253 – We Are Getting Revived

January 14, 1987 up early

Today I begin my class at Elim, Cults and World Religions, taught by Ruth Rodriquez. I believe she is the only woman on staff here, and she requested to be addressed as Sister Ruth. I have been nervous, but quickly turning to God as I try to imagine how this will be accomplished since I feel I am already over-extended. But just now in prayer I got a confidence and peace from God that He will do it as I pray desperately about all areas and keep it all in His hands. Bless You, Father.

Woman where are they? Did no one condemn you? And she said No one, Lord. And Jesus said, Neither do I condemn you; go your way; from now on sin no more. John 8:10

As I am considering this verse, Jesus does not condemn me—ever, for any reason. I am not to denounce myself. Ever, for any reason. Just take it all to Him.

Later in the evening: I am realizing that my husband and my God have given me a beautiful gift: Tuesday and Thursday mornings away from my routine so I can be at Elim. Studying, being with adults, learning. Today, I felt a little bit like a fish out of water, but I believe I will very quickly get used to being at Elim for my class and then chapel from 11-12. Today chapel was all praising and worshipping. Nice.

January 21

So much has been happening, I cannot record it all. But the Lord is reviving Dan and I.

The verse in Haggai reminded me that our obedience and reverence for the Lord results in the Lord stirring up the spirits of those in our household. (Haggai 1:1-14)

Yesterday at chapel a man from Uganda spoke, encouraging us to not grow weary, to not be satisfied with where we are in Christ. He exhorted us to hunger for a deeper walk. Also, to lay our foundation in Jesus Christ solidly. The church in Uganda is flourishing, sin is diminishing. They are founded in CHRIST.

The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief corner stone. Psalm 118:22

Jesus said to them, “Did you never read in the Scriptures, ‘THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED, THIS BECAME THE CHIEF CORNERSTONE; THIS CAME ABOUT FROM THE LORD, AND IT IS MARVELOUS IN OUR EYES’? Matthew 21:42

[Jesus as the Rock is also found in Mark 12:10; Luke 2:17; Acts 4:11; Romans 9:33; 1 Peter 2:7 and other places.]

252 – God is Remarkable

January 8, 1987

I am asking that this week, during Elim’s Week of Prayer, that my Spirit would be mightily touched by the Holy Spirit for intercession & prayerfulness.

I cannot consistently be up early for devotions every day. May God’s Holy Spirit work this grace into my life this week.

John Calvin: “No man will be fit for the Kingdom of God until, laying aside such delicacy, he learns to desire the food of the soul so earnestly that his flesh shall not hinder him.

January 9

Amazing! Remarkable!

*Elim:

Today through the Holy Spirit, Joy Dawson’s teachings on becoming an intercessor are touching both Dan and I deeply.

There was a deep filling of the Holy Spirit, and an awareness of His Presence, and a touch of God.

*Life Center (our Reno home church):

Currently the church is celebrating its 11^th anniversary with fasting and prayer for the world, the city, the church, and ‘missionaries’ Dan & Georgann Lemaire’!!

*World May Digest:

highlighted Elim Bible Institute in the entire issue!

*Our house:

Dan is still out of work. He is expecting to take 1 or 2 classes this semester. I will take 1 and go to chapel often. But he needs a job to make this work.

He said we need to make a decision of staying another year or going home this summer.

You are a REMARKABLE GOD!!

251 – Musings of a Mother

January 6, 1986

I’m sitting in bed, jammied, creamed, teeth glistening and minty, in Momma’s pink robe, listening to the faint strains of Josie’s worship tape from her rooms below me. I look up and hundreds of pink and white fist-sized roses are cascading down from ‘rose heaven’ on the yellow wallpapered walls all around me. I love roses. I adore roses. Thank You, Father.

I love old things—like this house, 2-story, oak-framed windows and oak doors downstairs, old oak furniture left from original owners, lace curtains in the living room, beveled glass windows and a large bay window where the boys can sit and read. Praise You Father.

And the grass outside on these three beautiful acres is always green even under 13 inches of 4 day old snow. The wind is howling outside, but the house stands solidly around, under, and over me. Bless God. Bless My God.

The mudroom is a precious bonus and much used for muddy, or swimming-pool wet, or snowy-wet or rainy-wet boys.

Our sons–healthy, tired from the hours of this day filled with school work, play, sledding and sliding on icy hills on bottoms—are sound asleep in two bunk beds, warm, jammied in new blue GGDup Christmas jammies—with layers of covers, clean faces, prayed over, kissed, very much loved, daily forgiven. Thank You, Father. Praise my God.

Dear dear Dan, my wonderful God-given man, is at a week-of-prayer meeting hearing from You, worshiping You, being moved, changed, healed by You. Praise You for this once-in-a-lifetime, life-changing opportunity You have given us to grow and be ‘formed for service.’

