Clear out the debris...Let the river flow!

Today's messege comes from Joyce Meyer and her web site at joycemeyer.org. I believe that many of you will benefit from what she has to say. .....

Deep inside each of us, there is a river—a river of life. This river is a wonderful gift given to each of us by God. It refreshes, renews and revitalizes our lives. I'm sure all of us have known people from time to time who defied all logic and stayed alive years longer than they should have. Or you may have known people who've been able to keep a positive outlook on life even though terrible things happened to them. Their river ran strong and didn’t stop flowing. On the other hand, there are those who always seem to be down, whether physically or emotionally. No matter what they do, they can't seem to “snap out of it.” Their river has been stopped-up, and only a little trickle seems to pass through. God places this river in every one of us. It flows with good health, a positive outlook on life, and a generous and forgiving attitude. Ideally, this river flows freely through us. When we allow this flow and keep our well from getting plugged-up, there's a peace or an ease—a current that takes us along—and everything seems easier. Good things come our way. When wonderful opportunities are presented to us, we're ready for them. Many people, however, have allowed their well to become stopped-up. Years of neglect have caused the river, which used to flow powerfully, to become choked down to just a small stream. Everything's hard—nothing comes easy. People with a stopped-up well have to strive for things that come easily to others. It's as if they've become mired in a mud hole and every step is a struggle. Do you know people like this? Does this sound like your life? I once had a stopped-up well in my life. I struggled to tap into the river that I knew was in me. I was constantly digging dry wells—working on projects and chasing ideas that were disappointing and unfulfilling. I believed that if I could just make something work, I would be happy; I would find peace and fulfillment. I would strive after these things every day, but never found the peace I was looking for. I found that over the years I had allowed my well to become stopped-up with “stones” and “debris.” The river no longer flowed freely, and I was miserable. Although I didn't realize it at the time, I really struggled with issues like unforgiveness, anger, selfishness, offense and disobedience. These issues became like stones, dirt and debris that had caused my well to become stopped-up. With God's help, these issues are being dealt with one by one in my life. It's been a long process, but the stones are much smaller today than they used to be. The river in me flows much stronger now. Are you tired of your life being dry, confused and without direction? Are you weary of having to strive for everything in life? Just remember, until you're able to get your well cleared out and unplugged, everything will be difficult, disappointing and unfulfilling. No matter what you try, you'll be unable to taste the water from that river. And that water satisfies like nothing else. Remember, God put a river of life inside each of us. We just need to tap into that stream by clearing up what blocks its flow. God can help you forgive, see the needs of those around you, and let go of past hurts or wrongs. He wants to help you deal with the “stones” and “debris” that are stopping up your well. Make a choice today to stop spending your life fighting, struggling and trudging through the mud with every step. Stop taking inventory of what you've lost, and take a good look at what you've got left. Ask God to help you clear out the debris. Then enjoy the satisfying flow of the river of life!

The Widow's Oil

2 Kings 4:2-6

" Elisha replied to her, 'How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?'
'Your servant has nothing there at all, ' she said, ' except a little oil.'
Elisha Said, ' Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don't ask for just a few. Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put it to the side.'
She left him and afterward shut the door behind her and her sons. They brought the jars to her and she kept pouring. When all the jars were full, she said to her son, ' Bring me another one.', But he replied, ' There is not a jar left.' Then the oil stopped flowing."

In the natural we find a widow woman who needed to put food on her table andGod, through Elisha, gave her an abundance of oil to sell, but what else is God trying to tell us?

God has given us a mighty gift! He has given us His Son as a sacrfice and His Holy Spirit to dwell within us. Even if we think that we have nothing to offer God, no talents, no money, nothing....we still have God's Spirit and therefore His anointing OIL.

We must step out in faith, without question, and seek those empty jars which are lost souls. Our neighbors are not mearly the people to the right and left of our home. They aren't simply the people who live across the street, but they are the people we come in contact everyday! We must gather the empty vessels and tuck them away for God. We must go before God, shutting the door to the ways of the world and allow His Spirit to move upon the empty jars. Let the LORD fill the jars through us and then set them aside, for Him. We must do this over and over and over again... staying locked away from the worldly ways and committed only unto God as we bring every empty vessel before Him to be filled, until each and every person has been filled with the Holy Spirit! Then, and only then, will the anointing stop flowing. It may stop, but it doesn't go away! When the woman was done filling all the jars she could find, did the oil dry up? Did the jars suddenly become empty again? Did her own jar ever empty? No, No and No! It was God's goodness, His Glory that continued to fill and pour out from her jar and it was His Glory that continued to fill each jar once they had been filled. His Glory, His Goodness, His Anointing Oil continues to fill us! That oil is still ever so precious and valuable. It never depreciates!

The LORD is looking for the "widow women" to go out in faith and spread his Word, bring in his sheep and fill his empty jars! It is the time of filling, it is the time for His Spirit to be poured out among all the land. He wants to show us the lost, He wants to bring them to us, but are we willing to close the door and do His will?

Prayers for the Leaders of our Nation

The President

Dear Father, in Jesus' name I lift up our president to You. I know that our leader's heart is in Your hand, so I ask You to guide the head of our nation in the way You would have him to go.

Father, I pray that You would surround our president with wise councel - men and women of integrity who place Your agenda and the good of this nation above thier own and whose motives are for that which is right.

I pray that You would give our leader discernment, understanding and knowledge so that our nation may know stability internally and abroad.

I give thanks for our president according to Your Word and thank You for working in and through his leadership so that we might lead peaceable lives in godliness and honesty.

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Scriptual refrences:

1 Timothy 2:1-2 ; Romans 13:1 ; Proverbs 28:2 ; Proverbs 21:1 ; Proverbs 16:10 ; Proverbs 8:15

" Direct my thought, words and work, wash away my sins in the immaculate Blood of the Lamb, and purge my heart by Thy Holy Spirit...Daily frame me more and more into the likeness of Thy Son Jesus Christ. " - George Washington 1st US President