A Heart Awakened

From Kara: We finished our first full week here at IHOP and what a ride! Our schedule felt busy but not overwhelming. I felt full in the midst of the busyness rather than drained or merely hanging on by a thread. The Lord has brought a confirmation that he is working on my heart to tenderize and bring more of his felt presence to me. Praise Him!

We had our time in the Global Prayer Room (which is the 24/7 room devoted to time spend singing through the Word and interceding corporately and individually for nations/cities and praying for revival of America), listening to teachings in the mornings with our Intro group, meeting with our small group to share a meal Wednesday night, serving as an usher in various services, helping out with the Children's Equipping Center on Sunday, and then our time in the Student Awakening (starting back in November of 2009, this awakening has continued until today and is demonstrated as gatherings on Wednesday through Saturday evenings. The Lord brings his manifest presence and as the body calls out for repentance, revival, and transformation of hearts to live out the first commandment to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength as we prepare for the Lord's return. More on that to come.)

It's difficult to know where to begin in all this. There is so much that the Lord is doing both in my heart and externally among the body of believers, not only in IHOP but all over the world. One thing that I really appreciate is that during our times when the Intro students meet, the leaders stress that our time here is not about IHOP. Our vision must be expanded beyond ourselves and even the internship. It's not about this organization that the Lord is growing exponentially. It's about Him. I will try and highlight and muse over two things about our time this past week. (Lord help me to be concise!)

- CEC (Children's Equipping Center, or rather IHOP for the kiddos. I actually thought they should have called the CEC "Lil' Hoppers." I digress.)

Both Brendon and I were assigned to work with the 6-7 year olds to serve during Sunday mornings. Our first Sunday was mostly being introduced to the program, the kids, and the schedule. People kept saying that we'd be wrecked (a positive thing:) ) by what these kids will teach us about the Lord and how to have faith like a child. I may have arrived a bit jaded in working with kids as I went in with more of a casual attitude. (Don't get me wrong I love, love, love them, but I've been around much tragedy in my former job as a child and family therapist, so I think this is much needed). We were able to sit in on the teaching and worship time for the children. It's really like a little church service as they are seeking to train up the children in the foundational truths of Scripture and the Lord. Older kids lead worship (quite skillfully) and little ones would close their eyes, raise their hands to the Lord, and dance before him! (Nothing like that to warm a jaded heart). During the teaching there were questions from six year olds to the teacher like, "What does revival mean?," and "What does consecration mean?" What?! Amazing. Let the little children come to Him indeed.

-Student Awakening (Wed-Sat 6-10ish, also broadcasted live at ihop.org).

My brother-in-law Marshal said to go to IHOP with an open heart and an open mind. Our IHOP leaders said words like, "When people manifest..." Mani-whaa??, said the Conservative Baptist pastor's kid. So, needless to say, all of this is really new to me. When the leaders talked about people "manifesting," (manifesting the power of the Holy Spirit)I really didn't know what to expect. The first night when one of the leaders went up to help enter us into a time of experiencing a greater move of the Spirit, there were giggles, laughter, shouts all over the room and some began to jerk, sway, fall and shake. Prayers for healing, repentance, revival, and transformation all included as well. I resonated with the leaders statement that said we are not seeking experience only but for a true transformation of heart and mind to live a life of righteousness and consecration before the Lord. So if you are here for some "shakes and giggles" and then going home to return to an un-holy lifestyle, let conviction come, beloved. Amen.

And underneath the surface, the Lord was drawing my heart to look at myself and others in a new identity. His identity. From Mike Bickle's "The Rewards of Fasting,": "The gap between knowing that God loves us and actually experiencing that love is rooted in living from a false identity based on the way people receive us, rather than on how God receives us. How we think and feel about ourselves is greatly impacted by those whose opinions we value most...God wants our identity and sense of value to be rooted and grounded in the knowledge of His affections for us (Eph. 3:17-18). That is where our hearts come alive!"

That is my prayer for you. That the Lord would give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation, that the eyes of your understanding may be enlightened, that you may know the hope of your calling in Him, and that you my know the riches of his inheritance in you; to paraphrase a saint of old. You are loved.