Hedged in by God's Grace

A New Wineskin for the New Wine.

2012-02-05T22:01:00.000-08:00

It's been about 5 years since my doctor strongly suggested I be admitted to the pysch ward for observation and to balance my meds. That week in December of '06 I went into the doctor's office with confusion, severe anxiety and I had not been able to sleep for days due to my depression being out of control. My hands felt thick and clumsy and it was hard to walk straight. I knew I really needed to see a doctor when I was asked to sign a form and for several seconds I could not make my brain and hand remember how to sign my name. All hell had broke loose in my body and fear had viciously attacked my mind. It was months later that my doctor was able to get me stable with a medication that would not make my condition worse.

One could be certain that I had walked through not just a valley but a season of darkness. Strange as it may sound, I had no doubt that my Savior was holding my hand through this whole ordeal. I wish I could have seen the excitement on my Savior's face awaiting the day that I would discover who I really was in Christ. I was ignorant to the fact that the bondage I was in was doomed and no weapon formed against this woman of God would be prosperous. The gates of hell would not prevail. I learned after this season of darkness that I was the one in charge of the gates that would try to unleash hell against my life. The enemy had duped me into thinking that he was in charge and I was blind to the fact that the Spirit within me was more powerful than all the demons that hell could throw my direction.

Jesus explained to his disciples that a new season was upon them and it was vital that they stop viewing God as One who insisted they must keep the laws of Moses. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. John 1:17 That's so revolutionary....the people must have said, "Huh? We don't keep the law anymore?" So they either thought Jesus was crazy or truly the Messiah to say such a thing.

Jesus came to present to the people a new and living way. No more keeping the law to be right with God. No more doing things to be accepted. He would be the perfect Lamb Who paid for all debts of sin. All would be fulfilled on the Cross and when He rose again a celebration of victory because death, hell and the grave would be defeated for eternity. A covenant now fulfilled between the Son and Father God so that we can't mess it up by breaking laws. Hallelujah! A shout must come forth from within you when you understand the amazing truth about God's grace and goodness for us! If you put your trust in what Christ accomplished then nothing can mess up your relationship with your Heavenly Father!

In Christ we are complete. And you are complete in him, who is the head of all principality and power. Colossians 2:10

In the Old Covenant one would have to keep the law or be under a curse. Be good to get good and if you are not good then you expected punishment.....but the New Covenant is not a hybrid of the Old. The New Covenant is life in our Savior. We are told that as we put our trust in what Jesus had done then we are made new creations.....old has passed away and new is the rule. If we see ourselves as our old sinful nature that God is trying to fix up then it was be a severe hinderance to our relationship with our Savior.

This mixture or hybrid covenant of old and new was exactly what I was believing when I was walking through decades long season of sickness and depression. I was beleiving that my Savior wanted to purge to old nature out of me and make me a new thing.....like tearing down an old house little by little and replacing the old stuff with brand new stuff and eventually I would be all new. But the problem with that analogy is that we are like the parable that Jesus told of the new wine being put into old wineskins..... My belief of doing good to get good or God fixing me up and making me new with a foundation of the old was just like the parable that Jesus spoke of. It is a dysfunctional gospel to put new wine into old wineskins.

I was of an old wineskin mentality. The idea that God was wanting me to do good to get good was an old covenant thought process.....wilderness thinking. We can't enter the Promised Land with wilderness thinking. Just like we can't have the new wine in the old wineskin.

The New and Living way is to believe! Sounds too simple, right? It is delightfully simply but our minds have been so entrenched in this world and the religious notions of generations of well-meaning religious leaderes that the message of the Cross has been reduced to the story we hear at Easter evey year. It's not just a wonderful story that Jesus died for us and rose again and will take us to heaven when we die. Although that is some really good news but the Gospel is really the power of God unto salvation for every aspect of our life. This power is manefested in the lives of those who put their trust in what Christ did for us in every situation of life. Romans 1:17 says that through our Savior righteousness was revealed to us and we live not by keeping the law but only by faith in what He has DONE.

This amazing grace and salvation is not only intended for getting us to heaven but for getting the kingdom of heaven to earth through us!!! That's so exciting.

So ask yourself a few questions.... What am I doing to try to please my Heavenly Father? Then ask yourself do I believe that Jesus pleased the Father for me? If I still think that I need to keep paying for my sin or doing something to deserve the benefits of a child of God then I still have an old wineskin and the new wine will not be available. Just rest in what your Savior has done and start seeing the supernatural transformation that you read about in your Bible

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For God So Loved Me.....

2011-10-22T08:23:00.000-07:00

What is the key to obtaining spiritual maturity? What will allow a person to cross from carnal (living from their human perspective) to a grounded or mature faith? Is it passion for the things of God? Is it disciplining oneself in the things of God? Is it daily dying to self?

Passion is good thing but it won’t cause one to be mature. It should be a bi-product of maturity. Discipline is also a good and proper habit of a person who is considered mature but it won’t cause you to become mature. And the dying daily to self, is just a religious mirage of a heart that is seeking out something that IN Christ we already possess. We died with Christ and rose again with Him to newness of life. So to die to self is not achieving maturity, but in fact hindering the believer from moving forward at all. Your sin nature is dead..... you are a new creation in Christ and do not need to die daily.

So lets explore what is an indispensable key to walking out the Christian life in maturity. Paul said to the believers in the Corinthian church that the wisdom he speaks of is for the mature believer. (1 Cor 2:6) But this word for mature or fully grown person (telios) is not a meaning of knowing lots of scripture but of knowing that one is complete in Christ. Paul said this wisdom is a mystery to the scholars and a mystery to those who are considered leaders of the world, but to you....simple lovers of Christ, this wisdom is delivered to you by your uncomplicated faith in the Savior.

When I attended college, I was a vocal music major and loved daily going to choir rehearsal. We performed Handel's Messiah during the Christmas season and this opportunity was a highlight of my college experience. I was somewhat ignorant to the fact that these marvelously beautiful songs were written by a man who was inspired by the Bible and amazingly portrayed the truth in the scriptures. Previous to going to college, I had barely read any of the Bible. I had a knowledge based on what others told me the Scripture said. This lack of knowledge of the Bible caused me to live life in sorrow as a result of not understanding my value to the Father.

I did know a few scriptures and one was "For God so loved the world he gave his only Son that whoever would believe on him would not perish and have everlasting or eternal life." (John 3:16) Many people on the planet know this verse of scripture and I think most who do know it, take it for granted. But there is power in this--the Gospel. It says in Romans chapter 1 that "the Good News is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes." Imagine for a moment if you had no knowledge of the Father's love toward you. Many people operate from this lack of understanding how loved and valued they of the Father.

So if this truth--knowing of the Father’s love to send Jesus, is so essential, why does it seem to be such a neglected subject in the Church? When was the last time we heard a sermon or a series preached in worship service about the Father's Love? When was the last time I made it a focus of my study in the Bible or my pursuing the heart of Father? These foundational truths are important and I will state that knowing that one is completely loved and accepted by the Father is an elementary understanding to our maturity as a believer.

It says in Proverbs 23 that “For as a man thinks in his heart so is he.” When we know we are loved of the Father then we live loved.

We hear about repenting and serving and dedicating our lives to prayer. We have it preached many times a year about the importance of the Great Commission. All these subjects are indeed important. But none of these subjects will penetrate and CHANGE or TRANSFORM the human heart. I can boast loudly for all my life how much I love to serve a living God, but this will not transform me. Boasting of His love for me---this truth has set me free many times over and will cause healing, deliverance and overwhelmingly positive results in your life and the lives of those who hear this truth.

Knowing or experiencing the Love of God is what will penetrate a heart. Knowing His Passion for you will bring you to life. Preaching it to others will ignite a zeal within you that cannot be quenched. All those other subjects (all important) will not cause you to become intoxicated by His purpose for your life.

I challenge you to meditate and speak aloud "The Father loves me...He loves me...He sent His Son --my Savior--for me. He loves me and desires me." Speaking this aloud causes a fresh belief within your soul. It changes you...it will change you and create passion in your heart and soul.

I will conclude this short article by telling you about a dream that changed my perspective of my Father’s heart for me.

This dream, which presented more like a nightmare, occurred in me about six years ago and it is only about a year ago that I understood it. It was somewhat disturbing at the time. I probably had this dream due to the constant struggle of depression and the anxiety disorder that pummeled my mind daily before I was healed about five years ago. I know that God used this dream to teach me of the truth about my Savior and about the Father’s love for me.

In the dream, I was running from something or someone. My surroundings were unfamiliar and I eventually realized I was in a maze of some sort. The people I saw in this dream were people I knew but no one would talk to me. It was like I was a stranger to them. I would ask them a question about how to get out of the maze and they all looked at me strangely, like asking them this was the most ignorant question to ask. Some looked at me in disgust and acted like they were afraid to get too close. I began to feel a lot of shame and felt like people were pointing and whispering. All during the dream, I felt like something or someone would soon "catch" me if I didn't keep moving.

It was one disconcerting moment after the other. This dream was one of those bottomless pits of uncertainty. I felt anxious and confused. I am the type of person who prefers to plan my route and this was one ambivalent turn after another.

Finally in the dream, I ran into a clearing. It was like a round courtyard. There were several other archway openings that came from the same maze that I had just tried to escape. In the center of the courtyard, up on a small platform was who I thought was Jesus. His back was to me so I was unsure it was really Him. So I ran to Him. I cried out His name “JESUS” as soon as I saw His face. BUT when this person I thought was Jesus turned around, He was scowling at me. There was a look of pure contempt on His face. I wept bitter tears, kneeling in front of whom I perceived as my savior. I felt a profound hopelessness and a dark gloomy cloud was settling on my body.

Then something miraculous entered the dream. Our Father will never leave us hopeless. In the dream, my dear friend of many decades appeared to me as I was weeping before this angry god. She insisted that I get up and no longer worship him....she said this was NOT Jesus.

I awoke with extreme emotion. My pillow was soaked with tears and I was physically shaken. It was haunting and hope-filled all at the same time.

I now know that if it is not Good News, it is not Jesus. This dream was a revelation from my Savior that He is not hard to find and not angry with me. He paid the entire price so I could come boldly before the Throne of Grace. I'm set free by His love and He would never leave me, reject me or put me to shame. All my sin was removed from me as far as the east is from the west. I now realize I do not need to feel driven by someone or something and I am free to love and be loved.

My foundation as a mature believer in Christ is that of my Father loves me so much that He sent His precious Son to redeem and restore my life back to Him. I am the treasure of great price spoke of in the parable. He gave up all for me! I am loved. YOU are loved. You can experience this complete and full way of living as you increase your knowledge of how loved you are by the Father.

Daughter, Where are you?

2011-10-19T09:48:00.000-07:00

Ever have one of those days where you are walking along in peace and something happens and it seems your joy and peace is snatched away like a wave on the sand? Of course you have. We all have in our human experience. But why? Why do offences and some types of circumstances cause us to temporarily lose our peace or joy or both? I'll answer more clearly but want to give you some insight into what helped me to see more clearly.

I am the type of person that wants to bless others and I try very hard to be a blessing everyday. So what appeared in my perspective to me to be ahead of schedule and accomplishing my goals of the day did not appear to others the same. Someone had a different perspective. This person whom I was intending on blessing ended up feeling annoyed with me and was actually somewhat rude. So my peace is washed out to sea since I felt I failed them....sigh.... So I'm walking along in order to meet up with this other human who needed me to continue to bless them, but I believe they are disappointed in me.

So I ask the Holy Spirit to show me how not to feel offended. He had been working in my heart to help me to understand that we are not to see others in flesh since our Father no longer sees me in the flesh but to see them by my new creation perspective. I'm in Christ and most of the time I am aware of this right-standing with the Father. I've come to realize by the work of the Spirit within that I am seen as holy and perfect since I'm IN CHRIST therefore no more old nature....since it died and was buried IN CHRIST 2000 years ago. But still having some trouble in this common hinderance of feeling offended.

I walk the remaining part of my journey to deliver to this other person what they wanted from me. I felt hurt and angry that rather than being appreciated I was told I was not meeting expectations. All of you at some point have been told this and just admit it: This hurts. It hurts to be told that your human best is substandard. So after I've completed my mission I huff off and go hide so I can cry by myself and of course cry out to my Father who always see me as perfect in the Son.

I'm sitting looking out a large window at a typical gray rainy October morning. The colorful leaves from last week have mostly blown off in the chilly northern wind and the colors that remain are more dull browns and less golds and red that I loved. I turn my gaze to a piece of framed art on the wall. It's ugly. It's a photo of a room that has long since been abandoned. Black and white image with a look of hopelessness. I'm still fighting back the stinging tears when I hear in my spirit, "Where are you? Daughter, where are you?" Wow! I knew just what He meant. It was like a flood of understanding. In that moment, I was still focused on what had happened 20 minutes earlier and He was currently in the present.

Our Father lives in the NOW not the past....He doesn't see my past or the past of the person who offended me. He was not mad or thinking up some way to avenge my hurt feelings from the individual who hurt me. In that instant, my peace was FULL. I was instantly transformed back to the life of abundance that I was living prior to the offence. I UNDERSTOOD and knew now that offences come when we live back in our minds where the offence took place. The Father asked me where I was NOT because he was angry or thinking up some type of punishment or curse to place on me--His daughter and precious one In HIs Son....but rather he just wanted me to re-focus on Him and His love for me.

I looked up again at the bland art work on the wall and saw something new, I had not seen previously. Right near the middle of the image of the black and white photograph was the word PEACE. I knew then that was the intended focal point that the artist had intended for me to see but it was not visible to me until I refocused on being IN CHRIST.

So to answer my first question: Why do offences and some types of circumstances cause us to temporarily lose our peace or joy? It's because we are not where we belong in our spirits.....we've remained at the offence and are focused on that and are stuck until we re-focus and fix our eyes back on the Savior and His finished work. There is no lack. Eve thought she lacked and God asked her "Where are you?" And she hid! I know my Savior well enough now to know I can run to His Throne of Grace and receive all and know that I lack for no good thing in Him.

2011-10-02T13:56:00.000-07:00

As I was drifting off to sleep, I found myself perplexed as to why grace has transformed so much of my life and in other areas the unloviness of sin still seems to have a stronghold in my mind. I know in my gut-- that part of me that 100% trusts that what my Savior did for me is sufficient --but my brain still sees the flesh dominating parts of me.....So this is the image the Holy Spirit put in my mind as I was drifting off to dream.

A heavy monument or tombstone represented the old nature that died in Christ. It's stone cold heavy nature just sitting there as a reminder of who I was...it seems like a mountain in my life but in reality it's just a dead thing that represents my old self. My memory of it is strong. The root of course represents the fullness of grace growing in me daily. I'm going from glory to glory and grace to grace. The root is under the tombstone and in a matter of time it topples over the dead thing.....the law --like two tombstones seemed to dominate my life at a time but grace got in there and eventually toppled them over. This dead stone no longer represents my life. I'm a New Creation in Christ and believe that God's grace will continue to topple over the dead monuments of my past. Dead things cannot control me.

A scripture that encouraged me as well after seeing this grace-filled example of how this process of going from grace to grace works "I will be like the dew to Israel; he will blossom like a lily. Like a cedar of Lebanon he will send down his roots" Hosea 14:5

Be angry and sin not: A law I put myself under Part 1

2011-09-27T14:44:00.000-07:00

I'm still learning and unlearning many things when it comes to God's grace. I discovered recently that I had been putting myself under a law I had made especially for myself. In Ephesians 2:6 it says When you are angry do not sin and don't let the sun go down on your wrath. Sounds like a good plan--but I will show you how keeping this law has actually brought sorrow to my life.

I have heard at least a half-dozen sermons or teaching on this subject and they all sound pretty good but NONE of those sermons have ever set me free from behavior that is associated with my anger--my personal sin that came with personal consequences.

I'm really not into comparing sin and I know my anger issue cannot be compared to an others. (some of you might think my anger is sissy stuff compared to your own OR you might be shocked at the unloveliness of sin resulting from my angry feelings). Regardless, I've been negatively affected by the consequences of anger in my life. I have been wondering for several weeks now why God's amazing grace has transformed my life in so many areas, but not in the area of being angry and then followed by sinful behavior.

Over and over this past several weeks I would hear in my spirit "Be angry and then don't allow condemnation...." and I would dissect the scripture in Eph 2:6 and in the original language it was not the word condemnation or really anything to do with condemnation. It was the word SIN but still OVER and OVER I hear: Be angry and then don't allow condemnation..." I know the Holy Spirit was trying to teach me something vital about the anger issue I constantly feel so badly about. So I asked Him to show me where He was going with it. He said, "Allowing condemnation is sin"....again I felt clueless.

I have known the scriptures in the New Testament about anger and unwholesome speech since I was a young child. Eph 2:6 "When you are angry do not sin...." and Eph 4:29 "Do not allow any unwholesome speech proceed from your mouth..." which is usually the result of my being angry. So I'm not ignorant to the scriptures, but I was ignorant to what the actual sin was AFTER the anger was aroused.

Was my behavior continuing because I allowed condemnation to be present after I felt angry? The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ. The death in my case was the condemnation I experienced from guilt and shame about my behavior. The anger was well past but I suffered for hours or days due to my view of myself. The condemnation was the issue NOT the anger.

Be angry and sin not: A law I put myself under Part 2

2011-09-27T14:42:00.000-07:00

Part 2

We need a working definition of the word sin because some of us have been taught that sin is immoral behavior. Not really a correct definition although I know it can lead to some very unlovely actions. Sin in the Greek is the word hamartia. This word means to "miss the mark" like in archery where you do not get a bulls-eye with your arrow. Goofy definition, right? But the work hamartia comes from another word that is hamartanō which part of that word is meros. This word meros means to have lost sight of your destiny.

So some of you may now see where I'm going with this. If you were born to royalty, you are considered heir to the throne in that kingdom. Even if you are kidnapped and taken to a foreign land such was the case for the character Shasta in the book A Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis (one of the Narnia series) was taken from his parents and had no idea of his royal destiny. He was still heir to the kingdom but made decisions based on his lack of knowledge which caused him sorrow. So his lack of knowledge led him down a path of doubt and feelings of condemnation. He was not good enough....he was lacking....he was a failure....etc. But he was still an heir to the throne. Nothing Shasta did or didn't do could change that fact.

Sin is forgetting who we really are in Christ. Or one could say that sin is unbelief of what Christ accomplished on our behalf. So when we forget that we are the righteousness of God in Christ we forget our destiny and thus allowing condemnation to be present. We submit to being under the law rather than submitting to God and His way of thinking. Romans 8 tells us that there is NO CONDEMNATION for those who are in Christ and the law of the Spirit of life in Christ has set us free from the law associated with sin and death. Walking by the Spirit means that we realize or are aware of our destiny of being under grace and not under the law. The law was fulfilled by Jesus and we are in Christ Jesus so we are no longer under the law but under grace. Paul said we are saved by grace through faith in what Christ did for us so we have NOTHING to brag about except the grace of God.

The Holy Spirit showed me two examples in my own life to demonstrate that the angry behavior was not resulting in my sorrow but the condemnation I experienced following the behavior.

First example: I had a passionate reaction to my husband putting pressure on me to do something I had no control over. My response is to yell and become verbally abusive. I was angry. The words coming out of my mouth were unlovely and unwholesome. But the sin was the condemnation that followed. For hours I fret over my behavior...I end up with a nasty tension headache and nothing accomplished for the day. So then I feel more condemnation about not being a good wife or mother etc....do you see where this is going? The sin is the lost destiny. I forgot who I am in Christ. I was not believing grace was in control of my life and I was focusing on the behavior of me losing my cool.

Second example: Someone says some hurtful things to me. They said these things from some unresolved pain many years in the past that involved me. The words said to me make me feel angry but I'm not in a position to be able to defend myself. This occasion I do not say anything in anger to this person but feel hurt and shame as a result. As the day progresses begin to feel I deserve the shame and guilt that this person poured upon me. That day I allowed condemnation to progress so far that I ended up in the Emergency Room needing a medication for the worst headache of my life. My blood pressure was so high that they would not allow me to go home until it was under control. Condemnation could have killed me in this case....I was angry and sinned. I believed I was deserving punishment.

Okay, so how is this going to practically help me? I don't want to continue to be angry and fall into sin which is actually the condemnation I feel when I react in an unbecoming manner. I don't want to continue to hurt myself from this behavior. I want to be free. The Good News is the power of God unto salvation for those who believe.....and I believe that Jesus paid the price so I can be set free. But how?

This is how: I stop making a law for myself. I discontinue being the behavior police to myself. Next time I'm angry and say or do something unlovely, I will apologize to whomever is present during my angry outburst (that's just common courtesy) but then I let it go....I don't dwell for even a minute on any condemnation. I will say, "Blessed am I because my sin is not imputed to me....where there is no law there is no transgression....I am righteous because of what Christ accomplished for me.... I am complete in Christ....There is no condemnation for those in Christ who walk after the Spirit..."

But of course I must be convinced of this before the next opportunity for anger to arise happens. I must know in my heart and mind that "as I think so shall I behave..." I'm perfect in the sight of God because of Christ and so I'm no longer thinking of myself as a woman who has rage issues but I'm a woman who is no longer under a law that results in me needing to not let the sun go down on my wrath. If I don't sin when I'm angry or not allow unbelief and condemnation to result from anger THEN there is no missed destiny.

As I think I shall behave....I think I'm no longer under the law that says: When I'm angry do not sin nor let the sun go down my wrath. Now I'm under grace and walking by the Spirit.

Moms Give Us Grace

2011-05-06T11:15:00.000-07:00

Okay....I want to post something a little different. I'm going to honor my mom today in my blog. Someone will have to print it out for her since she does not have a computer and doesn't even know what a blog is....but do any of us really know what a blog is supposed to be?

Moms give us grace.

I remember the Christmas that I saw the arms and legs of the dolls you were making for me and my sisters..... you were so disappointed that my Christmas gift was spoiled but you quickly smiled when you heard me ask if you were making an octopus or something..... I just saw the arms and legs. I got to see the pretty dresses and hair you sewed on by hand Christmas morning. You worked hard making those dolls. I still have mine.

I remember the hours and hours you sewed dolls to send me to camp. I had to work hard and make baby-sitting money to go but I never could have reached my goal with out you making dozens of rag dolls and those cute strawberry dolls. I loved seeing the faces of the people when you delivered them. Many children loved those treasured pieces of fabric stitched together and all those arms and legs stuffed with the squishy stuff. You had scraps of material that you made the cutest clothes for the dolls.

I'm sure there were many things that I never thanked you for. I did notice but maybe didn't say so. I do know that for everything that you lacked when you were a girl you tried your best to make it 10 times better for your children. We knew what it meant to have a mother who went the extra mile to help us achieve our goals. Really seriously-- it was a dream come true to travel to Europe for a whole month! You and dad could not afford to send me but you helped me find a way and many, many dolls and other crafts were made to send me there. I have no idea how God gave you the strength to let me go and help me to travel abroad. It was one of those life-altering things.... you understood my heart for music and singing and I'm sure you imagined my face singing on the 20 or more stops that we traveled. I was very proud that you and dad wore the sweaters for many years that I brought home from Norway for you while I was there.

Your generous heart was transfered into my chest. I'm giving and loving and tender-hearted just like my mom. I'm also way too practical but somehow faith rises up and I can look at what seems impossible and get the job accomplished. Oh and I got your passionate, feisty side too which can get me in trouble from time to time. But God's grace covers that too. I got all that from you, Mom. Not by DNA but by a transfer of your heart. Moms are about God's grace and my blog is about God's grace so, it just seems natural to honor you this Mother's Day in my blog.

Happy Every Day Mom!

You Bogeyed the Hole.....but the Game is Not Over!

2011-04-27T08:54:00.000-07:00

So you think you blew it! You failed so badly that there is no point of return. You know in retrospect that you should have been heading north when you ended up WAY south of the destiny He had for you! Now you hang your head in shame just wondering how He will get you back on track.

But then you awake one morning and realize that He did something amazing. He took your epic fail and turned it into something for His Glory. He turned the shame into something that you cannot take credit for. The hard work that you did or thought you should do were all just distractions and things to take your eyes off from your relationship with your Heavenly Father. When you fell flat on your face in the mud with piggies eating around you, that's when you cried out and really NEEDED HIS GRACE! And that's when you got it.

When I got saved, I knew it was by grace but somehow when I was growing in the Lord, I got the idea that the process of maturing (called sanctification) was from my own hard work. And if I failed it was because I was out of His will or disobeying. It's true that not following what you know to be from Him can result in sorrow....but many young Christians are just convinced that anything that seems like sorrow is due to them not playing by the rules.

Here are the rules:

1) Your Heavenly Father loves you and knows you are really fragile. He sent Jesus knowing exactly how messed up you would be at this moment of your life.

2) You mess up and cry out for His GRACE and it flows to you....you didn't deserve it. But that's the game. You need GRACE and He gladly, freely gives it.

3) You continue to work for God's favor and good pleasure and you will be spinning your wheels for a very long time...trust me! Grace is undeserved....take advantage of it!

In my favorite Psalm 16 in verse 5 it states:

The Lord is my chosen and assigned portion, my cup; You hold and maintain my lot.

Remember from a previous post I explain about this word lot meaning like in a game of chance. The game has been rigged in your favor!!! You are just getting a taste of Grace and you realize it is so much bigger and better than you have given Him credit for.

God Has Rigged the Game in Your Favor

You bogeyed....you REALLY messed up! I dare you to ask the Father to reveal to you how He has planned to make this situation a neon sign for His glory and grace. The games not over and He has already made you victorious!

Where There is NO LAW there is No Transgression

2011-04-22T12:46:00.000-07:00

I've been digging for gold nuggets in the book of Romans. Actually the gold nuggets are laying right on top for me to pick up and enjoy. The abundant life that Jesus spoke of just flows to me so freely now that I understand God's love lavished on me by what Jesus accomplished. I no longer see myself as having to pay back what He so willingly gave. No more trying to be justified by good works but fruit flowing from my life as a bi-product of being in Christ.

Today is Good Friday, the day on the calendar that we celebrate the sacrifice of our Savior Jesus the Messiah. He said, "It is finished." and I choose to believe that He finished the good work on the Cross so that I could live a life of no condemnation and filled with peace and joy. People on this planet are not interested in religion, but they will be drawn to the believers who are joy-filled and understand who they really are IN CHRIST.

For the promise to Abraham or his posterity, that he should inherit the world, did not come through observing the commands of the Law, but through the righteousness of faith.

If it is those clinging to the Law who are to be the heirs, then faith is made futile and empty of all meaning and the promise of God is made void (is annulled and has no power).

For the Law results in wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression.

Therefore, inheriting the promise is the outcome of faith and depends entirely on faith, in order that it might be given as an act of grace (unmerited favor), to make it stable and valid and guaranteed to all his descendants--not only to the devotees and supporter of the Law, but also to those who share the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all. (Romans 4:13-16)

After reading this, my mind drifted with a nudge from the Holy Spirit.... I was thinking about the casino. The casino is on the property of the Saginaw/Chippewa Tribe of people. This is a sovereign nation. They have their own laws. I don't know all their laws, but one law is that it is legal to gamble there. If I'm standing on their property and choose to play black jack or poker or any other game of chance then there will be no negative consequences for me --accept that I might go home with less money. I am free to play any game available to me because their law says so.

