Free, running without obstacles

"Israel plans to top up the biblical Sea of Galilee with desalinated water after years of drought," reads an article from a British newspaper. "The sea - which is actually a lake - is one of the lowest-lying bodies of water in the world, and is the location of several key events in Judaism and Christianity."

A great old hymn, "Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne," written in 1864 by Emily E. Elliott and often used by George Beverly Shea, includes the stanza, 

The foxes found rest, and the birds their nest
in the shade of the forest tree;
but thy couch was the sod, O thou Son of God,
in the deserts of Galilee.

Refrain:
O come to my heart, Lord Jesus,
there is room in my heart for thee.

"Prayer is doing all of your life under this wonderful, intimate communion with a heavenly Father who loves you and desires you more than anything else," explains Richard Jordan. "He desires that fellowship and active communion with you, taking what He says and bringing it into your experience by walking by faith.

"Paul writes in II Thessalonians 3:1: 'Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you.' Paul’s saying, ‘I want the Word of the Lord to be set free; run without obstacles. Run without needing to stop and be glorified.’

“How would you glorify the Lord Jesus Christ? How do you demonstrate in your life that you cherish Him more than anybody else; His wisdom, His thinking?

“When you make decisions in life, whose opinion is the most valuable? You’re choosing HIS thinking, HIS attitudes, having HIS actions. I can’t live the life, but He gave me His life and that’s the life that’s going to count.

"I Thessalonians 1: [5] For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.

[6] And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:

"The power is in the power of God. Chapter 2:13 says, 

[13] For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.

'For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.'

"Jesus says, 'The flesh profiteth nothing,' meaning all of our wisdom, our resources, aren’t the issue.

“Galatians 2:20 says, [20] I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

[21] I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

“You’re constantly learning that it isn’t me; it’s Him. Jesus said, ‘The words that I speak unto you they are spirit and they are life.' The objective measure of the working of the Spirit of God in your life is God’s Spirit wrote a Book and it’s a physical, tangible connection between Him and you.

"You never appropriate that into your experience until you need that. If you don't know it, you can't appropriate it. The need is, 'Not I but Christ.'You're constantly learning that it isn't me. You learn this at a different level; that's part of what maturity is all about.

"Jesus said, 'The words I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life.' The words on the pages are the words of the Spirit and when I believe that Word and put my faith in it, it WORKS; it becomes energizing activity and life in him who believes."

(new article tomorrow)