12/26/12- Sunday 12/23/12, Don read from John 15:9-11 (“As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.)
As I am pondering this, I lose whatever Don was saying and realize that as we Love God with all our heart, soul and strength and our neighbors as ourself, it causes us to “abide” in HIS LOVE which causes our JOY to be full. Then, today as I am heavy with a overwhelming depression, I am reminded that my JOY is full as I am obedient to Him. I have been obedient to Him so I have JOY. It is IN ME. It is the fruit that He promises us will remain. (The FRUIT of the Holy Spirit) It is up to me to walk in that JOY by FAITH. For we don’t look to the things that we see which are only but for a moment, but to the things that we don’t see (THE JOY THAT IS THERE). So, as I begin to praise God out loud (which is the garment that comes against a spirit of heaviness) for the JOY THAT REMAINS when I don’t even “feel” it, the eternal well of salvation (healing, wholeness, deliverance) is stirred up within me. THE JOY OF THE LORD is a strength that rises in us during battle times. The Lord ENDURED THE CROSS for the JOY set before Him. HE HAD JOY AS HE WENT THROUGH PAIN!!!!! Who has lied to us and told us different? The FATHER OF LIES HIMSELF HAS BOUND US UP…..because he doesn’t want us to be STRONG IN THE LORD AND THE POWER OF HIS MIGHT. He will do anything he can to keep you from praising your God and from declaring HIS GOODNESS! However, this day, I declare and decree that this JOY REMAINS in me and MY JOY IS FULL!!! I am MORE THAN A CONQUEROR THROUGH CHRIST!! There is a river flowing out of me and JOY overwhelms my SOUL and NEVER LETS ME GO. JOY UNSPEAKABLE JOY!!!!! He is worthy of all my radical praise. He alone is WORTHY!!! He reigns over ALL THE DEPRESSION IN THE LAND!!! Hallelujah!!!! So, even in the PAIN, HIS JOY REMAINS!!!! I will celebrate HIS GOODNESS today. Ok so then I got this in Elijah List today that goes so well with what I am receiving and sharing. Here it is:
The Well of Salvation Will Be Poured Out Over Our Nation
The following corporate prophetic word was given by Eileen Fisher on November 6, 2012 during her weekly Prophetic School of the Holy Spirit meeting in Colorado Springs, Colorado:
"I Have Sent You My Truth"
"I have asked some of you to pick up your cross and follow Me. Yet you have not understood. You have thought I have been cross with you. That is not why I have asked you to pick up your cross and follow Me. I have asked you to pick up your cross and follow Me so I can help you carry your cross; so your strength will fall and My strength will enter in. I am going to strengthen you by My Spirit. You have come and you have presented your brokenness to Me. I will not turn My back on a broken vessel, nor will I turn My back on a broken heart. I have come to heal the broken-hearted and to set the captives free.
"I say, begin to act like one who has been set free. Begin to act it out in faith, receiving your freedom. Knowing I am not a task master, but I am One who comes and stands beside you. When your cross seems heavy, allow Me to carry it and carry you also. What dies upon your cross is the flesh, and at the same time it resurrects your spirit. Your spirit becomes free and your spirit becomes alive and your spirit comes to know it can do all things through Me who strengthens your spirit. Know I will strengthen your spirit. I have not brought confusion, I have not brought condemnation. I have not brought harsh correction. I have not come to you and said, 'Pull yourself up!'
"That is not My Spirit, nor My heart, nor My intent. I have sent you My Strengthener. I have sent you My Friend. I have sent you My Counselor. I will send you My Truth, for I will not have an army bent over in terror. I will have an army bent over in awe; in awe of the King of kings who has entered in. When He enters in, He is pulling His own into Himself and taking them and presenting them to the Father so the Father can seal them with His love of approval. I have not brought you a spirit of fear. I have not brought you the spirit of disappointment.
"My Hand is Moving Across Your Nation in a Miraculous Way"
"I have not brought you to allow you to be confused and lost. I have brought you into Myself to protect you, to heal you, to have you come to understand I have died so that you may have life abundantly. Choose the abundant life in My Spirit. Look not to man. Look not to man for your answer. Look not to man for strength, from the army of man, but look to the hand of the Lord your God. It is not too weak to where it cannot come against the weakness of the hand of man. I want you to understand My hand can become gentle when it needs to become gentle.
"My hand can be so strong when it needs to lead My own out. I am able to be all things for all My people. I take a child and I gently, very gently, lift that child up to My Father and will speak forth blessings and a future. I take those of all ages and I place them under Myself and hold and sing over My saints so I can bless them. I cause the young men who are weak and weary to rise up and to run fresh and in My strength. I take My women and place dignity, honor, and respect upon them to where their names will be called blessed, because I call them blessed women.
"Understand I am the God of gentleness. I am the God of power and might. I can be all things necessary to rescue and save My own. Look not to man but look to Me, the Lord your God, for My hand is moving across your nation in a miraculous way," says the Lord your God.
"You will hear a miraculous report of the Lord. You will dance in the streets and you will sing and you will declare, 'All is well!' I will say until you, sing it in faith, sing it when you are alone, declare it, decree it, and so it shall be: All shall be well because the well of salvation is going to be poured out fresh over your nation. I am causing places that have been dry to open up to My reign. I will come down and you will hear, 'Let us go to the sanctuary of the Lord our God and be dipped in the well of our own salvation," says the Lord your God.
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Gaze at me; Glance at problems
This morning's devotional taken from "Jesus Today" by Sarah Young
Gaze at Me; Glance at problems – THIS is the secret of living victoriously. Your tendency is to gaze at problems for prolonged periods of time, glancing at Me for help. This is natural for someone with a fallen mind living in a fallen world. However, I have called you to live supernaturally, and I have empowered you to do so. The Holy Spirit, who lives in all my followers, enables you to live beyond yourself – to transcend your natural tendencies.
Ask My Spirit to help you fix your gaze on Me. Invite him to alert you whenever you get overly focused on your problems so you can redirect your attention to Me. This is hard work, because it is not only unnatural but also countercultural. Moreover, the evil one and his demons seek to distract you from My Presence.
All these influences working together put massive pressure on you to pay attention to your problems – or else! So you need the assistance of My Spirit continually. Ask Him to help you deal with difficulties as needed, while reserving the bulk of your attention for Me – your constant companion.
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. – Hebrews 12:2
I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Helper, That he may abide with you forever – the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. – John 14:16 – 17
We fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. – 2 Corinthians 4:18
Gaze at Me; Glance at problems – THIS is the secret of living victoriously. Your tendency is to gaze at problems for prolonged periods of time, glancing at Me for help. This is natural for someone with a fallen mind living in a fallen world. However, I have called you to live supernaturally, and I have empowered you to do so. The Holy Spirit, who lives in all my followers, enables you to live beyond yourself – to transcend your natural tendencies.
Ask My Spirit to help you fix your gaze on Me. Invite him to alert you whenever you get overly focused on your problems so you can redirect your attention to Me. This is hard work, because it is not only unnatural but also countercultural. Moreover, the evil one and his demons seek to distract you from My Presence.
All these influences working together put massive pressure on you to pay attention to your problems – or else! So you need the assistance of My Spirit continually. Ask Him to help you deal with difficulties as needed, while reserving the bulk of your attention for Me – your constant companion.
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. – Hebrews 12:2
I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Helper, That he may abide with you forever – the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. – John 14:16 – 17
We fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. – 2 Corinthians 4:18
Friday, December 21, 2012
Wise Men ( and I might add children) STILL SEEK HIM
I Read the article below from Elijah list the other day and I wanted to share! We must SEE JESUS IN US! The Lord says SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD and ALL THESE THINGS shall be added unto you. If you have truly believed upon the LORD JESUS (by believing I mean that you don't just know He was crucified and rose from the dead- even the demons know that, but do you believe so deeply othat you are willing to die for Him) then you have the Kingdom of God living in you- HIS NAME IS JESUS and He still operates in the miraculous. Just be willing to die to your reasoning and Pride and reputation. Anyway, here is the article. I want to add that a few days before I read this one, The Lord said to me "The light appears brighter in gross darkness and those who are of the light will see (understand and recognize) it. Those in unbelief will not see the glory of God that will arise when the darkness covers the earth. Only those who were looking for the star new where to go. I am revealing my love and my Truth. Nothing takes me by surprise and these things really will work together Who is the good of those who love me tender called according to my purposes."
Here is the article:
Paulette Reed:
Follow the Star - Wise Men Still Seek Him
Heavenly Assignment
It was a rather mundane afternoon as I sat at my desk several years ago. I knew in my spirit that a season of life was coming to an end. I was just trying to finish strong and wait on Holy Spirit for my next assignment.
As I plowed through mountains of administrative work, I looked up, and there, on the ivory painted wall, was handwriting. Hmm, I thought to myself, this seems Biblical to me! A beautiful calligraphy font scrolled in front of my eyes: "Paulette, fill the earth with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord" (see Habakkuk 2:14) – a mandate from Heaven, and then whoosh, it disappeared. Even though that was several years ago, to this day I'm totally honored to walk out God's word over my life. What an adventure!
Examining the Scripture from Habakkuk in the Hebrew brings out some interesting truths: "For the earth shall be filled with the observable manifestation of the goodness of God, His manifest presence, honor, riches, and power among the [mature] sons [and daughters] as the Word of God covers the people. God will confirm and demonstrate His Word in your presence to show His goodness and the Kingdom shall advance" (Habakkuk 2:14 paraphrase).
Wow! I don't want to miss anything God has in store for the earth. How about you? If it's Jesus, I want it. How could we miss the filling that's coming? One way might be entertaining unbelief, which could cause spiritual blindness of observable manifestations; another way could be unpreparedness for the demonstration of God's Word. Proverbs 4:5 tells us to get ready: "Acquire wisdom! Acquire understanding! Do not forget nor turn away from the words of My mouth." Maybe fear tries to stand in the way of encountering the supernatural acts of God – like handwriting on the wall, for example.
The Visit of the Magi
Today, let's recount the birth of Christ from what might be a little different perspective for some – a supernatural perspective.
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him." When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet: 'And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the leaders of Judah; for out of you shall come forth a Ruler who will shepherd My people Israel.'"
Then Herod secretly called the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him." After hearing the king, they went their way; and the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way.
Now when they had gone, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Get up! Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is going to search for the Child to destroy Him." So Joseph got up and took the Child and His mother while it was still night, and left for Egypt. Matthew 2:1-14
Explosion
Well, there you have it. It's amazing to see how the New Covenant immediately explodes into the supernatural acts of God. In just 14 verses we see signs and wonders, prophecy, visions, angelic visitations, and prophetic dreams.
How wonderful to know that these acts of God validate different forms of communication He uses to speak to His people. Of course, we see these and many more supernatural encounters all the way from Genesis to Revelation.
His Name is Jesus, Which Means "To Save"
Let's take note of how our story in Matthew 2 reminds us that the Savior, who is the Truth, was and is for everyone.
There were wise men who followed a star to see Jesus. Now, these guys were magi, or astrologers, from the royal court of Persia; and one of their roles was to make the king of Persia look great. But here they were, following a star so they could promote another King – the real King. Would we really expect magi to worship Jesus? I mean, really? They were accustomed to kings being in a royal palace, not born in a stable. So the fact that they were led, not only to follow a star, but for such a specific purpose as this, is surely supernatural.
It's wonderful to know that the birth of the Savior was for everyone! Later on in the New Covenant, we read that Jesus is not willing that any should perish (see 2 Peter 3:9). What a great life lesson here as we're reminded not to be biased toward pre-believers. Perhaps the wise men even humbled Believers a bit. I mean, they not only traveled for miles and miles to find Jesus, but they were also prepared to worship a King they had never met. And they took just the right gifts to lie at His feet. Whereas, we sometimes complain if we have to drive more than 20 minutes, and then we approach the King empty handed.
It's almost comical, really. Here we have Herod, who was paranoid and territorial, believing that there could never be another king who could even come near his turf. For he had his political system in place and his "kingdom" all set up with brutality and false power. And then, along comes a little baby in a manger. A baby who was 100% dependent on God. A King who would rule the world.
If we keep looking closely at Matthew 2, we see more supernatural works of the Lord. For example, somehow the wise men knew the Messiah was royalty. Somehow, they knew that Jesus was the King who had all authority (later declared in Matthew 28:18). And then, by a dream from God, supernatural revelation was revealed to them so they knew they were not to return by way of Jerusalem.
Who would have thought that the magi would be some of the very first to receive the Good News – His name is Emmanuel, God with us? It appears that the star in the East was exactly the sign and wonder they needed...to make then wonder.
Establishing Your Dreams
In the prophetic message in Matthew 2, we see some guidelines set by Heaven on what it takes to establish the dreams of God in our own lives.
First, dreams are to be prophesied. Herod inquired of the people where the Messiah was to be born. And they said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet" (Matthew 2:5), and then they went on to quote Micah 5:2, which was written nearly 400 years earlier. So, if you think you're tired of waiting for your dreams to come true, hold on! Amos 3:7 reminds us, "Surely the Lord God does nothing unless He reveals His secret counsel to His servants the prophets." So, prophesying over your dreams of God is crucial.
Secondly, we must be careful not to despise humble beginnings (see Zechariah 4:10). Who would have ever imagined that the King of kings would be born in a stable and become poor so that we might be rich?
The third guideline is to be aware that not everyone will be as excited as you are about the birth of a dream. In fact, Joseph couldn't even find room in the inn for Mary to deliver. And the evil Herod reminds us that our enemy is a liar. He said he wanted to know where the baby was born so he could visit Him, but in actuality he planned to kill "the dream." It's important to remember that everyone sitting in the front row might not be your greatest fan. And, it's also important to remember that we must learn to delight in hiddenness until it's time for God to send out birth announcements.
Next, timing is very important. The enemy wanted to know the exact time the star appeared in the sky (see Matthew 2:7-8, 16). Then, by calculating the distance it had traveled, he could figure out when the baby was born and how old it would be. Later, he carried out an evil plan to have all the baby boys killed who were two years old and under. But the good news is that God's timing is perfect; and if we stay in the rhythm of Heaven, He will give us supernatural wisdom to protect the dream He has placed within us.
We must also remember to constantly rejoice while waiting for our dream. There's power in praise and it changes the atmosphere. "When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy" (Matthew 2:10). How exciting! Can you even imagine being out in a field and the heavens open up? Oh, how rejoicing through prayer and praise produces joy deep within our hearts. This also leads to honor, which is very important in the establishing of our dreams. When the dreams of God are born, we honor the Dream Giver just as the wise men fell to the ground and worshiped the King (see Matthew 2:11).
The sixth guideline we're to remember is that there is always provision for the vision. The magi brought gold, frankincense, and myrrh (see Matthew 2:11). I believe they represent the fact that God will supply everything that is needed for the dream. Gold is a gift fit for a king. Frankincense symbolizes incense, the burning of which represents prayer. It is used by priests, and indicates the priestly nature of the Messiah. And myrrh is a fragrant perfume, used in embalming bodies. The inclusion of this gift can be seen as prophetic of the death of the Messiah. The three gifts together give prominence to Messiah's three offices: prophet, priest, and king.
And lastly, to establish our dreams we must be constantly obedient. We have to know when it's time to stay and when it's time to move the "baby." We see in Matthew 2:13 that an angel appeared and told Mary and Joseph to go so that they would be protected from Herod.
Wise Men Still Seek Him
Revelation 22:16 tells us that Jesus is The Bright Morning Star. He is splendid, magnificent, and radiant with a glorious brilliance that never fades away.
Surely God longs for us to follow The Star rather than being pushed by our problems. Are you following Jesus today? If not, you can be. It's so simple to invite Him into your heart and be born from above. And we might ask ourselves if we're aligned with the supernatural, prophetic words that we've received throughout the years. Are we writing down the prophetic dreams we receive? Do we keep peace on earth and goodwill toward men, as we maintain a quiet confidence and remain 100% dependent on God, realizing that our supernatural destiny reaches far beyond our natural abilities?