Who knows what tomorrow brings, what next week or this summer brings? May I please be given, and receive JOYFULLY, the grace to praise You in and for all of the circumstances of my life. Especially, the closeness of my husband and children. May the law of kindness be on my lips; may I truly be the joyful mother of my children.

For Your glory, for my rest.

He makes the barren woman abide in the house as a joyful mother of children. Praise the Lord! Psalm 113:9

The law of kindness is on her tongue. Psalm 31:26

250 – Singing with the Lord

January 2, 1987

Last week:

*Brian (the man who is suing us) and Crystal, his wife, came to dinner. It was very friendly.

* Dan got very sick.

*We registered the big green van and then went to Trezise’s so the boys could play on their trampoline in their barn. Mr. T is a gymnast and a gymnastics instructor. We cannot afford for the boys to have lessons at this time.

Come bless the Lord, all ye servants of the Lord, who stand by night in the house of the Lord.

Lift up your hands in the holy place, and bless the Lord, and bless the Lord. ( a song from Psalm 139)

Praising God in and for all of our troubles lifted my spirits. Praying in the Spirit before that enabled me to really praise Him.

Let me bless You today with music, singing, praise and worship. It would truly be a work of God because getting out of myself in these ways does not come naturally.

January 6

This is the Week of Prayer at Elim, the first week of the semester. There are four meetings a day 1 ½ – 2 hours long. Dan sent me off to the late afternoon meeting so I could experience a blessing.

This song struck me: Your Steadfast Love

Your Steadfast Love extends to the heavens;

Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds;

Your righteousness is like majestic mountains

And Your wisdom like the depths of the sea…and You come to me!

Filling my heart is Your lovingkindness;

I find peace in the shadow of Your wings.

I eat my fill from the abundance of Your household,

And I drink from the streams of rejoicing

You are my King, You are my King, You are My King, You are my King.

–Ted Sandquist, 1973

My heart, O God, is steadfast, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make music. Psalm 57:7

249 – There is Payoff for Praying in Tongues

December 30, 1986

These verses blessed me:

Luke 24

v 16 But their eyes were PREVENTED from recognizing Him

v 31 And their eyes were OPENED and they recognized Him

v 45 Then He OPENED their minds to understand the scriptures.

God was in charge of what they perceived.

I believe I can pray and ask Him to let my eyes recognize Him and to let my mind understand the scriptures. I know I need inspiration and revelation.

It occurred to me this morning that after I had listened to the Gloria Copeland tapes and had begun praying in the Spirit in the early morning for an hour, one Saturday morning very early Carol K, an older woman in our church, called. She had never called me. She offered to give me a ride to the Ladies’ Meeting at church. I had been feeling hesitant about going, but had turned it over to God. But God had prepared me for her call because her name had come clearly to my mind a short time earlier.

THERE IS PAYOFF IN MAKING THE SACRIFICE TO DO DEVOTIONS REGULARLY AND LONG.

THERE IS PAYOFF IN PRAYING IN TONGUES FOR ONE HOUR IN THE MORNING.

OH GOD. LET YOUR SPIRIT RULE IN MY SPIRIT IN THIS SO I WILL DENY THE SLEEPY, LAZY, STRONG FLESH AND GET UP!

v 49 And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed in power from on high.

The promise was the Holy Spirit and the gift of tongues.

248 – His Death for Me

December 28, 1986

Jesus said to the disciples when He asked them to pray about what was ahead:

Pray that you may not enter into temptation. Luke 22:40

And again He said: Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation. v 46

I confess sleeping instead of praying all to often, Lord. I repent. Bring the grace and strength I need, PLEASE. Be faithful to Yourself because You live in me!

A couple of days ago as I was reviewing Galatians 2:20:

I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

A scenario popped into my mind that God was leading me on a journey—it was me walking The Way of the Cross. I was taking accusations that I deserved, taking beatings that I deserved because of sin in my life; people in the crowd were jeering from hatefulness—real people with faces—representing those whom I had spoken idle words against or had wounded or had ‘killed’ with gossip or accusations. They put the crown on me and laughed. They wounded me and pushed me and made me carry the cross—and made me get up on it—and I DESERVED to be on it.

Yet it was only like a dream because My Savior went in my place and took all of this FOR ME so I do not have to take it. I get the benefits of His substitutionary death.

In return, I give You my life to use as You see fit.

247 – God Encouraged Me

December 27, 1986 Saturday

Oh! I just remembered:

After Karen had finished the pep talk on Christmas day, she talked about their Christmas gathering. A young man was there who is the third of six boys in a missionary family that had lived in China during his growing up years. She asked him how his mom had done raising them and if he had any advice she could share with me.

He said he knew it was hard for his mom to raise six sons, especially because her husband was gone A LOT and the responsibility was mainly hers. But she, LEANED ON THE LORD.

