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Spirit AND Truth

John 4:23-24 (AMP) But a time is coming and is already here when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit [from the heart, the inner self] and in truth; for the Father seeks such people to be His worshipers. God is spirit [the Source of life, yet invisible to mankind], and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.

My word for 2023 is “Presence.” There have been many times this year where we have seen in the news the call to prayer. On January 2nd, during the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals game, Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest during the game. The game was stopped and everyone knelt in prayer. Then you saw prayer begin to show up in areas where it had previously deemed offensive. Prayer was televised and talked about nationally.

While on our trips this summer. There were two other incidents in the news that people were eliciting prayer for. On June 19, the Titanic tourist submersible went missing with five passengers. Parts of the submersible was found days later. The lives were lost to an implosion. Then, on July 13, a woman went missing in Huntsville, AL. Within hours it was made national news. Two days later she returns and it is discovered to be an elaborate hoax.

Prayer is so very important. We should be praying about such things, no matter the outcome. Ephesians 6:18 says, “With all prayer and petition pray [with specific requests] at all times [on every occasion and in every season] in the Spirit, and with this in view, stay alert with all perseverance and petition [interceding in prayer] for all God’s people.” There is no reason given not to pray for someone. It is not up to us to decide who is worthy.

Can we pray and not worship God? Yes. Can we love Jesus and not worship Him? Yes. How? Jesus said, “spirit and truth.” Truth is not about facts. Truth is knowing the character and nature of God as revealed in His Word. How did Jesus teach us to pray?

‘Our Father, who is in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come,
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
‘Give us this day our daily bread.
‘And forgive us our debts, as we have forgiven our debtors [letting go of both the wrong and the resentment].
‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.]’ (Matthew 6:9-13)

We can memorize this and recite this or we can use it as our model as Jesus intended. Always start with honor and reverence for the Father. This is what God is seeking after. Why? He is Holy and nothing can do away with that truth. His Kingdom come and His will be done on earth as in heaven. Father, expand Your territory through me. Let me walk in the calling of the ministry of reconciliation. Give me food to eat as I read Your Word. Your revelation is the Bread of Life. I repent for the things that I made foolish. Let me have a heart of forgiveness. I choose not to keep a record of wrongs. I choose not to keep others in bondage to how I was disappointed (that is putting my focus on the created). I choose truth, that is to think on whatever brings peace. Let me not be led into temptation, deliver me from the evil of my imaginations. Nothing will exalt itself above You for Your is the kingdom I serve. You will get the glory forever in my life. My dedication is to You. Amen.

Is this done in spirit? Yes. You are the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). Do you not know and understand that you [the church] are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells [permanently] in you [collectively and individually]? (1 Corinthians 3:16). When we accepted Christ our spirit was made alive (Ephesians 2:1). That is one part. The truth we worship Him with is not “my truth” but THE TRUTH. How do I know if it is the truth? Does it line up with His character and nature as found in His Word. Not the made up version that get passed down. We cannot define who Jesus is outside of the Word. My Jesus and your Jesus are the same. When we start to define Him outside of the Word then we are out of truth. God is seeking those who worship not only in spirit but also in truth. Am I saying He is chasing after? Maybe. He is definitely looking for them. What happens when I look for Him to? What happens when I seek His Presence over His presents? What happens when I worship Him in spirit and in truth? I don’t have to worry about anything. Perfect peace.

Matthew 6:33 (AMP) But first and most importantly seek (aim at, strive after) His kingdom and His righteousness [His way of doing and being right—the attitude and character of God], and all these things will be given to you also.

Father, You are Holy. You are wonderful and mighty. We do not want to be anywhere You are not. Thank You for Your Son. Thank You for His example. Jesus, there is no way to Life and Truth than through You. Thank You Holy Spirit for the revelation You bring through the Word. We want to focus on the Truth rather than all the distractions. We do not want to rehearse our hurts any longer. We want freedom in every area of our lives. You said that You are the Prince of Wholeness, so we are laying down our rights so that You can be that to us. We take Your Word as literal. This is not a fantasy, so that means we have a part to play. We choose Your Truth instead of our truth. We choose forgiveness instead of holding onto grudges. We choose to bless and not curse. We choose hope and to never give up on Your people. We repent for focusing on people and what their going on more than Your Kingdom. We say ‘yes’ to your calling of the ministry of reconciliation. We choose love today. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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Jesus left us a gift

Exodus 33:15 (AMP) And Moses said to Him, “If Your presence does not go [with me], do not lead us up from here.

If this is not the message that You want us to preach, then remove it from our thoughts. This is the prayer I prayed at the Holy Spirit Conference. My husband and I have been on a series together since September of last year. We just cannot drop it. We reverence God and our prayer that week was if God did not want us to stay on it any longer, then remove the message from our mouths.

Just like God spoke to Moses, we can have a face to face relationship (Exodus 33:11) with the our Father. It takes surrender and obedience (John 15:14). A heart ready for correction. Do not fool around with people’s lives. What we minister from cannot be from us, but from the Holy Spirit. Take time to develop a relationship with the Holy Spirit. We did not go to get direction from a prophet (as that is what Dr. Mark Barclay flows in). We came for refreshing. We left with confirmation. Every message he preached directly tied into what we have been speaking these past nine months. Were we disappointed that he did not speak a word of knowledge to us? Not at all. That is not what we should be chasing after, especially if you have developed a relationship with the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 4:7-8.11-12 (AMP) Yet grace [God’s undeserved favor] was given to each one of us [not indiscriminately, but in different ways] in proportion to the measure of Christ’s [rich and abundant] gift. Therefore it says, “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, and He bestowed gifts on men.”  And [His gifts to the church were varied and] He Himself appointed some as apostles [special messengers, representatives], some as prophets [who speak a new message from God to the people], some as evangelists [who spread the good news of salvation], and some as pastors and teachers [to shepherd and guide and instruct], [and He did this] to fully equip and perfect the saints (God’s people) for works of service, to build up the body of Christ [the church]; until we all reach oneness in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, [growing spiritually] to become a mature believer, reaching to the measure of the fullness of Christ [manifesting His spiritual completeness and exercising our spiritual gifts in unity].

