I remember thinking she is very hyper. I remember thinking - she knows her stuff, and I remember thinking that most of these women were crazy -- it sort of seemed like they worshiped her. And I watched these GROWN women all stand in lines to get her autograph and buy stuff. Now buying stuff -- I could get into that, and I did! I purchased a bible and few things and eventually there was a bible study at my church and I signed up. Did it. After some time, I even led one of those bible studies.
But that was truly before I fell in love with Jesus. Truly fell in love. Oh -- I believed I loved HIM, but I had no clue. You don't know what you don't know at times!
But I did admire Beth's love for HIM and she certainly had the audience and attention of many!!
However, as time passed, many years, God used a blog by Beth Moore to literally speak to me over a 3 year period when I thought I was going crazy. Literally Crazy. I knew my marriage was crumbling right in front of me. We had basically stopped going to church and I was just surviving. There were so many red flags and I did not ignore them, I was just overwhelmed. Those years were very hard but if you were around me----I just kept smiling. I was a great actress. Shortly before the 'end' of that three years, I began to reach out to a few - I was SO tired of 'faking it'.
Then, at the end of that period....my world shook.
God revealed something that tore the house down.
And, that previous time spent with Beth and her blog---which made me seek God's Word and His blog ----
-------well... it HELD me and thus began a journey where the death of myself occurred and a new birth into a REAL relationship with Jesus transpired. ( This was almost 10 years ago now.)
But in that time, I felt Beth lived, breathed, and sat on my shoulder.
I know now it was Holy Spirit - but, it was the venue, or it was the blog, in which I related. God showed me through this adoration of Beth Moore -- that indeed, my source had to be HIM - God alone. God also showed me how I had created IDOLS. ( THAT has been blogged about before! ) My love affair for and with Beth Moore, has decreased. She is 'man' and 'man' will fail us. Unfortunately, I had to learn the hard way with several tests and examples within my life that MAN/Woman will always fail us.
We can ONLY look to our heavenly Father. And to quote my former therapist, "Michelle, stop reading everything else - just read your bible!" I tend to believe that we can get way too caught up in other peoples lives - we must focus on our own families first.
But God still uses her. Beth that is. But I also know -- HE is using me. Yep!
I made a point to go and hear her speak this past April and it so refreshed my spirit and God spoke through her. And this past Saturday, as she spoke to some 8000 women at the Sears Tower in Chicago while some 10,000 of us around the world watched from our own little spots--- God spoke through her again. He used her to remind me of something.
I am thankful for Beth, Joyce, Christine, and Lisa Bevere...all women that are rising up in the forefront of ministry. If you read each of the others' materials right now, you will find a common factor , Jesus. And Holy Spirit is moving and to me -- each is saying the same stuff. Dauh... God is speaking and it is the same Holy Spirit! Amen. I don't want to be deceived -- if Lucifer could convince 1/3 of the Angels that walked and knew God personally to .....fall.... I don't claim to be some one who does not think -- I won't escape.
Discernment against false prophets and Satan's lies are critical to know. We must use Scripture as our assessment too -- and make sure everything we allow to SINK into our souls is indeed from God!!
So, let me share something:
Mathew 18. 19-20
19 “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”
Here is a little bit of Beth:
The word agree in this passage in Greek is symphoneo which sounds like (soom foe NEH oh ).
Do you hear that word...what does that sound like? Symphony!
A symphony consists of a rather lengthy piece of music that is complex and it is played by a group of musicians - each playing their own instrument and it creates a perfect sound or melody. There is harmony and complexity and a variety!!
Beth used that word to speak about our role here with God in His plans. Like, we all have a seat in that DIVINE symphony and we must be in that seat - not anothers! Another point, that the Conductor is the one we all follow -- that would have to be God. Another point -- the 1st strong string violin was the Concert Master in which EVERY instrument would tune itself to that one instrument. So what is the Concert Master in us? Scripture needs to be our Concert Master. We must use God's Word as our visible piece that we turn everything by ! And then the SOUND me make ...is when we agree ...this pleases the EAR of Jesus. Harmony!!
Cool, right?
So now -- this is Michelle....
I want to be in HIS great symphony and when I get to heaven, I want to hear, "well done my good and faithful servant". I want that for others too. I want to play my instrument, and play what HE has orchestrated for me to play and play it well. I want that for others as well!
And I need to be IN Tune.. so, God's Word is my Concert Master but indeed, my Conductor is God. I want that for the ones around me.
God I pray those around me will see the reason we hide Your word in our hearts!! I am not going to sit in the Audience and just enjoy -- I am part of HIS Symphony and I will do His will -- until everything God wants accomplished is accomplished.
Agreeing that God's will would be done, here on Earth as it is in heaven!
Tonight a sweet friend reminded me to TRUST in HIM and How God asks me to play my instrument for HIM. God has been working on me all summer and has reminded me that I must trust Him for my approval ratings! I am not Beth Moore, but I pray that people do see Jesus in me. I pray that my body language and the words that flow out, indeed reflect my heart.
God is so stinking sweet.
When I read Matthew 18. 19-20 -- I read the words, whenever 2 or 3 ...are gathered in my name... I can hear the childhood song -- WHENEVER 2 or 3 are gathered in my name... I will be with you, the Lord proclaimed.....Come Children, come children gather round the Lord...come children come children - hear His Holy Word! And HE will be us happiness and He will be us peace, His power is forever and His wonders never cease......
2-3 are gathered in His name. NO prayer request is TOO small, NOTHING is too petty or stupid. God knows the number of hairs on Your head, He set the stars in place -- NOTHING is too difficult for Him!
Lord, thank you for being my friend. My personal best friend. My 'list' is in my heart - I trust You will provide, answer, and move when needed and I thank you for it. Lord, Continue to use me and sustain me. Thank you for this summer, for this season of being taught some new concepts and then being tested to make sure -- I learned. Lord, for the death you worked in me this past summer and for the new life your brought to me.
Lord, tonight a bevy of beauties met to begin a labor of love -- helping others to be set free. Bless their efforts and their desires to please you as well.
Tonight, I am declaring again a healing within my body that will be supernatural.
Tonight, again, I will declare that my need to please and seek affirmation from people will decrease and as I LEAN more and more into you -- peace beyond all understanding will flow.
Tonight, let those around me see that peace. I know I seem to be in a flurry so often - but that is HOW you made me. I truly REST in you - I TRULY see and hear you constantly and consistently so help those others trust YOU in me.
I am most humbled Lord that I get the privilege to serve you in this manner....
In Jesus name, Amen.
19 “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”
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