Trying to Outgive God

I am having fun these days.  I have been trying to out give God.  It's been very tough... He seems to delight in giving back far more than I could ever ask or imagine.

For example, the fellow that usually does all the video editing was away for two months and I stepped up to help.  I didn't realize how much work it was and then the lady who also stepped up to help had to back out so I was left with the full work load.  The Lord gave me grace and just kept telling me to lay my life down.  Ouch.   That's not what we want to hear.  We want to pursue our dreams, our wants, our goals.

In any case I surrendered all, sometimes many times a week and learned a valuable skill.   My hat is off to all those who videotape church services.   It takes a lot of focus and concentration to follow a moving speaker for over an hour.  It always seems that as soon as you look away to give your eyes a break that that is when the speaker moves!

I won't mention all the equipment problems. I once told someone that the computer had crashed so we might be missing a portion of the service and he replied, "You need to release the anointing on all your equipment!" 

Of course he was right, I just never thought of it!  We learn something new every day.

Anyhow.... the fellow that usually does the the editing is back so I only have half the work load now.  PTL! 

I am sharing a clip I made from last Sunday's service. I was videotaping so I couldn't make notes.   It's got three similar prophesies on it by three different people! I think God was trying to make a point!
 Truly, he is working while we wait on him and there's nothing greater than laying your life down for friends. (ref. Is. 64:4, John 15:13)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQv9LnnVMeM&context=C44f49aeADvjVQa1PpcFPiAO7srpoRzkTrJhFGuXgukFioyojIBb0=

There you have it.... we can never out give God. Never!

Have a great day trying to out give God!

Big hugs,
Brenda Gale Thompson

New Knees!

I was helping with the ministry team on Tuesday night and happened to be beside the preacher as he prayed for a lady with metal in her knees.  She was in incredible pain just trying to stand up and move to where the preacher wanted the people to go stand for prayer. 

When he prayed for her she went down and he moved on to pray for other people that had surgical metal in their bodies.  I could feel an empowering as I was praying for her and I saw a quick vision of leg bones with knee caps.  The Lord wanted me to pray for her so I downloaded knees into her by faith, while she was down on the floor. 

She then moved her leg a bit and started to cry and when I asked what was going on, she told me that she this was the first time she hadn't been in pain bending her leg in 4 years.  Praise the Lord!   I found out that she had hurt herself while in military service and had had both knees replaced surgically.  She couldn't have been over 35 years old and was awfully young to be so debilitated.

I told the preacher  what was happening to her and he had her stand up and asked her what had happened. All of the pain and most of the metal was gone from both knees, so he prayed for the last little bit of metal to go (I joined in quietly) and she got totally healed.  I was so encouraged and empowered by the preacher's authority and to realize that I heard the Lord right and that he used me.

Also,  I believe I received something from the Lord as I prayed for the preacher... because initially I was just praying for the preacher, covering and protecting him in prayer.  He had asked the people to pray in tongues for him a couple of times... so I thought he might want help spiritually.  We can never out give God!

What an exciting service. I want to encourage you to get involved whenever you can because you get trained up as you help serve men and women of God.

Bless you today!  May you walk in the anointing you have received!

Big hugs,

Brenda Gale

Desperation for Him

There was a young boy crying out at one of the services last week.  He was wailing for more of God for almost a half hour off key yelling, "I love you God! I want you God!"  I could feel God" presence all around me and many others were getting touched by Holy Spirit, but this little fellow was so distraught that he was oblivious to it all. I could feel his throat starting to get sore and the frustration in his voice as I started to pray for him.

You see, that used to be me. For years I cried out for more of God because I didn't know what else to do.  I was so desperate for more of Him.  "The God Chasers" by Tommy Tenney really kindled the fire in me even more. Unfortunately no one told me the next step.  I stumbled upon it when I heard an off-hand comment by a preacher.

"Everything in the Kingdom of God works, or is accessed by faith."  Holy Spirit enunciated His words and it kept reverberating through me.  I asked Him what to do when this desperate hunger came upon me and nothing would satisfy.  Holy Spirit told me to go to the next step, which was to believe I received, regardless of what I felt at that moment.

That is not an easy thing to do when your flesh is all worked up.  You have to quiet yourself if you want to hear His gentle voice. Elijah the prophet was hoping God would talk to him in the storm or the wind, but no... it was the quiet, gentle voice.

