Sunday, February 27, 2011 “Awake Oh sleeper!”
As I was having my morning devotions, and praying for the kids, but mainly Joyce has been on my heart lately, God suddenly gave me this word from the Bible to pray over Joyce:
First, as I was praying and thumbing through my Bible, I asked God to give me a verse of scripture that I could pray over Joyce. The words “Arise, Oh sleeper!” fell into my spirit. Then I noticed that I was in Mark 5, -the story of Jairus’ daughter. So I scanned the chapter, and the words of Jesus leapt out at me: “The damsel is not dead, but sleepeth.” (verse 39) I suddenly knew that I am to pray this over her in order for God to work in her to “awaken” her spiritually. Philippians 2:13 says that it is God Himself that works in us, to both give us the desire to obey Him, and give us the power to do so. I feel like I have not done the best job I could have in “training up my children in the way they should go” (Proverbs 22:6) but this morning God also graciously showed me the scripture in 1 Corinthians 2, where Paul says that if his preaching had had any good affect on them, it wasn’t because of himself, because he came to them “without excellency of speech or wisdom,” but with much fear, weakness, and trembling. His speech, he says, was not with “enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of The Spirit and of power, that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 2: 1-5) In addition to the verse in Mark 5, I also looked up Ephesians 5:14, which says, Wherefore, He saith, “Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.” And continuing through verse 20: See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Holy Spirit; speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; giving thanks always for all things unto God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
“Thank You Father God that You are working in Joyce to awaken her spiritually, and thank You for the comfort You have given me this morning, that it all rests in You... and that I may rest in that sweet knowledge... Thank You God!” Thank you that in addition to the the scriptures above, You also gave me more – the scripture in John 11:43, that tells about Jesus commanding Lazurus in a loud voice to “COME FORTH!” It thrills my soul the way You have spoken to me this morning concerning my daughter... Thank You so much for Your wonderful Word, in which You have caused me to hope!
He shall feed His flock like a Shepherd: He shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in His bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young. –Isaiah 40:11
And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children. –Isaiah 54:13
Sunday, February 27, 2011
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