Before Christ ascended He bestowed gifts to mankind. He gave the church, as a gift, the five fold ministry. Some may say they do not have to have a pastor, or that they can have Jesus and themselves. Jesus gave us the five fold ministry. Your pastor is a gift. We are to be building each other up. We are to be ministers of reconciliation. It was not man’s idea for you to have leadership, it was a gift given to you by Christ. Course correction can save our lives. Figure out what is stealing your excellence. God appointed watchmen (Hebrews 13:17). We are to preach the uncompromising Word of God (2 Timothy 4:2). Do not be selective in your submission to the Word as seen in 2 Timothy 4:3. We are all submitting to something whether it is sin, satan or the Word.

Matthew 11:28-30 (AMP) “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavily burdened [by religious rituals that provide no peace], and I will give you rest [refreshing your souls with salvation]. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me [following Me as My disciple], for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest (renewal, blessed quiet) for your souls. For My yoke is easy [to bear] and My burden is light.”

What is the burden? Souls!! The ministry of reconciliation. Christ’s yoke is easier than satan’s. People who are on fire for God are contagious. The adversary is walking around to see who he may devour (1 Peter 5:8). Give him a place and he will oblige. Take anything out of biblical order and satan takes it as permission to strike. Honor the authority of the leadership that God has placed in your life. The biggest lie the enemy has told the church is that they can be their own pastor. I need authority in my life. It is the gift that Christ left for me. Do they hear God for me? No. They help me with course correction and discipling me for the ministry of reconciliation. My burden would be for my own selfish needs and desires if I did not have those Christ put around me to keep me yoked.

The reverence for God in His gatherings should be top priority when we get together corporately. I do not want to enter begrudgingly. I get to serve and worship with the body He has connected me with. I want to see those that have been placed in my life as gifts. Gifts are meant to grow me, to mold me and glorify Him. My serving within the body is a worship to Him. Christ did not come to be served but to serve (John 13). Oh that we would really grasp what it means to sin against each other in the body (read the verses 21-32 of Ephesians 4). How much more we would desire to please Him and be more ready to cast down those thoughts (2 Corinthians 10:5). I have to admit that I have to do it through out the day. I have to do it even when I am serving in my church. I have to do it when I am speaking to the congregation. If not, I will not be led by the Holy Spirit.

How can I judge my thoughts: Is it true? Not what I have imagined up. Is it honorable or worthy of respect? Is it right and confirmed in God’s Word? Does it bring peace? Is it admirable and of good repute (slander never is)? If it goes deep within my heart will it harden it? Can I love unselfishly with that thought? Will it bring envy, covetous, jealousy or anger? Will it provoke me to become overly sensitive? Am I believing for the best for others? These are all questions we can ask ourselves to take captive our thoughts and bring them back to Him. A repentant heart and a change can happen in a moment. Do not allow them to linger.

This is why I love His Word. This is why I love ministers that are not afraid to preach the truth. There may be some ouch messages, but it is for my good. I would rather be led to the Holy than to the stink pit. A half truth is not what we need. Let us be a sweet fragrance to the Lord (Ephesians 5:2).

El Elyon (the God most High) we want to Honor You with everything that is within us. You are so wonderful! There is no one like our God. Thank You for Your Son. Thank You that He came to redeem us and restore us. He paid a price that we are not worthy of. We cannot stop being thankful of that. Thank You that the Holy Spirit now dwells within. We have the power to overcome. We are not longer separated from You. We desire a close relationship with You. We repent for the times we have made it all about us. We repent for profaning Your gifts. We repent for looking at Your gifts as common. Thank You that You have given us the weapons for warfare. We do not take Your Word lightly. You are the Potter and we are the clay. We surrender our hearts and will to You. We choose hope today. We choose forgiveness today. We choose joy today. We choose love today. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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Dream Big

Matthew 6:33 (AMP) But first and most importantly seek (aim at, strive after) His kingdom and His righteousness [His way of doing and being right—the attitude and character of God], and all these things will be given to you also.

Psalms 37:4 (AMP) Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires and petitions of your heart.

Philippians 3:10 (AMP) And this, so that I may know Him [experientially, becoming more thoroughly acquainted with Him, understanding the remarkable wonders of His Person more completely] and [in that same way experience] the power of His resurrection [which overflows and is active in believers], and [that I may share] the fellowship of His sufferings, by being continually conformed [inwardly into His likeness even] to His death [dying as He did].

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].

These are verses that I stand on for my own life. If you read from top to bottom you will start to see what my heart’s desire is. I want to know Him more and do His will. My dream is to have a place to disciple others to draw closer to Him. Right now, our church has been having to meet on Sundays at one thirty in the afternoon due to us not having our own building. As pastors, we are looking and dreaming of other locations until we can buy what we want. The discouragement comes when it seems that we are all alone in this vision. I know that is not true. Elijah fought the same thought patterns (1 Kings 18:22), when God told him there were 7,000 (1 Kings 19:18).

