Ezekiel 37:1-4, 9-10

The hand of the LORD was upon me, and He brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me down in the middle of the valley; and it was full of bones. He caused me to pass among them round about, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley; and lo, they were very dry. He said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" And I answered, "O Lord GOD, You know."

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April 18, 2007
Inadequate?

Have you ever felt inadequate?

The Lord reminded me of this ...

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John 6:5-9
When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?" He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. Philip answered him, "Eight months' wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!" Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, spoke up, "Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?"
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The disciples also felt inadequate -- looking at the hungry crowd of five thousand with 'natural' eyes and five loves with two fish -- totally inadequate!

BUT! ...

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John 6:12-13
When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, "Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted." So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.
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With the Lord Jesus Christ -- following His direction -- there was more than enough!

DON'T LET FEELING INADEQUATE STOP YOU FROM SEEKING AND FOLLOWING DIRECTIONS FROM THE LORD JESUS CHRIST!!

This is precisely the time when His glory shines -- let it shine!

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Matthew 14:15-18
When it was evening, the disciples came to Him and said, "This place is desolate and the hour is already late; so send the crowds away, that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves." But Jesus said to them, "They do not need to go away; you give them something to eat!" They said to Him, "We have here only five loaves and two fish."
And He said, "Bring them here to Me."
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Let Jesus use what you have -- no matter how small or inadequate it seems ....


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Proverbs 20:24
Man's steps are ordained by the LORD, how then can man understand his way?

Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.

2 Corinthians 5:7
... walk by faith, not by sight--

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His Grace Abounds!
Karen Holland ... 8-30-06

Grace, grace, God's beautiful grace,
Marvelous, infinite, unending grace,
Eternal, His grace beyond compare.

His love has no limit, His grace has no measure,
His power has no known bounds.
Grace, at the feet of Jesus, again and again can be found.
Grace from the mighty cross flows,
A crimson tide to wash you white as snow.
At the foot of the cross, bow.
Kneel at the feet of Jesus where grace abounds,
Where His glorious riches can be found.

Grace, grace, God's beautiful grace,
Marvelous, infinite, unending grace,
Eternal, His grace beyond compare.



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2 Corinthians 9:8
And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times,
having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

Ephesians 1:7
In Him we have redemption . . . according to the riches of His grace.

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April 11, 2007
Fall at His Feet

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Matthew 28:5-10
The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you."
So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me."

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The women were being obedient when they met the risen Christ. Before this they were in awe and filled with joy -- because they encountered the angel & the empty tomb. The NKJV has the word Rejoice instead of Greetings . Look what they do after the Lord says to Rejoice! They fall at Jesus' feet and worship -- they also grab on to Him -- clasp Him.

This passage to me stresses how obedience, worship, encountering the risen Christ and joy are linked. : )

While I was looking at this today I saw another verse that fits these ideas.

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Rev 1:12-18
Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands; and in the middle of the lampstands I saw one likea son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His chest with a golden sash. His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire. His feet were like burnished bronze, when it has been made to glow in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters. In His right hand He held seven stars, and out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword; and His face was like the sun shining in its strength.

When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man And He placed His right hand on me, saying, "Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.
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Did you see that?! As we worship, fall at His feet, follow Him in obedience wherever He goes -- He reaches out to us and places His right hand on us!

Fall at His Feet
Karen Holland ... 4-11-07

The expensive perfume poured out
Poured out at Jesus' feet
Poured out from a broken vessel
An offering
A pleasing sacrifice
Let it rise
The fragrance so strong
Strong enough to fill the whole house
A sweet incense
Let it burn
Fall at His feet
The Risen and Exalted Christ
Clasp His feet

Feel the touch of His hand
His gracious right hand placed upon His dove

Arise my dove, my beautiful one
Come, reveal your face
Arise from the clefts of the Rock
Come let your voice be heard
For your voice is sweet
Your face so lovely
Shining, shining, for all to see, for all to hear.

Come, the Spirit and the Bride say
Come!

Feel the touch of His hand
His gracious right hand
As blossoms bloom and give forth their fragrance
To the song of His beloved dove so sweet
Come and drink
Come, fall at His feet.

Romans 12:1-2
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

John 12:3
Mary then took a pound of very costly perfume of pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

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April 10, 2007
Spiritual Significance of Dance

From:
http://orgs.sa.ucsb.edu/actsone8/Sym_Dance.html


Spiritual Significance of Dance:

A. Dance adds the important visual aspect to worship.
1) God made the human body with both eyes and ears, and the “Body of Christ” also needs to see and hear, to be seen and heard.
2) When we can visualize the nature and character of God we can better understand and better worship Him.

B. Dance is the fulfillment of prophecy.
“Again I will build you, and you shall be rebuilt, O virgin of Israel! You shall again be adorned with your tambourines, and shall go forth in the dances of those who rejoice” Jer 31:4 (“virgin of Israel” = the Bride, the end time church).

C. Dance is a sign of blessing and restoration in the church.
1) 2 Sam 6:13-14—dance is associated with the restoration of the glory of God to his people.
2)“The joy of our heart has ceased; our dance has turned into mourning”
Lam 5:15—the absence of dance is a sign of judgment.

D. Dance resists the enemy (Jam 4:7).
1) 3 main occasions for dance in Israel’s day—harvest, marriage, victories in battle—all 3 of which spiritually point to the end times. When we dance it is a sign to Satan that his time is short!
2) The authority of the feet—Gen 3:5, Rom 16:20, Ps 8:6, etc.—Satan is particularly nervous about what your feet are doing!

E. Dance is a sign of the completed work of sanctification in the church.
The church has been unwilling to use the body in worship due to an underlying notion that the flesh is “unclean” and therefore not suitable as a vessel of worship. Accept the ongoing work of sanctification (1 Thes 5:23) and be liberated to “praise Him in the dance”—it outwardly signifies the work of holiness and redemption (Rom 8:23) which Christ has done in us. “Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service” Rom 12:1.

F. Dance reaches across cultural & political barriers with the gospel.
1) Non-verbal form of communication, a common language, reaches all cultures.
2) Many nations that do not allow the preaching of the gospel in more standard forms (missionaries, bibles) do admit dance and drama groups to minister.
3) The visual is more effective in reaching an increasingly illiterate generation.

G. Dance heralds a new move of God.
1) Ex 15:20—Miriam leads the dance after the Red Sea crossing, Israel birthed as a nation.
2) 2 Sam 6:14—Dance ushered in the establishment of the Davidic Kingdom and a new order of worship.
3) Jer 31:4,13—Dance and the return from captivity in Babylon.

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Related:
I Will See

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April 9, 2007
His Love Covers, Be Surrounded

Psalm 125:2 (Amp)
As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds his people both now and forevermore.

Come beloved Come!
Be drawn into the deeper places of His heart
Deeper into His presence
Among the folds of His garment
Reach out and touch the hem of His garment (Mt 9:20, 14:36)
As many as touched, were made completely whole!

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever! (Heb 13:8)