Samson had hair, you have ______.

Samson had hair, you have ______.  [Take Four from my conference at the B-Tab]

I forgot to tell you one thing about crazy Diana or formerly demon-possessed Diana, the Puerto Rican lady I told you about in “Stop talking about it, just do it—pray!”  Later the same day, I spotted her on the job (at Brooklyn Tabernacle), and quietly approached her, ‘Diana, I have known about your story since I read Pastor Cymbala’s book in 2000—I am so thankful you are still here!’  Well, one thing led to another, as they often do—at least with me--and the next thing I knew Diana and several other folk from B-Tab, surrounded me, asked my story, and prayed for my ministry . . . . now, isn’t that a trip?  Yes, it is just like God.  What an immense blessing it was! (See attached picture—oh brother, you can see I was apparently trying to get some of her Holy Spirit mojo, by putting my head as close to hers as possible!)

Friends, I have shared three ‘takes’ from my recent conference with you: 1) God is asking, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’  He is desirous that you will want to grow in your faith, that you will desire more of him, more of what he wishes to put in your hands, and fill your life with-------him!  2)  Where there is humility, there is room for the Holy Spirit, and the converse is true as well.  3) And then, having visited the place that embodies Jesus’ edict that ‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ I exhort you to “just do it”—develop your prayer life, make it a priority. 

From my heart, I feel compelled to tell you that I did not choose to attend “Be Encouraged” because I felt discouraged in ministry, or in my life.  However, I had/have been seeking the Lord in earnest about how I might be able to maintain the current scope and pace of ministry that I am physically and mentally challenged to keep going … in fact, in Brooklyn, I cried out to God for a breakthrough—‘please God, I need to hear from you!  I know you have called me to being a corporate pastor to an international company; to my 11-year women’s Bible study--Women of Passion; to the most recent groundswell of ministry and leadership at my local public high school, (Fellowship of Christian Athletes); to maintaining the writing of “Morning Briefings”/PastorWoman Ministries for a global body of believers; oh, and yes to my family—with two teen-aged boys still at home, who I adore!   ‘Did the Lord answer me?’ you ask.  I believe he did.  “My grace is sufficient for you.  Stay the course, Child.” 

Over and over again, I have been drawn back to the book full of notes I took from Cymbala, Zacharias and Chan . . . so profound is this passage from 1 Samuel, chapter 30, where we can see that the one who God called a ‘man after my own heart’, David, found his strength in the lord.  Another translation of 1 Samuel 30.6 is “david strengthened himself in the lord.”  Over and over, that has played in my mind—‘okay so you are physically tapped beyond your capacities, particularly in light of your constant battle with fibromyalgia—yes, you can work out faithfully, eat right, try to sleep like a normal person whose mind doesn’t work 24/7, take vitamins, but that is not going to do it!  Girl, check in—strengthen yourself in the lord. 

Yes, Jesus called me to be in ministry, of that I am sure, but listen to this:  FIRST, he called me to be with him.  You too, by the way.  Whatever else you are doing—caregiver, Century Link, retired golfer, Lowe’s, educator, homemaker, etc., you are first called to be with Jesus.  ‘Easy to miss, but that was the inception of Jesus’ ministry on earth:  ‘hey, be with me!’  ‘You, Peter, I am calling you—come, be with me.’  The call is the same to you and me today—“Child, be with me.”  Did not Solomon capture God’s heart toward you when he penned, “Come away, my beloved”?  Oh yes, he did. 

One thing I know—when I quiet myself with God to start my day, I am strengthened, just as David said he was; when I give God some quiet to ‘speak into,’ I hear more from his Word, and seem to sense his leading more clearly—funny that, huh?  No, not really.  Though it is true, sometimes the Lord gets my attention at 4 a.m., because he doesn’t have to interrupt my busy train of thought then—he wakes me up, and impresses something on my mind.  The other day, I looked at the ceiling and said, ‘I know, I know—the Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away . . . blessed be the name of the Lord.  But oy, God, must it always be my sleep?!’

Final TAKE from Brooklyn Tabernacle -  Jesus’ first call to you is to be alone with him; in that, you will find your strength.  Or as the prophet Isaiah said to Israel: This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: "In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.” There is the offer, there is the call – your choice. 

Samson had his hair – you have the offer of strength found in the Lord your God . . . let your roots go down deep, my friends.  Amen.

Christine