Genesis to Revelation

Well, so much for writing more the next day! Life has been busier than it used to be since I started working! But that hasn't stopped my love for daily reading the Word. And today, I finished the Bible. Genesis to Revelation in a little less than 90 days!

I woke up this morning and found myself just a little bit sad that it was done. But as I read through the end of Revelation I was so humbled by the fact that God loves me enough to give me a heart that delights in His word. There is so much hidden treasure in every page... It's the wisdom of God to conceal a matter... it's the glory of kings to seek it out....

The New Testament is a glorious testimony to what God did through His people, His apostles, His friends, after He went back to sit at the right hand of God. It's about the ordinary Joes who turn a city upside down, not in their own power, not by their own intellect or clever tricks... but simply and only through the power of God.

Paul is no different of a human than I am. But the Spirit of the Lord rested on Him. John who saw the Revelation of Jesus and of the things yet to come is no different than I am. But the Spirit of the Lord was in him and on him.

But the Spirit of the Lord is in me and rests on me too at times. Why aren't the people in my immediate influence "turned upside down" by the gospel of Christ? I take my Bible with me every morning to Tim Hortons an hour before I go to work to read and meditate on what the Lord is saying... why isn't there a revival happening at Tiny Tims in Steinbach?

Those are the questions I've been grappling with as I finish the reading through the Bible. What hinders God's power in me? What stops the gospel from turning this city on it's knees? What keeps the two edge sword from cutting to the quick in the two schools close to me? Why do my friends live in their own worlds of agony and pain? Why? I think I'm asking the wrong questions.

I think I need to be asking how and what.... how do I share the gospel with power, how do I minister with grace, yet bring conviction where needed?

I think back to June 1st when I started this journey. I wasn't working, I was facing surgery, and my heart was healing, but still somewhat broken. These last 90 days have sustained me through those tough moments of "God, I'm done" and "I'm too tired to keep fighting". These 90 days have caused my heart to rejoice as I watched God provide for me again and again. And here I am now, not content because I'm not seeing the world turned upside down by the gospel.

I caught an article today that talked about "fake" Christianity in teens and that it's a "feel good deism" that kids are following yet they lack conviction and stamina if challenged. It made me sad to read, but also encouraged me because the teens I know here are on fire and know that there are consequences to actions and God is not always a "feel good" God.

After reading through Revelation, especially, I'm seeing a different God. There are two words or phrases that I can't shake out of my head: Arise church arise!" and "Agree with My judgements" I don't know what the future holds... but I do know that I have not felt such an urgency in my Spirit to see His power move on the earth in a very long time.

I like it... and I'm going to keep reading the Word and praying like crazy because a day is coming when the Spirit AND the bride (the church and the Jews together) will cry out, come Jesus come!

I know that I could wax elequant and spout off knowledge that I've learned, but it's not about that... it's about my heart and the redemptive power of God. I know and believe that God loves me in a way I didn't 90 days ago. I'm more convinced than ever that there is a plan and purpose for my life, but it's not necessarily what I thought...it's to Glorify His name in everything I do and say and am... I have a deeper confidence in the truth of His word than I did 90 days ago, and most importantly I am more connected to Him than I have ever been.

Will I do this again? You better believe it!!