I step on their property and I experience freedom from the law that would bring wrath upon me in my own country. I might bring with me my emotional or mental hangups about gambling, but the fact is that it is perfectly legal and my guilt or lack of guilt in my mind is of no consequence.

When I step off the property and back into my own country and if I decide to gamble and the authorities find out then there could be legal ramifications for me for breaking the law. The law in my own country says gambling is illegal. I am not free to partake. And feelings of guilt or feelings of freedom in this area really don't matter. If I gamble and get caught then their will be unpleasant consequences.

Same is true in the Spirit. I am now under grace. I am not clinging to the Law for my justification. Paul said in Hebrews 8:13 that the old covenant or the Law is obsolete. Since the Cross, we are under grace. My feelings on this matter my vary but the truth is that the old is gone and the new covenant is now how I am justified. I am not under the Law but under grace because of Jesus.

Jesus paid for my freedom. But sometimes I forget this fact and allow myself to be living under laws that no longer have precedence over me. It's like I forgot what country I live in. I am free but live like I'm under obligation. Jesus paid the price so I can live free but my mind continues to live under condemnation. And somehow when I live like I'm still under the law of sin and death it clings to me as much as I cling to it.

Paul said to strip off the old nature and put on the new. It's like changing clothes in the spirit but we don't do it by our good works but by believing we are re-generated. It's like believing you are dwelling in a place where the law is no longer your master.

Strip yourselves of your former nature [put off and discard your old unrenewed self] which characterized your previous manner of life and becomes corrupt through lusts and desires that spring from delusion; And be constantly renewed in the spirit of your mind [having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude],And put on the new nature (the regenerate self) created in God's image, [Godlike] in true righteousness and holiness. (Eph 4:22-24)

A Day of Small Beginnings

2011-04-07T12:49:00.000-07:00

I'm thinking back to a day that was more than a decade ago. My small children had been sick. I had been sick. I was out of my normal routine of going to church, serving, praying, Bible meditation....etc.... In my mind I was out of touch with the Father. I was certain that I needed to do some major repenting of my sin.

I awoke on a mid-week morning with fear gripping my heart. I had realized that it had been two whole days and I had not had one single thought toward the Lord. I was feeling like a very bad 'Christian'. I sat up in my bed and said to the Lord, "I'm so sorry...ohhhh.... you must be so disappointed. I'm so ashamed.... I heard in my Spirit come to me in Jesus' Name.

I thought, "Oh good that will help!" It was like a light shining the direction I should go.

Now I always started and ended every prayer I ever spoke with "In the Name of Jesus...." I knew this was vital. I knew this was a key to God hearing me. Well, that was my thinking at the time.

So I scrunched up my face and got in a posture of being very sincere and very humble.... "O God, I come to you now in the Name of Jesus..." Then the Holy Spirit very distinctly and very abruptly spoke, "Yes, you do...." It was not harsh but more straight forward and almost with no emotional tone. It startled me and I opened my scrunched up eyes....

I started over... "Oh Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus..." Same thing, I hear firmly, "Yes, you do...." Again it was not punitive or rebuking-- just a simple statement. I was a little frustrated to be interrupted again....didn't God understand that I had to do my repenting before I was okay with Him again and I could get going on my busy mommy day?

A third time I tried being very holy and persisting in prayer, "Oh most Holy God, I come to you in the Name of Jesus...." YES YOU DO!"

Then in a matter of moments I get a download from Heaven about the heart of the Father. I didn't need to beg God to listen or try to be holy to get HIs attention. It was a 'Day of Small Beginnings' (Zech. 4:10) on an understanding of God's grace. I was so used to doing stuff to try to get God to bless me or at the very least rebuke the devourer from my life that I didn't really know how to come boldly before the Throne of Grace.

"Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." Hebrews 4:6

I encourage any of you, to take this small step and know that it's all Jesus and what He accomplished for you and NONE of your good deeds that impress our Heavenly Father. "For it is by grace you have been saved and not works so that none of us can boast." Eph 2

I didn't get off the performance trap that day... but it was the beginning of a journey that has lead to Jesus plus nothing. :)

My Friend Got a Bad Rap....

2011-03-21T13:27:00.000-07:00

I was having lunch with a friend a few weeks back. We were munching our salad and catching up with old times. She mentioned she met a friend of a friend of mine and she heard some very disappointing news. She only told me what her very good source told her.

What she said, hurt me very deeply. Not that what she said was not the truth but that I knew this person and he was in my book one of the "good guys". I put him in a category of being a hero and a loyal friend. Someone whom I would call if I ever needed anything.

I don't blame my friend for believing this piece of information. It might have even been 100% true.... but I knew 99 things about this person from personal experience that shows me that he is of a good character. Not perfect --but in his heart always trying his best.

I was so glad that I was able to tell my friend that the one bad thing she had heard was not the whole truth about my other long-time friend. I was glad to point out to her that he is my friend and I like him even though he's not perfect and if he was her next-door neighbor, she would be glad as well. This one bad report is not even close to the truth about who my friend is in reality.

I was driving home and was mulling over this 90 second part of my conversation with my friend of many years. I don't think ill of her for having this opinion. After all the person who told her was one that would know the truth. Unfortunately that person who gave the information had hurt and bitterness in his heart. He came to this opinion because he had been hurt by my friend. That's natural to focus on the hurt and not see the good.

Then I was thinking about how our God has got a bad rap. Every day on TV, movies, in books, radio etc we hear of "Acts of God" or horrible world events that bring about such pain and sorrow. Earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, fires, and tragedies of all sorts are blamed on our God everyday. People even kill other people in the Name of our God. It should break our hearts when people blame our Heavenly Father for such events.

I'm not here to try to convince you that God's in control or not in control. He's God and I don't have to defend Him to anyone who does not know His true nature. But just like my friend I've known since childhood, I know my Heavenly Father's true character. He's not out punishing or hurting people to show His wrath on a sinful world. If he wanted to send a message to Japan, or America or any other place in the world, he would not do it by slaughtering people. Dead people cannot repent. But we do God no favors by saying He's out to punish sinful people.

I know many see the Old Testament of the Bible and say that is who God is.... but God so loved the world that He GAVE is only Son that whoever would BELIEVE (on what Jesus accomplished) would have ever lasting life. (John 3:16)

Maybe it's true that God was mad at humankind.... I'm not a theologian, I'm just a person who believes in what Jesus did for me. And since Jesus took all the sin, sorrow, shame of the whole world for all of time, I know that all of that has been taken care of.... no more payment necessary. So that means God is not mad anymore. Jesus took care of it.

Mercy is about not getting what we deserve. My kids do naughty things sometimes and I don't punish them. They might deserve to be grounded or have a privilege revoked, but I'm merciful and just don't punish them. That's a good thing in their eyes. But even when they are not doing what I like, I still give them everything they need and even things they want. (shocking isn't it!) I love them and go beyond mercy and give them grace. I think it's that grace I extend that allows them to see--even on the roughest of days--how much I love them.

Don't worry. I do discipline them as necessary because I love them and don't want their wrong-doings to negatively affect them. So far, they have always made good choices after they have seen the truth about what could hurt them. That' what good parents do. They help their children make good and healthy choices in life.

Grace is about getting what we don't deserve. We are saved by grace (unmerited, unearned favor) by faith in what Jesus accomplished for us so that none of us can boast in our own good deeds. (Ephesians 2:8) The gospel or the Good News of what Jesus did is the power of God unto salvation to all who choose to believe. We forget that it's the Good News about what He did that can change our hearts and transform our lives. Knowing He loves us makes us want to do good. Doing good is a natural bi-product of knowing His love and grace.

Fear of punishment might sway us not to do bad....but it won't encourage us to do good. What if my children heard that I was going to harm them after a mistake? They probably would not come home if they believed that type of lie. Perfect love casts out fear....my children don't fear punishment even if they do wrong and they will run to us to help them rather than run away fearing punishment.

Hearing bad news about God will only hinder people from receiving His goodness and grace. They will run away from Him due to a mis-representation of Him. Sad that He's got such a bad rap-- People will fear Him and avoid Him.

The Good News (Gospel) is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who BELIEVES. Romans 1:16

A Picture of God's Grace

2011-03-16T22:15:00.000-07:00

A mom is sitting in the family room attending her little ones when the younger one hits the older. Tears flow and anger is obvious. The mom says to her youngest, "You hurt your sister. " NO! I didn't did it!" "Can you give your sister a hug?" NO! I don't have any hugs in my heart!" Mom sighs and hears that small voice inside of her...."Come here then, baby. I will give you a hug so you will have one in your heart to share with your sister."

Isn't that a perfect picture of God's grace? We can go to the source --our Jesus--for a hug in our hearts to pass on to those who need it most. We can't do that in the natural....it's supernatural.

The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes. (Romans 1:16) We believe that Jesus did everything we need for life and godliness. We can believe that He did the work so that we can rest in His goodness and grace.

The Center of His Will Even on "Bad" Days.

2011-02-18T05:54:00.000-08:00

Psalm 139: 11-12
If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,”
even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.

I was having a rough day yesterday. I felt full of fear and not at all spiritually mature. Someone suggested that I ask the Father to minister to my heart. Sounded way too simple. This is what He did for me.

I was weepy and feeling like I must be out of His will since I was looking at what seemed like failures. A bad day seems to magnify our weakness and cast light on our doubts and fears rather than on the Good Work that He continues to do in us.

My husband offered to rub my neck since it has been bothering me this past week. My husband was praying in the Spirit for me and in complete gentleness the Holy Spirit asked me why I felt like I was out of His will.... I had no real answer -- a messy week of blunders. Then he brought back to my remembrance a day 16 years ago.

Back then I was struggling with severe daily depression so badly it was hard to get out of bed and get dressed. I had a beautiful toddler and she was the center of my human existence. We went to Walmart for some diapers and some supplies. I was standing in line to purchase what was in my cart and I was playing "peek-a-poo" and have a good time with my little girl. She was smiling and I was smiling. It was a heaven on earth moment that I took for granted.

I made my purchase and left the store. I was putting my precious child in her car seat when He said to me. "A woman decided to keep her baby because she saw how much you loved your little girl."

Talk about a burst of ETERNAL LIFE! I wept for a minute and thanked Him for using me that way.

Last night the Father reminded me of that day 16 years ago. You know what? It gave me that same explosion of Eternity shining into my existence. It made me see that "bad" days and good days are all the same to God. He said to me that I'm right in the center of His will even if I feel like a bug or a bug's spittle.

Yesterday my feelings lied to me and I chose to believe them. But when I asked the Father to show me the truth it was BEAUTY in me that I had no idea about. He showed me that I am right in the center of His will even on those days. He looked ahead and knew that I would whisper a prayer, or smile at someone, or hand them just a few dollars for lunch. Even these things that seems so tiny in the universe, can make a UNIVERSE of difference to someone.

I will never know their name but there is a young man or young woman out there in the world today because I was in the center of His will and purpose even in a season that looked like garbage to me.

When Life is OVER your Head.

2011-02-02T10:38:00.000-08:00

A memory from when I was a little girl in the 1970s. All the snow our country is experiencing brought back this memory to me and I though maybe someone would be encouraged by it as well.

We awoke and opened the door to the porch and the snow was over the door way. I have never seen before or since then such snow drifts. I was only about 10yo and my only thought was the poor dogs!

I said, "Dad, our poor dogs are buried!!!" He said, "Well, start digging little girl!"

He had a shovel and me with my mittens (I was bundled up like a northern girl would be). We dug and dug and 150 feet later we made it to the hunting dog's little huts. They were so glad to see us! Dad brought out warm water and slop for them.

I played with them for a little bit and we went inside for lunch. I was so worried but my Dad knew the whole time they were all cozy in their beds of straw. The dogs didn't look too worried either.

This memory just reminds me of how much our Heavenly Father has it all under control even when things are over our heads, He's got a plan.

The Place of the Skull--Parading around the head of your enemy

2011-01-11T07:08:00.000-08:00

I've been doing some chewing on the life of David. He was called "A man after God's own heart" (Acts 13) and yet we know he was so far from keeping the Law of Moses and seemed to willfully choose sin. It would seem that his decisions would have doomed him to a passionless relationship with God but we see the just the opposite is true in his life. How did this man under the Old Covenant (keeping the Law) seem to grasp the concept of God's grace?

In Psalm 16:5 is a clue for us. "LORD, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure" David had a revelation that he was not producing his own righteousness. He somehow knew that keeping the Law was not his security. Many times we read that "David inquired of the LORD." He had developed a relationship not based on rules but KNOWING his Father's heart. David messed up more than ANY other person we read about in the Word of God and yet he was abundantly blessed.

David was also a man of war. I've been focused on one particular verse of scripture for quite some time now near the end of the famous story of David defeating Goliath. This one verse has opened up an understanding for me about what David knew as a man of war and what it means to go forth victorious with a defeated enemy underfoot.

"David took the Philistine’s head and brought it to Jerusalem; he put the Philistine’s weapons in his own tent." Ps 17:54

Now I should give you a little background info. You know the story of David choosing a smooth stone and with a sling that stone SUNK into the forehead of the giant named Goliath. Interestingly enough, the same word for SUNK is used in Exodus 15 when the Egyptian army sunk into the floor of the Red Sea before they drown. The Hebrew people crossed with no problem--millions crossing to safety BUT the enemy was SUNK. This is how God chose to deliver David's enemy to him. David only flung the stone but God caused it to be SUNK into his skull.

David then picked up the sword of his enemy and removed his head.(this word for head is ro'sh and means a top of a mountain or the most important part of something.) This is significant since it demonstrated to those looking on that not only did David conquer the champion of the Philistine's but also the whole Philistine army. This signaled to Saul's army that they were already victorious. God had DELIVERED their enemy into their hand. It also foreshadows that God would use the enemy's weapon (the Cross) to destroy our enemy. No coincidence that Goliath's sword (kept in David's tent) stood end to end would have appeared as a very large cross. That little detail alone should excite you!

It says that David took the head to Jerusalem. But it was not just that simple. First of all Jerusalem was at that time still in occupied territory. We have to read in 2 Samuel 5:6–10 paralleled in 1 Chronicles 11:4–9 that David did not capture and make Jerusalem the capital of Israel until a much later date.

For a season the head was with Saul. It was kept as an artifact just gathering dust. But David used the head (by this time a skull with no flesh upon it) as a symbol to those who followed David that the ENEMY of God is a defeated foe. God delivered Goliath into David's hand and the Philistine army into the hands of God's people.

The head of Goliath remained with Saul until David was King. You know what? I bet there were lots of folks who wondered if David really did kill this infamous enemy. So being a man of war, David took the head of Goliath paraded it all around the divided kingdom (Judah and Israel) and eventually buried it in a place that became known as Golgotha or the Place of the Skull in Jerusalem.

So for centuries before Jesus the Messiah came on the scene this place had a reputation of being where the enemy was put under foot. Defeated! And the whole army of Israel paraded this head with David to it's final destination and it became known as the Place of the Skull.

Our enemy was defeated at the Cross. Jesus said, "It is finished". We have heard the Good News that He paid for all our sin, sorrow, sickness and any lack. But what are we parading around? Are we parading around a defeated enemy or parading our lack? David knew as a man of war that he needed to parade around the head of his enemy.

Okay, time to start a parade. Jesus removed the head of our enemy 2000 years ago at the cross. He delivered the death blow. Now we confess what we believe --not to convince the enemy of his defeat---he's needs no convincing---not to convince God--NO! Our Father in Heaven needs no convincing. But to convince ourselves and encourage those around us. We need to be fully persuaded about what Jesus has accomplished on our behalf.

"And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform." Romans 4:21

Here's the definition of Salvation in case you need a refresher:

Soteria or Sozo (saved) From the Strong's concordance.

to save, keep safe and sound, to rescue from danger or destruction
a) one (from injury or peril)
* to save a suffering one (from perishing), i.e. one suffering from disease, to make well, heal, restore to health
* to preserve one who is in danger of destruction, to save or rescue

Jesus said, "It is FINISHED" so start parading around the head of your enemy! You ARE VICTORIOUS! Jesus paid the price for you to have 100% salvation in any area of your life. You just need to know it for yourself.

Excerpt Chapt 5: "Hedged in by God's Grace" Establishing My Heart for Healing

2011-01-03T08:47:00.000-08:00

Excerpt chapt 5 Establishing My Heart for Healing

The Holy Spirit wanted me to learn to take control of my sloppy boundaries with friends and family issues. I was also getting a glimpse of truth that God wanted me to discontinue allowing Satan to bully me by stealing my peace, joy and health. The Holy Spirit continued to encourage me to believe for a life free from depression and severe anxiety.

Although the depression was better, and I was having less anxiety due to the new medication, I continued with the bouts of an overly sensitive immune system. I had sore throats and swollen glands nearly all the time. My neck and shoulders felt like they were tied in knots and tenderness ravaged my joints. Pain and fatigue were a constant companion.

The pains that attacked my body, can only be explained as non-localized pain that bounced from one part of my body to another. I had a good idea why some people think that pain, coinciding with depression, is just in a person’s head. There was no way to point to an exact place in my body where I felt the pain. Stress headaches and intestinal issues were a daily problem. All of this misery was lumped together as symptoms of depression. I have to tell you that at age 38, I felt very old.

So what happened between my 39th and 40th birthdays to make such a huge difference in my life?

I recognized the years of trying to unrealistically please people and please God had taken its toll, and I wanted to be healthy for the next season of my life. I didn’t know if this meant I would be free from depression, but I knew that God wanted something better for me. I had a renewed hope since the new medication was working relatively well.

This lull in my brain chemical storm, allowed me to study God’s Word in a depth. I had not been able to study God’s Word with that type of fervor since my college years and the experience of the “Baptism of the Holy Spirit”. Confusion was replaced with a fire that burned in my soul.

I felt led by the Holy Spirit to do a study in the Bible on the words “gate, hedge, wall, and boundary”. Hundreds of scriptures were posted to my computer screen after inputting these words into an online Bible database.

After months of studying these scripture, it became evident to me that Psalm 16 was to become the outline for what a person needed to know about God’s safety zone or hedge of protection. I knew there were dozens of good books written by professionals concerning healthy boundaries and I had read most of them published. However, those books written were about healthy boundaries in relationships, but none were about the hedge of grace that God desires for His people.

The issue of knowing our authority in Jesus’ Name and recognizing when Satan has crossed the Christian’s boundaries, seemed to be nonexistent in any of those other very good books. I was seeing a trilateral purpose in Psalms 16 to accomplish the work that was needed in my heart. In this chapter from the Psalms, I saw a perfect example for healthy boundaries with our Heavenly Father, our relationships with people and understanding when Satan tried to cross our boundaries to steal what belonged to us as God’s children.

So for nearly a year, I poured over these scriptures and prayed for wisdom to know how to overcome the unhealthy tendencies in my life. Like a seed of hope that had started to grow, it was then I had some optimism for the first time in many years. I knew that the principles I was discovering were key to me living a victorious life. My heart had become established to receive the manifestation of God’s healing. Hope moved into faith. In Proverbs 13:12 it states, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire comes it is a tree of life.”

In April 2008, with my doctor’s cooperation, I started the process of weaning myself off the depression medication. By the end of June, I no longer needed the medication. I knew I was free. It was scary and exciting at the same time. At age 40, and the first time in my adult life, I was no longer dependent on medication to function and live my life.

I wondered if it was similar to how Peter felt when he stepped out of the boat and walked on water with Jesus. But just like Peter, Jesus would have to teach me more about faith and how to stand on my healing to maintain the good work that He had begun in me.

A Key to Spiritual Maturity...For God So Loved...

2010-12-20T21:23:00.000-08:00

What is a answer or the key to obtaining spiritual maturity? What will allow a person to cross from carnal (living from their human perspective) to a grounded or mature faith? Is it passion for the things of God? Is it disciplining oneself in the things of God? Is it daily dying to self?

It's Christmas time and I'm musing over so many wonderful Christmas classics. I was a music major when I started college and loved going daily to choir rehearsal. We performed Handel's Messiah during the Christmas season and it was a highlight of my college experience. I was somewhat ignorant to the fact that these amazingly beautiful songs were written by a man who was inspired by the Bible and the truth in the scriptures. Previous to college I had barely read any of the Bible. I had a knowledge based on what others told me the Scripture said.

I did know a few scriptures and one was "For God so loved the world that he gave is only Son that whoever would believe on Him would not perish and have everlasting or eternal life." (John 3:16) Many people on the planet know this verse of scripture and I think most who do know it take it for granted. But there is power in this--the gospel. It says in Romans 1 that "gospel is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes." Imagine for a moment if you had no knowledge of the Father's love toward you.

So if this truth--knowing of His love to send Jesus is so essential, why does it seem to be such a neglected subject in the Church? When was the last time we heard a sermon or a series preached in worship service about the Father's Love?

We hear about repenting and service and dedicating our lives to prayer. We have it preached many times a year about the importance of the Great Commission. All these subject are indeed important. But none of these subjects will penetrate and CHANGE or TRANSFORM the human heart.

Knowing or experiencing the Love of God is what will penetrate a heart. Knowing His Passion for you will bring you to life. Preaching it to others will ignite a zeal within you that cannot be quenched. All those other subject (all important) will not cause you to become intoxicated by His purpose for your life.

I challenge you this Christmas season to meditate and speak aloud "The Father loves me...He loves me...He sent His Son --my Savior--for me. He loves me and desires me." Speaking this aloud causes a fresh belief within your soul. It changes you...it will change you and bring you passion in your heart and soul.

Here is a new song I discovered that stirs the Gift within me. Beloved by Tenth Avenue North

And the Government Shall be Upon His Shoulder

2010-12-20T12:13:00.000-08:00

Handel's Messiah is my favorite Christmas music and the song "For Unto Us a Child is Born" is top of the list in my opinion. The fluid harmony touches my heart in a profound way.... "And the government shall be upon His shoulders...." And then the list of the Names that we know Him by: Wonderful Counselor, Almighty God, the Everlasting Father the Prince of Peace. There should be no doubt our God has plans to bless His people not curse.

But the phrase "and the government shall be upon His shoulders" does make one wonder the meaning. I used to thinking that Rome was cruel and the phrase meant that Jesus would be put to death by an actual government. That makes some sense... but it did not bring me hope. It was just an explanation.

The word dominion if you look it up in the original language is misrah which means "rule, dominion, government" This word misah is from a root word sarah which means "contend, have power, contend with, persist, exert oneself, persevere to persevere, contend with." So dominion shall be upon His shoulders.

His sacrifice conquered or took dominion over everything that appears to be a curse in my life.

I was worried this morning that some junk from my past would continue to follow me and my children for the rest of my life. It was heavy on my heart and I heard over and over the part of the song "And the government shall be upon His shoulders" So I looked up the word government...I will tell you it set me free. It did give me HOPE.

We have to accept as the truth that what Jesus did at the cross HAS given us ETERNAL life and that starts today. If it was meant just for heaven then it would be called life for tomorrow. But it's LIFE for NOW. If something looks like a curse in my life then I will just BELIEVE that my Savior carried that on His shoulders 2000 years ago and paid the price. I choose to believe that He already took care of it for me.

The scripture from Isaiah is prophecy about what our Messiah would accomplish...But we know He's already did it. All the promises of God are in HIM (Jesus) yes and Amen! Done! He said Himself from the Cross "It is finished". But will I choose to believe and receive or doubt and go without? I am not waiting for Him to save me from my ignorant mess....I've believing that what He did on the cross already delivered me and I am walking in a victorious life. He came to set the captives free and I declare I am free and so are my children! AMEN!

For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the greatness of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the LORD Almighty
will accomplish this.

Psalms 37 Countering Worry and Fear

2010-12-13T21:41:00.000-08:00

The beginning of this Psalm encourages us to not fret if people wrong us or if it seems like evil doers are getting ahead. To me fretting is a form of worry and can lead to feelings of anxiety. Anxiety robs the believer of the fullness of joy and living the way the Father intends for His People. Since I lived with severe anxiety for so many decades I want to know what the Word says about countering it.

There are seven verbs in the first few verses of Psalms 37 that help us to counter fretting. These actions should be building one upon the other with trusting or having confidence in our Heavenly Father as our firm foundation.

Trust: "batach" To have confidence in our LORD which should lead us to doing good. The trusting or confidence is in the character of our LORD. This doing good would be the same as a healthy plant producing fruit. The plant does not set out to work doing good but produces based in how the plant is rooted. This trusting should also lead us to dwelling where God intends for us and being fed properly. Isn't that what we all need, to feel established and satisfied?

Delight: "anag" To be delicate or to be pampered in the LORD which leads to Him giving us our desires. Delight also means to enjoy. It has an intimate quality like a husband and wife enjoying the company of each other. This word "gives" is the same as giving a gift or bestowing on someone a blessing. When you really enjoy the company of an other, it is a natural thing to desire to lavish them with gifts.

Commit: "galal" To roll away or roll together your ways to the LORD. This implies that you both have the same goals or plans. If two people have the same purpose they will not be countering what one another is saying or doing. Agree with God! Agree with Him that the relationship you both have is based on your trust in what Jesus accomplished for you through His sacrifice. If you are trying to work to please God and He is trying to show you that the price is already been paid for you then this will be counterproductive.

Rest: "damam" quietness, stillness, literally not speaking in the LORD and at the same time "wait patiently" or "chuwl" which is a word that means to dance or whirl about... one of the definitions is "to be born" like it's a struggle to get out of the womb. There are seasons when stuff is flying at you and it seems like speaking to it would be the best defense but this part of the structure (strong tower) of defeating anxiety is to just zip the lip and use your energy to see whatever it is that the LORD is birthing in your life.

Cease "raphah" from anger: which means to sink or slack. Forsake "azab" wrath....abandon venomous poison. There will be days you would love to be angry until you see 100% deliverance from whatever might be causing you to feel fretful. But this encourages us to just not attempt to fix it our self. Abandon poisonous stuff that would keep us bound to the situation.

The remainder of the Psalm is about knowing that God will deliver us out of our troubles and that evil will not win. Well, guess what?!!! I have really Good News for you. In 2 Corinthians 1 Paul explains that all the promises of God (all the Bible) are in Him (our Savior Jesus) yes and Amen! Jesus made it clear from the cross that what He accomplished by His sacrifice is a finished work. We don't have to wait for God to deliver us from evil or send healing or any other answer to prayer because Jesus did everything necessary for life and godliness. (2Peter 1:3)

As New Testament saints, we don't wait for Him to do anything more, but believe what He has already done. Believe and receive.

Is Happiness a Choice?

2010-12-09T14:27:00.000-08:00

Is happiness a choice? I will say, yes. If everything in our life is going along fairly smoothly and we hit a bump in the road, like a flat tire or an unexpected bill then, yes--Most of us can choose to be happy. Some of us have walked with the Lord long enough to know that He will carry us through these days of trouble.

But what if a person struggles with depression? Is it fair to say happiness is choice? A person with debilitating depression lives day to day with a feeling of physically carrying a burden on their body. They really do feel like they are wearing a lead blanket.

Is it fair to just tell this person, who may be a Christian that happiness is choice? If they had cancer, would way say "praise God you can choose to be happy"? No, most realize how very insensitive that would be.

What about sin? Is sin a choice? Again, I will answer yes. If we are faced with a choice in our life to lie or cheat on our taxes then I would say, YES that is a choice. But what about the person who is bound by sin? What about the person who craves to commit a sexual sin or is driven by greed? Even if that person is a Christian they may feel completely helpless to their fleshly desires.

