Energizing You to Intimacy with Daddy God

Forgotten Baggage

2012-01-28T20:30:00.000-06:00

I can't seem to help it. I guess its the way I am. Been like this for years... I'm COLD! My body's thermostat runs on "chilly mode" most of the time but the heat rarely seems to kick in. (It doesn't help I spend a lot of time consuming frozen fruit smoothies and frozen fruit cups!) I dress in layers and frequently sport a crazy-cool gadget to help warm me up.

The gadget was a gift from my sister a few Christmas's ago. It's a long, narrow, fabric encased bag filled with cherry pits. You microwave it for 2 minutes on 100% power and ta-dah! It's a toasty warm goodie bag to defrost your chills almost instanteously. I often drape this thing around the back of my neck so the heat can radiate through my shoulders, neck, and back. Ahhh, I use this thing OFTEN and it is so wonderful!

Today was no exception to using this treasure. Winter days surely warrant the pit-filled jewel. I warmed the pits, let them warm me, and carried on about my business. I was oblivious to this bag for nearly the next hour. Suddenly I realized the cherry pit bag was still resting on my shoulders. It had long since lost its heat. It was doing me no good anymore, just weighing me down - though it took awhile for me to see it.

I see a parallel between this incident and our own journey through life. We walk with burdens we become accustomed to carrying. At some point we took this "stress" on and never stopped to take it off. We press on from day to day unaware of this forgotten baggage. We get so swallowed up in it we forget there was ever another way. Our spirit feels burdened and our soul feels weighted down. We just keep going on as is. We acclimate to this weightiness and seem to unknowingly accept it as our "comfortable", though uncomfortable, normal.

In John 10:10 Jesus says "the thief (the devil) comes to steal, kill, and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly."

Abundant life may not be completely problem-free, but it also doesn't entail forgotten, back-breaking baggage either. We know in Christ we have the victory.

Matthew 11:28 holds the instructions Jesus gave: "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest."

I challenge you today with this:

Have you self-checked some bags on this journey?

Anything being transported on your shoulders you had long-forgotten you were carrying around?

Baggage fees DO exist here - it will cost you - it will cost you big time if you don't release these to Jesus.

Spend some time with God on this.

Give Him your attention and let Him literally take the load off of you.

Freedom is part of the definition of the abundant life Jesus described in the verse above.

It's high time you realize not only how heavy you'd been but now how free you've become.

Lasting Impact

2012-01-18T10:50:00.000-06:00

Another wintry morning. The frigid air keeps some of yesterday's snow around despite the glistening sunshine. Regardless of what's happening outside, it's cozy inside. It's the perfect time to sit with God and praise Him for all His goodness! He is such a good, good Father! Hallelujah!

Let's talk today about the lasting impact we have on the people around us. Going through "normal life" can make us feel rather insignificant in the big scheme of things. Yet, this week I've realized how much we impact the people around us just by being "us". Let me explain.

I went to the eye doctor this week. I was shocked to learn it had been nearly two years since my last appointment - wow! I didn't realize I was so overdue for a check up. One of the office staff was assisting me after my eye exam to try on a new brand of contacts the doctor recommended. I was blown away when this woman rattled off my old address and asked if I still lived there. I looked at the paperwork on the desk and saw that it listed my updated address from our move last February. I told her I had moved nearly a year ago but had in fact previously lived at the address she mentioned.

How did this woman know my previous address if it was nowhere listed on my file? I had to know, I had to ask - this just seemed too weird. She said she recognized both my name and my face. Really? I'm sure she's seen hundreds of patients the past two years. How did she remember me from our brief interaction 20 months ago?

I was stunned by this.
I've spent some time chewing on it and here's what I've gleaned:

We leave a lasting impact on the people around us, even the ones we interact with in the simplest everyday circumstances and appointments. We are constantly influencing people whether we realize it or not. What are we leaving them with? What is the lasting impact our lives have on them? Do they see hope? Do they find joy after an encounter with us? Do they feel uplifted and encouraged? Do they feel loved and significant?

Only God fully knows how our lives are impacting the people we encounter in person, by phone, or computer on any given day. Let's challenge ourselves to leave a Kingdom-impact so the love and glory of God is released into those around us.

Kingdom-impact remains long after our interaction has passed and faded.

Christmas Time: A Call To Worship

2011-12-19T10:24:00.000-06:00

I sit listening to Christmas songs this morning in my quiet time with God. Well, not only listening, I’m worshipping too.

I realize this year more than ever before, these are not simply “carols.” They are God-breathed, divine inspired songs of worship. We are not merely celebrating the “most wonderful time of the year.” We are offering our whole hearts in thanksgiving and praise for what God did at Christmas. We are nothing without a Savior. We are nothing without our King of Kings. We are lost and purposeless, doomed for eternity had that baby not been born.

God parted with His most beloved possession, His perfect Son Jesus, on Christmas. Do you know how hard that must’ve been for Him? For both of them actually. Jesus left the paradise and perfection of heaven to join man on earth to redeem mankind forever. Jesus was willing to bring His heavenly reign to earth - no small sacrifice. Nor was the Father’s separation from Jesus a simple task. But their love for us is so great. Their love for us is so great. Their love for us is beyond measure. It’s the epitome of selfless, unconditional love. They didn’t do it just for those who already loved God. They did it for every man, woman and child who would ever be born into this earth for the rest of time. That is love. To die for ones yet to come, to die for ones who will never accept you, to love them so much you’ll die for ones who have yet to love you in return. That is unconditional love.

This is the story of Christmas. It is from this deep love we celebrate our Savior. It is with grateful hearts we praise God for how Christmas changed the course of history. It is out of adoration we will sing the Christmas songs this season. They are not merely entertainment, or melodies to get our spirit in the festive mood. They are expressions of the love we have for our Father God who will go to any measure to demonstrate His love for us.

Let your heart worship this season.

Join the chorus not only by mouth, but with your entire being: body, soul and spirit.

We have so much to celebrate.

Thank you Father.

Thank you Jesus.

Thank you Holy Spirit for the experiential revelation of Christmas.

Greater Clarity

2011-12-02T13:53:00.000-06:00

I had an epiphany this morning. It feels noteworthy enough to share. I'm finding more and more that God speaks to me through everyday life stuff. A seemingly ordinary circumstance happens... but Holy Spirit enlightens me to a spiritual truth to learn through the illustration. Thank You God for encountering us in the simplest of places - life. Hearing from God doesn't mean the angels appear with trumpet blasts while singing Alleluias. Today He spoke to me through the dirt on my glasses.

I started my day by opening the blinds on the living room windows. I love letting the sunlight in first thing. Dark rooms and I don't get along well. Even though its a blustery morning and not a ray of sun could been seen from my house, natural light still poured in. There's always Light to let in, even when circumstances try to tell you otherwise.

As light danced around the room, I suddenly become aware of the small smudge on my glasses. Yuck - that's annoying! As I gazed around the room I realized there was lots of dust on my lenses as well. If you wear glasses you know that anything on the lenses follows you wherever you look and distracts from the picture you see. (This will sound weird to you if you're blessed with perfect vision and haven't experienced glasses before. God bless you!)

It's interesting the dust and smudge on my lenses didn't bother me in a dark room. The greater awareness came when I let the light in. Suddenly the filth my glasses were toting around became unbearable. I raced for the cleaning cloth - I couldn't stand to look through those tainted lenses any longer.

The same is true for our spiritual condition. The more we let the Light of Jesus into our lives, the more we "see" around us and in us. The deeper the friendship we develop with God, the more unsettling dirt in us becomes. We long to be clean and pure as Jesus is. His Light exposes impurities in us He wants to change.

The Holy Spirit empowers us to "see" the dirt and smudges in our hearts and minds. Thankfully He doesn't stop at this point of conviction. God's grace flows through the Holy Spirit and enables us to overcome the impurities in us. Hallelujah!

Here's the question we should be asking ourselves:
Am I as sensitive to when my spiritual lenses get dirty as I am to the grime on my physical glasses?

That devil is Relentless

2011-11-11T15:14:00.000-06:00

I'm amazed at the energy the devil has. It's like he and his demons are constantly hopped up on 5 hour energy. His persistence and endurance seem relentless. I just looked up what relentless means to be sure it was a good fit for that statement. It means oppressively constant. Yes, perfect word choice to depict the attacks and accusations he continuously thrusts at us.

I'm not trying to compliment the devil here. I'm not making the devil bigger than he is. I'm sounding the alarm so we can be prepared for his seemingly tireless pursuit to torment and accuse us, even when we're right in the center of the will of God. Especially then, actually.

Let me explain. God has been encouraging me to step out more boldly lately. Though its unfamiliar territory, I love it! The Kingdom of God is meant to be presented and extended way beyond church walls.

I am now often prompted by the Holy Spirit to step out and bless others with a message from God as I go about my everyday business. It's exciting He wants to use my voice as His voice. After all, we are His hands and feet on this earth. (He desires to use you, too! You simply have to say "Yes Lord.")

Yet, the devil wants desperately to keep you from reaching out and taking risks to advance God's Kingdom. The devil prefers us to be silent, passive people. However, we must remember who we are. We are the sons and daughters of the Most High God. We are Christ's ambassadors - we are His representatives here. Jesus didn't keep His mouth shut... keeping the love, power, and miracles of the Kingdom of God only to Himself. We aren't supposed to either. In John 14:12 Jesus tells us that we will do even greater things than He did.

What I'm finding is we feel guilt and shame when we don't do what God prompts us to do. That can be a mixture of conviction (from Holy Spirit for disobeying) and condemnation (from the devil to make us feel like a failure).

What has surprised me is this: Even when we obey and do exactly what God has told us to do, the devil still pushes himself into the picture and harasses us.

You may be unclear on what I mean here. Let me illustrate. Have you ever done something you knew you were supposed to do, only to be tormented by thoughts that you didn't do it right, didn't do it good enough, should have said this/that instead of what you said, etc.

Do you read me here? Are you following me? Can you relate?

The devil's accusations are oppressively constant (relentless). His full time job is to accuse and harass us. The good news? We have much more power than he does. The power of Christ living in us and the fact that we house the Holy Spirit's presence enables us to be overcomers.

We must stand on truth (knowing we did our best to obey God), meditate on and repeat Scripture as our weapon against evil, and praise God that we do not have to accept the fiery darts from the enemy. The devil never wants us to feel good about ourselves. The devil wants to steal the joy we receive from obeying God. But God desires us to feel satisfied and complete in His presence.

Don't take on the devil's relentless accusations as your own thoughts. Discern them as lies and discard them as garbage. Send 'em to the dumpster where they belong. The devil's accusations only have power over us if we choose to agree with them.

I'm Not Who I Was. Are You?

2011-10-12T12:51:00.000-05:00

I'm not sure where to even begin. It's like coming back from vacation - you have so much to tell you don't even know where to start. Though I've taken a year off this blog, my writing continued behind the scenes where God inspired, taught, strengthened, and convicted me in His Presence.

I know my understanding of God is deeper now than before. My comprehension of who I am and who I'm becoming is clearer in this season than any other time. I trust God is nearer to me now than days gone by. I feel His presence. I sense His heart. I am overwhelmed by His mercy. I'm captivated by His love. I've caught His vision for my life. It feels good.

It wasn't until I sat and reflected on the past year that the above statements surfaced in my heart. In the natural realm, becoming a mom has dramatically challenged my alone time with God. The first many months I felt I was losing ground spiritually because all time and attention seemed spent on baby. Yet, looking back, I see multiple spiritual breakthroughs that occurred in that same season.

Even when it doesn't feel like it inside of us, God is always up to something in the lives of His children. If we focus on every brush stroke of daily life, we may not see it. It's when we lift our eyes within the gallery that we sense another masterpiece is in formation.

Can you evaluate your walk with God over the past year?
Where did it start - where were you spiritually a year ago? Where has it come to?
What depth does your intimacy with God now have?
What were the milestones along the way?

Often times we don't get a good grasp of what God is doing within us at the moment. It's not until we look back and see where we used to be that we realize how far He's brought us. I like Brandon Heath's lyrical line, "I'm not who I was." So true. I know I'm not. Are you?

It's inspiring when we see the work of God evidenced in our lives. Day by day it feels as though nothing dramatic or transformative is happening. But from heaven's perspective, glorious work is being done, even on the most mundane of days. I see an example of this as I look at my son, now approaching his 1st birthday. Somehow he became a little boy when I wasn't looking. It's hard to remember he was just a 6 pound bundle not that many months ago. Though I literally watched the transformation happening before me, its magnitude didn't settle in until I recently paged through his baby pictures and compared where he started to where he is now.

What's your response to the progress He's made in you? It may not feel complete yet, you may not yet be where you want to be or need to be. That's okay. I'm not there yet either. Celebrate the journey. God delights in small beginnings (Zech 4:10, NLT). Thank Him for what He's up to. Trust He always finishes the work He begins. Believe this is going somewhere fabulous. Thank Him you're not who or where you used to be! He's going deeper. It feels so right.

I'm Back!

2011-10-07T17:00:00.000-05:00

Hello again! Oh how my heart has missed this blog. I can't believe its been over a year since my last post. We'll call my absence an "extended" maternity leave! Prior to October 2010, I had no idea how having a child would dramatically shift every angle of life - permanently. Children bring new and deeper meaning to life. Children mature us and enhance our perspective. Children show us what unconditional love really is. Children model the childlike faith Jesus wants from us.

My absence from the blog doesn't mean I took the year off from God. Rather, He's been sharpening me and growing me in ways only He can do. He is so faithful! I look forward to sharing these insights with you in the days ahead. Ah, it feels so good to be back. I love connecting with the Lord through writing. I love connecting your heart with His heart through writing. I hope Daddy God blows His Holy Spirit wind over your heart and awakens you to your destiny as you come alongside me on this journey!

Moving forward, I plan to update this blog every Wednesday or so. I cherish sharing what God is pulsing on my heart from His. Check back often and enjoy the archives of past revelations. I'm so thankful our adventure with the Lord never runs out - He has an eternity's worth of mysteries to show and reveal to us about Himself, His Kingdom and His plans for us.

Join me in His Presence, it's the best place you could ever be!

God: Outside of Time

2010-10-04T19:47:00.000-05:00

I've recently learned more about the aspect of God as an Eternal being. The Hayford Bible Handbook puts this vast concept into simple terms: "Eternity refers to God's relation to time. Past, present, and future are known equally to Him." (References- 2 Peter 3:8 and Rev. 1:8)

God sees it all. And all at once. Nothing is hidden from Him, nothing surprises Him. As overwhelming as that sounds to us, it is perfectly suited to God's limitless character. He holds time in His hands.

You've likely heard God was eternal before reading this post. Yeah, me too. What I hadn't realized before was the value God's eternality adds to His Words, promises and plans.

Hear me out on this. Listen to what God's Word says about God's words:

Isaiah 55:11 "So is my word that goes out from my mouth: it will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." (NIV)

Understanding God's eternal attribute enforces this verse.

How can we be confident He will do what He says He will do?

How can we fully put our trust in His words and promises?

How can we know His words will accomplish what they're supposed to?

Because God is outside of time. He sees it all. As He speaks to you something that is to come, or leads you forward toward what's ahead, it is because He's already been there. It's because to Him the future has the same value and revelation as the past, as well as the present.

There are no mysteries to God. There is nothing left unrevealed before His throne. He is outside of time. He lives it all and all at once.

When He speaks promises of what's to come in your future, believe it. When you read His Word adn see the promises for you to claim today, believe it.

Isaiah 55:11 shows us His words do not return empty. No word of God is ever wasted. That's because His Words testify to what He's already created, the future He's already seen unfold. We can be confident every word declared by the Spirit of God is truth because it declares what God sees is to be.

What in your life has God spoken of but you have not yet seen?
Are you losing confidence or gaining faith that it will come to pass?
How do you describe the timelessness of God eternal?
Explain the significance God being outside of time has had on your daily walk with Him?
How has this impacted your level of trust in His Words and promises?

How Big is Your Trust?

2010-09-06T11:24:00.000-05:00

Trust.

A simple word, right? Despite it's surface-level simplicity, it's packed with more challenge, emotion and responsibility than most words in our language.

Trust takes faith.

It requires surrender.

It demands relinquishing our control in submission to God's plan.

It's believing beyond what we can see.

I read 1 Kings 17 this morning. I enjoy the details of Elijah more and more each time I venture to this part of the Old Testament. But today wasn't about Elijah. It was the unnamed widow that spoke deeply to my soul.

1 Kings 17:7-24 chronicles a magnificent story. Despite its impact, we know the characters only as Elijah, the widow at Zarephath, and her son. Her name is less important than her testimony. Listen closely.

This woman was in the midst of a severe drought (the one Elijah prophesied in verse 1 to King Ahab). She had few provisions left for her and her son to survive on. In fact, this particular day she would use the rest of her supply. She was prepared to die - there seemed no other option.

Isn't it like God to show up powerfully in our darkest hour with His glorious glimmer of hope? Sometimes our faith is tested to the eleventh hour, but victory is waiting on the other side. We need only to TRUST AND BELIEVE Him for it, no matter how unlikely His plans may sound.

As the widow was out gathering sticks, Elijah approached her and asked for water. This didn't seem so bad, she went to get it for him. But then Elijah asked the unthinkable. "And bring me, please, a piece of bread" (vs 11).

She replies with sheer honesty. There's no hiding the desperate situation. Doesn't this man know how scarce things are? She explains she has only enough for her son and herself to have their final meal before death.

Elijah doesn't sound surprised, nor alarmed. He responds to her saying, "Don't be afraid..."

Didn't Elijah see the hopelessness of this situation? No. Far from it. He'd already been promised by God that a widow would supply him with food. God directed him to this woman, to make provisions for him through her (vs 9).
Elijah trusted God at His word.
There was no reason to fear, no reason to doubt.

The woman listened to Elijah's instructions and reasoning. Verses 13-14 dialogue the promise of provision God would release upon the woman if she would provide for Elijah's needs first. "The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry..."