Paulette Reed
Prophetic Arrow Ministries
Email: info@propheticarrow.org
Paulette Reed is a powerful preacher, prophetic minister, encourager, and author. She is a full-time revivalist/evangelist. Her passion is to share the love of Christ and unite people to the inexplicable love of our Heavenly Father, exhorting them to arise and shine! She is an extremely accurate prophetess who has been raised up to bring hope and healing to the Body of Christ. Without a vision the people perish, so the Lord is using this handmaiden as His mouthpiece to speak forth individual and corporate vision, catapulting people into their destinies. Paulette loves to see God's people awakened and proclaim the active extension of the Kingdom on earth as it is in Heaven. She ministers in the revival anointing accompanied by revelatory ministry, healing, miracles, signs and wonders.
Here is the article:
Paulette Reed:
Follow the Star - Wise Men Still Seek Him
Heavenly Assignment
It was a rather mundane afternoon as I sat at my desk several years ago. I knew in my spirit that a season of life was coming to an end. I was just trying to finish strong and wait on Holy Spirit for my next assignment.
As I plowed through mountains of administrative work, I looked up, and there, on the ivory painted wall, was handwriting. Hmm, I thought to myself, this seems Biblical to me! A beautiful calligraphy font scrolled in front of my eyes: "Paulette, fill the earth with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord" (see Habakkuk 2:14) – a mandate from Heaven, and then whoosh, it disappeared. Even though that was several years ago, to this day I'm totally honored to walk out God's word over my life. What an adventure!
Examining the Scripture from Habakkuk in the Hebrew brings out some interesting truths: "For the earth shall be filled with the observable manifestation of the goodness of God, His manifest presence, honor, riches, and power among the [mature] sons [and daughters] as the Word of God covers the people. God will confirm and demonstrate His Word in your presence to show His goodness and the Kingdom shall advance" (Habakkuk 2:14 paraphrase).
Wow! I don't want to miss anything God has in store for the earth. How about you? If it's Jesus, I want it. How could we miss the filling that's coming? One way might be entertaining unbelief, which could cause spiritual blindness of observable manifestations; another way could be unpreparedness for the demonstration of God's Word. Proverbs 4:5 tells us to get ready: "Acquire wisdom! Acquire understanding! Do not forget nor turn away from the words of My mouth." Maybe fear tries to stand in the way of encountering the supernatural acts of God – like handwriting on the wall, for example.
The Visit of the Magi
Today, let's recount the birth of Christ from what might be a little different perspective for some – a supernatural perspective.
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him." When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet: 'And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the leaders of Judah; for out of you shall come forth a Ruler who will shepherd My people Israel.'"
Then Herod secretly called the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him." After hearing the king, they went their way; and the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way.
Now when they had gone, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Get up! Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is going to search for the Child to destroy Him." So Joseph got up and took the Child and His mother while it was still night, and left for Egypt. Matthew 2:1-14
Explosion
Well, there you have it. It's amazing to see how the New Covenant immediately explodes into the supernatural acts of God. In just 14 verses we see signs and wonders, prophecy, visions, angelic visitations, and prophetic dreams.
How wonderful to know that these acts of God validate different forms of communication He uses to speak to His people. Of course, we see these and many more supernatural encounters all the way from Genesis to Revelation.
His Name is Jesus, Which Means "To Save"
Let's take note of how our story in Matthew 2 reminds us that the Savior, who is the Truth, was and is for everyone.
There were wise men who followed a star to see Jesus. Now, these guys were magi, or astrologers, from the royal court of Persia; and one of their roles was to make the king of Persia look great. But here they were, following a star so they could promote another King – the real King. Would we really expect magi to worship Jesus? I mean, really? They were accustomed to kings being in a royal palace, not born in a stable. So the fact that they were led, not only to follow a star, but for such a specific purpose as this, is surely supernatural.
It's wonderful to know that the birth of the Savior was for everyone! Later on in the New Covenant, we read that Jesus is not willing that any should perish (see 2 Peter 3:9). What a great life lesson here as we're reminded not to be biased toward pre-believers. Perhaps the wise men even humbled Believers a bit. I mean, they not only traveled for miles and miles to find Jesus, but they were also prepared to worship a King they had never met. And they took just the right gifts to lie at His feet. Whereas, we sometimes complain if we have to drive more than 20 minutes, and then we approach the King empty handed.
It's almost comical, really. Here we have Herod, who was paranoid and territorial, believing that there could never be another king who could even come near his turf. For he had his political system in place and his "kingdom" all set up with brutality and false power. And then, along comes a little baby in a manger. A baby who was 100% dependent on God. A King who would rule the world.
If we keep looking closely at Matthew 2, we see more supernatural works of the Lord. For example, somehow the wise men knew the Messiah was royalty. Somehow, they knew that Jesus was the King who had all authority (later declared in Matthew 28:18). And then, by a dream from God, supernatural revelation was revealed to them so they knew they were not to return by way of Jerusalem.
Who would have thought that the magi would be some of the very first to receive the Good News – His name is Emmanuel, God with us? It appears that the star in the East was exactly the sign and wonder they needed...to make then wonder.
Establishing Your Dreams
In the prophetic message in Matthew 2, we see some guidelines set by Heaven on what it takes to establish the dreams of God in our own lives.
First, dreams are to be prophesied. Herod inquired of the people where the Messiah was to be born. And they said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet" (Matthew 2:5), and then they went on to quote Micah 5:2, which was written nearly 400 years earlier. So, if you think you're tired of waiting for your dreams to come true, hold on! Amos 3:7 reminds us, "Surely the Lord God does nothing unless He reveals His secret counsel to His servants the prophets." So, prophesying over your dreams of God is crucial.
Secondly, we must be careful not to despise humble beginnings (see Zechariah 4:10). Who would have ever imagined that the King of kings would be born in a stable and become poor so that we might be rich?
The third guideline is to be aware that not everyone will be as excited as you are about the birth of a dream. In fact, Joseph couldn't even find room in the inn for Mary to deliver. And the evil Herod reminds us that our enemy is a liar. He said he wanted to know where the baby was born so he could visit Him, but in actuality he planned to kill "the dream." It's important to remember that everyone sitting in the front row might not be your greatest fan. And, it's also important to remember that we must learn to delight in hiddenness until it's time for God to send out birth announcements.
Next, timing is very important. The enemy wanted to know the exact time the star appeared in the sky (see Matthew 2:7-8, 16). Then, by calculating the distance it had traveled, he could figure out when the baby was born and how old it would be. Later, he carried out an evil plan to have all the baby boys killed who were two years old and under. But the good news is that God's timing is perfect; and if we stay in the rhythm of Heaven, He will give us supernatural wisdom to protect the dream He has placed within us.
We must also remember to constantly rejoice while waiting for our dream. There's power in praise and it changes the atmosphere. "When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy" (Matthew 2:10). How exciting! Can you even imagine being out in a field and the heavens open up? Oh, how rejoicing through prayer and praise produces joy deep within our hearts. This also leads to honor, which is very important in the establishing of our dreams. When the dreams of God are born, we honor the Dream Giver just as the wise men fell to the ground and worshiped the King (see Matthew 2:11).
The sixth guideline we're to remember is that there is always provision for the vision. The magi brought gold, frankincense, and myrrh (see Matthew 2:11). I believe they represent the fact that God will supply everything that is needed for the dream. Gold is a gift fit for a king. Frankincense symbolizes incense, the burning of which represents prayer. It is used by priests, and indicates the priestly nature of the Messiah. And myrrh is a fragrant perfume, used in embalming bodies. The inclusion of this gift can be seen as prophetic of the death of the Messiah. The three gifts together give prominence to Messiah's three offices: prophet, priest, and king.
And lastly, to establish our dreams we must be constantly obedient. We have to know when it's time to stay and when it's time to move the "baby." We see in Matthew 2:13 that an angel appeared and told Mary and Joseph to go so that they would be protected from Herod.
Wise Men Still Seek Him
Revelation 22:16 tells us that Jesus is The Bright Morning Star. He is splendid, magnificent, and radiant with a glorious brilliance that never fades away.
Surely God longs for us to follow The Star rather than being pushed by our problems. Are you following Jesus today? If not, you can be. It's so simple to invite Him into your heart and be born from above. And we might ask ourselves if we're aligned with the supernatural, prophetic words that we've received throughout the years. Are we writing down the prophetic dreams we receive? Do we keep peace on earth and goodwill toward men, as we maintain a quiet confidence and remain 100% dependent on God, realizing that our supernatural destiny reaches far beyond our natural abilities?
Paulette Reed
Prophetic Arrow Ministries
Email: info@propheticarrow.org
Paulette Reed is a powerful preacher, prophetic minister, encourager, and author. She is a full-time revivalist/evangelist. Her passion is to share the love of Christ and unite people to the inexplicable love of our Heavenly Father, exhorting them to arise and shine! She is an extremely accurate prophetess who has been raised up to bring hope and healing to the Body of Christ. Without a vision the people perish, so the Lord is using this handmaiden as His mouthpiece to speak forth individual and corporate vision, catapulting people into their destinies. Paulette loves to see God's people awakened and proclaim the active extension of the Kingdom on earth as it is in Heaven. She ministers in the revival anointing accompanied by revelatory ministry, healing, miracles, signs and wonders.
Monday, December 17, 2012
The Word that changes EVERYTHING
I read this from Lyn Packer and was blessed. Those of you who know me know this is true for me for sure! Love you all!
The Word That Changed Everything
We are in the midst of a great awakening in the Church where the children of God are waking up to "who they really are." Part of the foundation of this awakening is a deepened revelation of the love and goodness of God that is giving birth to a "Love Revolution," now sweeping the earth. The Church is learning how to live loved and, as a result, is becoming "living love" – pouring out love in ways that is causing transformation to come to thousands daily. You are called to be a part of that revolution, and it starts with knowing that you are loved – unconditionally and irrevocably.
Let Father God love you, really love you, and through the transformational effect on your life, you will not be able to do anything but love as He does. As a result, you too will transform the lives of those you come in contact with.
The One Word That Is At the Heart of the Good News of the Gospel
One of the amazing things Jesus accomplished through both His life and death was to reintroduce a reality that had not existed since the fall of mankind – a loving close relationship with God.
With one word Jesus changed everything. He declared the end of religion and proclaimed the restoration of relationship. He changed forever the way man would see God (if they really looked). That one word is at the heart of the Good News of the Gospel. It's not the word "forgiveness," or even the word "grace." Those are powerful words, but the one word Jesus used to change everything is "Abba." Abba is the word for "Father" or "Daddy." It may not sound like much of a revolution-starting word when you first hear it, but that word "Father" changed everything and assaulted every religious belief in existence, both outside and inside Israel.
Knowing "Father" Changes Everything
Jesus came not only as the Savior, but also as a Son. He came to reveal the Father and to provide a way for us to return to relationship with Him. Knowing God as "Father" changes everything because it reveals our reason for being created – to be in a loving, cared-for, protected and provided-for relationship with Father God. We were never meant to have to strive in order to know God, or have to earn a relationship with Him. We were meant to be "children" to the Father – a Father who loves us with 100% pure, untainted, undiluted love and goodness.
Jesus came not only as the way back to the Father but as a model of how we were created to be in relationship with the Father. That's why He came as a child, as a Son, because only a Son could reveal God as Father. A servant cannot reveal God as the Father – he can only reveal God as "master" or "boss." Jesus said, "If you have seen Me, you have seen the Father" (John 14:9). In Jesus we see the Father's love revealed and expressed. And once we see the Father, something in us wakes up and remembers that we were made to be in loving relationship with Him!
Experience His Daddy Love
God wants to lavish us with His love. He wants the experiential knowledge of His love to be the very foundation of our lives. He wants all that we do – all the decisions we make and our revelation of who He is and who we are – to be a result of knowing and dwelling in His glorious love. The apostle Paul understood how important it is to have this revelation of God the Father's love and to experience it. That's why he prayed, "That you, being rooted and grounded in love...may comprehend what is the breadth, length, height and depth and to know the love of God that surpasses understanding, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God" (Ephesians 3:17-19).
He's a Good Dad. God is Love. Everything He does is motivated by love. He has no ulterior motives, no agendas except to love. Love is not just something He does; it's who He is! He doesn't love you because He wants something from you. He's not looking for servants. He's not expecting people to try hard to please Him. He is looking for someone to lavish His love upon. That is the type of Father He is. Yes, we will serve and we will obey, but those are the results of knowing His love, not the means of gaining it.
Some of us never knew our fathers. Or maybe we had fathers who were absent emotionally even if they were there in person. Some of our fathers were abusive. Others demanded perfection of us. Earthly fathers have let many of us down, but we can't afford to judge God the Father by what our experiences tell us a father is like. I used to, and because of my relationship with my dad I didn't want to know God as Father. In my mind, fathers weren't nice; they abused their children. Thankfully those hurts have been healed and I am set free from those lies. Now my relationship with Abba, Daddy God, is so precious to me. I know He will never abuse me, that He only has good things for me. And I know He is the same for you.
His Treasure
Daddy God has chosen us as His special treasure. He IS love and His love melts away our performance-oriented mentality. God does not want to treat us like a servant/slave but as a son/daughter. He'll let us be a servant if we insist, but it's not what He wants from the relationship. And if we insist in seeing Him just as master and not Daddy, Abba God, we miss out on so much.
You are a son or daughter of your heavenly Father, the One who is Love and who is forever good through and through. There are no hidden agendas in His love. You now live under a new and everlasting covenant based on Daddy's promise that He will never stop loving you or doing good for you (see Romans 8:38-39, Jeremiah 32:40)!
God is love; and Daddy God loves you with an everlasting, 100% pure, unfailing love! Revel in His love; soak it up! You are not being greedy; you are not being somehow less spiritually mature by reveling in that love. In fact, really knowing His love is a mark of maturing in childlike faith and trust. Enjoy it – go on, really enjoy it. There are no catches here, no tricks, just pure undefiled love. God, your good Father in Heaven, wants you to know that glorious love, to be set free by it, to make your home in it, to be comfortable in it, and to find the full expression of who you are in it.
Weekly Scripture Meditation
Week ONE – Ephesians 3:17-19
Week TWO – 1 John 4:16
Week THREE – Romans 8:38-39
Week FOUR – Psalm 139
Lyn Packer
XP Ministries New Zealand
The Word That Changed Everything
We are in the midst of a great awakening in the Church where the children of God are waking up to "who they really are." Part of the foundation of this awakening is a deepened revelation of the love and goodness of God that is giving birth to a "Love Revolution," now sweeping the earth. The Church is learning how to live loved and, as a result, is becoming "living love" – pouring out love in ways that is causing transformation to come to thousands daily. You are called to be a part of that revolution, and it starts with knowing that you are loved – unconditionally and irrevocably.
Let Father God love you, really love you, and through the transformational effect on your life, you will not be able to do anything but love as He does. As a result, you too will transform the lives of those you come in contact with.
The One Word That Is At the Heart of the Good News of the Gospel
One of the amazing things Jesus accomplished through both His life and death was to reintroduce a reality that had not existed since the fall of mankind – a loving close relationship with God.
With one word Jesus changed everything. He declared the end of religion and proclaimed the restoration of relationship. He changed forever the way man would see God (if they really looked). That one word is at the heart of the Good News of the Gospel. It's not the word "forgiveness," or even the word "grace." Those are powerful words, but the one word Jesus used to change everything is "Abba." Abba is the word for "Father" or "Daddy." It may not sound like much of a revolution-starting word when you first hear it, but that word "Father" changed everything and assaulted every religious belief in existence, both outside and inside Israel.
Knowing "Father" Changes Everything
Jesus came not only as the Savior, but also as a Son. He came to reveal the Father and to provide a way for us to return to relationship with Him. Knowing God as "Father" changes everything because it reveals our reason for being created – to be in a loving, cared-for, protected and provided-for relationship with Father God. We were never meant to have to strive in order to know God, or have to earn a relationship with Him. We were meant to be "children" to the Father – a Father who loves us with 100% pure, untainted, undiluted love and goodness.
Jesus came not only as the way back to the Father but as a model of how we were created to be in relationship with the Father. That's why He came as a child, as a Son, because only a Son could reveal God as Father. A servant cannot reveal God as the Father – he can only reveal God as "master" or "boss." Jesus said, "If you have seen Me, you have seen the Father" (John 14:9). In Jesus we see the Father's love revealed and expressed. And once we see the Father, something in us wakes up and remembers that we were made to be in loving relationship with Him!
