by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
Numbers 9-11
Does this ever get rich today!
I Corinthians 10: 2 says that the children of Israel were baptized into the cloud. Then later, in verse 11, it says that “all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.”
So what is the message for us? God put a cloud over the tabernacle – representing the cloud of His Glory. When the cloud lifted and started to move, the people were to move with it. When it stayed in a certain place, they were to stay in that plce. This is the way He guided them.
So how does that apply today?Let’s take a history detour. During the dark ages of the church, there was much corruption among the priesthood. The leaders tried to control their people by not allowing them to read the Word for themselves, and the priests presented a very skewed approach to God’s Word. Rituals and large sums of money were extracted from the people, who thought these were necessary to be saved.
Then one day, the revolutionary monk, Martin Luther, boldly nailed to the door of the church building his list of grievances against the corruption and error. The protestant movement was born, as the people learned that the “just are saved by faith, and not by works.”
Since that time, our Father has been restoring truths to His people. He restored the healing ministry, the baptism in the Holy Spirit, the understanding of living by faith in Him. Each time He would restore a doctrine, there would be those who would run with it, and those who would resist. It’s human nature to want to get comfortable and think that we know it all.
Well, this is a manifestation of the “moving of the cloud.” Let me give you a concrete example. Starting in 1906 a major revival began that affected the whole world. On a tiny little street, in a small house in Los Angeles, the “Azusa Street Revival” broke out. This was led by a shy, black man named William Seymour. In fact, he was so shy he put a box in front of his face, and stuck his head in it when he talked.
Who would have thought that such an insignificant-seeming scenario could change the world, but it did! God’s cloud was on that place. This is what He was doing, and people streamed to that place from around the world to have a touch from God. People were receiving the baptism in the Holy Spirit, praying in tongues, and being healed.
All of the present-day spirit-filled denominations grew out of this revival. God was restoring His church to a place of power and wisdom. God’s cloud was there.
Interestingly, many main-line churches didn’t even know about that revival. They were satisfied and complacent, going through their routines. A little more than 70 years after Azusa Street I received the baptism in the Holy Spirit, and a whole new world opened up to me. When that happened, I was amazed that I had never heard of Azusa.
Today my prayer is that I want to be in on everything God does in the earth. When He is restoring His church and revealing new concepts, I want to know about it. I want to receive everything He has for His people. In other words, I want to be baptized into the cloud. When He moves, I want to move. When He stops, I want to do that also.
Dear Lord, let me hear Your voice, and lead me to Your cutting edge of revelation and ministry. I want to move with Your cloud.
Mark 5:1-20
If there is anything we learn here, it’s that there is no one too far gone for God to turn them around. We meet this man who “no one could tame.” The people of the Gadarenes tried to shackle and chain this wild man, and they couldn’t. He just stayed around the tombs crying out and cutting himself.
He is full of demons (2000 of them), and they cry out when they see Jesus. (My husband says sometimes that demons obey God quicker than Christians do. Demons have no choice; Christians have their free will). These demons know that they are in trouble when Jesus comes on the scene.
The end of the story is that Jesus casts all of the demons out and sends them into the swine, who rush into the sea and drown.
This man, with all of his history of violence and craziness is totally healed. The natives come to see him – sitting, fully clothed, and in his right mind. Such authority Jesus walked in!
Interestingly, the people are now afraid, not of the mad man, but of Jesus. They beg Him to leave the territory, and He does. Even today, there are some who are afraid of the workings of God. His power is here to heal and restore, but some don’t want to receive it.
I want all that He has, don’t you? And when I see people who are in desperate straits, I want to reach out to them and let them know that Jesus is their answer.
Nothing is impossible with God.
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by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
Genesis 46-48
So when Jacob was one hundred thirty years old he went with his wives, children, and all of his possessions to the land of Egypt to begin the second phase of God’s great plan. The first phase, which lasted 200 years or so was the calling of Abraham and grooming him to be the patriarch of this great nation, the calling of Isaac, and the calling of Jacob.
God had spoken to Abraham that his descendants would go into a foreign land and stay there 400 years before they would be delivered by His mighty hand. In the last few chapters we can see clearly how God was working His plan. Now that Joseph was there in charge of distributing the grain, he is in position to appropriate the best land for his family.
