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Here is the final lecture I attended at the Elim Leadership Conference – the last week in May. So sorry to be so late – just hit the ground running – so to speak and then have not returned to finish this.

The speaker was David Ireland and he spoke from Judges 6 on Gideon

God Wants Us To Become Mighty Warriors. 

Judges 6:1-12 v.12 12 – -When the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, he said, “The LORD is with you, mighty warrior.’ Gideon is threshing wheat inside when he should be outside. He hiding from his enemies by doing it inside a cave. He was a wimp. Gideon in his state of discouragement hears the words, “You, mighty warrior.” Gideon’s response; Judg 6:13  “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about when they said, ‘Did not the LORD bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the LORD has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.”

We think our questions will release us of the responsibility of doing what the Lord has asked. It comes from discouragement. We become, like Gideon, discouraged by our circumstances. “God where are your miracles, There have been many times we have needed you and you did not show. We are living in caves – where are you and your miracles.” Judg 6:14

The LORD turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?”

The Lord is the same. He calls us Mighty Warriors – He send us to go with the strength you have. “Gideon, step up to it and take the responsibility.”

You bring yourself to the table. One of the greatest way to discourage discouragement – then challenge God. Step up and tell the Lord, “Here I am, use me.” We wear our discouragement like a badge. We wear our trouble instead of stepping up in faith.

Gideon’s answer: Judg 6:15     “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.”  You’ve got the wrong guy – I’m a nobody – I come from a nobody family – you are mistaken.” God’s answer, “I will be with you.”

When God’s with you it makes all the difference in the world – it doesn’t matter how many are against you. If you look at yourself at being insignificant, then God will never be seen as significant to you. We must see God is a very present help in time of trouble. Gideon all you need is me – we will do great things. The wisdom of God, always baffles people.

Change your paradigm – change your questions and your attitude toward yourself – God is with you – trust Him.

Discouragement makes us complacent, it makes us stop dreaming, sends us into doubt where we doubt God. Shake it off – does not let it light.

Is that really you God – show me a sign. When we allow fear to cripple us – we cannot do anything for God. Gideon, I will help you through your fear.

Isa 35:3-4 (Hebrews 12) 2 Tim. 1:7 Your Goliath needs you to conquer it so you can go to the next level.

Be a trend setter. Don’t wash the car in the garage. Do what you do for the light to shine and for others to know you are standing.

Throw away your excuses – you are a warrior – Get to the work.

The message was very encouraging. Even re-reading it stirs me to shake off the sin and discouragement that so easily gets in my way and press forward toward the goal of the upward call in Christ Jesus!

The conference continues to be very, very good. I attended the Women’s Luncheon on Wednesday and was blessed with meeting new friends and getting to touch base with people I know. After lunch, we gathered for a time of being together and a testimony. A young woman from Africa, Nadine Feser, who is the Artestic Director for Pamoja Ministries in Tanzania, shared her heroic and miraculous recovery from a nearly fatal fall of 262 ft., and her journeys with the Lord in the process of moving toward healing and a new type of life. It was an unusual presentation with her singing her original heart songs through-out the presentation. It was excellent.

We received word Wednesday morning that Ruth Veach, mother of Nancy Clark and long time Elim precious one, went home to the Lord on Wednesday morning. Nancy was at the lunch and shared some of her heart with us. It was a very excellent program.

Wednesday evening, Lisa Bevere was not able to be here, due to her plane being rounded in  Chicago and all flights cancelled due to bad weather. Robert Morris spoke to us once again and I am including my notes below. It, once again, was a precious blessing. I urge you to examine the notes closely and learn much. Bless you and thanks for reading. I know these are a bit longer than my normal posts, but I believe they have great value.

Robert Morris – Wednesday Evening

Luke 15 & Hebrews 4

Luke 15 – Prodigal – a person lacking restraint

Why do we become prodigals – because we are three parts – Gen. 2: 7 -Spirit, soul, body

When God wanted something, He spoke to what He wanted it made of, sustained by and returned to. He both created and made some things – not the same action. Creation = out of nothing; other things He spoke to what He wanted them to come out of; trees, animals come from dirt and are sustained by dirt and return to dirt.

When God wanted mankind He spoke to Himself.  Gen. 1:26. My body was made out of dirt. I was created in His image. What would happen if a plant turned to the dirt and said “I’m pulling out.” It would die. Man said to God, “I’m pulling out.” and his body dies. But the Spirit is not sustained by dirt, but by Him.

He created to my spirit to relate to Him; He created my body to relate to earth; He made my soul to relate to both Him and the earth.

Our spirits were dead when we were born. So we have primarily related to God through our soul: mind=thoughts; will = desires; emotions=feelings. We continually relate the things of God through our soul. We must learn to relate though Spirit.

Have you ever read anything in Scripture that does not applied to you? “God always leads us in triumph.” Just what is our experience with that one? (Several other illustrations given.) Some statements are related to spirit, some to soul, and some to body.