When it gets right down to it, if a person--Christian or non-believer-- is bound by sin or sickness it is them same result. They will not see freedom just by choosing to be free.

What will bring freedom, you may ask? Freedom comes only one way. Healing comes only one way. Believing in the finished, complete and perfect sacrifice of our Savior Jesus Christ. He came to earth as a baby -- 100% man and 100% God to die a death meant for a sinner. He became our substitute for sin. He took all the wrath that was due to humankind so that we could have His Righteousness.

Many accept the fact that we need Jesus to save us from our sin, but how many are trying to do good works to try to please God enough so He will heal or deliver them completely out of their sinful lifestyle?

I did this for decades. I thought if I prayed enough, or served enough or gave enough of my time or money then it would get me ticket for my healing. I was jumping through hoops trying to prove my love and dedication to my God when the only thing He desired was for me to BELIEVE that Jesus already did everything for me.

It's not by might nor power but by My Spirit says the Lord...this mountain of sin or sickness or lack shall be removed. As New Testament BELIEVERS it's not obey and be blessed but BELIEVE and RECEIVE!

If It's Not Good News, It's Not Jesus

2010-12-05T12:00:00.000-08:00

I had a dream about five years ago and it is only recently that I understand it. It was somewhat disturbing at the time I had the dream probably due to the constant struggle of depression and the anxiety disorder that pummeled my mind daily.

I dreamed I was running from something or someone. I was unfamiliar with where I was at. I eventually realized I was in a maze of some sort. The people I saw were people I knew but no one would talk to me. It was like I was a stranger to them. I would ask them a question about how to get out of the maze and they all looked at me like that was a stupid question to ask. Some looked at me in disgust and acted like they were afraid to get too close. I began to feel a lot of shame and felt like people were pointing and whispering all the while I felt like something or someone would soon "catch" me if I didn't keep moving.

The dream was one of those bottomless pits of uncertainty. I felt anxious and confused. I am the type of person who prefers to plan my route and this was one uncertain turn after another.

I finally got to a clearing. It was like a round courtyard. There were several other openings that came from the same maze that I had just tried to escape. In the center of the courtyard, up on a small platform was who I thought was Jesus. His back was to me so I was unsure it was really Him. So I ran to Him. I cried out His name as soon as I saw His face. BUT He was scowling at me. There was a look of contempt on His face. I wept bitter tears, kneeling in front of my savior... I felt hopelessness and began to feel a dark gloomy cloud was settling on my body.

My dear friend of many years appeared to me in the dream as I was weeping before this angry god. She told me to get up and this was NOT Jesus.

I awoke with extreme emotion.

I now know that if it is not Good News, it is not Jesus. That dream was a revelation from my Savior that He is not hard to find and not angry with me. He paid all the price so I could come boldly before the Throne of Grace. I'm set free by His love and He would never leave me, reject me or put my to shame. All my sin was removed from me as far as the east is from the west. I now realize I do not need to feel driven by someone or something and I am free to love and be loved.

Sin Management Never Set Me Free.

2010-12-01T12:19:00.000-08:00

Someday when I get my hands on one of those model skeletons that are used in biology or anatomy/ physiology class, I am going to use it for an object lesson about our sin nature being dead. I will drag it out on to the stage, set it up in a chair and tell everyone I dragged in my sin nature here for all of them to see. I will remind them that I had to go dig it up from where Christ was buried. You know it says in Col 2:20 that we all died in Christ and we know that means our original sin nature we were born with due to being good 'ol Adam's descendants.

Then just for kicks I will demonstrate how we do our best to fix up our sinful nature due to a misunderstanding of what it means to live the Christian lifestyle. With all the dramatic flair I can muster up, I will put on a pretty hat to show that I'm renewing my old sin nature so that it will finally understand God's will. Then I will put on pretty scarf or maybe a colorful wrap to show that I need to be clothed in Christ. I'll put on some jewelry to show I'm trying my best to look good to others and to the Father so I can impress Him and maybe some of those blessings I hear about will come my direction. Then the icing on the cake would be some make-up to make my DEAD nature look good to others... See how silly this really is to try to fix our DEAD sin nature.

What does the word say about who we are now? If our sin nature died and was buried with Christ then what happened at our new birth?

It is clear in Roman 6 in the Message Bible about why we use baptism as a public act of our belief in what Christ has done for us.

"That's what baptism into the life of Jesus means. When we are lowered into the water, it is like the burial of Jesus; when we are raised up out of the water, it is like the resurrection of Jesus. Each of us is raised into a light-filled world by our Father so that we can see where we're going in our new grace-sovereign country.

Could it be any clearer? Our old way of life was nailed to the cross with Christ, a decisive end to that sin-miserable life—no longer at sin's every beck and call! What we believe is this: If we get included in Christ's sin-conquering death, we also get included in his life-saving resurrection."

This passage in Romans 4 makes it clear that our New Nature is due to the fact that we BELIEVED that what Christ accomplished to changed us. We have no need to fix up our old dead sinful nature... leave it buried where it belongs.

So what do we do since we still see sin in our lives? We don't want to have sin in our lives since we know it bring painful circumstances and really does not glorify our Father in Heaven. If we don't fix our old sinful nature what do we do to allow the Spirit to live through us?

When I realized that knowing what the Word of God says about me being completely accepted and hidden in Christ and that I died with Him, was buried and rose again to a New Life in HIm. I don't try to fix up my old nature. It says in Romans 1 that grace or the Gospel is the power unto salvation to all who BELIEVE. You may know from previous posts here that salvation or soteria is not just a ticket to heaven but the benefits of our Savior residing inside of us. We are vessels of the Holy Spirit which is Christ's Spirit. We believed in what Christ did for us and that caused us to be saved.

So the same is true of this process that some call sanctification. Sin management NEVER set me free. I tried to beautify my old nature and it never worked. I was only set free by the renewing of my mind and having REVELATION of what Christ did for me. SAVED by GRACE and SANCTIFIED BY GRACE never by my fixing or managing my old nature.

2Peter 1:3 This is about KNOWING His nature and who we are IN CHRIST...

"Everything that goes into a life of pleasing God has been miraculously given to us by getting to know, personally and intimately, the One who invited us to God. The best invitation we ever received! We were also given absolutely terrific promises to pass on to you—your tickets to participation in the life of God after you turned your back on a world corrupted by lust."

Excerpt chapt 15 Night Seasons

2010-11-19T11:53:00.000-08:00

Chapter 15
~Night Seasons
“I will bless the LORD, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons.”

We are now to the section in Psalm 16 that addresses ‘night seasons’. A ‘night season’ can be defined as a season of time where one can feel stuck in a pit of despair. There is no assignment of time to this season, but for some it can seem like a lifetime. My experience with a ‘night season’ cannot and should not be compared to another. I had the faithfulness of my husband by my side and many loving church family members, as well as my loving natural family members, to encourage me on in my relationship with Christ.

You know by now that the “Hedged in by God's Grace” Bible study was birthed out this very difficult season of my life. The winter of 2007 was a black hole of despondency. I was convinced this was a physical and emotional barrage from hell. I knew Satan wanted me to believe I was never going to have healing and never going to live a life of victory. I knew he was a liar but, honestly, there were days I could have given up and believed the lies over what I believed was contained in God's Word.

Medication was not working. Rest was not working. Praying and reading the Word was not working. I was basically crippled in my mind and body. Depression is not just about being sad. I knew I had nothing to feel sad about. A brain chemical imbalance robs your ability to think clearly and robs you of who you really are meant to be as a person. It is like wearing a lead blanket and walking in mud up to your knees all the while weeping for "no reason".

In the winter of 2007 a few weeks of prescribed medication did bring a modest balance to my brain chemicals. I could stay awake for most of the day, and at this point I could travel with my husband to church as well as undertake short shopping trips. This was an accomplishment considering my only other outings, for the most part, were to my doctor’s office.

In Psalms 16: 7, the word ‘reins’ speaks of our center parts (literally kidney or organ) from which our emotions spring forth. I think we might call this the soul, mind, will, and emotions. Other versions of the Bible call it the heart. So when your heart gives you counsel it is telling you something from a soulish or carnal perspective. Carnal is not necessarily an evil thought; it’s just a thought that is from a human perspective.

I don't know about you, but during certain times of my life, I've been pretty fickle in my heart. One day I'm whining and complaining and the next everything is sunny. So my heart is not reliable. The Word of God, however, is perfectly reliable. I do believe that we can train our heart to believe God's Word over our circumstances, but realistically we better not rely on our hearts during the difficult seasons of life. I am convinced that what the author of Psalms 16 is attempting to communicate is that we should not walk by sight but by faith when it comes to things of the heart. (2 Corinthians 5:7)

I recently looked more closely in the Strong’s Concordance at the last phrase in this verse and discovered that ‘night seasons’ (layil) means “gloom”. I looked up the root of this word and I was amazed. This root word means "staircase, winding stair, shaft or enclosed space with steps or ladder."

How many of us who have "fallen" into depression felt it was like being trapped in a deep, dark pit with a winding stairwell? I recall one friend calling it the “downward spiral” of life. I will attempt to share a very personal and scary event before I experienced healing manifested in my life.

In the early spring of 2007, after enduring a very long hard winter while unsuccessfully trying different medications to fight depression, it was then, in the middle of the night, I awoke screaming. This had never happened to me before and it was extremely frightening for both my husband and myself. Before the panic completely gripped me and I was left unable to physically speak, I pleaded for my husband to pray in the Spirit for me.

In my mind, I was being dragged down a deep, dark stairwell. I could not see the person dragging me, but could feel his grip. I could see it was a winding stairwell and I didn't understand the significance until I read the meaning of the word ‘night season’. I could hear my husband praying in the Spirit and then I heard the Holy Spirit say; "Now you are going to count the steps as you come up."

In my mind I could see the first step leading up from that evil pit. I could barely force my vocal cords to move, "one" but it was audible. "Two," while panic was still gripping me. "Three," and my speech was only a garble. I slowly counted the steps upward. My dear husband had no idea at the time why I would be counting. I’m sure it frightened him to his core.

By the time I got to seven or eight I knew I was going to be okay. I can’t remember how high I had to count, but I didn’t stop counting the steps until, in my mind, I reached the top of the stairwell. This seemed so real in my thinking, and if the Holy Spirit had not instructed me to come up those stairs, I'm certain I would have been hospitalized that night. Even after all these years, it still brings tears to my eyes as I try to relate this event to you.

My emotions desperately tried to dictate to me that night. Fear and torment thought it had won, but the counsel of the Holy Spirit made all the difference and I WILL BLESS HIS NAME!

Verse 8 of Psalms 16 is like a continuation of the thought in verse 7. ”I have set the LORD always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.” Before studying this verse in depth, I thought this word ‘set’ meant the same as when we set a book on a shelf or vase of flowers on a mantle. My understanding of it was that we would know just where the LORD would be when we needed Him.

This word ‘set’ or shavah, in fact, means to “agree with, or resemble”. It also means to set in place, like one would set the time on a clock or set in place a standard or belief. When we set the LORD before us we are setting a paradigm and we know that nothing can move that standard. We set our thermostats to our climate control devices in our home or car and know that it is secure. As the elements outside are raging heat or a fierce winter blast , our inside dwelling place is a perfect 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

We can purpose to ‘set’ the LORD, and what we know about His nature, as well as our inheritance, firmly in our heart (reins). We can feel confident that we are committed to adopt what we know is the truth and we will not be swayed by the circumstances around us or the raging storms that may barrage us in life. I call this “cementing the understanding” in your heart, so nothing can persuade you otherwise.

You may want to do a word study in your Bible on the Names of God in order to be more familiar with His character. By knowing the nature of God we can feel secure in our relationship with Him.

For I'm going to your house TODAY!!!

2010-11-15T11:37:00.000-08:00

I'm so delighted with the grace message. Jesus comes in the middle of our messy lives and He changes us. No striving. No fixing ourselves up to be good enough. We are transformed not by our 'good works' but by His Spirit. I'm excited to be getting new revelation of Grace everyday.

I was thinking about Sunday School songs and how some of them might give us the wrong impression of Grace. Some songs might cause us to believe that we have to strive to be accepted and used of the Lord. We need to have it cemented in our hearts and minds that we are saved by grace through faith (Eph 2:8) and the same is true after we are born-again. We are not striving to get God's favor or approval but resting or accepting by faith that Jesus has paid the whole price for every messy thing in our lives.

I was thinking about the song "Zacchaeus was a Wee Little Man". You can listen here if you never had this song in your Sunday School growing up.

Take a minute and think about this account in the Gospels. Zacchaeus was a tax-collector. I'm not sure who was despised more in Jesus era, the tax-collectors or the prostitutes. But somehow Zacchaeus knew that Jesus must be the answer to the emptiness in his life. He didn't want to be spat upon by the crowds since he knew they hated him. He skulked in the shadows and since he was a short man, he climbed up a tree to try to see and possibly hear better as Jesus was walking and talking with the crowds of people.

Some must have been whispering, "Zacchaeus is up in the tree....why in the world would he think Jesus would want him hanging around...?"

He said, "Zacchaeus, come down from there! Today I am going to your house." That was outrageous! Jesus going to the house of such a sinner. He was probably considered the worst scoundrel in town. He was the worst of the worst and Jesus was going to his house for fellowship?

Zacheous didn't argue with Jesus. He didn't say, "Lord, give me a day to clean stuff up in my house". He must have had all types of messes around. He must have had sinfulness in every corner of his dwelling place.

He allowed the Lord in! He allowed the Lord to enter his messy dwelling. It says in Luke 19 "So he hurried and came down, and he received and welcomed Him joyfully." And Jesus didn't tell him to get anything ready or clean anything up. He was not expecting a perfect reception. Just that He wanted to be welcomed.

People were indignant! They could not understand why Jesus would fellowship with such a sinner. It says that Zacchaeus heard the people grumbling. He felt he must DO something. He said he would give half of his money to the poor and restore back 4 times what he stole from people. He was loved by Jesus and it changed him but keep in mind that he said this to appease the people who where grumbling.

I wonder what we say in response to what others think of us?

Look how Jesus responded: Today is salvation come to this household, since Zacchaeus too is a son of Abraham; For the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost.

Then Jesus tells a parable to cement this concept deep within the hearts of the people. You remember the one servant who hid his minas in the ground for fear that he would be punished by the King. This man expected punishment. His reward was punishment. Jesus was attempting to drive it home that people do not need to fear punishment from the Father. He sent His Son to seek and save the lost. He sent His Son to bring a fulfillment to the Law so that sin would no longer separate us from the Father. No more payment is expected.

Then Jesus says a very profound statement. "I tell you that to everyone who gets and has will more be given,(you get and have His grace) but from the man who does not get and does not have, even what he has will be taken away. The indignant king ended by saying But as for these enemies of mine who did not want me to reign over them--bring them here and slaughter them in my presence!" Jesus desired for us to know for certain that we are only saved by grace through faith. We can't do stuff to be made good enough for His righteousness.

I'm sure the people were shocked and I'm very certain that Zacchaeus' life was transformed by His grace.

Excerpt: Hedged in by God's Grace P. 70-73

2010-11-09T07:16:00.000-08:00

At an early age, I knew I was saved by God's grace and would make it to Heaven based on what Jesus accomplished, but I had the mentality that I had to do something to gain God's favor. I somehow got it twisted in my mind that I was legitimized by my actions. I thought I had to pray just so and read just so many chapters in the Bible or accomplish just so many acts of service before God would even glance my direction. This dissatisfying way of life was emotionally and physically exhausting. It was like two steps forward and ten steps back.

This mindset was what prevented me from living the life that God had intended for me. Rather than knowing I was justified by Christ, I thought I had to be just so good. I had a very limited view of God's grace. Grace is defined as unmerited favor.

Most Believers do not argue the concept of "saved by grace", but when someone is already born-again, we tell them they must be perfectly clean and stay that way for God to ever see fit to use them for His purposes. We can never be perfect enough or clean enough by our own merit.

It delighted me to discover that, for the Believer our lives do not have to mirror the disappointing board game of "Chutes and Ladders" with a mentality that we go two steps forward and then ten steps back. It is extremely satisfying to know that God is NOT waiting to push me down the chutes of despair when I make less-than holy choices. I am so thankful to have the perception that God wants us going from glory to glory and not up ladder and down chutes. (2Cor 3:18)

I know I now have a healthier view of who I am in Christ and I am reminded from Psalm 16:3 "As for the godly, (the saints) who are in the land, they are the excellent, the noble and the glorious in whom is all my delight."

Every Valley is Exalted -Every Mountain Made Low Isaiah 40

2010-10-22T16:16:00.000-07:00

For a little over a year the Lord has been encouraging me to be more vulnerable around my brothers and sisters in Christ. At first I was thinking..."show people my weaknesses...yikes! I have been working for 25 years to hide my faults and you want me to show them off?" But this persisted for a long season so I decided it was time to trust that this really was a good thing for me or at the very least it would be a blessing to others.

So I've been out there allowing others to see my weaknesses. If someone asks me how I'm doing I don't give the standard, "I'm just fine...I'm blessed and highly favored..." I would tell them. "God is doing a good work but I have days where I'm just a mess." This would often open a door for others to share with me about how they feel overwhelmed and not able to walk out this thing we call the "Christian Life".

I was set free in my thinking recently by a video I watched by Bill Johnson that stated that it is not by accident that we cannot "do" the Christian life. It's actually impossible for us to do this thing we call being a Christian. It says in the Bible that we would do greater works than Jesus... hmm... that will make your brain cells wilt if you think on that for too long. It's impossible, right?

Well, it's not impossible if we are weak and He is strong through us.

Several weeks ago, I heard the Father say to go buy an accompaniment track from the Christian Book store. Then I called our worship leader and I was put on the schedule to sing in our worship service. There was a few weeks between the purchase of the CD and me actually singing... In the meantime...

We had some circumstance arise that were very difficult and disturbing. I will admit, it was a trial that caused me to feel fear in the pit of my gut. It's too personal to state the details but indeed it was the roar of the enemy to try to get me to retreat. I felt condemned in my heart that I had even caused this difficult thing to fall upon our family.

So the day comes that I'm going to sing. I will tell you that it was not a pretty picture. I had shed more tears that week than I thought were humanly possible. I could not sing the song in practice without choking up and weeping. The song the Father chose for me was "Call on Jesus" by Nicole C. Mullen. That morning before I sang, my husband and I had a terrible fight... I was irrational and acting like a wee baby in Christ rather than a strong woman of God that many see... or I've allow them to see...

So I'm sitting on the end of my bed, weeping and still in my p.j.s and I'm supposed to be walking out the door to sing. I tell my husband to please call the worship leader and make some excuse.... but just after he tried to call, I heard the Father say, "If you will go and sing, I will show everyone in the room what MY GRACE looks like..." So, I choose to believe what the Father tells me and I throw on some clothes and drive to church.

I stood before my church family, with a tear stained face, shaking like I had never shook before. I told them I was up there as a vulnerable sister. I told them I had cried all week due to a difficult situation and a mountain was laughing at me all the way to the Church building. I told them I wanted them to do something that morning. I told them that if they had a mountain laughing at them as well, that they were to write the name of that mountain on a little piece of paper and along with me stand with their foot on the paper as a sign of their faith.

I sang the lyrics,

"When I call on Jesus,
All things are possible
I can mount on wings like eagles' and soar
When I call on Jesus,
Mountains are gonna fall
'Cause He'll move heaven and earth to come rescue me when I call"

The presence of God was amazing! And I felt like a battle was won in the spiritual realm that day. The gates of hell did not prevail. The mountain was still standing at that point but certainly the foundation was cracked. Indeed, the molecules of that mountain were disturbed since only a few weeks later a VICTORY was brought to us.

I could do nothing to affect my circumstances. I could do nothing to cause the victory. It was out of my hands but that mountain fell. It crumbled and it was so obviously the work of God.

Zech 4 Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’
Says the LORD of hosts.
‘ Who are you, O great mountain?
Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain!
And he shall bring forth the capstone
With shouts of “Grace, grace to it!”’”

God is Not in the Business of Fixing Junk: He's in the Business of Restoration

2010-09-09T11:19:00.000-07:00

I had been chewing on it for several months before I felt brave enough to make this my status update on Facebook:

"God's not trying to fix the old me...nope... the old me died. He made me a NEW CREATION IN CHRIST. So I will discontinue trying to fix a corpse."

It's only been a few months since I have discovered that God is not interested in fixing my old nature. I knew the Word of God says that we are a New Creation in Christ Jesus, but some how missed the part that God is not interested in behavior modification.

He does not want to fix the stuff in my life or your life that is broken. At least not fix the old sinful natural man born of Adam's seed. I was re-born of the Last Adam (Jesus) so I am reborn of incorruptible seed. We just have to have it revealed to us who we really are.

I knew that the Word says we are overcomers in Christ and that no weapon formed against us shall ever prosper, but it seems for so many things in my life that I was not overcoming and not prospering. I knew 3 John 1;2 that says, "Beloved I pray that you would be prospering and be in health just as your soul is prospering" but I would think this was something I did to make my soul prosper. I would sincerely ask God to purge me of the weak or bad character flaws that kept me from living a victorious life. I would ask God to show me how to overcome that junk that remained in my life. I was asking God to fix my old sinful nature.

This is good to want to change. It's good to want to live a more holy life and be a better example of a Christian. I would even see some change at times in my life to overcome some really yucky, unholy, shameful junk that seems to stick to me like slime. I would seem to change and even proclaim a victory but then the same junk would just keep creeping back in my life and I would be right back at square one.

Why is this? It's seems pretty simple to me now. God is in the business of restoration. He does not want to fix the old junk you (your sinful nature) Nope! He is using a process that is called sanctification (1 Thes 5:23) that does not fix the old nature but reveals the New Creation to your mind. If we can understand in our soul or mind about who we are IN CHRIST then we will start living it. However, I have proven the opposite to be true in my life. If see myself as junk that needs to be fixed then I will continue to identify myself as broken junk never able to do the job I was designed to accomplish.

When I really got a hold of the truth that I was crucified with Christ, then buried with him, that qualified my old sinful nature as DEAD!!! I died! My old yucky, sinful, unholy person died and also was buried. I did not know that I was not to dig it up and ask God to fix it. Sounds rather silly now. I'm a brand New Creation. I was qualified to partake of the divine nature (Col 1:12). God had to do this because His Holy Spirit could not dwell in an unholy habitation. That's why the Holy Spirit only visited the Old Testament believers. They were not redeemed by Christ so they could house or be the tabernacle of the Most High God. Hallelujah! That we can have His Spirit dwell within us.

If I believe I am a sinner that is saved by grace then I continue to identify with being a sinful creature. But I I know that I'm the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus (2 Cor 5:21) then I start to identify myself with God's righteousness inside of my new nature. God needed me transformed into a holy vessel because a Holy God cannot live inside of an unholy habitation.

The moment I was born-again I was made holy and righteous because of His grace toward me. It is unmerited favor of course. I did nothing to deserve such a gift and in the same manner I can do nothing to deserve God continuing to work in me to transform my inward nature to my outward life. This is God's business. I can only cooperate by choosing to believe that this process is taking place.

So my new motto: "Nice people do nice things but changed people change a culture." Since I now recognize that I'm a New Creation and not some piece of junk that God is trying to fix up. It is a truth that is setting me free!

The irony of laboring to enter His rest.

2010-09-06T08:46:00.000-07:00

It’s Labor Day here in the USA. It’s our holiday to honor the extremely hard-working folks who go to work to make this country great. It’s about celebrating the many generations of people who decided they could get ahead if they would just do their best. They knew their efforts would be rewarded as they labored to make their lives better and the lives of their families. Those of us who know God, know that He has blessed our nation but working hard is one of those factors of how He blessed us. Working is noble and I am proud of the people in this country that work hard and make it what it is today.

From our Christian perspective, I was thinking about our laboring. I used to approach serving God from a standpoint of fear of being punished or missing out on a blessing if I didn’t do the work that I thought was required of me. I even thought of prayer as one of those works that would please God and get the attention of my Father in Heaven. This process of a works mentality was very exhausting and kept me bound to some very destructive habits in my spiritual life.

I had a notion that serving God meant I did things like praying, giving, fasting, reading my bible, working in the church building, as well as committing to projects that my pastor and the other leaders of the church were promoting. These were all good things. They were all healthy things IF I had a proper perspective and appropriate mindset. I did not. I thought DO these things equaled blessing.

No we are blessed because we HAVE the blessing. The blessing is the Spirit of Christ dwelling on the inside. Eph 1:13-14 In Him you also who have heard the Word of Truth, the glad tidings (Gospel) of your salvation, and have believed in and adhered to and relied on Him, were stamped with the seal of the long-promised Holy Spirit. That [Spirit] is the guarantee of our inheritance [the firstfruits, the pledge and foretaste, the down payment on our heritage], in anticipation of its full redemption and our acquiring [complete] possession of it--to the praise of His glory.

We are co-laborers with Christ. That does not mean we work along side of Christ. Nope. It means He works in us and through us as we are IN CHRIST JESUS.

You and I are actually dead. The old man died when I became born-again. This is very important to realize if we are to understand what it means to rest in the finished work of Christ or the Cross.

Jesus did all the work. He labored so I could rest. I have to laugh at the irony in Hebrews chapter 4. We are told to labor to enter into His rest. Well, I guess that makes sense. It’s my natural mindset to try to work to make God happy. I asked Him to even work on me to perfect me, which is contrary to the Good News. God is not trying to fix my old nature.

He made me a NEW CREATION in Christ Jesus. So I need to stop trying to fix that corpse. So as a Christian brother reminded me recently, we labor to rid ourselves of the erroneous beliefs. This takes time and is a process. Hallelujah! We can labor to enter His Rest.

I need to continue to grow in the knowledge that I am not that old corpse but a brand New Creation and no longer from the seed of the first Adam but from the Seed of the Last Adam. Wow! Take a minute and wrap your mind around that. I am --and you are --now born of incorruptible SEED.

So if you are still thinking you need to work for God to be blessed, take some time and ask the Holy Spirit to show you this process of resting in the finished work of Christ. I promise you He will be faithful and begin a good work in you that will change your Christian walk from a chore to a daily Sabbath Rest.

Here We Go 'Round the Mulberry Bush

2010-09-02T13:15:00.000-07:00

I must admit it is still hard for me to be vulnerable and show people how I walk through this thing we call "Life." I finished my book on 8/16 and submitted to my publisher. It was a huge joy the whole time I was writing it and although at time tedious to read and re-read my work it felt like I was being encouraged over and over by the very teaching I wanted to bring to others. So it was a huge shock and disappointment for me to awake exactly one week later feeling like a load of bricks was on my chest.

Of course I prayed and took my authority over this attack. After a few days, I was still not feeling well and my blood pressure was still very high, I went to see my doctor. No surprises there that he said to continue to take my prescribed medication to keep my blood pressure in a healthy range. But still a couple weeks later with controlled blood pressure, I was feeling extreme fatigue and aches in my body.

Of course the enemy tried to lie to me and tell me that depression was upon me again along with all the symptoms of pain, fatigue, anxiety and the whole dung pile. Well, I knew that was a lie. God does not heal us to see us go back under the same oppression but honestly, I felt like I was missing a key to healing. What I was missing was THE Key to walking in the strength of the Lord.