Experience His Daddy Love
God wants to lavish us with His love. He wants the experiential knowledge of His love to be the very foundation of our lives. He wants all that we do – all the decisions we make and our revelation of who He is and who we are – to be a result of knowing and dwelling in His glorious love. The apostle Paul understood how important it is to have this revelation of God the Father's love and to experience it. That's why he prayed, "That you, being rooted and grounded in love...may comprehend what is the breadth, length, height and depth and to know the love of God that surpasses understanding, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God" (Ephesians 3:17-19).
He's a Good Dad. God is Love. Everything He does is motivated by love. He has no ulterior motives, no agendas except to love. Love is not just something He does; it's who He is! He doesn't love you because He wants something from you. He's not looking for servants. He's not expecting people to try hard to please Him. He is looking for someone to lavish His love upon. That is the type of Father He is. Yes, we will serve and we will obey, but those are the results of knowing His love, not the means of gaining it.
Some of us never knew our fathers. Or maybe we had fathers who were absent emotionally even if they were there in person. Some of our fathers were abusive. Others demanded perfection of us. Earthly fathers have let many of us down, but we can't afford to judge God the Father by what our experiences tell us a father is like. I used to, and because of my relationship with my dad I didn't want to know God as Father. In my mind, fathers weren't nice; they abused their children. Thankfully those hurts have been healed and I am set free from those lies. Now my relationship with Abba, Daddy God, is so precious to me. I know He will never abuse me, that He only has good things for me. And I know He is the same for you.
His Treasure
Daddy God has chosen us as His special treasure. He IS love and His love melts away our performance-oriented mentality. God does not want to treat us like a servant/slave but as a son/daughter. He'll let us be a servant if we insist, but it's not what He wants from the relationship. And if we insist in seeing Him just as master and not Daddy, Abba God, we miss out on so much.
You are a son or daughter of your heavenly Father, the One who is Love and who is forever good through and through. There are no hidden agendas in His love. You now live under a new and everlasting covenant based on Daddy's promise that He will never stop loving you or doing good for you (see Romans 8:38-39, Jeremiah 32:40)!
God is love; and Daddy God loves you with an everlasting, 100% pure, unfailing love! Revel in His love; soak it up! You are not being greedy; you are not being somehow less spiritually mature by reveling in that love. In fact, really knowing His love is a mark of maturing in childlike faith and trust. Enjoy it – go on, really enjoy it. There are no catches here, no tricks, just pure undefiled love. God, your good Father in Heaven, wants you to know that glorious love, to be set free by it, to make your home in it, to be comfortable in it, and to find the full expression of who you are in it.
Weekly Scripture Meditation
Week ONE – Ephesians 3:17-19
Week TWO – 1 John 4:16
Week THREE – Romans 8:38-39
Week FOUR – Psalm 139
Lyn Packer
XP Ministries New Zealand
Saturday, December 15, 2012
Devotional today
This morning me and my children were getting ready to leave the house. Mikayla sad because she had to go to her daddy's house today. We began talking about The good things about going and seeing her daddy. We talked about how God is with us in our trials and tribulations and how he gives us peace in the middle of our hard times. We talked about how all things really do work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purposes. I talked to them a little bit about how sometimes when we pull away from God it makes the problems harder to bear. I told them that when we pull away from God in him he is allowed to come and attack us a little bit and that causes us to recognize how much we need God and then we already this morning's devotional:
Use your trials and troubles to draw closer to me. Whenever you start to feel destressed, turn around by talking with me. Let pain and problems remind you of your constant need for me.
Create a collection of brief prayers, such as: help me, Jesus. Fill me with your piece. Show me your way. These requests are spiritual nutrients – so vitamins. The more you use them, the healthier and happier you will be.
When you view troubles in this way – as reminders to draw near me – you can actually rejoice in your trial. Of course, this requires training your mind to move quickly from problem mode to prayer mode. It is crucial to have your arsenal of prayers ready to use. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you in your preparations; Helping you form prayers that will flow readily out of your heart.
Practice saying them to me, into your intimately familiar with them. When you encounter trouble of any kind, reach into your arsenal of prayers and speak one or more of them boldly. The enemy will retreat, and I will draw near.
Teach me away, Lord; lead me in the straight path because of my oppressors. – Psalm 27:11
Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials. – James 1:2
Therefore Submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you – minded. – James 4:7 – eight
Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul. – Psalm 143:8
Use your trials and troubles to draw closer to me. Whenever you start to feel destressed, turn around by talking with me. Let pain and problems remind you of your constant need for me.
Create a collection of brief prayers, such as: help me, Jesus. Fill me with your piece. Show me your way. These requests are spiritual nutrients – so vitamins. The more you use them, the healthier and happier you will be.
When you view troubles in this way – as reminders to draw near me – you can actually rejoice in your trial. Of course, this requires training your mind to move quickly from problem mode to prayer mode. It is crucial to have your arsenal of prayers ready to use. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you in your preparations; Helping you form prayers that will flow readily out of your heart.
Practice saying them to me, into your intimately familiar with them. When you encounter trouble of any kind, reach into your arsenal of prayers and speak one or more of them boldly. The enemy will retreat, and I will draw near.
Teach me away, Lord; lead me in the straight path because of my oppressors. – Psalm 27:11
Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials. – James 1:2
Therefore Submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you – minded. – James 4:7 – eight
Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul. – Psalm 143:8
Devotional today
This morning me and my children were getting ready to leave the house. Mikayla sad because she had to go to her daddy's house today. We began talking about The good things about going and seeing her daddy. We talked about how God is with us in our trials and tribulations and how he gives us peace in the middle of our hard times. We talked about how all things really do work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purposes. I talked to them a little bit about how sometimes when we pull away from God it makes the problems harder to bear. I told them that when we pull away from God in him he is allowed to come and attack us a little bit and that causes us to recognize how much we need God and then we already this morning's devotional:
Use your trials and troubles to draw closer to me. Whenever you start to feel destressed, turn around by talking with me. Let pain and problems remind you of your constant need for me.
Create a collection of brief prayers, such as: help me, Jesus. Fill me with your piece. Show me your way. These requests are spiritual nutrients – so vitamins. The more you use them, the healthier and happier you will be.
When you view troubles in this way – as reminders to draw near me – you can actually rejoice in your trial. Of course, this requires training your mind to move quickly from problem mode to prayer mode. It is crucial to have your arsenal of prayers ready to use. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you in your preparations; Helping you form prayers that will flow readily out of your heart.
Practice saying them to me, into your intimately familiar with them. When you encounter trouble of any kind, reach into your arsenal of prayers and speak one or more of them boldly. The enemy will retreat, and I will draw near.
Teach me away, Lord; lead me in the straight path because of my oppressors. – Psalm 27:11
Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials. – James 1:2
Therefore Submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you – minded. – James 4:7 – eight
Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul. – Psalm 143:8
Use your trials and troubles to draw closer to me. Whenever you start to feel destressed, turn around by talking with me. Let pain and problems remind you of your constant need for me.
Create a collection of brief prayers, such as: help me, Jesus. Fill me with your piece. Show me your way. These requests are spiritual nutrients – so vitamins. The more you use them, the healthier and happier you will be.
When you view troubles in this way – as reminders to draw near me – you can actually rejoice in your trial. Of course, this requires training your mind to move quickly from problem mode to prayer mode. It is crucial to have your arsenal of prayers ready to use. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you in your preparations; Helping you form prayers that will flow readily out of your heart.
Practice saying them to me, into your intimately familiar with them. When you encounter trouble of any kind, reach into your arsenal of prayers and speak one or more of them boldly. The enemy will retreat, and I will draw near.
Teach me away, Lord; lead me in the straight path because of my oppressors. – Psalm 27:11
Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials. – James 1:2
Therefore Submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you – minded. – James 4:7 – eight
Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul. – Psalm 143:8
Friday, December 14, 2012
Devotional today
Here is the devotional from "Jesus Today" by Sarah Young
"Trust me here and now. You are in rigorous training – on an adventurous trail designed for you alone. This path is not of your choosing, but it is my way for you. I am doing things you can't understand. That is why I say, "Trust me!"
The jungle is thick, and you cannot clearly see what is before you, behind you, or beside you. Claim to My hand as you follow this trail in shadowy darkness. Although you cannot see Me, My Presence is with you is rock – solid reality. Find hope in Me, beloved, for I am taking care of you.
Focus on enjoying me and all of that I am to you – even though your circumstances screen for resolution. Refuse to obsess about your problems and how you are going to fix them. Instead, affirmative your trust in Me; wait hopefully in My Presence, and watch to see what I will do.
Who among you fears the Lord and obeys the word of His Servant? Let him who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God. – Isaiah 50:10
Why are you in despair, oh my soul? And why have you become Disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him for the help of His Presence. – Psalm 42:5
Therefore I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me. – Micah 7:7
"Trust me here and now. You are in rigorous training – on an adventurous trail designed for you alone. This path is not of your choosing, but it is my way for you. I am doing things you can't understand. That is why I say, "Trust me!"
The jungle is thick, and you cannot clearly see what is before you, behind you, or beside you. Claim to My hand as you follow this trail in shadowy darkness. Although you cannot see Me, My Presence is with you is rock – solid reality. Find hope in Me, beloved, for I am taking care of you.
Focus on enjoying me and all of that I am to you – even though your circumstances screen for resolution. Refuse to obsess about your problems and how you are going to fix them. Instead, affirmative your trust in Me; wait hopefully in My Presence, and watch to see what I will do.
Who among you fears the Lord and obeys the word of His Servant? Let him who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God. – Isaiah 50:10
Why are you in despair, oh my soul? And why have you become Disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him for the help of His Presence. – Psalm 42:5
Therefore I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me. – Micah 7:7
Thursday, December 13, 2012
I AM A SOWER
This morning as I was in the shower, I heard, “You are the sower”. I said “What does that mean Lord?” Right then, He clearly told me to consider the Parable of the sower. He re inforced that I am the sower. You would think I wouldn’t argue with Him, but I felt myself arguing thinking that HE WAS THE SOWER. However, I decided He was right because He ALWAYS IS. LOL Anyway, I began to think deeper about those scriptures and realized that as I SPEAK HIS WORD TO OTHERS, I plant GOOD SEED, but as I SPEAK from the FLESH or in AGREEMENT WITH THE ENEMY, I sow Bad seed (OR TARES IF I AM PLANTING WHEAT) I know that in and of myself, MY WORDS DON’T CREATE, BUT GOD’S WORD (JESUS) DOES and I am HIS BRIDE-ELECT who is in Co-habitation with HIM and am His Helpmate on this Earth.
Our Words produce FRUIT. According to God’s Word, we eat the fruit of our lips (Proverbs 12:18). So, apparently even our misaligned words produce FRUIT. If I am God’s SOWER, and it’s up to me to sow good seed, I need to know what the Good seeds (HIS WORDS) are about any situation. I confess this day that I have been sowing bad seed (Doubt, Fear, Unbelief) and I have been reaping the fruit of that bad seed (, but from this day forth, with GOD’S help, I shall get back on track of speaking what the LORD SAYS about the situations instead of speaking out of what my flesh feels, thinks, or wants to speak. I renounce any UNBELIEF, DOUBT, OR FEAR that has gripped my life due to my negligence and I proclaim that even in me as GROSS DARKNESS tries to come that the GLORY OF GOD SHALL RISE UPON ME AND HIS GLORY SHALL APPEAR OVER ME. Instead of declaring what I see with my natural eyes, I will get my SPIRITUAL EYES RE-OPENED and RESIST the enemy trying to tell me different than what GOD SAYS ABOUT IT.
As I think upon HIS WORD and the GOOD THINGS HE SPEAKS, it will produce fruit in my lips of Good and not Evil. SURELY GOODNESS AND MERCY SHALL FOLLOW ME ALL THE DAYS OF MY LIFE. Then I will PROCLAIM what God says about things, and it will change things because Daddy says it will. It then changes the way I think about a situation and it changes those involved in a situation by bringing the Kingdom of God into the equation. The Kingdom of God suffers violence, but the violent take it by force. Lord that I would violently come against the enemy in my mind and be victorious in every difficult situation that arises. May Your Holy Spirit guide me into ALL TRUTH and REPLACE EVERY LIE from the enemy and convict me of any thoughts that don’t line up to YOUR WORD! I repent this day and ask for the GRACE to WALK IN TRUE WISDOM FROM THIS DAY FORTH.
Ok, so anyway, I am going to be a SOWER OF THE WORD. I am going to walk in HIS STRENGTH because He tells me that they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their STRENGTH. This has definitely been a season of learning to WAIT UPON THE LORD greater than I have ever been able to do before. I have always wanted to jump up and go, but the Lord has told me to “Stand Still and Watch what I do”. He has went before me and been gracious even at my least loveable times. (HE LOVES US SO MUCH THAT HE DIED FOR US ON OUR WORST DAY EVER) That blows my mind!
Ok, so after I had contemplated being a sower this morning, I got an e-mail from Elijah List. It was written by Nic Billman this time so it really drew my attention (Nic is in charge of the “Shores of Grace” ministry that we support in Brazil to end human trafficking) Here is what He said:
God Asks, "What Do You See?"
by Nic Billman:
Recently, I posted a status update on Facebook that said, "If you are a Christian and all of your friends are Christians, it's time to make some new friends." A couple people took issue with this because they believe Christians should not be friends with people in the world. They suggested we should seek to save the lost, but not befriend them for fear that they may drag us into sin. Unfortunately, this false perspective is pervading the Church right now.
The truth is, our perspective on the lost will determine our heart for them and our urgency to see them set free. I know who I am, and I walk in identity and wisdom. Because of that, when I go to make some friends on the streets, I don't go alone. I take Rachael or some of our team members with me. I'm not worried about the lost dragging me into sin. If that becomes our fear, we've already put our focus on the wrong thing. Instead, I fix my eyes on Jesus, and regardless of other people's behavior, I continue to show them how much He loves them. Paul became all things to all people that he might reach some, but he did this without compromising.
One friend clarified that he wasn't referring to the people on the streets of Brazil, but to non-Christian friends in America who continue to reject Jesus. I do not see any difference between the two. If people are lost, they're lost. The geography and the behavioral variation make no difference to me. Jesus didn't have a caste system for sinners; He befriended tax-collectors, harlots, Pharisees, thieves, and probably even stay-at-home moms addicted to soap operas. The nature of the sin was not important when compared to the heart's need for nurture. The reality is: Deep inside, every lost person is crying out, "Who am I?" We need to know who we are in Christ so we can tell them who they are.
We see how Jesus viewed the lost in these words: "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends"(John 15:13). He laid His life down for His friends. He chose to call us friends – even before we knew Him – not sinners. When He hung on the Cross, He looked at the people of the world before Him and cried out, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do" (Luke 23:34). This is Jesus's heart; even in His greatest moment of weakness, He prayed for us and cried out for our forgiveness.
Open Heaven At a Strip Club
Downtown Curitiba, Brazil, has a strip club called The Wiskaria, where our team has ministered many times. It all began one night as we were walking the streets. I approached the bouncer to the club and asked if I could pray for him. He acted awkwardly, telling me he was a Christian and only worked there because he needed money. Then he proceeded to show me all of the Christian music on his phone to prove his story. Clearly, he had immediately started to feel guilty because he knew that this job was not God's will for him. However, I said, "It's no problem. God sees your heart, and He will provide another job for you, but in the meantime, He's here with you, and He loves you." That night we prayed with him, and he said he felt peace and a heat all over his body as we prayed, even though it was very cold that night.
The next time we came back, he had a big smile on his face, and he told us to wait out front. He went into the club and brought out five other bouncers, pointing to each one and declaring their need for prayer. "This one needs healing. This one just got divorced, and he's sad. This one doesn't know Jesus. This one has a problem with alcohol. And this one just needs a blessing." We prayed for each one, and as we prayed, some of the dancers came out to see what was going on. The girls on our team then talked and prayed with them. Even some clients saw us, came out to ask what we were doing, and then requested prayer – it was an open Heaven – at a strip club!