The widow faced a fork in the road. What would she choose?
Perhaps she really had nothing to lose. Either she died after eating the last bread or she'd die after feeding it to this visitor, right? Isn't that how our mind would rationalize it?

That's what living by our circumstances would tell us. But maybe there's more here than our natural eyes can see. When we look at this widow through the eyes of our heart, we see trust. We see belief. We see faith and confidence placed in the Word of God rather than in her earthly situation.

She stepped beyond herself. She took God's promise of provision into her spirit. Though it made no sense to receive more by giving away, "She went away and did as Elijah had told her" (vs 15).

Hallelujah! This demonstration of trusting God is huge. We must not overlook its magnitude. We cannot chalk it off to a familiar story. This widow was real. The situation was desperate. But by giving all of herself away to God's cause first, she stood to gain the most. And that she did.

Her trust in God was rewarded:

"The jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry" (vs 16).

How is God asking you to trust Him in your life?
What's been your response?
Are you truly believing Him for the best, no matter what He requires of you?
Will you ask for grace to live each day by faith, not by sight?

Devoted to What? Part 2

2010-09-01T09:49:00.001-05:00

Devotions.
Devotional time is more than just reading a 90 second spiritual blurb as you rush on to other things. God wants our devotional time to be truly devoted to Him, in body, soul and spirit. It should be a time where you can praise His name for His goodness and love. A time where you can offer your adoration and seek greater revelation from the King of Kings.

Don't let that intimidate you.

God is not about formality. He's about fellowship.

What He desires is that you show up to encounter His presence with a willing heart and an open mind.

So just how do you do it? How do you transition your quick morning/evening devo into a more intimate time with your Father God?

Go beyond the pages of your devotional and talk to God as a friend. Have a conversation with Him. That's the relationship He longs for with you: a personal one.

Get to know Him. Invite Him in to where you are. Tell Him how special He is to you. Devote your time and attention to thanks and praise, not just your wants and needs.

Psalm 100:4 "Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him and praise His name." (NIV)

Jeremiah 33:3 "Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know." (NIV)

Devotions can be as simple as putting on some praise music and proclaiming it to God while you relax with closed eyes, meditating on His goodness.

It can be as unstructured as speaking things you're thankful for: for who God is, what He's given you, how He's moving in your life, etc.

Devotions can be reading through Scripture. He speaks to us and reveals Himself to us through His Word. Ask the Holy Spirit to open the eyes of your heart to understanding these precious truths.

It can be offering prayers to God.

However God leads you to fill this special time will be a blessing to both you and God. It's not something to rush, it's not something to do out of obligation.

God wants us to have hearts that desire Him. That is true devotion.

Devoted to What? Part 1

2010-08-25T17:01:00.000-05:00

Devotions.

What does that word mean to you?

Many of us have been taught or brought up to grasp a significance for daily devotions with God. This is often accomplished through reading a daily devotional out of a devotion book or some sort of publication. Devotions are generally a short segment of truth, centered around a particular Scripture that concludes with a simple and concise prayer.

There's nothing wrong with these. There are many beautiful resources available. But last night I was suddenly struck with divine insight that many of us misinterpret devotions to being an activity that really isn't devotional at all. Let me explain.

According to www.m-w.com (Merriam Webster), devotion means:

"religious fervor; an act of prayer or private worship; the act of devoting (time, energy, etc); the state of being ardently dedicated and loyal."

The site listed affection, attachment, passion and love as synonyms to devotion.

Is your devotion time typified by the depth of the above dictionary descriptions?
How close does what you call devotions come to what the word actually means?

Years ago, I did have daily devotions, but it didn't scratch the surface of actually being passionate and worshipful towards the Lord (as we read in the definitions above). It was generally reading a quick blurb while I had my head upside down using the hair dryer. I was cramming God in the middle of my morning routine of getting ready. Can you say time management?!?

I was determined to "fit God in" because I knew it was important to take time for Him every day. But I wasn't taking quality time. My devotions weren't really giving Him my devotion at all. Are you following me here?

I'm sure God was delighted I picked up that devotional booklet each day. I'm also sure He longed for much more than I was giving Him in those seasons.

In our daily time with God, He wants our hearts. He wants our full attention. He wants our focus. He wants our energy, thoughts and praise. He cares less if we read a formal article or pray a specific prayer to start/end our days. He is longing for our fellowship. His desire is for us to want Him as a friend, as a Father God who will be our comfort, joy, love and triumph in every aspect of life.

He simply wants to be with us and us with Him.

I challenge you to evaluate your devotion time. Take time to think this over and allow God to show you what your current attitude/approach is and what He would like it to become.

Do you have regular time established in your schedule for expressing true devotion to God?
Has devotions for you become a "have-to" instead of an "I want to!"?
Do you cram devotions/prayer in among other things just to make you feel better because you did it, all the while you were really giving yourself fully to it?
Is fellowshipping and resting in God's presence something you earnestly desire and look forward to?

Time with our eternal Daddy God should be a pleasure, privilege, and priority. If it feels like a burden, obligation or pain, something isn't right in your relationship or understanding of our beautiful God.

Check back for the next post which will discuss how to make your devotion time what God intends it to be. This emerges from the intimacy of experiencing God beyond just knowing about Him.

The Jesus in Others

2010-08-09T18:16:00.000-05:00

Have you ever looked at someone and felt you could see Jesus in their heart? Have you ever sensed the presence and love of God through the eyes of another?

We are to let Jesus shine in and through us. If He truly makes His home within us, we will radiate that Presence as we walk through daily life.

A particular woman comes to mind in response to the above questions. Each time we meet up in conversation, I feel as though Jesus Himself is staring back at me. It's something about the way her eyes dance with His love - it's infectious. In these instances, I feel like nothing is hidden, like my soul is laid open and all my heart is exposed - in a good way. The love of the Father soaks in.

I pray that others have a similar experience when they encounter me. I want others to be drawn to God by what they see in me. Shouldn't that be our goal...to point others to Christ? Not for our own compliment but for His glory.

We have special privilege and authority in every relationship on this earth. Whether its a long-term friendship or a brief encounter with a stranger - we have the responsibility of presenting God's love to them.

This doesn't mean we have to take their hand, sit them down, and preach the entire New Testament. Not quite (ah, sigh of relief, right?!?). Presenting God's love can be as casual as opening the door for someone, smiling and saying thank you, or releasing a compliment to them that God brought to your mind.

For those we know, loving them as the Father does can include giving them time, patience, support, prayer, and encouragement. These simple things are best spent investing in the Lord's work and most often that's done through investing in others.

God continues to impress on my heart the significance and value of honoring, loving, and pouring into His people. We were created for relationships, we have a need for connectedness. After all, we are the Body of Christ. We weren't designed to be alone.

How are you investing in the lives of others?
What role has God given you in your various relationships?
Do others sense the love of God within you?
Ask God to show you whether or not you are honoring the relationships and friendships He's placed in your life.
Ask Him how you could be an ever greater blessing to those around you.

Fear: It's Not What You Think It Is

2010-07-28T09:18:00.000-05:00

Fear.

To some degree, this menace haunts and taunts all of us. The question is: how are we responding to it?

I'm talking deeper than the fear of spiders or being afraid of snakes. Yet, the message applies to those as well. I'm referring to the fear the devil implants in our mind to keep us from doing what God has called us to do each and every day.

The Lord has really been dealing with me on this. He is giving me opportunities to step out in radical ways and be a witness to people I don't even know. Unfortunately, I've not always chosen obedience. It's amazing how powerful the force of fear can be when you come upon unfamiliar circumstances. The devil will do anything to keep us in our comfort zone, keeping us from confidently embracing the unknown God is challenging us into.

It's a matter of who we're listening to, who's power will we yield to:

our Heavenly Father God

Satan, the father of Lies.

I've been pressing in to God for courage and boldness. I've been asking for a revelation of truth so I can overcome these hesitations and fears. Why does the fear rise up so intensely when I hear God whisper in my heart to do something for His Name that I've never done before?

I'm not talking about regular church activities or sharing the Lord with friends in safe places. I'm talking about saying "Yes Lord" when He prompts me to stop in the grocery store checkout line and pray for the cashier, amidst the chaos of all the other waiting customers or to go up and offer a prayer of healing to the man in the wheelchair alongside the street corner. Fear has overcome me more than once.

The Lord hit my heart last night about all of this. I want to share a couple things He revealed to me.

You will never overcome fear by not doing what you're afraid of.

The fear is all a lie anyways.

These simplistic little statements rocked my emotions. These truths revealed from heaven shook me up.

The devil wants to keep us fearful because that keeps us from doing our God-given assignments, no matter how large or small. As long as we keep giving in to fear, we'll keep ourselves out of our God-designed destinies. The more we say yes to fear, the more we get stalled in the hamster wheel effect, spinning circles and wondering why we're exhausted but going nowhere. It depletes us - exactly the devil's goal.

The realization that all fear is a lie stunned me. Fear is not from God, thus it is not truth.

Scripture tells us, "perfect love drives out all fear" (1 John 4:18) and "God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love and self-discipline." (2 Timothy 1:7).

Have you heard fear described as False Emotions Appearing Real (FEAR)? The devil is so good at making fear seem comfortable, safe and secure. In reality, fear steals our peace, confidence and courage. It weakens us because it destroys our trust and security in the Lord.

After having this revelation, the Lord put something "out of the box" on my heart to do. You know what happened? It would be nice if I could report here that I jumped out of my seat and went for it - that immediate obedience God calls us to. Not quite. It takes a while to grow into this, right?

I thought about what God prompted me to do. Yes, it involved taking a risk for Him. Instantly my mind was flooded with reasons not to do it (fears, etc.) and excuses of why this was the worst possible moment for something like this, according to my thinking. But then...the glory of God illuminated the truth He had revealed to me only moments earlier: The fears are all lies anyways.

That's exactly right. Fears are lies. Now I had a choice: was I going to entertain the lies and become prisoner to their sentencing or was I going to act like the courageous warrior in the Kingdom of God that I was born to be?

Saying it that way makes it so obvious, right? The instant I acknowledged those fears were lies, the power of God rose up in me so strong, there was no way I could say no to God's request of me. I jumped out of my seat and said Yes to God. Once I made up my mind to do it, to be obedient - the rest was simple. God took over and blessed a woman with a beautiful prayer and encouragement through my lips. All He needed was for me to agree with His mission, not the enemy's.

After I did it, I couldn't believe I almost let fear keep me stagnant- again. I felt so empowered after this experience. I felt so strong, so joyful in the Lord. My God-confidence was soaring. Do you see why the devil wants to keep us from such victories in the Lord?

Dear friend, I hope these truths bless and empower you to do extraordinary things for the glory of God. I pray the Holy Spirit will disarm lies and fears in your life, setting you free to obey Christ in every way. I trust God will reveal your fears and expose them for the lies they really are.

When we experience truth, lies have no more power over us. We are free to respond to what God has called us to do. No matter how hard, unfamiliar or challenging the daily assignments from God may seem - He is more than able to do it through us.

He's just waiting for us to say, "Yes Lord!" And the moment we do, the fears must retreat - for where the Light of God is, darkness cannot stay.

What Disarms the Lies?

2010-07-12T11:35:00.000-05:00

Let's follow up on the last post where we discussed the power in the name of Jesus.

We all have struggles, right?

Lately the Lord has been opening my eyes more and more to ways the devil has crept lies into my thinking. Satan has planted these lies to cause intimidation in me, a response of fear, apathy, or any other ungodly emotion. The devil wants to conjure up evil within God's people to take our focus off our Heavenly King and our divine assignments here on earth.

Fortunately, God is exposing these lies so I no longer think they are my own thoughts. Rather, I recognize they are tools the devil is using to disarm my power in Christ and deem me ineffective in God's Kingdom.

But I felt I had stalled out in the midst of the struggle. I knew the fear rising up in me was not legitimate, nor was it welcome. I knew it was the opposite of faith and I wanted no part of it. But the temptations to entertain this mindset and adopt it as my own have continued to haunt me.

What to do? How do I silence these lies?

The Bible says, "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find." (Matthew 7:7) That's what I did.

I asked God for an encounter of truth to help me overcome these lies. I needed to experience truth to disarm the power these lies were trying to assume over me.

And just like that - God answered me, speaking truth right to my heart, just as I'd requested. I not only sang, but I experienced the lyrics of the worship song, "My Savior Lives."

Check out the second verse:

The King has come from heaven

Darkness trembles at His name

Victory forever, is the song of the Redeemed

There was my answer. My solution! Plain as day my heart encountered the truth, once again, of the power of the name of Jesus.

Darkness cannot coexist with Jesus, He is the Light of the World. Where Light is ushered in, darkness must flee. This was so on-target with the last post, I'm surprised I hadn't realized the answer sooner.

How do we disarm the lies of the devil? Declare JESUS' Name!

What will silence the enemy? Declare JESUS' Name!

How do we overcome fear with faith? Declare JESUS' Name!

What will transform our weakness into boldness and courage

in a situation that requires us to take action?

Declare JESUS' Name!

YES! If our response to the devil's temptations and taunts is declaring the name of Jesus - who then has the power? WE DO! Who then has the victory? WE DO! The atmosphere changes where suddenly WE are in control, not the devil.

It really is that simple. Jesus' name is the Name above all Names. Nothing on earth is higher than His Name. If we call that power into our situations of struggle, the victory is ours. Nothing can stand against the Name of Jesus. Darkness has no choice but to tremble at His name. It loses its power, it is ruled completely ineffective where we bring Jesus into the situation. It must flee.

Hallelujah and Praise the Lord! One simple way to shut up Satan is declaring the Name of JESUS!!!

Where are you being bombarded with sin, temptation or lies from the devil?

What are you using to fight against it?

The Bible says in Ephesians 6:12 (CEV) "We are not fighting against humans. We are fighting against forces and authorities and against rulers of darkness and powers in the spiritual world."

Nothing but the Name and Blood of Jesus can overcome the forces of evil in the unseen realm that seek to destroy us. How will you disarm the darkness battling for control in your life?

What's in a Name

2010-07-05T11:17:00.000-05:00

Do we truly realize the power in a name?

Names are a part of life. We all have one.

But how often do we stop and think about the Name above all Names? Do we really grasp the magnitude behind the name of Jesus? Can we even fathom the power and majesty this Name demands?

This hit me during worship recently. I was enjoying the song "Jesus Messiah" by Chris Tomlin, a song I've sung so much the lyrics flow effortlessly from my mouth. Yet, this time it was something new.

The Holy Spirit made a supernatural connection between what my mouth was declaring and the understanding in my heart. I began to sense through experiential emotions the power and authority the Name of Jesus holds.

Let me share some of the chorus of "Jesus Messiah" with you:

Jesus Messiah

Name above all Names

Blessed Redeemer

Emmanuel

The Rescue for Sinners

The Ransom from Heaven

Jesus Messiah

Lord of All

The Name of Jesus is absolute truth, purity, life and love. No other name comes close to the authority and power His Name commands and upholds.

There is only One True Messiah. His name is Jesus. No one else has the right to this title. It's exclusive to Jesus. I knew Messiah was a great word to use to praise God but everything became surreal as I sang the song that particular morning.

Suddenly I understood that no name can stand against His Name. JESUS is the Name above every other name...and it will be that way for all of time.

Even secular sources define Messiah as "the promised deliverer of the Jewish nation as prophesied in the Hebrew Bible - Jesus." Incredible. No wonder this name stands above all others. No one else could ever be what Jesus was, is, and is to come.

The Bible is clear about the power and significance contained in Jesus' name.

Ponder these passages and ask yourself how much you're valuing the Name of Jesus.

(All references are from the NIV version unless stated.)

Acts 4:12 "Salvation is found in no one else. For there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."
Acts 3:16 "By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus' name and the faith that comes through Him that has given this complete healing to him."
Matthew 12:21 "In His name the nations will put their hope."
Matthew 18:20 "For where two or three come together in my name, there I am with them."
Mark 16:17-18 "These miraculous signs will accompany those who believe: They will cast out demons in my name, and they will speak in new languages...They will be able to place their hands on the sick and they will be healed." (NLT)
Luke 10:17 "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name."
John 14:13-14 "And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it."

Expressions from the Heart

2010-06-30T11:00:00.001-05:00

It is amazing to me how many emotions there are in life. Our regular routine can take us from the mountaintop to the valley, and back and forth three times...all in a single day!

Okay, that may be the extreme, but you get the point. We all have those days.

But even on the less dramatic days, we may experience anything from pain, to grief, to shame, to unprecedented joy, to guilt, to regret, to hopefulness, to delight, to resentment, to surprise, to anger, to...yeah. The possibilities seem infinite.

How do we keep a balanced relationship with God through these ups and downs?
How do we walk with God in the midst of a chaotic life that sometimes seems inexpressible?

We get to know God as our friend. He is not only our loving Father God, He also offers us the most intimate and complete friendship we could ever imagine.

We recognize God is who He says He is and He is unchangeable. The God we see doing extraordinary things in the Bible is the same God available as our Help today! He is our constant Source of Help and the Supplier of all we need.

Revelation 4:8 "Holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come."

We develop a relationship with Him where we're safe to tell Him anything and everything about what we're going through - and ask for His intervention and guidance.

We pour out our heart to Him. We are open and honest with Him, for He already knows all things. Yet, He wants to hear it from our own lips. He longs for us to cry out to Him and receive His healing, hope, wisdom and encouragement.

Psalm 38:9 "All my longings lie open before you, oh Lord; my sighing is not hidden from You."

The book of Psalms in the Bible is such an amazing treasure. The chapters it contains were authored by people experiencing the best of times and the worst of times, including life threatening situations (David being pursued by King Saul, etc.)

Much comfort, hope and joy can be found in declaring the beautifully poetic verses from Psalms. The solution to our problems, challenges and loss of hope is declaring God as our Comforter, our Refuge, our Deliverer, and our Strength, among His many, many other Names.

Have you spent much time reading Psalms? Have you used it as a tool to encourage you in your faith? Will you give it a try? Psalms can strengthen your faith and build your confidence in the mighty and loving God you serve.