A few days ago, I was having a delightful conversation with a dear friend who was telling me about how God delivered her from a besetting sin. She shared with me the account in 2 Samuel 5 where David went up against the Philistines in the place that is called Baalperazim ( Breakthrough). David was also instructed to listen for the sound in the tops of the mulberry trees.

My dear friend's testimony of God's goodness and grace to change her from the inside out was like a drink of fresh water in my season of discouragement. I was a bit afraid she took it the wrong way when I laughed aloud with joy when she said this account made her think of the song "Here We Go'Round the Mulberry Bush". Her whit and desire to share how God brought her through was inspirational. I thought it's true, these strongholds of sin or sickness are like the song "Here We Go 'Round the Mulberry Bush"

So as we look at this account we see that David's army destroyed the enemy, but they left a bunch of junk laying around. It says in verse 21 that they were to burn it but this word in the Hebrew is nasa' and it means to lift, bear up, carry, take [1) to lift, lift up2) to bear, carry, support, sustain, endure3) to take, take away, carry off, forgive.] So this junk just sat around--it doesn't say if they used it. Maybe it just lay on the ground getting rusty, but if the word does not mean they actually got rid of it.

If the junk stayed with the Israelite army, could one say it's like mixing the truth with the lies left over from before our breakthrough took place?

The next few verses explain that David's enemy is getting very numerous and congregating in the Valley of Rephaim which is the same word we get the name of God "The Lord our Healer" (rapha' ) So the enemy invaded and grew numerous in the Valley of Healing. Talk about making me pay attention to this story! At that point, I was struggling with the issue of healing again. I was feeling an urgency in my spirit to rid myself of some lies that were left over from after my breakthrough! It was no coincidence that my friend asked me to have coffee with her and told me her testimony and how this scripture played a big part in her deliverance.

So David was instructed to go the long way around and then wait to hear the sound in the tops of the mulberry trees. This word for sound is qowl and it is the same word used to describe the voice of God when Adam and Eve were hiding in the garden after their original sin. I hope this has your attention as well. Adam and Eve's original sin was not believing God.

They chose to believe the serpent and went after stuff that they already had in their possession. They believed they lacked something they already had.

Go to Genesis chapter 3 and see the serpent temped them to 1: "to take the fruit because they saw that the tree was good (suitable, pleasant) for food and 2) that it was delightful to look at, and 3) a tree to be desired in order to make one wise". They already had all of this in their intimate relationship with God. I too have been guilty of going after stuff that I already possess. I too, was feeling like I was lacking something and needed to go after something. Once again the Lord revealed to me, it was a perceived lack.

So let's sum up this account in 2 Samuel 5: 20-25

*Victory in the place of Breakthrough
*David's army does not burn the junk left over by the Philistines
*The Philistines overtake the Valley of Healing
*David is told to go the long way around and wait until he hears the 'sound' in the top of the Mulberry trees which is the same root word for God's voice.
*David once again is victorious over the Philistines and destroys the enemy in the Valley of Healing.

Are you getting excited to hear what God told me next?

I told you I was asking God for an understanding of truth to know if I was holding onto some false believe about healing and lacking some truth concerning walking in divine health. I was asking God and expecting Him to reveal to me a truth that I had previously missed KNOWING that this would bring healing to my body.

The following is what a Facebook friend posted on His wall within moments of my healing:

If a son shall ask for bread (of grace) of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone (of the law)? Luke11: 11~ Beloved, we are to feed this generation with the pure bread of grace, without the stone of the law! Did Jesus say feed my sheep, or discipline my sheep? Jesus said, feed my sheep, not beat my sheep with the law!"

"Beloved, in the old covenant under the law, you would have to be willing and obedient to eat the good of the land! But in the new covenant of grace the word "obedient" has been "replaced" with the word "believe!" So when you read the old covenant, read it with grace eyes like this: If ye be willing to believe, you shall eat the good of the land! Isaiah 1: 19 When we believe right we will be blessed!"~Rudy Rodriguez

THIS was the sound in the top of the mulberry trees--THIS was the sound of the voice of God. I needed to put away my notion that obedience is the way God will use me. I need to trust that Jesus did everything--including obedience to obtain everything for life and godliness. I need to rest in the finished work of the Cross for everything including obedience. I have to trust that submitting to God's way --grace-- will cause me to walk in obedience.

The Old Covenant was obey and be blessed. The New Covenant is BELIEVE you are blessed.

The Horse and His Boy...Do you know who you are?

2010-08-30T13:29:00.000-07:00

Do we know who we are?

I love the Chronicles of Narnia and believe that Mr. Lewis did an excellent job in writing a fictitious depiction of our relationship with Christ (the Lion named Aslan) and who we are as the Church. My favorite story from this series is The Horse and His Boy.

Like the beginning of many great tales, the protagonist is a baby who was separated from his birth parents and raised by a cruel, fisherman who treated Shasta like a slave. Shasta overhears his supposed father is willing to sell him to a man on his way to another land. Shasta is so poorly treated by this fisherman, whom he thought was his father, he declines to think this might be for his best and says aloud that he will go peacefully with this new master.

This causes the potential master’s horse to speak up and declare this master to be even more cruel than the man posing as Shasta’s father. This talking horse is from Narnia explains they should together runaway to his homeland where they could both be free from slavery. This horse named Bree explains that many animals talk in the land of Narnia and along the way they meet another talking horse, Hwin, and her newly emancipated rider named Arivis. Together they venture toward Narnia but there are lions that cause them veer off course and go into an unknown land.

I’ve read this story more than a few times and must admit I weep when I get to the parts of the story where it seems hopeless for Shasta. He grew up believing he was the son of a cruel fisherman and was made to feel like less than human. Shasta had to learn who he really was. He had to endure many hardships along the path until he discovered his true identity as an heir to the throne of his original homeland. If he had even a hint of knowledge of the amount of people that cared about him and wished him the best, he would not have felt so discouraged.

If he had known that he possessed the authority in the land to send away his enemies, he would not have felt so helpless in the face of danger. If he had known is true identity then Shasta would have stood tall and brave. It still would have been a difficult journey but the knowledge of what he had waiting for him, a kingdom, would have given him hope to press on.

Who are you? The Word of God says you are a royal priest. You are a joint heir with Christ. You are seated with Christ in heavenly places. You are blessed and favored of the Most High God. You are accepted. You are the righteousness of God in Christ.

Maybe somehow the enemy of your soul has convinced you that you are a slave to sin and a dishonorable subject of the kingdom. Maybe this enemy has taken advantage of you and told you are unworthy because of your sin. You think this is true because your true birthright has been hidden from you. The Gospel is the good news that Jesus came and paid the price for you to have life and have it more abundantly. Your sins have not only been forgiven, but removed as far as the east is from the west and you are now righteous in God’s sight because Jesus donned you with this robe of righteousness. You do not have to jump through a series of religious hoops to get God to accept you. You do not have to prove your worth. Being in Christ means that Jesus is all you need. He paid the price. I like the saying: Jesus plus nothing.

Just like Shasta, you are royalty and once you are aware of who you really are in Christ, then I will send my condolences to your enemy cause he is through with bullying the sons of God.

Season of Seeking Excerpt "Hedged in by God's Grace"

2010-08-19T17:35:00.000-07:00

"You have Jesus in your heart so how can you be depressed when His joy lives on the inside of you?” All truth, but none of the statements of that nature penetrated my heart. My heart hurt, my body felt sick, and just getting out of bed was an extreme effort.

In retrospect, I had a stronghold in my mind and believed that if God wanted me well then he would just “poof” make me well. Therefore, I continued to be ill and depressed, all the while believing I was waiting on God to come to me and heal me.

My idea of faith was that God could heal me, and even wanted to heal me but would do so in His own time. In the back of my mind, I believed I was being taught some type of lesson to purge me of sin. I was convinced that this purging would eventually come to an end, and I would be holy and healed.

This cycle of sickness, depression, anxiety, and physical pain continued even through giving birth to two beautiful, healthy daughters. For most of that time, because of my ignorance to the truth in God’s Word, the enemy of my soul was able to pummel me into submitting to his lies. One of those lies was that I was convinced that I was nothing more than a second-class citizen of Heaven who lacked the faith to receive my healing.

When I heard preaching or teaching on healing, the ravenous birds of the evil realm would come and steal the seed that God desired to be sown in my heart. (Luke 8) Deep down, I believed there was hope, but wondered if I would exist this way for the rest of my life. I continued to do all the things I believed were right to gain my healing. “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Proverbs 14:12

I did have one tool of spiritual warfare of which I was not ignorant. I was a worshiper. I poured my heart into worship. I sincerely sought God with my whole heart, mind and strength. In the same manner as when I started college, I began to pursue my relationship with God just like I pursued my career in the music profession.

Worshiping God did cause my spiritual eyes, at times, to have a peek into the heart of the Father. This act of worship was the very key to giving me the strength and hope I needed for this very long season, until I could understand how to receive healing by faith in the finished work of Christ. I am grateful for my spiritual mentors encouraging me to “Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise.” (Psalm 100:4)

I was passionate for God! I cried out to Him day and night and believed someday I would get my healing that I had read about in my Bible. But, the Word of God does not say that we perish for a lack of passion, or a lack of love, or a lack of worship, does it? It says in Hosea 4: 6, “My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge.” I was lacking knowledge and an understanding of the truth in God’s Word that would set me free.

Excerpt from Chapter 6 "Hedged in by God's Grace"

2010-08-14T15:15:00.000-07:00

Near the end of November that year, at 2 o’clock in the morning, I stood by my kitchen sink, weeping once more. I hesitantly decided to ask the Lord if I could start the medication again. After I prayed by my kitchen sink, I didn’t hear Him answer. I purposed to ask Him again, as I glanced toward the cabinet where the medication was stored. This time, I heard him answer, “Yes, but then the medication gets the glory.”

I got angry! Not at God, but at the devil. I recognized this as an attack from Satan. The enemy was pushing my buttons, trying to see if I would give in. He was trying to see if he could cross my boundaries and get me to walk right back into that prison of depression and sickness. You see, this time was different; the tears were not accompanied by any of the other symptoms. I was not sad, not achy with the chronic pain, and not confused. I was tired, but that was from the constant weeping. I had the fear of an anxiety attack looming over me, but never anything that could not be controlled with a simple prayer and a deep cleansing breath. I heard in my mind, “This is a test, only a test, brought to you by your local lying devil.”

Right there in the middle of my kitchen, I did something I had never done before. I commanded the devil to take his hands off my mind and my body. I commanded my brain chemicals to line up with what the Word of God said about me. I had been repeating scripture to myself for months, which said I was not cursed but blessed.

I was convinced I had the mind of Christ, as well as not having a spirit of fear but of love, power and a sound mind. I believed I was a conqueror in Christ Jesus, and I was seated with Christ in Heavenly places. I came to realize I had a foundational belief that Satan did not have the right to rob me of my health or sound mind. (1Corinthians 2; 2Timothy 1:7; Romans 8:37; Galatians 3:13; Ephesians 2:6)

In less than a few minutes, the tears suddenly dammed up. The weeping had ceased. I felt a sense of being empowered with the knowledge that the attack was over and I had caused it to happen by my God-given authority in Jesus’ Name. I felt a rush of peace and joy, as well as a feeling of complete health in my body and mind.

I had discovered, in a somewhat serendipitous moment, that I could speak to my mind and body as well as the enemy, to get some pretty powerful results. I know God’s Spirit led me into this truth. but honestly, I didn’t know I had it in me to command my body back into a position of perfect health and harmony.

My soul was flooded with peace and hope. Even though it was almost December, I felt like spring had come to my heart. I was walking in a new dimension of living. I was convinced I could control of my mind and body because I knew what the Word of God said about me being set free by the power of the sacrifice of Christ.

I still had a lot to learn, but I had the basic pieces to the puzzle at this point in time. I knew the truth that is stated in Isaiah 54:17 “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.”

Excerpt from Chapter 3 "Hedged in by God's Grace"

2010-08-06T20:53:00.000-07:00

Chapter 3 excerpt:

This cycle of sickness, depression, anxiety, and physical pain continued even though giving birth to two beautiful, healthy daughters. Unfortunately, this devastating cycle persisted until I was in my late thirties. To compound this issue, I found that the worst part was feeling that I was cheating my children out of a mother that could really enjoy them. I did get to a point where I felt forced, for my children’s sake, to seek serious medical attention. The various medications prescribed did help somewhat by reducing the pain, depression and anxiety. However, the medication was never able to give me that total relief I was so desperately desired.

For most of that time, because of my ignorance to the truth in God’s Word, the enemy of my soul was able to pummel me into submitting to his lies. One of those lies was that I was convinced that I was nothing more than a second-class citizen of Heaven who lacked the faith to receive my healing.

When I heard preaching or teaching on healing, the ravenous birds of the evil realm would come and steal the seed that God desired to be sown in my heart. (Luke 8) Deep down, I believed there was hope, but wondered if I would exist this way the rest of my life. I continued to do all the things I believed were right to gain my healing.“There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Proverbs 14:12

I did have one tool of warfare of which I was not ignorant. I was a worshiper. I poured my heart into worship. I sincerely sought God with my whole heart, mind and strength. In the same manner as when I started college, I began to pursue my relationship with God just like I pursued my career in the music profession.

Worshiping God did cause my spiritual eyes, at times, to have a peek into the heart of the Father. This act of worship was the very key to giving me the strength and hope I needed for this very long season, until I could understand how to receive healing by faith in the finished work of Christ. I am grateful for my spiritual mentors encouraging me to “Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise.” (Psalm 100:4)

I was passionate for God! I cried out to Him day and night and believed someday I would get my healing that I had read about in my Bible. But, the Word of God does not say that we perish for a lack of passion, or a lack of love, or a lack of worship, does it? It says in Hosea 4: 6, “My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge.” I was lacking knowledge and the truth in God’s Word that would set me free.

Poured into your lap

2010-07-30T10:20:00.000-07:00

I was driving back from getting groceries yesterday. It's 40 minute drive and I love to sing and pray in the Spirit.

I was thinking about how blessed I feel and that even though our income has not changed that much in the past few years, we seem to have more. But not just money. Our family has more peace, more joy, more grace toward one another. We don't seem to strive like we used to when we hit a rough patch. So I asked the Lord, "Why is it that we just seem more blessed?"

He brought the scripture in Luke 6 that says, "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again."

I was thinking, we have not given that much more in the monetary sense. So, I kept pressing into what the Lord meant by this scripture.

He said, "You receive into your lap. This word bosom is the key to understanding."

I started to think about a lap and really the only time we "have" a lap is when we are resting. I got pretty excited and then asked the Lord if that was what He meant. I felt Him smile because He knew that I understood.

We are blessed more and more as it is poured into our lap because we are resting and focusing on the finished work of salvation that Jesus provided. He did the work; we get to reap the benefits.

Hallelujah!

Blood, sweat and tears~Why does it say our sorrows will be multiplied?

2010-07-26T12:25:00.000-07:00

So why does it say in Psalm 16: 4 that their sorrows shall be multiplied?

I mentioned in Galatians 3:13, it states we bring a curse upon ourselves when we try to mix law and grace. In Psalms 16:4 it explains that if we offer our own blood or as the expression goes “our blood, sweat and tears,” (our own works of righteousness) then it is logical to conclude that we are not focusing on the perfect, completed sacrifice of Jesus. Instead, we put an emphasis on our own “good” works to please the Father. Focusing on our own works is what leads to sorrows. God set this spiritual principle in motion and we can choose to disagree and continue to think we need to do something for God’s favor, but the spiritual precept is no respecter of persons.

Isaiah 64:6 explains our righteousness is as filthy rags. When we focus on our works it’s like an insult to God sending His Son. Proverbs 14:12 “There is a way that seems right unto a man but in the end it leads to destruction.” I thought it was a good thing, a right thing, to work to get God’s approval. We need to get a deeper revelation that we can go boldly to the throne of grace. (Hebrews 4:16) Jesus paid it all. We need to focus on the finished work of Christ. If we have a mindset or an old wineskin as Jesus called it, then we will continue to focus on our works or lack of works and we will not have the confidence to go to Father God for what Christ died for. Jesus said “It is finished” but we seem to think we still need to do something.

I know this destructive mentality of believing I had to do something to gain God's favor is most of the reason I was so exhausted for so many years. Paul had some pretty strong language to express the truth he knew to the Galatians Christians. These Believers were twisting the gospel and telling the gentile Christians that they needed to be circumcised (or trust in the Law of Moses) before they could become baptized as believers in Christ. I found myself doing the same thing when I knew I was saved by grace but felt the need to do “good” deeds to gain God’s favor. This performance driven, religion-based way of life only brings death to our spiritual growth.

The Two Boxes

2010-06-18T20:06:00.000-07:00

This is a little outside the norm for my style of writing but this so encouraged me tonight so I have to share it with all of you.

I was worshiping with other believers tonight and the focus of the worship shifted from a praise to a time of intimacy and seeking the secret things of God's heart. So I just simply asked the Father if he has a secret to share with me.

He showed me two boxes.

The first was a plain, brown wooden box. It has a lid with a hinge. Nothing special just a box.

The second box was all decked out in jewels, overlaid with gold. It reminded me of something royal that you would only get to see in a museum guarded by security or in the palace of a King or Queen.

The Lord told me to lift up the lid from the second box and release the contents.

I opened the fancy box and it was glorious. There was flashes of lightning and a colorful fireworks display. I sensed that it represented the presence of God and out of it came all the benefits of heaven including healing and all types of restoration. It was a marvelous show. It was everything you would expect from such a marvelous looking vessel.

Then he told me to lift the lid of the plain box. I did and I was pretty surprised that the very same show of wonderful, colorful lights and effect of awe and wonder flowed from the plain, brown unattractive box. Out of this simple, plain box came a representation of God's glory and power.

The Lord showed me that it is our perception of the outward of the believer in Christ that hinders our understanding of what is truly inside. We look at ourselves or sometimes others as plain, simple or uncharismatic. Or we look at our flaws or weaknesses and tell ourselves those flaws disqualify us from having God work in and through us. We make excuses that we aren't good speakers or have fancy words for prayer.

The vessel or container is just that--a container for the divine. When God looks at us he does not see the outside. He looks at the heart of the believer. He sees us as the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. (Romans 3:22) God knows it is the contents our renewed spirit through Christ that make the difference. But both the plain box and the fancy box had the same power on the inside.

"...this mystery Christ in us the hope of glory!" Col 1: 27

Do I Need Special Faith to be Healed?

2010-06-08T11:42:00.000-07:00

I went many, many years hoping God would heal me and deliver me out of my pain and depression. I had this idea in my head that when I prayed and did everything necessary to get His favor then I would be instantly healed. I went on this way hoping and waiting for healing for over a decade.

When a minister came to our church in Spring of 2007 and asked the question: Does it take special faith to get healed? He instantly explained that if you have enough faith to be saved then you have enough faith to be healed. I had to chew on that. I knew that I was saved through grace but what did faith have to do with it? I just asked Jesus to be my Savior. So I had to find out what the word salvation really means.

From the Strong Concordance the meaning of the word SOZO from the Greek:
Saved--sozo
to save, keep safe and sound, to rescue from danger or destruction one (from injury or peril)

to save a suffering one (from perishing), i.e. one suffering from disease, to make well, heal, restore to health

1) to preserve one who is in danger of destruction, to save or rescue

b) to save in the technical biblical sense

1) negatively

a) to deliver from the penalties of the Messianic judgment

b) to save from the evils which obstruct the reception of the Messianic deliverance

Romans 10:9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved (sozo).

So asking Jesus to save me means more now. Notice the definition includes healing. Therefore my understanding of what it means to be saved changed. In my mind it used to mean saved from eternal damnation and saved to go to heaven. My understanding of what salvation includes had to expand before I could receive healing.

I marveled for years when I read in the gospels how Jesus acknowledged certain individuals for their faith and Jesus told them that their faith made them well. I hungered and longed to have that type of faith. I wanted to be like the woman with the issue of blood and just know that if I reached out and touched Jesus that I would be made whole. I reached and reached and never seemed to achieve that level of faith.

But do we need special faith? I don't think so now. Faith is faith.

Hebrews 12:1 says that NOW faith is the substance of things hoped for (I was sure hoping )and the evidence of things not yet seen. To me that seemed like "special" faith. But it's the same for salvation. I believed in a moment in time that Jesus paid the price for my sin (I didn't know back then that he paid for my healing ) I had hope that I was saved. I knew in my heart that when I died that I would be saved from hell. I knew also that the Holy Spirit came to dwell on the inside of me although at age eleven I had no idea what that meant. But I had faith with a 100% certainty that I was saved.

So now I'm convinced that this measure of faith is what allows us to receive our healing. I just know or believe that Jesus took all the wrath of all my sin --past, present and future sin-- and he became the curse so I would not have to endure or put up with any of the curse. It seems pretty simple now that I don't have to have a special faith. Faith is faith. I believe that Jesus paid it all so I could have all the benefits of heaven. If He paid it all, I don't have to pay anything. I just believe.

Now if sickness does try to attack, I just tell sickness that Jesus paid the price for that. It's simple. I don't work it up. I don't pray harder or fast or do anything to achieve a special feeling of faith for healing.

About a year ago I awoke and walked out to the kitchen to start my morning routine. And from down deep inside of me I heard this from my spirit. "I just don't expect to get sick..." That was an odd thought from first thing in the morning. But I agreed with myself and said aloud.. "Yeah, I really don't expect to get sick." Wow! It really is that simple. Just like I don't expect to sin (since I know that Jesus took care of that on Calvary) I don't expect to get sick.

Now I did get sick once since then. I burned the inside of my mouth and throat with really hot food. Because of this burn, I must have allowed bacteria into my body via this open wound. I was in a great deal of pain in my lymph nodes and on top of that my mouth and throat were raging with pain. Rather than just telling my body to line up with God's Word, I reached for the telephone and called the doctor. I didn't feel even a little bit guilty since I knew that I would be healed either by God instantly or by antibiotics. I was in serious pain from the burn and the swollen glands.

So four days go by and the antibiotics are NOT helping. I'm up almost around the clock in serious pain from the burn and the glands alternating ibuprofen and Tylenol. I hear in my head that I probably caused myself some nerve damage and that is why the pain is so severe. I'm starting to doubt faith for healing. At 2am after many days of pain from the burn and glands that I am holding and putting heat on I feel something on the inside of my spirit rise up.

"Jesus paid for this! Jesus accomplished everything I need for life and godliness." I just whispered, that I receive by faith in Jesus' Name my complete healing. Instantly I had relief from pain and for the first time in a week I could rest. I didn't need the pain meds in the morning. I was healed!

I told the Lord that it was silly that I didn't just do that from the day I got burned. But the Holy Spirit said the wisdom I gained and the understanding that it is not "special" faith that healed me just plain ol' faith in what Jesus did that healed me.

Established My Heart for Healing

2010-04-28T13:30:00.000-07:00

Psalms 27:13&14
What, what would have become of me had I not believed that I would see the Lord's goodness in the land of the living!¹⁴Wait and hope for and expect the Lord; be brave and of good courage and let your heart be stout and enduring. Yes, wait for and hope for and expect the Lord.

Yes, we need to cultivate hope and faith to stand firm until we see the completed manifestation of the Lord's healing or deliverance.

I haven't shared lately about my particular experience for healing. I wanted to believe for healing for many, many years but each and every time I wanted to discontinue medication for depression and severe anxiety, I would feel my mind short circuit and I was back on the medication in a matter of days.

In the Spring of 08 a man named Cecil Paxton came to our church and taught on healing and I'm so glad I went. You see, I didn't know how to stand on the Word of God to have my heart established for healing.

God's children are perishing for a lack of knowledge. (Hosea 4:6)

I may have been taught previously how to hold on to healing but it didn't penetrate my heart. I needed to personalize the Word of God for me. See, I was still at a point where I believed that if and when God wanted me healed, He would just zap his power my direction and healing would be obvious. I'm not saying that God can't heal this way but for me he wanted me to discover the principles in His Word so I could appropriate healing as my own at any time --any where.

This is how I looked at faith:

I thought faith was like money in a bank. I had to wait until God put the funds into my account. I felt I had to be holy enough to acquire these funds and then with His permission use these funds. It was a works-based faith and I felt I was barely above a negative balance in my account. If I did good then some favor from God was deposited. If I messed up then my account was debited. It was an exhausting way to perceive the ways of God.

Now I know that Jesus did everything we need for life and godliness (2Peter 1:3) and he has qualified me to be a partaker of all the benefits of heaven. (Colossians 1:12) I have a joint checking account with Jesus. Everything he has belongs to me. That's what a covenant means. What's mine is his and what's his is mine. Cool, since I don't really have anything except my whole heart to give him and that's all he desires anyway.

When the devil came along and tried to steal my healing, I just told him that Jesus acquired that healing for me and he had no right to take it from me. I knew by then that Jesus had given me authority in His Name and the powers and principalities had to bow to God's Word. I felt the attack. It was real but I also knew that I WOULD SEE THE GOODNESS OF THE LORD. Jesus became the curse so I would not have to experience any of the curse. Really good trade off for me.

Here is a list of some of the benefits of the Kingdom of Heaven. (just a few)

Eternal life--starting the day you are His child John 3:16
No condemnation Romans 8:1
New Creation in Christ--old things have passed away 2Corinthians 5:17
Salvation--meaning saved from evil here. This definition also includes healing and peace Romans 10:9
Heavenly perspective--seated with Christ in heavenly places Ephesians 2:6
Overcome evil--died with Christ arose to new life-- 2Tim 2:11
Intimacy with God--veil torn to invite us to come boldly before the Throne of Grace Matt 27:51 & Hebrews 4:6
A purpose with a hope and good future Jer 29:11

All the promises of God are in HIM yes and amen. (2Corinthians 1:20) Read and digest your Bible so you can know the benefits of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Psalms 16:5 God has Rigged the Game in our Favor.

2010-04-20T08:34:00.000-07:00

I have been chewing on Psalms 16:5 for a season now, and quite frankly I've been puzzled by this verse. I went to the Blue Letter Bible online to find out what each word really means in the original Hebrew. http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Psa&c=16&v=1&t=KJV#top

Here is the verse 5 with the Strong's numbers attached to each of the words with definitions.

The LORD ³⁰⁶⁸ [is] the portion ⁴⁴⁹⁰ of mine inheritance ²⁵⁰⁶ and of my cup ³⁵⁶³: thou maintainest ⁸⁵⁵¹ my lot ¹⁴⁸⁶.

So after many days of looking at this verse and all the verses surrounding it for contextual meaning, I was still a bit puzzled about why it says that the Lord is like my parcel of land and linked to a cup. I originally thought the word lot at the end of this verse meant like a parcel of land but rather it means the winnings in casting of lots.

So this verse says:

The LORD is my assigned parcel of land or reward AND my cup: The LORD maintains or holds in place my winnings from playing a game of chance.

It was common in bible times to cast lots to make a difficult decision (Matthew 27:35; John 19:24; Acts 26:10) It was the fair way assign a ministry position when choosing a person from a group when everyone is an equally qualified. They did this to choose someone to replace Judas after he hanged himself. There were many good candidates and they cast lots to pick from the group.

I really wanted to understand the full meaning of this passage of Scripture so I went to prayer about it. While praying in the Spirit, I kept hearing the Lord say, "You can't lose!" and I also heard in my spirit. "You hit the jackpot 100% of the time when you are in Me."

So the Lord convinced me it is safe and proper conclusion that verse 5 is saying that the Lord is the one who holds in place how the coin toss or lots fall. Does this really say, we can't lose with God as our reward as we are guaranteed success? That is some pretty incredible FAVOR from God.

