My Teachers Bribed Me

As a child, I remember memorizing many scripture verses. We were "bribed" by our Sunday School teachers to learn and quote them by heart. If we did, we'd receive prizes and rewards. Right or wrong, it worked for me, because I know those scriptures from memory and I live by them still today. For any crisis, concern or fear, one will pop to my mind and I will be comforted.

Years ago, I was asked to be a public “Reader”/“Lector” at my church. Joshua 1:8 says “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” I am speaking, meditating and living God’s holy words. I promise you – God’s words have valuable rewards for us. My Sunday School teachers really weren’t bribing us, though the candy and treats were awe-inspiring. They were teaching us Joshua 1:8 and its merits.

Today is Ascension Sunday -- the day we celebrate Jesus' ascension to heaven after He had risen from the dead and appeared to His disciples many times. I’ll be reading various scriptures from Hebrews 9 & 10 at my church. I take it seriously. I rehearse my readings many times. By the time I read publicly, I have become intimately familiar with the words. The more I've read them, the more I understood the message of the Apostle Paul. I was impressed to write this blog because of some of the scriptures I'll be reading today.

In Hebrews 9:24, because of His ascension to heaven, we hear that “Christ intercedes for us in the very presence of God.” How comforting to know that Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father – interceding for us! Isn’t that reassuring? He takes our problems, our heartaches, and our everyday concerns to Dad.

And in Hebrews 9:26, we read about the high priests who used blood from an animal to make a sacrifice for our sins. But now, Christ’s one perfect sacrifice of Himself requires no repetition. Jesus paid the ultimate price. He paid a debt He didn’t owe – once and for all! “Whoever believes….will not perish but have everlasting life!” (John 3:16) Thanks be to God! You can tell I’m totally amped up about proclaiming these words today!

The last lines of the reading, Hebrews 10:23, shows us how to live it out: “Let us hold unwaveringly (I like that word) to our confession that gives us hope, for He Who made the promise is trustworthy.” The icing on the cake. I won't be timid as I read those words because they are words that have sustained me, given me hope for today and tomorrow. He is a promise-keeper and so am I. I promise to serve He Who gave His all for me and live my faith outside and in my heart all the days of my life.

I’ve made these scriptures my prayer for days. Now I pray the words I read from God’s Holy Word today will open the ears of those who will hear me reading. I pray for the strength to put aside my own ego and for the Spirit to speak through me. I pray that as you listen to your pastor, priest, lectors, and readers of God’s Holy Word that your ears and heart are wide open to receive what God is saying to you today, too!

Getting Ready to be Overshadowed

Have you ever felt Holy Spirit’s presence so intensely, that you thought you could reach out and touch Him? That was me yesterday morning. I proceeded with my early morning routine: brushed my teeth, grabbed my mug of water and phone for the text message I’d send to my children later, put the fireplace on and sat in my cozy chair, opened my computer and hit the “post” button on my FB page and my blog.

This morning was very different. I sensed such closeness with the Holy Spirit that it was almost tangible. Maybe it was because I had been pondering the Advent talk I will be giving at my church next Wednesday night because when I awoke, I thought about Mary and the announcement by Gabriel that she would conceive a child and she asked: “How can this be since I am a virgin?” And Gabriel replied "'The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will OVERSHADOW you.'" Luke 1:35

Suddenly, I desired to be overshadowed by the Holy Spirit too. Suddenly the matters of this world seemed so distant to me. It reminded me of an old song we sang: “Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.“ Not long after my sweet Holy Spirit time, I was brought back to the reality of my “To Do” list and “How can I get all this done before I leave town next week?” But, like a cowboy throwing his lasso on a steer to wrangle him in, I felt Holy Spirit pulling me back into that “sweet spot”.

Gabriel gave Mary the amazing news that she was going to give birth to the Son of God -- without knowing a man. That wasn't even believable in the natural. We can only imagine the doubt that must have bombarded her mind: "How can I have a baby without a man?” My “How” certainly paled in comparison to Mary’s “How”. When Mary answered the angel back, she didn't say, "I don't see how that can happen." No, Mary was bold. She made a statement of faith. She said, "Be it unto me even as you have said." In other words, "I'm in agreement. Let it happen. If God says I'm highly favored, I believe it. If God says the impossible is going to happen, I believe it." And, my dear FB and blog friends and family, that's the way we need to be when God puts a promise in our hearts. Instead of trying to reason it out, we have to be fully convinced that what He said, He will do.

You may have a "how" in your life right now. You may be thinking, "I believe I'm going to accomplish my dreams, but how am I going to do it?" "How am I going to get well?" "How am I going to overcome this addiction?" What the angel said to Mary is true for all of us today. He said, "Mary, here's how it's going to happen: the power of the Most High is going to come upon you and overshadow you." In other words, God is going to breathe in your direction, and supernatural things are going to happen.

How are you going to get well? The power of the Most High is going to come upon you. How are you going to accomplish your dreams? The Most High God, the Great I Am, the Creator of the universe is going to overshadow you. When God overshadows you, miracles happen. Supernatural opportunities come your way. Family members that were off course will suddenly turn around. Problems that looked permanent will turn out to be only temporary, and you will see miracles come to pass!

Today, just like Mary, let's dig our heels in and do our part. Let's get into agreement with God's Word and receive His promises and obey His commands. Let's get ready for God's Spirit to OVERSHADOW us!