Psalms is also a brilliant way to worship God. The verses proclaim who He is and offer Him praise and thanksgiving! Get started today by reading a portion of Psalms aloud. You must verbalize it for the words to carry maximum impact: the power our declared words hold is enormous.

Get ready, peace and refreshment are on their way!

Psalms will not only help you know God more personally, through it God will show you who He created you to be as well. Be honest with God, share with Him where/how you're struggling and allow His glory and love to wash over you with renewal.

Lessons from the Underdog Part 2

2010-06-23T08:00:00.002-05:00

We're continuing our adventure through 1 Samuel 17:
the story of the Ultimate Underdog, David battling Goliath.

The Holy Spirit revealed many new insights from this passage that apply to our lives today. Draw into God as you keep reading, allowing Him to make these truths real to you. Please read 1 Samuel 17 on your own, if you haven't already done so - just as I encouraged you to do in the post Part 1.

1 Samuel 17:34-37 David gave King Saul the reasons why David was equipped to fight the 9 foot tall Philistine giant named Goliath. David described how his experience as a shepherd boy qualified him to battle Goliath. "Your servant has been keeping his father's sheep. When a lion or bear came...I went after it, struck it, and rescued the sheep from its mouth... I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them."

PRINCIPLE: Our past and current experiences are always preparing us for what God will ask of us next.

Vs 38-40 Saul determined to allow David to be the one to fight Goliath. Saul got out equipment for David to use in the battle. "Saul dressed David in his own tunic, put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head...'I cannot go in these' David said to Saul 'because I am not used to them.' So he took them off. He took his staff, five smooth stones...and approached the Philistine."

PRINCIPLE: The armor of God is all we need for victory. Dressing ourselves up in other things only takes glory away from God and puts our trust in the things, not God.

Vs 45 David is now ready to fight, determined to overcome these impossible odds because he knows the power of God within him. "David said to the Philistine, 'You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel.'"

PRINCIPLE: The mighty name of the Lord God is our most powerful and effective weapon! It overpowers everything else in this world.

Vs 48 The battle is beginning now. What will David do? "As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him."

PRINCIPLE: With God-confidence, we run toward the battle (not away from it), knowing its already won! We are not cowards, we do not run and hide. We move forward, trusting what God will do through us.

Vs 49-50 David "took out a stone, slung it, and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground. So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him."

PRINCIPLE: No matter the odds, God's power can precisely defeat any foe if we're willing to step out and take a risk. God will honor our leap of faith, even through the simplest means.

Are you empowered by this Scripture passage or what? What great principles we can learn from David's example, a simple shepherd boy. David's humble background shows God can do the impossible through anyone willing to step out for His purposes.

Take these principles to the Lord.

Ask Him to demonstrate how He's preparing you

to accomplish great things in His name!

What giant(s) are you facing?

Knowing David's story, how will you approach it now?

Lessons from the Underdog Part 1

2010-06-19T09:08:00.000-05:00

Most of us have heard the Bible story of David and Goliath.
The ultimate story of the underdog who rises up, overcomes, and attains the seemingly impossible victory.

The story is found in 1 Samuel 17. As I recently read and studied this chapter, it was as if I discovered the story in a whole new light.

You may have first heard about David killing the Philistine giant Goliath in Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, or another childhood format. Me, too. All I remembered was that the young boy David killed this 9 foot tall beastly man with a single slingshot. Great story.

But there's so much more. This chapter is rich with lessons, principles and applications into our own lives today. I was delighted as the Holy Spirit led me through the verses of 1 Samuel 17. He revealed jewels of truth I'd never taken time to notice and ponder before. I'd like to share them with you here.

Please read 1 Samuel 17 on your own. I don't have room here to reiterate the entire passage. I urge you to read carefully and cautiously, inviting the Holy Spirit to illuminate these verses and make them come ALIVE in your heart and mind. We can't on our own, only God can do this.

Now take a look at what you can apply from this passage:

1 Samuel 17:16 "For forty days the Philistine [Goliath] came forward every morning and evening and took his stand." Goliath was looking for someone to fight to determine whether the Philistines would overtake the Israelites or vice versa. Nobody in Israel wanted to fight this giant. They allowed him to intimidate them day after day as their fear intensified, staring at what "impossibilities" faced them.

PRINCIPLE: The longer we stand looking at our giants, the more fearful we will become.

Vs 26 David, the shepherd boy, saw this situation and asked, "Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?" David had the right perspective. He believed more in His God than he did in life's challenges.

PRINCIPLE: As warriors in the Kingdom of God, we must not see defeat. We must carry fearless confidence and trust God's capabilities can take us to places/victories we never imagined possible.

Vs 36 David has now volunteered to be the one to fight Goliath. King Saul tries convincing David he is not fit for this battle. David has no doubt, by the power of God, that he can defeat the Philistine. Vs 36 describes David's explanation of his readiness: "Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them." David teaches us a great lesson here.

PRINCIPLE: We should not see new challenges as daunting but as familiar/similar to testimonies we already have of victory. This empowers us, builds our faith, and allows us to transfer past success into the present.

Vs 37 David finishes his discussion with King Saul by stating, "The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine."

PRINCIPLE: Expectant faith accomplishes much, delights God, and invites Him to do great, spectacular things.

Is that good meat or what? Can you believe what the Holy Spirit can extract from such a familiar story? I pray you chew on these truths and principles in your quiet time with God. Don't let them rest here, apply them into your life to be your confidence and strength.

We'll continue with more highlights from 1 Samuel 17 next time in Part 2 of this post.

Treasures of Darkness

2010-06-09T10:05:00.001-05:00

How's the worshipping going for you? That was the focus of the previous post. Any breakthroughs or victory you'd like to report and share? If you missed the post, you can find it published June 5th.

As I was writing that entry, God highlighted a verse to share in this followup.

Isaiah 45:3

"I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, who summons you by name." (NIV)

It is rare for us to think of dark times in our lives as a treasure. Yet, that's what God is declaring here. He gives us, or gifts us, the treasures of darkness. Why?

So we may know that He is Lord. So we may know that He is the One who calls us by name. The God of Israel.

What's the connection? How do you go from darkness to discovering the Lord of Lords and King of Kings is who He says He is? How can you fathom in those times that God knows you by name?

Worship.

Same tune, second verse.

Dark times in our lives can do one of two things: 1.) Turn us away from God is frustration and anger or 2.) Turn us toward God, worshipping Him because He's still Sovereign over all.

Isaiah 45:3 is describing the best possible outcome when darkness looms in our lives. We discover treasures in the precious presence of God. We extract riches from this place because we choose to worship and fellowship with Him rather than becoming blinded by the pain of our difficulties.

When the desperation of darkness drives us to seek the Light, we find secrets in God that otherwise would've remained unfound.

Worship is what releases these treasures. What is this worship?

Admiring God. Declaring His beauty and the extravagant works of His hand. Praising Him for His lovingkindness, His creativity, His mercy, His grace, His providence. Thanking Him for His forgiveness and compassion. Singing His praises and giving Him glory for what was, what is, and what is to come.

Hallelujah! Try it for yourself. See how wonderfully you can discover the riches God has buried in your darkness when you choose to worship Him with all your heart. This will transform your perspective. Seek not only the solutions for your situation, seek the Source.

God is the ultimate treasure.

Jeremiah 29:13 "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." (NIV)

The No-Fail Solution

2010-06-05T10:00:00.000-05:00

Do you have any idea about the weapon of worship we possess? Worship is a weapon that can get us through anything. This valuable arsenal requires no special training to operate...other than a heart for Jesus.

What is it about worship that holds the answer to all our problems, challenges, difficulties and triumphs?

Worship - it's is our no-fail solution. It's THE answer to hard times, good times, and even applies in the in-between times. Worship should be on the forefront of ours minds, all the time. Our first reaction to this life should be to praise our Holy, Heavenly Father God.

After all - it's what He made us for. (Isaiah 43:7..."everyone who is called by My name, who I created for My glory.")

Tremendous, supernatural power is released as we worship, whether in private or corporately. Worship moves God's heart. It shakes the heavens. It looses blessing. It overcomes evil.

But the best part? It puts our focus back on God. It draws us into His loving, healing, holy presence. When we truly worship God, engaging our heart and mind, our problems become faint as we celebrate who our God is.

Worshipping God cannot be limited to when we feel good. Praising Him in the storm is a real testimony of our faith. Thanking Him for His goodness despite our challenging circumstances shows our relationship with Him is not contingent on what He does for us or what He gives to us.

It's not always easy though.

I'm learning from my own failures. There are days when the migraines are so intense, being cheerful can seem like a major challenge. Survival is my top priority. Not worship. In fact, I don't feel fit at all to worship, I can barely get a grin out...let alone be declaring praises. There's been weeks when the pain has been so intense, I struggled to keep existing. My worship was limited to Sundays at church.

What did this get me? No progress, no improvement - just greater awareness of how much I was suffering. That only made matters worse.

When we're feeling down and out, or having "one of those days" - praising God may be the last thing that comes to mind. Who's doing is that? The devil's. The devil works extra hard to keep our thoughts far from God when we're struggling. The devil wants us to fall deeper into his darkness.

Worship gets our heart and mind back into the presence of God. It's our no-fail solution against the devil's schemes. Its our guarantee that God is with us, walking beside us, and holding our hand no matter what we're going through.

I tried the no-fail worship approach this week. Let me tell you - it DID work! I was waking up with intense headaches several days in a row. It could've been a really ugly situation. But I determined to thank God as I got up and ready. After all, He's much bigger than my meager pain.

I decided I would put on my praise music and since to the Lord as I traveled to my daily morning commitment. The soul of the music flooded every cell in my body. Pretty soon I realized I was turning the stereo up so I could sing glory to God all the louder.

Oh wait...what about that headache? It was long forgotten in those moments of blissful praise. Long forgotten. Besides, it was much more fun to be focusing on the beauty of my Father God than on the desperation of my pain.

This was a huge victory! Previously I would have thought, "my head hurts too bad right now to praise and sing." If that was my mindset, no wonder the devil kept recurring the pain. That very pain was keeping me out of God's presence. But now that I've discovered worship is the cure-all, the no-fail solution...I feel things changing!

Are you getting this? Is it making sense? Do you hunger for this victorious living?

Where in your life can you identify worship is your solution?

How has the devil been fooling you by keeping you out of intimacy with God?

Fumbling in Darkness

2010-05-30T07:00:00.001-05:00

Few of us like darkness. It can make us uncomfortable, fearful, and anxious. Often, it's not until we're in darkness that we realize how much we value the light.

The other night we had a power outage. Right in the middle of preparing dinner, life came to a screeching halt. I lost power to the pot boiling on the stovetop, the casserole in the oven was left unfinished, and the lights abandoned me all at once.

Granted, it was only 5:30 pm. I could still see. There was plenty of daylight left. So I waited.

Certainly the power would blink back on at any moment, right? We've had outages before, some lasting only a few minutes, others lasting up to 36 hours. I was confident the power would return any second.

I assumed the casserole could finish cooking with the reserve heat contained in the 350 degree oven. It only had 10 minutes left anyways. I debated about the potatoes I was boiling on the stove. They were to go in a vegetable dish. I decided they could sit in the remains of the boiling water and probably continue cooking - at least for a while.

So I carried on my way. What to do? Well, my cell phone works! I was in a conversational mood so I decided to make some calls to friends and family. I sat by our front door and enjoyed catching up in conversation. Time passed quickly. Suddenly it was 8:30 pm.

Still no power. Certainly it would flash back on any moment. I was trusting my fridge was maintaining a 40 degree temperature to keep all those perishables safe. Wishful thinking for a dietitian/food safety gal, but it's ok to fantasize once in a while.

Dusk was approaching. My husband and I decided to run into town for something to eat since we were afraid to open our fridge, releasing any hope of cool air still in there. And without a microwave, a cold dinner didn't sound very appealing.

We got home from town late - 10:30 pm. Still no power. Are you kidding?
Good thing we'd bought ice bags to transfer our fridge contents to coolers.

We walked into a dark home. I mean dark.

It was not until that moment that I realized I had made no preparations if the power remained off after the sun set. I had convinced myself the outage was just a brief occurrence. Thus I blew off the fact that it would affect us more seriously. I busied myself in phone conversations. Not once did it phase me to be gathering candles, matches, etc. while daylight still allowed me to see. How wise that would've been!

I realized this is how many of us are living today. We live for the moment, what's comfortable now and what we feel like doing. I agree with the idea to maximize and seize the opportunities in each new day. Carpe Diem! But that's not what I'm talking about here.

Many of us are unprepared for the final days before Christ returns. We think we have plenty of time to get our lives in order. We feel its some day far off in the distance. There will be time later to repent, there's many days ahead to tell others about Jesus, there's no hurry for living right or wholly for God. Or so we think.

I hadn't taken the power outage seriously either...and look what happened. I was left fumbling in the darkness because of my failure to look ahead and make wise choices with the time I had.

How about you?

Is your lifestyle positioning you for a rude awakening of truth and accountability in your Christian walk when Christ returns?

Do you have religion or do you have an intimate, loving relationship with God?
"The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7 (NIV)

Might you be left fumbling in the darkness when Christ returns because you didn't take Him seriously?

Are you seeking Him wholeheartedly? See Matthew 22:37
"You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you" declares the Lord." Jeremiah 29:13-14 (NIV)

Are you living today like you would if you knew Jesus was returning to earth tonight?
Do you keep thinking there's time in the future when you'll witness to others? Do you delay speaking out about God because you feel like you're not ready, you're embarrassed, or you fear rejection?

The sun is setting fast. Don't delay. Now is the time to commit every moment to living out God's plan, no matter how much it stretches you. He is more than enough for each of us. Don't spend your precious time fumbling in the darkness. Christ died that we may both walk in and be the light to this world!

Ten Times Faster

2010-05-26T07:30:00.001-05:00

Answer me this -
How can dandelions grow at the speed of light compared to the grass in our lawns?

Is this irritating anybody else? How are weeds so resilient that they outgrow all that which we're really trying to grow?

I'm not a fan of dandelions, especially the non-flowering ones. The ones whose naked necks tower above the lawn and stems flap in the wind - yeah. No thanks. These draw your attention not to the flowers in your flowerbed or the lush green grass, but to themselves and their awkward displacement.

I knew dandelions grew fast - that's obvious. They are always the tallest thing in our lawn. But I didn't realize until breakfast this morning just how fast they rocketed upwards.

We mowed our lawn on a recent evening. Just 36 hours later...this was the scene in my yard...

How dare they !!!

I was astounded at the dandelion resurgence, their desperation to reign my lawn yet again. Did somebody come in and plant these things overnight? How could they become so tall so fast after having the blade taken to them just hours ago?

They must never sleep. One thing's for sure - you can't keep a dandelion down for long.

As disturbing as they are, I'm realizing we could learn a lot from dandelions. As believers in our Savior Jesus, why do we allow things to knock us down and keep us there? Why don't we sprout back up, after life has hit us, with greater confidence than before?

We allow hurts, failures, pain and disappointment to chop us off - but so often we don't spring back until we've deemed it "safe" again and that can take far too long. This takes our focus off God and onto ourselves.

Dandelions seem rather wreckless. They're not intimidated nor limited by anything... other than weed killer. (speaking of...) They have no hesitation in getting back up and coming back for more.

The church ought to be the same way, particularly the people in it.

We all have authority and power in Christ. We weren't created to be kept silent. We certainly weren't created to blend in. We weren't designed to get trampled upon and be left to wither.

We are to be the salt of the earth, the light of the world (Matthew 5:13-14). We can't do that unless we're reaching toward heaven, seeking God and standing up no matter how many times this world knocks us down.

I can't believe it! I started this post thinking I was going to write about how the weeds and schemes of Satan infiltrate our lives and can spring up as fast as dandelions. Thus we must always be on guard. But the Holy Spirit led this a totally different direction.

He's softened my heart toward dandelions and changed my perspective to show me what I can learn from them - their boldness, courage and resilience. I love it when He transforms our mind to His ways and thoughts.

May we be as determined as dandelions!

...but I think I'll still go buy that weed killer!

Stand for You

2010-05-22T06:45:00.005-05:00

Does music speak to you?

If you're like me, music has the power to stir and release passion in the soul, joy in your spirit, and drive you to be the best you can be.

I have a new favorite motivational song.
It's by Jonny Diaz, entitled "Stand for You."

The lyrics are captivating. You can't help but feel fired up about being a living testimony of God's truth and standing up for His name. It's what we've been called to do - even if it means doing it alone.

Are you willing to Stand For Jesus? How far will you go to stand for Him and His cause?

Listen/watch this inspirational song for yourself via this "Stand For You" video on You Tube.

You just may find yourself buying the song on Itunes afterwards. I know I did. This song is now my daily pep rally. Listening just one time isn't near enough.

Worth It?

2010-05-18T08:42:00.000-05:00

God loves our worship.

It moves His heart.

It delights Him to hear praises from His people.

He often responds to our praises with revelation of who He is and how much He loves us. If our heart, mind and soul are truly engaged in the worship - we should anticipate God revealing Himself in our midst. He loves it when we expect Him.

I had such an experience last Sunday at church. We were worshipping God by singing a song about the cross. My heart became filled with awareness of what the cross cost both God and Jesus.

The lyrics weren't just words, they rose up as emotions in me. An overwhelming sense of gratitude and love for my Savior Jesus Christ flooded my being. I was so thankful to have a God who loved me so much to sacrifice His best on my behalf.

It was in the midst of that emotion that I heard His whisper. Just as in the days of Elijah, God is often found in the gentle whisper.

He softly whispered into my heart,

"You were worth every minute of it."

I was awestruck. Tears rushed in. I became so aware of the magnitude of God's love for His people as the rest of the congregation continued on in the song. This was a God-encounter.

No amount of suffering, hardship or pain would keep God from us because He would do anything to prove His unconditional, eternal love for us. God's grace drowns out our unworthiness.

I know the words He spoke into my heart that morning weren't just for me. They were for His entire people. They demonstrate the value He sees in each of us. They showcase we all have a special place in the heart of our Father God - and nothing we do will ever sabotage that.

