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
Monday, December 17, 2012
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!!!
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