This summer I was asked to take some teenagers to camp. A few years ago we had developed a team, now we do not meet weekly. It is something I grieve, but I pray it is only temporary. The group I took consisted of my youngest son, three other teenage boys from other churches and three teenage girls, all attending another church. The camp was over a five day period, starting on a Saturday, which means I was not going to be at my home church on Sunday. There were people I put in place to handle certain things, but life happens and not everyone was there. Discouragement set in once again. People have walked away from us since the transition (people that said they would support the vision). Giving has taken a tremendous drop in the past two years. How can we move to a location and even pay double in rent that we are now, or how would be even support our own place? I was serving, but I can tell you, I was hurting. I am glad I went and served. Why? I found out that I was not the only one with these experiences. Actually, I found out that I was more seasoned in this part of leadership and was able to make a new friend. I was able to give someone hope. I was able to tell them that you can survive and even thrive, even though others have walked away. We are grounded in the love of Christ. We keep our desire on knowing Him more and establishing His Kingdom. Stay strong in His power. Find out who Christ is though the “I Am” statement and make them personal. Do not let the vision die!

Then that is all the camp was about. My youngest was encouraged with Brandon Dixon, a baseball player for the St. Louis Cardinals. His team won the world series in 2011. I loved this because that was my grandfather’s favorite team. I remember him being so excited that year. Brandon did not have the way of getting to the major’s like we thought he would of. It was a God way. He did not have a promoter or a recruiter scout him, he had a friend. He said he just kept God first no matter what. Even if his family, while growing up, was not in church, he was. Just do not quit. Eli has a dream of playing ball in college and this really encouraged him. Like Brandon, Eli is a pitcher.

We also heard from Aaron Knight, the director for the camp. A few summers before we had heard the camp had been sold to a developer and would be torn down. Aaron had a vision for the camp and started pursuing a way to save it. He started with maintaining the grounds, even when he did not own it. It was over a year before the developer would even have a meeting with him. Then when he did get the meeting, the price was in the millions. The guy had nothing, he had never fund raised before, and he does not have a huge church. He did have a vision. My take away: “Do not give up on life because circumstances are not what you hoped for.” They are almost two years into the lease purchase agreement and they hope to have it paid off by the end of this year. It does not make sense. God still performs miracles today.

My husband and I have been sowing this summer for our miracle. We have a desire to have at least 7 acres in the city limits. Our desire is to be in walking distance to the high school here. We have a piece of property we are believing for. The cost for this piece of land is $350,000. Why? We want to have a place open 24 hours, and 7 days a week. A place of worship and community. We want a laundry facility open to the public. We want a community kitchen. We want a place where families can be restored. We want a place for people to worship and pray. We want a climate controlled basketball facility. We have a vision board that we put out every Sunday:

Please pray for us as we have a big dream. No dream is too big for God. Connect Church does have a building fund. We are no where near being able to purchase the land as of today. That does not mean that it will not happen suddenly!! We are standing on Hebrews 11:1, Amos 9:13-14 MSG, Isaiah 43:18-19 and Psalms 44:3 TPT.

Dream big dreams! Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires and petitions of your heart. (Psalms 37:4). My joy and hope are secured once again!

Jehovah Shammah (the Lord is present), You are worthy of honor and praise. Our hearts desire is only You. Thank You for sending Your Son so that we are now grounded in Your love. Let those roots of love go so deep that nothing else matters. Thank You for the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Thank You that we know Your voice, we know Your character and a nature and we will not let the circumstances of this life discourage us. Thank You for the renewal of Your vision for our lives. Thank You for giving us big dreams and trusting us with establishing Your Kingdom here on earth. Thank You for the gift of the five fold ministry. Thank You for the gift of the body (the church). We repent for judging, for envying, for jealousy, for coveting, for familiarity and for being self focused. We do not want to be enslaved to anything that does not bring freedom and glory through Your Name. We choose love today. We choose hope today. We choose forgiveness today. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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Rock Steady

Isaiah 26:3-4 (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]. Trust [confidently] in the Lord forever [He is your fortress, your shield, your banner], for the Lord God is an everlasting Rock [the Rock of Ages].”

Every Tuesday we have corporate prayer at our church. We have four ladies who faithfully attend (including myself), and occasionally we will have someone else or a few more show up. The week before I was asked by my team to pray loud enough so they could come in agreement with me. Talk about getting out of your comfort zone. We pray for an hour. I spend the very first part in worship to God and end in worship to Him as well. Why? Jesus told us to.

Matthew 6: 9-13 (AMP) “Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father, who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. ‘Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. ‘Give us this day our daily bread. ‘And forgive us our debts, as we have forgiven our debtors [letting go of both the wrong and the resentment]. ‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.]’

Prayer is a conversation we have with God. So why did Jesus tell us to acknowledge Him as Holy? You might have heard, “We are suppose to talk to Him as if He is my friend. I do not talk to my friends like that.” Your friends are not God. He calls us friend when we obey Him, not because we show up (John 15:14). Remember God’s ways are not our ways. We still have to honor Him.

Jesus modeled prayer like this so that we would not go in with the expectation that our self-centered prayers is all He needs to hear from us. If we keep our minds on Him throughout, anxiety passes, the need for getting our way passes and we can focus on those areas of His Kingdom expansion. He says He will give us the desires of our heart (Psalms 37:4). My life center should be Him (Matthew 6:21).