As we were talking, the manager pulled up, and I thought we were in trouble because there was quite a commotion in front of his club. Leo, our bouncer friend, explained who we were, and the manager then asked for prayer as well. Then he said, "You are welcome to come to my club and pray for my employees anytime you want to." Shortly after that, we started sending a few of our girls into the club to pray for the dancers and to share about Jesus with them. While the girls were inside, we guys stayed outside and continued to love on Leo, the other bouncers, and the clients. We saw lots of inner healing and restoration take place both inside and outside of that club.
"Can These Bones Live?"
Ezekiel 37 tells the story of Ezekiel's partnership with God in a valley of dry bones. Ezekiel was surrounded by death and decay. Then God asked him a question, "Can these bones live?"(Ezekiel 37:3).
At moments like these, we must ask ourselves, Why does God ask questions? Why does the one who is called Wisdom, the omniscient one, ask questions? I believe, when God asks a question, it is because He is about to transform our vision. Often, when we're in the valley, we get so busy praying for God to do something that we forget to stop and listen. In prayer, listening is equally as important as bringing our hearts before the Lord. It is easier to talk than it is to listen. It's easier to pray than to be silent. However, sometimes when we are praying and petitioning, the Lord is saying, "Be still, and know that I am God..." (Psalm 46:10).
Ezekiel's response to God revealed his heart and his trust in Him."Oh Lord God, You know" (Ezekiel 37:3). Then God directed Ezekiel to prophesy life and breath to the bones. As he did, the bones came to life, transforming them into an "exceedingly great army" (Ezekiel 37:10). God took Ezekiel to the valley of dry bones because He wanted to transform the way he saw his nation and his generation.
As sons and daughters, we need to mature past assumption and into discernment. It's so important to discern and know the season we are in. A prayer that I pray often in worship is, "If Your heart is in the valley, then I'll leave the mountaintops behind. If Your heart is in the storms and the waves, then I'll leave the boat, and I will come to You. If Your heart is in the fire, then I'll stare into the flames, and I will run to You." We may find ourselves in the wilderness praying for deliverance when God's desire is for us to plant gardens and call forth the springs in the desert.
Likewise, we may be in a valley of death asking God to deliver us to the mountaintops when His desire is for us to declare life. We must seek to know the heart of our Father and His will for our lives every day. Sometimes God will put us in the middle of a valley of death and then ask us, "What do you see?" In other words, do we see dry bones and death, or do we see an army?
I am amazed by the revelation of the heart of God in this story. The Bible specifically tells us that these bones were dry. They were long dead and long forgotten, yet that is where God chose to raise up an army. As Christians, we should pray for God to raise up soldiers of love within the Church. This is important. However, sometimes we are looking in the Church for what can only be found in the world. In the world, an army of lost souls waits for the mature sons and daughters of God to prophesy life and breathe into them.
The question is: What do we see – a pile of dry bones or a mighty army? The abandoned, the abused, the outcast, the trafficked, and the untouchables are the dry bones of our generation. They are a hungry army longing to be filled with something of substance – the breath of their Papa. There is a revival coming from among these precious ones, and God is calling us to stand amidst these dry bones and declare, "Awaken! Life! Breath!"
On the streets of Brazil, we stand in a true valley of death night in and night out. Homeless children as young as six are prostituting and smoking crack, and darkness surrounds this city in many ways. In the midst of all of this, what do I see? I see an army! I hear the sound of life! I fix my eyes on destiny and not on circumstance. We have a choice to make. Will we see and hear only with our natural eyes and ears, or will we see and hear with the eyes and ears of the Father? I choose His vision and His hearing!
I See a Garden!
Just a few weeks ago, I was in a small park in Recife surrounded by street children and homeless adults around midnight. That night there were little girls, as young as ten, who were prostituting, and street boys of the same age were sniffing glue and smoking crack. Some people there have literally lost their minds because of drug and alcohol abuse and are now living homeless on the streets. At the edge of the park stood police, who often come to beat the children when they have nothing else to do. I was sitting right in the middle of the chaos. It wasn't a nice soaking atmosphere with quiet instrumental music and meditative prayers; it was loud with the sounds of the city and these broken people.
But Jesus comes right into the middle of our chaos and brokenness, our sin and suffering. God didn't dance around the edges; He put the Cross right in the middle of it all. That night in Brazil, right in the middle of the chaos and brokenness, the Father asked me a question. He said, "Son, what do you see?"I knew God wanted to show me what He saw, so I waited and looked around the dirty little park. As I looked at the children, I saw them begin to bloom like flowers. I saw fruit trees springing up where there was only concrete and trash, and I saw a river begin to flow through the drugs and the violence.
I responded to the Lord, "I see a garden."
He replied, "Good! So do I."
As sons and daughters, this is what we do. The Father gives us seeds, and we plant them among the broken soil of our generation. He is always faithful to water the gardens we have planted. I believe a true revival is coming from the dirtiest and most broken places of our generation. The best fertilizer is a bunch of manure, so let's plant seeds of revival in the smelliest and dirtiest places we can find! The same concept applies to our personal lives, too. When we are going through difficult times, we can rejoice because surely the Father is planting seeds amidst the fertilizer of our brokenness and struggle, and He is always faithful to water the seeds. He's a good Papa and He is teaching us to see like He sees!
Nic Billman
Shores of Grace Ministries
I love how the Lord does that. He digs deep enough. I KNOW that He is reminding me of the power of my confession. I have been a black and white thinker and have went back and forth on this confession thing for a few years now. I know there is a fine line on the “name it and claim it” theology, but I have to start recognizing that the LORD sees things so differently than we do. He tells us to SPEAK GRACE TO THE MOUNTAINS and to TELL the MOUNTAINS TO MOVE not to talk ABOUT OUR MOUNTAINS IN UNBELIEF. That goes so against what our natural mind can fathom, but OUR SPIRIT MAN recognizes it and CAN DO WHAT HE SAYS WE CAN DO (Phil 4:13). Let’s quit walking in UNBELIEF and DOUBT. Lets consciously choose to think His thoughts toward us and believe enough to SPEAK WHAT HE SAYS. If we believe that we are “Saved” and we call ourselves “Saved”, we are speaking something as though it already happened, but the actual getting to Heaven hasn’t occurred yet. Why can’t we take hold of the promises of God and PROCLAIM what HE SAYS and quit being like a ship tossed to and fro. (Me particularly here) I am choosing to believe God here and I choose this day to SPEAK LIFE and NOT DEATH.
Lord,
May the Words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, My Rock and My Redeemer (Ps 19:14) Keep my tongue from evil and my lips from speaking deceit (Ps 34:13) May my mouth be shut when needed and my lips sealed until the appointed times (Ps 141:3) May we be uncompromisingly righteous in our Words which are a well of life instead of being wicked and concealing violence (Prov 10:11) May our mounts be harmonious with your mouth and bring forth skillfull and Godly Wisdom, but keep us from a perverse tongue which shall be cut down like a barren and rotten tree (Prov. 10:31) May we be one who guards our mouth and keep our life and not be one who opens our lips wide and come to ruin (Prov 13:3) May we have soft answers which turn away wrath and keep far from grievous words which stir up anger (Prov 15:1). Let us have joy in making an apt answer, and a word spoken at the right moment (Prov 15:23) and think before we speak because the mind of the wise will instruct it’s mouth and we operate with the Mind of Christ (Prov 16:23)
Lord, we know that the power of life and death are in our tongue and we will eat the fruit of our lips for death or life. Let us choose LIFE (Prov 18:21) Let us speak a word fitly in due season (Prov 25:11) May we walk in a well taught tongue so we will know how to encourage tired people. We pray you wake us up in the morning and open our ears to listen as ready to take your orders for the day (Isaiah 50:4) I pray we guard our hearts so that the abundance that is in there is YOU JESUS because we know that out of the fullness of the heart, the mouth will speak. May we be good men and women who from our inner good treasure fling forth good things and never be evil and spew forth evil from an inner storehouse of evil thoughts (Matt 12:34-35) We know that on the day of judgment we will have to give account for every idle word that we speak so we ask that our words be full of life Daddy (Matt 12:36-37) Let no foul or pollutin language come out of our mouth, but only such speech as is good and beneficial to the spiritual progress of others, as is fitting to the need and the occasion, that it may be a blessing and give Grace to those who hear it (Eph 4:29). May we always keep our tongue free from evil and our lips from guile so that we enjoy life and see good days (1 Peter 3:10)
We repent now for all the thoughts that we have had that were not good, lovely, of a pure report, and just. We turn to you and ask you to fill our minds with YOUR THOUGHTS Lord. The thoughts of prospering us and not harming us; the thoughts to give us a future FILLED WITH HOPE! Thank you Lord that when we call to you and come to you in prayer, YOU HEAR OUR PRAYERS. I thank you that when we seek YOU in prayer AND WORSHIP you, you are available to US and will reverse our plight and will gather us from all the places of exile we have gotten ourselves into as we seek you with our WHOLE HEART and SOUL. (Jer 29:11-14) Oh Lord, thank you for YOUR EVERLASTING LOVE! You indeed are RICH IN MERCY and YOUR LOVE NEVER FAILS!!! Thank you that NO WEAPON FORMED AGAINST YOUR PEOPLE SHALL PROSPER! You are MIGHTY IN BATTLE and are FAITHFUL TO PERFORM YOUR WORD. May we keep you as the center of our focus for YOU WILL KEEP HIM IN PERFECT PEACE WHOSE MIND IS FIXED ON YOU! Thank you Lord!
Our Words produce FRUIT. According to God’s Word, we eat the fruit of our lips (Proverbs 12:18). So, apparently even our misaligned words produce FRUIT. If I am God’s SOWER, and it’s up to me to sow good seed, I need to know what the Good seeds (HIS WORDS) are about any situation. I confess this day that I have been sowing bad seed (Doubt, Fear, Unbelief) and I have been reaping the fruit of that bad seed (, but from this day forth, with GOD’S help, I shall get back on track of speaking what the LORD SAYS about the situations instead of speaking out of what my flesh feels, thinks, or wants to speak. I renounce any UNBELIEF, DOUBT, OR FEAR that has gripped my life due to my negligence and I proclaim that even in me as GROSS DARKNESS tries to come that the GLORY OF GOD SHALL RISE UPON ME AND HIS GLORY SHALL APPEAR OVER ME. Instead of declaring what I see with my natural eyes, I will get my SPIRITUAL EYES RE-OPENED and RESIST the enemy trying to tell me different than what GOD SAYS ABOUT IT.
As I think upon HIS WORD and the GOOD THINGS HE SPEAKS, it will produce fruit in my lips of Good and not Evil. SURELY GOODNESS AND MERCY SHALL FOLLOW ME ALL THE DAYS OF MY LIFE. Then I will PROCLAIM what God says about things, and it will change things because Daddy says it will. It then changes the way I think about a situation and it changes those involved in a situation by bringing the Kingdom of God into the equation. The Kingdom of God suffers violence, but the violent take it by force. Lord that I would violently come against the enemy in my mind and be victorious in every difficult situation that arises. May Your Holy Spirit guide me into ALL TRUTH and REPLACE EVERY LIE from the enemy and convict me of any thoughts that don’t line up to YOUR WORD! I repent this day and ask for the GRACE to WALK IN TRUE WISDOM FROM THIS DAY FORTH.
Ok, so anyway, I am going to be a SOWER OF THE WORD. I am going to walk in HIS STRENGTH because He tells me that they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their STRENGTH. This has definitely been a season of learning to WAIT UPON THE LORD greater than I have ever been able to do before. I have always wanted to jump up and go, but the Lord has told me to “Stand Still and Watch what I do”. He has went before me and been gracious even at my least loveable times. (HE LOVES US SO MUCH THAT HE DIED FOR US ON OUR WORST DAY EVER) That blows my mind!
Ok, so after I had contemplated being a sower this morning, I got an e-mail from Elijah List. It was written by Nic Billman this time so it really drew my attention (Nic is in charge of the “Shores of Grace” ministry that we support in Brazil to end human trafficking) Here is what He said:
God Asks, "What Do You See?"
by Nic Billman:
Recently, I posted a status update on Facebook that said, "If you are a Christian and all of your friends are Christians, it's time to make some new friends." A couple people took issue with this because they believe Christians should not be friends with people in the world. They suggested we should seek to save the lost, but not befriend them for fear that they may drag us into sin. Unfortunately, this false perspective is pervading the Church right now.
The truth is, our perspective on the lost will determine our heart for them and our urgency to see them set free. I know who I am, and I walk in identity and wisdom. Because of that, when I go to make some friends on the streets, I don't go alone. I take Rachael or some of our team members with me. I'm not worried about the lost dragging me into sin. If that becomes our fear, we've already put our focus on the wrong thing. Instead, I fix my eyes on Jesus, and regardless of other people's behavior, I continue to show them how much He loves them. Paul became all things to all people that he might reach some, but he did this without compromising.
One friend clarified that he wasn't referring to the people on the streets of Brazil, but to non-Christian friends in America who continue to reject Jesus. I do not see any difference between the two. If people are lost, they're lost. The geography and the behavioral variation make no difference to me. Jesus didn't have a caste system for sinners; He befriended tax-collectors, harlots, Pharisees, thieves, and probably even stay-at-home moms addicted to soap operas. The nature of the sin was not important when compared to the heart's need for nurture. The reality is: Deep inside, every lost person is crying out, "Who am I?" We need to know who we are in Christ so we can tell them who they are.
We see how Jesus viewed the lost in these words: "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends"(John 15:13). He laid His life down for His friends. He chose to call us friends – even before we knew Him – not sinners. When He hung on the Cross, He looked at the people of the world before Him and cried out, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do" (Luke 23:34). This is Jesus's heart; even in His greatest moment of weakness, He prayed for us and cried out for our forgiveness.
Open Heaven At a Strip Club
Downtown Curitiba, Brazil, has a strip club called The Wiskaria, where our team has ministered many times. It all began one night as we were walking the streets. I approached the bouncer to the club and asked if I could pray for him. He acted awkwardly, telling me he was a Christian and only worked there because he needed money. Then he proceeded to show me all of the Christian music on his phone to prove his story. Clearly, he had immediately started to feel guilty because he knew that this job was not God's will for him. However, I said, "It's no problem. God sees your heart, and He will provide another job for you, but in the meantime, He's here with you, and He loves you." That night we prayed with him, and he said he felt peace and a heat all over his body as we prayed, even though it was very cold that night.
The next time we came back, he had a big smile on his face, and he told us to wait out front. He went into the club and brought out five other bouncers, pointing to each one and declaring their need for prayer. "This one needs healing. This one just got divorced, and he's sad. This one doesn't know Jesus. This one has a problem with alcohol. And this one just needs a blessing." We prayed for each one, and as we prayed, some of the dancers came out to see what was going on. The girls on our team then talked and prayed with them. Even some clients saw us, came out to ask what we were doing, and then requested prayer – it was an open Heaven – at a strip club!
As we were talking, the manager pulled up, and I thought we were in trouble because there was quite a commotion in front of his club. Leo, our bouncer friend, explained who we were, and the manager then asked for prayer as well. Then he said, "You are welcome to come to my club and pray for my employees anytime you want to." Shortly after that, we started sending a few of our girls into the club to pray for the dancers and to share about Jesus with them. While the girls were inside, we guys stayed outside and continued to love on Leo, the other bouncers, and the clients. We saw lots of inner healing and restoration take place both inside and outside of that club.
"Can These Bones Live?"
Ezekiel 37 tells the story of Ezekiel's partnership with God in a valley of dry bones. Ezekiel was surrounded by death and decay. Then God asked him a question, "Can these bones live?"(Ezekiel 37:3).
At moments like these, we must ask ourselves, Why does God ask questions? Why does the one who is called Wisdom, the omniscient one, ask questions? I believe, when God asks a question, it is because He is about to transform our vision. Often, when we're in the valley, we get so busy praying for God to do something that we forget to stop and listen. In prayer, listening is equally as important as bringing our hearts before the Lord. It is easier to talk than it is to listen. It's easier to pray than to be silent. However, sometimes when we are praying and petitioning, the Lord is saying, "Be still, and know that I am God..." (Psalm 46:10).
Ezekiel's response to God revealed his heart and his trust in Him."Oh Lord God, You know" (Ezekiel 37:3). Then God directed Ezekiel to prophesy life and breath to the bones. As he did, the bones came to life, transforming them into an "exceedingly great army" (Ezekiel 37:10). God took Ezekiel to the valley of dry bones because He wanted to transform the way he saw his nation and his generation.
