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From the Stack of 2024

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (AMP) All Scripture is God-breathed [given by divine inspiration] and is profitable for instruction, for conviction [of sin], for correction [of error and restoration to obedience], for training in righteousness [learning to live in conformity to God’s will, both publicly and privately—behaving honorably with personal integrity and moral courage]; so that the man of God may be complete and proficient, outfitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work.

At the beginning of every year I pull out a stack of books to read. My intention is to read from the stack, but as usual I see a new book, and I have to buy it and read it right away. Included in my books are devotions, Bible Studies, and my Bible. In the middle of last year I slowed down my momentum as I had allowed a distraction to dwindle out my hunger. Thankfully I have moved out of it and started reading again. I also started reading a verse at a time in Ephesians and really digging into the greek translations of some of the words, as well as, getting into the context of what Paul was writing for that book. I hope to complete it in 2025 and will share some deep insights. Like last year, I have pulled out a few books to get you some of my favorites. Here is what I read in 2024:

7 Devotionals:

  • Life in His Presence by Sarah Young
  • Emmanuel by Ruth Chou Simons
  • Jesus Calling by Sarah Young
  • From Faith to Faith by Kenneth and Gloria Copeland
  • Daily Devotions from Psalms by Joyce Meyer
  • Live in Grace, Walk in Love by Bob Goff
  • Be Joyful by Joyce Meyer

39 Books:

  • You’re Valuable to God by Terri Savelle Foy
  • Is God Speaking to Me by Lysa Terkerurst
  • Praying Circles Around Your Children by Mark Batterson
  • How to Pray by Joyce Meyer
  • Raised in the Pew by Re’na Garcia
  • Don’t Shrink Your Dream! Enlarge Your Faith! by Terri Savelle Foy
  • Humility the Joy of Self-Forgetfulness by Gavin Ortlund
  • The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness by Timothy Keller
  • The Three Battlegrounds by Francis Frangipane
  • Break Up with What Broke You by Christian Bevere
  • Living in Absolute Freedom by Donna Parton
  • Victory Over Darkness by Neil Anderson
  • Breaking Intimidation by John Bevere
  • Testosterone Matters by Gary Donovitz
  • A Heart Like His by Beth Moore
  • Get Out of that Pit by Beth Moore
  • Wicked Women of the Bible by Ann Spangler
  • The Meaning of Marriage by Timothy Keller
  • Let it Go by Karen Ehman
  • It’s Not About You by Max Lucado
  • The Believer’s Authority by Kenneth Hagin
  • Understanding the Purpose and Power of Prayer by Dr. Myles Munroe
  • Unmasking the Jezebel Spirit by John Paul Jackson
  • Strategic Pastoral Counseling by David Benner
  • The Names of Jesus by A.B. Simpson
  • Do Yourself a Favor…Forgive by Joyce Meyer
  • Sheep Goats and Wolves by Mark Barclay
  • Good Boundaries and Goodbyes by Lysa Terkeurst
  • How to Always Reap a Harvest by Mark Barclay
  • Improving Your Performance by Mark Barclay
  • Six Ways to Check Your Leading by Mark Barclay
  • Avoiding the Pitfalls of Familiarity by Mark Barclay
  • Drawing Near by John Bevere
  • Finding God’s Life for My Will by Mike Donehey
  • Redefined by Arden Bevere
  • The Missing Read Letters by Mark Barclay
  • Are You Praying for the Wrong Thing? by Travis Greene
  • Supernatural Provision for Your Vision by Jerry Savelle
  • Raised to Stay by Natalie Runion