When we KNOW or he has SHOWN us who He is (or yada-- a very intimate form of knowing Psalms 16:11) then it is like hitting the jackpot! I'm a winner! The game is rigged so I end up with all the loot or spoils in this life. The spoils do not have to be monetary. The spoils can be the salvation of our loved ones or a loss of relationship that we so dearly want restored. The spoils can be a lost opportunity in ministry.

I know the devil has ravaged so many of God's people but maybe we let the devil get away with our good stuff because we didn't know that we are guaranteed to win. God has maintained or held in place the outcome of our life.

Read verse 11 in Psalms 16.

You reveal the path of life to me;
in Your presence is abundant joy;
in Your right hand are eternal pleasures.

So if you have been dealt a bad hand in this game of life you can just trade those cards in and get some better ones. If it is true that the LORD is your assigned portion and cup and he rigs the game in your favor then why wouldn't we just trade in the cards that we were first dealt?

Is this too good to be true? Is the writer of this Psalms laying it on a bit thick about how amazing our relationship with the LORD truly is to us as believers? This Psalm is written by someone who experienced God from the Old Covenant. David experienced God from the standpoint of being under the Law.

We are told in Hebrews 7:22 that we have a better covenant with God.

"Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant."

Jesus paid the whole price for our eternal security in Christ. WE CANNOT LOSE!!!!

~ I was an emotional hostage ~

2010-04-15T11:08:00.000-07:00

Time to get back to the nitty-gritty of all of it!

I fell for it again...I was not being careful to watch those precious boundaries in my life. Jesus came to set the captive free, didn't he? But I walked right into that prison disguised as love or mercy or emotional junk.

My stomach was in a knot, my heart was pounding in my chest, my emotional center felt like a ship wrecked on the rocks. How did I get here once again? I heard the Spirit of the Lord say to ask for his perspective so I took a deep breath and sat down. I mean in the spiritual sense since I was still literally standing in the middle of my kitchen.

I sat down in the spiritual realm where I belonged--seated with Christ in heavenly places.

I heard the Holy Spirit ask me a question: "When are you going to stop allowing them to hold you an emotional hostage?"

Ohhhhh!!! I get it now! I answered: Right now! I'm breaking out of this prison. I am emancipating myself from that stronghold in my mind. I had tears on my face but joy came to my heart. That's when you KNOW it is the Holy Spirit and not just some straw to grasp at in an emotionally draining war. You KNOW when peace and joy flood your soul simultaneously that it was a supernatural act of God.

But immediately the "what ifs" advanced their troops. What if they do that? My mind was drowning in a sea of fear in a matter of one second. The most tormenting thoughts entered my mind in less time than it took to inhale.

Again I heard the Holy Spirit say. "Those voices are from the prison you just left. Their voices will fade as you step away from the place of bondage."

Isaiah 61
THE SPIRIT of the Lord God is upon me, because
the Lord has anointed and qualified me to preach the Gospel of good tidings to the meek, the poor, and afflicted;
He has sent me to bind up and heal the brokenhearted, to PROCLAIM LIBERTY to the [physical and spiritual] captives and the OPENING OF THE PRISON and of the eyes to those who are bound.

And you want to know the really, really good news? Jesus set us free by his sacrifice for all humankind. He has already accomplished everything we need for life and godliness! Those who the Son made free are free indeed!

We can choose to stay captive. We can choose to stay inside the prison walls but the chains on the doors have been destroyed. The door is open but we have to choose to walk outside. The enemy has been defeated. He can snarl and act vicious but he's been de-fanged. He can only use deception to convince us we are trapped inside a prison with no actual door.

The gates of hell shall not prevail. There is no door!

Open Heaven part 3

2010-04-13T20:28:00.000-07:00

This is the final part posted here in understanding that we can walk under an open heaven. This is for all believers and not just those who are considered really "super spiritual". This should be normal stuff for every believer. I hope you will begin to embrace this as a lifestyle and pursue walking under an open heaven with peace and joy.

Remember, I put an emphasis in part 2 that heaven is always open. God does not discontinue sending the benefits of heaven in our direction. The blessing flows continually from the throne of grace. BUT we are like a gate (Lift up your heads o you gates) and we determine if the flow of blessings gets plugged up or flows freely.

So what type of stuff can stop the flow?

Our words: Yes, James chapter one makes it pretty clear that our tongues have the power to steer our life into peril or blessing. Life and death is in the power of the tongue.(Proverbs 18:10) and in the book of Proverbs it also states that whatever a man speaks so shall he become. It starts with what we believe about ourselves and about God and it flows out of our mouths. Know what the Word says and then you can speak good stuff. This takes some discipline but before you know it, you will be speaking blessings over yourself and your family.

Pride: I'm not really going explain the pride that we see in the movies with the characters that won't ask for help and end up falling flat on their faces. I would rather put up mirror for us to recognize that false humility is a far more likely form of pride in the believer's life. If we think we are to grovel and beg the Father for stuff in the Kingdom then maybe we are shackled under a false sense of pride. True humility is agreeing with what God's Word says about us. I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. I am more than a conqueror. I am fashioned to do good works that the Father planned in advance. I am blessed to be a blessing.

Lack of forgiveness: Holding on to unforgiveness is a sure way to block the flow of blessings coming from heaven. I love that old saying: Refusing to forgive is like drinking poison expecting it to kill the one who did us wrong. If you writhe in emotional pain at the thought of what someone did to you then asking the Holy Spirit to show you how to release that pain and set YOURSELF free from bondage is the way to release the floodgates of heaven.

Fear: Fear blocks the flow of heaven. As a person healed and delivered from a task-masters named fear and depression, I know firsthand how damaging fear can be in the believer's life. Fear makes plans for you to stay put. Fear makes plans to paralyze you. Fear causes you to abandon the plans God has for your life. Fear kills dreams. Fear not little flock. It is your Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom. God has not given you a spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind. God's people perish for a lack of knowledge and if fear is your enemy right now then the knowledge of how big your God is and how he equips us through Christ to defeat any roar of the enemy.

Trying to keep the Law: Galatians 5:4 "Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace." Paul makes it pretty clear that if we try to live under the law then we are NOT LIVING BY GRACE. Mixing the law and grace is a sure fire way to block the flow of heaven in your life. Remember grace if flowing your way---we just can't receive if we insist on trying to be condemned by the law. It's called the Ministry of Death (2Cor 3:7)for a good reason. Christ brings life and life abundantly.

Open Heaven part 2

2010-04-13T19:42:00.000-07:00

I really want us to get excited about this. We can relate to God in this intimate way by walking under an open heaven. I really want to emphasis that this concept is not for the "super spiritual" or the giants in the faith. This is something that even a child can relate to and learn to do.

First of all heaven is always open. It's not closed due to sin or weakness on behalf of the believer. God wanted me to even tell you that heaven is open to the unbeliever. Romans 10:13

Whoever calls on the Name of the Lord shall be saved

Saved= sozo is to save, keep safe and sound, to rescue from danger or destruction. To save a suffering one (from perishing), i.e. one suffering from disease, to make well, heal, restore to health To preserve one who is in danger of destruction, to save or rescue. And you thought it meant just to save you from eternal damnation. I used to think that too but when I realized that the word "saved" means so much more, I got pretty excited about being a saved one.

How does one cultivate this type of intimacy and encourage this type of supernatural expectation that comes with walking in an open heaven? Are you interested in knowing what it means to walk with God and know that all things are possible?

Heaven is always open. It's not locked. When Jesus said on the cross that "It is finished" he was proclaiming that he had done everything necessary for us to live as children of God no longer separated from the Father and from heaven's benefits.

Heaven is always open but realize that there are keys to the Kingdom. Keys are not for opening heaven but unlocking the benefits inside the Kingdom of Heaven.

Keys: (not an exclusive list--just a few to get you started on the right track)

Faith: We are told in Hebrews 11:6 that we need faith to please God. Hebrews 11:1 first defines faith as the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things yet to be seen. Jesus said that if you have faith the size of a mustard seed (very tiny seed) that you have enough faith to move mountains. Jesus made it clear in Luke 17 that our faith is like our servant and we need to put it to work on our behalf. Exercise your faith and see the muscles start to grow. I like the saying "starve your doubts and feed your faith". Faith comes or is encouraged by hearing the Word of God. Our fear or doubt is encouraged by feeding it negative things like "I hear this year is going to be the worst year for the flu...and the economy is sure going downhill, I'm never going to get that dream job so I might as well give up..."

Operating in love: We are commanded to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and to love our neighbor just as we would love our self. (Mark 12:30) We are going to mess up from time to time but just keep a heart geared toward love and motivated to encourage others and your heart will stay free from stuff that stops on open heaven. (stuff that stops the flow of an open heaven is in part 3)

Thanksgiving: This key takes practice. It seems silly to thank God for stuff that has not yet happened but we are walking by faith not by sight and we need to act like the benefits of heaven are headed in our direction. Thanksgiving is paramount to receiving what you have prayed into this realm. I thank you Father that you have provided everything we need in Christ for life and godliness. This can actually be a lot of fun once you get used to having words of thanksgiving pouring out of your mouth.

Authority: This key is emphasised by Jesus when he taught us to pray to the Father, "Your Kingdom come, your will be done on EARTH just as it IS IN HEAVEN." He also took his disciples aside and taught them that whatever they bind on the earth is bound in the heavenly realm and what ever they speak is loosed is made loose in the earth too. We have the power of life and death in our tongues. Wow! That is good news!

You CAN EXPECT to dwell in the secret place of the most high. You CAN EXPERIENCE like Paul said and hear things in the third heaven or paradise of God. We CAN WALK UNDER AN OPEN HEAVEN and touch the earthly realm and simultaneously touch the heavenly reality.

Open Heaven part 1

2010-04-13T07:43:00.000-07:00

I believe the concept of an open heaven is the single most intriguing notion as a New Testament believer. The believers preceding Christ's sacrifice got little tastes of this open heaven but it is made most clear when John is baptizing Jesus. Those who witnessed his baptism knew that heaven opened and the Holy Spirit descended like a dove and an audible voice of God said,

"This is my beloved Son in him I am well pleased."

Is what Paul meant in 2Corinthians 12:2 when he talks about the third heaven also what is meant by an open heaven?

²I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.³And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) ⁴How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

But walking under an open heaven sounds unrealistic to many of us--

Maybe the reason we have not attempted to embrace this type of intimacy is because we need to weed out some wrong thinking. As a man or woman thinks so shall they become.

I used to think I became holy by praying more, reading the Word more, fasting, or other good works. But then I discovered I am holy. I am the righteousness of God through Christ Jesus. Reading God's Word and spending time doing these good activities only unveils to me by revelation or renewing my mind that I am just as holy now as I will ever be since the moment the Holy Spirit came to dwell on the inside of me.

Another misconception is I must do something special to draw or attract heaven to myself. When Jesus said, "It is finished." the earth shook and the temple veil was torn from top to bottom signifying that there was no longer a separation between heaven and those on earth. We know God's Word says we can enter boldly to the throne of grace. Jesus paid 100% of the price so we could have access to the Father and to the benefits of heaven.

Other than just believing God and taking Him at his Word there is nothing I need to do to draw heaven to myself. We know the Word says that without faith it is impossible to please God.

But faith is just believing what God says in His Word.

Take a minute and ask God for a fresh understanding of the parable Jesus told in Luke 15. After the son had been starving and living with the pigs it says that he came to his senses and realized that in his Father's house he could at least beg to be a servant and get something to eat. So dirty and smelling really badly he went back to beg for mercy.

But ask yourself, did this man do anything special to draw the love of the Father to himself? No, the Father simply lavished his love and favor and authority on him just because he was a son. Was it the son's repentant heart that made the Father heap his love toward his son? No, the son thought he could repent and grovel at the Father's feet to allow him to get back in his good graces but the Father never gave him a chance to speak of those things. The son was thinking he would talk his Father into allowing him to be his servant just so he could be in his Father's house once again. But the Father just hugged him and kissed him and poured out all his goodness just because he was a son.

The other son who came in from the fields just didn't get it. He had been striving to please the Father and didn't understand why this wasteful son would be given favor when he had been out voluntarily laboring in his Father's fields. Maybe we should think about the whereabouts of that second son for a moment. Maybe he was not meant to be out laboring like the other servants. His place should have been at his Father's side in the house as a son. The second son was just as messed up in his thinking. He was acting like a servant. He is a son!!!!

A son is to be one of authority carrying out his Father's business. Not outside like one of the servants doing the work of a servant. Jesus said he no longer calls us servants but friends. Jesus was trying to show us by this parable that we belong in our rightful place as sons of God.

In Mark 4, Jesus gives another example to his friends that THOSE WHO HAVE-- MORE SHALL BE GIVEN but those who do not have, even that which he has shall be taken away. This seems a bit disturbing. If we don't have something, how can it be taken away? But if it is a PERCEPTION OF LACK --we think we don't have it--then it is taken away. (more examples of this principle are in 1Kings 17 Elisha asked the widow what she had and in Matthew 15 when Jesus asked the disciples what they had.)

If I think I don't have an open heaven then it is taken from me. BUT ON THE OTHER HAND if I believe the Father has lavished me with all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus and I start taking advantage of this open heaven lifestyle then MORE SHALL BE ADDED TO ME. I do believe God has given this to me and I'm getting ready for more to be poured out to me. WOW!!!! That is good news! Kingdom living is so much richer than we can imagine!

Sleep is Faith

2010-04-02T15:14:00.000-07:00

Some seasons are more pleasant than others, I think we all would admit. The really neat thing is that God shows his strength in each season and encourages us to step out of our comfort zone and learn better how to trust him.

I think for the first time in my life I'm seeing what it means to know He is strong though I am weak. I used to think this weakness was my being humble and accepting lack, sickness and other things that were paid for at the cross.

I used to believe this type of weakness was a sign of how holy or humble I could be. When in fact, our weakness is just admitting that HE IS OUR STRENGTH!!!! It's like I can't be wet and dry at the same time. I'm weak so He can be strong and HE can show himself strong through me even though I'm going through a rough season. Christ in me the hope of glory!

My dear friend was encouraging me today and she knows how much I desire to press on in faith. She said such a profound yet simple statement.

"Sleep is faith!"

This season of difficulty I have seen God move in ways I never would have planned and all of it is to my good and the good of those I love. We have so much to praise about and so much to thank Him for.

I'm blessed going in and blessed going out. I'm the head and not the tail. I am blessed and though some may try to curse me--I shall not be cursed for the Shout of a King surrounds me. I'm blessed and highly favored of the Most High God and dwell in the secret place of the Almighty. It is His good pleasure to give me the Kingdom. Hallelujah!

Since God is for me nothing can be against me! And I'm going to sleep really well tonight knowing that my awesome God is going to work everything out for our good.

I am so convinced that I'm blessed and I'm expecting more blessings to flow my way.

I am Expecting Good Things from God!

2010-03-23T19:32:00.000-07:00

I was pondering James 1:5.

"If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of the giving God [Who gives] to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or faultfinding, and it will be given him."

What an awesome promise! If I lack wisdom I can ask God who not only gives but gives liberally--he lavishes wisdom upon those who ask. And according to this promise I don't have to worry about being perfect in my ways. God won't find fault in the fact that I am deficient. Wow! He gives me wisdom just because I ask.

Verse 6 makes it clear that I must ask with faith and not be wavering in my request. I must be convinced that I can ask and He will provide the wisdom needed.

"Only it must be in faith that he asks with no wavering (no hesitating, no doubting). For the one who wavers (hesitates, doubts) is like the billowing surge out at sea that is blown hither and thither and tossed by the wind."

I found myself thinking about this promise and I must admit I was thinking it would be so cool to be able to insert anything in place of the word wisdom. I thought it would make it so much easier to put the word "healing" or "finances" or "joy" or "peace" in place of the word wisdom. That would be so neat and tidy. BUT of course I am fully aware of how vital it is to never add or subtract from God's Word. So I was about to dismiss my thought as silly.

But the Holy Spirit must have been waiting for me to take the bait. I hear in my spirit, "But you CAN ADD anything in that promise."

Wow--God really had my attention--hook, line and sinker!

I started meditating on this promise and with the encouragement from the Holy Spirit, I realized if we need wisdom to know what or how to pray then He would give it to us. If we need wisdom to know specifically what to do or not do when it comes to our finances then He gives that wisdom generously.

If we need a miracle for healing, we can ask for wisdom to know what in our thinking or belief system needs to change so we can have faith when we pray.

We can ask and know we will receive wisdom from God to know how to pray for healing or finances or peace or WHATEVER we need!

God has been challenging me not to put limits on Him or His Word.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not yet seen. Hebrews 11:1 and in Mark 11:24 Whatsoever things you desire when you pray, believe and you shall receive.

Since my desire is to be one who lays hands on people to see them healed and delivered and restored then MAYBE my next focus or pursuit should be to have wisdom to understand how faith works and how to use faith to fulfill the will of God on this earth. I need to takes the limits off from Him and embrace all that God has for me.

In the Name of your Son Jesus, I ask for the wisdom to understand and apply faith! I am so looking forward to the generous outpouring of His WISDOM! Hallelujah!

Which chapter are you living?

2010-03-18T22:28:00.000-07:00

Genesis chapter 27 Jacob's father is dying. His mother convinces him to deceive his father and steal his brother's blessing. His brother is so angry with him that he threatens to kill him. He is forced to leave his home and travel to relatives he has never met before so he can find a wife and at the same time give his brother a chance to cool off. Jacob is MESSED UP and STRESSED OUT.

Genesis chapter 28 Jacob is alone off to a distant land to go get a wife like his father commanded. He is weary from his journey and makes himself a bed and uses a rock as a pillow.

Jacob dreamed there was a ladder that touched earth and heaven with angels going back and forth between heaven and earth.

The Lord stood over and beside Jacob and told him the GOOD NEWS that he and his countless number of descendants would own the land he was on that very moment. And all the families of the earth would be blessed by Jacob's descendants. And God promised He would never leave him. And Jacob awoke and said, "Hey, The Lord is in this place and now I am not blind to this fact!"

Genesis chapter 29 The beginning of this chapter mentions that Jacob travels 400 miles to the land of his father's people. The Amplified version of the Bible says that he traveled with enthusiasm. He now knows he's blessed and God is on his side forever more.

When he arrived at a well in Haran he met a group of shepherds. Jacob wonders why all the sheep were just standing around in the HOT sun rather than giving water to the flocks. They explained the rock was very heavy and they were waiting for all the flocks to gather before they removed the large heavy rock from the mouth of the spring or well.

Jacob asked if anyone knew his uncle Laban. One of the shepherds announced that Laban's daughter Rachel was approaching with their flocks. Suddenly Jacob singled handed removes the big heavy stone from the mouth of the spring and the cool refreshing life-giving water flows to the flocks.

What can we compare the big rock? Maybe the stone that was rolled away from Christ's tomb? Maybe the veil that was rent so that there was no longer any waiting for the sheep to enter into God's presence. Jesus compared his people to sheep and Jesus said he came to give us life and more abundant. Jesus single-handed removed any hindrance from the people of God coming to the SPRING OF LIFE .

Revelation 22:1 Then he showed me the river whose waters give life, sparkling like crystal, flowing out from the throne of God and of the Lamb.

So which chapter are you living right now? Is it like Genesis chapter 27 and you are despairing hope is still a distant land and you have not entered your promised land? Or maybe like chapter 28 and you are just discovering that God is for you and you are truly blessed and God is on your side. Or have you come so far as you are experiencing chapter 29 where you KNOW the big heavy stone over the spring has been cast off and you can come and drink freely from that life giving waters? Where ever and what ever chapter you are experiencing you must realize that God is bringing you through all of it for His glory.

I pinched myself to make sure this is real

2010-03-10T21:25:00.000-08:00

I received a new song this week.

"I'm goin' from glory to glory; I left my pit behind.
The Fath-er opened Heaven now I can walk inside.
Jesus paid the ultimate price
So I could walk in the fullness of life.
All the benefits of Heaven are mine.
I left my pit behind.

I have to admit I have days that I question if this fresh oil from heaven is here to stay. In the past I would have been looking to mess up and then have my joy or peace snatched away. My expectation was if I sowed good seed I reaped a good harvest but if I was lazy or sowed bad then I would reap the consequences. I had trained myself to believe that I would not offer the Lord anything that cost me nothing. But my sacrifices were as filthy rags and I ALWAYS ended up disappointed in myself and my pit was just the right shape for my heart's condition. I expected to end up in the pit since I could not keep up the righteous act for long. Frustration and disappointment were right there beside me in that pit.

But something has been hounding me this past couple days. I keep hearing "BUT you should not offer God something that cost you nothing." How many times have I been conditioned in my mind and heart that I must do something for God to please Him. I have settled it in my heart that Jesus paid 100% of the price for me to reap 100% of the benefits but still this notion of a sacrifice MUST COST ME is so deeply rooted. So I went to the source: 2 Samuel 24.

David is temped by Satan (this is more clear in 1Chron 21:1) to count the people. God did not tell him to take a census or the prophet Gad would have informed David of the need and why. Even David's top military guy told him it was a bad idea. David admits later he did it of his own accord. I think it was a pride thing. A big king wanting to boast of his big army to make him feel better about his kingdom. So after he repents to God then God informs him that a curse is due Israel for breaking the Law (you know that law that says everyone has to pay a half a shekel when they are counted in the census--Ex 30) Since David is remorseful, God allows David to choose from three evil things for the curse. Oy! Those are tough choices. He decides to put himself in the hand of God with pestilence rather than his enemies or 7 years of famine. The Angel of the Lord strikes down 70,000 people.

The Angel of the Lord stops at the threshing floor of a man named Araunah (Ornan in the other account in 1 Chron) whose name means "shout for joy". I guess I would shout for joy too if the Angel of the Lord stopped and didn't kill me when so many others were dead. But it might be he was joyful because his home or threshing floor was the same spot that God led Abraham to Mt Moriah (Gen 22) and generations later the spot where Jesus was crucified on Calvary.(1 Chronicles 21:29)

So Araunah offers to give King David everything for free to make the sacrifice where the Angel of the Lord stopped. But David said he could not sacrifice what cost him nothing. So that's what I believed. I must sacrifice to God and it has to cost me! I have to sweat and cry and anguish as I serve the King of kings. I thought Jesus required me to sacrifice to him. It does say in Romans 12:1 that we are living sacrifices but where does it say in the New Testament that we give ourselves a sacrifice for our sins? NO WHERE. We are also told to take up our cross and follow him but also that his yoke is easy and his burden is light. We need to keep it all in perspective.

But who does David typify in the Bible? As king, David is a biblical type of Jesus. David pays a very high price that day. 600 shekels is way beyond what it would normally cost to buy or rent this piece of real estate. I looked up what one gold shekel is worth. It is about $800 each. So that is a pretty penny (or shekel) for the use of the threshing floor and the contents of the sacrifice. Araunah was even more joyful with his pockets jingling with shekels. "I'm alive and rich!"

So why oh why have I translated this to mean that *I* must sacrifice and give to God in a manner that makes me worthy? "I will not give God something that cost me nothing..." But Jesus already paid the price...He is and was the perfect, costly sacrifice. I think I can DO something to top that?

We need to remember the purpose of the Law: What, then, was the purpose of the Law? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The Law was put into effect through angels by a mediator. (Gal 3:19) I should not try to keep up with giving sacrifices when they are NO LONGER REQUIRED! Jesus is the SEED that was promised. I am not to sacrifice but thank HIM for providing His divine power that has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our KNOWLEDGE of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.

Focus

2010-03-04T21:08:00.000-08:00

A theme keeps running through my mind this week. Focus.

I hear the Holy Spirit asking, "Where is your focus? In what or whom is your trust? Fix your eyes on Jesus the author and perfecter of your faith. See, the faith you have today is not supposed to be the faith you have tomorrow or in the next season of your life. Faith comes by hearing my Word--My Word is living and active within you. When you have an unction of the Holy Spirit --then speak it and your faith increases. When you focus on what you HAVE you will be given more. If you focus on what you have not then what you HAVE (you do have it in the spirit realm) will be taken away--The enemy then has an open door to walk right in and steal what you confessed you did not have. You speak what you HAVE (in the heavenly places) and it is added to you. Whatsoever you desire when you pray, believe, and you shall receive. The power that raised Christ from the grave, resides on the inside of my people. Believe! Receive!"

I had to look up the word 'unction' since I have not heard this word since I was a little girl and I wanted to make sure I knew the proper meaning.

I was off somewhat in my understanding of this definition. I thought it meant to get motivation like if you said you needed some unction to get the housework done or climb a really steep hill. I like the last part of the definition: MANIFESTATION of spiritual inspiration. As a noun it means a soothing balm.

Definition of unction
–noun

1. an act of anointing, esp. as a medical treatment or religious rite.

2. an unguent or ointment; salve.

3. something soothing or comforting.

4. an excessive, affected, sometimes cloying earnestness or fervor in manner, esp. in speaking.

5. Religion.

a.the oil used in religious rites, as in anointing the sick or dying.

b.the shedding of a divine or spiritual influence upon a person.

c.the influence shed.

6. the manifestation of spiritual or religious inspiration.

The Temple Veil is Torn so I can Enter into God's Presence.

2010-03-03T06:51:00.000-08:00

We all have heard "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whosoever believes on him would not die but have everlasting life." But as a Christian, I did not live like that scripture was true.

Somehow the truth of this verse was hidden from me and I had a false premise that I could do something (or not do something) that would change how God looks at me or change how he loves me. I made God like a man who changes with the circumstances.

I was blind to the fact that I could not change the equation.

God's love= giving his son
Gift= free to me with no strings attached.
Everlasting=forever and I can't change this fact
Believe= I believe Jesus paid my way because I am not able to pay the price for sin.

Oh, I believed I was saved from hell and eternal separation from God BUT I had a stronghold in my mind --a lie--that told me after I was God's child I had to work to get God's love, approval and favor. I was convinced that Jesus paid the price for my spot in heaven but I thought I had to work for his favor here on earth.

It's really a view I had of God. I believed He was mad at mankind but gave his Son because he knew there was no other way to let the worms on earth that deserved death to enter heaven. But eternal life is not just going to heaven (another stronghold belief that needed to shatter) but eternal life begins with acknowledging that Jesus provided everything we need for life and godliness.

2Peter1:3-4
His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. ⁴Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

Truth is truth even if we are blind to it.

If a millionaire left me all his money, land, and benefits in his will BUT an enemy of mine kept this truth from me--would I still be rich? Would I still have the favor and securities of the rich man who bequeathed me all his favor and all his prosperity? YES!!! It is legally mine. But if I'm blinded to this fact then I will work and strive for something that rightfully belongs to me.

Previously the enemy caused me to believe I was a servant in the House of God when in fact I'M A SON!!!! God would not trust his riches to a mere servant. No that's a job for a son of God.

Sons have full rights to go around the Master's house and get things accomplished. If a son in the house (Kingdom of God) needs something they don't go running to the Master to beg for it since they have been given full rights to everything in the house. We just laugh joyfully and thank the Master who has thought it best to give you everything you need through what Jesus accomplished for you.

Do you remember in Matthew chapter 27 the account of Jesus giving up his Spirit on the cross and at that moment of Jesus' death the veil in the temple was ripped from top to bottom.

Matt 27:51 At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split.