As sons and daughters, we need to mature past assumption and into discernment. It's so important to discern and know the season we are in. A prayer that I pray often in worship is, "If Your heart is in the valley, then I'll leave the mountaintops behind. If Your heart is in the storms and the waves, then I'll leave the boat, and I will come to You. If Your heart is in the fire, then I'll stare into the flames, and I will run to You." We may find ourselves in the wilderness praying for deliverance when God's desire is for us to plant gardens and call forth the springs in the desert.
Likewise, we may be in a valley of death asking God to deliver us to the mountaintops when His desire is for us to declare life. We must seek to know the heart of our Father and His will for our lives every day. Sometimes God will put us in the middle of a valley of death and then ask us, "What do you see?" In other words, do we see dry bones and death, or do we see an army?
I am amazed by the revelation of the heart of God in this story. The Bible specifically tells us that these bones were dry. They were long dead and long forgotten, yet that is where God chose to raise up an army. As Christians, we should pray for God to raise up soldiers of love within the Church. This is important. However, sometimes we are looking in the Church for what can only be found in the world. In the world, an army of lost souls waits for the mature sons and daughters of God to prophesy life and breathe into them.
The question is: What do we see – a pile of dry bones or a mighty army? The abandoned, the abused, the outcast, the trafficked, and the untouchables are the dry bones of our generation. They are a hungry army longing to be filled with something of substance – the breath of their Papa. There is a revival coming from among these precious ones, and God is calling us to stand amidst these dry bones and declare, "Awaken! Life! Breath!"
On the streets of Brazil, we stand in a true valley of death night in and night out. Homeless children as young as six are prostituting and smoking crack, and darkness surrounds this city in many ways. In the midst of all of this, what do I see? I see an army! I hear the sound of life! I fix my eyes on destiny and not on circumstance. We have a choice to make. Will we see and hear only with our natural eyes and ears, or will we see and hear with the eyes and ears of the Father? I choose His vision and His hearing!
I See a Garden!
Just a few weeks ago, I was in a small park in Recife surrounded by street children and homeless adults around midnight. That night there were little girls, as young as ten, who were prostituting, and street boys of the same age were sniffing glue and smoking crack. Some people there have literally lost their minds because of drug and alcohol abuse and are now living homeless on the streets. At the edge of the park stood police, who often come to beat the children when they have nothing else to do. I was sitting right in the middle of the chaos. It wasn't a nice soaking atmosphere with quiet instrumental music and meditative prayers; it was loud with the sounds of the city and these broken people.
But Jesus comes right into the middle of our chaos and brokenness, our sin and suffering. God didn't dance around the edges; He put the Cross right in the middle of it all. That night in Brazil, right in the middle of the chaos and brokenness, the Father asked me a question. He said, "Son, what do you see?"I knew God wanted to show me what He saw, so I waited and looked around the dirty little park. As I looked at the children, I saw them begin to bloom like flowers. I saw fruit trees springing up where there was only concrete and trash, and I saw a river begin to flow through the drugs and the violence.
I responded to the Lord, "I see a garden."
He replied, "Good! So do I."
As sons and daughters, this is what we do. The Father gives us seeds, and we plant them among the broken soil of our generation. He is always faithful to water the gardens we have planted. I believe a true revival is coming from the dirtiest and most broken places of our generation. The best fertilizer is a bunch of manure, so let's plant seeds of revival in the smelliest and dirtiest places we can find! The same concept applies to our personal lives, too. When we are going through difficult times, we can rejoice because surely the Father is planting seeds amidst the fertilizer of our brokenness and struggle, and He is always faithful to water the seeds. He's a good Papa and He is teaching us to see like He sees!
Nic Billman
Shores of Grace Ministries
I love how the Lord does that. He digs deep enough. I KNOW that He is reminding me of the power of my confession. I have been a black and white thinker and have went back and forth on this confession thing for a few years now. I know there is a fine line on the “name it and claim it” theology, but I have to start recognizing that the LORD sees things so differently than we do. He tells us to SPEAK GRACE TO THE MOUNTAINS and to TELL the MOUNTAINS TO MOVE not to talk ABOUT OUR MOUNTAINS IN UNBELIEF. That goes so against what our natural mind can fathom, but OUR SPIRIT MAN recognizes it and CAN DO WHAT HE SAYS WE CAN DO (Phil 4:13). Let’s quit walking in UNBELIEF and DOUBT. Lets consciously choose to think His thoughts toward us and believe enough to SPEAK WHAT HE SAYS. If we believe that we are “Saved” and we call ourselves “Saved”, we are speaking something as though it already happened, but the actual getting to Heaven hasn’t occurred yet. Why can’t we take hold of the promises of God and PROCLAIM what HE SAYS and quit being like a ship tossed to and fro. (Me particularly here) I am choosing to believe God here and I choose this day to SPEAK LIFE and NOT DEATH.
Lord,
May the Words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, My Rock and My Redeemer (Ps 19:14) Keep my tongue from evil and my lips from speaking deceit (Ps 34:13) May my mouth be shut when needed and my lips sealed until the appointed times (Ps 141:3) May we be uncompromisingly righteous in our Words which are a well of life instead of being wicked and concealing violence (Prov 10:11) May our mounts be harmonious with your mouth and bring forth skillfull and Godly Wisdom, but keep us from a perverse tongue which shall be cut down like a barren and rotten tree (Prov. 10:31) May we be one who guards our mouth and keep our life and not be one who opens our lips wide and come to ruin (Prov 13:3) May we have soft answers which turn away wrath and keep far from grievous words which stir up anger (Prov 15:1). Let us have joy in making an apt answer, and a word spoken at the right moment (Prov 15:23) and think before we speak because the mind of the wise will instruct it’s mouth and we operate with the Mind of Christ (Prov 16:23)
Lord, we know that the power of life and death are in our tongue and we will eat the fruit of our lips for death or life. Let us choose LIFE (Prov 18:21) Let us speak a word fitly in due season (Prov 25:11) May we walk in a well taught tongue so we will know how to encourage tired people. We pray you wake us up in the morning and open our ears to listen as ready to take your orders for the day (Isaiah 50:4) I pray we guard our hearts so that the abundance that is in there is YOU JESUS because we know that out of the fullness of the heart, the mouth will speak. May we be good men and women who from our inner good treasure fling forth good things and never be evil and spew forth evil from an inner storehouse of evil thoughts (Matt 12:34-35) We know that on the day of judgment we will have to give account for every idle word that we speak so we ask that our words be full of life Daddy (Matt 12:36-37) Let no foul or pollutin language come out of our mouth, but only such speech as is good and beneficial to the spiritual progress of others, as is fitting to the need and the occasion, that it may be a blessing and give Grace to those who hear it (Eph 4:29). May we always keep our tongue free from evil and our lips from guile so that we enjoy life and see good days (1 Peter 3:10)
We repent now for all the thoughts that we have had that were not good, lovely, of a pure report, and just. We turn to you and ask you to fill our minds with YOUR THOUGHTS Lord. The thoughts of prospering us and not harming us; the thoughts to give us a future FILLED WITH HOPE! Thank you Lord that when we call to you and come to you in prayer, YOU HEAR OUR PRAYERS. I thank you that when we seek YOU in prayer AND WORSHIP you, you are available to US and will reverse our plight and will gather us from all the places of exile we have gotten ourselves into as we seek you with our WHOLE HEART and SOUL. (Jer 29:11-14) Oh Lord, thank you for YOUR EVERLASTING LOVE! You indeed are RICH IN MERCY and YOUR LOVE NEVER FAILS!!! Thank you that NO WEAPON FORMED AGAINST YOUR PEOPLE SHALL PROSPER! You are MIGHTY IN BATTLE and are FAITHFUL TO PERFORM YOUR WORD. May we keep you as the center of our focus for YOU WILL KEEP HIM IN PERFECT PEACE WHOSE MIND IS FIXED ON YOU! Thank you Lord!
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Aglow Meeting Coming next week
I wanted to invite y'all to a meeting next week. Here is the flyer!
COOKEVILLE COMMUNITY LIGHTHOUSE
Tuesday, September 11, 2012 – 7:00 pm
Chelsea Place Properties
1150 East 10th Street
This month we are delighted to have a member of the Cookeville Leadership Team as our guest speaker, Staci Dunavant from Livingston, TN. Staci has been actively involved in Aglow since 2009 and she currently serves faithfully as the Vice President of Administration.
Staci was born in Garden Grove, CA and moved to Livingston at a young age. When she was first born again, the Lord placed a vision of ministering the Gospel to the brokenhearted, poor, and needy. Her heart grabbed a hold of that which the Lord had spoken over her and through many trials, tribulations and encounters with God she has sought to make the vision her life mission. When the Lord says “whom shall I send?”. Staci desires with all her heart to say “Here I am Lord, send me”.
Staci works for the Department of Human Services in Pickett County where she loves to improve the well-being of her clients through the love of God. She and her family attend the Livingston First United Methodist Church where she and her husband are leaders in the children’s ministry. She is actively involved with the “Emmaus of the Cumberland” and is also a volunteer teacher with the Overton County Jail Ministry.
Come and hear this mighty woman of God who has a passion to see people’s lives totally transformed by the AGAPE love of God. JESUS’ LOVE IS SO AMAZING!
AGLOW INTERNATIONAL is a global, trans-denominational Christian organization established in 166 nations on 6 continents. www.aglow.org
Officers:
Jimmie Ciaccio – President
Sandra Driller – Vice President Finance
Staci Dunavant – Vice President of Administration
Karen McNair – Liason
Advisor – Scott Northrup
Contact: Jimmie Ciaccio at 931.526.8562 for more information or directions.
COOKEVILLE COMMUNITY LIGHTHOUSE
Tuesday, September 11, 2012 – 7:00 pm
Chelsea Place Properties
1150 East 10th Street
This month we are delighted to have a member of the Cookeville Leadership Team as our guest speaker, Staci Dunavant from Livingston, TN. Staci has been actively involved in Aglow since 2009 and she currently serves faithfully as the Vice President of Administration.
Staci was born in Garden Grove, CA and moved to Livingston at a young age. When she was first born again, the Lord placed a vision of ministering the Gospel to the brokenhearted, poor, and needy. Her heart grabbed a hold of that which the Lord had spoken over her and through many trials, tribulations and encounters with God she has sought to make the vision her life mission. When the Lord says “whom shall I send?”. Staci desires with all her heart to say “Here I am Lord, send me”.
Staci works for the Department of Human Services in Pickett County where she loves to improve the well-being of her clients through the love of God. She and her family attend the Livingston First United Methodist Church where she and her husband are leaders in the children’s ministry. She is actively involved with the “Emmaus of the Cumberland” and is also a volunteer teacher with the Overton County Jail Ministry.
Come and hear this mighty woman of God who has a passion to see people’s lives totally transformed by the AGAPE love of God. JESUS’ LOVE IS SO AMAZING!
AGLOW INTERNATIONAL is a global, trans-denominational Christian organization established in 166 nations on 6 continents. www.aglow.org
Officers:
Jimmie Ciaccio – President
Sandra Driller – Vice President Finance
Staci Dunavant – Vice President of Administration
Karen McNair – Liason
Advisor – Scott Northrup
Contact: Jimmie Ciaccio at 931.526.8562 for more information or directions.
Sunday, August 26, 2012
God is so faithful!!!
Well, it's been a while since I wrote in this blog. I just had to share what has been going on in our family. God has brought us through a season of fire and testing that has caused us to press into Him deeper than we have been. We have seen so many ups and downs, but one thing has remained: GOD IS STILL GOD AND WE ARE STILL NOT!! He is so faithful. I have cried out for so many areas to be healed but have made a feeble attempt to believe God for what didn't look to be so with the natural eye. I haven't always been the greatest at walking by faith and not by sight. I have allowed the pain and rejection to plant seeds of bitterness or unforgiveness into my heart that I didn't realize were causing my faith to stop at times. Instead, I should be constantly keeping my eyes on Jesus and giving him praise!!! He is worthy of all my focus!! Which leads me to today.
Before church, me and the kids were talking about how good God has been to us and how even though it doesn't look like we have a lot of money, God still owns the cattle on a thousand hills and He is still faithful. I told them that as we focus on HIM that we will become like HIM and that as we walk into church today, lets focus on HIS FACE and give HIM all that we have today. He is faithful and He is worthy of our praise. I talked with Mikayla about the "discernment" that she has begun to feel as she sits in services. She feels other people's pain just like I do. I told her that as she looks at Jesus in the service and gives him the pain that He will heal those with broken hearts.
We had went through Sunday School and into the worship service and Mikayla seemed to be having some pain and so we held hands and prayed for the ones that she was seeing and feeling. She released it and then I told her to let God have all her focus now. So, as the next song began to play which was off of the Passion 2012 CD called "The ony One"- See Lyrics below
"THE ONLY ONE"
I believe every heart needs a healer
Someone to walk through the fire
All I need I have found
Everyone is looking for a Savior
When it feels like the world is going under
All i need i have found
Chorus:
In my life, Jesus
More of You, Jesus
You are the One
You are the One
In everything, Jesus
My heart sings, Jesus
You are the One
You are the only One
Everyday there's a hope to remember
Yesterday's been washed in the water
All i need I have found
Chorus
I believe every heart needs a healer
Someone to walk through the fire
I have found
She began to get excited about Jesus. Now for those of you who know my little girl, you will know that she is not a very outward spoken personality like me. It's hard for her to express outwardly what she is going through inwardly. So, it was very exciting to see her coming out of her shell (which has been a long time prayer for her). I looked over and she was holding her precious little hands toward heaven and had her eyes closed and you could see God working with her and healing her heart. It was beautiful!!! Then, as the worship intensified, we began singing "The Great I AM" (lyrics below)
I wanna to be close close to your side
So heaven is real and death is a lie
I wanna hear voices of angels above
Singing as one
Hallelujah Holy Holy
God almighty Great I am
Who is worthy
None beside Thee
God Almighty
Great I Am
I wanna be near near to your heart
Loving the word hating the dark
I want to see dry bones living again
Singing as one
Chorus
Hallelujah
Holy Holy
God almighty Great I am
Who is worthy
None beside Thee
God Almighty
Great I Am
He's the Great I Am Great I Am
The mountains shake before Him
The demons run and flee
At the mention of the name
King of Majesty
There is no power in hell
Or any who can stand
Before the power and the presence of the Great I am
The Great I am The Great I am
The Great I am The Great I am The Great I am
(Chorus)
Great I am
The Great I am The Great I am
The Great I am The Great I am The Great I am
The mountains shake before Him
The demons run and flee
At the mention of the name
King of Majesty
There is no power in hell
Or any who can stand
Before the power and the presence of the Great I am
The Great I am The Great I am
The Great I am The Great I am The Great I am
(chorus)
the Great I am
The Great I am The Great I am
The Great I am The Great I am The Great I am
Somewhere in the middle of this song, I looked over and caught a glimpse of heaven for Mikayla. I looked over and she had her hands held high in the air in front of all the people in the sanctuary and tears were streaming down her face. She was with her daddy and no one else was in the room. His Glory was all over her. I didn't dare touch her. I knew that He alone was doing a work on her that I didn't dare to hinder. I was so proud of her! We gave our baby's to God and now HE was bringing her into His presence through her worship of Him. She is pressing forward into Him and I am so loving to see it.
Anyway, if the day could get any better than that, we had prayed for Mikayla wanting to join the band at school. The natural didn't look like there was any way possible to make it happen. We have stretched and tightened up various things and to come up with 60.00 a month for an instrument looked tough, but we prayed and believed that if God put that desire into Mikayla's heart, then HE was going to provide the finances it would take. So, THAT HE DID. He provided in a way that she KNOWS HE DID IT. Not only did He make a way for us to rent an instrument, He actually provided a possible flute so that she would not have to rent an instrument. Hallelujah!!! God is so providing our every need!! He is still the miracle worker and HE STILL PARTS THE RED SEA!! You may say this is no big feat, but you don't realize MY GOD IS AMAZING. I will praise Him in these miracles and I KNOW that HE REIGNS. His GOODNESS leads us to repentance. We are turning to HIM and deciding to BELIEVE HE truly is the Great I AM!!! NO TURNING BACK!!! We shall walk by faith and not by sight!!!