Are you living like you're worth it to God?

Are you believing you truly are?

I recently heard a speaker quote a study done by John Hopkins about the impact of our self talk. The study showed that ~1,200 words of self talk enter our mind each minute. On average, 1,100 of those words are negative.

What? Can you believe that? That's not living with a mindset that knows you're worth everything Jesus suffered for. Too often we allow our flesh to pollute our perspective of who we really are.

Romans 8:31 says "If God is for us, who can be against us?" (NIV)

Where do you need to ask God to transform your thinking (Rom 12:2) so you can walk in the worth God sees in you?

Don't let the negative self talk be what you base your value and worth on. You're so much more. Choose to believe what God has declared about you - "You were worth every minute of [the cross]!" Speak it aloud, declare it to yourself when the devil's attacks arise.

You hold the power of truth. Live by it. You are more than worth it to God.

A Lot Like Batter

2010-05-14T22:48:00.000-05:00

We're a lot like batter.

The revelation came after I recently made a batch of muffins.

You have to be cautious in making muffins... over-mixing the batter is a definite no-no. (nobody wants a pointy top muffin, right?) It concerns me my batter is going to be too lumpy, not mixed thoroughly enough because I cut the mixing too short. Yet, I don't want triangle top treats either. What a delicate balance.

As I thought later about my muffin creations, I realized the soul-stirring reality - We're a lot like batter.

We're all walking around with our own lumps and clumps. We're rarely perfectly smooth, no matter how hard we try. Life is constantly dealing us things that seem un-mixable into our current situation. We're mixtures of all kinds of ingredients, often out of proportion with each other. And yet, its the blend God has chosen for us - its the perfect combination for the life He's destined us to live.

It's when we start focusing on the lumps and clumps in our batter mix that gets us down. We start concentrating on the distractions and forget it's all going to cook into a delicious treat in the end. When we set our vision upon the lumps (fears, failures, faults, insecurities, etc) we undermine the entire process, we forfeit the intended results of joyful living.

God has delicately and intentionally created us - we are His masterpieces. Though our batter may look much different than the mixes of people around us - it's okay. We ought to embrace our uniqueness.

We can pray for grace to handle our lumps and clumps. We can praise God for each component in our mix - it's all working together toward His ultimate purpose!

The various seasons of our lives are going to include unique kinds of batters. In some seasons we may be a chocolate chip muffin - living on a mountaintop of sweet time with the Lord.

Other seasons may feel more like cranberry nut muffins - tart, crunchy and a little dry.

There may be extended times in our lives characterized by blueberry muffins - routine, tasty, fruity, but poses the risk of becoming too familiar.

What season are you experiencing right now?

For me, I'm just finishing up a batch of rocky road muffins.

Not named for its sweet indulgence, but rather for its elusion to a challenging journey, a tough path I'm coming through. The past few months have been challenging me in many ways. My batter has been full of extra lumps and clumps - but God in His goodness is working with me and loving me all the more! Hallelujah!

I sense the past week has ventured me into a new recipe. PRAISE GOD for transitions!!! God has lifted me out of the Rocky Road and seems to be stirring up something more along the lines of a
Mango Tango muffin mix - sweet, sunshiny, and full of robust flavor! Amen! I'll take this victory!

I know I'll still find lumps and clumps in this season, but that will all smooth out in the heat of the baking process. You see, sometimes intensity, pain and adversity are the very things we need to smooth us out and make our lives taste all the sweeter.

A muffin is no good raw. We, too, are refined and transformed when we experience life's "baking." This activates our ingredients and releases our true flavors to burst forth and boldly shine. But also know you're not meant to stay in the oven, either.

After all, in the end, our lives are for the Lord to savor! Enjoy yours... no what season, no matter variety of batter, no matter how many lumps and clumps. Know with God's help and hand, you're going to turn out delicious!

Getting Guts

2010-05-03T20:38:00.002-05:00

Courage - it sounds like something we all want. However, walking in it is totally different than simply talking about it.

It takes strength. It takes boldness. It takes commitment.
It takes guts.

I haven't mastered the whole thing yet, but I'm here to tell you what I'm learning along the way.

God didn't call us to be passive, spectator-people. The Word of God declares over and again God's commands to His people to be "strong and courageous."

Joshua received this instruction from God as he was taking leadership over the Israelite nation after the death of Moses. God spoke to Joshua three times in Joshua chapter one to... "Be strong and courageous."

Let's just say, when God repeats Himself, what He's saying obviously bears significance.

The instruction to be strong and courageous applies to us today. We need guts, Godly guts.

We need to walk daily in God's strength and courage to stand on the principles of God's Kingdom, to be a bright light in a world of darkness, and to fulfill our destiny in God's plan.

But how?

In examining Joshua 1,
we learn eight how-to truths for getting guts

(walking in strength and courage).

I urge you to use this list as a prayer guide, asking God to make these truths a reality in your life.

Know that God is always with you (Joshua 1:5)
Take ownership of the call God's given you (vs 6)
Listen for and obey both His current instructions and past commands (the Law) (vs 7)
Fix your eyes on God and His task for you. Veering your gaze can cause fatal focus on distractions (vs 7)
Meditate on, speak and declare God's Word - day and night (vs 8)
Allow no room for fear (vs 9)
Do not entertain or be absorbed by discouragement (vs 9)
Follow the Lord, rest in His presence (vs 9)

There you have it. God's eight guidelines for getting guts. He wants us to have guts. After all, when we have guts (Godly courage) - we do great things for His glory!

Nothing can hold you back! You go for it!~

The Word IS Alive

2010-04-26T08:28:00.000-05:00

This is a followup to our last post, "Who's Reading Who." There we talked about the power the Holy Spirit facilitates to speak directly into our lives through the Word of God.

Discussing the vibrancy of the Word of God quickly brought my thoughts to a song by Casting Crowns. They are a Christian band known for writing songs that speak truth pointedly to the Church and their listeners.

Their song, The Word Is Alive, describes the resonating authority of God's book, the Bible. It also testifies of Jesus, who was the Word made flesh (John 1:14).

Check out the chorus:

The Word is alive

And it cuts like a sword through the darkness

With a message of life to the hopeless and afraid

Breathing life into all who believe

The Word is alive

And the world and its glories will fade

But His truth, it will not pass away

It remains yesterday and forever the same

The Word is alive

To hear The Word Is Alive by Casting Crowns, click here to watch a worship video on You Tube.

The Word of God is eternally alive...for you. It will never cease revealing and bringing hope, truth and life. It is God's gift to us. It is our connection to our Father God's heart and desires. It is our past, present and future.

Do you value this Living Word as such a valuable treasure?
How big of a priority are you making the Word in your life? Remember, you need not only to read the Word, but also to put it into action - to live it out. Walk in it.
When has God's Word cut through darkness in your own life?
Do you value and rejoice in the Word as much in good times as you do in desperate times?

Lord,

Birth a hunger in our hearts for Your Word and truth. Ignite a passion in us that will crave what Your Word contains. Grant us supernatural understanding of what we read through the power of the Holy Spirit. Make Your Word come alive to us. Breathe its life into our spirit. Give us a desire for Your Word that will not fade away, but only intensify day by day as You reveal Yourself more and more.

Who's Reading Who?

2010-04-20T15:17:00.000-05:00

A familiar quote keeps coming to mind when I read my Bible. It's used to be just a phrase to me, but recently I began experiencing the intensity of its truth and wisdom.

"You don't just read the Bible, the Bible reads you."

Ever heard that one before? Ever thought about who's actually reading who when you read your Bible?

Spend a moment thinking about what that says to your heart. Does it make any sense? Do you taste some of its truth in your personal study time with God?

Let me share what the Holy Spirit impressed onto my understanding.

We sit with the Word of God. We read the Word of God. We ponder over it for application, growth, encouragement and spiritual development in our lives. We meditate on it to understand the character and nature of God.

Yes. So true. But what else?

Have you ever pictured reading the Bible as a two-way conversation? Much like prayer, when we read the Word of God, it's opening doors for God to speak back to us.

What facilitates this? What determines what we receive from the Scriptures?

The Holy Spirit.

Invite Him to guide you every time you open the Word of God.

The Spirit of God searches both the depths of our heart and the pages of the Word of God. The Holy Spirit knows our unique needs. Not only that, He leads us to references in the Word of God that will be the answers we need, perhaps familiar verses standing out in ways we've never noticed before.

The Spirit of God applies the Word to read us. The Word looks us over inside and out. It's as if this very Book has eyes of its own. Powerful eyes that see past the exterior and into our soul. It sees and speaks to places in us we don't dare show anyone else.

God causes us to both find and understand Scriptures that will minister to our hurts, pain, sorrow, joy, or triumph. The Spirit of God breathes over the Word of God and makes it come alive in our spirit. This is when we don't just read the Word, but we give ourselves time to experience the Word.

Can you see why time spent in the Word of God is so powerful? It's never wasted. And it certainly shouldn't be a dreaded chore. The Word of God is the gateway to God satisfying our emotions, struggles, desires and needs at that very moment.

My spirit began to truly digest this truth [You don't just read the Bible, the Bible reads you]. My time with the Word of God began to feel so much more intimate. As I sat with my Bible open one particular evening, I got a strong sense the Word was watching me.

I could physically sense the aliveness of the Book before me. It was watching and reading me to see how it would lead me to the refreshment or conviction my spirit needed. It may sound strange, but the Word presented such a Presence about it - I felt at total peace. It was truly a God-encounter!

What are your thoughts toward the Word of God?
Through what experiences have you felt the Word come alive before you?
How will you change your attitude toward the Word to receive it's revelation in a more personal way?
Are you allowing the Bible to truly read you? How are you responding to what it reveals?

Don't Overcomplicate It, Part 2 of 2

2010-04-09T06:00:00.002-05:00

This is a followup to "Don't Overcomplicate It Part 1 of 2", posted Monday, April 5th...

The best thing we can do in this life, the most effective thing we can do for God, is simply LOVE on God's people. This is the will of God. Loving His people includes both those we know and those we've never met. You don't have to have a deep relationship with someone to simply let them know God loves them.

Everyone needs to be loved. Everyone needs to feel loved and receive the Father God's love. We are God's hands and feet on earth. That makes releasing His love to His people on earth our responsibility.

That's it. It's that simple. Sharing the love of Jesus. When you put it that way, it's really not that complicated after all, is it? We can ALL do this. You have a smile to share with someone, right? You have a voice to greet someone looking lonely, right? You have a heart to help a wheelchair-bound individual reach the grocery item off the top shelf, right?

This is our assignment. This is being Jesus to others.

Loving, serving, loving by serving, and serving so we can share love. Don't overcomplicate your assignment from God. I did for too long, which essentially kept me from doing much of anything. I'm so glad God's corrected me. I now understand, by experience, my destiny is as simple as demonstrating and releasing His love in the ways He directs me. Hallelujah!

The love we enjoy receiving from God is also ours to give away. We're not to hoard God for ourselves. We're not to refrain from action because we don't know what to do or how.

This world needs Him...desperately.

The more we give God to others, the more He refills our own cup. It's an ever-replenishing cycle! The more we ask Him to lead us, the more we feel His daily guidance.

Where are you overcomplicating things God's asked you to do?
How will you ask Him to help you understand it as simplicity, not complexity?
What changes can you make to be more in tune with releasing God's love to others every day?
Does demonstrating God's love to others intimidate you? Does speaking a blessing of God's love to strangers sound overwhelming? Ask God for strength. His empowerment is more than able!!

Love IS the answer to all!

You hold the answer - God's given it to you. Are you willing to share it?

Don't Overcomplicate It, Part 1 of 2

2010-04-05T16:02:00.000-05:00

I'm back home now...reflecting on what God taught and changed within me during my first-ever mission trip. It was an extraordinary experience in so many ways. Completely different than I'd expected, but that's typically how God demonstrates things are best according to His plan, not our own.

My destination was Belize, Central America for an eight day adventure of serving and loving God's people.

Though the trip was based in Belize and had everything to do with the people and service projects there - in a way, I've found it had nothing to do with them.

God took me to Belize to teach me more about Himself, as well as more about my life's assignment in His Kingdom. It's funny how He'll lead us to discover truth in unique ways - ways that will minister to our heart and transform our perspective forever. Things He knew we'd receive best away from home.

What did I glean from the trip:

Don't overcomplicate the tasks God's given you to do.

I went into the mission trip expecting to be equipped to evangelize people that didn't know the Lord. I looked forward to being trained by experienced missionaries on reaching people with the love and truth of God. I anticipated sharing the Good News of Jesus to ignite Belizean hearts with a passion for God.

God had a much different vision for my time in Belize. It was completely opposite of how I anticipated Him to work through me.

Turns out none of my expectations were fulfilled the way I expected. And yet, all of them were fulfilled. It was just on God's terms, not mine.

What I mean is this: aside from devotion and worship time at the missionary base, I hardly uttered the word Jesus aloud to the Belizean people the entire week. What? Yes, I know. It hardly seemed possible to be on a mission trip and not be talking about Jesus to everyone I encountered. But that's not the way this program ministered. It's not the way God sent me to Belize to minister.

This mission base ministers first and foremost the love of Christ by being a servant to others - particularly to children and through community service projects (i.e. painting). I spent my week playing and engaging with children - simply giving them the love of Christ exactly where their precious little hearts needed it.

The eight days in Belize did not train me on talking about Jesus or describing the message of salvation to the people there. It taught me the eternal significance, yet simplicity, of releasing the love of God.

The revelation struck me suddenly. Many, many believers are overcomplicating the Great Commission (Matt 28:19-20 "Go and make disciples of all nations" etc.).

Too often we make excuses that we don't know how to tell others about Jesus - so we don't. Too often we reject opportunities to explain the Gospel to others because we don't have enough training - so we don't. Too often we're in too much of a hurry to go out of our way for someone else - so we don't.

During my time in Belize, God showed me too many of us are overcomplicating the assignments He's given us, myself included.

We don't need to preach the Gospel anytime we sense we're supposed to reach out to someone. We don't need to go through the plan of salvation in order to make a difference to a stranger. Jesus may put people before us and ask us to touch their lives, He may ask us to bless them in a unique way.

I'd allowed myself to get so intimidated by not knowing what to say that I didn't say anything at all. In reality, all God had been asking me to do was share His love with those He brought to my attention in my daily routine. Wow.

What God revealed to me this past week is simple. I was the one making things way too complicated. All He asks us to do is LOVE. Love Him first (Matthew 22:37) and then love His people as we love ourselves (Matthew 22:39). The whole Gospel is founded upon these two principles.

Think about this. Reflect on this. Then check back for the continuation of this discussion, Part 2, to be published on Friday, April 9th.

The Victory is Ours!

2010-04-03T14:33:00.000-05:00

Happy Easter!

Our faith rests on the hinges of the cross, our redemption is realized through that which Jesus shed. We have victory in life both here and through eternity because of Jesus' sacrifice for us. What greater love is there than this?

Max Lucado says it well in the book The Final Week of Jesus. "[Jesus] would rather go to hell for you than go to heaven without you." Hallelujah! Thank You Jesus! We celebrate the victory is ours both today and every day!

The good news is He didn't stay in hell when He went. He conquered death and overcame the power sin held over our lives. Upon winning this battle, He was resurrected into new life - which He offers us as well when we declare Him as Lord over our lives.

Now we can say, death oh death, where is thy sting? The victory is ours now and forever. We live because Christ lives and Christ lives within us. Jesus became the sacrificial lamb so we can have oneness with our Father God.

Let's admire the intensity of love God has for us that caused Him to release His only Son for the redemption of all people...for all time. He gave up so much for us. Have you told Him thank you yet today?

Embrace the victory Jesus died to give you. He came so we can life and life more abundantly (John 10:10). Don't settle for anything less.

And remember...

"The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, He will give life to your mortal bodies by the same Spirit living within you."
Romans 8:11 (NLT)

What empowerment! Now go forth and live like it!

Jesus is ALIVE!!! Because He lives, you live also!

Saturating Yourself in God's Presence Part 2 of 2

2010-03-27T06:00:00.001-05:00

Today we'll conclude the soaking prayer theme with this final post. I hope it's the ultimate inspiration you need to get going with soaking prayer on your own, unless of course, you've already begun!

I took time for soaking more and more frequently after I first learned this concept. I saw such fulfillment in letting God pour His love, wisdom and tenderness over me during that special time where He had all my attention.

I was giving Him the gift of myself, and He gave Himself unto me in return. We were both delighted.

As I became more sensitive to God's presence, the Holy Spirit led me deeper and deeper into the heart of God. God began putting people on my heart that He wanted me to pray for during this fellowship. Sometimes I would see pictures and expressions of God's love and character play out like scenes in my mind.

The Holy Spirit was releasing things of heaven onto earth for me to see, enjoy, and agree with God on. He was showing me the things on His heart so they would be on my heart, too. What a transformational experience.

These very things gave me the reality of who God is. I began to understand Him in new, more intensive ways. He became so real to me. I began to see His personality, discerning what brings Him joy and what causes His heart tremendous grief and pain.

In each encounter of soaking, more and more of me was awakened by the Spirit of God. I felt I'd found life for the first time.

This is what I desire you to discover. This is what I want you to experience. It's available for anybody. But you have to want it, you have to ask Him for it.

It has brought me unspeakable joy, peace, comfort, and completeness. God wants our fellowship with Him to be something we crave as much as He does! It will birth new life, passion and vigor that you have not yet known. Believe me when I say it has forever changed me!

What's holding you back from spending uninterrupted time with God to receive from Him?
What modifications can you make in your schedule to enable alone, un-rushed time with God?
How badly do you desire this intimacy with God?
What are you willing to give up of your current lifestyle to make time for knowing God in a deeper way?

Saturating Yourself in God's Presence Part 1 of 2

2010-03-23T06:00:00.001-05:00

The last three posts have discussed soaking prayer - a beautiful tool to draw yourself into intimacy with God.

God created us for fellowship with Him.
That's exactly what soaking prayer does.

