Seeking After God's Own Heart

"REVELATION"

noreply@blogger.com (Seeking After God's Own Heart) — Fri, 09 May 2008 22:30:00 +0000

I can remember the time
When I was at church all day

And I wondered what my friends used to think
Used to think about me

Can you remember the time
When service it seemed like it lasted so very long
If I knew what I know now
I would have stayed all day

Come take me back
Where I come from
Haven't you heard that
Revelation is here

I'm so glad this revelation is here
I'm so glad this revelation is here
I'm so glad this revelation is here
I'm so glad this revelation is here

"REVELATION"
- YELLOWJACKETS: Shades (1986), Live Wires (1992)
Lyrics: Lorraine Perry / Music: Russell Ferrante

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I remember the first time I heard this song...I had just gotten married...the year was 1988. This song resonated within me the sentiments I held as a child, and also then as an adult. I had never heard of the Yellowjackets before, but my new husband introduced me to their music.

Fast forward twenty years later: I have missed 3, soon to be 4 church services consecutively, due to my recuperation period from major surgery...and boy am I missing it all! Strains of this song came to my mind today, as I had wistful memories of the singing, the music, the wonderful worship atmosphere, fellowship with my friends, and last but not least, the sermons that I am missing at church...sigh!

Boy, I wish I could be there, and if I could, just like the Yellowjackets, I would stay all day!
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It Has Finally Hit Home...

noreply@blogger.com (Seeking After God's Own Heart) — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 00:56:00 +0000

Back in the day when I had to spend many days and nights in church, I would be in such agony when the "old folks" would launch into those old hymns. They would usually sing each hymn in its entirety, or at least three stanzas with the chorus between each verse. Man, I wanted to escape! Why did they have to sing these dragging, old, long, meaningless songs? Siiiiiiiiigh!

Now that I am an adult, I willingly and faithfully go to church. At my church, we normally sing popular gospel songs or contemporary Christian songs...but lately, during worship service, we have been singing some of the songs that I remember from years gone by...and it is so wonderful!

This past Sunday, (Resurrection Sunday) I was so surprised when we sang the song, "Near the Cross," the lyrics became alive to me! At last, we sing one of the songs of old, and it "hit home" with me...the lyrics were so meaningful to me...

The old familiar song, now anew with meaning, caused an emotional dam to burst, and tears to cascade down my cheeks...

I understand the lyrics now....I guess I am finally growing up...

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Near the Cross
by Frances J. Crosby

Jesus, keep me near the cross,
There a precious fountain—
Free to all, a healing stream—
Flows from Calv’ry’s mountain.

Chorus:
In the cross, in the cross,
Be my glory ever;
Till my raptured soul shall find
Rest beyond the river.

Near the cross, a trembling soul,
Love and Mercy found me;
There the bright and morning star
Sheds its beams around me.

Chorus:
In the cross, in the cross,
Be my glory ever;
Till my raptured soul shall find
Rest beyond the river.

Near the cross! O Lamb of God,
Bring its scenes before me;
Help me walk from day to day,
With its shadows o’er me.

Chorus:
In the cross, in the cross,
Be my glory ever;
Till my raptured soul shall find
Rest beyond the river.

Near the cross I’ll watch and wait
Hoping, trusting ever,
Till I reach the golden strand,
Just beyond the river.

Chorus:
In the cross, in the cross,
Be my glory ever;
Till my raptured soul shall find
Rest beyond the river.

God's Junkie...

noreply@blogger.com (Seeking After God's Own Heart) — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 20:40:00 +0000

Lord, if loving You is wrong, then I don't wanna be right!

I am a junkie for God...

"O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water." Psalms 63:1

Like a junkie fiending for drugs, my inner spirit longs for a *connection* with God daily. While it is true that God's Holy Spirit dwells inside of me, and He is here with me at all times, I still feel 'needy' for the lack of a better term for my special personal connection...in other words, I need my fix!

"Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind." Matthew 22:37

This is very hard to put words to, but even though I know all of what I just stated, until I actually pour over the Word, or pray, or even have my own little praise and worship devotion, I am craving more of Him until thoughts of Him overtake me...and I have to give in or I am very unfulfilled... but the more I seek Him the more I need Him, the more I love Him, the more I get to know Him.

"My soul yearns for you in the night; in the morning my spirit longs for you..." Isaiah 29:9

I've heard that we are all created with a kind of internal vacuum longing for a desire fulfillment that only God can fill...but the more I seem to fill it, the bigger the vacuum becomes, needing more to be satisfied the next time...

Do you remember how Elisha was called to bring the Shunammite woman's son back to life?

"When Elisha reached the house, there was the boy lying dead on his couch. He went in, shut the door on the two of them and prayed to the LORD. Then he got on the bed and lay upon the boy, mouth to mouth, eyes to eyes, hands to hands. As he stretched himself out upon him, the boy's body grew warm. Elisha turned away and walked back and forth in the room and then got on the bed and stretched out upon him once more. The boy sneezed seven times and opened his eyes. " II Kings 4:32-35

Well, I brought that up because I can rela te to that story in the sense that I feel like life is being restored within me when I connect with Him. God resuscitates me... pours Himself into me...and I become completely rejuvenated when I spend time with the Lord....but the only thing that is disheartening, is that the fulfillment does not last.

Why doesn't it last? I would think that a filling from God's would be indefinite...but it is always finite in nature, never lasting for very long... and then I need more of Him...

If He were to create a spiritual satiation in me, would I then not seek the Lord out in earnest on my own? Ever? Honestly?....

There is this Fred Hammond song called "More of You", on the Free to Worship CD, that says it better than I ever could...you've got to buy this CD to hear not only this song, but the whole CD, as it is awesome! I am sorry I could not find an audio clip for you.

More of You

I’m standing, I’m waiting
I’m calling, I’m listening
I’m yearning, I’m wanting
Wanting more of You
I’m ready, I’m willing,
I’m stretching, I’m reaching
I’m desperately seeking
Wanting more of

Your tender touch
Your gentle ways
Always on my mind
And it makes me say

Lord Your love for me
Gives me everything I need
And it keeps me
Wanting more of You
Are my delight
And with you I’m satisfied
Your love keeps me
Wanting more of

Forever and always
Throughout all of my days
In skies blue or skies gray
I’ll be wanting You
Here’s my heart and the key
Cause Lord You complete me
Count on it I will be
Wanting more of

Your presence near
Your voice so clear
Calling out to me
To show me love

Lord Your love for me
Gives me everything I need
And it keeps me
Wanting more of You
Are my delight
And with you I’m satisfied
Your love keeps me
Wanting more of

You, I can’t stop loving You
Need so much more of You
My heart cries out for You
Lord all I want is

You (I need You more Jesus)
You (I need You so much Savior)
You (Please hear my prayer)

Lord, oh Lord, I need You more
I need You more and more and more
And more and more and more and more and…

I need more of You
More than the air I need to breathe
I need more of You
More than the water that I drink
More of You
I need You so much Jesus
You- I need much more of You
You- I need much more of You

I need more of You
More than my eyes I use to see
I need more of You
More than my heart that needs to beat
More of You
I need the Risen Savior
You- I need the Lord of Lords
You- I need Him more and more
I need Him more and more

Oh Lord, I’m chasing
My soul is thirsty
Oh Lord, please fill me
And when You have filled to the top
Please give me some more
And I’ll still want more
Can’t get enough Lord

I need more of You
More than the earth beneath my feet
I need more of You
I need you more than anything
More of You-

I need the Lord of all
You- I need Him most of all
You- I need Him more...

This Day is Coming...

noreply@blogger.com (Seeking After God's Own Heart) — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 13:54:00 +0000

It seems like any other ordinary day. You are in your car driving home from work. Your thoughts wander to the show on television that you want to see and the meal you want to eat, when suddenly a sound unlike any you've ever heard fills the air. The sound is high above you. Is it a trumpet? A choir? A choir of trumpets? You don't know, but you want to know.