I have two handsome sons and a hunk of a husband. I love them dearly. I love spending time with them. Our home is filled with laughter. They cannot be my life center. If they were, our home would not be as joyful as it is. I whole-heartedly believe the Word. My joy is not from those who surround me, but the God who is within me. A life of daily worship and surrender to the Father is my joy and peace source. Do I have anxious thoughts? Yes. What happens when I do? I turn my focus on Him. I do not have to have my Bible out all day to focus on Him, but I do need to know His character and nature (which is found in His Word).

Deuteronomy 32:4 (AMP) “The Rock! His work is perfect, for all His ways are just; A God of faithfulness without iniquity (injustice), just and upright is He.”

Do not just say He is your Rock then go out into the world systems and measure your happiness/success based on their standards. My name does not need to be made known to anyone other than Him. When my thoughts wonder onto where our church will be and who will be there in the next year, I have to get back to thinking on Him (Matthew 6: 25-34). Do not compromise His Word or His precepts. Think on Him and all your thoughts will be what is confirmed by His Word (Philippians 4:8). Peace is your promise with this. Not just a little peace either, CONSTANT peace!! When I surrender my peace and focus on myself, someone else or circumstances that will not matter in the eternal, I have to put my focus back on Him and line it back up with the Perfect Peace.

Father, You are our Creator, our Rock and our Peace. You are the One who puts the breath in our lungs. We want to honor You today. We want to see Your will be done today. Thank You for sending Your Son so that we can be reconciled to You. In Your Son we received Your Love. We are rooted and grounded in Christ. Let us seek ways to bring glory to Your Name. Let us see Your created the way You do. Let us love Your created the way You do. Let us find creative ways to seek the best for others. Forgive us for not putting You first place in all areas. We thank You for Your grace and mercy as we turn our hearts back to You. We repent for harboring unforgiveness as a sign of mistrust in your justice. We want to align our thoughts with Your thoughts. Renew our minds with Your Word today. Thank You Holy Spirit for teaching us the things we may not have known to walk in His goodness. We choose hope today. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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Hello Sunflower

Jeremiah 17:7-8 (AMP) “Blessed [with spiritual security] is the man who believes and trusts in and relies on the Lord and whose hope and confident expectation is the Lord. “For he will be [nourished] like a tree planted by the waters, that spreads out its roots by the river; and will not fear the heat when it comes; but its leaves will be green and moist And it will not be anxious and concerned in a year of drought nor stop bearing fruit.

What happens when we go through the tough parts of life? Can we still have joy? As I was preparing for this past Sunday’s message, that was my hearts desire for those that would be listening. May is Mental Health Awareness month. Lately I have been listening to Neil T. Anderson and some of the things he placed on YouTube in his Freedom in Christ channel. A lot of it had to do with the mind and the battle of depression that many believers have to overcome.

Four and a half years ago I was rocked. I had already been going through some things at work. I was promoted, demoted, talked down to, shunned…then terminated. My character was tarnished. How could I put myself out there in the community? Our vision for Connect Church is to touch the world through our community. I am constantly encouraging the body to look for opportunities to glorify God.

Our first gut reaction is to hide. I did, but I did it differently. I hid in the Word. I did not occasionally open my Bible any more, I really set out to get to know the Word. I ran to the Word. In doing so, I did not hide myself for protection from the hurt. I was able to stand free and with confidence of who I am in Christ. When I stand up and speak in front of people it is not to share how much I know, but who I know.

So when I was walking the track, listening to worship music a couple of months ago, God spoke to me about what I needed to share for Mother’s Day. He told me that I needed to share why I am so passionate about His ways. Why do I speak with such boldness and conviction when it comes to His Word? The secret comes in what you are rooted in.

John 15:5 (AMP) I am the Vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him bears much fruit, for [otherwise] apart from Me [that is, cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing.

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].

To abide in Him means that I have replaced my roots in Him, I give Him first place. When I looked again at the parable of the sower in Mark 4, He spoke to me that we have placed ourselves in the story that was not what He intended. We wanted to be the good soil, but He is. When we allow ourselves to be in the love that He is, everything changes. Do branches have roots? No, the vine does. Where do the nutrients to grow come from? The soil. We have called the soil our hearts for so long. We are responsible for allowing the Holy Spirit to remove the rocks and the thorns. All soil has potential. Just like all of us do. There is only one that can be called good, and that is Jesus. Do not limit your perception of “in Christ” as a follower or just a position, BE in Christ. We are loved by Him and nothing can take that away, you are in that position, but we have put it on. We have to abide in that love. When we do, we are truly abiding in Christ.

I love sunflowers. They would have been the flowers for my wedding if a farmer did not give us 1000 gladiolas. I had chosen sunflower bracelets to give away that day. Sunflowers show their seeds. Sunflowers are sun worshipers. They need 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day. They actually track the sun (desire His face). A single seed planted in the spring can produce many seeds. They grow so fast that they will choke out weeds. Sunflowers droop when they are not drinking enough water. The sunflower is a tap root. It is an elevator of nutrients. It brings water and other microbes from deeper soil layers closer to the soil for subsequent crops to have better access to. Sunflowers produce oil, and lots of it.

This was my summation: the seed (Word, Jesus is the Word John 1:1) from the sower (us), is planted in Christ (the soil) and we allow the roots (love in Christ) and the fruit we bear become more seeds because we are abiding on the vine (in Christ)…but they will have to be continued to be watered by the Living Water (Jesus, His Word).

I have more to this message, but for you to even get to the part of being free in every area of your life, you first need to know that depth of His love. To be in that love because you are in Christ. You have to realize that Jesus came for more than to save you from hell, that He came to restore you. Then you will no longer allow the things to shatter you and cause you to go into a cave of hiding. We are in Christ, He is all we need.

