PERSONAL STUDY RESPONSE FOR FRESH WIND, FRESH FIRE
This appears to be an inspirational story of a pastor, his wife, and their church and how it grew. Jim Cymbala began pastoring a church in Brooklyn with only about 20 members, but he listened to God's call to pray and seek and He would grow the church. One of the first challenges addressed in this book was a financial problem. They could not pay their mortgage. But God provides with a mysterious donation of $100. This prepared Jim and Carol (his wife) to expect great and miraculous things from God.
I loved the part where Jim realizes that God is attracted to weakness. Jim said, "I discovered an astonishing truth: God is attracted to weakness. He can't resist those who humbly and honestly admit they desperately need Him." God chooses the foolish things of the world to confound the wise. I have certainly seen this to be true in my life. I am nothing if not weak and foolish. Only God is the reason I wake up to keep the faith and to try things that continually fail. When we pretend, it grieves God's Spirit. He has amazing power. He can not show His power through someone who boasts or is proud. It doesn't work out well for us. If we think we are the reason for success then we will not be able to accept His grace and His gifts. When we humble ourselves God will lift us up- James 4:10. He gives us things we could not have imagined. He wants us to live without anxiety and fear, and being humble brings us closer to that step.
I have told this story before but it never gets old. I have had to depend totally on the Lord and His provision when I was being about to be sued for failing to pay off my loans which had risen to astronomical unrealistic payments. I didn't know what was going to happen. I didn't have a job and I didn't have anything of real value that could be taken. I was living in constant stress and anxiety while trying to nurse a month old baby. I was barely eating so she wasn't doing well either. Through God and MANY prayers (I knew people were praying for me) I was able to step up and went to every bank I could to apply for a personal loan to cover half the loan- that is what they were willing to settle for- the amount was for a little more then $28, 000. I had to humbly ask my mother-in-law to let us borrow from her line of credit ($10,000) and then have her cosign for the rest. It took about a month before we were able to find a bank willing to loan us some money. Every time the phone rang I wanted to throw up, cry, run away, hide, pull out my hair- my heart would leap into my throat- it was the worst feeling. Only God put all the pieces together. Without going through this I might have been tempted to think I could do everything on my own.
God sometimes makes what He will do for us conditional on our hunger for Him because He doesn't want robots serving Him. He wants us to choose to love Him, praise Him, serve Him. If He forced us to love Him it wouldn't be love. "If my people who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sins and I will heal their land." II Chronicles 7:14. God wants us to be aware that we have a CHOICE. We all have a choice.
Prayer is important. God wants to hear from us. When we don't know what to pray the Holy Spirit speaks for us and that is how we can see the Spirit working. As I have gotten older prayer has become harder- not easier. I am not sure why. My prayers are mostly groanings and confusion. When I pray for the church it reminds me of those in need and the Spirit leads me to think of practical ways I can help. I am trusting God to give me opportunities to strengthen my prayer life.
In closing, this is the start of an inspirational story that I think will stick with me. Hopefully I am prepared for the long haul.
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