I used to think--OH BOY! God is really mad now...they killed his son and he's really upset that he torn the temple curtain and shook the earth. I've even heard it described like when a king in the Old Testament was really angry or sad he rent his kingly garments. That's not it. That was not his garments it was a separation or wall between mankind and the presence of Holy God.

Exodus 26:31-35
³¹And make a veil of blue, purple, and scarlet and fine twined linen, skillfully worked with cherubim on it.³²You shall hang it on four pillars of acacia wood overlaid with gold, with gold hooks, on four sockets of silver.³³And you shall hang the veil from the clasps and bring the ark of the Testimony into place within the veil; and the veil shall separate for you the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place.

The curtain or veil was necessary and protected the people from being killed by the Holiness of God. The people had no covering of the Blood of Jesus yet to protect them. Once a year the High Priest went in with the blood of a lamb to put on the ark's mercy seat so for a year the people's sins were covered (not completely taken away like our New Covenant through Jesus).

The ripped veil or curtain is a message to mankind that we walk under an open heaven. God is not keeping us from His presence any more. We can go boldly to the throne of grace and even can call God "Abba Father" or Daddy! We are sons not servants and it was His idea.

Fresh Oil and Fresh Wine from the Throne of God

2010-02-25T18:28:00.000-08:00

Just like every person reading my blog, I have felt some pressing this week. You know when you feel that tiny twinge in your body that a cold might be going on...well that is how I have felt all week but not with a virus or sickness of any type but with the OLD mindset and STRONGHOLDS of the past. Depression has no hold on me and I have been delivered from any symptoms in my body and mind...but sometimes when I am physically tired the devil might try to throw some pathetic attempts in my directions. I have the MIND of CHRIST which makes me a lot smarter than the enemy and I am on to his attempts to deceive me.

On Sunday, I felt urged by the Holy Spirit to encourage His people and tell them a vital message. God knows it is not my first preference to get up in front of a couple hundred people and speak forth what I hear on the heart of the Father. I will admit that I fear what man thinks of me just a little too much. I also know there are a few people that have been offended by my enthusiasm to speak what I know to be the the truth in God's Word rather than some tired religion that I used to walk in. Therefore since I still nurture a seed of fear of man, the devil uses this to try to nag me and distract me and try to get me to believe his lies rather than the truth of God's Word that I am 100% saved from the curse of the law.

From the beginning of my relationship with Christ, I have have believed that we are saved by GRACE and GRACE alone. I was properly taught from God's Word that we can do nothing to get saved and nothing we do can ever be good enough to get to heaven. I have known the truth since I was a very little girl and surrendered my heart and life to God at age 11. I knew the Holy Spirit came into live inside of me at that young age because I didn't hate my little sister any more. Isn't that a perfect witness for a little girl to no longer hate but actually feel loving feelings toward my sister. It was a miracle in my opinion. I did nothing to change my feelings it was just a work of GRACE. Really this should be how it is to be delivered from any sin. It should be a work of God's GRACE in our lives.

I think we WORK too much and really should just sit still more often and acknowledge that it is God who is at work within us and really there is NOTHING we can do about it. Philemon 1:6 say, “that the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus” Furthermore, I'm reminded of Philippians 2: 13 "it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose."

But getting back to what the Holy Spirit wanted to share with His people earlier this week. I wanted to take some time and share with my readers as well. I think it will encourage you too.

My children need to know that the fresh wine and fresh oil is flowing continually from the throne of God. A river of revelation and fresh wine are constantly flowing from Heaven and flowing out to every child of God. Their sin does not stop it. Nothing they do can stop the flow of fresh wine and fresh oil from coming their way. The problem is their old wine skins. The old way of thinking cannot hold the fresh wine and fresh oil. The old wine skins break and the wine spills to the ground. You need to get rid of old mindsets and receive the revelation that God's blessing is flowing toward you. Then you can experience this fresh wine and fresh oil from the throne of God.

If we have Keys why Did Jesus tell us to knock?

2010-02-22T20:30:00.000-08:00

Sometimes things in God's Word seem to counter other scripture but really it all compliments.

In Matthew 16:19 Jesus tells his disciples that He was giving them the keys.
"I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."

So why in Matthew 7:7-11 did he encourage us to keep knocking?

Keep on asking and it will be given you; keep on seeking and you will find; keep on knocking [reverently] and [the door] will be opened to you.⁸For everyone who keeps on asking receives; and he who keeps on seeking finds; and to him who keeps on knocking, [the door] will be opened.⁹Or what man is there of you, if his son asks him for a loaf of bread, will hand him a stone?¹⁰Or if he asks for a fish, will hand him a serpent?¹¹If you then, evil as you are, know how to give good and advantageous gifts to your children, how much more will your Father Who is in heaven [perfect as He is] give good and advantageous things to those who keep on asking Him!

You will love this answer!

Because until we have knowledge of the KEY we can't get inside. There is no condemnation in asking, seeking or knocking because we were promised that we would get our answers to prayer. Whoo hoo! That is good news! BUT after you get the answer or God hands you a key then it would be pretty silly to keep standing outside waiting for God to answer the door that he has already answered to you.

So many of us have been taught that if an answer does not come then it was just not God's will for us to have it.

Proverbs 13:12 says "Hope deferred makes the heart sick but the desire comes it IS A TREE OF LIFE!!!" Then we can spread the good news that God heals and God saves and restores our brokeness. We must hold on to hope that God does open that door and He has provided everything we need for life and godliness.

I have had a picture in my mind for weeks now of FRESH OIL and FRESH WINE flowing constantly from the throne of God. I asked God what it meant. He told me it is not people's sin or weaknesses that stop the flow of fresh wine or fresh oil but it is their mindsets or wineskins that can't hold the fresh wine or fresh oil. Remember how Jesus said the old wineskins would burst if you put fresh wine inside...we NEED to go to God's Word and have our minds renewed until we can understand God's love and grace toward us so we can hold the new wine.

Knocking on the door. I NEED those KEYS!!!

2010-02-19T23:17:00.000-08:00

So I'm standing outside knocking loudly at the door. PLEASE let me in! Please someone come along who has the key to let me inside. I NEED inside.

So that was my life. I felt I was pleading my case to God and begging Him to notice my efforts. Begging him to fix the issues in my heart and life so I could be the Christian he wanted me to be. I felt if I read my bible consistently then he would honor my efforts. If I prayed every day then maybe He would favor me. I would worship and praise and enter in with a thankful heart. I would try to please God, fail, repent and start all over. It was a vicious, unproductive cycle. Will that get me inside? Will doing good get me noticed? Maybe fasting...maybe serving...maybe this will work...I kept searching for that key.

There was never a question forgiveness and grace were 100% free to me and anyone who asked God for Salvation. I KNEW I could do nothing to deserve forgiveness or God's grace. He provided it to me. A gift. No problem. Then WHY O WHY did I continue to try to make myself righteous to have God's favor after I became His child? Why did I feel the need to DO something to earn His love and acceptance? Why did I feel that if I was not doing perfect then I would be rejected?

The short answer is I was misinformed about God's nature. I had tidy religious notions about God but really not understanding the true nature of God. It finally took a radical tearing down of the old unproductive mindsets that hindered me from really knowing God's nature. I NEVER thought of myself as a "religious or legalistic" type person but ANYTIME you find yourself basing your relationship with God on how good or bad your "walk" is then you will find that you are basing your righteousness on works rather than fully on what Jesus did for us.

I thought doing good things would make me holy. What I discovered in God's Word is that accepting Christ's sacrifice makes me holy and reading God's Word, spending time in His presence and allowing my mind to be renewed by His Spirit is how I gain REVELATION of his 100% acceptance of who I am IN CHRIST.

The Word says in Hosea 4:6 "My people perish for a lack of knowledge." It is true that what you DO NOT know will hurt you.

Keys will get you inside.

Lets say you have been given the keys to a large corporation. If you are given a key you have full access to go inside and use the resources inside that building. The keys signify that you have authority to be there and you have authority to keep out those who would be a hindrance to the the one who gave you the keys. If the owner needs you to get a project done and everything you need to get this done is inside then you would not be employed long if after you were told to do something but then stood outside the building waiting for someone to come unlock the door. Or begging the owner to please come and do the job you were assigned.

Owner: I told you to handle my affairs.
Employee: I was waiting for you to come unlock the door so I could go inside to do the job you asked.
Owner: You have a key.
Employee: Oh, but if you would please help me with this job...I lack the resources to complete what you ask of me.
Owner: EVERYTHING you require is inside--use your key--go inside and do the job you were equipped to do.
Employee: Oh I covered the manual in detail, I emailed you and informed you all the issues I was having about not being able to get inside, I did a lot of PR work on the street corner to tell everyone the really neat stuff we will be doing as soon as we get inside and soon as you help us and as soon as you do the work...Oh and by the way, I saw your competitor walk in and steal some important resources belonging to the company. I sent you an email informing you of the unfortunate incident.
Owner: You didn't tell him to leave? You didn't call security to boot him out? You just watched him go in and steal from us?
Employee: Yeah, well, I thought I better wait to see if you had a strong opinion on the matter. I thought it might be your wishes that this be allowed to happen.
Owner: I provided EVERYTHING you need. It has all been paid for, I gave you a key, I placed on the inside equipment and provision for the entire project...BUT you want ME to do what I have told you to do?

This is not meant to be condemning but simply eye-opening.

I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. ¹⁸I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, ¹⁹and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, ²⁰which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, ²¹far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. ²²And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, ²³which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. (Eph 1:17)

Jesus made it abundantly clear to his disciples the authority given to them. “And I will give unto thee the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven.” Matt 16:19 And the Father, has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints by what Jesus accomplished on the cross. (Col 1:12) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. (Eph 1:3)

Night seasons

2010-02-16T21:31:00.000-08:00

I will bless the LORD who has given me counsel;
My heart also instructs me in the night seasons.

Some of you know that the Hedged in my God's Grace Bible study was birthed out a very difficult season of my life. The winter of 2007 was a black hole of near despair. I knew this was a physical and emotional barrage from hell. I knew Satan wanted me to believe I was never going to have healing and never going to live a life of victory. I knew he was a liar but honestly there were days I could have given up and believed the lies over what I read in God's Word.

Medication was not working. Rest was not working. Praying and reading the Word was not working. I was basically crippled in my mind and body. Depression is not just about being sad--I knew I had nothing to feel sad about--but it robs your ability to think clearly and robs you of who you really are meant to be as a person. It is like wearing a lead blanket and walking in mud up to your knees all the while weeping for "no reason".

The miracle began by the Holy Spirit instructing me to do a word study. I went to www.crosswalk.com and printed off all the verses with the words "hedge, boundary, safety and wall" and it grew from there. I saw clearly that Psalms 16 was like an outline of how the Lord wants us to see ourselves inside of His safety zone.

This verse in Psalms 16:7 is so vital to bring hope to those reading this who are still struggling with depression.

The word "heart" is just what you would expect--it means your center parts (literally kidney or organ) from which your emotions spring forth. I think we might call this the soul or the mind, will and emotions. So when your heart gives you counsel it is telling you something from a soulish or carnal perspective.

I don't know about you but I'm pretty fickle in my heart. One day I'm whining and complaining and the next everything is dy-no-mite! So my heart is not reliable. The Word of God, however, is very reliable. I do believe that we can train our heart to believe God's Word over our circumstances but realistically we better not rely on our hearts during the difficult seasons. I really think that is what the psalmist is encouraging is for our hearts to tell us what we need not what we feel.

I recently looked more closely at the last word of this verse in the Strong's concordance. Night seasons-- is a word that means "gloom". I looked up the root and I was AMAZED. That root word means "staircase, winding stair, shaft or enclosed space with steps or ladder." How many of us who have "fallen" into depression felt it was like being trapped in a deep, dark, winding stairwell.

I will share a very personal and scary event before I experienced healing manifest in my life.

It was nearly spring after that very long hard winter of fighting depression and trying different meds that really were less than helpful. In the middle of the night I awoke screaming. Before the panic completely gripped me and I was left unable to physically speak, I pleaded for my husband to pray in the spirit for me.

In my mind I was being dragged down a deep, pitch black stairwell. It was a winding stairwell and I didn't understand the significance until I read the meaning of the word "night season". I could hear my husband praying in the spirit and then I heard the Holy Spirit say, "Now you are going to count the steps as you come up." I said, "one" but it was barely audible, "two" and panic was still gripping me, "three" and my speech was only a garble. By the time I got to seven or eight I knew I was going to be okay. This seemed so real and if the Holy Spirit had not instructed me to come up those stairs I'm certain I would have been hospitalized that night.

My emotions tried to dictate to me that night. Fear and torment thought it had won but the counsel of the Holy Spirit made all the difference and I WILL BLESS HIS NAME!

NOW the ruler of this world is cast out. John 12

2010-02-15T14:14:00.000-08:00

Jesus said, "NOW the ruler of this world is cast out." When Jesus said this to his disciples they must have had hope stirred inside of them. I know this excites me! But we have to go to the Old Covenant account in Numbers 21 to have a really good understanding of what Jesus meant in the Gospel account in John 12.

Numbers 21

The Israelites were pretty tired of life in the wilderness. They complained about what they didn’t have rather than being thankful for everything the Lord miraculously provided.

They complained and accused the Lord of sending them to the wilderness to die. So snakes were allowed to bite them and many of the people died. To me this is evidence that our words are powerful. They accused God of killing them…then God sent the snakes like an answer to a faith-filled prayer.

Well, they cried out to Moses and admitted they were sinful and needed to be saved from the snakes their very words brought upon them. God told Moses to make a bronze snake and put it upon a pole and when the people looked up at the snake then they were saved (healed).

This may seem like a very odd account but keep in mind that the snake on the pole was lifted up. Who said he would be lifted up? Jesus said this in John 12.

He told his disciples that NOW is the judgment of the world and NOW the ruler of the world shall be cast out. Jesus said, "If I be lifted up out of the earth, (just like that snake on the pole) will draw all to me." (Darby Translation) Jesus drew all the judgment and all the shame so we would go free--we are saved from the curse.

But they have to look at what Jesus did…they have to look at the One who took all the sin and judgment upon himself. They have acknowledged that the One lifted up is their Savior.

We have to acknowledge that the One who knew no sin became sin for us. Like the snake was cursed so Christ took all of the curse for us so we experience NONE of the curse. AMEN!!! THAT IS GOOD NEWS!

My favorite part is NOW the ruler of the world will be cast out. We really need to chew on this. If the devil is coming to steal, kill and destroy in your life and your family who gave him permission? Did God give him permission? No, it says in John 12 that NOW the ruler of the world shall be cast out. So maybe just like the Israelites in the wilderness we underestimate how powerful our words of confession are in this world. We were given authority and the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven. (Matt 16:19) Are we sick and weak and dying because of a lack of understanding? (Q: My people perish for a lack of what?A: Knowledge) Hosea 4:6

Maybe just like the Israelites we are confessing what we lack rather than acknowledging that IN CHRIST we have everything we need for life and godliness.

Shake it off!

2010-01-29T23:26:00.000-08:00

I awoke this morning with the most delightful memory of a dream. I dreamed a friend and myself were seated on a sofa, drinking a hot beverage while we sunned ourselves on a white sandy beach. This scene was presented to me at least three times before I awoke. I could hear the surf and the sun was so bright and penetrating. I stretched and asked the Lord what was up with that dream. It was a very pleasant dream and I knew it was from Him since it came to me more than a few times just before I opened my eyes.

The Lord told me the dream was just a way to get my attention. Then I heard the Lord say "Whatever you desire..."then again "Whatever you desire..." I referred back to the dream-- "Lord, was the dream about something I have desired?" It was like the Lord chuckled..."The dream was just to make sure I had your attention." Oh duh...now I get it. Then I hear..."Whatever you desire when you pray BELIEVE and you shall have it." (Mark 11:24) Then of course I understand this thought is what the Lord wants me meditating on for the day. Very cool way to start my day. If you have a similar sense of humor to mine maybe you are chuckling too.

I have been challenged recently by more than a couple people to really get it established in my heart to KNOW that I'm a blessed child of God.

This has not always been the case for me. I used to go by my circumstances to judge whether I was in right standing with God. My natural senses or what was going on in my life was the barometer for my spiritual health. I assumed if I read my bible and prayed "faithfully" then somehow God would be obligated to "bless" me. And of course when I was not being a "good" Christian then God was just as obligated to make sure that I would have woes.

I really had an unhealthy view of God's grace. I knew I was saved by grace but for some reason believed I had to do XY & Z to stay in His “good graces”.

It was mixing Grace with the Law.

Trust me--this is a yo-yo way to live. Instead of going from glory-to-glory you will go from the rare mountaintop to plunging into the depths of despair. The bible calls this double mindedness and it must make God just shake his head longing for us to stand firm in faith.

So what does it mean to KNOW you are blessed and not cursed? First of all it has nothing to do with you--or me and everything to do with what Jesus accomplished on the cross.

I needed to learn that Jesus became the curse so I would not have to suffer any of the curse. I had to come to recognize that salvation does not just mean saved from hell and eternal separation from God but ETERNAL LIFE starts now --in this life--with blessings that we experience NOW in this life and not just in the sweet by-in-by.

We need healing now--not in heaven.

We need prosperity now--not in heaven.

We need peace now etc... We have been duped by the enemy of our souls into believing that we would have to live a perfect or near perfect life in order to have God bless us even a little in this life.

I'm purposing to shake off a lot of religious mindsets that have hindered my faith.

*I'm shaking off the religious notion that I am a vile sinner. Yes we need to confess we need a savior but rather than concentrating on my sin, I'm choosing to be Christ-conscience.

This might shock some of you, but it is empty, vain religion that wants me focused on sin. If I focus on sin then I can't fix my eyes on Jesus the author and finisher of my faith.

*I'm shaking off the notion that I'm desperate for spiritual things.

I hear songs "I'm desperate for you..." and realize that if the Holy Spirit resides on the inside of me--available to me and fellowshipping with me constantly then to say I'm longing for relationship does not make much sense.

I'm realizing a better way of approaching this is

"I'm so enthralled by Your glory...”

“I'm ravished by Your tenderness and mercy...”

“I'm delighted by Your loving kindness...”

“I'm so blessed!”

To me it is like being in an embrace with your lover and then saying...I'm so desperate to be in your arms...huh?

*I'm shaking off the concept of continually being hungry for God. WHOA! Back up the truck! Jesus said, "Blessed are you who hunger for you will be filled." But does that mean we keep hungering? No, Jesus accomplished everything we need to be filled. I am going to recognize that He fills me and gives me everything for life and godliness.

God knows I love word-pictures and today He showed me a plate of steaming hot food--all my favorites--and the plate was heaped full. He said if you are hungry it is because you got up from the table without eating.

My mom used to say, "It's not my fault if you walk away hungry." That makes me chuckle. She was right. The food was all prepared and on the table and if we didn't come to the table well we just went hungry. It's like complaining to God, "Fill us!" when it's our fault we do not come and dine.

So I’m shaking that off. I'm focusing from now on that everything I need for life and godliness in in Christ Jesus.

And lastly, I'm purposing to acknowledge that faith means I know I have it in Christ. I'm not waiting and hoping for a blessing in the future but thanking God now that He has blessed me with everything spiritual blessing in Christ. NOW faith is the substance---whatever you desire—believe you receive.

This does not sound like a wait and hope that it all works out type of mindset. And since I am a joint heir with Christ, I recognize the authority given to me by Christ.

I'm speaking to the mountains and expecting them to be cast into the sea.

I'm cursing the root of any problem expecting the manifestations to be revealed.

I speak to my body and mind and tell it to line up with what God's Word says. I am not wondering why God is not "answering my prayers" since he gave me the authority. I am not demanding of God but just doing what he told me to do.

Religion says we have to beg God and hope He sees fit to bless us. It’s true some things we have to wait for His timing but mostly that is an excuse that allows us to say, “it must not be God’s will or He is saying not now.”

I want to make it my habit to step out of the boat and expect God to hold me up. But really when did Jesus ever say to someone while He walked on the earth, “It’s not my will you are healed or blessed. Go and wait on Gods timing.”? I know some of us get hung up on Paul’s thorn in the flesh since he asked God to remove it from him three times and God said “My grace is sufficient for you” then that must mean God says no. It makes more sense that He says yes but we are just stuck in a religious rut and don’t want to risk having faith. –Hey chill out--I’m preaching to me too.

And finally, I am to thank God He has qualified us to be partakers in our inheritance through Jesus. Thankfulness shows me and shows God that my heart is lined up with expectation and not hope for a future blessing.

Colossians 1:12 Giving thanks to the Father, Who has qualified and made us fit to share the portion which is the inheritance of the saints (God's holy people) in the Light.

post script:

Here is an excellent explanation of Paul's thorn in the flesh posted by a friend of mine. The explanation is from Gloria Copeland. Well worth reading!!!

http://treesplantedbythewater.blogspot.com/2009/07/what-about-pauls-thorn-in-flesh.html

Everything We Need for Life and Godliness

2010-01-20T21:03:00.000-08:00

In Hebrews 11 faith is defined as "the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." The Strong's concordance defines substance as "that which has actual existence". So just like we would expect it is something real...we maybe can't touch it right this second but just like the sands of Hawaii --it is real. The word *things* is the word pragma which means " that which has been done, a deed, an accomplished fact". And lastly the word evidence is just like we would expect that it could be used as proof in a court of law. Three pretty strong words: substance, things and evidence. I like it when there is no room left for doubt and God makes it so clear to understand FAITH.

All of us operate in faith on a day-to-day basis. We sit on a chair and expect it to hold us up. We know the earth makes it's 24 hour revolution expecting the sun will appear to rise in the East at about the same time every day. I have also experienced my faith in the negative sense. I used to expect sickness at certain times of the year or expected to catch a virus if it was going through my family. Not any more. Now I expect to stay well and NO UNCLEAN thing can come near my dwelling place. I have accepted the fact that by His stripes I AM healed. And if something does attack my body, I use my authority in Jesus' Name to tell it to leave.

A very practical example of faith is if I go to the store and purchase eggs and milk and put them away in the refrigerator, I can picture those items and when I need them I go open the refrigerator and take them out and use them. I put them inside the refrigerator and certainly I'm going to have faith that they will be there when I want them. Those eggs have substance and I am in hope of using them in a practical sense even if I'm not looking at them with my natural eyes. I am seeing them with my imagination and know they will be there when I want them.

Well, our Heavenly Father has placed things in the spiritual realm for us too. All the promises of God are in Him (Christ) yes, and amen. (2Cor 1:20) But some of us act like "some of the promises are yes, and some are maybe someday..." I'm doing my best to shake off an unhealthy religious mindset that tells me that most or many of the things mentioned in God's Word are things for the next life. Let us strip off and throw aside every unnecessary weight and that sin which clings to and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us. (Hebrews 12)

What are some unnecessary weights?
*Low self-esteem---we are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus--so throw it off.
*Unhealthy relationships--ask the Lord who you should be close friends with and to whom should be an acquaintance.
*Religious baggage-- what does the Word of God really say? A lot of stuff we adhere to is man's opinions of God's Word and I choose to cast that away.
*Fear of failure or fear of causing Father God to reject you-- that's a very heavy and unnecessary load and you need to pray to get delivered from that mindset. You are 100% accepted by God because Christ sacrifice.
*Chasing the carrot on the stick--Jesus said repent (or change the way you are thinking) for the Kingdom of God is at hand--the promises are YES AND AMEN!

These are just a few possible unhealthy mindsets or wineskins (see Luke 5:33-39) that will cause you to lack faith in what God has already provided for your sake. The Bible says you have THE FAITH of Christ but our old, unproductive mindsets (wineskins) won't hold the substance of things hoped for. The wine is fresh and the wineskin breaks open and the fresh wine just spills on the ground. But if we cry out "OPEN the eyes of my understanding" then we can have a new wineskin and the fresh wine stays put on the inside of us.

Get it?
New wine--living active life from God's heart.
wineskin--our mindset--way we believe--must be of faith(being able to see it in our mind and know it is real).

Oh and don't bother trying to put a new patch on a basically old wineskin-- the newer patch will just break away from the old and the wine escapes. It's like believing that you are saved by grace and but then working really hard to keep God's grace by doing good works. Yes, that was my life and yes, the wine never stayed in the old wine skin. (mixing grace and law)

What are some hindrances that you have been dragging with you in the life? Hard to run a race if we are weighed down by so much stuff. My load is getting lighter. How about you?

Jesus said if you are yoked up with him that his burden is light. When I was a child I had no clue of a yoke. I heard yolk --like the yellow part of an egg but that made no sense. I had it explained as I grew up that the farmers put two oxen together. One was an experienced and very strong and one was just learning. The strong ox pulled the majority of the load while the less experienced animal just walked along until it learned to pull the plow. I suppose if a young animal were expected to pull a plow alone it would not get much accomplished. "His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness." (2Peter 1:3)

EVERYTHING we need for life and godliness THROUGH our KNOWLEDGE of HIM!!!! Wow! That's an exciting statement. Chew on that for a few days and see if your wineskin can hold that fresh wine.

Seated with Christ- Ephesians 2:6

2010-01-11T21:58:00.000-08:00

It has been a tough week (it's only Monday) but I felt strongly the Lord wanted me to be vulnerable in front of my readers and give God the glory through any growing season. I know a tree is not supposed to groan and strain to produce fruit but that's how it feels right now.

We went on a vacation and just got back on Friday. It was two days on the road of at least 12 hours each. I learn pretty quickly how much I LOVE my routine and my bed. Our girls are older now and are really great at traveling. They had their Ipod and hand help game things. I, on the other hand, didn't bring along enough to distract me from sitting and sitting and riding and riding. I whined and complained a lot more than I would like to admit. We did have a great vacation as a family in Florida but it's the ride that I don't enjoy. Oh, I did get some sun. I loved relaxing by the pool and just soaking.

Saturday, more riding in the car. I had to go pick up my fur babies from my parent's home. I was glad to visit my parents. NOT glad to ride an additional 3 hours in the car.

Sunday was a heating pad day. I was blessed to worship in church and kept thanking Jesus for paying the price for all sin and sickness and I was not going to suffer from the curse of a messed up neck because He already paid that price. Church was really good. I was blessed that my family was excited to discuss the sermon and we all seemed to be refreshed and peaceful. But the heating pad on my neck felt really good ALL afternoon.

Monday, I'm free from the pain in my neck but I'm weary emotionally. I'm so off my game. School seemed like a chore and my patience with the girls is less than stellar. My usual way of believing just seems to be flying out the window! I feel some really old emotional junk rapping at my heart door. I keep feeling overly sensitive to stuff I thought was way behind me.

I clearly and gently hear the Holy Spirit say, "Where is Christ right now?"

Through my tears, I knew He wanted me to answer, "Seated at the right hand of the Father".

The Holy Spirit continued, "Is Christ wringing his hands and fretting over this situation?"

I know He's not.

Holy Spirit continues, "Where are you supposed to be at?"

I know He wants me to answer, "IN CHRIST."

So I dry my tears and start "acting" like I believe it but it's not long and I'm allowing the devil to deceive me and believing the lies over the truth of God's Word. No weapon formed against me shall prosper but I have to embrace the truth and not the lies of the enemy.

Okay, so by Monday evening I'm recognizing that this day would go more smoothly if I start believing like I'm seated with Christ in heavenly places rather than below the feel of my enemies.

