The Sign

Jesse Birkey's picture

man looking upI’ve love being able to share the things that God has done in my life with you.  I love the emails I’ve received from those seeing the extraordinary work of Jesus at work in their own lives.  Testimonies bring life.  They are power.  They are love.

But I want to shift gears here just a bit in order to put into words something the Lord laid on my heart earlier today.  I want to ask you a question for your own reflection.  The question is, “What is your first reaction when tragedy strikes?”

My son and I were on our way to see our favorite football team (K.C. Chiefs) play in Jacksonville.  It’s about a 3-hour trip and there was anticipation in the air.  I hardly ever have an opportunity to see the Chiefs play live so I was very excited. 

As we were entering the city limits I received a phone call from my wife.  She got news that the child of some friends of ours was diagnosed with a terrible illness.  Things like that seem to just suck the air out of everything.  I’m sure there are those of you who know very well what that feels like.

I ended the call with my wife and tried to sort out what I’d just heard.  The injustice, unfairness.  I just stared ahead for a moment or two and then it happened.  My head dropped.  I kept my eyes on the road of course but I felt my body slump.  Now I’m not saying that my reaction was unreasonable.  When sorrow hits us and we react.  But what happened next profoundly impacted me. 

A flash of white above my line of vision grabbed my attention.  I looked up to see a sign hanging from an overpass we were approaching.  Spelled out in big, black letters against a white canvas was, JESUS.

I had to lift my head to view the sign fully.  As the name on the sign echoed through my mind I felt my spirit stir and heard the Holy Spirit begin to ask me, “What would happen if your first reaction to pain and trauma was to look up instead of down?” 

The question sat with me for the next handful of miles.  I was reminded of the Israelites who had to look up to the snake on a pole in order to be healed.  Have you ever asked why?  Why did they have to look up?  Was it about some kind of attempt to let the people know that God was dominant?  Some sort of effort to make them learn their place?  Or could it be something different?

What if it was about a battle?  What if it was about lies vs. truth?  What if it was about faith?  What if it was about how looking down kept them locked in hopelessness, despair and doubt.  What if keeping their eyes on the earth was supplying power to the chains wrapped around their hearts?  See, in order to look up we must believe that the thing we are looking to has the power to set us free, to heal us.  Otherwise why would we lift our heads?  As many of the Israelites who decided to believe the truth and look up were healed.  

Now I’m not saying that the reasonable reaction to terrible news is to stand up and start praising God.  That is unreasonable.  Some have misunderstood the “Count it all joy” passage.  We are humans with emotions.  Things hurt us and we must grieve or else our hearts die.  But do we want to grieve in the earth or with Jesus?  Lifting your head to Jesus in the face of tragedy doesn’t mean making some kind of lame attempt to have joy.  It means recognizing that Daddy God cares and wants to hold you.  He want’s to cry with you.  He wants to hold your heart.  To put you back together. 

We don’t have to spend time in the dust.  But change won’t come automatically.  We must choose to look up first.  Now looking up doesn’t guarantee a physical healing or that what was lost will be restored exactly as it was.  But it will keep our adversary away from our hearts.  As long as our eyes are looking at Jesus Satan can’t touch us.  Depression, hopelessness and despair won’t have a foothold.

Easier said than done right.  I know.  But it can be done.  I lift my eyes up, to the mountain.  Where does my help come from?  My help comes from you, maker of Heaven, creator of the earth.

Blessings,

 

Jesse and Kara Birkey

www.reflectministry.com

[email protected]

twitter.com/JesseBirkey

http://www.facebook.com/reflectministry

We are excited to announce a new teaching series called, The Normal Christian Life.  It’s a 4 CD set.  Check it out at http://www.reflectministry.com/store.html

View the Trailer for our new book, Life Resurrected, Extraordinary Miracles through Ordinary People Here!

To find information on an exciting new documentary called DeadRaiser go to www.deadraiser.com

 

 

 

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4 Keys to Hearing God's Voice

4 Keys to Hearing God's Voice

by Mark and Patti Virkler | 305 Pages | Retail: $16.99

Have you ever wished you could just sit down and have a long talk with the Lord? Wouldn't it be wonderful to move beyond having a theology that states that God loves you to actually hearing Him whisper words of love into your heart? When you're worried or confused, wouldn't you love to see the situation from His perspective and hear how He wants you to respond?


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Dialogue with God

by Mark and Patti Virkler | 296 Pages

This top seller for 30 years from Bridge Logos provides a narrative, right-brain presentation of the principles of how to hear God's voice. Especially enjoyable for personal use, it makes a great gift for introducing a loved one to the voice of God. This book teaches the four keys to hearing God's voice in readable style, and also devotes two entire chapters to moving samples of people's journaling (i.e. their two-way dialogue with God).