Today I challenge you to answer:

What changes have you made in your prayer time after learning the concept of soaking prayer? (if you missed the prior posts, start reading here, the first post on the topic, to see what we're talking about).
Have you set yourself up with some soft worship music and tried simply listening for God at least once? Don't hold off trying it for the first time...you'll find yourself hungering for more once you get started! God is sure to meet you right where you are.

I began soaking without expectations - I was unsure of what it was actually all about. But I knew all I needed to: both God and I were there and we were both eager to spend time together.

In my first experiences, I began by sitting silently. Listening to the smooth worship music stilled my mind and put my thoughts on God. I began to admire Him. Quickly my thoughts turned to worship. I was used to worshipping God by singing, something I'd do to praise songs, etc. Soaking prayer changed my understanding of worship.

You can worship by not saying anything at all. The reverence of simply being still before God in awe and wonder is a tremendous way to honor Him. My thoughts radiated on His goodness, His love, His mercy. It was beautiful. I thanked Him, through my thoughts, for the ways I'd seen Him work in my life that day.

Nothing was spoken aloud, yet I was giving all my heart into God's hands.

Every once in a while I would hear a song lyric in the background that would alert me to something I wanted to praise Him for. It was so satisfying. It was both relaxing and enjoyable. This was a whole new world. Why hadn't I learned this sooner?

I began making soaking prayer a greater priority. The morning routine of telling God my wants and needs was no longer sufficient. I wanted fellowship. I wanted an interactive encounter, I wanted to engage in conversation with my Daddy God.

My heart hungered for a relationship with God in which I could truly know Him: His heart, His mind, His plans and His Will. Just knowing of God would never fill me again. For now I have tasted more.

Psalm 34:8 "Taste and see that the Lord is good."

What have you tasted so far of God?
Are you hungry for more?
Do you fully understand He is longing for a deeper, interactive relationship with you?

Don't settle for nibbling on an appetizer in your Christian walk. God offers a full feast. He wants you to taste and see just how good He is. This can start TODAY through soaking prayer!

Getting Saturated by God (followup to Soaking Prayer)

2010-03-18T06:30:00.000-05:00

We continue to go deeper in our discussion about Soaking Prayer (see posts from March 10 and March 14). Yet, we need to back up for a minute. Soaking prayer is all about finding and enjoying God's Presence.

I want to make sure you understand what we mean by the Presence of the Lord.

The Lord is always with us. He never leaves us. (Deut. 31:6) His presence is all around even though we cannot see it and may not feel it. He is the great I AM. He is not only here, He is wherever we go. His name is Jehovah Shammah - The Lord is There.

Those who profess Jesus as their Savior and Lord receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This part of the Triune God comes to dwell and reside within us. Thus, the Presence of God lives inside of us.

There, too - we may not always feel it. Yet we can be assured He's there.

1 Corinthians 6:19 says "Do you not know your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?"

The majesty of soaking is the awareness we receive of His presence. Soaking stills us off from the rest of the world where we are often too busy and hurried to notice such things of God. In the quiet of soaking, we invite the Holy Spirit to minister to us.

The Holy Spirit knows how to make God's presence and glory felt in each of us, in unique, individualized, but very real ways. Soaking makes us aware God is right there with us. We may not see Him with our physical eyes, but we must trust that our spirit sees Him and welcomes Him.

The presence of God is sometimes felt as heat in one's body, as tingles of electricity, or smelled as a sweet fragrance. The Holy Spirit increases our sensitivity to such things as we spend more time with Him.

The presence of God is sometimes expressed simply as a sense of peace. The presence of God over you may feel like abundant love, joy, or laughter. It may feel like the comfort your heavy heart so desperately needs.

Whatever the case and however the expression, the presence of God is supernatural.

It is indescribably awesome to think of our God in Heaven meeting with us and releasing Himself to us. It is breathtaking.

Why wouldn't we want to participate in such divine appointments?
How will you begin implementing soaking prayer into your life?

Soaking Prayer

2010-03-14T06:00:00.000-05:00

Soaking prayer is a fantastic description for the concept we initiated in the last post. I'm not sure who coined this term, but it's a perfect fit to describe the process.

Picture a sponge. Before it's submerged in water it's dry, stiff and stale. When the sponge is allowed to soak in liquid, fluid soon saturates it. Now the sponge has much different characteristics than before. It's no longer dry, but full. It may appear with the same outward traits (color, size, etc) but there has been an inward change.

The same is true with soaking prayer.

Soaking prayer enables us to get saturated with the Presence of God. It's giving Him the opportunity to fill us, complete us, satisfy us, and reveal Himself to us. All on the basis of quiet time with Him where we allow Him to lead.

Soaking prayer was a completely new concept to me. In fact, when God taught me what He wanted me to do, I didn't know it had a formal name! Yet, I embraced a heart for intentional receiving with eagerness and now crave time to simply be alone with God in this way. I pray the same will be birthed within you!

Let's list the basics of soaking prayer so you can more fully understand what we're referring to. The steps below are based on the article, "The Joy of Soaking Prayer" by Debbie Przybylski posted at http://www.crosswalk.com.

Find a quiet place, a peaceful environment where you can focus (i.e. silence your cell phone)
Listen to quiet instrumental or soft worship music. This sets an atmosphere of worship for God's Presence to come and abide in.
Quiet down your busy thoughts. Turn your attention to the Lord. Silence distractions and fix your gaze upon God. No matter how hectic your day is, has been, or will be - God deserves your full attention now.
Invite the Holy Spirit to come and soak you in His Presence. Surrender your body, soul (mind and emotions) and spirit in prayer before God.
Focus on the Lord's Presence - Open your heart to God. Ask Him what He wants to tell you today.
Rest in faith and believe God is working within you. He may bring certain things to your mind. These are things He wants to talk to you about or new things He wants to reveal to you. Ask Him questions. Start a conversation with Him so you can receive what He wants you to understand. (more on this step in the next post).
Give time to soaking in God's presence. The more you give to Him, the more He can give to you. Start by dedicating 20 minutes to soaking. As you make this a priority, you will find 20 minutes is not enough. You'll want more!
Watch as God changes you. Your life will be transformed through spending time in His presence. Outwardly you may look the same, but trust that God does significant inward works when we offer ourselves to Him. Through soaking, the Holy Spirit fills us and conforms us to the likeness of Christ. You will uncover the identity of God and your authentic identity in Him.

The beautiful thing is, we will never run out of things to discover about God - He is infinite. On this side of eternity we will not reach the point of perfection. That glorious news means there are always more things God can do within us to make us more holy and glorious for His Name.

Bottom line: Soaking is not a one time or one season of life event. It's a lifestyle.

Do you have questions? Are there steps you don't understand? Post a comment here or email me at lauriehock@yahoo.com. Let's discuss it.

God has shown and given me such fulfillment and intimacy with Him through soaking prayer! I long for everyone to experience these powerful encounters! We were created for fellowship with God and that's exactly what soaking is.

We'll continue on with Soaking Prayer in the next post.

Finding the Presence of God

2010-03-10T10:35:00.000-06:00

Time in prayer may not seem the most exciting place you want to be. In fact, it may feel like a daunting task. What do you say to the God of the Universe? How do you find time? And for how long?

But what if all that could change? Would you be interested? Willing? Hungry for a revived prayer life?

Prayer often becomes a "have-to" or "should-do" because, well, we're just supposed to pray, right? Isn't that what God expects? With this mentality, prayer is either ignored altogether or rushed in the morning just to get it in. Maybe you're one who goes to bed with ambitions of praying from your pillow, only to find prayer works better at putting you to sleep than Tylenol PM.

I can completely relate. That was me too. For most of my life.

Until about eight months ago that is. God intervened with fresh perspective on prayer and taught me something dramatically new in my approach to His Throne. I'll never think of prayer the same way again. Thank goodness.

Prayer is all too often focused on what we're saying to God, what we're asking Him to do or give us. It's relatively untaught that this limited one-sided fellowship is not what God desires to have with us. He longs for more. More of us.

I began to realize prayer is less about what I say to God, but more about simply spending time with Him. It's less about what I say to Him and more about what He's waiting to say to me. He wants my company. And I need His. In His presence is where it all happens, where it all begins.

Have you ever had a friend who talked so much you couldn't get a word in edge-wise? That's how I'd been with God. What about you? Most of us are like this because this is what we've seen modeled in church or at home. How could we know there's another way?

The Holy Spirit revealed this to my heart: To hear the answers I'd been praying for... I needed to listen. I had not been posturing my heart to receive from God. I didn't know I was supposed to. Addison Road's song What Do I Know of Holy sums it up best as they sing "I tried to hear from heaven...but I talked the whole time."

Our time with God is not to be crowded with requests, petitions, or rants about what we need/want God to do. Rather, spending time in quiet, non-talk time to adore and appreciate Him as our Father God leads to the most satisfying life in God we can imagine.

God wants our company more than anything else. It's high time we let God be the focal point of our fellowship with Him, not ourselves.

I've learned this process is called Soaking Prayer. We'll follow up with details on how to do soaking prayer in the next post. Trust me, THIS is where you will really get to know and experience God. In the place of God's presence your life and yourself is transformed by His glory! It will set your life on fire! How would you describe your current prayer life?

What would you like to change about it?
What is your attitude about prayer?
How motivated are you to discover a new way to hunger for God and experience Him personally?

The Devil's Weapon of Discouragement

2010-03-03T18:04:00.001-06:00

I had a pivotal revelation from the Holy Spirit as I read Exodus 6 this morning. Something struck me I hadn't caught before. You need to know.

One of the biggest weapons the devil uses against you is discouragement. The devil knows if he can get God's people feeling down and out they are far less likely to do the great things God has destined them for. The devil strives to keep you down...to prevent you from allowing God to lift you up.

Let me show you where I'm getting this from. In Exodus, the Israelite people are enslaved by the Egyptians. Their lives are getting more difficult day by day. God tells Moses God wants to deliver His people out of bondage and that He will use Moses to do this. Despite promise of deliverance, the workload increases and Israelites are blaming Moses for making their lives worse, not better.

In Exodus 6, Moses seeks God's input on the situation. What an example this is to us. When the world tries to tell us God's plan doesn't make sense, rather than believing them - we consult with God!

Exodus 6:1-8 are God's declarations of the amazing and miraculous things He will do for the Israelite people. God declares Himself their Father and Lord, speaks of bringing them out of slavery, redeeming them, and making them HIS people. This passage is full of promises, life, and abundance...to those who will receive it.

Tragically, few believed. Actually, few heard is a more accurate description.

Moses spoke the Lord's promises to the Israelites, as the Lord directed him to do (vs 6, 9). Their response is our lesson of the day...this point must be driven into the depth's of your heart.

"Moses reported this to the Israelites but they did not listen to him because of their discouragement and cruel bondage." Exodus 6:9 (NIV)

There you have it. It's that simple. Discouragement blocks you from receiving the Voice and promises of God. Discouragement in you prohibits your discernment of God, His will and purposes. Discouragement prevents joy and hope in future deliverance from being heard or felt within you.

Discouragement is the devil's weapon to keep God's people stalled in the slimy pit. Not much good can happen in the pit - that's just the way Satan wants to keep it.

But God has big plans, bright promises, and plans of massive, miraculous deliverance ahead for us. That's His way - He wants the BEST for His children! Yet, if we're all wrapped up and bogged down in discouragement, we won't be in a position to receive (or believe) such promises when He speaks them over us.

Why keep defining yourself by the spirit of discouragement?
Do you see that you can't "see properly" (in the spiritual sense) when you're discouraged?
In what area(s) is the devil working on you, trying to keep you discouraged?

When the devil wants to burden you with discouragement, you better know it means God has great things on your horizon! Exactly what the devil DOESN'T want you to discover. Ask God to remove the discouragement and release peace, hope, and faith in its place so you can hear His promises!

Free to be Me, Part 5

2010-02-26T09:29:00.003-06:00

It's a lengthy process to learn to understand the devil's antics and the ammunition he uses against us. When we understand how Satan tries to threaten us millions of times a day with lies, false truths, and accusations, we can begin to fight against it.

(FYI: a great book that really opened my eyes to how the devil operates is called The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis. It is a profound must-read.)

When we delve into seeking greater understanding of who our God is, we see the grace, love, and beauty He created us with. When we begin to personally know God this way, we see ourselves as His valuable treasures...not the worthless, rejected, inadequate ones the world says we are.

You see... the devil knows how valuable we are. That's why Satan is determined to keep us from discovering it, too. The devil does not want us to step into our identity in Christ, nor our God-given destiny.

The devil will throw lies all day long to make us think we are something other than God's favored ones.

It's time you stop believing the devil. It's time to start recognizing the tactics the Father of Lies is using in your life and mind. It's time to start finding who you really are by God's definition.

What is valuable in God's eyes, the world often mocks. This is why it is critical we know who we are in Christ. With Christ-given confidence, we can stand firm and not be shaken no matter who or what tries to rock us and take us down. After all, we have the power of Christ IN US!

When will you start pressing in to God's presence on this?
When will you begin asking Him to expose the lies you're currently believing?
We usually don't know where we're being deceived until God points it out to us.

Ask Him to bubble to the surface any deception you've been believing.

At your request, God will reveal lies and replace them with His Truth.

Free to be Me, Part 4

2010-02-11T20:10:00.000-06:00

Today I want to make sure you're really getting what the past three posts have talked about. This is essential because I want you to learn who you truly are...in Christ. I want you to discover this for yourself. It's got to go beyond just reading what I'm saying. God wants it to change you.

Did the other posts resonate in your heart as I asked who or what defines your identity? Too often we don't realize who we are because we look to the world's perspective rather than Almighty God's. Our experiences with people, places, or things imprint marks on us that can leave us feeling a constant sense of rejection, abandonment, inferiority, unworthiness, guilt, shame, or negativity.

Every encounter and interaction we have in this life is marking us.

Either for good or for bad. We choose what to do with it.

We are like sponges. Our hearts and minds soak up and absorb what's around us, what's spoken to us, and how we're treated. Even when we don't think things are affecting us, they are. We must understand that.

Our subconscious contains tons of information, emotion, hurt, and pain we may not even realize is being stored inside of us. It's like a memory bank of what our life has experienced. Tragically, this "memory bank" contains many filthy lies the devil has thrown at us as he tries to corrupt how we see ourselves. The devil knows if he sabotages what we base our identity on, we will never fulfill our divine destiny.

We often don't have the knowledge, wisdom, or time to recognize the information the world thrusts at us day after day is far from God-inspired. In fact, we don't even realize it isn't the truth - we generally don't stop to question it. At least I never used to.

I'm here to tell you Satan has had too much of a hay day in the minds and identities of God's people. We must recognize the LIES and DECEPTION the devil's trying to get us to believe. We must know we can choose not to believe it. We must define ourselves by God's love and truth and nothing else.

We should take all thoughts captive and make it obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). This means we compare what we hear in our mind and heart to what Scripture says. If it doesn't line up with the Word of God - we rebuke it and don't waste our time entertaining such nonsense.

Too many believers today unknowingly embrace such ridicule, rejection, and deception as truth, as who they are. We don't realize we should be arguing against these false accusations (acknowledging them as lies). We don't know any better. We haven't found ourselves fully in Christ. Because that security and true identity is missing, we believe the deception the devil taunts us with. Some include:

We don't really measure up. We really aren't as good as the rest of them. We're not as likable or worthwhile as our peers or coworkers. We're unlovable. We have nothing to contribute. No one likes us. We never fit in anywhere. God can't do for me what He's done for others, etc. These are just a few examples of the false perceptions and deceitful assumptions the devil plants in us.

This is what grieves our Father God. He made us for more. He created us in His Divine Image. He destined us for greatness in His Kingdom. How can we excel in His destiny with a mind full of the devil's games?

Please take time to examine your own heart and mind.

Spend time with God sorting this out. It's a process but it's well worth doing.

What lies are you believing?

Ask God to reveal to you areas where you are being deceived.

He will be faithful to do it and He will show you His beautiful truth instead!

/div>

Free to be Me, Part 3

2010-02-06T08:56:00.002-06:00

God stripped me of everything I knew to show me I had never known who or what I was in the first place.

That's where we left off last time so we'll pick up there today. We're continuing a journey toward the destination of "Free to be Me!"

Through a season of brokenness, God was pulling off all the layers of "Laurie." I felt there was nothing left of me. And I was right, at least to a certain degree.

Losing the layers of "me" was challenging. Yet, now I see those layers really weren't me at all. The layers God removed were only what the world had morphed me into. They weren't the Laurie God had made in His own image. Only when those tough, calloused layers and scars came off could I begin seeing the me God had actually destined me to be.

The brokenness has yielded much good fruit, but it was a really rocky time. Outwardly, everything appeared normal. Inside, however, I was a chaotic mess. I felt such a loss of identity. I didn't even know who I was anymore. Anybody relate to that? I can't even count the number of times I sat and cried through singing Sanctus Real's song "Something Heavenly."

God was doing major work within me. Yet, I had no idea what it was or how to describe it. There was much inner turmoil yet I sensed a great transformation being birthed. I didn't even recognize myself. God broke and continued to break off more and more and more. I didn't know what to make of the little scraps that were left. Thankfully, God did.

I was having an identity crisis - that was obvious. I just didn't know why, what it meant, or where this was going.

Our God is beautiful and infinitely wise. He was doing this "procedure" to take off all the things I really wasn't - in order to show me who I really was. Everything I thought I was had been taken away. Only when that was all gone could I see my Father God in greater clarity and learn to receive His love in ways I had never imagined.

That's the key in unlocking this journey: Finding our Father God. We can't find ourselves, our life's purpose, our destiny, or our fulfillment until we've found our God in the most intimate, personal way. When we begin to move from knowing God to experiencing God...everything changes.

Have you been through a season of brokenness or a loss of identity? Who did you turn to?
What did you learn from it? How did it change you?

God designs brokenness to draw us into His presence. Sadly, many push God away during these unexplainable times of challenge.