Dear God, our Creator, You are so full of majesty. We honor You today with our thanksgiving. Thank you for Your Son. Jesus took on every part of our lives so that we can walk in fullness. We are sorry that we have not walked in the fullness of that love. Let us be rooted in grounded in the love of Christ. We choose to abide in Him today. Holy Spirit, lead us to the areas of rocks and thorns that we need to be set free of. Renew our minds. We submit to You today. Let us be sowers of the Word. When we sow in Christ all of the ground is good ground and all that we sow is good. The Word is always good. Thank You for the Word. Thank You for the Word becoming flesh. Thank You for being the vine. We desire to bear fruit that glorifies You. We choose Love today. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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Sisterhood of the wounded

James 3:10 (AMP) Out of the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. These things, my brothers, should not be this way [for we have a moral obligation to speak in a manner that reflects our fear of God and profound respect for His precepts].

Gossip is a hard thing not to do, especially among hurting people. I have done it, even within a week. What happens when two people get together that have been hurt by the same person. They share the hurts. Why do we think it is okay in the moment? It is because we think we are not sharing what the person does not already know about the other individual. It is a hard cycle to break, but I want to be better. I have a moral obligation to speak in a manner that reflects the fear of God regarding His created.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (AMP) Love endures with patience and serenity, love is kind and thoughtful, and is not jealous or envious; love does not brag and is not proud or arrogant. It is not rude; it is not self-seeking, it is not provoked [nor overly sensitive and easily angered]; it does not take into account a wrong endured. It does not rejoice at injustice, but rejoices with the truth [when right and truth prevail]. Love bears all things [regardless of what comes], believes all things [looking for the best in each one], hopes all things [remaining steadfast during difficult times], endures all things [without weakening]. Love never fails [it never fades nor ends].

I did not release why I was hurt, until they released why they were. How can you forgive what cannot be forgotten? I am here to tell you it is hard, but forgetting is not what we are commanded, it is the forgiveness. It does not sting as much. I have learned to pray blessings over that individual. I pray that the Word becomes alive to them.

I know that the hurt was an attack of the enemy. Why? It came from the twisting of His Word. As leaders we should not feel that it is up to us to build the church. He does. When we use tactics to grow our churches, even though it may cause hurt (premeditated), we are wrong. Why? My growth should not see you as a stepping stone or a casualty to kingdom building. Notice it is not a capital K in kingdom here, because that is not His Kingdom we are building.

Philippians 2:3 (AMP)  Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit [through factional motives, or strife], but with [an attitude of] humility [being neither arrogant nor self-righteous], regard others as more important than yourselves.

This is just an example of how easy it is to rehearse it again. It is hard to forgive when you cannot forget. The enemy used a perfect tool here, another who has to respond to the Father just like you do (James 3:1). This is not the only hurt, but it was the most recent. I never wish that on anyone. I have to put my trust in God and who He calls, even if. I have hurt people, but instead of saying that it is part of ministry (which is not true, it is part of my imperfectness) I want to do better. I want to glorify Him. To hurt each other and call it ministry is false. We are to sharpen each other, not wound (Proverbs 27:17). It is to bring is closer in relationship to the Father.

Hebrews 4:12 (AMP) For the word of God is living and active and full of power [making it operative, energizing, and effective]. It is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating as far as the division of the soul and spirit [the completeness of a person], and of both joints and marrow [the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and judging the very thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Let me always be sensitive to the Word. Even though I was hurt and was wrong it still does not give me the right to repeat the matter. It still does not give me the right to rehearse the matter. Why? I fear God more than my rights. I do not want to displease the Father, not because of fear of punishment, but because I honor Him. I honor His precepts. I honor His Word. I do not want to be so prideful that I exempt this area from His correction. I am looking for the best in those and speaking blessings over them. Praying for a deeper relationship for the Father. Praying for forgiveness for them as they will have to stand before the judgement seat, just like I will. Repenting and asking God to bridle my tongue when I start to rehearse (ultimately cursing with my mouth). Woah, to me when I do such a thing. Instead of creating a sisterhood of the wounded, let us be a sisterhood of the hopeful. Let us hope again! Let us praise again!

Abba, You are the Glory that we wake up and sing to every day. We long to be in Your Presence. Thank You for sending Your Son to be the Light and to restore us. We are sorry for making things about us. We repent for every time we rehearsed a wrong, whether it was for our gain or someone else’s. We are sorry for gathering together as wounded. Help us be to speak blessings over those who have done us wrong. We want to love deeply because You love deeply. Our awe of You compels us to follow Your Word. Holy Spirit Your voice to be louder than the voice of deception. The voice of deception will tell us to fight against flesh and blood. The voice of deception will tell us that because we do not forget that we will never forgive, therefore, never being pleasing to God. The enemy want us to stay walking wounded, but because Jesus overcame, we are over-comers. We choose forgiveness today. We choose love today. We choose hope today. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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Now what?

Hebrews 10:18 (AMP) Now where there is [absolute] forgiveness and complete cancellation of the penalty of these things, there is no longer any offering [to be made to atone] for sin.

It is finished! Atonement has been made. Now what? What happens now. Jesus rose, He lives. He continued the work. It did not stop at the cross, it continued through His resurrected life. That is the message to us now. Right after this ‘now’ statement comes my favorite word in the Bible, “Therefore.”

