A Divine Invitation

I am going to take a few days break from writing about finding purpose in your life.  I am in Atlanta at a Deeper Still conference.  It is a woman's conference that features, Kay Arthur, Beth Moore and Priscilla Shirer (Tony Evan's Daughter)  It was an amazing teaching tonight so I am going to give you a brief summary as I feel it is a word that will speak to your heart especially if you are in a wilderness time in your life right now.  

Exodus 19: 9 -11, In these verses you see an invitation to the Israelite's to hear God speak and see Him with there own eyes.  As Priscilla began to set this message up - she explained that we all have an invitation to see and hear God personally in our life but she explained the Context of the Invitation and the Preparation of the invitation:

In Exodus we see that when this invitation was extended to God's people it was in the context of them being in the wilderness and they were camped there in the wilderness.  Her explanation was that in our wilderness experiences is about something - it has a purpose. The wilderness is where we develop intimacy with God.  God has something for you through that wilderness experience you are in.  It is in the wilderness that you will find the mountain of God.  Instead of just wanting it to be over and getting frustrated because its not going away faster - sometimes God wants us to "camp" or pitch a tent in the wilderness for a temporary time to learn something.  What we learn will help us to get to the place of preparation for the invitation to see and hear God more personally in our lives.

When we have settled ourselves in the wilderness to prepare.....there are three things we need to do:

1.  Remember what God has done on your behalf in the past.  In Exodus 19:4 He reminded His people how he carried them, and brought them to Himself.   He wants us to think back to where you were in the past and what God has already delivered you from.   He can and will do it again.

2.  To recognize our identity in Christ and God.  Understanding from God's perspective not the worlds our spiritual identity.  1 peter 2:9

3.  To come to a new level of surrender to Him - Exodus 19:7,8 

So the question is - How are you going to respond to the invitation to come closer to God - to hear Him personally and see Him to a greater degree than ever before?  Are we willing to totally surrender, believe God can and will get us through this wilderness experience because of all the great things He has already done and realize who we are in Him.  Are we willing to get more into His Word and in Prayer so we can really hear from him.  It's not easy and sometimes painful but definitely worth it.  

I'll be back tomorrow with Kay and Beth's messages.