The Three Battle Grounds by Francis Frangipane: An in-Depth view of the three arenas of Spiritual Warfare: The mind, the church and the heavenly places. Spiritual Warfare is not some cookie nonsense. Now, there are some fruity some that Christians do that do not line up with the Word. First and foremost, there will be a constant renewal you will need to do with your mind. Your mind, will and emotions are what makes up your soul. Many Christians are still bound to what we call strongholds, there is freedom in Christ, but most Christians do not know how to access that freedom. “What men call “salvation” is simply the first stage to God’s plan for our lives, which is to conform out character and power to the image of Jesus Christ. If we fail to see our relationship to God as such, we will allow too many areas within us to remain unchanged. Pulling down strongholds is the demolition and removal of our old ways of thinking so that the actual presence of Jesus Christ can be manifested through us.” If we want to be effective in the body of Christ and bring Heaven down, then we need to start with some tearing down of some strongholds. The Battleground of the Church was very intriguing to me because of my love for the church. Here are the titles of the chapters in this section: The Lord Whose Sword is Drawn, Beware of the Stronghold of Cold Love, The Gift of Discernment, Eliminating False Discernment, Repairers of the Breach, God’s Army of Worshipers, Casting Down the Accuser of the Brethren. Here is what he has to say about those who claim they do not need the church, they just need Jesus. “To those whose attitude is, ‘I am content with just Jesus and me,’ I say it is wonderful that you have found Jesus. But you cannot truly have Jesus and simultaneously not do what He says. The outgrowth of love and faith in Christ is love and faith like Christ’s, which means we are committed, even as He is, to His people. You see, the kingdom of God is most perfectly revealed in our relationships with one another. To have the kingdom, we must be committed to one another as individuals and as churches.” We must also be aware of the Battleground of Heavenly Places. Remember we do not fight against flesh and blood, but no person should try to usurp control over your relationship with Christ. There are many voices trying to ring out, pay attention to the one that points to Christ. The anti-Christ spirit will hate conforming to the Word of God. This spirit hates when you talk about surrender. I spent a lot of time reading books on the Jezebel Spirit this year. I wanted to understand more. Basically, this spirit hates authority because they want to be in control. This is often birthed out of offense. All of this ties back into renewing your mind in the Word daily.

Drawing Near: A life of intimacy with God by John Bevere: I love reading John Bevere’s books. I also recommend getting the app MessengerX, it is free. There are so many courses you can view and podcasts to listen to. I was attracted to this book because my heart’s desire is to have a lifestyle of intimacy with God. I want to minister through the overflow. As we mature in Christ we learn the balance of works and worship. “Many well meaning believers have fallen into the trap of replace time with God with busy Christian lifestyles. This can also include the deceptive and continuous labor in ministry.” God dwells where we reverence Him (a healthy fear of the Lord) and we are within the realm of humility. We are still fighting our flesh here and one of those areas we have to fight against is the right to self. We should not be first place in our lives. I do not want to live that way anyways. It is too exhausting. James 4:6-10 (AMP) But He gives us more and more grace [through the power of the Holy Spirit to defy sin and live an obedient life that reflects both our faith and our gratitude for our salvation]. Therefore, it says, “God is opposed to the proud and haughty, but [continually] gives [the gift of] grace to the humble [who turn away from self-righteousness].” So submit to [the authority of] God. Resist the devil [stand firm against him] and he will flee from you. Come close to God [with a contrite heart] and He will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; and purify your [unfaithful] hearts, you double-minded [people]. Be miserable and grieve and weep [over your sin]. Let your [foolish] laughter be turned to mourning and your [reckless] joy to gloom. Humble yourselves [with an attitude of repentance and insignificance] in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you [He will lift you up, He will give you purpose]. The closer you live this way, the less you live for yourself. The opposite can also be found in us when we live for ourselves, we will be found in rebellion and pride. The defense of self is rooted in pride. Do you desire peace in your life? Get a hold of what God’s definition of humility is. I am so serious about wanting to get over this area that I also read two other books on the subject, Humility the Joy of Self-Forgetfulness by Gavin Ortlund and The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness by Timothy Keller. They are in my reading pile again this year.

The Meaning of Marriage: Facing the Complexities of Commitment with the Wisdom of God by Timothy Keller with Kelly Keller: Every year my husband and I do a message for Love Sunday, which coincides with Valentine’s Day weekend. This is one of the books I read to prepare for in 2024 and am still going back to some things in 2025. Do you want to know what the number one killer for a marriage is? Self-centeredness. Many go into a marriage thinking it will make their lives better. Spoiler alert. Marriage is a greater way to serve. When we look to anyone other than Christ to fulfill our every need, then we are going to be disappointed. Whether you are the husband of the wife, you are not to sacrifice for yourself but for the other. Ephesians 5:21 (AMP) Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. How we treat our spouse is a direct reflection of our reverential fear of the Lord. “Serving your spouse also means showing that you are committed to his or her well-being and flourishing. This kind of love is given when you seek to help your spouse develop gifts and pursue aspirations for growth. There is no greater way for Christian spouses to serve one another than to help each other grow spiritually. This means encouraging each other to participate together actively in church, in Christian community.” While traditionally marriage was for status, social duty and stability now it is seen as a way for personal fulfillment. Neither of these are completely wrong, but they are not completely right either. Ultimately if the gospel has not changed your mind and heart, you will not be successful in your marriage. This year my husband and I will be discussing the importance of your spouse and you being the best of friends.

