Join me in Charlotte! Friday and Saturday, Sept 16-17, 2011
First Baptist Charlotte,
My class? Quiet Time 101
Great speakers!
Great music!
Great food!
Joel 2:12
“Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to Me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.”
Ok, so you’ve taken the first step in knowing God! But let me ask you a question… Is God real to you? Or is He far away and distant?
The God of the Universe, the ONE who created you, wants to have a vibrant relationship with you. Yet sadly, it often takes storms of epic proportions in order for us to make Him more than the building we attend once a week.
Thus far, God has allowed 3 major storms in my life. They all rattled my chains – some, so violently, I’ve never been the same since. (I’ll briefly discuss the first 2 today, the 3rd I’ll go into tomorrow.)
1. Storm #1: January 2003
My husband was married to the meanest; angriest, most bitter, self-consumed woman on the planet who had total princess mentality. I thought he was the one who needed to change – but in reality – it was me.
Shortly after New Years, when I was desperate for change, I slowly began to apply what I was learning in Bible study to my marriage. I very quickly began to see that the “Jesus stuff” works! (You’ll have to get my study, Intimacy with God to read the rest of the story.) But let me just say, a miracle happened in my home.
That’s another reason why I’m such a big fan of The Politically Incorrect Wife.
2. Storm #2: June 2005
My daughter was diagnosed with a very rare, serious auto-immune disease. In fact, on June 15, 2005, her health was so precarious, the doctors would not even promise me she would survive.
My next door neighbor, Suzi, a prayer warrior, put together a prayer group to bang on heaven’s door on Caroline’s behalf. God moved mightily in response to prayer that year. Tears flood my eyes even thinking about it. I saw first hand the atomic bomb leashing power released by going to your knees in fervant prayer.
A few weeks after this June 15th horrid day, the Lord gave me the promise during a quiet time. Job 1:16.
“You will surely forget your trouble, recalling it only as waters gone by.” In other words, Caroline’s disease will go into remission – and it will not come back. You will remember this as a period of time as waters gone by.
Six months later when we saw physical evidence of Caroline’s improvement, the doctor said to me, “You know Mrs. Furman, Caroline is doing great. One day you will look at this period of time as water’s gone by.”
I almost passed out in the exam room at Duke. This unbelieving doctor had used the EXACT SAME words God had when He spoke to me out of Scripture. (And you wonder why I’m passionate about spending regular time with God… Oh, how we miss out when we miss our time with Him. What are you missing out on hearing because you’re determined to get 20 more minutes of sleep?
This morning, we were at Duke again. Although it’s been over 6 years, Caroline is much better, but we are still seen quarterly. Caroline is thriving and her disease is in remission with no sign of a recurance, nor do I expect there to be.
Why?
Because the Living God has spoken to me personally about this and He keeps His promises. God is real! He’s alive, He’s personal and He will speak into the depths of your heart if you will let Him.
Has your life been affected by a storm of epic proportion?
- Are you a victim of the economy?
- The storm of a broken home; a broken relationship; the death of someone close to you?
- A diagnosis?
- A past shame – such as adultery, divorce, an addiction?
If so, “return to Him with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” He’s trying to get your attention. Allow Him to be more than just the building you attend each week –