Burn Oklahoma City (again!)

I had the pleasure of spending around 17 of the last 24 hours in worship, prayer, intercession, and contending for my city and nation…

The amazing thing is that even after it was all was said and done, I went by myself to IHOP to break my fast and get some dinner down… I sat there and I felt like my heart was still so hungry for Him. I had some great times of worship and loving Him in sweet little ways, but I think the intercession itself (even though it is necessary and important) distracted me from the one thing He wants me to concentrate on: loving Him and knowing Him as the priority of my life.

A Simple Prayer

Father,

Come into me

    Bring Your fire

    Bring Your desire

    Bring the yearnings and groans of Your heart

and

    Bring me into the knowledge of You

 

WAKE ME UP

 

Pushing through disappointment

I had an interesting thing happen today. I was at a coffee house, sipping some green tea and reading the Word while worshipping to some music on my mp3 player. I have been dealing with disappointment a lot lately — there are a lot of things in my life that aren’t the way that I want them to be.

As I kept the reading and listening, the discontent in my heart eventually rose to the surface, and I just couldn’t continue. So, I packed up my books, etc. and went to my car. I didn’t feel like driving directly home, so I just kinda drove around aimlessly, and listened to worship music in the car. As I was driving, I could feel the Lord begin to direct me to drive towards a poorer part of town. I really didn’t want to do this — I was already nursing an aching soul, and that part of town is not a pretty sight. Nevertheless, I could hear the Lord saying, “I want you to see the reproach of your people,” so off I went. I drove through some rougher (not terribly bad) looking neighborhoods, and interceded for the people I saw there, and especially for buildings. The Lord gave me knowledge of issues and prayer needs for the people and buildings I saw. As I prayed, I could see layers of sin in peoples lives slowly being stripped away (it made me think of the ablative heat shielding on the Mercury space capsules, but that’s just me , and I could see the glory of God filling different buildings like an explosion.

Now at this point, you’d think my heart was totally revived because I was experiencing God in a very real way, and serving others in intercession.

Nah.

I still had an aching heart, frustrated with life, etc. I pressed through as long as I could, and drove to many different buildings, praying for them as I passed by. It was honestly really incredible what He led me to discover, things and places I had never been to in a city that I’ve lived in for eight years, nor even knew existed. Eventually, I had to stop and go home, because I was getting really upset (because of aforementioned issues), even though God was working through me. I felt His grace that I could stop and go home, although I know He wanted me to stay at one particular building and pray for breakthrough, but I just couldn’t handle it.

This only confirmed to me what I already knew, that our hearts are refreshed by spending time in the secret place of intimacy with Jesus, and not by our multitude of pursuits and ministry efforts.

Selah.