A Much Needed Conversation

This conversation God spoke to me during my quiet time on Monday was so beautifully, perfectly orchestrated for what He knew I would desperately need this week. I love how He does that.

I included all the scriptures before the conversation so you would not need to look them up, but could see that nearly all of the dialogue is word-for-word scripture.

The Scriptures read/brought to mind:

Mark 9:14-32

Proverbs 21

Mark 9:14-32(NIV) *emphasis mine*

When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. ¹⁵ As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him.

¹⁶ “What are you arguing with them about?” he asked.

¹⁷ A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. ¹⁸ Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.”

¹⁹ “O unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”

²⁰ So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.

²¹ Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?”

“From childhood,” he answered. ²² “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”

²³ “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”

²⁴ Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

²⁵ When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the impure spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.”

²⁶ The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” ²⁷ But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.

²⁸ After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”

²⁹ He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.”

³⁰ They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, ³¹ because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.” ³² But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it.

Proverbs 21(NIV) *emphasis mine*

1 The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD;

he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases.

2All a man’s ways seem right to him,

but the LORD weighs the heart.

3To do what is right and just

is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.

4Haughty eyes and a proud heart,

the lamp of the wicked, are sin!

5The plans of the diligent lead to profit

as surely as haste leads to poverty.

6A fortune made by a lying tongue

is a fleeting vapor and a deadly snare.

7The violence of the wicked will drag them away,

for they refuse to do what is right.

8The way of the guilty is devious,

but the conduct of the innocent is upright.

9Better to live on a corner of the roof

than share a house with a quarrelsome wife.

10The wicked man craves evil;

his neighbor gets no mercy from him.

11When a mocker is punished, the simple gain wisdom;

when a wise man is instructed, he gets knowledge.

12The Righteous One takes note of the house of the wicked

and brings the wicked to ruin.

13If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor,

he too will cry out and not be answered.

14A gift given in secret soothes anger,

and a bribe concealed in the cloak pacifies great wrath.

15When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous

but terror to evildoers.

16A man who strays from the path of understanding

comes to rest in the company of the dead.

17He who loves pleasure will become poor;

whoever loves wine and oil will never be rich.

18The wicked become a ransom for the righteous,

and the unfaithful for the upright.

19Better to live in a desert

than with a quarrelsome and ill-tempered wife.

20In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil,

but a foolish man devours all he has.

21He who pursues righteousness and love

finds life, prosperity and honor.

22A wise man attacks the city of the mighty

and pulls down the stronghold in which they trust.

23He who guards his mouth and his tongue

keeps himself from calamity.

24The proud and arrogant man—“Mocker” is his name;

he behaves with overweening pride.

25The sluggard’s craving will be the death of him,

because his hands refuse to work.

26All day long he craves for more,

but the righteous give without sparing.

27The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable—

how much more so when brought with evil intent!

28A false witness will perish,

and whoever listens to him will be destroyed forever.

29A wicked man puts up a bold front,

but an upright man gives thought to his ways.

30 There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan

that can succeed against the LORD.

31The horse is made ready for the day of battle,

but victory rests with the LORD.

"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."

~John 15:5

9“Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

~Matthew 7:9-11

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things."

~Phil. 4:8

The Conversation:

"LORD, I hear You saying...

Everything is possible if you believe. Even if you have been struggling with something from childhood. Even if it is attempting to drown you, burn you, kill you. I AM the One that commands it to come out of you and never enter you again. Apart from Me you can do nothing. There is a kind of spirit that makes you unable to hear and unable to speak that comes out only by prayer. Why, when you ask me for things, do you say 'if you can'? If your children ask you for bread, will you give them a stone? How much more will I give good gifts to you if you ask Me! There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against Me. The victory rests with Me.

LORD, hear me saying...

I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief! I ask you now to please command out of my heart and mind all the lies that have been seizing me since childhood about who I am and who You are. I ask that You would never let them enter me again so I will not be unable to hear You or unable speak about You/with You. Please help me to think on things that are lovely, true, praiseworthy. Thank You that You weigh my heart, that it is safe is Your kind redeeming hands, that You direct me like a watercourse wherever You please. Please help me to guard my mouth and give thought to my ways. Thank You that the victory rests with You!