Women, prophecy and the church
"A woman with the gift of prophecy has to be very careful," the preacher said. "What she hears from God, she is not to speak but to take to her prayer closet.”
"A woman with the gift of prophecy has to be very careful," the preacher said. "What she hears from God, she is not to speak but to take to her prayer closet.”
Our Lord does not sit idly by when his people have breathing problems. He who created us and who gave himself for us knows how crucial it is to act when breathing stops.
Receiving and releasing the Breath of God is key to passing through deep waters and not being pulled under. It is key to walking through the fire and not being consumed. It is, in fact, the primary act of faith that gets the toxins out and the life-giving stuff in, no matter what you're going through.
You pursue truth differently when you're desperate, when your life hinges on what you find – and your spirit is released to resonate with the Spirit of God.
In the church, those obsessed with manipulating, intimidating and dominating can pose as those serving God. And we can be very fooled for a very long time.
A person can be a Christian, yet not live by the Spirit. Ah, but that's not what our Lord intends.
When it comes to dealing with anything spirit, the church has a long history of ignoring, twisting, adding to and taking away from the truth that gives us rest.
Our Lord is building his church. He told us what is key. “Love one another,” he said. When that is happening, all that embodies Christ’s love flows both ways.
In Moses’ day, the Lord went to great lengths to make a way to dwell in the midst of his people. Now, he’s made the way for his glory to dwell within us.
Raised above the heads of those who hated him, those who grieved for him and those who liked the show, how was he able to breathe? Breathing required pushing up on those pierced feet. Breathing required ramming splintered wood into his shredded back. Breathing required an unfathomable commitment to finish.
When someone can’t breathe, it’s time to act. Often, however, the person with this problem cannot initiate action. As we learn to live by the Breath, God may entrust us with being first responders to others who cannot breathe.
God notices when someone he loves stops breathing. He notices, and he cries out: "It’s me! Wake up! Remember how! You will come to life. You will come to life! And you will know who I AM."