also been a blessing because it’s caused me to have to slow down and be “shut in with God”. There is an old song that goes like that… “Shut in with God in that secret place, There in the spirit, beholding His face, Gaining new power to run in this race, Oh, I love to be shut in with God.” There have been some wonderful things He’s revealed during these last few days, but I’ll share a few of the scriptures I’ve been looking at today.
This morning, I awoke with the phrase, “Lay your life down,” in my heart. Later in the day, I cross-referenced something in scripture to Revelation 12:11, and oh how I saw that phrase emphasized in the last part of this verse. It’s a key that is so often left out when we quote this scripture. “They overcame (the enemy) by the Blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.” Oh my! My life is not my own… I’ve laid my life down so I can pick His up… I delight to die that I might live… that He might live in and through me! This is how we overcome… trust in the Blood of Jesus… proclaim the Lord’s salvation… tell the world what He has done… and die daily to self that He might live… through you!
Later I was in Isaiah 10:20… “We will no longer depend on that which has defeated us, but we will depend on the Lord.” It reminded me about what I shared in an earlier entry about idols in our lives. There are things we may not have thought to call “idols” in our lives, but what are the things that we have put our dependence on recently instead of Him? Ultimately, these substitutes and counterfeits will fall short… they will “defeat us”. Interesting how often we may wander back to those “old friends” though instead of our BEST friend… the Lord. That’s why I love this scripture, and I’m praying it for the body. Again, I declare… In 2011 and beyond, we will no longer depend on that which has defeated us, but we will depend on the Lord!
And then chapter 12… “Oh Lord, I will praise You; Though You were angry with me, Your anger is turned away and You comfort me. Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; for YAH, the Lord is my strength and my song; He also has become my salvation. Therefore, with joy will you draw water from the wells of salvation. And in that day you will say, ‘Praise the Lord! Call upon His Name! Declare His deeds among the peoples, make mention that His Name is exalted.’ Sing to the Lord, for His has done excellent things gloriously; this is known in all the earth. Cry out and shout aloud, O inhabitants of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel in your midst.” Hallelujah!
For those still at home because of the storms, enjoy being shut in with God!
In the midst, it’s been wonderful to hear stories of people helping people. My friend Ray has a huge servant’s heart and has been digging out all the neighbors. And little did I know when I bought my Highlander last June that is was going to be in a Tulsa blizzard that the 4WD would come in handy! Ray’s wife, Chris, is a nurse at one of the local hospitals, so Ray was able to use my vehicle to get her to work when many others couldn’t. People have been helping others get their cars out of ditches, getting food for those who can’t get out… And a huge team of people rallied together at RHEMA when a building emergency necessitated relocating everything in the main church building to other buildings on campus. They are still working on getting the snow off the roof of the building that's causing the problem (pictured here). It’s always wonderful to see people coming together in times that could otherwise be considered a crisis, though.
In a different way, the snow storm has also been a blessing because it’s caused me to have to slow down and be “shut in with God”. There is an old song that goes like that… “Shut in with God in that secret place, There in the spirit, beholding His face, Gaining new power to run in this race, Oh, I love to be shut in with God.” There have been some wonderful things He’s revealed during these last few days, but I’ll share a few of the scriptures I’ve been looking at today.
This morning, I awoke with the phrase, “Lay your life down,” in my heart. Later in the day, I cross-referenced something in scripture to Revelation 12:11, and oh how I saw that phrase emphasized in the last part of this verse. It’s a key that is so often left out when we quote this scripture. “They overcame (the enemy) by the Blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.” Oh my! My life is not my own… I’ve laid my life down so I can pick His up… I delight to die that I might live… that He might live in and through me! This is how we overcome… trust in the Blood of Jesus… proclaim the Lord’s salvation… tell the world what He has done… and die daily to self that He might live… through you!
Later I was in Isaiah 10:20… “We will no longer depend on that which has defeated us, but we will depend on the Lord.” It reminded me about what I shared in an earlier entry about idols in our lives. There are things we may not have thought to call “idols” in our lives, but what are the things that we have put our dependence on recently instead of Him? Ultimately, these substitutes and counterfeits will fall short… they will “defeat us”. Interesting how often we may wander back to those “old friends” though instead of our BEST friend… the Lord. That’s why I love this scripture, and I’m praying it for the body. Again, I declare… In 2011 and beyond, we will no longer depend on that which has defeated us, but we will depend on the Lord!
And then chapter 12… “Oh Lord, I will praise You; Though You were angry with me, Your anger is turned away and You comfort me. Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; for YAH, the Lord is my strength and my song; He also has become my salvation. Therefore, with joy will you draw water from the wells of salvation. And in that day you will say, ‘Praise the Lord! Call upon His Name! Declare His deeds among the peoples, make mention that His Name is exalted.’ Sing to the Lord, for His has done excellent things gloriously; this is known in all the earth. Cry out and shout aloud, O inhabitants of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel in your midst.” Hallelujah!
For those still at home because of the storms, enjoy being shut in with God!
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