Well readers, I am still working my way through Defining Moments by Bill Johnson. I just completed chapter eleven, Spiritual Hunger: Aimee Semple McPherson. The chapter begins with this quote from Aimee:
“Oh, Lord, I am so hungry for your Holy Spirit. You have told me that in the day when I seek with my whole heart you will be found of me. Now, Lord, I am going to stay right here until you pour out upon me the promise of the Holy Spirit for whom you commanded me to tarry, if I die of starvation. I am so hungry for Him I can’t wait another day. I will not eat another meal until you baptize me.”
Defining Moments God-Encounters with Ordinary People Who Changed the World, page 211 by Bill Johnson with Jennifer A. Miskov, PHD
Have you ever experienced hunger such as this? I confess I have not yet followed this hard after the Spirit. Hunger for God… Pastor Bill says, “We were born to step into His purposes, demonstrating His love, purity, and power. Not to hunger for ‘more’ is to suppress our God-given appetite.” [italics mine] page 218.
I find a simmering desire for MORE! deep amidst my being. I know it’s part of Holy Spirit fire, but have yet to experience the deep, electrical filling of glory that Amiee experienced. From the mighty testimonies of seekers of Jesus across the generations since Pentecost, I realize there is abundantly more available! Holy Spirit, light the fire within! It takes surrender to the Lord, making Jesus truly Lord of your life, something like Amiee’s quotation above. We don’t need to fear the fire; it is God’s all-consuming love.
What do you fill your natural God-hunger with? I’ve probably shared before, but I squander my hunger on food, MahJong games, reading, entertainment and other pastimes. In fact, this post did not go out when it usually does because I spent my evening playing “Kitchen Mah Jong” and didn’t realize the time I was spending until bedtime. In themselves, none of these things are evil, but they take the place of God’s best plan for me. Having a finite number of hours, days and years in a life, how we spend that time filling our appetites is eternally important.
Walk in Wisdom
Ephesians 5:15 See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, 16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
A Prophetic Manifesto For The New Era; 20 Prophetic Words For The 2020s by Patricia King is is the next book I am using for devotions/study for this year. Each day Patricia begins with a Scripture followed by a prophecy, then Insights, Thoughts To Ponder, and a prayer. I am on chapter six, day six and each day has hit home, being relevant to where I am at and where our churches and society is at.
Today’s chapter is “An Era Of The Plumb-line”. Patricia saw the Lord’s double-edged sword come from Heaven and plunge into the land. God told her that the sword is Truth; The Word of God. One side of the sword is God’s kindness, the other God’s severity. Kindness leads to repentance, but those who will not repent will experience God’s severity.
Romans 11:22 Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.
The church has used the Word of God to serve their own follies. In the name of love and acceptance, the truth in God’s Word is watered down or re-written. Some don’t believe ALL of the Bible is true; just the parts they agree with. Do you believe it when Isaiah 5:20 says, “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!”?
As we navigate through our lives, we must know the Truth and let the Truth of God set us free so we may bring freedom to others. Are you willing to be bold and speak truth amid lies? Facts are not necessarily God’s Truth, so as His representatives, how shall we live? So much to take in! I am looking toward God’s justice that’s rolling across our land and around the world to expose and clear the evils of our society from top to bottom. Hold on, dear ones, it’s going to be a wild ride and we must stand on God’s side, making His Truth known, no matter what the cost. Remember our brothers and sisters in chains. We have not fought the good fight of the Gospel to the point of death yet, but we must prepare to do this if necessary. My friends, we must patiently keep the commandments of God.
Revelation 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus… “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.”
May we all be counted faithful! Until next time, Shalom my dear readers.
Musings along life's journey 