Hebrews 10:19-25 (AMP) Therefore, believers, since we have confidence and full freedom to enter the Holy Place [the place where God dwells] by [means of] the blood of Jesus, by this new and living way which He initiated and opened for us through the veil [as in the Holy of Holies], that is, through His flesh, and since we have a great and wonderful Priest [Who rules] over the house of God, let us approach [God] with a true and sincere heart in unqualified assurance of faith, having had our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us seize and hold tightly the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is reliable and trustworthy and faithful [to His word]; and let us consider [thoughtfully] how we may encourage one another to love and to do good deeds, not forsaking our meeting together [as believers for worship and instruction], as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more [faithfully] as you see the day [of Christ’s return] approaching.

How do you think the life of the disciples changed after that moment. The day Jesus appeared on the road to Emmaus, two disciples (not of the main 12) were discussing their brokenness of what had happened the previous days (Luke 24). They talked about His body not being in the tomb. They were talking to Jesus, but not being able to recognize Him. Jesus starts to talk to them about Moses and the scriptures of the prophets, referring to Himself (not knowing He was Him) as the fulfillment, encouraging them. Just when they realized, and their eyes were opened to the reality, His physical form left them again. What now?

Did they need Jesus’s physical presence for the hope to be alive? Did they need to hear Him speak the words for them to be true? My faith in Him, as He paid the price for my sins and rose in victory of death, is the confidence of my freedom. I am now free in Christ so let us…get back on focus!

Let us approach God with a true and sincere heart. I do not have to fear Him of punishment, but I am still in awe of Him. His Son ensured my cleanliness. His Son presents me to the Father as blemish free. My heart is true and sincere because it is not longer hardened. In Christ is all I need!

Let us hope again. There is a world out there hurting. Believers are hurting. Depression is at an all time high, inside and outside of the church. I recently came across this discussion on the depression triad: they have a negative self image, negative thoughts about their current circumstances and a hopeless view of the future. How do we hope again? Renew your mind in the Word of God. Confess it with your mouth and rehearse it. Trust God that He fulfilled everything through His Son.

Let us thoughtfully encourage each other to love and do good works. One of the biggest issues in our society today is depression, because it is self focused. Here me out before you get mad at that. The enemy is out to halt every part of you from getting the benefits of heaven. Why do you not think he would keep you bound if he could by centering it on your feelings? Do you have someone in your life that encourages you to pray for those outside of yourself? Do you have people in your life that talks about how you can help when something is noticed? Do you belong to a church, but actually take the time to talk with an get to know each other? My church attendance is not just because that is what you are suppose to do on Sundays. I am not in a hurry to leave when it is over, not even when we were not the pastors. Why? People matter. You matter! By keeping away you are rehearsing the lie that you do not matter. Let us gather with purpose.

Now we have access to every part of the heavenly Kingdom because of Christ…so let us act like it!!

Lord, we thank You for Redemption. You are mighty, powerful, just and merciful. Your goodness far surpasses our expectations. You are Holy. Your desire is for us to be holy. We know that starts in our minds, but would not be possible without Your Son. Now we stand in righteousness, now we stand in cleanliness, now we stand in fullness. Our trust and our hope is focused on You, not in what You can give us, but in who You are. You are Love so therefore we are love. You are Light so therefore we are light. Thank You for putting me among others to establish Your Kingdom here on earth. You unselfishly gave Your Son for us and we are choosing to see ourselves and others as worthy. Thank You for providing opportunities to show Your love in practical ways with the purpose for drawing others close to You. Lord, check our hearts, we surrender it to You. We desire You today! Our hope is in You today! We will share Your love today! In Jesus Name, Amen.

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Love is the work in “works”

Revelations 2:4-5 (AMP) But I have this [charge] against you, that you have left your first love [you have lost the depth of love that you first had for Me]. So remember the heights from which you have fallen, and repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, your sinful behavior—seek God’s will] and do the works you did at first [when you first knew Me]; otherwise, I will visit you and remove your lampstand (the church, its impact) from its place—unless you repent. 

Before I get really into this I want you to know, we cannot earn God’s love. We cannot earn our salvation. However, we can lose sight of what He has called us to do. We will replace it with political views, standing up for injustice or chasing after bettering our gifts and talents (whether in the church or in the corporate world).

This week we had another mass shooting. Another? Yes. According to Axios.com, there have been 38 U.S. mass shootings (four or more victims) in March of this year alone. At least 57 people have been killed and 133 have been injured. BBC news reports that there have been 131 mass shootings in the United States so far this year. The number for last year was 647. When news broke out about the shootings this week I read comments from both sides about their agendas. The one that broke by heart was the one that said they deserved it because of their Christian beliefs. Neither extremes are right. What happens when we get so focused on rightness? Let us look ahead in this part of Revelations for the context.

Revelations 2:1-5 (AMP) ‘I know your deeds and your toil, and your patient endurance, and that you cannot tolerate those who are evil, and have tested and critically appraised those who call themselves apostles (special messengers, personally chosen representatives, of Christ), and [in fact] are not, and have found them to be liars and impostors;  and [I know that] you [who believe] are enduring patiently and are bearing up for My name’s sake, and that you have not grown weary [of being faithful to the truth]. But I have this [charge] against you, that you have left your first love [you have lost the depth of love that you first had for Me]. So remember the heights from which you have fallen, and repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, your sinful behavior—seek God’s will] and do the works you did at first [when you first knew Me]; otherwise, I will visit you and remove your lampstand (the church, its impact) from its place—unless you repent.

Here the people were standing up to the truth of the Word. They did not depart from the truth and accept any revelation that was being presented by them. This the way we should be. We should be standing on the truth of His Word and not compromising. What we have failed at is the love part! Did they not love God? That is not the first love that He was talking about.