He said those years in China were the best in his life and that it is excellent experience for kids to grow up in a foreign country like that.

I had been asking God the last two weeks to tell me ANYTHING I needed to know about anything at all, because everything has been so difficult.

So He encouraged has me about:

*leaning on Him

*kids loving the overseas life

*ridding us of grumbling and complaining

*advised us of the spiritual attack and creepy spirits hanging around that we were to evict in Jesus’ name.

BLESS JESUS CHRIST!

BLESS OUR LORD!

GLORY TO GOD!

He also encouraged me by:

*having Dan home recently

*having Dan share the burden of the boys’ behavior

*letting me purchase plastic containers

*giving me time to organize and a clear head to do it today.

BLESS OUR GOD!!

246 – Repenting of a Bad Attitude

December 27, 1986

Much repenting of my bad bad attitude, and still more to do.

I had three calls on Christmas day! Mom, Susie, and Karen. I cast my cares on Karen!! She called back the next day but I was out shopping with Tim and Stevie. She was very concerned about me and suspicious that the spirits that are bothering our neighbors were affecting us adversely—and she was frightened for me.

Dan recalled an “evil, beastie-looking thing” appearing the night before!—which he had neglected to tell me about! So we took Karen’s suggestion and prayed through the house. Then we prayed again at night.

Today was much better.

Also, I did devotions with the kids yesterday morning and asked Dan if he would join us. I turned to “do all things without grumbling or disputing” (Philippians 2:14) and the whole verse was perfect. We had all just read an Arch book about the seeds falling on various types of ground, so we prayed our hearts would be GOOD ground and would receive the Word of God.

We also laid down the law that their behavior HAD to change. As a result, the last two days have been gloriously happy and positive. It’s like a huge burden lifted!

Philippians 2:14-16 Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.

We are holding fast to the word of life. We are holding fast to Jesus.

245 – ‘Tis the Season to Trust Him

245 – ‘Tis the Season to

Trust Him

December 24, 1986 – Christmas Eve Day

The pressures of a messy unorganized house, Christmas errands yet to do, a few more cards to write, bows to tie on the tree, excited children—all with colds, 3 with varying stages of flu—a husband out of work (on his 3^rd day of fasting and prayer). We still have no vehicle of our own, but Praise God, the Greenman’s car is ‘ours’ till Sunday. Christmas dinner plans had to be cancelled because of our flu and theirs, but a turkey and all the trimmings were given to us by the local churches! AND we have a smoked turkey sent from California by Connie and Jerry!

With all of this—I guess I ‘deserve’ to be ‘under the circumstances.’ (that was my flesh!!)

BUT a desperate cry to my Lord in the shower, prayers from Dan, and—I can see clearly again, and HEAR what You have to say to me!

I will encourage myself in the Lord as Dan is doing, with psalms.

Selected verses from Psalms:

Oh taste and see that the Lord is GOOD; blessed is the man who TRUSTS in Him! 34:8

The EYES of the Lord are on the righteous, and His EARS are open to their cry. 34:15

The GOODNESS of God endures CONTINUALLY. 52:1b

I will praise Your name, O Lord, for it is GOOD.

For He has DELIVERED me out of all trouble. 54:6b, 7a

Whenever I am afraid, I will TRUST in You. In God (I WILL PRAISE HIS WORD), In God I have put my TRUST; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me? 56:3-4

Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me! For my soul TRUSTS in You; and in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, until these CALAMITIES have passed by. 57:1

Merry Christmas!

244 – I Choked the Word in the Christmas Rush

December 22, 1986

I’m glad I wrote on Dec 1 and Dec 2 all of our prayer requests. I see that God is answering prayers. Thank You, Father.

I was awful for 3 days. Finally today, as I address last package that we had to take to UPS—it broke! Whatever was on me, oppressing me, from the stress of Christmas duties is gone.

Included in my overwhelming feelings were female issues, stress of getting presents purchased and wrapped, finishing our craft projects, packages prepared for mailing. I also ate a few sugar cookies and some licorice—bad. Totally worked against me.

Dan prayed, Karen called, God moved.

I read in a book by Ruth H. Calkins: “God, I resign!” “–Good, You’re Promoted!”

I resign, Lord. But I want kindness and patience NOW! (I said as I threw a tantrum)(not really)

Going to my Bible to get the Word back into me:

Love is patient, love is kind. 1 Corinthians 13:4.

… love covers all transgressions. Proverbs 10:12

And we urge you brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with all men. 1 Thessalonians 5:1

Above all keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:8

Remembering something I heard from the Spirit the moment the last of the packages was wrapped: “the cares of this world CHOKED the good seed.” –i.e., my concern for the trappings of Christmas choked the life of Jesus, the Word, in my life. And I’ve been miserable!