So you pull over, get out of your car, and look up. As you do, you see you aren't the only curious one. The roadside has suddenly become a parking lot. Car doors are open, and people are staring at the sky. Shoppers are racing out of the grocery store. The Little League baseball game across the street has come to a halt. Players and parents with their faces turned upward are searching the skies.

As if the sky were a curtain, the drapes of the atmosphere part. A brilliant light spills onto the earth. There are no shadows. None!

From every hue ever seen and a million more never seen, riding on the flow is an endless fleet of angels. They pass through the curtains, myriads at a time, until they occupy every square inch of the sky.

North, South, East, and West.

Thousands of silvery wings rise and fall in unison, and over the sound of the trumpets, you can hear the cherubim and seraphim chanting, Holy, Holy, Holy! The final flank of angels is followed by twenty-four silver-bearded elders and a multitude of souls who join the angels in worship, Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come!

Presently the movement stops and the trumpets are silent, leaving only the triumphant triplet: Holy, Holy, Holy. Between each word is a pause. 'Holy' has suddenly become so much more than just a mere adjective. With each word, you sense a profound reverence, more than the word itself can contain. You lift your voice to join in the chorus. You have joined in the proclamation as the Spirit has now given you utterance.

And suddenly, the heavens are quiet. All is quiet. The angels turn, you turn, the entire world turns and there He is: Jesus.

Through waves of moving light you see the silhouetted figure of Christ the King. He is atop a great stallion, and the stallion is atop a huge, white, billowing cloud. He opens his mouth, and you are totally consumed by his declaration:

I am the Alpha and the Omega.

The angels bow their heads. The elders remove their crowns. And before you is a Figure so intensely permeating that you know.you instantly you know: Nothing else matters. Forget the stock markets and school reports.the sales meetings and the football games. Nothing else is newsworthy Nothing else has ever really matteredall that you wasted time on, matters no more... For Christ has come.

My question to you the reader: Are you ready for this day? Are you ready to meet the King of Kings? Your day to meet Jesus may not be the Day of His Second Coming, but sooner! So again, I ask you, are you ready to meet the King of Kings?

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Author Unknown/Author of this blog made contributions to the original article

Is Oprah Really a Christian as She Claims?

noreply@blogger.com (Seeking After God's Own Heart) — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 09:43:00 +0000

photo credit: www.thinkunique.net

I guess before I answer the title question, then I have to define characteristics of a person claiming to be a "Christian."

According to what can be gleaned from the Bible, what would be our basic definition/characteristic today of what/who is a Christian?

First and foremost, you believe in Jesus Christ
You believe that Jesus' death on the cross and His resurrection on the third day was for the atonement for your salvation, and that you are saved by grace, for life in eternity with God
You believe that Jesus is the only way to obtain salvation, the only path to God
You believe in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit
Today, you are a student of the Bible, following the teachings of the Bible, believing that the Bible is the inspired Word of God
With the power of the Holy Spirit, you live your life based on the Word of God

Having stated all of that, does Oprah meet the criteria?
NO!

I am very saddened to inform you that Oprah does not meet the basic guidelines of a Christian. I heard her say out of her own mouth on one of the broadcasts on the Oprah show, and on her own website the following:

Oprah said: "I am a Christian who believes there are many paths to God,... with 6 million people on this planet - I believe in my way but I do not believe it is the only way."

Many paths to God? Who are we as 'Christians' to contradict the Bible? Since we are the created beings, what gives us the right to believe in 'my way' as opposed the way of the Bible, just as Oprah has done?

The Bible states: Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. John 14:6

Oprah said: "Jesus? What does Jesus have to do with anything?"

Huh?! How could any so-called Christian in their right mind say, "What does Jesus have to do with anything?"

The Bible states: Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. Acts 4:12

Another Oprah deception: Over the years Oprah has always said such things as, "Hallelujah" "Praise Jesus," or "Praise the Lord." Now she says she has been 'awakened' and she will state that Jesus was a good man, but not our Lord and Savior. Really, now? So I wonder, according to the gospel of Oprah, just who is our Lord and Savior?