So this little guy was getting caught up in a frustrating cycle just like I had been.  God was all around and he was basically oblivious.   My heart went out to him.   I laid a hand on his back and prayed for peace and that God would show him the next step.

We owe it to people to not leave them frustrated. I got so exasperated with seeking God that I chose not to, for a time, because the emotional upheaval was exhausting and I felt so unfulfilled.  

Now I know better.  When the desperate cry of hunger comes on me, I cry out to Jesus, break open my alabaster box of worship and adoration and then calm myself at Holy Spirit's lead to receive whatever He wants me to receive.   It can be a hug, a hint of His presence, a bubbling joy, an impression or a  word of knowledge.  I just receive it all as a gift from Him.

May you always find Him and never leave a worship service frustrated. He is closer than you know. He has promised that those who seek will find Him when they search for Him with all their hearts.  The next time you feel totally frustrated with crying out, ask Holy Spirit if it's time to stand still,  then quiet yourself and believe you receive by faith.  Then ask Holy Spirit to open up your spiritual senses so you can receive even more.

Let me pray for you now. "I bless you in Jesus' Name.  May the zeal of the Lord consume you. May you always be passionate for His presence.  May you discover keys to walk in His presence more and more every day, every where you go. Amen!"

You are blessed and highly favored by the greatest King of all, Jesus!

Big hugs,
Brenda Gale Thompson
(p.s. photo is from  http://npgallery.blogspot.com)

Do Not Discount Yourself!

Boy did I learn a lesson the other night.  Let me share what happened with you so that you don't make the mistake I almost made.

Friday nights are healing meetings at our church, www.wcca.ca and it was about  9 p.m. when the pastor called up the ministry team to help out.  I was tired and ready to go home to bed, but I asked Holy Spirit what He wanted me to do.  He said to go up to the front.

I obeyed, but I was wondering what I was going to do, as there were already some ministry team members up there and I did not see lots of people going up for healing.

I got up to the front, when a friend that I have been encouraging in the healing gifts asked me if I would pray for a fellow. I said, "Sure." (I mean what else am I going to say?  I know that the anointing I have received abides in me. (1John. 2:27))

We went to pray for this man and he got touched. (I didn't feel a thing.) Then the pastor came over and wanted to pray for him so I stepped back so he could.  Cancer's were cursed and healing was loosed and the man was touched even more by Holy Spirit.

Then my friend brought another fellow for me to pray for.  I prayed for this new fellow as Holy Spirit led and asked him to test out his back.  He replied very seriously, "I know it's healed because I can stand here with no pain."

I had a word of knowledge for him to start the healing of his soul and I shared it with him quietly.  He received it well.

Then I said, "Okay, your back is better, but someone has a sore back right here," and I pointed to where I had a word of knowledge in my back.

My friend piped up, "That's for me!" We both chuckled and I had him turn around.  After asking permission, I laid my hands on him and got the new fellow, who had been healed, to lay hands too.  I showed the new fellow how to start the healing flow by focusing on how much Jesus loves this man. Then I told him to release God's love into my friend to fix whatever was wrong.

The new fellow complied.... I think he was kind of shocked to hear my friend say he felt better after receiving prayer.  This was his first time at West Carleton Christian Assembly and they had driven over an hour to get there.   God met them there and used him to bring healing to someone else too.  Truly the scripture says, "Freely ye have received, freely give." (Matt. 10:8) He won't forget that night!

I lost track of how many people I prayed for that night.  It was an awesome sight.  I would have missed it completely if I had listened to my flesh and gone home.

My friend had been asking people all week to come and had gone out of his way to bring people that needed healing. Lord bless him for his obedience.

So my point is, do not discount yourself.  You matter!  The Lord wants to use you! Maybe the Lord could use someone else in a pinch, but He wants to use you.

On that note let me pray for you.  "Lord I bless the person reading this.  Thank You that Your healing power flows through their hands today and that Your words of love, grace, mercy and power are being spoken today, changing every situation they come across.   Thank You so much Lord that You want to use them for Your glory today.  I declare that they are Your ambassadors today and that they are world changers for You. Amen!

Big hugs,
Brenda Gale Thompson

(photo courtesy of Photobucket.com)