Are you ready for revival?

Check it out on GOD.TV (DirecTV: Channel 365) http://uk.god.tv/Publisher/Article.aspx?id=1000030501

or online  http://www.freshfire.ca/index.php?Id=1

Date:             May 29, 2008
Location:      USA
Author:         Patricia King - Extreme Prophetic

Friends,

The Lakeland meetings continue to bear fruit. As of yesterday, there are 15 documented resurrections reported that are directly related to the outpouring. Praise the Lord! Some are asking, "Is this a true work of the Spirit?"... Well, I guess we could leave it at this: "The gospel is being preached and people are daily being saved and filled with the Spirit. The Body is ministering daily on the streets. The sick are being healed, demons are being cast out, the dead are raised, and although I am not aware of any lepers yet being cleansed, there are many with skin conditions being cleansed and Jesus is being magnified and worshiped. I guess you can call it what you want... whatever it is... it makes me really, really, happy! I call it "revival", (Revival: to bring back to life, to refresh, to rejuvenate).

The faith measure in the Body is activated beyond anything I have ever seen (in fact, I see this outpouring as a revival of faith - faith to do the works of Jesus... it is contagious faith!)

While I was in Lakeland with Todd a couple of weeks ago, MSNBC reports attended the meetings and had an interview with Todd. They have now written an article on the revival. Go to this link.

If you have not been blessed by the revival yet, you can watch it nightly on God TV (on Direct TV in the USA)...or the Internet on Fresh Fire's website (www.freshfire.ca) or.... you can go... I did and I will go again. The faith is "impartable".

Be blessed - it is an awesome hour to be alive!

My pastor said something today, and it was just a side note but it hit home because God has really been challenging my faith.

"It doesn't take any faith to do church on Sundays.  Just a great event planner, talented musicians and an animated speaker."

Prayer Request:  Friends, there is a DIVE conference coming up here in Charlotte by Rita Springer for women wanting to participate in a small group on worship.  There is an application process and she will be choosing 12 ladies.  I am thinking about applying and would like your prayers about it.  Thank you.

http://www.ritaspringer.com/dive.html

I was reading Lia the short version of Incredibles today when it reminded me of this series I am studying.  Mr. Incredible was made to be super.  When he had to go into hiding and work a mundane job, he helped people but in an indirect way.  It wasn't until he was able to be "super" again did he really come alive.  His entire life was affected.  Spending time with his children became a delight.  Romancing his wife was a daily affair.  Things he had to be nagged to do were done with a cheerful heart. 

Looking for a new job has me asking myself "What kind of work do I want to do?"  Since I am starting from scratch, what do I have to lose? The world says "Do what makes you happy" or "Do what makes the most money" or "Look at the job market, what can you be most successful in?"  Some jobs have more value than others according to American culture.  I don't think being a stay-at-home is a "respectable" vocation yet in the eyes of many.  I've had SO MANY people ask what my real job is going to be. 

So what can biblical values can I glean from Mr. Incredible? Ephesians 2:10 "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."  I have to find out what I was created for and pursue it without fear of failure and without fear of people's rejection.

Chip Ingram said it best:

The world says, "You are what you do.  Work is your identity."
God says, "Do what you are. Work is a stewardship."

On Chip Ingram's session: How to Stop Wasting Your Life Part 1, he describes five paradigms or views of WORK. 

Which one do you think fits you?

Paradigm #1: Work is evil and the goal is avoided.  (cuts corners, comes to work late frequently, takes extended breaks, always tries to leave early)

Paradigm #2: Work is everything and you embrace it.  (workaholic)

Paradigm #3: Work is an obligation and you endure it.  (you live for Friday)

Paradigm #4: Work is strategic and you exploit it. (you don't like your job but you consider it a platform for your faith, you want to have a good testimony, you keep a bible on your desk so people know you are a believer, you share Christ through tracks or Christian slogans, you work hard but don't really pursue advancement, you are usually financially lucrative, and you have a martyr complex about it)

Paradigm #5: Work is a calling and you steward it.  (you can't believe you are getting paid for what you do, time flies, there is fruit and it blesses others, work comes easily, you develop deep relationships through which you can share Christ)

Implications of your "calling" on your work:

1. Work is not about finding a job to pay the bills.

2. Work is not even about building a career for a successful life.

3. Work is a "vocation" that places you where you do what God created/designed you to do in order to fulfill His highest purposes in you and through you for His glory and your joy.

4. Work flows out of a relationship with Christ (inward) to external activity we do (outward) that impacts our culture and community (onward) to the glory of God (upward).

"Work is not a curse- it is, in fact, where the war is fought... the burning question for most Christians should be: How can my life count for the glory of God in my secular vocation?" John Piper- "Don't Waste Your Life"

www.lote.org

What would be your perfect day?

Being at a new church has been difficult.  By grace, God set me free from the bondage of loneliness I shackled myself with since our move down to Charlotte.  I tried to be active in getting to know people and even asked someone to coffee.   But today, I met with someone who called me.  We had great conversation over coffee (funny how you can find out how much in common you do have with someone when you try!) and then she asked the question: What would be your perfect day?

She stumped me.  I spoke jibber jabber for some time and then just admitted I had no idea.  She shared with me hers, and exclaimed how she was fortunate enough for someone to give it to her.  She asked me again, so describe your perfect day.  I vocalized some possibilities but after hearing them aloud, decided those weren't really my true ideas of a perfect day.  They were perfect days for people I cared about.  My kids...close friends...family members.  Thinking back, I can even tell you my husband's perfect day.

This reminded me of the movie "The Ultimate Gift" which is about a spoiled rich, young man who has become the recipient of a huge inheritance based on 12 conditions.  He has to learn 12 things that his grandfather calls gifts.

The Gift of Work- The Gift of Money-  The Gift of Friends- The Gift of Learning- The Gift of Problems- The Gift of Family-

The Gift of Laughter-   The Gift of Dreams-  The Gift of Giving -  The Gift of Gratitude-  The Gift of a Day-  The Gift of Love

One of those gifts was the gift of a day.

"As Red Stevens approaches his imminent death, he begins to think about how he would live the last day of his life. Because life is nothing more than a series of days strung together, learning how to live one day to its fullest is equivalent to living a meaningful life. In the movie version of The Ultimate Gift, Emily  is close to her death when Jason returns from Ecuador. She asks Jason if she can fulfill her dream and go horseback riding. In Texas, on Gus’ ranch, Emily’s dream is fulfilled. Or so Jason thinks, until he realizes that Emily was fulfilling her mother’s dream. "

My prayer for you is that you will discover what you would envision as a perfect day.  And then find out what it could be for someone else and give it to them.

The beauty of the cross is in giving.  May God give you the courage to do it.

I'm listening to this series you can listen to online.  It's really good.

How to Land the Job of Your Dreams by Chip Ingram

Here are some teasers-

"Wouldn't it be great if you had a job that you really loved? Well, if you think that your dream job is really "just a dream"...then think again...

Imagine waking up each day looking forward to going to work! Is that how you think about your job?...

Would you like to take your job and turn it into a place of joy, fulfillment, opportunity, and, yes, even ministry? If you're ready to take your work to the next level, tune in...

Do you feel like you're wasting your life? Drifting through each day...just getting by? What if every minute of every work day was an opportunity for you to worship...to acknowledge God's goodness and provision in your life?...

Deep down...do you want to do something great with your life? God made you to make a difference...He uniquely gifted you to accomplish something that no one else can accomplish. The question is do you know what your calling is?

According to research, 83% of all workers are dissatisfied with their job! 83%!!

http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/Living_on_the_Edge/archives.asp?bcd=1/4/2008