What has God already taken off of you? What layers has He peeled off so you can find your true gemstone underneath? Don't fight Him when He prunes you - His goal is to reveal the sweeter fruit within.

Stay with us as we continue this journey in the next post.

Free to be Me, Part 2

2010-02-04T08:44:00.000-06:00

Do you consider yourself free? I'm not talking about freedom of speech, religion, or many other freedoms in this great United States of America.

I'm asking about internal freedom.

Would you consider yourself free to be exactly who you are, at all times, no matter who you're around? Wait...before you answer that question, let me pose another one. Do you even know who you truly are?

God has taken me on an intense journey over the past 18 months. I didn't know what it was when it started, but as with most things in life - hindsight makes things so clear. Now I see exactly what God purposed it for: He wanted me to find who I really was - from the inside out.

You may be wondering what I mean here. How could you not know who you are? Don't we all live with ourselves, within ourselves every day? Yes, but no.

Sure, you know your favorite foods, your hobbies, your friends, etc. But do you really know who YOU are? We're good at knowing what others expect or want us to be. We're good at assuming what others think of us. Too often we let others define us.

We're good at playing off that everything is okay when inside we're crumbling but we're too afraid to show or share it. I believe much of the discontentment and insecurity in people today is because very few actually know within their heart and soul who they are.

I believe the human race is in a massive identity-crisis, especially the church.

The identity-crisis diagnosis is difficult for individuals to self-diagnose. We can often see what's hindering other people, but looking at our own situation with an honest, objective perspective is another story.

Living in an undefined identity means living in a massive internal prison. Trust me - I can vouch for this one. The trouble is most of us are completely unaware of how much bondage we're actually in. We don't realize God is waiting there to bail us out with His love...permanently.

I didn't even know I'd been locked up inside a cell...until God showed me the key to get out. He gave me the chance to find the life He really wanted me to have. I had no idea freedom could feel this free.

It's only after a divine transformation begins that you realize you never knew who you were from the beginning. In my case, this came through a difficult season of brokenness. I wouldn't trade that tough season for anything now that I know the peace, hope, joy and freedom that was waiting on the other side.

God stripped me of everything I knew to show me I had never known who or what I was in the first place.

We'll follow up with that concept in the next post. Until then, I invite you to ponder and pray over the questions below to prepare your heart for what God wants to show you.

Whose opinions are you forming your self-image from?

Do you really understand who you are...
or have you been letting life's people and circumstances define you?

When will you stop and ask God to begin revealing who He sees you to be?

Free to be Me, Part 1

2010-01-31T08:00:00.003-06:00

Be who you are... Say what you feel...

Those who mind don't matter

and those who matter don't mind.

Dr. Seuss

Isn't that profound? I recommend reading that quote one more time - let it really sink in. It carries so much freedom, so much security and releases such confidence to those who believe it.

Free to be me. That's the phrase I woke up with in the middle of the night. I knew it was God putting this message on my heart. Who else could give me such meaty inspiration at 2:50 am? I've spent some time reflecting on what "Free to be Me" means. God is releasing His people to the realization and deliverance of being free to be themselves, the way He created them to be.

I'm absolutely FREE TO BE ME! And everyone else is free to be who they are as well. In fact, that's the only way we're supposed to be.

But wait? Who are you? I mean really, do you know who you really are?

It's high time to stop pretending, hiding, or simply being unaware of our true identity. It's time to find ourselves and the absolute eternal freedom that releases. It's empowering to find and thrive in our own identity - to know and be confident in ourselves from the inside-out.

Only recently have I realized I'd been going through this life without really knowing my identity or what/who I really was. Thanks be to God those days are over. I can say they are truly over because of an intense journey He's taken me through to show me who I am. Who I am in Him. I found Him and I found me along the way.

This is what's made me free to be me.

In the next several posts I want to show you how I found the free to be me freedom and how you can discover the same. Stick with me here - your best life is straight ahead.

Finally I Surrender

2010-01-27T10:00:00.001-06:00

Finally I Surrender.
That's more than a good quote or a catchy phrase. It's a life philosophy.

And it's a worship song by Misty Edwards.

I'm setting my eyes on that prize of surrendering myself wholly to God in every situation... how about you? It's a daily process. Some days are definitely better than others. But I learn from my mistakes and grow stronger because of them.

Surrender is life long endeavor so don't let the phrase "Finally I Surrender" make you think it's a one time deal. It's a journey, unaffected by age, location, background or income. God requires our total dependency on Him so the concept of surrendering to Him isn't going away.

But the more we do the "surrender thing" - the easier it becomes.

The more we lay down ourselves to pursue what God wants, the more we trust Him because we see Him prove His way is better.
The more we step out in faith into the unknown and uncomfortable, the more we feel the Almighty adrenaline of seeing God lift us up in ways only He can do.

If we're never surrendering to our Father God, we're just standing on the diving board of a really fulfilling and exciting swimming pool. The pool is loaded with potential and stocked with blessings, but it requires taking a risk in order to receive it.

We acknowledge that jumping into the pool could be fun... but the risks of what may happen, how we may look or what others will think holds us back.

We decide to let the others enjoy it. We're content the way things are.
Instead of bouncing off into new waters, we'd rather just stand and stare...from the plank...and back our way down the ladder back to our sidelines lawnchair.

Is it just me, or does that sound pretty boring? Its ridiculous how good the devil is at convincing us that "playing it safe" is the only way we should go. Do you take the time to realize those are not your own thoughts? Those are temptations the devil is giving you, hoping you'll take hold of them. He wants you to believe his lies and be scared into stillness.

Reject the deceiver and choose to act on the boldness you have in Christ. Remember - who's your ventriloquist? (See the Jan 20th post to understand that question)

Easier said than done, right?

Think on this quote from an old Successories poster. It is profound warning and motivation:

RISK

"A ship is safe in the harbor...

but that's not what ships were made for."

You were made for more than a harbor. Life isn't always supposed to be "safe" and predictable. There is a whole open sea out there God wants to take you to. First, you must agree to it.

Surrender is a risk. It's a HUGE risk. But how will you ever know what you're missing, if you refuse to take the first step? The greatest risks bring the greatest rewards!

Let's do a cannonball off that old diving board and experience these new waters God is leading us to. We weren't designed by the King of Kings to stand and stare at what could be. Let's make it what IS!

Still Standing

2010-01-25T17:54:00.000-06:00

The earthquakes and events unfolding in Haiti have captivated the world. Certainly this is a season of shaking, as God's Word promised would be seen in the Last Days.

Despite the massive tragedies, this picture is a loud testimony of the One Thing that cannot be shaken. No matter how much rubble and destruction comes crashing in - our God remains on the Throne.

No storm can undo what Christ's resurrection accomplished. No shaking can rock His firm foundation. No earthly event can disarm His authority or silence His Voice. Our God is still upon the Throne.

I received the above picture in an email today. The odds of that cross being untouched by the destruction seemed so small. I looked really close to make sure this photo hadn't been tampered with or superimposed.

In my doubt, I heard God say to my heart "Just Believe."

Why should we doubt He would be the only thing remaining among the rubble? What's wrong with our perspective that we doubt seeing God's supernatural power displayed in extraordinary ways like this? Why did I need to see the evidence of shadows in the photo to prove to me this was a real photo - that the Cross really did remain?

We need to start believing more of this BIG, BIG God we serve. We need to embrace the message in scenes like this: He is still on the Throne and He will have the final say.

Matthew 7:25 "The rains came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock."

What are is your life built upon?

How thick is your foundation?

We are to be built upon the rock of Christ Jesus.

For only on Him can we weather any storm.

Choosing Your Ventriloquist

2010-01-20T08:33:00.000-06:00

Though I’ve never seen a live performance, a ventriloquist comes to mind as a proper analogy for the surrender we've been talking about. Listen close - this paints a very vivid picture you won't soon forget.

To understand this illustration, we need to think of ourselves as the puppet on the hand of a ventriloquist.
In every decision and situation, we make the choice of who will operate our puppet.

We are only the form.

We have not our own voice.

We are to be operated by the being that fills us.

On our own we are without expression.

We wait for the voice of the ventriloquist to be our voice.

We wait for the movement of the ventriloquist to be our source of motion and expression.

It makes sense that we must choose our ventriloquist. Who are we going to allow in to fill and guide us?

We can be filled with the love and peace of Almighty God ruling and reigning our puppet. We can literally be His hands and feet on this earth. That's what we were created for.

God wants to channel His love, glory and grace form heaven onto the earth. He chooses to do that through His people. Since Jesus no longer walks on earth with God’s divine nature in Him, WE are the ones who need to be God’s hands and feet on earth.

We can express HIs presence through our words, thoughts, and actions. His heavenly Holiness can live and dwell in and through us. His glory can fill us up and dictate what we do.

But there’s always two possible decisions when any choice is given.

If we don’t choose God to be our ventriloquist, what will direct us instead? What will form our thoughts, reactions, and motives? Are you ready for this? I'm warning you it’s pretty scary...

The absence of God is evil. When we deny God from flowing through us and leading our every action, it’s the same thing as inviting in Satan to direct our puppetry. Does that make your stomach churn?

When we refuse God, even His smallest and softest daily promptings, we are making agreement with the devil. We are denying God’s desires to be our ventriloquist. We betray the faith we profess. We say no to the High and Holy King of Kings and we say yes to the dark evil devil.

Do you really want the devil driving you? Sadly, we don't realize the magnitude of what's happening daily within us. It's often subconscious decisions we don't even think about.

We have to realize the devil is DESPERATELY trying to get us to push God out of the equation and let Satan's darkness reign in our minds...all without really understanding what we're inviting in and agreeing to.

When we speak harsh words, form judgments about other people, gossip, refuse to forgive, or abide by our own plans instead of following or doing what God asks of us - we are letting Satan direct our puppet.

There’s not room for both God and Satan in there.

We can only follow one’s lead at a time.

God won’t coexist with evil.

So He’s either in, or you’ve kicked Him out.

Who will you choose to be your ventriloquist today?

Who have you been giving authority and control over your thoughts and behavior?

Will you stop and think throughout the day whose presence is directing you?

If you don’t like what you see, ask God to take over and be your Ventriloquist - He will know exactly what you mean!

Life is never fuller than when we choose and allow God to fill, direct, move and speak through us.

Stolen Control

2010-01-18T14:12:00.000-06:00

There are many things in this life that hold potential to scare us. Getting in a car accident, losing someone you love, being the victim of a violence or a natural disaster... the list goes on.

Yet, one of the biggest sources of scariness comes when we realize we cannot be in control.
You may be asking, “Why can’t we?”

We were not created to be in control - God controls us.

We often are guilty of violating the eighth commandment without even realizing it (Exodus 20:15 - “You shall not steal”). Have you ever thought of it that way?

What are we stealing from God?

Control. Authority. Dominion over our own lives.

We too often keep from God the only thing He truly wants: Surrender.

Is it possible we can be violating our God by this disobedience without even realizing it? Absolutely. The Bible makes extraordinarily clear in Deuteronomy 28 we are to give our full obedience to God. If we fully obey, then we are blessed and God is pleased. We are to love God with all our heart, our mind, and all our soul (Duet 30:2, Matt 22:37).

How do we do this?

We give Him the control He was always meant to have. We give back to Him what we have wrongfully stolen. We repent of our greedy, selfish ways and seek His leadership. We turn from our ways of self sufficiency and realize our greater need to rely on God for everything.

We give our lives to God in every way, not just in times of thanks and cheer. We step out and do the hard things He assigns us to. And we do it with grace, dignity, and delight...and without reservation or hesitation.

We don’t always realize when we take from God.

Because of His tremendous grace, patience and love for His children, God’s judgment is not necessarily administered immediately. This doesn’t mean He isn’t watching. It certainly doesn’t mean He isn’t concerned.

His infinite wisdom waits and longs for our heart to desire to return to Him. His love does not force the transformation of surrender upon us, He waits until we want it too.

This life is a constant journey of surrendering our all to Him. It’s not a once in a lifetime event. Our flesh desires to overtake us daily. Each day we must recommit our path to following and conforming to Christ, not ourselves.

Check back Wednesday for the next post where I'll share an incredible analogy God gave me on surrender... it really puts things into perspective.

You Say Let it Go

2010-01-09T23:00:00.001-06:00

Tenth Avenue North is a band my sister first told me about sometime last year. Maybe you've heard their hit single "By Your Side" on Christian radio. They have a blessed sound that sticks in your heart and keeps you singing over and again.

This band is extremely skilled at writing lyrics that challenge the listener into a place of deep connection with God's heart. Their songs enable listeners to pour out their heart before the Lord as they sing along.

God has put one of their songs on my mind in this journey of abandonment to Jesus and full surrender to God's Kingdom purposes. It's titled, "Let It Go".

Before reading the lyrics below, I urge you to ask the Holy Spirit to give you wisdom and revelation of what you need to let go so you can let God reign in and through you.

Song: Let It Go Band: Tenth Avenue North Album: Over and Underneath

I've been holding on so tight
Look at these knuckles
They've gone white
I'm fighting for who I wanna be
I'm just trying to find security

But You say let it go, You say let it go
You say life is waiting for the one to lose control
You say you will be, everything I need
You said if I lose my life it's then I'll find my soul
You say let it go.

Well it's hard enough to hear
Harder still, to move beyond this fear
We know there's nothing I can bring,
So tell me what do you want from me?

But You say let it go, You say let it go
You say life is waiting for the one to lose control
You say You will be, everything I need
You said if I lose my life it's then I'll find my soul
You say let it go, You say let it go

What do I love?
What do I hate?
What will I lose?
What will I gain?
How do I save my soul?
What if I bend?
What if I break?
What will it cost?
What will it take?
For you to save my soul.

You say let it go, You say let it go
You say life is waiting for the one to lose control
You say You will be, everything I need
You said if I lose my life it's then I'll find my soul

You say let it go, You say let it go
You say life is waiting for the one to lose control
You say you will be, everything I need
You said if I lose my life it's then I'll find my soul
You say let it go, You say let it go

What is God asking you to let go of today?
God requires total obedience, and total obedience requires full surrender.
Are you willing to give up whatever God asks so you can gain all God has?

Losing Ourselves to Find Ourselves

2010-01-08T06:00:00.018-06:00

Is it just me or is anybody else getting the message to surrender all to Jesus?

We talked last time about new beginnings. This is my new beginning for 2010 - losing myself to Jesus. I'd like you to walk with me through this journey, for this is a call God requires of all His children. Are you in?

Jesus is clear about the significance of losing ourselves to Him in Luke 9:23-24. "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it" (NIV).

Here's the same passage from the New Living Translation:
"If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it."

Jesus consistently said it like it was. He didn't beat around the bush. He didn't mask the truth. He didn't concern Himself if what He said would be well received by those around Him. His Words are God's Words and they are often piercing. They cut through the bologna of excuses we so often slice.

Let's take a moment to digest this point of surrender.

Something must happen before we can wisely and wholeheartedly surrender to God and all His ways. We first need to realize we were never entitled any control of our own in the first place. We are God's creation, we exist for Him alone. We weren't designed to be self-serving vessels.

"You are not your own; you were bought at a price." 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NIV).

We were bought by the blood of our Savior Jesus to be fully committed to the Kingdom of God. Our flesh fights hard against this because the devil does not want us purposing our life for God's cause. Satan wants us living for ourselves. The devil delights in that because it takes our focus off God as we bask in the spotlight of SELF.

The devil strives to make us feel threatened and fearful of a life abandoned to God's purposes. Living 100% sold out for God does mean losing ourselves. It does mean sacrificing. It means giving up our identity to be defined in Christ. But what we give up of ourselves is far less than the glory we will enjoy living in the presence of God. If only our hearts would truly embrace that powerful truth.

Surrender is about more than just accepting Jesus as our Savior.

It is a lifestyle.

It's about living for God in every minute. It's doing the things He asks us to, even when we don't want to or don't feel like it. It's serving God even when it feels like an inconvenience, when we don't have the energy, when we're hurting and when when we're in a hurry.

Surrender puts GOD above all else,

at the place He was always meant to be.

This is Just the Beginning

2010-01-05T12:21:00.001-06:00

2010.

What does this combination of numbers mean for you?

To me, it means new beginnings. God has been whispering the phrase "This is just the beginning" for many months now over and over again in my heart. Yet, a new year seems to usher in this concept more than any other time.

What lies ahead for 2010? Only the good Lord knows. Is that comforting or concerning for you?

Most of us want some sense of what's to come. Or maybe we're afraid of what the new year, this new beginning will require of us. It is thrilling to know God is in control and holds all things. And yet, when we really think about it - it can be challenging to truly let go of it all and give it into His hands instead of our own.

Jeremiah 10:23 "A man's life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps."

If we're entering a season of new beginnings - it means we're going places we've never gone before. It means we're stepping into things we've not yet experienced. New beginnings require us to leave behind the familiar and step into new directions.

Most of us are challenged by change. No wonder we prefer the comfort of what we already know. Change stretches us. Change matures us. Change deepens our ability to feel, live, and touch this world for our Lord. Change takes us places we may have never gone ourselves.

God's destiny requires us to change as He ushers in the end of one season for the beginning of another. How do we know what season we're entering? How can we understand and define what this new beginning will mean in each of our own lives?

We ask God. We let the Divine define.

Jeremiah 33:3 "Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know."

We wait for Him to lead us to the places He desires. For they are far greater than the comfort we currently know. We must shed our fears and fully surrender to the life God has asked us to lead. We must abandon all to Jesus. That is the best new beginning, this is the best destiny.

Will you join me in fully surrendering to all God has for us in 2010?

"As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." Proverbs 23:17

How beautifully true that this is just the beginning...

The Power Within

2009-12-21T10:03:00.000-06:00

We're familiar with baby Jesus, right? We set up our nativity scenes and position the manger as the focal point. We celebrate the birth of the Savior, born as an infant to save the world.

As I was singing a praise song this morning, a new revelation hit my heart.

The Word of God became flesh, as John 1:14 describes. Jesus, part of the Triune God, left heaven to accomplish God's plan of redemption for all people. How did He do this? He took on human form and was born as an infant to Mary. Most of us are aware of these details from the Christmas story.

