Anne Graham/ "Just give me Jesus" conference August 5-6, 2003
Mary was filled with hate, bitterness, lack of peace, lack of joy, and no reason to live. She had tormentors, but when she met Jesus she was then filled with peace and reason to live. But, after the death of Jesus, Mary is crying. The Lord comes to Mary and asks why are you crying? Why are you so empty on the inside. She answers, "They have taken my Lord away" (He used to be in my life) not knowing that it was Jesus himself that she was talking to.
Let's take a look at the church. It's all about entertainment, music, choir, prayer meetings, but where's Jesus? It was Jesus at the tomb, but Mary didn't know it was Jesus.
Why are you crying? and who is it that you are looking for? I am looking for Jesus.
Jesus called Mary by her name. He said to her not to touch him for he had not gone to heaven yet. Jesus came to Mary before He went to heaven, he came to meet this one woman in order to comfort her and to show her that He was indeed alive. Jesus told Mary the woman to tell the men that Jesus is alive.
Jesus has cleansed you and is resurrected. Are you ready to meet God? Did anybody tell them about God? The world needs people to tell them about Jesus. Our responsiblity is to tell them about God.
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Jill Briscoe: prayer
Prayer is the engine that drives your life or the spare tire that you carry around.
You need it for revival, healing, help, peace of mind
When you pray for each other, listen to each other and say, "amen" which means "I agree." "Let it be" Let's be aware of what the other person is praying for.
1. We prayed the Lords Prayer
2. 4 parts: Above. Within. Around. Abroad
Above: Always start with praise and thanksgiving-prayer should be a thinking thing, exercise our memory in the presence of God. Are you a Mary or a Martha? Come, and listen. There is a listening part to prayer. Listen to our own memories. Listen and thank God for...Learn to kneel down by your bedside and to worship. Be thankful that you are healthy enough to wake up, that there's food on the table; think through your day, Thank God for 3 things that have happened today: 1) 2) 3)
It's hard to be aware of God's presence when you are around a lot of people. You don't have to go to church to pray, you can pray whereever you are, anyplace, anywhere, anytime. B/c it is a conversation with God, a moment by moment relationship.
For example, Jacob had deceived his father, brother with the help of his mother, so he ran away to a lonely and dangerous place and had a dream with a ladder reaching up to heaven. This ladder was a ladder of prayer. Heaven is open."Surely God is in this place, and I knew it not." Prayer is when we focus on Him.
Jill Briscoe's grandson went to his mother and whispered something. She said no to him, and he went seemingly calm into the home. But, later he came out with a backpack and said defiantly, "I'm leaving home." He walked away from the home, but later came back to face his mom and said, "I'll give you another chance." The mother said, "Look at me, I love you, now listen to me. " The boy squirmed the whole time, but she kept on repeating that.
This is how God is speaking to us. He wants us to sit our soul down, and to stop rushing around within us.
Ask God for an idea.
Always thank God.
Within: the second part of prayer. We started with God by praising and thanking Him, now we will go inward and repent. Need to use our minds when we pray, maybe you may want to see in Isaiah, and realize this place is holy.
Remember that sleep deprivation is better than God deprivation.
Remember in Acts 5: Ananias and Sapphira-sometimes it can be very hard to be truthful to God. They lied about the price of the land. Peter confronts them and says that they have lied to the Holy Spirit. Do we say to God, "You have all of my heart, you have all of my money, you have all of my time." You are lying to God. That's why Ananias and Sapphira dropped dead. Let's be open to God, and we should not pray lies. Here am I send me or here am I send someone else. Need to be honest.
Ask yourself-have I honored Him? Have I ignored Him? Have I betrayed Him? Just say sorry. "Create in me a clean heart, then will I teach transgressors your ways.
Around: Pray for your nation. Daniel prayed for his nation. We have sinned. He included himself and prayed for his country and repented. Forgive us-we have gotten so far away. He prayed for people who were not praying for themselves.
Praying for our families: the mission field is between your 2 feet. Pray for your children and family. Bring them to the Lord and send them as missionaries. Begin at home. People who are at home who do not know the Lord. Elijah when he prayed for the dead child on the bed and the child became alive, the widow came to faith. Say to each other, "Give me your child/family so that I can pray for them." Pray for spiritual life.
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Anne Graham
John 14:21-24 Jesus is speaking to his disciples and says that those who obey his comands love Him. A boy overheard his mother that she wanted the living room painted. She went out of the house to do some errands, and this boy, as a sign of love for his mother, painted the living room red, there was paint all over the walls, the carpet, the furniture, and everything. He loved her but didn't know how to express that love the way she wanted to be loved.
Are you busy in church? Are you offering him a red living room?
Read your bible. Apply. Obey.
1. What does it say?
2. What does it mean?
3. Now, What does it mean in my life?
1. What does the verse say? What are the facts. Don't paraphrase the verse. Note the who, what, where, why, when, how...objective facts.
2. What does the passage mean? What is the spiritual principle that I can live by? Is this verse a promise, a command to obey, a warning to heed?
3. What does it mean in my life? How can I challenge myself with the content of this verse in the form of a question?
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We don't know what the future holds. We live in a dangerous world. But, Jesus is the future. He holds the future in His hands.
During the 1st century church persecution, John in the book of Revelations is on the island of Patmos. Actually, Revelations is not a book of the future, but of the past, of history b/c John says "I saw (49x) Jesus Christ."
We know that the world is falling into the purpose of of God-at the foot of Jesus.
There is a special promise when you read the Bible. Revelations1:3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophesy, and keep those thigs which are written therin: for the time is at hand.
Jesus is the most important man in the world.
He is the Lord who rules the details of my life.
He is the alpha. He is all knowledge and wisdom. Jesus knows everything. You have always been on His mind. Jesus is praying for you and lives in you.
Omega. He is totally sufficient for your needs. and if He doesn't answer, just trust Him because He is completely sovereign.
John was at all of the events of Jesus life. he was the evangelist to the world. and he suffered. Are you suffering? What is your Patmos? Are you cut off/isolated/alone and suffering?
Maybe God wants to give you a fresh vision of Jesus. A greater revelation of Jesus.
John was in a sweet spirit/submitted to the will of God.
v12 Jesus is in the midst of the church. He draws near to those who are suffering.
He is the priest who day and night lives to intercede for you.
He wants to use you in the midst of your suffering.
Word of God is the sword of the Spirit/read your bible to have victory
We have many enemies as children of God, so read your bible!
Fall at the feet of Jesus and be silent, don't give excuses, don't rationalize, no longer tell what we want, just be silent, don't wrestle with God. don't insist to go this way. Gal 2:20 I've been crucified with Christ...Jesus wants everything that you have, be willing to lose it so that in the end you will find it... | 
