He Will Make Us 'New Again' PART 5

I’ll leave with you another sweet truth to ponder.  There were two sisters loved dearly by their grandmother.  She often bought beautiful new clothes and gave a box full of them several times a year to the girls.  With the best of intentions, the clothes she gave were the size that fit the older sister at that time because she knew the younger granddaughter would get them after the older sister outgrew them.  Both girls loved and admired their new clothes each time they came.  When the younger sibling had them passed to her, they were still beautiful, but the newness was gone and had been enjoyed by her sister.  God’s Word is much like these clothes.  If we are always studying truth and revelations that were revealed first to someone else, we are receiving it second hand.  I’m not saying this is bad, but did you know that Jesus wants to give you His best, His new and fresh truths? – just to you – that fits your life.  Spend time with Him – He longs to lavish His love on you.

Well, God was working a miraculous change in my heart.  God is truly a God of deliverance and restoration.  I discovered later that I was not the only person in the circle of my circumstances that God was molding and changing.  He was dramatically and profoundly growing and maturing Jackie, too.  As my heart was tendered and softened by the intense love of and from my Jesus, he rekindled a love for my wonderful husband and an assurance deep in my soul that we were supposed to be together.  Mark 10:9  “Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.”

I called Jackie and told him that maybe he ought to sit down.  Of course he said okay, but he REALLY wanted to know what was up.  I told him that I knew God was revealing to me that we were supposed to be together.  He paused just slightly and said, “Gale, I have never been able to picture myself growing old with anyone but you.”  I don’t even know the details of the rest of our conversation, but God had a plan and he was putting it into action.  My brother remarried us in December 2003.  We had been apart three and a half years and ya know, I don’t even take those years away from the day we first made our commitment to one another in 1971.  For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD.  Isaiah 55:8            

I know God could have healed and restored our marriage anywhere.  But even in our disobedience to Him, He took our present situation and locations and mended and knit two hearts to Him first and then back to one another.  “A three-stranded cord is not easily broken.”  Ecclesiastes 4:12  I will not tell you that it has all been easy, but because we have some of the same old struggles, doesn’t mean that we can’t make new choices and decisions.  “Trust in the Lord with all your heart.  Lean not on your own understanding.  Acknowledge Him in all your ways and he will set your paths straight.”  Proverbs 3:5-6   In August of this year, we celebrated our 40^th Anniversary.  

We may have to come full circle to find the beginning again – to be made ‘new again’.  We know we’re coming full circle with God when we stand at a very similar crossroad where we made such a mess of life before, but this time we take a different road.  We can be made ‘new again’ even in an old familiar place from our past.  God is a God of many second chances and allows what was formerly a very uncomfortable, hopeless, and seemingly failed situation to have a very different victorious outcome when we seek to exalt and glorify Him with lives surrendered to His supernatural love and guidance.

Listen to this song which was played after my Talk:  'New Again'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7wEa8YTGhM&feature=related

He Will Make Us 'New Again' PART 4

To get me started on this path, God placed a sweet Kingdom connection in my life to disciple and mentor a hungry, teachable spirit.  Vickie led a group of us in the Master Life study which is a four-part, in-depth, study with a commitment of one year to complete.  This study literally lit a consuming fire in me and ignited an eternal flame for studying and learning that I hope never goes out.  Beth Moore says that when the oil of the anointing of the Holy Spirit in us comes in contact with the Word of God – you get an ‘internal combustion’.   I like that and I know God placed a desire in all of us for that.

 

“If any man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.’”  John 7:37-38

A number of bible studies followed this one, some of which I was honored to lead.  Just as God had placed Vickie in my life, I now had a heart to see other new believers not only accept Jesus as Savior, but to have a rich and full intimate relationship with Him and to rely on Him to be Lord of their lives.  A pivotal scripture in my life that I know God wants every believer to embrace is “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind then you will be able to test and approve what His will is; His good, pleasing, and perfect will.”  Romans 12:2

I want to share three of the most profoundly important life lessons that I have learned over the past 10 years of following Christ and studying His Word.  