Before church, me and the kids were talking about how good God has been to us and how even though it doesn't look like we have a lot of money, God still owns the cattle on a thousand hills and He is still faithful. I told them that as we focus on HIM that we will become like HIM and that as we walk into church today, lets focus on HIS FACE and give HIM all that we have today. He is faithful and He is worthy of our praise. I talked with Mikayla about the "discernment" that she has begun to feel as she sits in services. She feels other people's pain just like I do. I told her that as she looks at Jesus in the service and gives him the pain that He will heal those with broken hearts.
We had went through Sunday School and into the worship service and Mikayla seemed to be having some pain and so we held hands and prayed for the ones that she was seeing and feeling. She released it and then I told her to let God have all her focus now. So, as the next song began to play which was off of the Passion 2012 CD called "The ony One"- See Lyrics below
"THE ONLY ONE"
I believe every heart needs a healer
Someone to walk through the fire
All I need I have found
Everyone is looking for a Savior
When it feels like the world is going under
All i need i have found
Chorus:
In my life, Jesus
More of You, Jesus
You are the One
You are the One
In everything, Jesus
My heart sings, Jesus
You are the One
You are the only One
Everyday there's a hope to remember
Yesterday's been washed in the water
All i need I have found
Chorus
I believe every heart needs a healer
Someone to walk through the fire
I have found
She began to get excited about Jesus. Now for those of you who know my little girl, you will know that she is not a very outward spoken personality like me. It's hard for her to express outwardly what she is going through inwardly. So, it was very exciting to see her coming out of her shell (which has been a long time prayer for her). I looked over and she was holding her precious little hands toward heaven and had her eyes closed and you could see God working with her and healing her heart. It was beautiful!!! Then, as the worship intensified, we began singing "The Great I AM" (lyrics below)
I wanna to be close close to your side
So heaven is real and death is a lie
I wanna hear voices of angels above
Singing as one
Hallelujah Holy Holy
God almighty Great I am
Who is worthy
None beside Thee
God Almighty
Great I Am
I wanna be near near to your heart
Loving the word hating the dark
I want to see dry bones living again
Singing as one
Chorus
Hallelujah
Holy Holy
God almighty Great I am
Who is worthy
None beside Thee
God Almighty
Great I Am
He's the Great I Am Great I Am
The mountains shake before Him
The demons run and flee
At the mention of the name
King of Majesty
There is no power in hell
Or any who can stand
Before the power and the presence of the Great I am
The Great I am The Great I am
The Great I am The Great I am The Great I am
(Chorus)
Great I am
The Great I am The Great I am
The Great I am The Great I am The Great I am
The mountains shake before Him
The demons run and flee
At the mention of the name
King of Majesty
There is no power in hell
Or any who can stand
Before the power and the presence of the Great I am
The Great I am The Great I am
The Great I am The Great I am The Great I am
(chorus)
the Great I am
The Great I am The Great I am
The Great I am The Great I am The Great I am
Somewhere in the middle of this song, I looked over and caught a glimpse of heaven for Mikayla. I looked over and she had her hands held high in the air in front of all the people in the sanctuary and tears were streaming down her face. She was with her daddy and no one else was in the room. His Glory was all over her. I didn't dare touch her. I knew that He alone was doing a work on her that I didn't dare to hinder. I was so proud of her! We gave our baby's to God and now HE was bringing her into His presence through her worship of Him. She is pressing forward into Him and I am so loving to see it.
Anyway, if the day could get any better than that, we had prayed for Mikayla wanting to join the band at school. The natural didn't look like there was any way possible to make it happen. We have stretched and tightened up various things and to come up with 60.00 a month for an instrument looked tough, but we prayed and believed that if God put that desire into Mikayla's heart, then HE was going to provide the finances it would take. So, THAT HE DID. He provided in a way that she KNOWS HE DID IT. Not only did He make a way for us to rent an instrument, He actually provided a possible flute so that she would not have to rent an instrument. Hallelujah!!! God is so providing our every need!! He is still the miracle worker and HE STILL PARTS THE RED SEA!! You may say this is no big feat, but you don't realize MY GOD IS AMAZING. I will praise Him in these miracles and I KNOW that HE REIGNS. His GOODNESS leads us to repentance. We are turning to HIM and deciding to BELIEVE HE truly is the Great I AM!!! NO TURNING BACK!!! We shall walk by faith and not by sight!!!
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Am I Ruined for the Ordinary (from 2/2012)
God always has a way of blowing my mind. Recently we read the book "Radical" by David Platt. The book has blown Our minds. Ever since the Lord got my attention back in 2000, I thought I was radical. However, since reading this book I have realized that I had a lot to learn. I have never had to walk barefoot 5 miles in the dark while hiding my Bible on my person just to meet with a group of 40 men in women dying to hear the word of God. How many of us are that hungry? Are we hungry enough to sit through long sermons? Are we hungry enough to read the Bible for hours a day? Are we hungry enough to sacrifice things that we hold dear? The more I get to know Him the more I get hungry for him. Nothing else will satisfy like Jesus. recently, I've been trying to learn more about the struggle inside us between sin and flesh and walking after the Spirit.
Word spoken and received over me on 4/27/12 by Ken Peters
For those of you who know me, this word will be a true testimony of the faithfulness of God in my life. He has wooed me from the time I was young. Even though I have been following Him for 10 years now, there were intense battles in my soul man that were keeping me down every now and then. It was like I just couldn't get them out no matter how much I testified or how much I prayed, fasted, and worshipped. I was beginning to think I was supposed to be like this and that I was going to have to accept them, BUT GOD......He is so amazing. He is right there when we need HIM the most. I am so thankful that Ken and Tonja Peters obeyed the voice of the Lord and came to LIvingston to reach us. Ken's brother's wife's funeral was yesterday and the Lord had Ken here ministering to me. Also, Tonja's grandma died yesterday, but yet they knew God said come. Guys, this life isn't about US, it's about HIM. Lord forgive me for ever trying to make this about me. I want to go where you send me and do what YOU SAY. Help me get there Lord. Help me quit trying to make worship about ME when it's all about you. My righteousness is like filthy rags. We need you Lord. Thank you for always feeding the hungry. Help us to go out and feed others. Here is the Word of Encouragement given to me from Ken Peters by Holy Spirit 4/27/12 at night. I will never be the same. I feel like Mary Magdalene today.
Staci, I hear the Lord say you are like a precious child in His Presence and I was sitting here when I was praying for Pastor Jeff and also Pastor Scott earlier and the Lord said to me “ that you are like those children that like to seek Him out to sit in His lap and be blessed and He says I am rinsing away totally and completely from your memory all the times that the opposite of that occurred as a child, even some things that can’t even be spoken because of the pain and even the shame of the adversary would try to place upon your memory banks, but the Lord says tonight that those memory banks are being rinsed clean and the Lord says there will be no residue of victimization in your life. He says to let you know from this day forward, you will be the victor teaches people how to come out of painful experiences even in such a way that those who harmed you will not be like a voice that you hear with pain or any form of resentment and the Lord says, I am putting in you the capacity to forgive completely and to release completely all that have wronged you and the Lord says I want to tell you that I am very sorry, my daughter that these things happened by those who claimed to have my name upon them for I am not a God that would use men to harm children. These were plants of the adversary, but the Lord says today you will use this testimony to bring many women and even men to a place of dignity and restoration of freedom and a sense of wholeness. The Lord says supernaturally I am doing this now this moment and supernaturally you will do this multitudes of times. You won’t carry the shame of a victim. You won’t carry the scarlet letter of shame. The Lord says I am delivering you of that completely and the Lord says I am restoring some things that I am going to make known to you in your heart without Earthly words being spoken right now and the Lord says be of good cheer! For Heaven has been waiting for this day for there are places being prepared for you in the heavenly dimensions, not just your heavenly home but the dimensions of the celestial realm where authority reigns on believers. For authority comes from God and must rest from on high on a man or a woman and the Lord says these places of authority over victimization and over abandonment issues and rejection issues and the question of Why? Why? Why me? The Lord says, those will never perpetrate your mind. They will never inflict pain on your soul ever again and the Lord says Your spirit is whole, Your soul is whole tonight for I have redeemed you. I have redeemed you completely and the Lord says You are my Ruth. There is no remembrance of being in that place of debtfulness where the people of God left Judah and went over into Moab. The Lord says you are not in Moab anymore. I am your Boaz. I have redeemed you I have redeemed you I have redeemed you says the Lord. And what I redeem, I perfect and I make all things new and the Lord says this night you are new and the Lord says let those words be on your lips every time you see yourself in the mirror or a photograph or everytime you condition yourself to do something for me. I am new!!! I am new!! And the Lord says there will be the obvious outpouring of a new person the new mentalities and even the pessimism that tries to sneak up on you at times about like things are going to go bad again like Murphys Law again. The LORD SAYS NO That won’t be your portion ever again! I have removed it tonight by my Grace and there will surely be says the Lord like a positive thinker inside of you, a faith deccreer, a faith declarer inside of you and you shall live by faith. The just shall live by faith and I have justified you long before the foundation of the world. I have bought you with my blood. I have purchased you and the Lord says now I take you into my own heart as my wife unto my possession unto my glorious bride and the Lord says never again (muffled something) for his cohorts or religion, or false men of God ever again be a pain in your heart or a sour taste in your mouth for I have liberated you and the Lord says like a dead body you have been carrying around that pain and that hurt of being taken advantage of, The Lord says I cut it off. It is no longer yours to bear. The Lord says receive my Peace. Receive My peace now from deliverance and wholeness is yours. Receive my Peace. Never again will there be a tear shed in this regard. The Lord says that there will be times that you will cry for the others that you minister to and the Lord says where you were robbed of something special, the Lord says I am going to give you, like Mother Hubbard, so many children that you will wonder if your cupboards can feed them, can oversee them. But the Lord says “I know what I am doing and I am a God who restores ALL THINGS and I make ALL THINGS work together for good to those who love me and are called according to my purpose. Satan you are a defeated foe. The blood of Jesus is against you and we say to you satan, The LORD REBUKE YOU!!! Never again can you put your hands on her mind or soul. You cannot touch her heart. You are defeated. We send you away to some far dry place never again to find a map back to this region. Amen!!!!
Monday, April 23, 2012
My beginning testimony
We were asked to share our testimony and This is what parts of it I shared. Really, it's just the beginning of what the Lord did in my life. There are so many other testimonies that I could share! He has healed, delivered and totally set me free. He has brought this little miss "nothing" and raised my life up on several occasions for HIS GLORY. There is no greater God than Jehovah!!!! Thank you Jesus for making this possible!!! Thank you Holy Spirit for leading me to Him!!!
I grew up with a single mother of 3 kids with no father. There were times when my mom would try to find babysitters, but there was not a lot of choices based on her income. She was left to leave me with people who treated me less than loving and violated me physically, emotionally, and sexually. When she couldn’t afford one, I was left alone at home a lot with my baby sister while my mom went out and did the best she could to work and provide a roof over our heads. There were many nights when there would be shootings in the alley just outside of the apartment in Anaheim, CA that we lived in. It was just normal everyday life in our neighborhood. At the time, I didn’t realize it, but somehow as I grew up, I realized just how much I had been through in the formative years of my childhood. We had finally moved to TN into a more stable environment when I was about 12 years old, but by then, I had already been a little warped. I am person with a very big heart so the wounds were very deep and shook the core of my being.
I tried to fit into the mold when we moved here and tried to be a good daughter, but the pain that was in my heart was so “indescribable” that I wasn’t able to communicate it well to other people. I was very “misunderstood” and was unable to process the pain. Needless to say, I was not an easy child to handle. I was very needy and most people could not meet my needs. I carried a lot of shame and guilt for the way I was and I really wanted to be different. I wanted to be like other kids who were happy and content. I knew I was “different” than most kids and often felt like I was nothing but a failure. I didn’t fit into most people’s molds and it caused me to feel “left out” most of the time lacking affection. This caused me to try to find people that loved me and to latch on to the first people that showed me any affection. Thus, I ended up living my later teenage and early adult years in various promiscuous ways. I was a very social person because I did not want to be alone. I yearned for affection and rarely found anyone that could approach me to give me the affection that I needed.
I lived with my fiancé’s parents my junior and senior year of high school. They loved me like their own child and brought me to church with them. I felt like I fit in and tried not to do anything that would cause them to not love me anymore. They brought me to church, but I remember it made me want to hide all my sins from them so that they wouldn’t throw me out. The UNCONDITIONAL LOVE was not there. As time went on, it became harder and harder to hide the real messed up me and I eventually broke up with their son and could no longer live with them. I tried going to church with other friends in my life. We would party and drink alcohol together and then go to church with their parents at times. I remember one night, we went to Faith Outreach Worship Center for a revival they were having. There were people lined up for prayer and sometimes they would fall on the ground. They would get up smiling like they enjoyed it. I wanted to see what that was all about so I went up. They laid their hands on me and I felt warm and tingly. I had NO CLUE what I experienced. It felt like my insides were changed. For a couple of weeks after that, I had some peace. However, I didn’t have a “relationship” with Jesus yet, so it quickly diminished and I was left empty.
There were several various relationships in and out of my life through the years, but none of them were able to fill this “God shaped hole” in my heart. When I became pregnant with my first child, I was not married. I knew that was a “sin” and so I tried to make it right by marrying my child’s father. So, we were about to become two very wounded souls trying to raise a child. I remember the night I came home from the hospital with my precious baby girl, we found out that the trailer that we had just moved out of shortly before she was born had burned to the ground that night. I remember thinking that God Himself had protected us and that He was trying to get my attention. I told him I would try to go to church with my child and live right.
I had went to a couple of churches in town, but never felt compelled to stay there. I just didn’t have any peace. I knew there was more in churches because I had “felt” God before. I fell into a deep depression and had a hard time managing my daily life. Then, when I was finally at the end of my rope in 2001, the Lord planted a very different type of “Christian” in my path. This woman was one that LOVED everyone. She truly was an example of God’s amazing grace. I watched her and began to trust her. I began to share my problems with her. I told her that I was a Christian because I had gone to church and that I was looking for a church. I told her how bad I felt and that I couldn’t even find comfort in church. I told her I would like to find one of them exciting churches like I had been to before. I knew I needed God’s help. She shared her experience at the “Altar” with me. She told me that anytime that she was burdened down, she could go to the “Altar” and God would lift those burdens from her. WOW!!!! I knew I had to find that “Altar” she was talking about. So, that Sunday morning, I got up and got dressed for church with a determination that I was going to touch Jesus and He was going to lift my burdens at that altar. I left the house that morning by myself and told my husband that I needed to go. I remember him being concerned that I was going to become a religious person. I told him “Don’t worry; I am not going to go getting religious on you or anything. I just need help with my depression”. Ha ha, God will let you believe what you need to believe to get us where HE NEEDS US TO BE. HE KNOWS THE END FROM THE BEGINNING. Man looks on the outside, BUT GOD looks at the heart. Ok, So I got to church and the music had barely started playing when I looked to Nancy Hughes and said “Can I go up there now?” She said the “altar is always open and you can go up there anytime you want”. For those of you who know me, this is the reason I like that the altar doesn’t have to be “opened up”, but that we are always free to go up there at any given point and time. As I laid myself down at that altar with my whole heart, I remember thinking ‘God, if you will help me, I will stay in church and I will do what you ask me to’. Little did I know that His touch would cause a passion in me that could not be contained in the four walls of a church. When all the burdens were lifted from me, I got up from that altar and knew that I would never be the same. The LOVE I felt in my heart that day was beyond anything I had ever known. I KNEW for the first time in my life that I was LOVED and that God Himself was my protector and that I was HIS and HE was mine. He made me whole and complete inside for the first time in my entire life. It was just a taste of what He would bring me to later in life.