Avoiding the Pitfalls of Familiarity by Mark Barclay: I actually read six books of his this year. We have access to as many books of his as we would like because he is a father in the faith to my husband. Pastors need pastors and Pastor Barclay is one we have called on. He shoots straight and is Word only. If it is not found in the Word then he will not preach on it. A pitfall of familiarity is the equalizer. A prime example in the Bible was Aaron and Miriam in the Bible. Read Numbers 12. Really it is a form of pride in our lives. This books is talking about familiarity in relation to our pastors, teachers, prophets, evangelist and apostles. Here is what he has to say: “If you do not esteem someone more highly than yourself (someone you consider more important than yourself, some you respect as much -if not more- than yourself, someone whose teaching and lifestyle you admire), then you will find yourself sitting at your own feet to learn. You will become your own teacher. That’s dangerous because the next step is that you become your own advisor; then you become your own counselor. The Bible states that only a fool thinks he is right in his own mind. It’s of utmost importance that everyone, including leaders, has someone whom they look up to. It’s a healthy relationship, not an abnormal one. The abnormal relationship is quite the contrary. When you thing more highly of yourself than you ought to think, you’ve made yourself your own leader in the Lord. You’ve set yourself up in a form of pride.” Familiarity will bring judgement and you will become critical. You will even lose confidence in those that are to speak into your life. This is an area of our life that is easy to fall into, Jesus even had to deal with it with His disciples. It will cause you to not believe the Word. Be careful. You do not have to stay in it. There is always hope and restoration. Miriam was restored.

Emmanual: An Invitation to Prepare Him Room at Christmas and Always by Ruth Chou Simons: I love doing a devotion just for Christmas. This year I started decorating my house on November 1st. It is still up will be coming down sometime next week. I believe that as much as we talk about the miracle of Jesus with us at Christmas should be talked about all year long. This devotion was divided into four sections: Our Posture, God’s Promise, Our Response, Our Messiah. Our posture and our response has a lot to do with receiving God’s promises in our lives. “Jesus is more than a baby, more than a beautiful miracle in a harsh world. He is more than a familiar figure sung about in festive tunes. Jesus is God with us – Immanuel, just as the angel of the Lord told Joseph.” What do you treasure? That is the whole message of this devotion. Yes there is a call to repentance in it. There should never be a time in our lives that we do not surrender. Is Christ your ultimate treasure? Psalms 16:11 (AMP) You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore. A life transformed, Emmanuel, God with us. We can now abide with Christ. I dwell with Him as He dwells within me. I am forever changed.

It is hard for me to just pick out a few books, or just a couple. I love to read. Why read books like this? I desire to glean as much revelation as possible. When I read my Bible, He will bring back to remembrance other things I have read. My desire is to be in His fullness. What will I do with these books now that I am done? They are going back on my shelf to be read again at a later time. I already pulled out a couple to reread again this year. I want to grow deeper in His Word every year. I want to be a doer of His Word. People are important. I want others to grown deeper in God too. That is why I make time for discipleship. I want to be available for the opportunities to enlarge His kingdom this year like never before.

Lord of Lords, Kings of Kings, Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, You are who reigns above it all. You are Worthy of Honor and Praise. No other Name is above Yours. Thank You for sending Your Son to be the Lamb, the Root of David, the Word made flesh. We are walking in righteousness because of You. Thank You for Your Holy Spirit now dwelling in us. We now can walk in the fullness You created us in. We repent for not standing on the truth of Your Word. We have fallen in the trap of lusting after our own gratification. We choose to surrender to Your Word, Your Will and Your Ways. As we read Your Word, let it be a Light and Beacon of Freedom. We choose to walk in Your statutes and precepts. We are casting off any exalted thought that does not line up with forgiveness and has misaligned us to take on jealousy, envy, bitterness, resentment and anger. We choose freedom this year. We choose joy this year. We choose hope this year. We choose love this year. Grow Your Love in us, so that it is all that flows out of us. We choose surrender this year. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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Battle Mode

Revelations 4:11 (AMP) “Worthy are You, our Lord and God, to receive the glory and the honor and the power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they exist, and were created and brought into being.”