Even the customs of Egypt play into God’s hand. The Egyptians are prejudiced against Hebrews – and particularly sheepherders. Since Jacob’s family herd sheep, Pharoah gives them a choice land, Goshen, which is away from most other people. The Hebrews are in position to grow and thrive and bond as a nation.
Jacob’s twelve sons will become the heads of the twelve tribes of the nation of Israel.
Everything is working according to design.
One more reminder, if you think His plans are taking awhile in your life, just think about these people. Sometimes God seems to take more time than we would like, buttrust Him. He is working out the details.
Matthew 14:1-21
How does Jesus handle grief? We see it in this passage.
John the Baptist was the cousin of Jesus and the one who recognized who Jesus was. John was a completely holy man. Yet, just as is the case in our modern society, sometimes people call good “evil” and evil “good.” Because they want to live in debauchery, they blame those who are upholding God’s principles. So Herodias, Herod’s wife, acts toward John.
When Herod has John beheaded, Jesus is notified. So what does He do? He runs to His Father. The Word says that He goes off by Himself to a deserted place so that He can pray and seek God.
There have been times in my life when grief seemed to be overwhelming me. So I know personally how significant these actions are. When we run to our Father and let Him minister to us, He lifts us up in a way that seems impossible. Everything gets put into perspective.
We are in this thing called “life” forever. Part of it here on earth, but most of it in Heaven. When we focus on eternity, we are ready to live with zeal in the here-and-now. It will all turn out alright in the end for those who are His.
Then after going away, Jesus sees the crowd and His compassion leads Him to heal and minister to them. One of His many miracles is performed at this time. He feeds a crowd of five thousand men, plus women, and children by breaking up five loaves and two fish.
His pay back to the devil for John’s death is to heal the sick and perform miracles so that the crowds can see the One true God. There is no mistaking the fact that Jesus is representing God as He ministers to the sick and feeds the multitudes.
One more note. Do you sometimes feel that you want to share your love of God and His Word with others, but feel inadequate to do so? Don’t let those feelings stop you. When you begin to break the bread that you have, it will begin to multiply, just as this natural bread did with Jesus. God doesn’t give us a huge pile of understanding until we are ready to give it out.
When we give what we have, more will be given to us. When we share what we know, even if we think it is a little, we will receive more. That’s God’s way. Give and it shall be given unto you!
Blessings,
Suellen Estes
by Suellen | Prayer
The foundation for a successful prayer life is a relationship with Jesus, and a knowledge that He is involved in what you are doing. Only then can you believe that He hears your prayers and wants to answer them…In the words of Francis Schaeffer, He is “The God Who Is There” and “He Is Not Silent.”
In this audio, I share my story of how I came to know Him. I include some excerpts from my book, Forever Upward.
Now here’s to strong foundations for all of us.
The Foundation Of Successful Prayer
by Suellen | The Church Awakening
“When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice.” Proverbs 29:2.
Today is the day to make your voice be heard in our great democratic republic. Sometimes people may think that their voice doesn’t count.; it’s just one of many. But throughout history elections have been won by a few hundred votes. Remember the 2000 election? A virtual handful of votes in Florida decided the outcome. Just think if those few hundred had not voted, what would the outcome have been?
I have included some great historical quotes furnished by http:www.wallbuilders.com. They will inspire you to fulfill that great public trust we have been granted.
Pray and choose well. Then vote!
John Adams
We electors have an important constitutional power placed in our hands; we have a check upon two branches of the legislature . . . the power I mean of electing at stated periods [each] branch. . . . It becomes necessary to every [citizen] then, to be in some degree a statesman, and to examine and judge for himself of the tendency of political principles and measures. Let us examine, then, with a sober, a manly . . . and a Christian spirit; let us neglect all party [loyalty] and advert to facts; let us believe no man to be infallible or impeccable in government any more than in religion; take no man’s word against evidence, nor implicitly adopt the sentiments of others who may be deceived themselves, or may be interested in deceiving us.
[John Adams, The Papers of John Adams, Robert J. Taylor, ed. (Cambridge: Belknap Press, 1977), Vol. 1, p. 81, from “‘U’ to the Boston Gazette” written on August 29, 1763.]
