God's Delight

I am so full of anticipation as we seek the Lord together....Not a pumped up kind of excitement, but rather a gentle hope-filled faith and confidence that God is at work among us. In Mexico, in Frisco, and in Paris. I can only bow before Him with thankfulness.

I have read in the Word, and I have heard some say that God loves to work through the small, the weak, the insignificant. Sometimes my human mind doesn't really comprehend that. But this morning I remembered that in the early summer, when the flowers are blooming in profusion in the woods and on the mountain, that my favorite ones are the small, delicate, often
unnoticed flowers. Some are not even recognized in the numerous wild flower books. But when I am walking through the woods, I recognize them and delight in them in their amazing beauty. They cause me to smile and rejoice in their Designer.......The Lord has been speaking to me about how He looks across the earth (He is called "the Watcher of men") and when He sees the small and insignificant man or woman sincerely loving Him and seeking His face, then He smiles and delights in them. So don't let "the accuser of the brethren" tell you that what you are doing makes little difference. Our prayer and worship and crying out to our great God and Father is incense rising to His throne. The Watcher of men is smiling and rejoicing over us!
The Lord your God is in your midst,
A mighty Warrior to save.
He will exult over you with joy
He will renew you with His love,
He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy. Zeph. 3:17

Praying in Russia

As I've been praying for the churches in Frisco, Mexico City, and Paris, the Lord has been putting on my heart growth. Growing not in numbers, although I pray for this too, but for spiritual growth. I'm praying that each church would see people giving their lives to Christ both for the first time and in rededication.

Is as the light of the morning when the sun rises,
A morning without clouds,
When the tender grass springs out of the earth,
Through sunshine after rain.'
"Truly is not my house so with God?
For He has made an everlasting covenant with me,
Ordered in all things, and secured;
For all my salvation and all my desire,
Will He not indeed make it grow?

2 Samuel 23:4-5

Consecration

"Consecration" is a theme that keeps coming to me in the prayer slots that I have had so far. It is a theme that I believe I may weave into my message this Sunday. This coming Sunday is Missions Sunday at Immanuel Fellowship in Frisco. We do this four times a year. I keep remembering that on one of our trips to Paris a few years ago, that was a word God kept speaking to us. More specifically, it is only as we consecrate ourselves before God, that we will be anointed to do all that He has called us. And it is only as we consecrate ourselves before God, that we will be able to stand against the enemy. Are we fully consecrated or have we deceived ourselves in thinking so?

I just finished reading the biography of Hudson Taylor, a missionary who served in China over a hundred years ago. This was probably the 8th or 9th time I have read this biography. Anyway, on the last page of the book, there is a quote from Hudson Taylor that characterized his life:

"An easy-going non-self-denying life will never be one of power. Fruit-bearing involves cross-bearing. 'Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.' We know how the Lord Jesus became fruitful---not by bearing His Cross, but by dying on it. Do we know much of fellowship with Him in this? There are not two Christs--an easy-going one for easy-going Christians, and a suffering, toiling one for exceptional believers. There is only one Christ. Are you willing to abide in Him, and thus to bear much fruit?"

That is consecration. And that is what God is looking for among us.

Earnest Prayer

Pray!! So that in this difficult time, the church would shine with the Life of Jesus!
Pray! That many would hunger and thirst for righteousness, seeing their need for the Savior.
Pray! That there would be many whole-hearted disciples who live for God and His purposes in this earth.
All for God's glory.

I hope to hear from many of you here. I love you! Judy