John 13:34 (AMP) I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you too are to love one another.

Acts 26:20 (AMP) but I openly proclaimed first to those at Damascus, then at Jerusalem and throughout the region of Judea, and even to the Gentiles, that they should repent [change their inner self—their old way of thinking] and turn to God, doing deeds and living lives which are consistent with repentance.

2 Corinthians 5:17-19 (AMP) Therefore if anyone is in Christ [that is, grafted in, joined to Him by faith in Him as Savior], he is a new creature [reborn and renewed by the Holy Spirit]; the old things [the previous moral and spiritual condition] have passed away. Behold, new things have come [because spiritual awakening brings a new life]. But all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ [making us acceptable to Him] and gave us the ministry of reconciliation [so that by our example we might bring others to Him], that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting people’s sins against them [but canceling them]. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation [that is, restoration to favor with God].

In the Amplified Version of the Bible, the word love is often followed by unselfish concern and seeking the best for one another. The word repentance is not be ashamed, it is to surrender. Christ lived a life of surrender. In Christ we now are joined with Him. We are a new creation, because our spirit man has become awakened. New life can now come. A new way of doing things can be done. I have a new purpose. My purpose is now the ministry of reconciliation. My message should be restoration. I should see everyone as needing restoration. I cannot do that if I do not have the commandment of Jesus in front of me. We are to love one another. I am to love those with different view points of mine. I do not have to accept them, but I do have to desire restoration for them. Why are we fighting to change view points when I do not want to see them restored?

My heart breaks when I read that we would rather calamity fall on another group of people because of their views. That is not love! That is not standing up for what is right!!

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (AMP) Love endures with patience and serenity, love is kind and thoughtful, and is not jealous or envious; love does not brag and is not proud or arrogant. It is not rude; it is not self-seeking, it is not provoked [nor overly sensitive and easily angered]; it does not take into account a wrong endured. It does not rejoice at injustice, but rejoices with the truth [when right and truth prevail]. Love bears all things [regardless of what comes], believes all things [looking for the best in each one], hopes all things [remaining steadfast during difficult times], endures all things [without weakening].

Love does not rejoice when others are hurting!! I have been wronged by people. I have myself wronged others. I have been wronged by church people, but I would never wish harm on them. I would never celebrate and say “God don’t like ugly.” God is love. Even in their wrong, God still loves them. My prayer is they make it right with the Father, whether they make it right with me or not. I have to walk in forgiveness, whether they asked for it or not. I am not to repeat a suffered wrong (which is slander by the way). I am not to suede others into choosing sides. I am to point to the truth, the truth of God’s Word. That tells me that I am to love, just as He loved. That is the work. In order for me to love as He loved, I need to be focused on the ministry of reconciliation. My focus will be on Christ for myself and for others. Do I have a stance on political views and on injustice? Yes. However, they should not be louder than the desire for my first love. As a reminder: these letters and warnings were given to the church (those in Christ).

Father, You are full of grace and mercy, but You are also the final Judge. Thank You for sending Your Son to show us how to love. I never want to be one of those that You say did not go back to their first love. I repent for not making Your love what I am known for. You are the One who fights my battles, but that never gives me an excuse not to love. Help me keep an unselfish concern for those that need Your reconciliation. Open my eyes and keep a pure heart within me that I do not lose that first love. I thank You that You are taking care of and putting things in place to up-heed injustice. I thank You that I have answered the call, and along with others, to be the hands and feet to deliver those from such injustice. I will not hide or put my lamp stand under so others cannot find the light. Your heart has always been restoration. Thank You for including me and calling me into Your hearts desire. I choose forgiveness today. I choose love today. I choose hope today. Lead me to love more as I walk in my calling, as a minister of reconciliation. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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This means war

Genesis 14:12, 14, 16 (AMP) And they also took [captive] Lot, Abram’s nephew, and his possessions and left, for he was living in Sodom. When Abram heard that his nephew [Lot] had been captured, he armed and led out his trained men, born in his own house, [numbering] three hundred and eighteen, and went in pursuit as far [north] as Dan.  And he brought back all the goods, and also brought back his nephew Lot and his possessions, and also the women, and the people.

What happens when countries go into war? There are battles fought. There may even be casualties. What happens to the people that are trying to just go on with life? Sometimes, they are held captive. This is what happened to Lot and his crew. Lot and Abram had to go their separate ways. Separations happen, but that does not mean love is not there.

When Abram heard that his nephew was taken into captivity he gathered up some men of his own to go get him. Soon after a king offered him possessions, riches, to leave Lot and the others in his captivity. Why? The captivity of a people, not just land, shows the grandeur of a kingdom. The devil does not care what possessions you own, he cares about your influence of Kingdom matter.

1 Peter 2:9 (AMP) But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a consecrated nation, a [special] people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies [the wonderful deeds and virtues and perfections] of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.

Romans 8:17 (AMP)  And if [we are His] children, [then we are His] heirs also: heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ [sharing His spiritual blessing and inheritance], if indeed we share in His suffering so that we may also share in His glory.

Galatians 3:29 (AMP) And if you belong to Christ [if you are in Him], then you are Abraham’s descendants, and [spiritual] heirs according to [God’s] promise.

What happens when we hear or see a brother and/or sister in Christ go into captivity? They are no longer living the life they once were. They have fallen away. They become hard of heart and calloused to the rest of the body of Christ. What do you do then? Do we shrug our shoulders and chock it up to free will and we are all responsible for walking our own salvation? You are probably right in saying your words would be ineffective. What about your prayers?

