Rules v. Relationship

As I read Colossians 2:16 this afternoon, I was yet again reminded of things mentioned here.  Paul tells the church at Colossae, "Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath."


Many rules and regulations serve good purposes, yet they are not to be our ultimate concern.  I think the Lord is showing me much about FREEDOM in this way because I continue to learn so much about the Holy Spirit.  The more I get to know the Holy Spirit, the more dependent I am upon Him for guidance.  When we walk by the flesh, we need the rules and regulations to submit to.  But when we walk by the Spirit, we need submit to Him in relationship.  He gives us discernment.  He lets us know what is right and wrong to do.  And I tell you what, I have much growing and learning to do, I wan the Spirit and relationship more than the flesh and rules.  More of you, Lord, more.

word AND power

The past two nights I went to a revival of sorts nearby.  The first night was awesome.  I truly felt the presence and power of the Lord in ways I've never experienced before.  I felt the Lord.  I received the gift of laughter.  I watched countless people be healed.  It was a strange, yet awesome experience.

Yet one thing bothered me.  There was little teaching from this pastor.  I love a testimony and am encouraged and challenged by them.  But, I want to hear the word of God as well.  I need that.

Last night, I worshiped the Lord in raw delight during praise and worship.  This isn't natural for me to do so it was a blessing.  Yet after that, I didn't meet with the Lord at all.  In my opinion, the evening was about blessings rather then the One blessing.  A few Bible verses were read, but again: no real teaching.

I'm reminded of the great need to couple the Word with the power of the Holy Spirit.  In Matthew 22:29, Jesus rebukes the pharisees by saying, "You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God."  Jesus says we need both the Scripture and the power of God.  Over the past few months, I've been learning how important it is to have the power of the Lord.  Yet, last night I was reminded how important the Word is.  It isn't one or the other; it's both/and.  

Exciting!

Last Wednesday, I was talking with a few friends about some cool things the Lord has done.  One friend had her leg grown in a time of prayer!  You can watch the Lord bless others in the same way here and here.  The next day I was running and thought it would be cool if there was someone I could pray for their leg to be healed.  But as part of this training I'm doing, I needed to do my full 20 minutes of running (always the practical one I am).  By God's grace, I made it through the run and was walking back to my car.

A guy in front of me with a dog was limping.  I passed him only to realize I'd be passing down an opportunity to pray with someone that I'd asked the Lord for!  He said his dog ran to chase another dog, he twisted his ankle, and it hurt and now he was limping.  I laid hands on him and asked the Holy Spirit to heal his ankle in the name of Jesus.  Jake said it felt much better but he was still limping again.  I prayed again, and it was totally healed!  I was overjoyed with the goodness of the God I serve!

As I walked away I asked Jake if he was just saying that...in disbelief that his leg had been healed, he assured me he was not just saying that.

I hope and pray that Jake was encouraged and challenged -- I know I was!

Surrender...again and again.

Tuesday night at Year Team, we had a time of prayer and worship where we just asked the Lord to give us more of Himself.  As I was asking the Lord for more of Him, the word surrender kept coming up over and over again.  The Lord reminded me that throughout Year Team this has been a theme.


The first Year Team meeting we had, September 6, 2011, included a sweet and challenging time of prayer and discussion with Elizabeth.  I asked for prayer about future, namely dreams desires...being: phd/teaching, getting married, missions. It was a sweet time of honestly looking at my heart...yet challenging because Elizabeth was like I'd really encourage you to lay these desires down (marriage and grad school) and see if they are what you want or the lord wants. I couldn't stop thinking about it for about a week afterwards.  The motives...not that they won't happen, but I think I gained a perspective I needed.

I don't want to cling to these desires...rather, lay them down and trust the Lord.  And I know in my heart that I cling to/idolize them so often.  Even still, all these months later, I'll have to wait and see what the lord does!

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Wednesday night service on October 26, 2011.

I very rarely go to the Wednesday night service at church, but wanted to go last night because I heard Dwight was going to be talking about speaking in tongues.  

During the worship, we were singing the song that says, "Jesus, my passion in life is to know you.  May all other goals bow down to you..."  I was praying and laying down my goals before the Lord AND all of a sudden, it was as if someone was blowing in my left ear.  Wooshing past me.  It was audible and my whole body shivered.  

No one was sitting on either side of me.  Just to be sure, I turned to look at the people behind me.  The guy directly behind me was sitting down, bowed over in prayer.  The guy behind me to the left was completely engrossed in worship.

I thought: wow, Holy Spirit, you are with me!  Then I started laughing because of course He is.  Was such a sweet and personal reminder of His presence.

THEN Dwight began talking and he read Acts 2:1-13.

Verse 2 = And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.

As I got there and was sitting alone, I was thinking why am I here?  I wish I wasn't by myself.  And it was such a personal, sweet reminder that I'm not!  In that time, in His reminder to me that I am safe and secure with Him, I let my guard down.  I surrendered to Him.  The Lord increased His blessing to me that night with more giftings.  Yet, the greatest gift was His presence.  A great reminder to me that when I lay myself down, the Lord is ushered in...

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Steve's sermon this past Sunday (February 5, 2012) was on surrender.  Frankly, it knocked my socks off.  Was well delivered and incredibly challenging.   How much does the Lord want of you?  ALL of you.  Your time, your giftings and skills, your relationships, your money, your things...everything.  How much are you willing to surrender to the Lord?  That is the question.  It is quite a hard question, yet I think the times when I truly surrender to the Lord are the greatest times of walking without fear and full of freedom.


http://www.wearestandrews.com/sermons.aspx?ArticleId=1046


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As I was cruising through old emails to write this post, I found one reminding me of a prophetic word for me in the bulletin on September 4, 2011.  


For a lady named Elizabeth.  You know the love of God and the power of the Holy Spirit, but you have recently felt dry and isolated.  The Lord wants to refill you with His spirit and fill you with a renewed hope.  Expect great things as you humble yourself and allow God's people to come alongside you.  


This was the Sunday before Year Team started and I love it -- especially looking back and seeing that prophecy come to fruition.