"I preached the service tonight. It was a simple message from a section of scripture that starts ordinary and ends up supernatural. So often life is like that. Ordinary until God shows up."
Without God life is ordinary. Even as Christians we can live boring and mundane lives if we choose to live in our own power. Our abilities will only get us so far in the natural. We can have a good life with a good home and a good car and a good family and still miss out on the extraordinary things God wants to do.
This past weekend we had a missionary in our church give a message about what he had learned over the years on how to succeed. At the end of the message he told a story about a man in Toledo Ohio named Mac who did a little act of kindness that changed his life. What was amazing was that in our church was a man who grew up in Toledo and shined shoes at the bus station who knew Mac. After the church service he amazed our missionary by telling him that he knew Mac from his childhood. Our missionary always wanted to know if Mac was a Christian so he asked the man about it and he confirmed that Mac indeed was a Christian.
Things like that happen when you are in the will of God. I cannot tell you how many people come to our church broken and hurting. Many of them separated from their families. When we give the call to respond to God they come to the altar and there have been numerous accounts that they looked over across the crowd of people giving their hearts and lives to the Lord and saw the family member or old friend that they have been separated from. Some after decades of being estranged. There at the altar they have embraced and shed tears together because God supernaturally did something when they got Him in their life.
Don't settle for average. Get a hold of God! The Bible says that if we draw near to God He will draw near to us. Did you notice that we start the process. God is ever present but we activate the blessing of His presence. Draw near to Him in prayer. Draw near in studying the Bible. Draw near in praise and singing to Him. Draw near in worship and in a life laid down in sacrificial obedience. As you do the supernatural power of God will be released in your life.
Your day may start out ordinary but if you bring God in it cannot stay that way. Your story will end with a supernatural encounter with God.
What have you experienced when it comes to God doing something supernatural? Are there other ways to draw near to God?
"Draw near to me and I will draw near to you" have been the words spoken to me and over me on more than one occasion, in completely different circumstances and in one instance by a complete stranger. The first time (about 7 years ago) was during a service at Inland Christian Center with Pastor Steve Fox (I was visiting with a friend)- during the service Pastor Fox and one of the other members of the pastoral staff stopped the service and asked everyone to bow their heads and pray because they had a message for someone and they didn't want that person to get embarrassed as they were a visitor; the other member of the pastoral staff (I can't remember his name) walked up to me, pulled me aside and began prophesying over me. Things that I could not imagine myself doing were spoken over me and my life. The second time (about 2 years ago) was a text message from a family member that lives out of state and with whom I had not spoken with in years. I was told that when I go to Bible school I would become the blessing that I was meant to be. I looked into Bible school; made plans to attend, ended up volunteering for a bit and then my self interests took precedence and I started researching another career path for myself. The third time (about 6 months ago) a complete stranger walks into my office at work asks a few questions; I assist her and then she leaves. Not even two minutes later she walks back into the office and starts having a heart to heart conversation with me and prophesied over me and my life- she started off the conversation by asking if I had ever visited The Way World Outreach and I let her know that I had never visited there as I am a member of The Rock and have been attending for 27 years now.
ReplyDeleteI know that my life has a much greater calling and purpose and I need to draw near to Him.
Funny, it was not my intention to comment on any of what I wrote above but rather wanted to share an experience of God doing something supernatural and God's supernatural power (which also somewhat ties into the "Super Powers" blog posted today). During the early years of my family attending The Rock there was a prayer and healing service in which Pete Michele was preaching. My dad went up for prayer because he always had back problems due to one leg being slightly longer than the other; his leg grew and I thank God that I was able to see that with my own eyes.
That is amazing Melissa! I told my wife and she says she remembers that church service as well. We are so happy to have you staying with us at The Rock after so many years! Did you ever make it to Bible College?
DeleteI absolutely love The Rock and could not picture attending another church.
ReplyDeleteI have not started Bible College yet, but I know that I need to. I was told that it is in Bible College that I will become the blessing that I was meant to be. Right now I am trying to decide between online or face to face at The Rock Bible College. Today I was just given an opportunity to start volunteering at the San Bernardino County District Attorney's office with the Victim's Advocate Unit and I know that I would be better equipped to help individuals in those situations with the knowledge gained from Bible College.
What a wonderful opportunity. I am sure Bible College would help in those situations. I hope to see you in class this August!
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