Today's Need For Deborahs!

This post is mostly directed at women, but men might be interested also. 
     Society has an attack against men, manhood and masculinity, you have probably noticed it! It probably started with the women's liberation movement, and while that wasn't all bad it has gone way over to an all out attack against men! As a wife, mother, sister and aunt I have men in my life that I love, which causes me to be ready to stand up to society and say
"Enough!". 

     If you feel as I do and are looking for an anointing to pick up and move into, consider the Deborah anointing! 
     Deborah was a judge and prophetess in Israel, it was a time when there was a battle...is there a battle now?(Yes! Against men!) Deborah advised a military leader that this was the time to stand against the enemy. The military leader hesitated and would only follow Deborah into the battle....so Deborah rose up and took the lead! (Deborah ~ Judges 4-5)
     If there are men and boys(future men!) in your life that you love and respect, men that you know are good people that don't deserve the abuse that society has turned against them, then join me, rise up and lead as Deborah did! Stand firm against the world! Do not allow abuse of the men in your life! You are a woman of God! Use your voice to protect the Men of God in your lives, use your prayers to cover them and your respect to empower them!
     Pick up the Deborah anointing and join women who do not want to see their husbands, sons, brothers and friends bashed by society! The movement against men is attempting to destroy manhood in the men and boys that we love and cherish, let's recognize that men have a very important role and job in our lives, let's honor them for being God's creation in whom He was pleased! 
     No more men bashing! Remember they are God's creation, made in His own image and He would not have us bash His work! This Father's Day let's honor all of the men, even if they are not fathers! Let's honor men who are in our lives and the manhood they have been created to walk in! 

Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Genesis 1:26-27

Expectant Waiting!

     Yesterday I was getting ready for my day, yes, it's not always a day filled with great doings, but I do like to look good for my husband, for myself and for God. We have God's honor to carry and represent in our daily lives, if we prepare to do it! I heard God's prompting in my heart as I was preparing.
     He told me that I am waiting for the return of my Bridegroom, it could happen at any time! I should be the one in society that stands out, the one that appears different, I should be the one that has a twinkle in my eye and the one that looks like I'm expectantly waiting! The one that looks like I'm ready for the return of the One I love!
     I should take extra care with my appearance, no house clothes all day for me! no unbrushed hair, no raggedy appearance! (unless I'm gardening!). 
     I believe we can create honor or dishonor  with things as simple as our choice of clothing. As an example, I had plans with my granddaughter to go to a movie, I dressed like I was going to a great occasion. I wanted to make memories with her and for her to have a feeling of the fun and excitement, I wanted to honor her! I put on a dress and jewelry with deliberate purpose and she did notice and it did make a difference in her eyes, often little things that we think don't matter, really do!
     If you're married do you remember getting ready for a date with your spouse? There was excitement and expectant preparation! If you're not married then you probably have still experienced that excited preparation for the focus of your affection. 
     Are we as excited about the love relationship with our Saviour, about His appearance(not to "beam" us out of here, but to see His face!) I'm getting ready daily to meet Him, a smile on my face and even a touch of lipstick! I'm calling you to the same excitement, don't focus on the chores of this world(they will always be there!), but raise your vision, Honor Him in your heart and your life! Be excited, live in expectation! 
     The Saviour of the world is your Groom! A man that lived and died for you! God's Son that stepped away from Heaven...for you! And He has gone to prepare a place for you! and now He will return for those who are expectantly waiting! 
     The King of Kings is returning for me, to receive me to Himself! There can be no greater joy than that fact!

Pastors

     We honor our Pastors, or we should! Have you ever thought about the work of a Pastor? Think about it...they are to tend the sheep and let me tell you that sheep are not the brightest animal in the barnyard! If a sheep falls on it's back, it just waits there to die! It doesn't even try to get back up, and sheep will follow each other over a cliff! Not smart!

     Pastors are like the farmers that have to take care of the sheep, stand them back up so they don't die and get them to not follow each other over a cliff, and they're also like the fathers of the family, they are to watch out for the congregation, prepare it, guard it, feed it, make sure it's doing what it's supposed to do...

     In the world there are many jobs I would find challenging beyond my capabilities, and being a Pastor is one of them! But when God calls you to a work, He prepares you for it. That doesn't mean that we the people of the flock should not be trying to make the Pastors job easier! We should! 

     What do you think we could do to help make the Pastor's job easier? First we could pray for them! That's a good place to start! Because they are Pastors the enemy knows that if he can hit the Pastor of a church he can damage the whole congregation! So first of all, let's pray for our Pastors! Pray protection from the enemy and a close, revealing walk with God!

     Second, let's honor the position of authority that God has put the Pastor in. 

Authority? Yes, God has put the Pastor in a position of authority and it's our job to honor the position. No that doesn't mean we worship our Pastor, but it does mean we don't make his job more difficult. If he does something that we question, pray about it, don't go to your friend and start talking about how wrong your pastor is! Honor him by not bickering with him or the other people in his flock. God has put him there, honor what God has done!

     Third, another way to honor him is to try to make his job easier. Volunteer! Wow! Volunteer? Yes, Volunteer! There is a lot of work to keeping a body of believers flowing together! There is a building that we want to meet in so we can be protected from the weather! That takes work! Keeping the building functioning inside and out! The parking lot paved, the grass mowed, the trash picked up, the supplies in place, the lights on, the light bulbs changed!...is that the Pastor's job? No, it's our job, we're the body, we can take care of those things ourselves, we're not visitors at church, we're the body! We are the church! 

     Take time to give your Pastor the support and honor that is due to his position and remember, he is there because God put him there, I think if we don't honor and respect that position and the man, we'll be facing God explaining why.

     I really started this to be a blog about the Praise Leaders and Team, but I guess that will be tomorrow!  =D

Just?

Just~
I've been noticing a tendency in Christian prayer lately, the tendency is to use the word "just". I wonder when or why we feel the need to ask God to "just" give us this, or "just" do that, as if God is limited in what He might want to give or might want to do? Or maybe it's a burden for Him to answer our prayers? We ask Him, Lord, please just do this today for me and I won't bother You with anything else.
     Our God is beyond limits, our God created all things, He holds the universe in His hands, He made us of dirt with His own hands! He knows how many hairs are on our head! He knows our words before we speak...He  wants to do things for us!
     Imagine your children coming to you and asking if they could "just play outside for 15 minutes". Wouldn't it sound like you were expected to refuse their request and they're trying to bargain with you for "just" 15 minutes? 
     To pray and ask Him to "just" give us, or "just" do anything is like the orphan child asking for just a little more soup. 
     Do we really want to dishonor God in this way? To speak to Him as if it's beyond His generous nature to give, or beyond His ability to do? Our God is generous and nothing is beyond Him, we don't have to creep close and beg, Father, would You just give me a worn out pair of shoes to keep my feet warm today?
     Our Father is a loving God, it pleases Him to provide for us and protect us as it does for any parent to give to and take care of their child. 
     Please, I challenge you to quit using a limiting word like "just" when you speak to the great Creator, the Alpha and Omega, the Potter, our loving Heavenly Father. Use words that honor Him and show your trust in Him.