The new view my heart saw this morning was the magnitude of what was within that baby. That baby was God Himself. That baby contained all the power and glory of heaven in His simple frame. The Bible clearly specifies Jesus was both fully God and fully human.

Our bodies, too, are to be hosts of God's power, authority and presence.

It struck me today there is no limit to how God can manifest Himself upon us and through us.

If an infant's capacity could increase to contain the Almighty God as Jesus, so too can our bodies serve as hosts of the supernatural.

This leads us into extraordinary destinies.

There are no boundaries with God. He is limitless. He releases as much of Himself to us as we ask for...and beyond (Eph 3:20). He wants our human frames to host His glory and do His will just as Jesus did.

Jesus proved we cannot use our flesh as an excuse for disobedience. Rather, we have extreme power at our fingertips when we are filled with the Holy Spirit and the presence of God. God in us, as God was in Jesus, enables us to be overcomers in this dark world.

Let's close by accessing Jesus' wisdom of how we humans can live pleasing to God on earth:

"I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases Him." John 8:28-29 (NIV)

I pray your heart knows you're spending this Christmas with the One who sent you,

celebrating the One He sent.

Speak His words, do what He would do,

and ask for His abundant blessing and presence now and always.

In the Hustle, Don't Miss the Subtle

2009-12-19T08:25:00.000-06:00

There's a fresh and important message your heart needs to hear...

but I'm taking you somewhere else to find it!

I'm the guest writer on Eternity Cafe's blog again today for the special 40 Day Focus. Susan, author of Eternity Cafe, is doing an outstanding job preparing hearts to receive Christ this Christmas. Let's all go over and check it out at Eternity Cafe.

The link below will help you discover the significance of a Silent, Holy Christmas.

Click here to read my post at Eternity Cafe!

How Thirsty Are You?

2009-12-17T10:11:00.000-06:00

It's Christmas time. For most of us, that means having a decorated tree fashioned with lights and ornaments. They are a treasure of the memories of Christmas's past.

We opt for a live tree in our home. Though there are really wonderful artificial trees available, my childhood tradition of getting a real tree carries on in my heart.

The tree has been set up and glistening for over a week now.

While getting emerged in seasonal fun and festivities, it totally slipped my mind that the tree had needs of its own. That is, until I recently looked at the bottom of the tree and realized it's water basin was... bone dry. Yeah, not a drop of water to be found in there.

I completely forgot live trees require water - they, too get thirsty! Whoops! I went running to the faucet.

I had gotten so distracted with enjoying the tree from a distance, it didn't occur to me to take a close up look at what was really going on. I hadn't even noticed the perimeter branches were getting quite saggy. Because of my neglect, this tree had little strength and stamina left.

My mind raced to Scripture. Jesus likened Himself as the Source to satisfy our own thirsts.

Jesus said, "He who believes in me will never be thirsty." John 6:35

Jesus explained, "Whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." John 4:14

"I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. He who overcomes will inherit all this and I will be his God." Revelation 21:6

Without a daily refreshing of Jesus, our lives get limp, weak, and weary...just as my Christmas tree did. We may not even realize its happening. That's the real scary part. We're drying up but have no clue the heaviness we feel is not how God wants His children to live.

As we believe in Jesus and put our faith in Him, we will see our needs satisfied. Seeking Jesus through a daily relationship is one way He quenches our thirst. Reading the Bible, praying, adoring, and worshipping God are ways to drink from His eternal well, the water of life. This water gives us strength, wisdom, hope, joy and love.

We must keep coming back for more, one drink is not enough. We need to drink from Jesus everyday to function at our best, His best.

What's your water level right now? Does the season have you feeling bone dry? Are you somewhere in the middle? Maybe you're not even aware of how thirsty you truly are.

Ask Jesus to give you a drink. Don't settle for the small size. Ask Him to give you unlimited refills, over and again. He has more than enough for each of us. But you must come asking.

It is God's desire to refresh His people. He created us to live an abundant life (John 10:10) for His glory and our delight!

Don't let this Christmas be a thirsty one for you.

I challenge you to make 2010 well watered also.

PrayerCast Wednesday Dec. 16

2009-12-16T08:17:00.000-06:00

Yesterday I received an email notice about the Prayercast mentioned below. This online PrayerCast: Government Takeover of Healthcare is happening tonight, Dec 16.

Our nation is in a critical time. We, as the Body of Christ, must crave and seek after God's divine intervention. Technology is allowing us to take a stand and unite as believers this very night - as we come together as one body before God's throne room via the Prayercast.

Please read the details below written by the Family Research Council and make arrangements to participate...

Dear Praying Friends,
Sign-up today for the "Family Research Council Action PrayerCast: Government Takeover of Healthcare" Policy and Prayer Webcast with Tony Perkins and friends on Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 8:30 p.m. EST, 7:30 CT. Register by clicking here (http://www.frcaction.org/prayercastregistration ), then log in on Wednesday evening, and watch.

We have a powerful lineup of leaders, who will inform and inspire:
Tony Perkins, President, Family Research Council
Lou Engle, Founder and President, The Call
Hon. Sam Brownback, United States Senator, Kansas
Hon. Jim DeMint, United States Senator, South Carolina
Hon. Randy Forbes, United States Congressman, Virginia
Hon. Michele Bachmann, United States Congresswoman, Minnesota
Bishop Harry Jackson, President, High Impact Leadership Coalition
Pastor Jim Garlow, Skyline Church, San Diego, Calif.

During the "Policy and Prayer-Cast," you will hear the latest on the threats to the God-given right to human life through government funding of abortions, our health from rationing, our family finances from higher taxes, and our general freedom posed by the government plan to take over healthcare.

We will also enter into seasons of prayer and make our appeal to the God of heaven for His aid in this current struggle.

Again, register here ( http://www.frcaction.org/prayercastregistration ) and make plans now to join us for the live "FRC Action PrayerCast: Government Takeover of Healthcare" on Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 8:30 p.m. EST, 7:30 CT. Encourage your friends to participate.

Don't miss it!
Take a stand for Faith, Family and Freedom.

Is There Room in You?

2009-12-14T19:50:00.000-06:00

Joy to the world...the Lord has come! Let earth receive her King.
Let every heart, prepare him room...

I ask you this Christmas: is there room in you?

Is there room in your heart to receive the Savior this Christmas?

If you've never invited Jesus to rule and reign in your heart - this is your perfect opportunity! Ask Him into your life right now by proclaiming you are a sinner and then declare Jesus as your Savior, the Lord of your life. Be ready for life to get purpose, hope, joy and love you never dreamed of!

If you've been a believer for a while, it's a good idea to do a year-end inventory of what your heart contains. We don't often do these self examinations but we'd sure be wise to do so.

Wouldn't it be a shame if our hearts were too full of other busyness, false priorities, sin, and religion to receive Christ as a relationship this year?

The familiar and celebrated song Joy to the World instructs us to get ready for the King's arrival. Every heart is to prepare himself/herself room for this coming Kingdom. No one is exempt from this promise, this blessing, this responsibility of getting ready for the King.

The King of Kings is a gift our Father God has extended unto all the world. The Christ child King wants to dwell and reign in every human heart. Because of His love, He doesn't force His way in. He waits for hearts to prepare a place for Him. He waits for His people to prepare Him room.

"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in..." Revelation 3:20 (NIV).

Preparing Him room is to "seek first His kingdom and His righteousness" Matt 6:33 (NIV).

We seek His Kingdom and we prepare Him room by faith, as we position Jesus as our ultimate Best Friend and top priority. A prepared heart is a holy place where Jesus is welcomed above all else. This is a heart actively seeking after God. A prepared heart needs to be free of clutter and unconfessed sin so Christ can make His home within.

Jesus Christ wants to rule and reign through us. He wants to be our everything. He wants to be the reason we live, the One we look forward to spending time with the most.

Is there room in you for Him to do so?

Have you prepared Him a place?

He's standing there knocking...

will you open the door to Christ this Christmas?

Relaxing at Eternity Cafe Today

2009-12-11T14:32:00.000-06:00

For special inspiration today, we're going over to the Eternity Cafe.

No, it's not a real restaurant, nor an actual place...it's a cyber space! Eternity Cafe is a blog my writing friend Susan Panzica authors. I'm the featured guest writer at Eternity Cafe today. My post titled, "Where You Gonna Get Your Fill?" is a message we all need to hear and live by - especially in this busy season. Click the link below to find my post and linger at Eternity Cafe: http://eternitycafe.blogspot.com
The Eternity Cafe blog has committed to a 40 Day Focus. This challenges all of us to focus and prepare our hearts, minds, and souls to receive the Holy Spirit this season and celebrate the birth of our Savior.

Clicking on the 40 Day Focus icon will tell you more...

Fantastic Christmas Music Online

2009-12-10T18:31:00.001-06:00

Christmas music is a must this time of year.

You simply cannot be content listening to your regular faves when we have the delight of Christmas music to usher in the season of our Savior's birth!

The Christian Broadcast Network (CBN) has an online Christmas radio station and it's spectacular! They feature a variety of artists and a range of classic to contemporary Christmas renditions are played. Check it out!

Here's the link: CBN's Online Christmas Radio

Merry Christmas!

We ARE the Message

2009-12-07T11:11:00.000-06:00

The Bible was written a long time ago but do you realize God is still writing today? He continues creating beautiful storylines to showcase His glory and instruct His people. He’s hard at work preparing testimonies that will turn hearts to Him today and in the days to come. His presence is adding drama, flare, depth and love to the hearts of His children just as much today as He did in the days of Abraham.

“You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody.

You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the Living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.”

2 Corinthians 3:2-3, NIV

This verse describes us as LIVING BIBLES.

We are testimonies of God’s abundant grace and love walking around everyday. We are God's message written not with ink, but within human hearts.

The Bible is a written, published, inspired work of God. It contains His very words. It is a work that has survived the test of time and remains without error, just as relevant today as it was in the days originally recorded.

Yet, it's clear God is still speaking today. He has not stopped releasing His divine inspiration. The inspiration comes through the Holy Spirit living within the heart of each professing believer. We are living the revelation of truth. We are being fed experiences and encounters daily that strengthen our faith and encourage diligence in our walk with Jesus.

Our every experience is giving us a testimony of God’s goodness, faithfulness, provision and power. Our every experience is testifying to others the measure of our faith and what our Jesus is really about. We are publishing God’s work and glory every day by the sentences we speak and the reactions we respond with. Every situation we face we are publishing who Jesus is, and who Jesus is in us. Even when no one is watching, we are a walking Bible, we are Living the Word.

We are testifying in everything we do who this God is that we say we love and adore. We are Living Bibles. We ARE the Message. We are walking truth. We have mouths to speak what God is doing. We have ears to hear what God is laying upon the hearts of others. We have hearts to feel God moving and to sense where He is at work.

Our Living testimonies speak, demonstrate, feel, see, touch, hear, and taste the Word of God. Past, present and future.

Who is your life testifying to today?
What does your living testimony lead others to believe about Jesus?
Would someone want to open your "Living Message" and read more, or are they turned off, getting a bad impression of God?
We're representatives of God in everything we do. What do you need to pray about so you can be a better reflection of God's love, joy, grace and blessing?

You Won't Believe It!

2009-12-02T09:04:00.000-06:00

Advent (the four weeks prior to Christmas) is a season of preparation and expectation. There is much to anticipate about the celebration of our Savior's birth. God is giving us time to position our hearts to receive Him in a unique way this year. How is He working in you?

Have you ever imagined your reaction if you'd lived in the city of Bethlehem in Luke chapter two? It's easy to sit in 2009 and wonder why people questioned if this really was the Son of God, born to save men from their sins. Yet, if we were in Bethlehem at the time of the Christ child's birth, we would quickly realize the rarity and illogical nature of that claim.

It took faith to believe Jesus was the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies. It took dependence on God and understanding only God can give to adore this babe as the Savior of the world.

Habukkuk 1:5 is where I landed this morning as I opened my Bible. I first heard this verse when my sister shared it with me last spring. It fits perfectly here. It says, "...For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told." (NIV)

That's how God works. He has the capability to do the impossibly unbelievable. He delights in telling us in advance how He will move and then privileging us to anticipate it. How extremely challenging to wrap our minds around! Nothing He does "makes sense" to our human understanding, He defies common sense to prove His infinite power and love.

If you had been told Jesus, the King of Kings, was to be born in a stable because there would be no other place for Him - would you have believed it? Would you believe and recognize the Savior of the world arriving in such a humble way?

What is God telling you now He wants to do in your life that you are not believing Him for? Do you think its too great? Do you think you don't deserve it? Do you think it's just too unlikely or impossible to ever come about?

If these questions are in your mind, know this: they are NOT from God. Those lies and feelings of defeat are from the devil. Our loving God wants to amaze us. He wants us to expect and look forward to Him doing the impossible in our lives. He wants us to believe BIG in Him. Don't box Him in.

Posture your heart to believe, even if there's no way what you're asking for could make sense. God loves to work against all odds. He usually surprises us in how He brings it about - don't get tied up in your own expectations. Give it to God, and wait for him to "do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told!" Habakkuk 1:5

Awe & Thanksgiving!

2009-11-26T08:11:00.000-06:00

Today is Thanksgiving. A day first designated by George Washington as a day to give thanks to God for our freedom, blessings, and abundance. Hallelujah!

Let's keep our focus on what this day is truly about - recognizing and glorifying the Lord for all He has done. This is truly praiseworthy.

Hebrews 12:28 "Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe."

God has impressed on my heart a new focus for worshipping and thanking Him. He delights in us coming before Him to admire who He is and what He's done. He is such a loving God we should literally be left speechless thinking of what He means to us. I encourage you to spend time sitting in the stillness, giving God your awe and thanksgiving. No words are needed.

Simply posture your heart and still your mind to admire the Almighty.

The Holy Spirit is MOVING!

2009-11-23T14:25:00.000-06:00

Sometimes its hard to imagine we serve the same God today that's showcased throughout the Bible. He can seem a little less dramatic today compared to Elijah's day when fireballs came down from heaven. We get in a routine of "serving" God, but not experiencing God. Probably because we've never learned to ask for and expect what God is truly capable of. Most churches don't teach that we should expect to experience God the same way today Abraham, Moses, Elijah, Peter, John, and Paul did. But from what I've been learning, that is God's desire.

Let me clear one thing up from the get-go. God hasn't changed. He's the God who was and is and is to come (Rev 4:8). If anything has gotten less exciting or less expectant - it's us. We need to experience God in a fresh way now more than ever. He is the only thing in our lives that is constant and guaranteed.

We need to feel His power, to see His healing, to expect His miraculous. Do you want it? Are you in? God's given us a special way to do it right now. He's opened a unique door to encounter Himself as extravagantly as in Biblical times. Keep reading to discover how...

Acts 2:17 offers a promise we must know and be watching for. "In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people."

I have become expectant of what God wants to do in 21st century Christianity. God has opened my eyes to a whole new realm of His supernatural ways in the past six months.

All I can say is "It is extraordinary!"

The Holy Spirit longs for us to understand more of what God is about.

It's time for you to encounter God.

The International House of Prayer-Kansas City (IHOP-KC) ministry is experiencing an outpouring of the Holy Spirit equivalent to events and miracles we read about in the Bible. Only this is happening TODAY - 2009! Miraculous physical healings are taking place, deliverance, emotional healings, salvation reaching lost souls and so much more...globally.

The IHOP-KC Missions Base is inviting the WORLD to join in to be touched by God in this movement! Praise the Lord for technology! IHOP is webstreaming live their worship and prayer meetings every Wednesday-Sunday evening from now into 2010. This means we can be part of this supernatural experience wherever we are!

Join in at www.ihop.org to watch the live meetings (which run 6 pm - midnight) or watch from the site archives anytime (these meetings began around Nov 11). Click on the area titled IHOPU Student Awakening. IHOP announced over 163 countries are taking part in this Awakening via the internet!

This is an incredible opportunity. Check out www.ihop.org to learn more and have your own encounter with God. Spread the Word, spread God's love, and release God's power by telling others about this, too. God is doing the unexpected and extraordinary. He is proving His love in ways we could never imagine! Don't be a spectator, suit up and jump in! Ask God to reveal His love to you through this. Ask the Holy Spirit to "Come!" God will do the rest!

Acts 1:8 "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you"

Come Lord Jesus! Come Holy Spirit!

Have your way in me! Move me! Give me more of You!

Show me Your love Father, pour out Your Holy Spirit over my heart!

Ignite the fire of God in me!

I pray blessings and extraordinary joy as you see what God has waiting for you through this supernatural encounter!

Who Are You Pleasing?

2009-11-19T11:32:00.000-06:00

Galatians 1:10 is on my heart today as the topic this blog needs to feature. I pray it blesses you.

The verse reads, "Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ."

How many of us are guilty of basing our decisions and actions on what people think of us or what they expect from us? Are you one that seeks approval from others more than you look for approval and acceptance in the love of God? How often do you hold back who you really are so you can blend in and have a sense of belonging with somebody? Did you realize you're compromising the way God created you to be?

If you're struggling through life trying to please other people, you will exhaust yourself and gain nothing. This verse clearly tells us we cannot please both man and God. We just can't. God didn't design us that way. We cannot serve two masters. Who will you choose to serve? Who will offer you longer lasting rewards? Serving and loving God above all brings eternal results. These far outlast anything this earth or its people can offer, no matter how appealing they seem in the present tense.

Matthew 22:37 captures the essence of our need to look toward and serve God above all.

Jesus replied: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment."

There you have it. The #1 thing on your to-do list, today and everyday. Love God with all you are. Don't put your stock in man. That will make you feel more empty, unaccepted and isolated than anything else.

I have yet to find a verse in the Bible that says seek your identity in your friends, your peers, your job, your parents, or your hobbies. No. We find our identity in Christ alone. Nothing else can complete us. Nothing else can grip us like the love of God in our lives.