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16

Unfortunately, Oprah was not a learned student of the Bible, and by her own admission, she was completely turned off to churches, (thereby Christianity), when listening to a preacher speaking about God being a 'jealous' God. Oprah obviously did not understand the concept of God being jealous for our single minded love and devotion.

She misunderstood the message as stating God as being jealous of her and her stuff and her accomplishments, and believing what the preacher said to be true, in her complete misunderstanding, she found that to be preposterous! And it is preposterous to think that God could ever be jealous of her and her stuff and her accomplishments ...and it is so very sad, that a misconception on her part (from the lack of understanding of the Word) can turn the lives of so many in her sphere of influence around into a downward spiral along with her!

Oprah has gotten herself wrapped up in the teachings of people who teach the things she has been spouting lately from the likes of Marianne Williamson, Eckhart Tolle and who knows who else?

The Bible states: For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. 2 Corinthians 11:13-15

For me, the saddest thing in all of this, that this is not only about Oprah being 'lost.' Oprah is revered, respected by tens of thousands, if not millions of people...people who hang on her every last word....I admit that years ago, I used to be one of them! And now to think that she may contribute to the turning from a belief in Jesus in even one person is heart wrenching!

...For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more. Luke 12:48b

Pray earnestly, that this too will pass. Oprah will soon come to her senses, and denounce this "What does Jesus have to do with anything?" stuff.

Just as Saul was revered and even feared by many, he had an encounter with Jesus that transformed him into the Apostle Paul , and he forever changed the world for God through salvation in Jesus Christ! I am believing that Oprah can too....

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Romans 12:2

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

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Being Hated for His Namesake....

noreply@blogger.com (Seeking After God's Own Heart) — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 13:04:00 +0000

Have you ever had one person in a group decide to intensely dislike you for seemingly no reason at all? This is the first time as an adult something this strange has happened to me, even though now that I think about it, I do have a similar story to share where a group decided to not like me. Chile, God has brought me through! This is my story:

Over the summer, I was hired at the same time as another woman to perform the same job duties as me, at the place where I am still currently employed. At first when I met her, I thought she was a little 'different' but I did not dislike her. I knew right away that she was not a believer, but that was not a strike against her either.

"Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them."

To make an extremely long story short, from the beginning, since we were hired at the same time, this other woman latched onto me like we were best buds, girlfriends even. It was intense, and I decided I had to create some distance between us, while maintaining professional friendliness.

She was not happy about not being able to call me on my cell phone after work, or at home, but she seemed to deal with it. From day one, she was having a very tumultuous relationship from with her cubemate, and I helped to mediate that fiasco with another Christian co-worker to iron that out. The mediation seemed to be successful.

What I did not know was that this woman pretended to be my friend, (too friendly, really) but she was stabbing me in the back to my co-workers!! It seems that she transferred her mental and emotional hatred from her cubemate to me! I did not know about this until after she was out for a week for 'falling on ice' on the grounds outside of the workplace, and then my co-workers started talking about what she was doing and saying behind my back. I was absolutely floored!

"Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help"

I had been nothing but very nice to her..I lent her money, I was a confidential shoulder for her to cry on (on many days) when she felt life was kicking her down, I witnessed to her about the saving grace of Jesus Christ, I helped her understand different concepts about the job that she was struggling with...and here she was slandering my name behind my back.

"And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved."

Well, my co-workers all like me very much, so they just tolerated her rants about me, but no one ever told me what was going on until she pulled her 'falling on ice' scam. Then they told me that she had "reported" me to my recruiter, and that she was badmouthing me to everyone who would listen. Talk about feeling hurt, confused, and betrayed... by all of them!

"Father forgive them, for they know not what they do..."

They decided to do some research and found out on the internet that this woman had a very colorful criminal past....but it was in years beyond the background check. What?! I prayed for God to give me the right attitude, the strength to forgive them for not telling me what was going on, and to love everyone in spite of all of OUR flaws.

"Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding."