Guess what Rick Manis preached on for Monday night e-church? Yup, we need to humble ourselves and set our beliefs (he said it is like a thermostat) and then know for certain WHAT we believe so shall we become. http://www.ustream.tv/channel/e-church-live See the 1/11 sermon titled Automatic Blessing. I urge you to listen to this life-changing message.

Just like it says in Proverbs 23:7 For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. And Brother Rick reminded us that fear is just faith in the problems. Job said, "What I have feared (believed) has come upon me."

But there is no condemnation for those who are IN CHRIST JESUS! I'm not condemned by my whacked, warped, twisted believe system. God is not bent out of shape that I had an old wineskin and the New Wine burst through the seams. No, He's not discouraged with me and the Holy Spirit just says change what you think about this situation --set your thermostat--and watch the fruit manifest without you even struggling. Sorry about mixing so many analogies--

It's not by might nor by power but by MY SPIRIT says the Lord that this mountain will be removed. I'm believing that I will see fruit manifest and supernatural power to overcome this old way of thinking.

So Monday is over and I'm looking forward to Tues with a renewed hope and great expectation. I am expecting a good week.

How Big is Your God?

2009-12-05T00:50:00.000-08:00

I shared last month I would revisit the Chutes and Ladders concept. It caught my attentions recently that an artist decided to portray in his work at a Fall festival here in Michigan a life-sized board game of Hasbro brand game of Chutes and Ladders. http://blog.mlive.com/annarbornews/2007/09/fallapalooza_visitors_compete.html

The guests at the festival could take turns spinning a life-sized spinner and playing the giant 40 x 80 square foot board game. I noticed that from the photo the artist didn't paint in the pictures of the children either doing their "good deed" and going up the ladder or making a poor choice resulting in sliding down, down, down the chutes to only sit and wail at the bottom of the slide from once again messing up in life.

That game is just way too reflective of what seemed to be the yo-yo mentality that I used to live as a believer. I grew weary of trying to do good deeds which gave me a temporary fulfillment and then other times messing up because of my human nature which caused me tears and focusing on my guilty conscience. So you could say I decided to get off that life-sized board game and play by the rules that are due a son of God. Joy wells up inside of me when I focus on that! Jesus said, "Fear not, little flock, for it is the Father's GOOD PLEASURE TO GIVE YOU THE KINGDOM.

I'm delighted that I have recently discovered that real life for the believer does not have to mirror this disappointing board game. I've discovered and have a revelation that God is NOT waiting to push me down the chutes of despair when I make less than holy choices. I'm glad I've discovered that God wants his children to be going from glory to glory and not up ladders and down chutes. I have a healthier view of myself and am reminded from Psalms 16:3 "As for the godly (the saints) who are in the land, they are the excellent, the noble, and the glorious, in whom is all my delight."

I'm glad that experience is NOT based on my own righteousness but ONLY by what Jesus has already accomplished for me by his death, burial and resurrection on Calvary. God has already judged the world and sees me just-as-if-I'd (justified) never sinned. He holds nothing against us so I don't have to wait for Him to feel the need to shove me down that slide. That IS GOOD NEWS!!!

But what about those problems we are all experiencing? Well, I want to challenge us today to ask God to give us His perspective of those problems.

If you have taken in the most rudimentary class on art, one of the first things they teach you either for painting, drawing or photography is perspective. There is the focal point of your work of art and there is the foreground and the background. When you begin your portrayal of your artwork you must choose what is called a vantage point. This to put it simply is from what advantage you want your focal point to be seen. Do you want your image to be show from a bug's eye view or a bird's eye view?

Well, the same is true when it comes to our problems. Good News! We get to choose our vantage point. God wants us to pray in the spirit and then expect to receive from him his perspective of the particular situation.

Jeremiah 33:3 says, "Call to Me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things, fenced in and hidden, which you do not know (do not distinguish and recognize, have knowledge of and understand)".

Are we viewing our problems from our earthly vantage point where the problems look looming and cast an ominous shadow upon us OR are we expecting to see this situations from where we are seated with Christ at the right hand of the Father in Heavenly places?

I'm also reminded of the scripture in Isaiah 40:31 But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] shall change and renew their strength and power; they shall lift their wings and mount up as eagles; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint or become tired.

Just this week I came across a great quote from Greg Laurie:

Small God--big problems. Big God--small problems.

It just that simple. We need to humble our selves or another word for humble is to agree with God's Word about who He is and who we are IN CHRIST. Do we choose to see our problems from our earthy vantage point OR mount up with wings like eagles and soar far above the storms of life? When we ask Him to give us His perspective on our situation then we can use our authority given to us by Christ (Matthew 10) to cast down the powers and principalities that hinder us from accomplishing God's will in our lives.

Enjoy this song by Chris Tomlin http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjxPG_mRHDs&feature=related
How big is your God? My God is Mighty to SAVE!!!!

Chutes and Ladders

2009-11-12T06:47:00.000-08:00

I want to paint a picture for you of how I viewed my spiritual walk previous to having the revelation of God's grace a love extended to me.

It was like two steps forward, ten steps back. I would do something to please God and then forget to pray or get lazy about reading the Word then I would feel like I had to pay God back to get back to the puny little amount of his favor that I thought I "deserved".

I would compare myself to others. Oh, I have taught Sunday School for over 20 years and this person over here can't take it for even 6 months. Or I would avoid doings some "spiritual" things because I compared my spiritual walk to another sister or brother. I would brag to myself about one act of service and put myself down about another.

I might enjoy serving in one area of the Church but then think how can that be considered service if I like it so it must not count toward getting God's favor... and on and on with such a works type mentality.

I knew I was saved by God's grace and would make it to heaven based on what Jesus accomplished but I thought I had to pray just so and read just so many chapters in the Bible or accomplish just so many acts of service before God would even glance my direction. I was two steps forward and ten steps back constantly and this way of thinking--this mindset--is what prevented me from living the life that God has called me to.

Remember that board game called Chutes and Ladders? I always wondered why I hated that game. It's because that's how I viewed life as a believer. I would do some good and sow some good seed and I would get something good. I would move forward on the board. Just a few more squares to go and I will get to taste victory! I'm getting closer to being noticed by the Holy God of Israel!!!

But then I spin the spinner and it causes me to land on one of those blasted chutes and I would slide down- down -down sometime right back to where I started. But I keep trying and striving and eventually I will make it to the top.

When I played this game with my little daughters I would feel so badly when they landed on the square that pronounced them doomed to slide down the wretched chute. It was another defeat! It was another seed sown that grew up and choked out the Word in their life. It was Satan coming to kill, steal and destroy because of some sin in their life.

This type of mindset is so prevalent in the Body of Christ. We have a very limited view of God's grace. We seem to have "saved by grace" completely figured out. But when someone is already born-again we tell them they must be 100% clean and stay that way for God to ever see fit to use them for his purposes. So we live our spiritual lives like the wretched game Chutes and Ladders.

But you are talking about the Law of Sowing and Reaping, you may ask.

Yes, I am. But didn't Jesus say that as long as the earth remained there would be sowing and reaping? Yes, but he also said in John chapter four that God would sow so that we could reap.

John 4: 37 & 38For in this the saying holds true, One sows and another reaps.³⁸I sent you to reap a crop for which you have not toiled. Other men have labored and you have stepped in to reap the results of their work.

God sent Jesus like a seed that we could reap the benefits! That is just too good and just too sweet! That sets us free from the law of sowing and reaping and sets us free from that cycle of going up ladders and sliding down chutes. WOW!!!!

I love what Jesus reminds us in John 17:23 "I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me."

Jesus is saying here that just as Jesus is loved by the Father, I am loved by the Father and because of what Jesus did for me--all of us-- that we are made perfect by what Jesus accomplished AND the world is going to see this as a fact. But we need to have a revelation --a deep conviction--that this is the truth in us.

Hey, this is such a rich topic, I'm going to expound upon my thoughts further in a few days. See you then!

Grace! My debt has been paid in full!!!!

2009-09-30T20:54:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking.

Let's suppose I took out a loan for a million dollars. Then I realize I have no possible way to pay this loan back within my life time. I struggle and strive to pay it back but the interest just keeps growing and I can't even touch the principle amount of the loan.

Then I find out that someone went to the bank and paid more to the bank what I owed them. In fact, that person paid my debt even before I was born knowing that I would need this gift bestowed to me. Well, that's good news!

I would be pretty silly to keep paying the bank, now wouldn't I? The bank can keep threatening me to pay but I just show them the deed of payment: PAID IN FULL!

Jesus paid in full what the Law of sin and death said I owed!

I would be pretty silly to keep letting the devil accuse me of sin since Jesus paid it in full!

I would be pretty silly to keep allowing the devil to rob me of what is rightfully mine since the debt is paid in full.

I would be pretty silly to not thank the Savior of my soul for paying in full the price of redeeming mankind from an eternal life away from God.

Isaiah 52:1&2
Awake! Awake! Clothe yourself in your strength, O Zion; Clothe yourself in your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city; For the uncircumcised and the unclean Will no longer come into you. Shake yourself from the dust, rise up, O captive Jerusalem; Loose yourself from the chains around your neck, O captive daughter of Zion.

Good news! God wants to bless you.

2009-09-28T16:29:00.000-07:00

Psalms 16: 7 I will bless the LORD who has given me counsel;
My heart also instructs me in the night seasons.

I don't know about you, but there are things that have been coming up that I need an abundance of wisdom. I'm so thankful that I don't have to beg and plead for our Abba Father to extend his wisdom in my direction. We are promised in Matthew 7 that our Heavenly Father would never give us a snake or a stone if we ask for a good gift.

Think about it, if your child comes to you and asks for something and it is within your power to give it to them, would you refuse? No way! I would be wanting to bless my child with any good thing they ask for. If they ask me what I should do if they are in trouble, I will gladly offer my assistance and even go to the ends of the earth to bring them comfort and save them from trouble. How much more would our Heavenly Father dispatch angels or grant us the request when we ask for His help?

I'm reminded of the prayer in 1 Chronicles 4:10, we read: "And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that Thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that Thine hand might be with me, and that Thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested."

That's the good news! God granted him that which he requested! Praising our wonderful God!!!

Our inheritance--includes healing

2009-08-31T05:51:00.000-07:00

In Psalms 16 (our theme for this blog for any new comers) in verse 6 we are given a perfect word picture. We are hedged in on all sides by God's goodness.

"The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Yes, I have a good inheritance."

Take some time and really think about or mediate what your inheritance is as a believer in Jesus. When you got "saved" or became a believer what came with the package?

Those who call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Acts 2:21

Definition of this word in verse 21.

to save, (SOZO SOTERIA) keep safe and sound, to rescue from danger or destruction

one (from injury or peril)
1. to save a suffering one (from perishing), i.e. one suffering from disease, to make well, heal, restore to health
2. to preserve one who is in danger of destruction, to save or rescue
to save in the technical biblical sense
1. negatively 1b
to deliver from the penalties of the Messianic judgment 1b
to save from the evils which obstruct the reception of the Messianic deliverance

I used to have a very limited understanding of what I was saved from. I thought saved meant saved from an eternity in hell. Because I didn't understand that the word for salvation SOTERIA includes salvation from the devil ripping me off, so I didn't recognize that I didn't have to allow the enemy to steal from me.

Now I take the time and find out what God's Word says about all the benefits of being saved. I now understand that Eternal Life begins the moment you are God's child and as sons and daughters of the Most High we have an blessed inheritance.

But aren't we expected to "suffer" as Christian? For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him Philippians 1:29

I too used to believe this meant to suffer from disease or sickness but this word for suffer. Although this word can include sickness it does not have to mean this. Look at verse 30 as well.

Verse 30 "since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have."

This word for struggle means:

an assembly,

a place of assembly: especially an assembly met to see games
the place of contest, the arena or stadium

the assembly of the Greeks at their national games

hence the contest for a prize at their games
generally, any struggle or contest
a battle
an action at law, trial

It becomes pretty obvious to us that this type of struggle or conflict that Paul is referring to is not from God but from the outside like the Romans feeding the Christians to the lions for entertainment. So this suffering does not come from God and should be resisted.

The enemy of our souls is like a roaring lion going around devouring those he sees as weak or uninformed about his or her inheritance. The Word of God says to submit to God, RESIST the devil and he will then flee from you. But WE have to do the RESISTING. ( 1 Peter 5:8 and James 4:7)

Psalm 19:14
May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

So I'm including this list of scriptures on healing so you can take some time (me too!) and mediate on God's Word to stir you faith to believe this is part of your inheritance in the Lord.

I also would challenge you to read aloud these scriptures over and over to yourself because we know the Word says that faith comes by hearing AND by hearing the Word of God. Do you know why that is repeated? (It seemed redundant to me for years) It is repeated because many of us have heard things that have caused "faith" in the wrong things.

Yes, you can have faith in the wrong things because you have been listening to the carnal things (just hearing all the ads for flu and cold season is a good example) So if we want faith in what God's Word says we need to HEAR that. See? Faith comes by hearing AND hearing the Word of God.

And said, If you diligently heed the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the LORD who heals you (Exodus 15:26).

So you shall serve the LORD your God, and He will bless your bread and your water. And I will take sickness away from the midst of you (Exodus 23:25).

And the LORD will take away from you all sickness, and will afflict you with none of the terrible diseases of Egypt which you have known, but will lay them on all those who hate you (Deuteronomy 7:15).

Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases (Psalm 103:1-3).

He also brought them out with silver and gold, and there was none feeble among His tribes (Psalm 105:37).

My son, give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart; for they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh (Proverbs 4:20-22).

He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:3-5).

That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses (Matthew 8:17).

Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness — by whose stripes you were healed (1 Peter 2:24).

How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him (Acts 10:38)

Setting the Lord before me --at ALL times

2009-08-19T10:56:00.000-07:00

^{Psalms 16:}⁸ I have set the LORD always before me;
Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.

I know this is the truth but when I choose to see the circumstances that are more real in this earthly realm then I stumble and can't see that the LORD is ALWAYS before me. I look at the circumstances and of course I cannot see that truth--the LORD is ALWAYS before me.

A song that rings in my heart...

I will not be moved!
I will not be moved!
I'm seated with Christ in heavenly places;
I will not be moved.
No weapon formed against God's people shall ever prosper
I want to be planted by streams of living water.

So I'm purposing to fix my eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of my faith. My faith is being made stronger as I fix my eyes on him and not my circumstances. My faith is growing because I'm listening to God's Word and hearing him speak to my heart even though my circumstances scream in my face. The Lord speaks to my heart.

Rick Manis (author of Fullness: Living Beyond Revivals and Outpouring) reminded us on Sunday that the enemy goes about as a roaring lion (lions walk on the earth) searching for whom he may devour. Where am I? Am I supposed to be walking around like the lion? The Word of God says that I'm seated (established and permanently secure) in heavenly places. The Word of God says that if I trust in the Lord that I can mount up with wings as eagles and soar above my storms.

Luke 12: 32
Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Going Through--See yourself walking in victory!

2009-08-13T12:00:00.000-07:00

I was so blessed this week to receive a new song from the Lord. It's about not staying where you are at (depression, sickness, financial lack, spiritual heaviness etc) and going through to the other side where God is leading. Don't give up! Don't sit and whine but rise up and speak God's Word and see yourself walking in victory!

Yea though I walk through...
Yea though I walk through...
I'm goin' through--
I'm goin through--

I'll mount up with wings as eagles
And soar above the storms in my life
No weapon formed against me shall prosper
The Lord's on my side.

Walkin' through the Valley of Dry Bones
A place no man wants to stay
The Lord says SPEAK unto those bones
Now I'm walkin' in victory!

Don't stay where you are at! Don't let the devil steal, kill and destroy your hopes and dreams to walk victoriously. You are a son or daughter of the Most High and as you learn to speak the Word and guard your tongue from speaking/planting evil seeds then you will start to see a harvest of FREEDOM, PROSPERITY, HEALTH, and PEACE.

Have you read my earlier post about the word salvation? Soteria meaning not just being saved in our spirit but also saved from sickness, saved from lack, saved from being molested by the devil. So fix your eyes on the author and perfecter of your faith and tell yourself, the Lord and the devil that you are GOING THROUGH!!!! Speak your faith and your doubt will shrivel up and die!

Why so downcast, oh my soul? Put your hope in God.

2009-07-28T20:45:00.000-07:00

We know that David encouraged himself in the Lord. He was in that dark cave with the despondent men who had very little hope in life. They were debtors and down on their luck. Later these discouraged souls become known as the mighty men of valor.

But why does it work? Why does encouraging yourself IN THE LORD help you overcome discouragement?

Well, first we should examine some ways of encouraging oneself in the Lord.

Praise: You knew that would be first. When you lift your voice to praise the Lord, it's nearly impossible to speak doubt. We can't say "Woe is me" and "Praise the Lord" in the same breathe. We have to choose whether we will lift up our faith or speak our problems. The Lord wants you to cry out to Him --of course we are His children--but He wants us to learn to speak His Word and believe we will see His answer. Speak this Psalm aloud and then tell me you don't feel encouraged.

Psalm 147

¹PRAISE THE Lord! For it is good to sing praises to our God, for He is gracious and lovely; praise is becoming and appropriate. ²The Lord is building up Jerusalem; He is gathering together the exiles of Israel.³He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds curing their pains and their sorrows.

Prayer: But we need to resist praying the problem. God knows the problem --since you told him twice last week. He wants you to start praying --or speaking -- the answer that's already written in His Word. Remember Job admitting that what he feared had fallen upon him. I want to speak what I want to come upon me NOT what I fear. Fears get more powerful as we speak them aloud. On the other hand, our faith can grow too. Remember Jesus teaching his disciples that the Word of God is like a seed.

Matthew 13:23
But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.

I desire to speak God's Word over my situation so that I can see my faith grow and not my fear. That type of prayer will encourage you.

We are reminded in Psalms 107
¹⁹Then they cry to the Lord in their trouble, and He delivers them out of their distresses.²⁰He sends forth His word and heals them and rescues them from the pit and destruction.²¹Oh, that men would praise [and confess to] the Lord for His goodness and loving-kindness and His wonderful works to the children of men!²²And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving and rehearse His deeds with shouts of joy and singing!

Your Expectation: Do you believe you will always live in a discouraged state with little or no hope? Or are you expecting the Lord to do something wonderful because you are His child and have the favor of the Most High?

Psalms 27: 13 I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD In the land of the living.

Life or death in the power of your tongue.
Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.

I want the fruit that produces life so I have to speak LIFE!

Okay, so getting back to my original question:
Why does encouraging yourself IN THE LORD help you overcome discouragement?

Because you are COMMANDING your soul to PRAISE the LORD. You don't give your soul any other choice. Like Nike--Just do it!

Listen to this song and speak the words to this Psalm aloud and then realize you COMMANDED your soul to PUT YOUR HOPE IN GOD!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=re6bhW-dQRM

Healthy boundaries--rejecting the fear of man.

2009-07-13T17:57:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to post this here as a reminder that we need to keep going back to the basics in our belief in God healing us from all our diseases and delivering us from the curse. Remember that we are working on knowing what is our boundaries with the enemy of our soul as well as healthy boundaries with our relationships as well. So this post is about both.

I came to realize not too long ago, that if it is written in the curses from Deuteronomy 28 then it does NOT belong to me or any believer because Jesus took ALL of the curse and I do not have to allow the devil to rip me off. This verse from Deuteronomy 28 describes what I was experiencing when I was dealing with constant, debilitating depression and severe anxiety.

Deuteronomy 28 28The Lord will smite (remember from Ps 16 that our sorrows are from sin and God wants the best for you) you with madness and blindness (I was spiritually blind to God's love for me) and dismay of mind and heart.29And you shall grope at noonday (I felt exhausted and constantly sleepy) as the blind grope in darkness. And you shall not prosper in your ways; and you shall be only oppressed and robbed continually, and there shall be no one to save you. (medication barely took the edge off my symptoms)

I noted in a previous post that when I saw this listed in the curses that I KNEW with 100% certainty that this curse was one that Jesus took for me and I would never again let the devil steal from me again when it came to my mental health and wholeness of my spirit. I am also reminded in the New Covenant in 2Timothy 1:17 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

Jesus said that he came to give us life and more abundantly and the devil is here to do his best to steal, kill and destroy in the believer's life. John 10:10.

So to explain, I was struggling with a fear that I had to keep dealing with over and over and I was discouraged that I could not just trust God and experience victory in this particular area of my life. I went to a very dear friend who prayed with me to overcome in this area of fear. It had to do with the fear of man(Proverbs 29 25The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever leans on, trusts in, and puts his confidence in the Lord is safe and set on high.) But let's just say it was one particular person and it affected my emotions and twisted my perspective of a relationship.

When I described to my friend how difficult this fear was for me, I noticed that my eyes would not meet her's when I tried to tell her about it. I was experiencing shame. I knew it was connected to fears that had begun in my childhood and God was doing something in my heart just by confessing to my friend my fear. (James5:15 And the prayer of faith will save him who is sick, and the Lord will restore him; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.16Confess to one another therefore your faults and pray for one another, that you may be healed and restored. The earnest prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available.) While she prayed for me, the Lord revealed to me how I could not look her in the eye and that was shame and whenever there is shame it is connected to the curse. If it is connected to the curse well, I know that does not belong to me.

That's when I spoke aloud (or confessed) that this shame does not belong to me and God has delivered me from all of the curse and Jesus accomplished everything needed to set me free from the condemnation of the law and sin and death that went along with that it. I was allowing my emotions to rule instead of recognizing that God's Word says I am set free from the law of sin and death.

Romans 8 1THEREFORE, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, who live and walk not after the dictates of the flesh, but after the dictates of the Spirit.2For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has freed me from the law of sin and of death.

So it's been about a week since praying with my friend and how I recognizing that God wanted me to deal with this fear and the shame that had latched itself to me. I recognized the truth of God Word and now I'm free from that fear of man and free from the shame that was connected. I am set free! God's Word has healed me and has set me free and delivered me from the curse of the law of sin and death. Hallelujah!

Indicator lights

2009-07-09T23:12:00.000-07:00

I was thinking about the indicator lights in my car. One came on the other other day that said that something was wrong with my fuel cap. Well, I wiggled the fuel cap and made sure it was tight but the indicator light stayed on until the next time I turn the car on. I guess I "fixed" it. LOL! But the light is only a clue that something might be wrong so I have to be sensitive to discover if it is worth taking the car in and spending big bucks to have it hooked up to the computer or just a weird thing with the sensor like it getting dusty or rattled loose from my bumpy road. I pay attention to those lights because it could be something serious that needs to be fixed right away so I can save my car from destruction or seriously expensive repairs.

We have indicator lights in our natural bodies, don't we? If we are sleepy in the morning and need an extra cup of coffee it might mean we should not have stayed up so late chatting on Facebook or watching that really great ballgame that went into overtime. That indicator might tell us to get our tushes to bed earlier. If we have a sore throat it might indicate to us that we need more vitamin C or eat better. When we step on the scale and we see the digits mysteriously rising higher and higher then we know we need to stop eating ice cream or those extra mashed potatoes like it's a staple to our diets. With the natural indicator lights if we don't pay attention to them our health will be in ruin in a short amount of time.

What indicator lights do we have in other parts of life like our relationships? If I'm having strife with my husband, it might be a signal that I have not been spending quality time with him and just doing things for myself. I need to pay attention when my kids are whining that I never play games with them or take them to the mall. (which I really do not like to shop but they do so I need to make an effort). If we are feeling like nobody likes us and everybody hates us then we need to exam how we have been nurturing our relationships or neglecting those same relationships.

Have we been overly critical? Are we finding that others are saying things about us that maybe are only a shadow of who we truly are? If we find this in our lives, it is possible that we have planted seeds of criticalness or not planting grace into someone elses life when they needed it most. This lack of grace is what we end up reaping when the harvest is ready to come back to us. These are indicators that we need to plant good seeds in our lives so we can reap good fruit and not bitter.

So what are some bitter fruits that we might reap and have to eat if we are not paying attention to what we are sowing?

Bitter fruit
A lack of forgiveness will cause us to eat bitter fruit. If we have some hurt come our way, we have a choice we can speak evil into our lives and bellyache aloud about what that person did to me or I can go to the Father and ask him to heal that hurt. While I'm healing, I don't keep picking at that scab. It will have to keep healing over and over instead of just healing up once and then there is scar that others can see until God has had a chance (it takes time) to totally give you new life in this area of your walk with Him.

Indicator lights might be: lack peace when that person is brought up in conversation, staying stuck in a "woe is me" type attitude, and a general fatigue in both physical and spiritual endeavors.

Repent of bitter fruit seed that you've planted and start speaking what God's Word says about a situation. Speaking the problem over and over is like eating the bitter fruit and replanting all those seeds from that fruit. It won't get better until you change the cycle.

Fruit of lack
If you feel you always want what you can't afford or have fallen into the trap of buying things on credit you may have inadvertently planted seed of lack.

We want something and dwell on it more than God's desires for us and eventually we will be eating the fruit of lack. Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desire of your heart. Don't turn this around...you don't get what you want by buttering up the Lord. You get HIS desires when you delight yourself in him. You will be a peace and live a satisfied life when you delight in the Lord.

Fruit of fear
Fear of man is a snare it says in the Word of God. When I feel fear, I try to ask myself if I have leaned toward putting my trust in a person rather than trusting fully on God. I will fall apart quicker than anything when I have been fearing what others think rather than what I know God thinks about me. God thinks I'm the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. He thinks I'm the head and not the tail. He thinks I'm more than a conqueror in Christ Jesus.

Indicators: working so others will like you or to "force" God to notice you and even love you. If we fear what others think we might have the fear of man more than fearing God. When we fear God it leads to wisdom. When we fear man it leads to eating the fruit that makes us feel driven to succeed when in God we are a success!

Fruit of complacency
A feeling like we are spinning our wheels in life and really not going forward. If we have become too comfortable where we are at then we will not take the risks that God intends for us to build up our faith. What is in your life that causes you to stay put in the boat and not want to get out and follow Christ. The feeling of dissatisfaction is actually a blessing in this case since it is the Lord trying to call you out of your comfort zone and press in after Him.

Dry and withered fruit

Let's face it. If we don't nurture the seeds that we've planted then we will have fruit that will not nourish us. We will have "good" fruit but just barely. We can eat it this season but not have any for the next and a famine in our spiritual life is inevitable. If we find our fruit is withered we can start planting seeds today that will produce a good harvest. We need to seek God to know what we are lacking for sweet abundant fruit. Maybe we are letting the enemy rip us off from some good fruit by what we are confessing. Maybe we believe that God wants us to be living abundantly but we keep saying things like, "I'm so sick and tired of dealing with these kids or this stubborn spouse". We are confessing fatigue and withered fruit. We might be believing for God to give our spouse a better job or a promotion with more pay but we keep speaking about all the negative that comes our way, "Life if just so unfair to us. My husband works so hard and no one ever gives him any credit!" When instead we should be saying aloud that we are blessed and highly favored and God is for us so who can be against us! Hallelujah God is good!"

Withered fruit can be season after season if we don't learn to speak God's Word and stop speaking our problems.

Cultivating Expectation

2009-06-15T22:55:00.000-07:00

I've been pretty excited about what God is stirring in my heart lately about prayer. The Lord has encouraged me to realize that my expectation is vital to my prayer life.