(1) Bring what is in darkness into ‘the light’.  Don’t keep anything that is disturbing you even slightly… hidden inside or in secret.  satan loves for us to do this because he can then grow it into something that hinders your effectiveness for the Lord.  Tell someone – hurry – run and tell someone you trust quickly.  Have someone pray with you about it and hold you accountable.  You are 99% of the way to victory when you speak and bring a darkness into God’s glorious light.    “The enemy comes only to steal our joy, kill our enthusiasm, and destroy our purpose, but Jesus has come that we may have life and have it more abundantly.”  John 10:10

(2) Be thankful ‘in all things’.   It is easy to ‘be thankful’ for all the many wonderful blessings in our lives.  But God’s Word tells us in numerous scriptures to thank Him for ALL things – Do you get it?  Not just the good and positive things.  It took me a long time to really get that.  But we can always thank Him for being all powerful and knowing what we need in our lives.  We can thank Him for not giving up on us and still caring so much for us that He wants to teach and train us through our circumstances.  Once you have become grateful for even a problem, it loses its power to drag you down and your thankful attitude will lift you up into heavenly places.  1 Thessalonians 5:8 in the Message translation says, “Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live.”

(3) Commit to 30 days of prayer for healing of any stronghold or bondage in your life – this can be any type of wound, infirmity, affliction, or sin such as hurt, unforgiveness, bitterness, etc.  It can be something that has been revealed to you by God or it may be verbalized to you by a relative or someone that cares enough about you to tell you truth – an accountability partner.  Enlist a prayer partner to join you on this journey on your behalf.  I have done this several times and I usually think of it when I get to the end of my rope and become sick and tired of being sick and tired of something.  I begin by telling God that I am committing 30 days of prayer to ask Him every day to speak healing into me concerning this.  I continue by asking Him to minister straight into it through everything – every devotional, every time I read my Bible, the worship music I listen to, every sermon I hear, and every word of encouragement from family and friends.  The incredible truths I’ve realized about this is that I am released from the guilt of carrying this around because I’ve truly given it to God for healing instead of trying to constantly deal with it myself and…..you will not believe how you will literally see with your spiritual eyes His hand at work on your behalf.  After 30 days reevaluate – if there’s victory and healing – CELEBRATE!  If you feel a need to continue for another 30 days, do so until you’re free and then, of course – CELEBRATE! 

to be continued...

He Will Make Us 'New Again' PART 3

While living in Austin, I did feel free.  The guilt was gone.  I was free to start over, free to go to church, free to study God’s Word and grow – truly grow in Spirit and in Truth.  I joined Great Hills Baptist Church and studied and fellowshipped with other singles my age.  “If the Son therefore shall make you free, you shall be free indeed.”  John 8:36

I had only been in Austin about 7 months when I had my yearly physical and mammogram which was about 6 months overdue.   The results were not good – the mammogram was questionable.  After a biopsy, I was told it was cancer.   After surgery, I began chemo followed by radiation.  My Christian friends were a true source of strength for me with constant support and prayer.   You’ve probably heard the saying “Preach the gospel at all times – if necessary use words.”  That’s what they did – they preached the gospel by just living, by just being and by loving me.  “A heart at peace gives life to the body.”  Proverbs 14:30

While attending a weekend Singles’ Retreat, the Lord began drawing me to Him – as Vaughn calls it, He was romancing me.  One way in which we learn is from listening to and watching others.  While at that retreat I saw something in some of the believers there – something that I wanted, something that I desired.  They had a sweetness about them and a connectedness that I knew was lacking in my life.  “That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers.”  Psalm 1:3

 

“Humble yourself before the Lord and He will lift you up.”  James 4:10  When I got back to my apartment, I got on my knees and told God that I felt like I was on the river bank watching as Jesus and my friends were out in the middle of the river playing and enjoying one another and having a good time.  I told Jesus that I wanted that – whatever it took; I wanted to be out there with them in the middle of the river - not just an observer.

My friend Gwen had given me the little book The Prayer of Jabez.  I picked it up and began reading it and I felt almost electric inside – the excitement and anticipation that something wonderful was about to happen was almost more than I could bear.  I read and when I got to Page 17….this is what it said, “Think of it this way:  Instead of standing near the river’s edge, asking for a cup of water to get you through each day, you’ll do something unthinkable – you will take the little prayer with the giant prize and jump into the river!  At that moment, you will begin to let the loving currents of God’s grace and power carry you along.  God’s great plan for you will surround you and sweep you forward into the profoundly important and satisfying life He has waiting.”   WOW! – I had just been spoken to by God Himself.  He had reinforced and said back to me exactly what I had just prayed to Him.  I knew I was about to take the ride of my life with Jesus, the One and Only Savior and Lord of my life.

We are all in a war for our soul - Learning to crucify my flesh and live after the Spirit of God is a day to day choice - never giving up, keeping on keeping on.  I have chosen that journey – going to church, studying God’s Word, and learning how to become free and apply the cross to my life.  “If any would come after me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow me.”  Luke 9:23

to be continued...