Worship the Creator not the created. Focus on the Creator not the created. Easier said than done right! Especially when it comes to maintaining what He has placed in our midst. How can we not help but think on His created. One thing I do know is that when I focus on people too much, my mind goes into dark places. I bring harm on myself. Even thinking of me too much will do that.

In my prayer time I pray for those who are battling depression. Depression does not show itself in staying in bed all the time. It can show itself with mood swings. We can be full of energy and make everyone feel welcomed, yet battle depression. We can be snappy and push people away, yet battle depression. There is no one way to define it, yet many people are being diagnosed with it.

When it hit me I had to go into battle mode. My flesh wanted me to focus on the problem. Our minds will tell us that it is the people we are associated with or the environment we are in. If I focus on the created and pray against the created it does not take me out of the dark place. It is when I change my perspective to the Creator.

1 Chronicles 16:27 (AMP) Splendor and majesty are [found] in His presence; strength and joy are [found] in His place (sanctuary).

Psalms 16:11 (AMP) You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore.

Psalms 1:1-3 (AMP) Blessed [fortunate, prosperous, and favored by God] is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked [following their advice and example], nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit [down to rest] in the seat of scoffers (ridiculers). But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law [His precepts and teachings] he [habitually] meditates day and night. And he will be like a tree firmly planted [and fed] by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season; its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers [and comes to maturity].

These are the three verses He gave me when I was praying a couple of weeks ago and the word to focus on was joy. The opposite of depression is joy. It is the one of the attributions of the fruit of the spirit rooted in love. In Psalms 1:1-3, we see the contrast on our focus. When we focus on the created as a problem in our lives we will start to slander. We will talk unhealthy about people and even give into gossip or criticism. This does not bring relief as we hope, but it brings us deeper into depression.

Isaiah 26:3 (AMP) You will keep in perfect and constant peace the one whose mind is steadfast [that is, committed and focused on You—in both inclination and character], because he trusts and takes refuge in You [with hope and confident expectation].

Romans 7:25 (AMP) Thanks be to God [for my deliverance] through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind serve the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh [my human nature, my worldliness, my sinful capacity—I serve] the law of sin.

Romans 12:16 (AMP) Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty [conceited, self-important, exclusive], but associate with humble people [those with a realistic self-view]. Do not overestimate yourself.

This week He gave me three more verse with the focus being on the mind. When we are in depression, we are not at peace in our minds. When we focus on ourselves as the most important thing to take care of, we cannot live in harmony with each other. Then we battle in our minds again. It is a battle we cannot win without Christ. Who is our deliverer? Jesus! Why do we try to go at life without Him. I have been guilty of doing this myself. Thinking it would make my life better. Self-care is not bad, but taking care of ourselves so much that we forget about hospitality is not. There is a balance to it. What is the litmus? The thought…how have I estimated myself? Do I think of myself as better than, greater than, more important? I am wrong. Do I think of myself as lowly? I am still wrong. I need to think of myself from a place of loved, not by people, but rooted and grounded in the love of Christ (Ephesians 3:16-19). Joy and peace will become what I am clothed by. Do I still have battles and depression will stand at the doorway? Yes. This is what I have learned from going deeper and desiring more, I now know how to fight those battles. How? Because of Jesus!

John 1:1 (AMP) In the beginning [before all time] was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself.

Elohim Kadem (God of the Beginning), our Creator, our King of Kings, we worship you with praise and thanksgiving. Thank You for sending Your Son to live a life of hospitality, bringing deliverance and restorations through His death. Thank You for the Holy Spirit that now dwells within us. Thank You, that when we read Your Word, that Holy Spirit and us commune ; fresh revelation about Your character and nature comes forth. You desire for us to know You more. We desire to know You more. We desire Your Presence. We repent for the things we have made about our lives. We repent for focusing on the created more than You. We repent for pointing at Your created as the source of our problems. We are turning our worship back to You. Search our hearts Lord. Lead us to the way our thoughts should go. We surrender to You. We choose forgiveness today. We choose hope today. We choose joy today. We choose peace today. We choose love today. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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Oily Garments

Psalms 133:1-2 (AMP) Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious oil [of consecration] poured on the head, coming down on the beard, even the beard of Aaron, coming down upon the edge of his [priestly] robes [consecrating the whole body].