Today a family member was experiencing some undesirable symptoms related to the pollens in the field and backyard. Normally, I would have a lot of sympathy and pray for my loved one but this time I felt the Lord tell me to rise up and expect him to be healed when I speak forth his healing. I didn't worry so much about what I prayed but that I was expecting to see healing. I prayed and commanded the histamine levels to be balanced and the symptoms of allergies to cease in Jesus' Name!

Then I shared that God told me He was not concerned so much with how we prayed but that we should have an expectation that our prayer is answered. In the past I would worry about the right words to say or how to remember the exact phrase from God's Word. It's about expecting God to do what we pray. Not because we demand it but because it is His pleasure to answer prayer according to His Word.

My family member was feeling better in record time when in the past this type of seasonal allergy thing would cause problems for at least overnight and sometimes days. Wow! I hope I've stirred you to expect when you pray too.

Here are some key points that I've studied in God's Word that I hope encourages you too.

Spending time in the Word of God and renewing your mind (Romans 12:1) will cause you to develop more expectation when you pray. Sitting and soaking after you read the Word and purpose to expect to hear God's heart on the scripture you just read. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. Romans 10:17. That faith will cultivate expectation.
Taking time to pray in the Spirit and encourage your spirit man with things of the Spirit. Jude 20.
Remember that God is a good Father who gives good things to those who ask. It is God's great pleasure to fill you with His joy and fruitfulness. Psalms 16: 6 says you have a good inheritance in Christ.
Intimacy with God will give your heart confidence to know He is the one who tore the veil so that we could enter into His presence as a son or daughter of the Most High. You will come to understand that you are blessed and highly favored by God. As you worship, linger in the presence of God and thank Him that He created the Way to a relationship with Him. Confidence in your relationship with God in Christ will cause you to expect more and more in your prayer life. Hebrews 4:16 says to come boldly to the throne of grace. Developing an intimate relationship cultivates boldness.
Purpose to give thanks to God when you pray. Jesus said to believe you have received whatever you ask for in prayer. Since you have already received it, go ahead and give thanks for it. "Whatsoever things you desire, when you pray, believe that you receive them and you shall have them" (Mark 11:24).
The Word is God is like a seed (Luke 8:11) expect it to grow don't waver in your belief. Hebrews 10:23 says, "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful." Do not waver between faith and doubt. James 1:8 says not to be double-minded. Ask and expect to receive the answer! Knock and keep knocking knowing it will be opened up to you. Pursue and expect to find what you are seeking.
Submit to God's way of doing things and resist the devil and he will run from you. (James 4:7) In Jesus Name you have supernatural authority and you can expect God to back you up 100% of the time. You are a vessel of the Holy Spirit and as you continue to grow and understand who you are in Christ it will make a huge difference in what you expect when you pray and speak forth what God's Word says.

Thorns

2009-06-09T00:04:00.000-07:00

I had a short but intriguing discussion with a friend tonight about thorns and the thorn in the flesh that Paul mentioned in 2Cor 12:7 "...a thorn in the flesh was given to me..." My friend challenged me to consider that fact that a thorn in the flesh is something that we all deal with. I'm not sure we deal with the same thorn our entire lives but until we learn to totally submit this difficulty to God 100% of the time then we will struggle.

I will tell you I still struggle with feeling of depression and anxiety that come to devour me. I find myself taken off guard when I have not submitted my emotions to the Holy Spirit's protection. I sometimes think "I got it covered" and wham...pride...the fall...IT'S NOT A PRETTY PICTURE.

Let's look at some scriptures that talk about thorns. Maybe you would want to compare the thorn description to the roaring lions in my previous post. It might give you a broader understanding what God's Word says to us about walking in the Spirit and not in our flesh to walk out the Christian life. We can't do it in the flesh and that's just the way God planned it.

Hosea 2:6
“ Therefore, behold, I will hedge up your way with thorns, And wall her in, So that she cannot find her paths."

Her paths were that of a sinful lifestyle. The She mentioned was not one that sinned on occasion but made it her lifestyle. God will make sure that if we wander outside of His will then we will feel the affects of sin in our lives. He loves us too much to let sin just hang around without us feeling it. Imagine being hedged inside a beautiful rose garden. Roses are lovely but trying to squeeze out of the hedge we will feel the thorns scrape at us as a "gentle" reminder to get back where we belong. "There is NO GOOD THING beside or beyond and the thorns will reminds us before we get beyond His hedge. Ps 16:2

Matthew 27:29
When they had twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand. And they bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!”

Thorns are also seen here as part of the curse. Jesus became the curse so we would not have to suffer from the curse. Hallelujah!

Maybe a picture that what torments us is painful in the physical but also in our mind. Jesus took the thorns so we would not have to... Ponder this for a while. Don't forget to look at my post regarding "Working out your Salvation"

Paul wrote:
2 Corinthians 12:7
[ The Thorn in the Flesh ] And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure.

Messenger is same word as angel. It is sent by God. I think it is like the roaring lions. (See my post Thoughts on A Horse and His Boy) God allows things in the flesh to torment us IF we do not 100% of the time submit to God in an area of our lives. If we allow Satan a foothold then he has access to penetrate the hedge and come in and torment us. Eph 4:27 Leave no [such] room or foothold for the devil [give no opportunity to him].

Many times in the Old Testament thorns are seen as people or people groups that were "thorns" to the Israelites because they were not obedient to God.

Numbers 33:55
But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then it shall be that those whom you let remain shall be irritants in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they shall harass you in the land where you dwell.
Joshua 23:13
know for certain that the LORD your God will no longer drive out these nations from before you. But they shall be snares and traps to you, and scourges on your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land which the LORD your God has given you.
Judges 2:3
Therefore I also said, ‘I will not drive them out before you; but they shall be thorns in your side, and their gods shall be a snare to you.’”
Judges 8:7
So Gideon said, “For this cause, when the LORD has delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers!”
Judges 8:16
And he took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth.
2 Samuel 23:6
But the sons of rebellion shall all be as thorns thrust away,Because they cannot be taken with hands.

So I hope this give us a better understanding about thorns in our lives. They are not put there to punish but to remind us to submit to the ways of the Lord.

Instantly Healed or Working out Your Salvation?

2009-06-08T23:00:00.000-07:00

I wondered for quite some time why I was not instantly healed when I asked God to deliver me from depression and severe anxiety. I felt I believed God could heal me and wanted to heal me. I knew the Word of God said that "By his stripes I WAS healed". So when my healing was not instant it was a mystery to me. I went through a season (or two or three) of searching my heart to see if I was ignorant to sin in my life. I asked the Lord to show me if there was any bitterness that had started to take root that needed to be yanked up. After making sure of those issues, I just kept seeking God on healing.

It was about a year ago I heard that we are "working out our salvation..." I was certain this was not talking about salvation from sin since that is only by Grace but this must mean something else. I found that the answer was quite enlightening and freed me from some misunderstandings about healing.

Working out your salvation

Phillipians; 12: 2
Therefore, my dear ones, as you have always obeyed [my suggestions], so now, not only [with the enthusiasm you would show] in my presence but much more because I am absent, work out (cultivate, carry out to the goal, and fully complete) your own salvation with reverence and awe and trembling (self-distrust, with serious caution, tenderness of conscience, watchfulness against temptation, timidly shrinking from whatever might offend God and discredit the name of Christ).

Strongs: Soteria or Salvation

deliverance, preservation, safety, salvation

deliverance from the molestation of enemies
in an ethical sense, that which concludes to the souls safety or salvation
1. of Messianic salvation

salvation as the present possession of all true Christians

future salvation, the sum of benefits and blessings which the Christians, redeemed from all earthly ills, will enjoy after the visible return of Christ from heaven in the consummated and eternal kingdom of God.

^Rom13:¹¹Besides this you know what [a critical] hour this is, how it is high time now for you to wake up out of your sleep (rouse to reality). For salvation (final deliverance) is nearer to us now than when we first believed (adhered to, trusted in, and relied on Christ, the Messiah).

and verse 14

¹⁴But clothe yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah), and make no provision for [indulging] the flesh [put a stop to thinking about the evil cravings of your physical nature] to [gratify its] desires (lusts).

So working out your salvation is a process that we learn to not trust in our flesh but learn the Word of God and learn to know what He wants for His children as mature believers. And many times in the Word of God it tells believers to WAKE UP! Sometimes it takes years of mistakes and humbling our hearts to ask God to show us where we are messing up. Sometimes we just have to get to the point of being so tired of our misery to wake up and see that God has a better way.

It has not been very long and I have discovered that salvation is not just salvation from eternal separation from God. I grew up thinking salvation = saved from hell. I now realize that salvation is much more. It is equated with being redeemed or in other words Christ paid the price so I would not have to suffer under the curse that the Law dictated. Christ became accursed so I would not have to suffer with the curse under the Law.

The devil comes to kill, steal and destroy from God's people but if we realize we are not under the Law but under Grace then we will not allow him to ravage us with the things mentioned in Deut 28 in the list of curses. The blessings are your inheritance but the curses are fully paid for with the Blood of Jesus. Notice in verse 65 of Deut 28 " There the LORD will give you an anxious mind, eyes weary with longing, and a despairing heart." It should be settled in my heart that an anxious mind is part of the curse and I don't have to live under the curse. Hallelujah!

Deuteronomy 28

Blessings for Obedience

¹ If you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. ² All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the LORD your God:

³ You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country.

⁴ The fruit of your womb will be blessed, and the crops of your land and the young of your livestock—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks.

⁵ Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed.

⁶ You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out.

⁷ The LORD will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before you. They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven.

⁸ The LORD will send a blessing on your barns and on everything you put your hand to. The LORD your God will bless you in the land he is giving you.

⁹ The LORD will establish you as his holy people, as he promised you on oath, if you keep the commands of the LORD your God and walk in his ways. ¹⁰ Then all the peoples on earth will see that you are called by the name of the LORD, and they will fear you. ¹¹ The LORD will grant you abundant prosperity—in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your ground—in the land he swore to your forefathers to give you.

¹² The LORD will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. ¹³ The LORD will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the LORD your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom. ¹⁴ Do not turn aside from any of the commands I give you today, to the right or to the left, following other gods and serving them.

Read the list of curses after verse 14. If you find that one or more of them is attached to your life in some way, then you can know it is not from God but something the enemy is attempting to steal from you and rip you off from your inheritance. Don't let the devil rip you off!

Setting Healthy Boundaries

2009-06-07T13:47:00.000-07:00

From the Boundaries Book by Townsend and Cloud:

Test Your Own Boundaries!

Here are some thought provoking statements to help you test and challenge your existing boundaries and help you reset your boundaries where appropriate.

SETTING HEALTHY BOUNDARIES

I GIVE MYSELF PERMISSION:

· To make choices in my life beyond mere survival.

· To discover, get to know and allow God to challenge my boundaries.

· To grieve over and forgive the less than perfect parenting I received.

· To recognize and accept my own value system and follow my own standards.

· To say NO to anything I am not ready for or is unsafe or which violates my values.

· To have dignity and expect to receive respect.

· To make decisions in harmony with my boundaries.

· To determine and honor my priorities and not surrender control to others.

· To expect my needs and desires to be respected by others.

· To end conversations with people who make me feel put down or humiliated.

· Not to be responsible for the behavior of others.

· To empathize but not to be responsible for the feelings or problems of others.

· Not to be perfect or expect others to be perfect.

· To make mistakes and allow others to make mistakes without rescuing.

· To be honest and expect honesty from others.

· To acknowledge my own feelings, desires and needs.

· To be angry even with those I love.

· To be me without feeling I am not good enough.

· To feel scared and say "I am afraid".

· To experience and then let go of fear, guilt and shame.

· To change my mind and allow others to change.

· To be happy.

Stand Firm!

2009-06-07T13:22:00.000-07:00

In verse 8 of Psalms 16 it says I will not be moved.

It is so common place to allow ourselves to be wishy-washy in our decisions to have healthy boundaries with God and with others. The devil will try to use others to push our emotional buttons and get us to retreat back to the old standards. If we are not careful we could slip back into old habits and old heartaches if we do not constantly guard our hearts and not allow the enemy to steal the land that God has told us to conquer in His Name.

God wants you to stand firm:

In your marriage:
God wants the two of you to be in unity even if you can't agree 100% on a subject. Honor one another, respect the other person's viewpoint, pray that they will see the truth when you are certain that they do not yet see the truth. Do not try to bash them with the truth.

In your relationship with your children:
The goal is to teach our children about God and a relationship with Him. God is firm and loving with us. He does not let us have our own spoiled ways. He disciplines those He loves. He does not punish yet he allows circumstances to enter our lives as a result of sin. Teach your children that you will reap what you have sown. Watch what you say and teach your children to guard their tongue as well. There is life and death in our tongues and I want to eat good fruit not bitter, rotten fruit.

In your friendships:
Take a healthiness quiz on your friendships. Are you being a good friend? Are your friends edifying you or tearing you down? What happens when a long term friendship seems to bring both parties grief? Could setting healthy boundaries bring health to the relationships you have with your friends? If the other person does not seem to respect or understand you setting healthy boundaries you may need to set the friendship aside until you are healthier in your own sense of what is a healthy boundary in your life. Tell them in a loving way that you need to take a break from the relationship to re-evaluate some things in your life. Try to leave open a door like having coffee once a month or emailing. But if you do nothing then nothing will change.

In your extended family:
Remember your children are watching. How you allow yourself to be treated or how you treat others will become the legacy of the next generation. Try to picture your kids acting like you in 10 years with their in laws or with other family members. Is it a scary picture? It's not too late.

At work:
Are you allowing yourself to be a doormat at work. People respect the fact that others can articulate what they will and will not tolerate from a work relationship. If you dread working with a particular person you may need to bring this before the Lord and ask him for wisdom about how to set some healthy boundaries with your co-workers.

Ten Laws from The Boundaries book

2009-06-07T13:09:00.000-07:00

If you've taken my class you know that I highly recommend the Boundaries Book by Drs Townsend and Cloud and also their book called 12 "Christian" Myths that will Drive You Crazy: False Assumptions. I have read these books more than once and they have some solid principles that we all need to set healthy boundaries with people in our lives. Get it read it. Read it again.

The 10 Laws of Boundaries
An excerpt from the book Boundaries in Marriage
by John Townsend and Henry Cloud

1. The Law of Sowing and Reaping: Our actions have consequences.

2. The Law of Responsibility: We are responsible to each other, but not for each other..

3. The Law of Power: We have power over some things; we don't have power over others (including changing people).

4. The Law of Respect: If we wish for others to respect our boundaries, we need to respect theirs.

5. The Law of Motivation: We must be free to say no before we can wholeheartedly say yes.

6. The Law of Evaluation: We need to evaluate the pain our boundaries cause others.

7. The Law of Proactivity: We take action to solve problems based on our values, wants and needs.

8. The Law of Envy: We will never get what we want if we focus outside our boundaries onto what others have.

9. The Law of Activity: We need to take the initiative in setting limits rather than be passive.

10. The Law of Exposure: We need to communicate our boundaries to each other.

My hope is built on nothing less--God's Grace!

2009-05-27T22:33:00.000-07:00

I know it's pretty obvious that we are not going to bump into our brother or sister in Christ next week and have the following conversation:

"Hi Mary. Where are you going with that young heifer?"
"Oh Susan, I'm going to the pagan temple around the corner to offer this animal as a sacrifice so I can get my healing (or peace or joy or satisfaction in my family or recognition for my service etc)."
"But Mary, you know God's Word says that we are to stay clear of idol worship. We should only worship God. You know that Jesus paid the ultimate sacrifice so you would have total salvation and all your needs are met in Him."
"I know, Susan, but I have tried over and over again to get God to love me with all kinds of deeds like reading my bible and praying for the unsaved to come to him. I've fasted and given money to the poor and I've taught Sunday School and played the piano at every Wednesday night service for the past 7 years but nothing- NOTHING has caused God to bless me or take away my fears or heal my body. I'm trying the pagan temple since nothing else has worked."

Psalms 16: 4 Their sorrows shall be multiplied who hasten after another god;
Their drink offerings of blood I will not offer,
Nor take up their names on my lips.

This part of the Psalms 16 seems so much different than the rest of the 10 verses. It's different so you will pay attention and ask yourself what you have been offering to God to get him to bless you. What deeds have you been doing -religiously--in order to feel like you are measuring up to God's standards?

When you fall short of what you think God expects do you find a way to please Him? Are you bringing offering of blood--not Jesus' Blood-- to His alter? Jesus died a gruesome death and paid way above the cost for your sin and the sin of the whole world. You don't have to keep bringing offerings of your own efforts--in your own flesh --to get God to like you or love you or to bless you.

Are you trying to live out the Christian walk in your own efforts? I know I did for many, many years--decades in fact. I would religiously read my Bible but I was reading it to get points in my walk with God. If I missed reading my Bible I thought that was points against me. If I prayed for someone then I felt like God was bending his ear to me but rarely did I see answered prayer. One minute I pictured God the Father smiling at my actions and the next he would not glance toward my direction. I was offering my flesh, my own deeds, my own filthy rags rather than just thanking Him for the sacrifice already offered on my behalf.

We need to read the Word of God to get our minds renewed not to get God to like us. He loves us just the same as He loves His Son Jesus. Jesus who had no sin became sin so we who were sinful could exchange our sinfulness for His righteousness.

I'm a visual learner so try to picture this with me: It's like He is wearing a beautiful, shining, white robe and we are wearing a filthy, ragged, vomit soaked, blacken garment and just because of His GRACE we get to switch the robes and we are wearing the perfectly clean one and Jesus takes the shame. It's just that simple. I can't do ANYTHING to make myself clean. He did it ALL!

I am only righteousness because of what Christ has done. Romans 3:25

I have exchanged my filthy rags for His perfection. Philippians 3:3

I am seated with Christ in heavenly places. Ephesian 2:6

I have died, was buried and arose with Christ. Romans 6:4

When fear or pain or lack attacks me, I don't have to go and make sure I've prayed for 4 hours today or read 5 chapters in my bible. No, I just remind the enemy that the sacrifice of Jesus is what makes me righteous and I can go BOLDLY to the Throne of Grace knowing that my Father accepts me and will rise up and destroy my enemies.

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
Refrain:
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand

When darkness veils His lovely face,
I rest on His unchanging grace;
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.

His oath, His covenant, His blood
Support me in the whelming flood;
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my hope and stay.

When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh, may I then in Him be found;
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.

Refrain:
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.

—Edward Mote (1797-1874)

Knowing who you are so the enemy can't cross your boundaries

2009-05-20T22:03:00.000-07:00

Verse 3 of Psalms 16 gives us insight into God's opinion of His people.
As for the godly (the saints) who are in the land, they are the excellent, the noble, and the glorious, in whom is all my delight.

Does this verse in Psalms 16 sounds like something you've read before? How about when the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus at his baptism, "behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him."

God delights in us! He delights in us and wants to lavish his children with blessings.

What else does God's Word say about His children?

I am reconciled to God - 2 Cor 5:18
I'm a child of God - He is my Father - 1 Jn 3:1,2
I am Christ's friend - Jn 15:15
I am a fellow citizen in God's kingdom - Eph 2:19
I am born of God - 1 Jn 4:7
I have been brought near to Christ - Eph 2:13
I have direct access to God - Eph 2:18
I am a citizen of heaven - Phil 3:20
I am an heir of God - Rom 8:17
I am a joint heir with Christ - Rom 8:17; Gal 4:7
I am hidden with Christ in God - Col 3:3
I am blessed with every spiritual blessing - Eph 1:3
I am chosen of God - holy, beloved - Col 3:12
I am a partaker of Christ - Heb 3:14
I'm a member of a royal priesthood - 1 Pet 2:9
I'm redeemed and forgiven - Eph 1:6-8
I've been justified - made righteous - Rom 5:1
I died w/Christ to the power of sin - Rom 6:1-6
I am free from condemnation - Rom 8:1
I have received the Spirit of God -1 Cor 2:12
I have been given the mind of Christ - 1 Cor 2:16
I'm chosen and appointed to bear fruit - Jn 15:16
I have been crucified with Christ - Gal 2:20
I am called to do the works of Christ - Jn 14:12
I am a new creation - 2 Cor 5:17
I have been made alive with Christ - Eph 2:5
I have been given spiritual authority - Lk 10:19
I have received fullness in Christ - Col 2:10

If this is new to you and you have not come across any teaching previously that explains who you really are in Christ, I want to challenge you today to renew your mind with this scripture so that you can begin to know deep down that you are a new creation in Christ Jesus, that all things have passed away and all things are now new! You are not the old person being fixed up but a BRAND NEW creation that only can be accomplished by the work of the Holy Spirit.

Dear Father in Jesus' Name we ask that you would cement deep in our minds and hearts an understanding and wisdom to know who we really are in Christ Jesus. Open our eyes to the TRUTH of your Word that we are not 'ol sinners saved (just barely saved) by grace but that we are overcomers ready to go forth and bring the Good News to those who need to hear. Bring a deeper revelation to us of who we really are.

A song from Hillsong keeps ringing in my heart:

cuz the enemys been defeated
death couldnt hold you down
gonna lift our voice in victory
gonna make your praises loud (x6)

shout out to god with a voice of triumph
shout out to god with a voice of praise
shout out to god with a voice of triumph
we lift your name up
we lift your name up (x4)

Roaring lions--symptoms of being out of balance in our boundaries

2009-05-19T08:34:00.000-07:00

These are notes from my journal about a year ago. I was just starting to see some health in the area of my boundaries and I wanted to preserve how it feels to be out of balance so I could go back and review so I can stay within healthy boundaries for myself.

The ladies in my Bible study know I call these symptoms "Roaring Lions" since God will allow us to be so uncomfortable so we will run back to the safety of the hedge of the Kingdom of God. Righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit are "symptoms" of being within God's boundaries for us. When we are void of peace or joy then we can ask ourselves: Am I out of God's will? Am I allowing others to overstep my boundaries? Have I allowed satan to steal and destroy in my life because of my lack of knowledge about God's will for my life? Jesus said he came that I might have life and have it more abundantly so when I'm robbed of joy or peace or my health I know I can rightfully pursue what is mine and demand that satan relinquish what is rightfully mine.

Roaring Lions--
feeling out of balance
--yo yo feeling of going from being super busy to shutting out the whole world so you can be at peace
--you are wishy-washy one minute on disciplining kids or the next time you are way over the top being punitive or harsh
--changing your mind from day to day about what will bring you joy and peace
--someone in your life just can't take the drama any longer...
--
living life from mountain top to valley
--joy is constant and happiness is a choice.
--what are you speaking aloud to your spirit?

emotions like a pendulum
--you are considering yourself a coo coo clock of emotions. Very happy to very depressed within a 48 hour period.
family members taking you for granted
--you are overwhelmed with too much responsibility and no one seems to notice
--you said yes, yes, yes, yes, NO! and your head popped off
--you felt guilty about saying no and changed your mind the next hour.
--you said yes but felt very taken advantage of...no one can take advantage of you if you don't let them
feeling anxious for no good reason (the out of the blue type of anxiety)
--panic attacks while doing everyday normal activities
--avoiding normal activities for fear of having an anxiety attack
stuffing feelings or feeling raw years after forgiveness has taken place
--stuffing feelings are still there--deep and building pressure
fearing people and what they think over what God thinks
--you say yes, because if you say no then they will be disappointed and then you will feel so guilty that you will have to say yes, double next time
--what does it mean to fear God?
needing to learn to say no and sticking to it
--you can learn to say no. It does not hurt as much as saying yes, and falling flat on your face by being out of God's will
being motivated by guilt
--allowing others to control you with guilt is turning your back on what God intended for you to do
--learn to break the torment of rejection in your life
--letting others cry out to God and you not having to be their savior
--no joy, no peace and tired all the time
--So tired of being so tired?
fearful of reaching out to minister
--after years of saying yes and being miserable you go out of balance the other direction and fear helping anyone because you fell flat on your face out of God's will
wrong thinking that pervades normal thought process--not taking captive every thought...
--equating God's love with doing. Thinking the Father wants you to do every good deed that comes your way
feeling like if you are not "kind" then you are a failure as a Christian
--being kind is not always kind--you can cripple people by always doing for them.
depressed and can't function normal everyday activities
--you've reached critical melt-down and it will now take a clean up of mass production to make you whole again.

Where to start?
--getting a healthy view of God the Father
--renewing your mind with the Word of God
--repenting of not seeking Him and His will first
--daily asking God for wisdom about what you should be apart of
--stop living on what worked last season of your life
--fueling up--God's Word as meat Cake is sweeter but only has value for a minute but meat will sustain your body and give you the energy to complete what God desires

Missing a dear friend--what Jeff taught me about healthy boundaries

2009-05-19T05:51:00.000-07:00

It was 10 years ago this month that Jeff's mother called to tell me that he passed into eternity. I was so shocked that I must have seemed insensitive to his dear, sweet mother. I just assumed that since so many were praying that she had called to tell me he had received his new heart and was recovering in Norfolk, VA where he was in the hospital. I was shocked that he was actually in the presence of the Father.

I think one of the reasons Jeff and I got along when we were in college was that I was pretty ignorant to the fact that he was even ill. The signs were there but his attitude was so amazing that honestly I didn't think about a heart defect but only that Jeff was one of the strongest persons I knew and when he decided to go after something there was no stopping him. "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" was not only one of his favorite scriptures but also his motto in life. He loved learning something new every week and I used to joke around with him that his resume was going to be as thick as the Detroit phone book by age 25.

I would actually be annoyed with him when I said this but I didn't understand that he knew that his days on earth were not like mine and he needed to fulfill what God called him to and he didn't have 80+ years to accomplish this task. So when he heard God say do this or that, he didn't wait for much confirmation but just jumped in and did it. He may have had a bit of a work-a-holic thing going on but his motives were not to get rich (he was always giving stuff and his money away) but to bless others and bless God.

If you wanted to annoy Jeff all you had to do was tell him to slow down and enjoy life a little. I may not have understood it at the time but he was enjoying life -- just not slowing down to do it. I'm a little embarrassed now about the times I attemped to fit Jeff into my ideal friend who would just stop and smell the roses. He didn't have time for roses and made that abundantly clear. So I smelled the roses for him.

He did however have time for worship. That was the only time I ever saw him sit still. He entered into praise and worship with the same passion as he did his work and making all the behind the scences stuff work perfectly. He knew that people would give compliments to the worship team or the performers at on the stage during the public radio and tv presentations but he knew that the reality was that he made them sound better by his skill. No one else knew that. Jeff knew that God appreciated his skill.

So when Jeff entered into worship of the Most High, he did it knowing that only his best was good enough. He said if you're not going to do your best then don't do it at all. This attitude was especially true when he worshipped his Savior. So it's not hard for me to imagine him singing right now, "Worthy, worthy worthy is the Lord God Almighty!" He didn't talk much about being sick so I can't tell you what his views were on healing but I know he didn't use his lack of healing as an excuse not to pursue the heart of God.

Since this blog is about how to pursue healthy boundaries, I will reflect on what I learned from Jeff about being strong and doing what God has called us to do even when the circumstances seem impossible. I think if he could have done it over again he would not have worried at all about the small stuff and would tell us that most everthing is the small stuff. Don't worry if someone doesn't like you. Don't worry if people get annoyed. Don't worry if others don't understand your calling or your gifts and abilities. Don't worry if you have to say no to someone who is demanding all your attention. They will get over it. Do what you know is God's will. Do stop and worship. Do stop and take time to encourage others to follow after God. Do everything with passion or don't do it at all. Do put God first in everything you do.