I was used to being the odd ball in a group, so as usual, I didn’t fit into the mold of a typical Christian either, but that didn’t bother me. God had already prepared me. I had such a new found freedom that I couldn’t explain and I wanted to learn more about what happened to me. I knew I was different on the inside and I had a new nature about me. Why was I different when I hadn’t done anything? As I began to get into the Bible, I found myself in the pages of the Word contained there. I began to realize that I was HIS before I was ever born and that He had been wooing me back my whole life. I learned that those negative things that happened in my life were just the enemy trying to cause me to be destroyed, BUT GOD who is rich in Mercy had already redeemed me before I ever knew to come to Him. I learned that the very depths of my heart were created for worship to God and that He was truly the only one ever worthy of worship. I learned that He gives us the Holy Spirit so that once we have been set free and have been given the Holy Spirit, we can now go out in HIS POWER to make DISCIPLES everywhere we go. I learned that no matter what comes against us in life, that God has our back and is able to cause “All things to work together for our good”. I learned that as I empty myself out, that God fills me back up. I have had a deep relationship with Jesus through the Holy Spirit. As I have walked with the Holy Spirit and talked with Him, He has taught me so much about the sacrificial LOVE of God. He has brought me through trials and tribulations that have caused me to know God the Father as: Adonai- My Lord and Master, Jehovah Jireh- My, Provider, Jehovah Rapha- the Lord My Healer, Jehovah Raah – The Lord my Shepherd/Protector, Jehovah Shammah- The Lord is There, Jehovah Tsidkenu – The Lord our Righteousness, and Jehovah Shalom- The Lord MY PEACE! There are many other names of God that I have learned personally and there are many more that I have yet to learn intimately. I look forward to a lifetime of continually learning just how amazing our God is. He continues to “blow my mind” everyday. I am so thankful that He has placed me in a group of believers that is just as in love with Him as I am. He knows exactly what we need and when we need it. This life is not about us, but instead it is about building the Kingdom of God here on earth. I pray that I am able to do that more and more as the years go on. I will GO where He sends me and I will STAY where HE tells me to stay. I know my life has a KINGDOM purpose and I am NOT MY OWN, but I am BOUGHT with the precious blood of Jesus Christ, not just my SAVIOR, but also MY LORD!!!!
I grew up with a single mother of 3 kids with no father. There were times when my mom would try to find babysitters, but there was not a lot of choices based on her income. She was left to leave me with people who treated me less than loving and violated me physically, emotionally, and sexually. When she couldn’t afford one, I was left alone at home a lot with my baby sister while my mom went out and did the best she could to work and provide a roof over our heads. There were many nights when there would be shootings in the alley just outside of the apartment in Anaheim, CA that we lived in. It was just normal everyday life in our neighborhood. At the time, I didn’t realize it, but somehow as I grew up, I realized just how much I had been through in the formative years of my childhood. We had finally moved to TN into a more stable environment when I was about 12 years old, but by then, I had already been a little warped. I am person with a very big heart so the wounds were very deep and shook the core of my being.
I tried to fit into the mold when we moved here and tried to be a good daughter, but the pain that was in my heart was so “indescribable” that I wasn’t able to communicate it well to other people. I was very “misunderstood” and was unable to process the pain. Needless to say, I was not an easy child to handle. I was very needy and most people could not meet my needs. I carried a lot of shame and guilt for the way I was and I really wanted to be different. I wanted to be like other kids who were happy and content. I knew I was “different” than most kids and often felt like I was nothing but a failure. I didn’t fit into most people’s molds and it caused me to feel “left out” most of the time lacking affection. This caused me to try to find people that loved me and to latch on to the first people that showed me any affection. Thus, I ended up living my later teenage and early adult years in various promiscuous ways. I was a very social person because I did not want to be alone. I yearned for affection and rarely found anyone that could approach me to give me the affection that I needed.
I lived with my fiancé’s parents my junior and senior year of high school. They loved me like their own child and brought me to church with them. I felt like I fit in and tried not to do anything that would cause them to not love me anymore. They brought me to church, but I remember it made me want to hide all my sins from them so that they wouldn’t throw me out. The UNCONDITIONAL LOVE was not there. As time went on, it became harder and harder to hide the real messed up me and I eventually broke up with their son and could no longer live with them. I tried going to church with other friends in my life. We would party and drink alcohol together and then go to church with their parents at times. I remember one night, we went to Faith Outreach Worship Center for a revival they were having. There were people lined up for prayer and sometimes they would fall on the ground. They would get up smiling like they enjoyed it. I wanted to see what that was all about so I went up. They laid their hands on me and I felt warm and tingly. I had NO CLUE what I experienced. It felt like my insides were changed. For a couple of weeks after that, I had some peace. However, I didn’t have a “relationship” with Jesus yet, so it quickly diminished and I was left empty.
There were several various relationships in and out of my life through the years, but none of them were able to fill this “God shaped hole” in my heart. When I became pregnant with my first child, I was not married. I knew that was a “sin” and so I tried to make it right by marrying my child’s father. So, we were about to become two very wounded souls trying to raise a child. I remember the night I came home from the hospital with my precious baby girl, we found out that the trailer that we had just moved out of shortly before she was born had burned to the ground that night. I remember thinking that God Himself had protected us and that He was trying to get my attention. I told him I would try to go to church with my child and live right.
I had went to a couple of churches in town, but never felt compelled to stay there. I just didn’t have any peace. I knew there was more in churches because I had “felt” God before. I fell into a deep depression and had a hard time managing my daily life. Then, when I was finally at the end of my rope in 2001, the Lord planted a very different type of “Christian” in my path. This woman was one that LOVED everyone. She truly was an example of God’s amazing grace. I watched her and began to trust her. I began to share my problems with her. I told her that I was a Christian because I had gone to church and that I was looking for a church. I told her how bad I felt and that I couldn’t even find comfort in church. I told her I would like to find one of them exciting churches like I had been to before. I knew I needed God’s help. She shared her experience at the “Altar” with me. She told me that anytime that she was burdened down, she could go to the “Altar” and God would lift those burdens from her. WOW!!!! I knew I had to find that “Altar” she was talking about. So, that Sunday morning, I got up and got dressed for church with a determination that I was going to touch Jesus and He was going to lift my burdens at that altar. I left the house that morning by myself and told my husband that I needed to go. I remember him being concerned that I was going to become a religious person. I told him “Don’t worry; I am not going to go getting religious on you or anything. I just need help with my depression”. Ha ha, God will let you believe what you need to believe to get us where HE NEEDS US TO BE. HE KNOWS THE END FROM THE BEGINNING. Man looks on the outside, BUT GOD looks at the heart. Ok, So I got to church and the music had barely started playing when I looked to Nancy Hughes and said “Can I go up there now?” She said the “altar is always open and you can go up there anytime you want”. For those of you who know me, this is the reason I like that the altar doesn’t have to be “opened up”, but that we are always free to go up there at any given point and time. As I laid myself down at that altar with my whole heart, I remember thinking ‘God, if you will help me, I will stay in church and I will do what you ask me to’. Little did I know that His touch would cause a passion in me that could not be contained in the four walls of a church. When all the burdens were lifted from me, I got up from that altar and knew that I would never be the same. The LOVE I felt in my heart that day was beyond anything I had ever known. I KNEW for the first time in my life that I was LOVED and that God Himself was my protector and that I was HIS and HE was mine. He made me whole and complete inside for the first time in my entire life. It was just a taste of what He would bring me to later in life.
I was used to being the odd ball in a group, so as usual, I didn’t fit into the mold of a typical Christian either, but that didn’t bother me. God had already prepared me. I had such a new found freedom that I couldn’t explain and I wanted to learn more about what happened to me. I knew I was different on the inside and I had a new nature about me. Why was I different when I hadn’t done anything? As I began to get into the Bible, I found myself in the pages of the Word contained there. I began to realize that I was HIS before I was ever born and that He had been wooing me back my whole life. I learned that those negative things that happened in my life were just the enemy trying to cause me to be destroyed, BUT GOD who is rich in Mercy had already redeemed me before I ever knew to come to Him. I learned that the very depths of my heart were created for worship to God and that He was truly the only one ever worthy of worship. I learned that He gives us the Holy Spirit so that once we have been set free and have been given the Holy Spirit, we can now go out in HIS POWER to make DISCIPLES everywhere we go. I learned that no matter what comes against us in life, that God has our back and is able to cause “All things to work together for our good”. I learned that as I empty myself out, that God fills me back up. I have had a deep relationship with Jesus through the Holy Spirit. As I have walked with the Holy Spirit and talked with Him, He has taught me so much about the sacrificial LOVE of God. He has brought me through trials and tribulations that have caused me to know God the Father as: Adonai- My Lord and Master, Jehovah Jireh- My, Provider, Jehovah Rapha- the Lord My Healer, Jehovah Raah – The Lord my Shepherd/Protector, Jehovah Shammah- The Lord is There, Jehovah Tsidkenu – The Lord our Righteousness, and Jehovah Shalom- The Lord MY PEACE! There are many other names of God that I have learned personally and there are many more that I have yet to learn intimately. I look forward to a lifetime of continually learning just how amazing our God is. He continues to “blow my mind” everyday. I am so thankful that He has placed me in a group of believers that is just as in love with Him as I am. He knows exactly what we need and when we need it. This life is not about us, but instead it is about building the Kingdom of God here on earth. I pray that I am able to do that more and more as the years go on. I will GO where He sends me and I will STAY where HE tells me to stay. I know my life has a KINGDOM purpose and I am NOT MY OWN, but I am BOUGHT with the precious blood of Jesus Christ, not just my SAVIOR, but also MY LORD!!!!
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
The Last Few Months
The last few months have been times of pressing in. Ok the last year and a half maybe, but the last few months more intense. I had been praying that the Lord get me and my family ready for what is coming. Unfortunately, that often means that the flesh must suffer things. He will go to great lengths to prepare us. He will allow suffering in the flesh to cause us to be able to walk in fullness of joy in the spirit. I had gotten sick with that cold that seemed to last forever and was weak and worn out. I realized that I didn't have any more strength and I was in a good place. I had some weak days and flesh was screaming out, but His spirit was interceding on my behalf and God was in control and I was out of control. It doesn't seem like a good place to be, but it really was. Then after that battle, things at home were stretched even farther on all ends of the spectrum. There was an internal fight in me going on and I felt like I was dying at times. Little did I know, I was. I was dying to self and living in Him alone. I kept hearing that this was the dark night of my soul. I sure hope that doesn't have to happen again. It was so intense and so horrible at times that I didn't know if I was even a Christian. How crazy is that??
So, going through all of these internal and external battles, I did all that I knew to do and stood and when I was done standing, I stood some more. I read my journals and words that the Lord has spoken to me and claimed everything that HE SAID HE WOULD DO. I refuse to give up. There were several times in the last couple of months or so that I REALLY wanted to give up though. I had to fight through them. Thankfully, He has me around strong believers who encouraged me to keep my eyes on Him. This is the only way to get through anything. If we worship with all that we have and keep reminding ourselves of how big our God is, we can make it through ANYTHING. We shall overcome satan's schemes by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony and by not loving our lives even unto death.
So anyway, then all of a sudden, in the most intense time, we have a set of tornadoes on a Friday night that swept through our community and hit my sister's house and many many more. Then, while still dealing with the destruction, my brother goes to the Emergency Room with severe headaches that won't go away and they are concerned he might have an aneurism. So, now he is getting tests taken. Then, the very next week, I get a call and they inform me that my father has been found dead. It's just been a crazy ride. It's all an occasion to testify to the goodness of God though. He is faithful and is going to complete what HE HAS STARTED. I will cling to HIS HAND and know that there is no other way but JESUS. HE IS WORTH THE JOURNEY!!! I have made up in my mind that I will NOT GIVE UP!!! I will keep fighting the good fight of faith and will be victorious in all through the power of the Holy Spirit living in me!!!!
This has seemed like another Goliath season in my life, but I feel more like David this time around saying "The Lord helped me defeat the Lion and the Bear, WHAT IS THIS to HIM??? I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength" Though my flesh is weak, the Lord is giving me strength by keeping me in His presence where there is fullness of JOY.
I will keep moving FORWARD and the only reason I have to look back is to remember all that God has brought me through and has caused me to see victory in my life. HE HAS DONE IT!!! He will continue until it is complete.
So, going through all of these internal and external battles, I did all that I knew to do and stood and when I was done standing, I stood some more. I read my journals and words that the Lord has spoken to me and claimed everything that HE SAID HE WOULD DO. I refuse to give up. There were several times in the last couple of months or so that I REALLY wanted to give up though. I had to fight through them. Thankfully, He has me around strong believers who encouraged me to keep my eyes on Him. This is the only way to get through anything. If we worship with all that we have and keep reminding ourselves of how big our God is, we can make it through ANYTHING. We shall overcome satan's schemes by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony and by not loving our lives even unto death.
So anyway, then all of a sudden, in the most intense time, we have a set of tornadoes on a Friday night that swept through our community and hit my sister's house and many many more. Then, while still dealing with the destruction, my brother goes to the Emergency Room with severe headaches that won't go away and they are concerned he might have an aneurism. So, now he is getting tests taken. Then, the very next week, I get a call and they inform me that my father has been found dead. It's just been a crazy ride. It's all an occasion to testify to the goodness of God though. He is faithful and is going to complete what HE HAS STARTED. I will cling to HIS HAND and know that there is no other way but JESUS. HE IS WORTH THE JOURNEY!!! I have made up in my mind that I will NOT GIVE UP!!! I will keep fighting the good fight of faith and will be victorious in all through the power of the Holy Spirit living in me!!!!
This has seemed like another Goliath season in my life, but I feel more like David this time around saying "The Lord helped me defeat the Lion and the Bear, WHAT IS THIS to HIM??? I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength" Though my flesh is weak, the Lord is giving me strength by keeping me in His presence where there is fullness of JOY.
I will keep moving FORWARD and the only reason I have to look back is to remember all that God has brought me through and has caused me to see victory in my life. HE HAS DONE IT!!! He will continue until it is complete.
God's Grace and My Dad
I just wanted to share things going on in the last few months/years of my life. The Lord has been so faithful and gracious to me in that He has answered my prayers to "get me ready". I had been going to deeper and more intimate levels of fellowshipping with the Lord than I had ever been. I have had a hunger for the Word that was more than I have ever had over the last couple of years. I have been learning how to enter into His Presence (in me) and worshipping deeper than ever. This last couple of years have been a time of renewal and waking up. I have been learning to sit under the fountain and receive so that I can pour out. It has NOT been pretty at times, but the Lord has been providing EVERYTHING I need when I need it and not a moment too soon nor a moment too late (Thank you Daddy).
A couple of years ago, I was worshipping and I felt like the Lord was telling me that He was going to restore the broken relationships. There were two people that immediately came to my mind--My dad and my husband's brother Jason. Well, it wasn't long after that I finally found my dad again. Our relationship had always been kind of odd (surprise surprise right?) I met him when I was 21 and we maintained contact off and on. He lived in Oklahoma City and if I wanted to find him, I would call "Truelove's Pool Hall" and they would get back with me. It wasn't an ideal relationship at that point. He had a lot of craziness in his life at this point, but he was trying the best he could in the way he knew how. I believe I must be a lot like him. I am a little hard to understand at times, but my heart is sincere and the Lord knows that. I remeber before I was ever a Christian back in 1996, my dad mailed me my very first bible. It had my name on it. He knew I needed one. :) At that point in my life though, I felt that if I went to a church, a big lightening bolt would come strike me dead. However, I read some of it. Not a lot, but some. It must have been enough to cause me to reach out a few years later though. :)
Well, then in 2003 when I had my son, I got a call from dad saying that he had run out of his resources in Oklahoma and was going to come and try to make it in TN. He was a pool player and made his living in the pool halls. It wasn't the best of all professions, but he made it somehow. So, he came to TN. He stayed at our house about a month. Then, he said he was going to stay with a friend closer in Cookeville and would call us when he got more settled in. We never heard back from him. At times, I would run into people that spent time in pool halls and I would ask them if they knew Bruce Gosselin. They would say he was still living. I would give them my name and number and send it by them to my dad. I went through feelings of rejection all over again. Only this time, my dad knew me and still didn't want to be around me. OR SO I THOUGHT. However, this wasn't the case. In his mind, he didn't want to be a burden to me and the kids, so he stayed away. He wanted to have a stable place to stay before he was a part of my life. It was warped, but it was the way satan worked to keep us apart. However, God is so much bigger than satan and has a way to restore all brokenness!! This was something that was near and dear to my heart and it caused me many sleepless nights so God made a way for us to meet once again. In January 2010, I found him once again. He was so happy that I found him. He said he knew I would. We talked through all the pain of how things were done and how it hurt and that I didn't want him to do me that way ever again. He worked at maintaining this relationship with me and never giving up. He fell in love with his grand kids and invested all his attention to them when they were around. We didn't have many times together, but the times that we had were quality times. We all knew he loved us and we all knew that he didn't want to lose us! Somehow, this helped in the healing process of all the pain of the past. I am thankful for that!