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Hear God's Voice Guaranteed Package

Hear God's Voice Guaranteed Package

9 Books | 10 CDs | 10 DVDs | Save Over 20%

Have you ever wished you could just sit down and have a long talk with the Lord? Wouldn't it be wonderful to move beyond having a theology that states that God loves you to actually hearing Him whisper words of love into your heart? When you're worried or confused, wouldn't you love to see the situation from His perspective and hear how He wants you to respond? When things don't seem to be going your way and your prayers aren't answered the way you had hoped, wouldn't it be great to hear Him tell you where He is in the midst of it, and what He is working out in your life? Are you ever just a little bit jealous of others who say with such confidence, "The Lord said...."?

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How to Hear God's Voice

by Mark and Patti Virkler | 317 Pages

We recommend that you order the newest revision of this book titled 4 Keys to Hearing God's Voice. It includes 95% of the content of How to Hear God's Voice but is reorganized so it fits perfectly with the 10 DVDs on this subject by Mark Virkler. In addition, it gets you started using the four keys earlier in the book and gives you more journaling samples and exercises. Since we have removed the large margins, it is a smaller and less expensive book.

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Prayers That Heal the Heart - Revised & Expanded 20th Anniversary Edition

by Mark and Patti Virkler | 320 Pages

Prayer counseling that breaks every yoke! Everything you need to experience deep healing of your soul and spirit.

Did you know that you don’t need to be continually plagued by negative thoughts, feelings, pictures or memories?

It is not part of the "human condition" to feel the constant nagging of doubt, insecurity, or anger. No matter what sin you are trying to overcome, what lie you think you’ll always believe, or what traumas your heart has suffered in the past, you will receive total freedom and restoration by praying these prayers in faith. 

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Twelve Weeks to Spiritual Mastery - Group Coaching

A group coaching experience with Mark Virkler

Because I could not find a Spirit-anointed teacher/coach, I spent ten extremely frustrating years seeking to hear God’s voice!!! Suggestions offered did not help me, things like: “You just know that you know. It is a still small voice. He speaks from your heart.” No one could give me the answer I needed which was: Hearing God’s voice is as simple as quieting yourself down, fixing your eyes on Jesus, recognizing His voice as spontaneous, flowing thoughts and writing down His flow as it is coming. Test what you have written after the flow is done, NOT while it is occurring.

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Counseled by God

by Mark and Patti Virkler | 146 Pages

Have you ever been defeated by negative emotions such as anger, fear, guilt, inferiority, condemnation or depression? Have you tried to fight them off unsuccessfully? Is there an answer that is deeper than simply trying to mentally reason yourself out of these emotions? Is there a way that Jesus can speak a word of life into the depths of your emotional despair and bring healing on a deep level? Is there a form of Christian counseling that begins and ends with the movement of Christ within your heart, rather than simply with the words of man?

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Hear God Through Your Dreams Workbook Cover

Hear God Through Your Dreams Workbook

by Mark and Patti Virkler | 92 Pages

A newer book has been released that accompanies this workbook: Click here for Hearing God Through Your Dreams by Charity Kayembe and Mark Virkler (featured on Sid Roth's "It's Supernatural", with almost a million views just on YouTube).


Do you often wake up feeling there was a significant message in your dream, but you’re just not sure what it is? Like Daniel and Joseph, do you long to be able to help others understand their own dreams and win them to Christ as you explain His night messages to them? Wouldn't it be nice if you could receive mid-course corrections from the Lord while you sleep? Do you wish you could be receiving divine inspiration, creative solutions to problems, and direction from the Lord during that third of your life that you’re “just” sleeping?

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Hearing God Through Your Dreams

by Mark Virkler and Charity Virkler Kayembe | 292 Pages

Learn How to Hear God’s Voice, Even When You Are Sleeping

It is always fun to be on the winning team. Well look what God has done with Charity's new dreams teaching. It has taken off like a rocket with a live TV interview on Cornerstone Network and her Sid Roth interview which has almost a million views on YouTube!

Price: $16.99

Everyday Angels

by Charity Virkler Kayembe and Joe Brock 289 Pages

You can partner with Heaven’s angelic hosts!

Do you have guardian angels? Does God want you to know them? Find out what Scripture reveals and how YOU can interact with the company of Heaven!

The supernatural realm permeates our natural world! Therefore, experiencing angels should be an everyday occurrence–we simply need to open our spiritual eyes to their reality and role in our lives.

Price: $16.99

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