While in corporate prayer for my church I opened up my Bible to this verse. I had gone to Psalms 130 to read over us being watchmen, that our souls should be waiting in expectation. Watchmen are on guard and while we are interceding in prayer (Ephesians 6:18) we should have an expectation of change in the spiritual battlefield. Many of us go as we make a contribution, “I showed up, didn’t I?” I remember being taught about prayer that if one of us can put 1,000 to flight and two can put 10,000 to flight (Deut. 32:30) what would happen when the whole church was unified in prayer?

Last week I wrote about being set free. The battle we fight against is not against flesh and blood (Ephesians 6:12). Arguments, knowledge (anything contrary to that of God) and thoughts can become strongholds and all of these refer to the mind. I had come across Exodus 28:36-38 and how the turban put on Aaron had a signet that said, “Holy to the Lord.” Then I read in Isaiah 61 (also the passage Jesus read in Nazareth) that He was going to give us a turban. Turbans were the head dresses of the priests. We are called in 1 Peter 2:9 a royal priesthood. Jesus said (as quoted from Isaiah 61), “To give them a turban instead of dust [on their heads, a sign of mourning], the oil of joy instead of mourning, the garment [expressive] of praise instead of a disheartened spirit.”

John 17:15-23 (AMP) I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but that You keep them and protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth [set them apart for Your purposes, make them holy]; Your word is truth. Just as You commissioned and sent Me into the world, I also have commissioned and sent them (believers) into the world. For their sake I sanctify Myself [to do Your will], so that they also may be sanctified [set apart, dedicated, made holy] in [Your] truth. “I do not pray for these alone [it is not for their sake only that I make this request], but also for [all] those who [will ever] believe and trust in Me through their message, that they all may be one; just as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be one in Us, so that the world may believe [without any doubt] that You sent Me. I have given to them the glory and honor which You have given Me, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected and completed into one, so that the world may know [without any doubt] that You sent Me, and [that You] have loved them, just as You have loved Me.

How does this verse from John go with the opening verse from Psalms 133? The focus is on unity. Jesus desired for us to be one just like the Father and He are one. What is the purpose of our unity? The Great Commission, to go out into all the world and present the Gospel (the ministry of reconciliation). A few things jumped out at me as I was reading this passage. Jesus knew that we would be in a battle (He prays for us to be kept from the evil one). What is the weapon of choice? Look at Ephesians 6:14, the first piece of armor we are to put on is the belt of truth. If we do not know the Word (have revelation knowledge) then we will not have the rest of the weapons against the evil one. The battle starts with our mind. Disunity starts with our minds. We have to be equipped with truth.

Leviticus 19:16-18 (AMP) You shall not go around as a gossip among your people, and you are not to act against the life of your neighbor [with slander or false testimony]; I am the Lord. ‘You shall not hate your brother in your heart; you may most certainly rebuke your neighbor, but shall not incur sin because of him. You shall not take revenge nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor (acquaintance, associate, companion) as yourself; I am the Lord.

I have to watch how I talk, how I think and how I interact with the family of faith (the body of Christ). What happens when we do not align our thoughts with Philippians 4:8? You cannot think of anything that is true, that is honorable, that is respectful. My thoughts do not bring peace, but make me anxious and angry. I do not repeat things of good repute, but of harm. I cannot center my mind on anything excellent or worthy of praise. Then disunity set in. Why? My heart has become hardened.

Matthew 18:19-20 (AMP) “Again I say to you, that if two believers on earth agree [that is, are of one mind, in harmony] about anything that they ask [within the will of God], it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in My name [meeting together as My followers], I am there among them.”

We need to get together with the body that will build our minds back up into the truth of the Word. We do not prey against one another. We pray, uplift and intercede for one another. Remember, Jesus prayed for us not to be taken out of the world, but to be equipped with truth to withstand the evil one. Why? So that we could go out into the world unified to present the Good News (the message of reconciliation).

What if we looked at the unity in the body as part of the garment? We call it the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18). We are His royal priest hood. Our battle armor should be adorned like priestly garments. Remember to keep your mind holy to the Lord. Put on the belt of truth (the revelation knowledge of the Word). When we are unified and do right within our family of believers the anointing flows freely, now covering those garments. What a mighty people we become for the Kingdom!