Well, in October of 2010, I decided to do more detective work and I ordered a free 3 day trial of a website to find family members. I found my cousin in Chino Hills, CA and talked with her. Within a week, my dad and his sister talked for the first time in about 30 years. Once again, we had seen yet another restoration of relationship. It was glorious!!! Then, about 3 or 4 months ago, my dad was able to talk to my cousin and cause him and his sister to start talking again. He poured into my cousin's life and was so thankful that he was able to help him. He thought he might have done some good. (This was huge for my dad) Come to find out, he turned his life around and really began restoring relationships in his life. So, the circle was complete. God turned his latter into greater than his former. His life had value and he now knew it. He didn't have many friends, but the ones that he had he impacted in a powerful way.
I have learned from my dad and for this I am thankful!!
A couple of years ago, I was worshipping and I felt like the Lord was telling me that He was going to restore the broken relationships. There were two people that immediately came to my mind--My dad and my husband's brother Jason. Well, it wasn't long after that I finally found my dad again. Our relationship had always been kind of odd (surprise surprise right?) I met him when I was 21 and we maintained contact off and on. He lived in Oklahoma City and if I wanted to find him, I would call "Truelove's Pool Hall" and they would get back with me. It wasn't an ideal relationship at that point. He had a lot of craziness in his life at this point, but he was trying the best he could in the way he knew how. I believe I must be a lot like him. I am a little hard to understand at times, but my heart is sincere and the Lord knows that. I remeber before I was ever a Christian back in 1996, my dad mailed me my very first bible. It had my name on it. He knew I needed one. :) At that point in my life though, I felt that if I went to a church, a big lightening bolt would come strike me dead. However, I read some of it. Not a lot, but some. It must have been enough to cause me to reach out a few years later though. :)
Well, then in 2003 when I had my son, I got a call from dad saying that he had run out of his resources in Oklahoma and was going to come and try to make it in TN. He was a pool player and made his living in the pool halls. It wasn't the best of all professions, but he made it somehow. So, he came to TN. He stayed at our house about a month. Then, he said he was going to stay with a friend closer in Cookeville and would call us when he got more settled in. We never heard back from him. At times, I would run into people that spent time in pool halls and I would ask them if they knew Bruce Gosselin. They would say he was still living. I would give them my name and number and send it by them to my dad. I went through feelings of rejection all over again. Only this time, my dad knew me and still didn't want to be around me. OR SO I THOUGHT. However, this wasn't the case. In his mind, he didn't want to be a burden to me and the kids, so he stayed away. He wanted to have a stable place to stay before he was a part of my life. It was warped, but it was the way satan worked to keep us apart. However, God is so much bigger than satan and has a way to restore all brokenness!! This was something that was near and dear to my heart and it caused me many sleepless nights so God made a way for us to meet once again. In January 2010, I found him once again. He was so happy that I found him. He said he knew I would. We talked through all the pain of how things were done and how it hurt and that I didn't want him to do me that way ever again. He worked at maintaining this relationship with me and never giving up. He fell in love with his grand kids and invested all his attention to them when they were around. We didn't have many times together, but the times that we had were quality times. We all knew he loved us and we all knew that he didn't want to lose us! Somehow, this helped in the healing process of all the pain of the past. I am thankful for that!
Well, in October of 2010, I decided to do more detective work and I ordered a free 3 day trial of a website to find family members. I found my cousin in Chino Hills, CA and talked with her. Within a week, my dad and his sister talked for the first time in about 30 years. Once again, we had seen yet another restoration of relationship. It was glorious!!! Then, about 3 or 4 months ago, my dad was able to talk to my cousin and cause him and his sister to start talking again. He poured into my cousin's life and was so thankful that he was able to help him. He thought he might have done some good. (This was huge for my dad) Come to find out, he turned his life around and really began restoring relationships in his life. So, the circle was complete. God turned his latter into greater than his former. His life had value and he now knew it. He didn't have many friends, but the ones that he had he impacted in a powerful way.
I have learned from my dad and for this I am thankful!!
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Civil War inside me? The true Gospel?
Recently I felt like the Lord was telling me that there was a Civil War going on and that I would be a voice used to help end slavery in His People. I accepted it and wrote it down. I have pondered at times how I could possibly ever end up helping people be set free from bondage when I myself seem to struggle in areas. For example: I felt as if I had been set free from bondage to food, but I am by no means perfected in this area. A few times I have knowingly ate something that I felt like the Lord told me to avoid and I paid heavy prices for it. Be not deceived, what we sow, we will reap. There are consequences for sin. When we know to do something and we don't do it, we will reap destruction. Jesus came to bring us FREEDOM FROM SIN and the power to overcome it. He didn't come just to cover it all up and act as if everything is great regardless of what you are doing that is against God's nature. He chastises those He loves, but that is a totally differen't subject. I guess the main thing that I am realizing is that the Civil War that's going on inside of me is being fought between my "flesh" and my "spirit" and the "mind" being slave to one or the other. If my mind is being controlled by the spirit, I am full of life and peace and victory, but if it is being controlled by the "flesh" I am walking in "anger" and "bitterness" and "resentment" and it's torture. It causes me great sorrow when I am being ruled (governed) by the flesh man. In that part of me, there is NO GOOD THING!!! It's ugly and I DON'T like it. If I am governed by the Spirit man (who is controlled by the Holy Spirit) I am walking in LOVE, JOY, PEACE, and all the other fruits listed in Galatians 5:22. So, if I have a choice in everything and have been given freedom over Sin, WHY DO I STILL CHOOSE TO LISTEN TO THE FLESH MAN? That's my question for the Lord. This is what I am learning. When I allow the Lord to govern my body, HE keeps everything working just right. It may look like I am being CONTROLLED by giving up things that the flesh wants, but in fact, I am receiving FREEDOM instead If I decide that I want to REBEL, then there are serious consequences and I am trampling the blood of Jesus under my feet. My friends, the TRUTH of the Gospel will SET US FREE from all of this. We need to know that WE CANT but HE CAN!!! We have been taught that we can NOT BE SET FREE from sin and that once a sinner always a sinner, but that is not the case. You see, Each and every one of us have fallen short of the Glory of God according to the book of Romans and NONE of us can be cleansed apart from the blood of Jesus. We must each recognize our NEED for HIM and we must TRUST IN HIM daily. Instead, we have been watering down this glorious gospel that claims total and utter dependence on a savior who was WILLING TO TAKE THE WRATH OF GOD for ALL SIN (past, present, and future) and do our life our own way. Oh God, have MERCY on us for trampling the blood of Jesus underfoot, whether knowingly or unknowingly. We have failed to see the truth of your glorious gospel. Help us to recognize our NEED FOR you so that we can walk free from sin. We CAN DO NOTHING WITHOUT YOU. We thank you that the Power of the Holy Spirit is with us so that we can walk this journey and we pray you lead us every step of the way. If we side step from your GRACE, bring us back into TOTAL DEPENDENCY UPON YOU LORD. WE WILL DIE if we don't. Instead, this day, we choose ABUNDANT LIFE and VICTORY OVER THE SIN by not just "accepting" your real GOSPEL that YOU DIED for us to have, but recognizing our NEED for the gospel each and every day. It wasn't just a one time event, but a daily reminder that GOD HATES SIN AND SINNERS, BUT THAT YOU CAME AND TOOK ALL THAT WRATH UPON YOURSELF SO THAT WE COULD LIVE. Oh let us NEVER forget that APART FROM YOU, WE CAN DO NOTHING!!!! Jesus you are worthy of ALL I HAVE TO GIVE. Thank you!!!!! Thank you!!!! Thank you!!!!! Help me to live a life worthy of the calling. One that I am willing to lay down my life for the life of others. Thank you for your great mercy toward us all!!!!! I recommend the book, "RADICAL" by David Platt for anyone who would think that they are living their Christian life to the full potential. It might shock you! I know I am floored so far. May the Lord have mercy on us all and may we ALL recognize our need for the blood of Jesus where we are hidden from the wrath of God that is coming!!!
Sunday, January 1, 2012
AFFLICTIONS
Ok, this is probably one of those posts where I could go on and on and on. I will probably add to this one on occasion, but lately I have been learning about God's grace and how we have His grace which is sufficient in EVERY trial that we go through. We don't deserve HIS GRACE, but we GET HIS GRACE because we are HIS own. Like my husband likes to say, it's not because of Worth, but because of Birth. We didn't deserve to be God's children, but HE IS SOVERIEGN and HAD MERCY on us and made a way for us to become Sons and Daughters! Hallelujah! Ok I better stay off that rabbit trail. Back to the subject. He gives us GRACE to carry us in various types of afflictions we know. The other day at Vince and Samantha's (as usual) the Lord was dealing with me about GRACE. He was telling me that I need to give myself more GRACE. I am too hard on myself which actually makes me behave inapporopriately when I should just surrender to the GRACE of God and praise HIM for HIS Mercy which is new EVERYDAY!. So, I heard a podcast teaching from a church called "Cornerstone" in Singapore. He was talking about God giving us various types of Grace that the Lord gives us to deal with the afflications that we go through. He gives us exactly what we need to go through everything He calls us to endure. He ALWAYS EQUIPS THOSE HE CALLS! Amen! This guy was talking about how his father was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and had came to him and told him that if he would stop full time ministry that his father would include him in the will, but that if he did not stop full time ministry then his father would disown him. Wow!! I can't imagine! How many of us can say that we have went through that much affliction and still pressed forward? God gave him a special GRACE to get through that situation and when we go through things, God gives us the GRACE, too. There is purpose in the afflictions. Most of the time, we don't want to go the hard way, we want the microwave ministry and that won't always happen. We need to let that go. If we get things without it costing us something, we probably won't keep that thing very long. The afflictions that we go through actually root us and ground us in a TRUST that nothing else could accomplish. When it is all said and done, we will be able to say "If it had not been for the LORD, I would not have made it!" I want to be that servant who has totally learned to TRUST and OBEY and LOVE and WORSHIP to the fullest that I have been given. If I had NEVER had to go through trials and tribulation, my love for Jesus might not go deep enough and I might not make it through some of the afflictions that are coming, but I have learned to be content with the LORD through trials and tribulations and am continuing to MOVE FORWARD with HIM. I am walking in HIS GRACE WHICH IS SUFFICIENT. I pray that I continue to do so. One of the purposes of affliction is to nourish us. Really??? Wow, I never saw it this way, but this morning, this stood out to me so deeply today while reading Revelations 12:14 (But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent.) Of course the woman is the Bride of Christ we know and when I read that, my heart lept within me. We are NOURISHED BY THE PRESENCE OF THE SERPENT???? Really???? You mean that we don't have to go around casting the devils out of anything that would cause us to be afflicted?? But isn't that what a lot of people like to preach? Oh come to the Lord and ALL YOUR TROUBLES WILL BE GONE? Oh I beg to differ. In fact, when you surrender your life to the Lord, your troubles will come. Let's look at Jesus, for our example. When He was baptized by John in Matthew chapter 3, the heavens were "opened up to Him" and HE RECEIVED THE HOLY SPIRIT. Then Daddy SPOKE HIS IDENTITY by saying "This is my beloved Son, in whome I am well pleased."
IMMEDIATELY, not later on, but IMMEDIATELY after this LIFE ALTERING EXPERIENCE, He was DRIVEN(that's what the word used means. Led sounds so nice, but instead He was DRIVEN by HS) to the wilderness by None other than the Holy Spirit of God (our best friend, right?) Hallelujah!!! God knows what we need to fulfill our destiny. Beloved, don't be afraid of various trials and tribulations that you MUST GO THROUGH. These things work God's purposes in your life. They are nourishment for you just as much as the WORD of God is. In fact isn't that what the parable of the sower says? When the word is planted in us, it causes tribulations and persecutions to come? (Matthew 13:21) Like my dear friend Samantha says "Things that make you go hmmmm" I love it!!! Through the many tribulations and persecutions (WHICH DON'T EVEN COMPARE TO WHAT SOME HAVE SEEN) I have seen so much fruit come out of it. I am thankful for every persecution and tribulation that comes. I know that there will be more. I pray that the Lord give me the GRACE to handle EVERYTHING that He has called me in this life and in the ages to come. We NEED afflictions. We NEED persecutions. We will be more than conquerors through Christ if we endure them. How can we be MORE THAN CONQUERORS if we HAVE NEVER HAD ANYTHING TO CONQUER??? Hallelujah!! The troubles that I have went through in the last 7-8 years have only prepared me for what I am walking through now. HIS GLORY!!! HE DOES THE WORK. He leads us to the Wilderness experience and HE LEADS US OUT WITH VICTORY!!!! 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (Therefore, we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our AFFLICTION, which is but for a moment is working for us a FAR MORE EXCEEDING and eternal weight of GLORY, while we do not look @ the things which are seen, for the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. OH BELOVED, HANG IN THERE if you are going through tribulations and trials. God is doing something beautiful through it. I pray that your faith does not fail and that when you come out of this trial that you are like a refined gold!!!! Hallelujah!!! May you come out and carry the GLORY OF GOD to this LOST AND DYING WORLD!!!! This just EXCITES ME SO!!!! It was rough to go through some of the things that I have went through, but it was far worth the abundance of Grace and Glory that has been revealed because I ENDURED! I wasn't always perfect in the middle of the affliction, but next time, I will ask God to cause HIS GRACE TO ABOUND FOR THE SITUATION. He will HONOR that prayer I am SURE of it!!! Be blessed today as you ENDURE with the JOY OF THE LORD BEING YOUR STRENGTH!!!
IMMEDIATELY, not later on, but IMMEDIATELY after this LIFE ALTERING EXPERIENCE, He was DRIVEN(that's what the word used means. Led sounds so nice, but instead He was DRIVEN by HS) to the wilderness by None other than the Holy Spirit of God (our best friend, right?) Hallelujah!!! God knows what we need to fulfill our destiny. Beloved, don't be afraid of various trials and tribulations that you MUST GO THROUGH. These things work God's purposes in your life. They are nourishment for you just as much as the WORD of God is. In fact isn't that what the parable of the sower says? When the word is planted in us, it causes tribulations and persecutions to come? (Matthew 13:21) Like my dear friend Samantha says "Things that make you go hmmmm" I love it!!! Through the many tribulations and persecutions (WHICH DON'T EVEN COMPARE TO WHAT SOME HAVE SEEN) I have seen so much fruit come out of it. I am thankful for every persecution and tribulation that comes. I know that there will be more. I pray that the Lord give me the GRACE to handle EVERYTHING that He has called me in this life and in the ages to come. We NEED afflictions. We NEED persecutions. We will be more than conquerors through Christ if we endure them. How can we be MORE THAN CONQUERORS if we HAVE NEVER HAD ANYTHING TO CONQUER??? Hallelujah!! The troubles that I have went through in the last 7-8 years have only prepared me for what I am walking through now. HIS GLORY!!! HE DOES THE WORK. He leads us to the Wilderness experience and HE LEADS US OUT WITH VICTORY!!!! 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (Therefore, we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our AFFLICTION, which is but for a moment is working for us a FAR MORE EXCEEDING and eternal weight of GLORY, while we do not look @ the things which are seen, for the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. OH BELOVED, HANG IN THERE if you are going through tribulations and trials. God is doing something beautiful through it. I pray that your faith does not fail and that when you come out of this trial that you are like a refined gold!!!! Hallelujah!!! May you come out and carry the GLORY OF GOD to this LOST AND DYING WORLD!!!! This just EXCITES ME SO!!!! It was rough to go through some of the things that I have went through, but it was far worth the abundance of Grace and Glory that has been revealed because I ENDURED! I wasn't always perfect in the middle of the affliction, but next time, I will ask God to cause HIS GRACE TO ABOUND FOR THE SITUATION. He will HONOR that prayer I am SURE of it!!! Be blessed today as you ENDURE with the JOY OF THE LORD BEING YOUR STRENGTH!!!
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