My spirit is redeemed –  it’s done – Ephesians 1 – work that is done.

Hebrews 10:39 – those who believe to the saving of the soul; James 3:21 – word able to save your souls. etc…

Salvation = Greek work – Soso – my spirit has been made whole; my soul is being made whole – renewing my mind; my body will be made whole.

Why would a Christian ever become a prodigal? Because they are relating to God through their soul.

1.The soul is extremely selfish. We relate to God and His creation only through what we can see feel and know. Truth: your mind is far, far, beyond any computer. Your mind has everything that has ever happened to you. The strongholds are things that cause one to make decisions based on past experiences – determines how we relate to people and to the Lord. When our minds become renewed (through and in the Word) then we begin to think His thoughts instead what has happened – now we remember volumes of scriptures that relate to this situation. The renewed mind goes to scripture – not to past experiences.

The soul must submit to the spirit – Romans 9:7 – Jacob & Esau. In the NT – represents the soul and the spirit. “flesh” is the soulish part. The soul must submit to the spirit.We need to feed the spirit and renew the mind. Psalm 131 – “I have calmed and quieted my soul.” He told his soul to be quiet and to bless the Lord. Like a weaned child. 1 Corinthians. 3 – I cannot speak to you as “spiritual” but as “fleshly” Hebrews 5 – you need milk and not solid food; youre unskilled in the word of “righteousness.”  The soul thinks your trying to kill him so he screams and throws a fit. In reality you are trying to kill him. If you let your soul die, you will save it.

The soul must die. It has to die – “I die daily.”

Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is living and powerful and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the soul and the spirit and of joint and marrow and a discerning of the thoughts and intents of the heart; and there is no creature hidden from His sight and open and laid bare before Him with whom we have to do.  “open” from Greek = throat/to expose the throat for execution. God has big plans for your soul. That is what He wants to do with your soul – what you think and how you feel about it is of no consequence. Phil 2:5-11. What He did to Jesus, He wants to do to you. The soul must be killed. The sword of the Spirit (word of God) does the action.

Dead men don’t argue with their wives. (explanation – dead men don’t need to be right). If I die to how I think about it, feel about it, my desires in it, then ask Jesus what He wants to think about it. Then I am beginning to relate according to the spirit in me and not my soul.

Is there an area of my life where I am sitting up in a casket? (I am supposed to be dead to much). Lord I ask you to reveal to us in our lives, where have we resurrected ourselves? Then take the sword of your Spirit and kill those areas so we begin to relate in spirit. In Jesus Name. Amen.

The time here at Elim is very rewarding. I am getting to see a lot of folk that I only get to see during such an event. I am totally enjoying myself. However, I cannot attend all the sessions, so I am only able to give you what this body can do. But the reports of folk are exciting and fantastic – even of those I have needed to miss. (If one takes in all the sessions – they must be younger and able to maintain longer times without “time out.” So I lean into those to find out about what I have  to miss. Also I will catch up with DVD’s I will purchase).

The business meeting of Elim Fellowship was a good one. This is one of my priorities because I learn much about what is going on and I am all ears and eyes about how such meetings are conducted – I always want to learn). The president of Elim Fellowship, Ron Burigo, give a opening devotional on the theme (Focus) of the conference that was exceedingly good. The gist of it is:

Change demands Focus. Focus is essential to embrace change. Take God’s word that He has given you and focus on it. Going from glory to glory is the result of focus. To focus is to adjust the lens of the vision. Change requires vision. Hebrews 12:1-4 – to “fix” one’s eyes is to focus. Hebrews 6:10-15 – God is not one to forget our work. “Strengthening the leader, to equip the church, to reach the world” – that is the motto of Elim Fellowship. That is what we are all about.

Robert Morris was the speaker for our evening session and for two sessions this morning that I did not hear. (later) His photo is above. He was exceedingly good and accurate with the Word. Of course that really blessed me. The gist of his sermon:

We are to work with Genesis 2:19 and 1 Samuel 17:4 (both passages – not just the verse) One of his very good comments was “Sin makes us stupid.” Really good. When we work with the Word, He makes us more intelligent that we really are in the natural.

He worked with “theology” and the need for it, especially as we are teaching the next generation. We must teach the truth about God and who He really is. He related a story of when he was on vacation – on a cruse ship – and reading a “fun” book. He looked up at an Alaskan scene that was before him and wonder filled his heart. The Lord spoke to Him, “I need you.” Bro. Morris began to argue because he knows his theology and knows that God needs nothing. Yet, the Lord began to reveal that through-out scripture, except for the creation, He does nothing without man. God in his sovereignty has chosen to need man.

There were three main points: 1) God (in reality) needs nothing. 2) God decided to need you – He does not need me to exist on my own, but He needs me to co-exist with Him. 3) Have you decided to need God. There were three main sub-points under #3. a) God is never going to do our part. b) Our part is never supernatural. c) God has done His work, now He waits for us to partner with Him. He moves after we trust Him.

