GETTING GOD'S ATTENTION AND FAVOR IN 2018 by Ben & Brenda Peters

Greetings Friends,

It’s been too long since my last letter.  I’ve posted a lot on Facebook, but realize that not everyone is on Facebook.  Please forgive me.  Life, as usual, has been a bit crazy.

For those who haven’t heard, Brenda slipped on an unseen curb coming out of church, going into the parking lot.  She fell and twisted her foot and ankle.  X-rays showed a couple of small bone chips or fractures in her foot in two different places, plus the ankle was sprained.  We’ve had hundreds of people praying for her and she is walking, or limping on it.  She got through some last minute shopping and all the Christmas gatherings.  She’s not without pain or discomfort and the foot has turned black and blue, but she’s thankful that she can still function and didn’t have to have a hard cast.  We do appreciate continued prayer for her.

We are expecting twin boys to be born in the next few days, now that they are over 37 weeks old in the womb.  I call them womb-mates.  We’re looking forward to seeing them and Kimberley is looking forward to carrying them outside the womb.

Our schedule keeps us busy with personal ministry, writing, babysitting, etc.  We have a few meetings scheduled in early 2018, but we’re wanting to stay pretty close to home most of the time to help with these twins.

Here’s my New Years Message, which will also go on Facebook.

HOW TO GET GOD’S ATTENTION AND FAVOR

Brenda and I just watched an episode of Sid Roth’s It’s Supernatural, with guest James Maloney.  We were impacted heavily by his testimony and message. 

What stood out the most was the fact that having already had an amazing miracle ministry, God brought him to a place of greater brokenness and humility, where he now has more compassion and more faith for the impossible.  He has found that he also has instant access to the heavenly realm and the manifested presence of God and angelic assistance.

The important point I want to make, which is confirmed all throughout Scripture is this:  God isn’t looking to see how great our accomplishments are, how big our ministries are, how skillful we are in interpreting Scripture, etc.  What He is looking for is a broken and contrite heart. 

Isaiah 57 tells us He dwells in a high and loft place with the person who has a contrite and humble spirit. 

Psalm 51 tells us that a broken and contrite heart He will not despise. 

Isaiah 66 says that God will notice and pay attention to “him that is poor and of a contrite spirit,” rather than someone who has built Him a beautiful temple or palace. 

James 4 tells us God resists the proud but gives grace (or favor) to the humble. 

Jesus taught us that the sinner asking for mercy would have more favor than the Pharisee who had meticulously kept the letter of the law. 

MY NEW YEARS RESOLUTION

I can think of no greater New Year’s Resolution than to resolve to seek His face and ask Him to give us that place of brokenness and humility before Him.  The promises and rewards of brokenness and humility are so incredible that any sacrifice would be worth it to receive the benefits that are promised to us.  After all, David told us in Psalm 103 not to forget all His benefits.

Both Brenda and I have experienced these benefits following times of deep brokenness before God.  We share these experiences in some of our books.  Without these intense and exhilarating experiences, we would not have the ministry we have today.  But how easy it is to forget the true source of God’s favor and blessings, and begin to think in terms of a performance mentality.  We begin to look at our accomplishments and giftings and compare ourselves with others, which God says is not wise. 

The good news is that we don’t have to go through major pain and suffering to humble ourselves and find that place of brokenness.  We can ask for a revelation of Jesus through His Word and the Holy Spirit.  He can show us where we fall short and yet how great His love is for us.  We can ask for His heart and confess our own selfishness and pride.  His Holy Spirit will convict us if we ask Him to. 

More good news:  Being humble and broken before the Lord doesn’t mean we go around sad and mournful.  Just the opposite.  My experience is that immediately after an hour or two of carrying the burden or heart of the Lord in intercessory prayer, the joy of the Lord would flood my soul and His love and peace carried me through the day with victory and vigor for life.  The fruit of the Holy Spirit flowed out of my life like a river, and I knew it wasn’t me.  I was living in a supernatural realm I had never known before.  For more details, read “Humility and How I Almost Achieved it.”  E-book downloads are free on many e-readers.  Write me if you want more information. 

My personal and glorious revival followed one simple act of humility and obedience, and the long-term result is over 50 years of ministry, where God has provided all our needs, over 20 revelatory books written, over 20 international ministry trips and tens of thousands of hearts touched with the love of the Father.  Brenda’s testimony is similar, but different as yours probably is as well.

Let’s believe for God’s grace to empower us to keep our New Years Resolution throughout 2018 and the rest of our lives.  God isn’t looking at our performance record.  His eyes are searching for humble and broken hearts who feel His pain for souls without Christ and kids without food or clean water to drink, etc., not to mention those that are slaughtered in the womb.  May God take us lower so that He can lift us up and powerfully use us without our pride and selfishness getting in the way and messing things up.

There is so much more we could say, but this is getting too long.

Have a very blessed New Year with family, friends and with souls you will have impacted for eternity.

Much love,

Ben and Brenda Peters