This title, Spirit Sightings, came to mind during a conversation with a Christian friend. She was sharing about an encounter at church prompted by the Holy Spirit. During the sermon, the Spirit nudged her to speak with the woman and child sitting next to her. The woman seemed a bit frazzled and the young girl shy and needy.
My friend was frustrated at the timing of this prompting, but the Spirit was gentle but insistent. During the next hymn my friend spoke to the woman and offered advice about raising a shy and needy child. Since my friend and her husband have reared a wonderful young man and a young woman, she has much to offer parents about Christian parenting skills with needy children. The woman responded with a thank you; and later at another event, with genuine sincerity, thanked my friend for the advice. Have you ever imagined being used by the Holy Spirit as my friend. Or, can you conceive of the idea that you would know the Holy Spirit beckons you for a worthy deed?
The truth is, my friends, is that the Holy Spirit works with us teaching, guiding, convicting and helping us use our God-given skills and training. Amen! The idea of Spirit sightings is that so many Christians are prompted to smile at someone, walk through a certain retail door, drive on a different path, or ... you get the idea. In all, the Spirit is working, and Christians are responding.
If you look closely, you might just see the sparkle of the Holy Spirit in their eyes.
Praise God through the name and power of our Lord, Jesus Christ
Living Faith Blog - February
Connie Van Berkel
Child of God, Christian Book Author
This page was last updated: June 24, 2007
I'm Still Waiting February 7, 2007
If you've followed a previous blog entry you know that we are in the midst of selling our home. We are now in the fourth week and still no buyers. UGH! We are waiting on the Lord's timing for this event to occur. Our realtor is uncertain as to why no one is looking at our property. He thinks it's one of the best in the area, so our only thought is that God has closed the doors for awhile. I say awhile because my husband and I do have a burning desire to sell our home and we believe that burning desire is from our Lord.
I've asked the Lord why, but no response yet. I'm reminded that "in his time" is verbiage that needs to stay with me in my self talk on the matter. "Hope does not disappoint" and so hope continues. The ongoing work of keeping a house picture perfect for viewing is a daunting task, and I fear I'm on the verge of not keeping that look for long. On the other hand, in the Lord's strength I can keep on keeping on.
In the meantime, the Lord reminds me that we own and live in a home which some do not. We have hot water, clean water, and lots of space which some do not. We have an inside laundry and can clean or clothes whenever we want, which some do not. We have an office with two computer stations and the equipment to complete our work, which some do not. In my humble assessment, we are blessed. That blessing, I'm thinking, should be where my thoughts lie along with hope and trust.
The Lord is good, is working on our behalf in this community, and the Lord's will is perfect. I don't lose sight of faith and live each day through that faith and work at life as for God. I know that if I have Jesus, I need nothing else. Okay, I'm fine now. Thanks for listening.
Praise God for the beauty of Jesus Christ who fills our lives with His unconditional love acceptance and forgiveness through the cross. Amen.
I was emailing a friend asking for help with a project. The final line was that I had no ego so don't hold back and be merciless with comments about the writing project. To my surprise I ended the email with I only have an ego as a child of God. Hmmm...that thought surprised me, but what a terrific thought! I used that line again in another email.
I can't quite put my finger on why that verbiage came out of mouth (writing), but I love the idea of having an ego about being a child of God.
Those words draw me to Psalm 139 that He knew me before I was born and loved me even then. How wonderous is our God. So often in our culture in the US we come up against folks who expect us to apologize for using Jesus or God in our conversations or writing because of offending. I admit to sometimes doing just that, skipping over Jesus and God to be a people pleaser. The last time I avoided my Lord like that I was convicted by the Holy Spirit to remember my name and to whom I belong.
I and all Christians can be proud of our Lord and His father God. I also must say that in some countries where Christians are persecuted, this freedom cannot be exercised. Be assured the Holy Spirit gates and sets parameters for our brothers and sisters who lived under the persecution flag. For this very reason I'm convicted that I must celebrate as a Christian, Child of God and be thankful for my freedom to do so without fear of life.
Let all Christians everywhere pray for those who cannot pray, speak in boldness for those who cannot speak of their faith, and let us celebrate our Lord for those who cannot celebrate until Heaven gate opens for them. "Love the Lord thy God with all they heart and with all our soul and with all your mind" (Matthew 22:27 NIV. I'm proud to be the child of my Father. That pride is not my own doing, but by the Spirit that dwells in me. I belong to Him and of this my ego stands firm. Amen.