It was very, very good. I said “Amen” often. Those of you reading who have been attending our Friday Fellowships, know this is right along the avenues the Lord has been leading us to teach. It was such confirmation of where the Lord is leading us in teaching.

This morning I have rested. I will attend the Ladies Luncheon at noon, a workshop in the afternoon and then the evening session with Lisa Bevere teaching. Have an awesome day and thanks so for reading.

Tonight was the worship/concert led by Kim Walker-Smith and her band at Elim Gospel Church. It was a joy and privilege to be present.

Reylene Van Gelden (one of the Psalm 19 Board of Directors and ordained through Harvest Ministries) and I went to Elim Gospel Church for the worship and we are here through the Elim Leadership Conference ending Thursday Evening. I had promised my Prayer Warriors who receive my Prayer Letters via email each week that I would try to blog to conference. So this is the beginning of that.

The building (seats about 1,000) was filled, and we finally found seats. Then it began – much more worship than concert and the young lady did a wonderful job of leading us. (I  know the photo is blurred, but my cell phone at least got something of the setting).The young people there were delighted, excited and could dance in the way I no longer attempt to do. It was well work our time to be there. This is the church of tomorrow and they love the Lord very much. To see them engaged in worship was a delight to our hearts. They loved the music, but that was not their point of engagement. They were worshipping our Lord Jesus Christ. Awesome to be there and to worship with them – even though we did sit some of the time and were much less active than most of them – still we had a marvelous time and were blessed in Jesus. Most of the lyrics of the songs were very good.  There is a new wave of sound theologically accurate lyrics coming. This is getting there.

We will attend the Business Meeting of the Fellowship tomorrow afternoon and then the full conference gets underway with Robert Morris speaking tomorrow evening. Come along. I will try to post the highlights here each evening.

What a strange title! Yes, but what a precious word. Having allowed, by invitation, the Lord Jesus to live within, then He is always “with.” We are never alone, never isolated, never left out. Now you see why this word is precious.  The Lord’s words, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matt.28:20b – NIV 2011) in Matthew are very clear.

When He originally said these words, He was speaking in reference to what is generally called “the great commission.”  He was letting the Apostles know He had all authority (as the risen King) and as they went (not so much a command but an instruction of action that is to govern our goings and comings of life), they were to understand He would empower their obedience to share. His authority and His presence with us is an undeniable power far beyond  human capacity. Now all our “goings” become a “with” and in the “with” they are empowered for what He has said for us to be busy doing – making disciples, baptizing them, teaching them obedience – all this encased in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

He never leaves us alone, and He never fails to empower obedience in us. When disobedience occurs, then we have chosen (which He will always allow) to do what He has not chosen. He still stays “with.” We are in covenant and so He is with each one of us for the long haul. Simply put – “with.”

Such love and mercy is beyond my mind’s capability. Yet, I trust. He is “with” me – He is “with” you always. Precious – “with.”

Tonight I am teaching our mid-week service at Church of the Resurrection and I am teaching from Galatians 5. Pastor Lou Giordano (Sr. Pastor) taught a very fine lesson on that passage last week, and I kept seeing things as he went along, and so have chosen to go through it once more and end it with an understanding of the fruit of the Spirit the Lord gave me some years ago.

Romans 10:4 “Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.” This is fully explained in Galatians 5 where it is made very clear that anything we add to Christ eliminates Christ. In other words, not even something added that God gave in another covenant’s time will work now. Christ has done everything and is everything for us. Nothing we do, or someone else does is to be added to us. He alone is enough.

He has given through the Holy Spirit, all that is needed, righteousness, gifts, fruit, even transformation of mind through the Word and fellowship in the Holy Spirit. One quote my pastor gave was “The Law requires what the Spirit does.” Awesome thought. So tonight we will work with the fact that He is enough and when we walk in the Spirit we will not satisfy the desires of the flesh. These matters will take a bit of time to sink in to our hearts and minds, but the reward of trusting Christ fully is the result.

I just read an excellent post from a fellow blogger that I want to share. Dorcas is ordained through the Assembly of God and is rich in her understanding of the placement of women in the church. Here she is reviewing a book for a publishing house.

I thought my readers might enjoy reading her post. Go to:

http://pastoretteponderings.blogspot.com/

I have changed my theme and put a “header” up from some of my photo’s taken a few years ago. A home near where I lived at the time was awash with such and when the owner noticed me out near the road taking some photographs, he welcomed me into the total yard to click at will. It was beautiful. So I share some of them with you today.

I have a few daffodils blooming and the tulips are nice and green, showing promise of blooms a few weeks away. Well, after all, I do live in Central NY and we have not been  clear of snow for many days and could still have more (shhhh…). So, a few things blooming is wonderful.