Father, You are so merciful and good to us. Your Word is a light to our path. Thank You for sending Your Son to light up the Word in my life. I repent for the wrong thinking I have had against the body of Christ. I want to be effective in establishing Your Kingdom here on earth. I repent that I have ever caused another to stumble because of my words or my actions. I repent that I have caused another to not say ‘yes’ to Your Son because of my words against another kingdom family member. Let any word that does not produce from the fruit of the Spirit fall on deaf ears and not take root. God You say that since You are Holy that You desire us to be holy. I thank You that You have given us the Holy Spirit to reveal to us the truth of Your Word. I do not take it for granted. Renew my mind and let me see how You want me to see. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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How I think of myself matters

Romans 12:2 (AMP) And do not be conformed to this world [any longer with its superficial values and customs], but be transformed and progressively changed [as you mature spiritually] by the renewing of your mind [focusing on godly values and ethical attitudes], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His plan and purpose for you].

Yesterday I had the privilege of ministering the word to my church. It was called “Mirror the Glory.” This is an excerpt from it. I believe our minds are the biggest battle we face to keep us from walking in the command to love, just as Jesus commanded us to. It all starts on how we see ourselves. The NIV starts off the above verse with “Do not conform to the pattern of this world.”

What is the pattern of this world? “I am the result of my upbringing.” “I cannot move ahead because I was not set up to succeed.” “I was not loved as a child so I do not know how to show love (or receive love).” “I grew up in dysfunction so all I know is dysfunction.” “I was abused so I seek out relationships that abuse.” “I have been through too much.”

1 Corinthians 7:23 You were bought with a price [a precious price paid by Christ]; do not become slaves to men [but to Christ].

Do not become slaves to this thought pattern. Do not allow this to keep you from the abundant life that He came for (John 10:10).

1 Corinthians 6:12 (AMP) Everything is permissible for me, but not all things are beneficial. Everything is permissible for me, but I will not be enslaved by anything [and brought under its power, allowing it to control me].

We are held in bondage by the thoughts we have. This has nothing to do with His love for you. I can be held in emotional bondage and He still loves us.

Romans 8:38-39 (AMP) For I am convinced [and continue to be convinced—beyond any doubt] that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present and threatening, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the [unlimited] love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

This has nothing to do about whether you are saved (going to Heaven), whether He loves you, this has to do about the SOZO. SOZO means to save, deliver, heal, to make whole. The devil’s goal is to separate us from God’s love, because God’s love is the main factor in our emotional healing.

Ephesians 3:17-19 (AMP) So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through your faith. And may you, having been [deeply] rooted and [securely] grounded in love, be fully capable of comprehending with all the saints (God’s people) the width and length and height and depth of His love [fully experiencing that amazing, endless love]; and [that you may come] to know [practically, through personal experience] the love of Christ which far surpasses [mere] knowledge [without experience], that you may be filled up [throughout your being] to all the fullness of God [so that you may have the richest experience of God’s presence in your lives, completely filled and flooded with God Himself].

In order to full experience this amazing and endless love, you need to go through the process of giving Him what bounds you. It is through this process that you experience the love to the fullest. The Holy Spirit was given to us to Comfort us through the process. It is going to hurt, but it is a good hurt. Let the spiritual roots of bondage be set free. Receive the wholeness that He came to bring you. It is a continual thing. It is not a one and done.

2 Corinthians 3:18 (AMP) And we all, with unveiled face, continually seeing as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are progressively being transformed into His image from [one degree of] glory to [even more] glory, which comes from the Lord, [who is] the Spirit.

Look yourself in the mirror today and make this declaration: I am fully loved by God. He adopted me into His family. The pain of my past does not determine my future. The spirit that now dwells in me has full access to my life. He has permission to search within me and clear out anything that the enemy can use to hinder the call that He has on my life. I am free! I am healed! I am whole!!

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Out of the grave

Depending on where you are and what worship bands you have access to, because there are many, what would you say would be your favorite song to put on repeat right now? Elevation Worship and Maverick City just put out a new collaboration album called “Old Church Basement.” To be honest I have not listened to many of the songs, “Jireh” is a pretty good one. One song though that I have to stop whatever I am doing and just sing when it comes on is “Rattle” (not on this album, but releases by Elevation Worship a year ago).

