trying2lead

Red Letters

Mark 8:34-38 (TNIV)

 ³⁴ Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for you to gain the whole world, yet forfeit your soul? Or what can you give in exchange for your soul? If any of you are ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of you when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels."

If I want to follow Christ I must deny the dreams of my life that do not align with His.  I must set down my pride, my dignity, my control.  Then I can follow.

I feel at this moment in my life that God is asking me to lose more of my life.  He is moving me into uncomfortable territory.  He is moving me towards the direction that as a child a vowed I would not go.  Today, I try to negotiate with God and say I will go, but not like ________ [insert lame fear].

Today the Spirit of the Lord is upon me, He has given me authority.  Authority to teach the full Gospel.  Full, meaning Salvation, Healing and Empowerment to set captives free from sin and disease.  To command the enemy because of his power and endorsement.

God is calling me to pray for the sick and the diseased.  He has shown my eyes his healing power on several occasions in my life.  With each one my rational mind has tried desperately to deny them.  This causes me great discomfort.  Honestly, I am ashamed of parts of Gods Full Gospel.  But I still want to save my life.

So, If I want to save my life, I must give it all to God, so that I truly can live.   Then I must give myself fully to the Gospel.

What is the Gospel?  Jesus said it is: 

Luke 4:18-19 (TNIV)

"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, 
       because he has anointed me 
       to proclaim good news to the poor. 
       He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners 
       and recovery of sight for the blind, 
       to set the oppressed free,to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

So what should I do?  In Luke 10 Jesus gives instructions to the 72.  Read it.  Notice it is not to the 12.  It's to the 72.  Also notice the first part of Luke 10.  It says that Jesus sent them ahead to every town and place where he was about to go.  God is sending me ahead of where He wants to go.  He is sending me ahead in faith.

Red letters are dangerous.

So I pick up my cross and follow the red letters.

Prayer - 

Bless me with your Spirit God.

Bless me with your anointing, your power and your strength.

Bless me with your wisdom and direction.

May I use what you have given me for what you want.

God I am afraid,  I do not want to be an oil flinging, tambourine playing whacked out Christian.  But for you I will dismiss all my dignity.

I will dance before you, I will sing and will speak out in faith.  I will be who you want me to be.

Place your hand on me so that I would prosper in everything I do.  Let all who see me see you.

Amen

Benefits

Psalm 103:1-5 (TNIV)

 ¹ Praise the LORD, my soul; 
       all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

    ² Praise the LORD, my soul, 
       and forget not all his benefits—

    ³ who forgives all your sins 
       and heals all your diseases,

    ⁴ who redeems your life from the pit 
       and crowns you with love and compassion,

    ⁵ who satisfies your desires with good things 
       so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

Healing has not ceased, it has not ended.  Only those who fear and lack faith, because of doctrinal lies that they have been taught, say it is not so.  Those who are healed cannot hold back the truth.

What do you need to be healed of?

One of the greatest benefits to believing in God is His Healing power.  Power over Sin and over Disease.

Prayer - 

In my inmost being bless me with knowing you

Thank you for forgiving me all of my sin

Thank you for healing me of all my disease

Thank you for satisfying me

Thank you for giving me youthful energy