Last weekend I had the honor and privilege of attending the Deeper Still Conference sponsored by LifeWay with our Women's Ministry Team. Over 18,000 women converged upon the Atlanta area to hear conference speakers Priscilla Shirer, Beth Moore, and Kay Arthur. Worship was led by Travis Cottrell and his team. Just imagine hearing all those women singing "In Christ Alone" ~ it gives me chills just to think about it. We laughed, and cried, as we heard incredible messages from the Word that challenged and encouraged us to, first, have a personal relationship with our creator God through His Son Jesus and, second, to grow in a more intimate relationship with Him.
I want to share just a few thoughts on what we heard from these precious sisters in Christ . . .
On Friday evening, Priscilla Shirer spoke from Exodus about the wilderness experience that God led His people through. She shared how God chose the wilderness because it would best meet the needs of His people. He used the experience to show them . . .
- His Sovereignty
- Their spiritual identity in Him
- His call upon their lives that led them to new levels of surrender and practical obedience.
Something to Think About . . .
Are you currently going through a wilderness experience? What is God showing you about Himself through these difficult days? How have you recognized a new level of surrender and obedience to Him? In the center of the word obedience is the word die. Remember that in order to be fully obedient to God, we need to die to self daily. It's our choice. "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." Matthew 16:24
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On Saturday morning we heard a message from Kay Arthur about restoring our nation. She encouraged us through many verses from Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Isaiah to remember the holiness of our God and the judgement that will be brought upon our nation if we don't repent. It wasn't an easy or popular message to share, but I praise the Lord for her boldness because it was something we all needed to hear. As she concluded she gave us seven things to do in light of where we are in America:
- Repent ~ Return to Me -- ask God to break our heart for what breaks His.
- Time to mourn
- Pray
- Love God's Word
- Love others as Jesus loved them
- Introduce people to Jesus
- REST in our faith -- being confident that our Sovereign God is in control and will accomplish His purpose and plan.
Action to take . . .Pray daily that we, His children, who are called by His name, will humble ourselves and pray, seek His face, turn from our wicked ways and He will forgive our sins and heal our land.2 Chronicles 7:14
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Beth Moore concluded the conference with a message from John 1, emphasizing verse 14. "The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." God used her to effectively teach this verse and help all 18,000 plus women put it to memory that day.
Have you . . .
received God's Son and know with full assurance that He lives in your heart? If not, receive Him now by simply asking Him to forgive you of your sins that separate you from a Holy God. In John 14:6 Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Acts 16:31 says, "Believe on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved." Are you . . .
living in a way that others see Jesus in you? Are they drawn to Him by your attitude, your actions, your words? If not, ask Him to search your heart. "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the way everlasting." Psalm 139:23-24
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If you have the opportunity to attend a Deeper Still Conference or to hear any of these teachers in your area, I would encourage you to go. You will be richly blessed.
"How beautiful on the mountain are the feet of those
who bring good news,
who proclaim peace,
who bring good tidings,
who proclaim salvation,
who say to Zion 'Your God reigns.' "
Isaiah 52:7
