Session 3
Isaiah 43:10, Romans 12:2, John 16:13-14, 2 Timothy 1:14, Jeremiah 33:3, 2 Timothy 1:6Deuteronomy 34, Joshua 2 & 6, John 4 What keeps us from experiencing the full power of the Holy Spirit? Tradition, trust, lack of obedience, fear of the unknown, giving up control, pride, family, rejection. So we were challenged to ask ourselves some questions:
What's holding me back?
What am I going to do about it?
Galations 5:16-26 Be willing to follow through and be consistent, trusting, courageous, time in the Word.
6 women then volunteered from our church at that point to get up in front of the rest of us to share specific incidences in the way the Holy Spirit had spoken to their hearts. Had I been more courageous, I would have shared when Billy and I in our small faith asked God to let us knew He heard us. The next morning in service during prayer time, Teresa Shaw approached us and said God told me to come tell you he hears you. We don't believe in coincidences. We believe in the Holy Spirit. We asked and God answered. We were very humbled by the experience.
Saturday afternoon during our free time, I had an unexpected talk with a cherished friend who I've known for 5 years and I'm so blessed that God has drawn us to the same church. I treasure her friendship and know that God is in that relationship. She really helped me get my head and heart around the image and authenticity that's been on my heart. Saturday evening, I had the opportunity to share with some other girls about what we have been going through. The conversation went in that direction as they began to share what year plan they were on. 2, 5 or 10 years until they planned to have children. I paused when asked what our plan was and spoke slowly praying that God had placed this conversation at this time and place for me to say that it's God's plans. We can lay out the most well meaning intentions, but the control and trust is with God.
Sunday morning:
Shirley Marble spoke and talked about bowing to an untamed God.
Galations 1:13-17, Jonah: all, Isaiah 63:11, Exodus 13:21-22
Jonah was by far the most convicting scripture reading for me to hear. He believed that Nineveh was not good enough for God to save. God replied as he does with authority just like with Job when all was taken away, also to the Pharisees and Sadducee's. Who am I to judge or question? Did I create them? Are they my children? Have I known them before they were in their mother's wombs? I think it's infinitely interesting that He was much more harsh with those who knew His word and yet had a hard heart then with those who just stumbled searching for Him. I hate thinking I only knows the words and not His heart. Hosea 6:6
She challenged us if something was laid on our hearts to act on it, reach out to who ever the Holy Spirit is drawing you towards. The more you say no, the quieter the voice gets and the easier it gets to tune His voice out.
Luke 13:23-24, John 14:25-27, Mark 6
She left us with the challenge to leave in joyful urgency.
I know I'm missing something, but I'm pretty tired and need to rest so I can get things done tomorrow. I need to get the portfolio finished for the adoption agency so that birth mothers can look through for potential matches. The sheer weight of this project has my procrastinating perfectionism stepping up at a time it needs to shush.
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