Ephesians 6:12 (AMP) For our struggle is not against flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this [present] darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) places. 

Can you imagine the real battle going on right now? Can you see it? The enemy has come in and taken people captive. The battle raging in their minds. Will you go into the war room to fight for them back. Will you pray over their identities? Will you pray for strength in knowing who they are in Christ?

You may ask if this is your responsibility. Ephesians 6:18 (AMP) With all prayer and petition pray [with specific requests] at all times [on every occasion and in every season] in the Spirit, and with this in view, stay alert with all perseverance and petition [interceding in prayer] for all God’s people. This does not just say pray for your children, your immediate family, those who do not know Christ (as we should)…it says to pray for ALL of God’s people. We are the body of Christ and when one of us is attacked the whole army of the Lord should be coming up against the enemy.

So I have been going down to the enemy camp, calling out what he has done, and I have been taking back what he has stolen in my war room (times of prayer). I have been speaking the promises of God and what He has destined for His beloved. What the devil had taken captive he will not be able to count as one of his possessions.

Father, You are so wonderful to me. There is nothing else that matters but You. Thank you for sending Your Son so that I may be whole again. Thank You for the peace that He brought. There are many things that I do not understand, but in Your grace and mercy I put my trust in You. Thank you for the people that You have put into my life. I am like a blurred reflection of You, looking dimly in a mirror (1 Corinthians 13:12), growing in Your love day by day. In Your Presence I see You face to face. Your Presence is where I long to be. I come boldly into Your throne room of grace. I know Your angels have been assigned and are awaiting the command. I speak to the strongholds that have kept Your people in bondage. They can no longer remain captive to the lies of the enemy. Satan is the accuser of the body and his lies will not take hold of them. Lord, Your Word is a lamp to my feet, I stand in faith to Your promises. Let any unforgiveness found in me be rooted out. I choose hope. I choose faith. I choose love. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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Signs and wonders

Mark 16: 17-20 (AMP) These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink anything deadly, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will get well.” So then, when the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord was working with them and confirming the word by the signs that followed.]

I am excited about the state the church is in right now. At the beginning of the year, God gave me the Word “Presence.” For us to truly enter and be at a state of His Presence, we must have a heart of surrender. This starts with repentance and forgiveness.

As I have written earlier, I am in the process of watching The Chosen Series through the Angel Productions app. In season three, episode two, Jesus sends His disciples out two by two to preach what He preached, to lay hands on the sick and to cast out demons in His name. He told them to take no money and not even an extra tunic. The only other instruction was who they were partnered up with. The one that gave the most rebuttal was the pairing of Simon the former zealot and Matthew the former tax collector. It was not them with the problem, but the others, their concern was that the best pair to work together. Could they work together despite their different backgrounds? Often our perception of others limit what we believe they are capable of.

My favorite person to watch in this series is Matthew, I love his transformation. In my reading of the Word it had always been Peter, because he is mentioned so much I guess. In this perspective I just love Matthew. Simon in his former self would have despised and spat on Matthew, just like all the others did in the streets. He would have probably killed him, as zealots were trained assassins by the radical priests that wanted to overthrow the government. Matthew was a tax collector for the Romans, and his people saws him as a traitor. What a fun pair!

I wept when I saw that Simon kept the man calm while he had Matthew cast out the demon. Simon had the strength to do all and just allow Matthew to be a spectator, but that is not how Jesus instructs. It was a real confidence builder in Matthew. You can tell in his face that he felt accepted and needed.

We are in exciting times. There is a spread of revival in our college campuses and a shift in the atmosphere in our churches. Why? There is a heart change happening. It starts with repentance and forgiveness. It is not surrounding one charismatic preacher or one team of people. It is because the body started working like it should. They are no longer spectators waiting for a move, they are the move, they have the power of the Holy Spirit inside of them. The church has awakened.

Every person that we come in contact with has potential. I am a born again child of God and I still desire more of Him in my life. I still desire more freedom. Why? The enemy wants me to stay bound to things in my past, in my offenses, to what science tells me I am predisposed for genetically, therefore, I have become so beat down that oppression is what I would choose to function through. Just enough freedom to go to heaven, but not enough to rejoice and set other captives free. Oppression is a demonic stronghold that has had it’s hold on the body of Christ long enough. It keeps us in the back ground. It keeps us in the dark to say that the Word does not work that way for them. Enough is enough and we need to be bold enough to look the devil in the eye and say they have no place here any longer. Jesus is Lord here!!

Let’s just say demons oppress believers and a woman was set free yesterday in service. Is the promise of heaven just enough? For me it is not. I want all that God has for me. Jesus came to restore me, to make me whole, on earth. I am excited to see the ones who have been satisfied with the background to gain freedom in Christ. I was one of those. I want to be confident in Christ so that when the demons present themselves I do not have to look for someone with the authority, I have the authority. I can lay hands on the sick and they will recover. There is an awakening returning to the body. Signs and wonders will be follow. We are the move of God!

Father, forgive me for doubting Your power that was placed inside of me. I repent for putting me first in what comforts me. I repent for holding onto unforgiveness of those that have hurt me intentionally or unintentionally. You are more than enough for me. Thank You for Jesus and His compassion to lead well, and to humble Himself to teach us how to do Your mighty works. We want to see Your Kingdom here. We want to see the captives free. If there is anything in my life that is still holding me captive, I release it to You. I surrender my life, my will, my emotions so that freedom can flow through me. I ask that You place opportunities before me so that I can present Your Gospel, the ministry of reconciliation. I surrender all. In Jesus Name, Amen.