Pentecostal fire stirring something new
You're not gonna run out of miracles anytime soon
Yeah, resurrection power runs in my veins too
I believe there's another miracle here in this room

This is the sound of dry bones rattling
This is the praise make a dead man walk again
Open the grave, I'm coming out
I'm gonna live, gonna live again
This is the sound of dry bones rattling

I do not know about you, but the greatest battle that I have is in my mind. My mind will tell me that I really am not wanted. That it does not matter when you get up and speak. I ask myself whether the things that I make available to serve, do they really matter, does anyone care? Then I feel guilty and I wear the shame or disappointment on my face. Then I am told that I need to change my face because I am wearing my disappointment. This causes me to want to go into hiding, and God would let me do it. Really? God will let me run and hide. Yes, He will. Remember, you have free will.

1 Corinthians 10:13 (AMP) All things are lawful [that is, morally legitimate, permissible], but not all things are beneficial or advantageous. All things are lawful, but not all things are constructive [to character] and edifying [to spiritual life].

Case in point is to look at Elijah. In 1 Kings 19 Elijah hears word that Jezebel is mad and has sent people to kill him. In the previous chapter we see that he calls does a fire and it burns up and kills all the priests of Baal. Verse 4, “But he himself traveled a day’s journey into the wilderness, and he came and sat down under a juniper tree and asked [God] that he might die. He said, ‘It is enough; now, O Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers.‘” Have you ever had those moments that you curl up and think, would it better if I was not even here? An angel comes and feeds him, there was cake (talk about comfort food). Then he makes his way to a cave. Verses 9-10, “There he came to a cave and spent the night in it; and behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and He said to him, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’  He said, ‘I have been very zealous (impassioned) for the Lord God of hosts (armies) [proclaiming what is rightfully and uniquely His]; for the sons of Israel have abandoned (broken) Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. And I, only I, am left; and they seek to take away my life.‘”

God then calls Elijah, while he is in the cave, a couple more times asking what he is doing there. Showing His marvelous self outside of the cave each time. My friend, God does not want us to stay in the cave, but He will let us be there if we choose. What Elijah did not have available to him is the Holy Spirit (also referred to as our Comforter). I look at it this way, yes a cave is good for hiding and it does provide shelter, but do you know what else it is used for? A grave! They buried their dead there. This is why I love the song “Rattle” so much right now. I wanted to stay in that cave. I have to make the choice to come out, and no God would never want to keep me there. Do not let that cave become your grave!

Do not let that cave become your grave!

I found a nice cave when I had COVID. It was after the 10 days had passed. I was still feeling exhausted, so I slept a lot. Saturday afternoon I had nausea again and a headache so bad that I needed a cold compress. This was my chance, I could tell my husband that I needed another Sunday to recover (I had already been out the previous Sunday). He would have to be compassionate and let me, I mean I still had the affects of COVID. The articles said this could last months. Yep, there was a nice cave I could hide in. I had to make the decision not to stay there. I was not one hundred percent when I went to service that next day. Since I was still dizzy and my mind was foggy, I did not play the bass with the worship team. In worship I pulled on that corporate anointing and received the healing I needed to not go back into the cave.

If you have been in a cave, please know that God does not want you to stay there, but He will allow you to be there. He loves and cares for you. Let Him show you all of His majesty. I heard from Joyce Meyer one time, “You are graced for the hard stuff.” Here are a few scriptures I use to help me with the hard stuff, I pray they encourage you. Have a blessed day!

Ephesians 3:16-19 (AMP) May He grant you out of the riches of His glory, to be strengthened and spiritually energized with power through His Spirit in your inner self, [indwelling your innermost being and personality], so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through your faith. And may you, having been [deeply] rooted and [securely] grounded in love, be fully capable of comprehending with all the saints (God’s people) the width and length and height and depth of His love [fully experiencing that amazing, endless love]; and [that you may come] to know [practically, through personal experience] the love of Christ which far surpasses [mere] knowledge [without experience], that you may be filled up [throughout your being] to all the fullness of God [so that you may have the richest experience of God’s presence in your lives, completely filled and flooded with God Himself].

Isaiah 4:29 (AMP) He gives strength to the weary, and to him who has no might He increases power

1 John 3:19-20 (AMP) By this we will know [without any doubt] that we are of the truth, and will assure our heart and quiet our conscience before Him whenever our heart convicts us [in guilt]; for God is greater than our heart and He knows all things [nothing is hidden from Him because we are in His hands].