Nothing else can fill the holes of loneliness or heal the wounds of hurt, offense and abuse. Only the love of God can give your life the purpose and satisfaction you hunger to discover. You will never find significance anywhere else. Ask Him to make this real for you.

He always accepts an invitation into the hearts of His children.

He longs to amaze you!

"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hearts My voice and opens the door, I will come in..." Revelation 3:20 (NIV).

Here's a closing Psalm to pray over. My heart tells me somebody needs to be assured Jesus is there to fill the emptiness you're struggling with right now. Just as the Psalmist cries out to God, let these words be yours as well. God is waiting to lift you up and love you more than anyone else can.

You are beautiful to Him and you belong to Him!

Psalm 25:16-21 (Contemporary English Version)

¹⁶I am lonely and troubled.

Show that you care

and have pity on me.

¹⁷My awful worries keep growing.

Rescue me from sadness.

¹⁸See my troubles and misery

and forgive my sins.

¹⁹Look at all my enemies!

See how much they hate me.

²⁰I come to you for shelter.

Protect me, keep me safe,

and don't disappoint me.

²¹I obey you with all my heart,

and I trust you, knowing

that you will save me.

Ask Jesus to prove His love to you in a brand new way today.

Invite Him into your heart and watch your life be filled and transformed for His glory and your joy!

Why Satan Wants Our Joy

2009-11-14T09:46:00.000-06:00

I solved a mystery this week. Actually, I can't take credit for it. It wasn't me at all. Only the Lord deserves the glory.

The profound impact this discovery had on my heart cannot be overstated. I trust it will have significant influence on you, too. Are you ready for it?

It's the mystery behind joy. Joy is a great blessing. You may know there's a difference between being happy and being joyful. Happiness is generally dependent on circumstances - it can come and go. Joy is rooted beneath what we experience - it's a state of mind we choose to embrace that is not conditional on circumstances.

When hard times come we often lose our joyful attitude. We get bogged down in the burdens, pain, struggles, and challenges sitting before us. Can you relate? This describes exactly what I was feeling this past week... actually this past month to be perfectly honest.

What had happened to my usual enthusiasm, energy, and optimism? I didn't like what I was feeling - the burden was getting to be too much. I felt so different, so distant. The Lord finally led me to ask Him to renew my JOY. I needed my JOY back, the joy of the Lord. That was it! I'd lost the joy. As I thought back over the pains of the past month, I realized the lack of joy was increasing my troubles. Without joy and with increasing difficulty, there's something else that tragically increases. Weariness.

As the Lord was walking me through this lesson, this Scripture verse came to mind "the joy of the Lord is your strength." Incredible! I suddenly realized what a valuable treasure JOY is! I'd heard this Scripture before (that's why it came to mind). However, I'd never realized that without joy we are weak, fearful, and cannot defend ourselves against the devil. When we're missing our joy, we're fighting a battle without our arsenal or armor. That's just plain dangerous...deadly.

The devil's goal is to wear us down. Satan wants to make us so weak and weary we can't fight against his attacks. Satan is relentless in trying to destroy us. Trust me in this: the devil is well aware that when he steals our joy, he steals our strength.

It's no secret. That's why Satan directs his evil passion toward sucking dry all the Lord's joy in us, our inner strength. Our joy is one of Satan's biggest threats because it is the strength of Christ in us.

I was floored at the intensity of this truth. I'm grateful God allowed me to experience this Scripture LIVE. It's powerful how much more meaningful the Bible is when we live out the realities those anointed verses proclaim. God is an extraordinary teacher. He knows the way we best receive His messages, even if it means discovering truths through pain and sorrow.

Where is the devil trying to make you weak right now? Or has the devil already stolen your joy, too?
How strong are you feeling right now?
If you're feeling weak, down, isolated, or hopeless pray for JOY! This will shower God's abundant strength all over you. Joy will give you what you need to overcome.
Even if you don't "feel weak", we all need a daily refill of joy to keep us strong and protect against the devil. Have you asked God for joy yet today? Don't delay! He knows you need it now!

Acknowledging 100% Part 2

2009-11-12T06:00:00.069-06:00

Did you listen for the Holy Spirit's wisdom as you read Proverbs 3:5-6? The best way to understand a passage of Scripture is to ask the Holy Spirit to show you its meaning. Also seek how the verse applies to your own life so you not only learn but live the message! Wait and listen as the Holy Spirit brings things to your mind. Be patient.

The beauty of God's Word is that it is a Living Book. It is as relevant today as it was in the days it was written. The Holy Spirit's wisdom breathes life into the Bible. The Holy Spirit enables God's people to receive instruction, encouragement, hope, and discipline from the Bible.

The Bible is alive. It is never dull or monotonous because the Holy Spirit gives fresh understanding and new light to passages each time we open it! Have you experienced this? How so? Do you realize it's the Holy Spirit who makes God's Word real and exciting in our lives today?

Now let's finish developing the topic from the previous post (Nov 1 - Acknowledging 100%).

Proverbs 3:5-6...

vs 5 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.

vs 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight." (NIV).
What is the life-changing message contained in verse six?

It requires me to commit all my ways to the Lord. It states "in all your ways acknowledge Him." In every situation, every temptation, every point where a decision is required (which is thousands of times per day)...I am to acknowledge Jesus. I am to seek His way and follow His will, not my own.

This sets the bar to a standard where my flesh cannot rule me. I acknowledge Jesus in my struggles. I put my hesitation to follow through into the hands of my Savior. I act immediately upon what God is asking of me. When I acknowledge the Lord in all my ways, there's not room or time to yield to selfish, fleshly desires and fears.

The Word of God, which is faithful and true, promises when we acknowledge the Lord in all our ways, "He will make our paths straight". This is the promise and assurance given in verse six. Don't miss it...don't cut yourself short.

Turning and trusting God in all your ways opens doors to abundant living in the Kingdom of God. You don't have to wait for eternity to experience it. It's an "if...then..." statement and if you begin now, so does the promise!

Where do you need to acknowledge the Lord in your life?

What areas are you doing on your own strength without asking God for help and direction?

How will you remember to acknowledge God in all your ways so your paths can be straightened by Him?

Acknowledging 100%

2009-11-10T12:47:00.001-06:00

I got new insight on a Scripture passage last week. You wanna hear?

There are many "well known" Bible verses. We get pretty used to some of them because of frequent use in church sermons. We see them displayed as inspirational messages on plaques and picture frames. Does one come to your mind right now?

These are great ways to saturate our minds with the Word of God. Yet, our brains tend to go into auto-pilot mode when we see or hear familiar verses really often. We cannot let repetition cause us to forget its significance.

I love it when the Holy Spirit suddenly gives a fresh breath to verse we've seen time and again.

This happened for me last week with Proverbs 3:5-6.

vs 5 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.

vs 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight." (NIV).

So true, right? But wait...what's verse six really saying? It's the answer to our prayers, our every decision, our every fork in the road. In all your ways, acknowledge Him. Six words, sixth verse.

It holds the power to change your life.

It holds the power to overcome your fears, struggles, and indecision.

He is the answer.
Acknowledge this truth, Acknowledge Him.

One thing I've been struggling with lately is responding obediently to what God requires of me. I'm not talking about a day by day basis, but on a moment by moment basis. The more I learn and draw into the Lord, the more He whispers things to my heart that demand my response (without reservation or hesitation).

Sadly, I find it much easier to let the fears and hesitation trample freely in my mind. Is this a struggle you're facing, too? Rather than yielding to obedience, my delayed response enables the reasons not to obey to get louder and louder. Meanwhile, the shame of potentially disobeying God (even in the most menial ways) increases. Talk about a lose-lose situation. But it's 100% avoidable. How's that?

Read the verse above again: Proverbs 3:5-6. Invite the Holy Spirit to explain it to you. I'll finish my explanation of what the Holy Spirit taught me in the next post.

Frustrated by the Flesh Part 2

2009-11-01T11:40:00.000-06:00

We're picking up on the previous post. The inevitable struggle between our flesh and our faith. We're taking tidbits from the apostle Paul from Romans 7.

What's to blame for us doing what we don't want to do... and not doing what we know we should do? What gives?

Paul continues in Romans 7:20: "If I do what I don't want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong. It is the sin living in me that does it." Verse 23 clarifies: "There is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me."

Paul isn't implying we don't take responsibility for our sin. He is not teaching that we simply blame it on our "sinful nature." He's saying we must alert ourselves of this constant struggle... and be armed against it. Our flesh isn't going to just disappear after intensive prayer over this, but the power it has over us can.

The flesh is part of us as long as we're on this earth. We must learn to deal with it. I don't know about you, but I'm not content just dealing with it. I'm not gonna try to pacify my flesh or hope it talks more quietly so I can better hear the Holy Spirit. No way. I'm pursuing this thing HEAD-ON. Will you? We must desire destruction come to the shackles the flesh binds us by.

Paul declares in verse 25 that "the answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord." Hallelujah! Hope in Him for victory!

We're pretty much experts of the flesh...but let's start focusing our attention on Jesus as the solution. Don't dwell on your frustration. Invest your thoughts and energy in surrendering your mind to God. "The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace...those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God" Romans 8:6, 8.

Our faith, hope, and trust in Jesus doesn't make our problems go away. It changes our heart. It creates a power shift. Embracing our confidence in Christ and believing God's presence within us thrusts the authority from the flesh and onto our faith. That's what I'm talking about! THIS is the what I want my mind focusing on - the victory! How about you?

What are you struggling with?

What same mistakes and sins do you continue to find yourself in?

How will you bring this to God and seek His solution through Jesus?

Ask Him for a mind controlled by the Spirit - He'll be happy to release it to you, but be patient with yourself...it takes time. Overcoming the flesh is a mighty big battle.

Frustrated by the Flesh

2009-10-30T10:56:00.000-05:00

Is it just me or is anybody else sick and tired of giving more attention to their flesh than the Spirit of God within them? It continues to strike me how I can continue to mess up and do things I don't want to do.

Why is it that in my quiet time with the Lord things look so clear? I know I don't want to sin, I know I want to demonstrate His love in all I do. I want to speak love, think love, and live in a loving way that brings glory to my Eternal King.

Yet, when reality strikes - and it's time for me to leave my quiet corner with God - it's as if it all goes out the window. Applying the Biblical truths we're commanded to live by is totally different from learning or praying them. Where the rubber meets the road is the true test. Lately it feels like I've just been spinning tires.

Please tell me I'm not alone. It's our human nature to want to pick self over others, to get impatient instead of saying "let's wait and see!", and to lack love when our minds are spun up by stress and schedules.

Jesus understands this. Thankfully we serve a Triune God who has experienced every human emotion. Jesus acknowledged that "the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak" (Matthew 26:41, Mark 14:38). AMEN!

Paul also knew this struggle. He articulates the battle between the flesh and spirit within us very clearly in Romans 7:15-25 (NLT). In verse 15 Paul describes "I don't really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don't do it. Instead, I do what I hate." Anybody ditto that? I think this sums up every Christian's struggle between a heart desiring to follow God and a flesh striving to corrupt that divine pursuit.

Romans 7:18 talks about the sinful nature in each of us. Verse 18-19 describes "I want to do what is right, but I can't. I want to do what is good, but I don't. I don't want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway." Yeah - I hear ya Paul. Same with me. I know better. But yet I keep making the same fleshly mistakes. I put myself first instead of caring for others. My heart wants to exhale God's love with every breath, yet frustration and impatience take the driver's seat far too often.

This is a hefty topic. Let's pause here for now. We'll continue on with the next post. Meanwhile, spend some time with the Lord reflecting on areas you may be struggling with. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you areas where you're a "repeat offender." Seeking wisdom, strength, and stamina from God is our only hope in ignoring and defeating our obnoxious sinful nature.

When The Sun Doesn't Seem to Shine

2009-10-27T08:10:00.000-05:00

All around me it seems there are people hurting, struggling, suffering, and being broken.

Granted, I've got my own share of trials underway as well. That's life. It compels me to spend today focusing on what the believer should do when the sun doesn't seem to be shining. There's no excuse to ever lose hope or faith. We must wait upon God to understand what He's doing, trusting it is for our good (Romans 8:28).

Let's go to Psalm 143. I love the Psalms. David seems to dictate nearly every human emotion throughout his prayer journals captured in the Psalms. We know David as a man after God's own heart. Yes, and he also poured his own heart out in a very open and honest way before the Father. This open fellowship with God brought David the comfort of God's presence and the strength of God's hand.

Psalm 143:4-6 (NIV, emphasis mine)

"My spirit grows faint within me; my heart within me is dismayed.
I remember the days of long ago; I meditate on all Your works
and consider what Your hands have done.
I spread out my hands to You."

Clearly David was facing a difficult situation, possibly a desperate one. How did he choose to deal with it?

David decided to think about all the things the Lord done in the past. He focused on remembering the ways he'd seen the Lord provide, deliver, and sustain him in other situations. He chose to spend his thoughts on the works God's hands had already done. Rather than dwelling on what God hadn't done yet here, David received power through focusing on what God has accomplished in David's life before.

How much easier is it for us to get discouraged in tough times rather than be the eager optimist? How much more natural does it feel for us to look at the present struggle rather than the previous times we've been saved? How effective is our memory? Do we remember only the strife or does the victory God delivered make the headlines in our mind?

It is the devil's win if we surrender to discouragement and defeat. This is not the Lord's game plan. He has already overcome the world (John 16:33) so there is no reason to fear, be anxious, have a quitter's spirit. In order to receive God's winning strategy in our difficulty, we must continue to follow David's example in Psalm 143.

Psalm 143:8 Let the morning bring me word of Your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in You.
Show me the way I should go.
Verse 9... Rescue me
Verse 10... Teach me
Verse 11...Preserve my life, in Your righteousness bring me out of trouble.

Will you apply David's wisdom? Will you use your current challenges as an invitation to see God up close doing an awesome work in your life? You can run from the problem, hide from it, or confront it. By God's grace you have the power to step directly into it with confidence behind His lead. Which will you choose?

Call upon God and let Him show you the way you should go. Invest your time praising Him rather than complaining. Praise increases power in us, whereas complaining only makes us more weary.

Destination: Restoration, Who Should Keep Off?

2009-10-21T07:08:00.001-05:00

(FYI: If you missed the first two Destination: Restoration posts, I invite you to scroll down and review them now. The first was posted Oct 12. Today we'll continue discussing the Restoration photo.)

God is in the business of restoration. Thankfully so! We all need His hand to put our lives back in order after we've drifted into self sufficiency.

The remarkable sign in Rocky Mountain National Park stated, "Restoration Area: Keep Off." The joy of knowing Restoration is underway is awesome. Yet, for restoration to be accomplished in full, we must learn the truth of the second half of the sign. The "Keep Off" is vital to the restoration process. When God is doing a work, it is necessary for us to step aside and let the God of the Universe do His thing, His way, in His timing.

In our own lives, the "Keep Off" warning is directed at three audiences.

You. Don't mess with what God is doing. Obey when He asks something of you, but don't intrude on what He's working on. Don't get impatient or bossy with God. Take the wisdom of Matthew 10:24 "A disciple is not above his teacher." Rest assured He's going to work everything out for your ultimate good...Romans 8:28

The devil. There is no room for the devil to linger where God is at work. It's either all God or no God. Good cannot intermingle with evil. If we want God to do His full work of restoration, we must demand that evil keep off our lives. Temptation that may sabotage God's plan of healing must be rebuked as soon as you recognize it. Threats from the devil to give up, give in, or interfere with God's work must be overcome with our desire to love and serve only the Lord.

Others. Do not give value to the opinions of ungodly counsel. Even godly people can give unwise advice at times. Only you can know exactly what God is requiring you to do in any situation. Ultimately, you are accountable to no one except God. Don't let the expectations of others interfere with your commitment to God. God often asks us to make hard decisions and to step out in ways that others, even loved ones, do not support. These are times when we must choose God above everything else, knowing He demands wholehearted obedience. Do not let others get in the way or be a hindrance to your restoration destination.

What is interferring with the restoration God wants to give you?

How are you enabling this interference?

How will you respond to the "Keep Off" warning?
What changes do you need to make to obey this?

Destination: Restoration, Why Be Restored?

2009-10-14T08:47:00.002-05:00

Anyone who has ever experienced pain, hurt, suffering, or loss has probably desired and sought recovery from that. People overcome difficulty in many ways, but the Lord stands alone as the only Source of lasting impact.

Whatever torment and turmoil has left its stamp on your life, God has a destination restoration He wants to take you to. The journey requires strength, the will to overcome, endurance, patience, and trust. You have the option to be a poor sportsman or quitter in the process or to be the MVP along the path to victory! The attitude of your heart will be the determining factor.

Troubled times are not to be wasted. In fact, they are blessings in disguise. Life's most precious discoveries and our faith's greatest rewards are often realized through the pains of darkness.

I promised last post I would share a remarkable song with you about restoration. It's a song written and sung by contemporary Christian artist Cheri Keaggy. I want you to read a portion of the lyrics for yourself. As you do, meditate on the deeper purpose and opportunity only suffering and struggle can produce.

Cheri Keaggy's song titled "Restored (the Grindstone Song)" is from her 2007 album, Because He First Loved Us. You can also listen to a clip of Restored at www.cherikeaggy.com

Restore me Lord

And make me new again

I want nothing more…than to soar……

So I’m practicing joy, choosing it daily

Putting it on like a favorite cologne

And when life breaks me down

It won’t even phase me

Some call me crazy but I’m just in love with the Lord

For He has been faithful

And not just to fill me

And take me to heights I have never explored

If I’m never broken…

how can I be restored?

Wow - Cheri offers fantastic spiritual food to think on. Life cannot knock us down if we don't let it. We have hope and joy in the Lord that He will always turn our situation into something that glorifies Him. He will lift us up to higher ground. Life need not be lived in the pit. Our brokenness is the prime real estate God uses to bring about miraculous change and restoration. It's an invitation to see what He is capable of!

Where do you need to let go of focus on yourself so you can focus on God's purpose instead?

Are areas of pain, want, and dissatisfaction causing you to feel burdened?

How can you pray for God to turn these into opportunities for joy?