I started to pray for this woman and my co-workers...it wasn't always easy to do, but I did it. Later on, I remembered from the Word that when you put your trust in God, and pray for your enemies, they can become confounded in their doings.

"Touch not my anointed, do my prophet no harm."

This particular woman for some reason stepped up her attack against me when she returned to work. She came back to work not blatantly speaking to me at all, like I had done somethng to her! She tried to spread malicious lies about me to my co-workers, but unbeknownst to them, God opened their eyes, and let them see her for what she truly was.

"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."

She carried on so much nonsense, and kept trying to stir confusion in the office that a couple of weeks later when my boss had to make a "budget cut" who do you think got the ax? Ha, ha! Praise Him!

"Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord."

I have to admit, that I was not sad when the Lord got His vengeance! But even still getting "let go" was not enough to open her eyes to see the error of her ways. She then sent letters to 2 of my co-workers slandering me, trying to get them to turn against me. She even sent a letter to our recruiter's boss stating that he had been unfair to her, favoring me, and even insinuated that he was was having an unprofessional relationship with me! My goodness, of all the stupid things to make up!!!

Well, that was the straw that broke the camel's back did for the the company that hired us...they told her under no circumstances was she to initiate contact with me, or any of my co-workers or even with the recruiting firm--they were done with her!

Do you think she has been awakened to the error of her ways yet? I sure pray that her hardened, jealous heart becomes softened, to allow God's love to reach her and transform her.She needs serious prayer folks: At one point early on, she told me that she had once been a Christian but turned her back on it, because God did not seem to do anything that was ever beneficial for her, so it was a waste of her time and effort. When she said that, I was thinking: Huh!? Hello? Was waking up this morning not enough? You poor, poor dear.

"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service."

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Barack Obama? "Yes We Can" Video!

noreply@blogger.com (Seeking After God's Own Heart) — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 23:24:00 +0000

Interesting........

Does God Still Heal Today?

noreply@blogger.com (Seeking After God's Own Heart) — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 22:57:00 +0000

I personally know lots of people who do not believe that God heals today. If that indeed the case consider this: The Bible is a handbook for us to live by today, correct? Is the Bible not the God breathed, inerrant Word of God? The Word says that God does not change, is that correct? The Word also says that God is not a man that He should lie, correct? Wasn't Jesus the Word made flesh? Did Jesus lie? Therefore does the Word contain lies? I think not!

Why is it that the majority of Jesus' miracles He performed involved healing of the sick among them? Wouldn't it be pointless to perform those miracles and include them in the New Testament for us to read today, if it were not for today? Just my thoughts...While it is true that God does not choose to heal everyone, we cannot know the mind of God, or try to understand His choices by confining Him inside the smallness of the human capacity of logic.

God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill? Numbers 23:19

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. John 1:14,15

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:8,9

Personally, I have experienced God's healing through the laying on of hands, so I have first hand knowledge and experiences in my life that healing is one of God's riches for us today. Consider this:

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. John 10:10

Jesus came so that we may have life and have it more abundantly. I don't know about you, but to me living abundantly has to mean first and foremost good health! When you have your health, everything else is great....but when your health fails, nothing else really seems to matter, right? Health is something that you cannot buy or trade...you can manage it by being a good steward of your body's health, because after all, it is a temple of the Holy Ghost!

I am currently studying the aspect of healing, and it seems repeatedly that two recurring factors usually go hand and hand for a healing to take place: OBEDIENCE and FAITH!

To be continued..............\0/

Falling in Love With Jesus!

noreply@blogger.com (Seeking After God's Own Heart) — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 21:52:00 +0000

Jonathan Butler appearing on BET singing a medley of songs including my favorite--'Falling in Love With Jesus'!

I ran into Jonathan Butler in the airport in November 2007!
He was SO nice!

"Ye shall know them by their fruits..." Matthew 7:16

Stevie Wonder Falling in Love with Jesus!

noreply@blogger.com (Seeking After God's Own Heart) — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 22:54:00 +0000

Stevie Wonder singing the same song!