Consecration!!

Hello all,

Today is not so much of an update on what's going on with our family, but more what He has been showing me. The best mental picture I can give at this point as to what we are experiencing is this; it is as if Emmy and I are being given a drink through a "fire hose", which doesn't shut off. There is so much that God has been revealing, teaching, showing, and doing in us that we can hardly retain it all right now. It is amazing!!!! So obviously there is no way that I have the time, energy, or ability to pass everything along as I am still processing much of it. But I will try to hit on a couple of the larger things God has been revealing to me.

The past couple of days God has really opened my eyes to two main topics. Consecration unto Him and fasting/prayer. For time sake, I will only touch on consecration, for now. I find that in my own life I really have a genuine desire and longing to have a deeper "connection," or revelation of God in my life. Yet I don't really want it to "cost" me anything. I have bought into the societal theme of a "drive through life." I don't want to give up any of the comforts of life. After all, didn't the Bible tell us that following Christ would be comfortable. :) As I thumb through the pages of scripture and look at the men of great faith and leadership, I consistently see a picture of lives committed to God through consecration and fasting. Some examples of such people are Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, Azariah, John the Baptist, Samson, and the Nazirites. There are many more, these are just some I have been looking at more closely. These are people who had great faith and were used mightily by God, but they were very committed to living lives of consecration unto the Lord. Is it that God only desires to use a "few" in a mighty way? I don't believe so. I believe they were used to the extent that they were because they set themselves apart for God alone. I have this cry in my heart for God to use me in a mighty way, that He might use me to impact my generation, but am I willing to set myself apart for God alone? That comes with a cost. That might require work on my behalf. I believe that God is eagerly waiting for us to stir ourselves enough to stand up and say "God, I want all of You and all You have for me, no matter where it takes me or what the cost." I believe this pleases Him dearly and I believe He rewards us for this. The problem is, we very rarely take time in a day to "shut off the noise" of life and just listen to Him. Are we willing to miss our favorite TV show to spend time with the "Creator of all things". Unfortunately it took me moving 486 miles to finally shut off "the noise" to be able to listen to His voice. I am so completely humbled by His desire to commune with me day by day, hour by hour, minute by minute, and second by second. For so many years I have just continued on with the noise of my life, while He has gone much of the time unnoticed. God forgive me!!!

"A heart that does not mourn fo more of Him is a heart that accepts it's current state of barrenness as tolerable"

Owen