Samuel Adams
Let each citizen remember at the moment he is offering his vote that he is not making a present or a compliment to please an individual – or at least that he ought not so to do; but that he is executing one of the most solemn trusts in human society for which he is accountable to God and his country.
[Samuel Adams, The Writings of Samuel Adams, Harry Alonzo Cushing, editor (New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1907), Vol. IV, p. 256, in the Boston Gazette on April 16, 1781.]
Nothing is more essential to the establishment of manners in a State than that all persons employed in places of power and trust be men of unexceptionable characters. The public cannot be too curious concerning the character of public men.
[Samuel Adams, The Writings of Samuel Adams, Harry Alonzo Cushing, editor (New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1907), Vol. III, p. 236-237, to James Warren on November 4, 1775.]
Matthias Burnett
Consider well the important trust . . . which God . . . [has] put into your hands. . . . To God and posterity you are accountable for [your rights and your rulers]. . . . Let not your children have reason to curse you for giving up those rights and prostrating those institutions which your fathers delivered to you. . . . [L]ook well to the characters and qualifications of those you elect and raise to office and places of trust. . . . Think not that your interests will be safe in the hands of the weak and ignorant; or faithfully managed by the impious, the dissolute and the immoral. Think not that men who acknowledge not the providence of God nor regard His laws will be uncorrupt in office, firm in defense of the righteous cause against the oppressor, or resolutly oppose the torrent of iniquity. . . . Watch over your liberties and privileges – civil and religious – with a careful eye.
[Matthias Burnett, Pastor of the First Baptist Church in Norwalk, An Election Sermon, Preached at Hartford, on the Day of the Anniversary Election, May 12, 1803 (Hartford: Printed by Hudson & Goodwin, 1803), pp. 27-28)
Forever Upward,
Suellen Estes.
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by Suellen | Prayer, The Church Awakening
We often talk about faith, because “without faith it’s impossible to please God.” (Hebrews 11:6) We know that we receive all that he has for us by faith. (“Through faith and patience we inherit the promises”). (Hebrews 6:12). It pleases our Father to bless us with His presence and all that He has provided. But this is not all that there is to faith.
When we are walking with God, we will begin to feel His heartbeat and His purpose will grow within us. The purpose in His heart is not just for us to have a blessed life. His purpose includes eternity and all that implies. The first implication of eternity is who is going to be there. Are you? Of course you are. But what about your neighbors? Are they?
I want to challenge you to do something. Purchase a notebook and write down a list of people who come to mind who are not walking with God. Your family members, neighbors, co-workers (yes, even that mean one), and friends. Then pray over that list everyday. Lay your hand upon the page and pray for these people to have their eyes opened to the truth. Ask God to show you if there is anything you need to say to them. Do you need to share about your relationship with your Savior?
Every situation is different, so you need to listen closely to God’s direction. Many of those you know have been hurt by those who proclaim to be Christians. Perhaps legalism has crushed or frightened them. Perhaps the hypocrisy of leaders has disillusioned them. And of course, many lies have been perpetrated to confuse and discourage those who might be seeking the true God.
One thing is for certain – these people do not have the faith that they need to walk with God. They do not have faith that their prayers will be answered. They certainly do not know that God loves them and has a good plan for them.
So that’s where you come in. These people need your faith. They need your prayers. While you couldn’t save yourself from your sin, Jesus did that for you. Now you will extend His ministry by doing for others what they cannot do for themselves.
Ask God to open your eyes to this ministry of intercession. You will pray for those who can’t pray for themselves, asking God to show His mercy to those around you. He wants His grace to be available to all. When those around you don’t know how to pray for themselves, your prayers on their behalf are crucial to His plan.
Yet there is more. After you pray, you may need to share your faith or encourage those for whom you have prayed.Tell them of God’s love for them as individuals. Answer questions, pray with them, and be the ambassador of heaven you were called to be.
There are so many in our society today who really want to know the truth, but have never had it represented in a credible way. You can be that person they need to hear. They need your word, they need your prayers, and they need your faith. Will you be one who represents your Lord in the earth?
That’s the greatest purpose of your faith.
Forever Upward,
Suellen Estes
Numbers 9-11
