Sheep Shed

I have been seeking God as to where He desires for me to go...what body of believers He desires me to become a part of. I think I have found just the place. The Sheep Shed. I have heard a good friend & prophet say that God was showing up in a mighty way in the little home bible studies that people are having throughout this nation. That is how the Sheep Shed started, a couple friends of mine started a small intimate bible study in their home on Thursday nights....word got out (friends telling friends) and well it got bigger then my friend's living room. So out back was an old sheep shed, a small cozy barn that was/is being converted into a small meeting place for believers to come together to worship and share what God is revealing to us in His word....but not just on Thursdays but some Sundays as well.

My first visit God was surely there waiting for me. It seemed like the whole service was tailor made around me and for me. Oh what a feeling to step into a room of praying, praising and worshipping believers; God's presence and synergy of faith in the room was tangible and awesome to my spirit.

I am excited to sit with these wonderful friends, to learn, heal, love and grow where God has planted me. To take what I learn and put it here or to directly speak with people about what I have and am learning at the feet of Jesus once again. It was a scary bit wandering and wondering where I belonged....it is that way for folks in the world too. But when you find where you truly belong, when you find that place where God desires to plant you, that special garden of believers oh there is no feeling like it in this world.

I pray that those who are wandering today will open their hearts and find Jesus. He is alive...He resurrected out of the tomb and ascended to the Father today...Easter Sunday, Resurrection Sunday. Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father in heaven making intercession for ALL today....the lost and saved alike. Jesus sent us the Holy Spirit to indwell each and everyone who desires that indwelling. Our Lord, Savior and Friend is a gentleman...He won't force anyone, we get to choose. I pray those wandering in the spirit will find refuge in my beloved Jesus...for He is a strong tower of refuge and abiding in Him you can weather any storm...trust me my life is quite stormy these days, but there is such peace when I abide in His presence. Many hugs beloveds, many blessings. I am off to dry my hair and finish getting ready to join my beloved sisters & brothers at the Sheep Shed. Hugs

Post Script - God truly amazes me!!! Just got back from the Sheep Shed and again service tailor made around me. This morning I posted the above then I was going over this blog a bit and I read the one I posted last Easter and how Pastor Q preached about the napkin....go read it for yourself. Pastor Tim this morning spoke about this same thing about how the kerchief (some translations read napkin) that was placed over Jesus' head was folded and laying by itself. How awesome of God to remind me that HE is the Author & Finisher of my faith and how HE isn't done with me yet, but also how this morning I was pondering that paper napkin still folded in my Bible as a constant reminder that I am not finished yet. It was a blessing to Brother Tim to hear about my paper napkin. They prayed over my new start with the Lord because that is what Resurrection Day is partly about a new start....mankind got a new start the day of the Crucifixion and Resurrection...new life in relationship with God. How lovely and amazing He truly is. Take a moment and ask the Lord to forgive you of your sins, He surely will then enjoy this first day of your new life in the Lord.

Seeds of Revival & the Hurts of Jesus

I would like to say this past week has been a good one, it wasn't but in some sense it was. Sunday started off good. I got my usual time with the Father in word and prayer before the house awoke with the business of breakfast & showers before church. Sunday service praise and worship were awesome, I believe we did touch God's heart and made Him blush. Pastor's message was a good one about stinky people and how church is to respond to them. I got some prayer after service for strength to get through all the negative stuff at work. Everything was fine until......until I lost my temper with someone I hold dear to my heart, then everything went down hill from there. I had spent 3 days in tears and prayer, battling the nasty spirits of offense and pride. If you are wondering if I won....well the battle belongs to the Lord and my part was just to submit to His authority and let Him do the work within me.

I haven't read much this past week, it has been mostly prayer and seeking the Lord within prayer. To me prayer isn't speaking flowery words spoken to impress God or others; prayer to me is communicating with the Lord....speaking honestly what is in my heart and then the silent wait and the listening for when He speaks. So I hadn't read much of my devotionals....oh I kept up somewhat with the Daily Bread, but Oswald Chamber's & Mr. Evan's laid on the desk untouched until this morning. It was W. Glyn Evan's devotional book that spoke volumes to me this morning when I played "catch up" on what I didn't read this week. Two days' devotionals spoke the most....Seeds of Revival & The Hurts of Jesus.

Seeds of Revival showed me what had happened this past week. Before you poo poo me, hang on and let me explain. Revival isn't the one week out of the year to have feel good services....true revival according to W. Glyn Evan's is "anything but pleasant, it is a searching, searing time when God's holiness burns hotly against our sins. It is know that God is a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29), knowing God's terror (2 Corinthians 5:11), and crying out "woe is me" (Isaiah 6:5)."

Mr. Evans goes on to explain "Revival has one chief aim--the removal of sin and the purifying of the believer. The message of revival is: What are you doing about your piled up sins? Revival is a sign that, because of His thinning patience, God has moved His people to confession. But it also means something else. God loves us so much that He is anxious to put us back int a right relationship with Himself. The seed of revival is the grief of the Holy Spirit; the confession of the people is the Spirit's grief vented. Only when the Spirit is "ungrieved" can blessing come"

Basically boiled down this past week is answer to prayer...some of it immediate answer which I need to learn to look for. I have prayed that God search my heart and transform me into Jesus' bride. God is reviving me in the true sense of the word. God is searching and searing, purifying me from sins of the flesh & world. Some where I grew dull hearing His voice...so He is shaking everything that can be shaken within me to get me to a new place, a new level of intimacy and hearing. Somewhere I gave place to anger and bitterness. The Spirit part of me wants to get there and quickly, but the fleshly part of me is trying to fight....so I am nailing my feet once again to His cross, I am nailing one hand and then handing the hammer to Him to nail the other. If you have a few moments free, please pray for me, I can use all the prayer I can get these days.

The Hurts of Jesus is another devotional from Mr. Evans. "Only human beings can become morally & spiritually better because of their pain. Unless I suffer grief, I am not likely to grow into a mature disciple of Christ. One of the greatest disappointments You can suffer, Lord, is to see me battle my griefs and yet not become better." Mr. Evans goes on to say "Jesus wounded Simon Peter with a look that drove him to tears, he wept bitterly (Luke 22:62). To be hurt by Jesus is the most exquisite hurt conceivable. The hurts of Jesus, if I accept them properly are the healings of tomorrow. I need His hurting to cauterize the shallow and superficial in my life."

The definition of disciple is a disciplined follower. I can honestly say I have been hurt by Jesus this week. I have been humiliated and humbled....no I won't go into details because to do so would be gossip. But I will say I surrendered. I keep surrendering to the Holy Spirit and what He is accomplishing in me and soon through me. I have been reaching out to my Lord, seeking to be a true disciple. Now I am being disciplined to follow. When one thinks of discipline their minds immediately recall a time when Mom or Dad spanked them. True discipline is focused on the child; about correcting & directly the child in the way he/she should go. So even though I got a "God spanking" this week, I know His focus is on me...on correcting my walk & relationship with Him...a course correction if you will for this journey.

One last thought...be careful what you ask for....you will eventually get it! Make sure you are ready to receive what you ask of God. His word promises that if you ask for bread He won't give you a stone, but give you exactly what you are asking for. Sometimes it will come by surprise upon you, but it always comes in His perfect timing. It won't ever look like what you imagined either, but will be orchestrated by His perfect design.