Page 8 of 9

Posted on

Faith and Expectation

Psalms 31:24 (AMP) Be strong and let your hearts take courage, all you who wait for and confidently expect the Lord.

Are we showing up to places expecting calamity? Are we expecting a struggle? Are we expecting to walk into confusion? I want to tell you something about this faith life, we cannot pray against something that we have invited. We need to change our mindset and our expectation. God is not going past what we expect and speak with our mouths.

Matthew 15:15, 17-20 (AMP) Peter asked Him, “Explain this parable [about what defiles a person] to us.” Do you not understand that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and is eliminated? But whatever [word] comes out of the mouth comes from the heart, and this is what defiles and dishonors the man. For out of the heart come evil thoughts and plans, murders, adulteries, sexual immoralities, thefts, false testimonies, slanders (verbal abuse, irreverent speech, blaspheming). These are the things which defile and dishonor the man; but eating with [ceremonially] unwashed hands does not defile the man.”

Ephesians 4:29-31 (AMP) Do not let unwholesome [foul, profane, worthless, vulgar] words ever come out of your mouth, but only such speech as is good for building up others, according to the need and the occasion, so that it will be a blessing to those who hear [you speak]. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God [but seek to please Him], by whom you were sealed and marked [branded as God’s own] for the day of redemption [the final deliverance from the consequences of sin]. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor [perpetual animosity, resentment, strife, fault-finding] and slander be put away from you, along with every kind of malice [all spitefulness, verbal abuse, malevolence].

I was in prayer yesterday about some of the confusion we have had with setting up on Sunday mornings. It has been effecting our worship and media (which includes the sound) teams. Where is all this confusion coming from? As of right now we are renting from another church. We have a 1:30 in the afternoon service. Their worship and media teams have been doing some changes with the equipment and it is different every week. There is discouragement, and I understand that, it is not easy to figure out when we are not a part of the whole picture. What we cannot do is lose the joy in that we have a place to come to worship together. We cannot allow it to cause discouragement in how we approach worship.

The first thing we have to do is to check our heart attitude. Have we lost the joy? If so, what are we doing to find it again? Psalms 31:24 says, “Be strong and let your hearts take courage.” Discouragement cannot enter our hearts. Out of hearts we will speak what we expect. My prayer was, “God let our hearts remain steadfast to your Word. Let us not grieve the Holy Spirit by our complaining when we come into this place. Holy Spirit, we value You more than any inconvenience we may face. Let our words build up. Let our words be used to bless.”

I am praying against the confusion, but I am also praying for our minds to be in correct alignment with the Word. No matter what, the Holy Spirit is more important than what we sound like or look like on the camera. We are not producing a product, we are ushering in His Presence. We should have excellence, but not at the expense of not sitting at His feet. We can often get into the works of it all, that we forget the most important part, being with Him.

Joshua 6:10 (AMP) But Joshua commanded the people, “You shall not shout [the battle cry] nor let your voice be heard nor let a word come out of your mouth, until the day I tell you to shout. Then you shall shout!”

This is the story of how God delivered the city of Jericho into the hands of the Israelites. They marched around the city walls six days with only the trumpets being blown by the priests, and the ark of the covenant being carried behind the priests. On the seventh day, when they had walked around the city seven times, this time when the priests blew the trumpets the people were to give out a shout. I believe it was a shout of praise, it was a shout of victory, it was a shout of expectation. Their faith had lined up with their expectation that God had delivered the victory.

We cannot pray against something we have invited. Change your mindset and change your words. Stop inviting confusion into your life and into your worship. Do not allow discouragement to take root and cause your mouth to curse what God wants to do in that moment. Speak faith, speak expectation, speak to build up. Your faith will meet your expectation.

Our Lord, Our God, Our Banner, You are more precious than the sun you put in the sky. We want to bring glory to Your Name. Thank You for Your Son, for coming to earth to live among us and for restoring us to our rightful place in Your Presence. Thank You for the Holy Spirit. Your Word says that the Holy Spirit is the seal of our redemption. That means we have been inspected and approved. We are no longer broken vessels, Your Son redeemed us. We repent for speaking words that are not uplifting, that we have spoken out of the confusion without going to Your Word and Your Promise. We choose to forgive ourselves and others for having expectations that do not line up with Your Word. Let us choose to remain silent and get our hearts and minds in correct alignment so that we do not dishonor You with our words. We choose hope today. We choose joy today. We choose forgiveness today. We choose love today. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Posted on

It’s not worth it

1 Peter 5:7 (AMP) casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully].

I love this verse. We can cast all our cares on Him. I want to put this into context for you. This is a command to holiness. The preceding verse if very much attached to this one, and even all the way back to chapter 4. The reason is because we will all go before the judgement seat, “For it is the time [destined] for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not respect or believe or obey the gospel of God? (1 Peter 4:17) Also, you can find it in 2 Corinthians 5:10, “For we [believers will be called to account and] must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be repaid for what has been done in the body, whether good or bad [that is, each will be held responsible for his actions, purposes, goals, motives—the use or misuse of his time, opportunities and abilities].“

Does the fear of judgement cause you to want to run or hide? It causes me to want to do both, but not in the way you would think. I run and hide in Christ, not due to shame or guilt, but because of His great love. If as a believer it makes you angry when you are reminded that you will be called before the judgement seat, discover the why in yourself. Read the full above verse in context.

1 Peter 5:6-11 (AMP) Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God [set aside self-righteous pride], so that He may exalt you [to a place of honor in His service] at the appropriate time, casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully]. Be sober [well balanced and self-disciplined], be alert and cautious at all times. That enemy of yours, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion [fiercely hungry], seeking someone to devour. But resist him, be firm in your faith [against his attack—rooted, established, immovable], knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being experienced by your brothers and sisters throughout the world. [You do not suffer alone.] After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace [who imparts His blessing and favor], who called you to His own eternal glory in Christ, will Himself complete, confirm, strengthen, and establish you [making you what you ought to be]. To Him be dominion (power, authority, sovereignty) forever and ever. Amen.

Pride is the root. It’s symptoms are not just anger, but can be fear. How do I rid myself of pride? Just like perfect love casts out fear (1 John 4:18), His perfect love will also cast out that pride. It takes humility to be rooted and grounded in Christ’s love. It takes humility to cast what is bothering you to His feet. It takes humility to allow the Holy Spirit to dig into your wells and pull out all the contaminates that keep you from running your race well. It takes humility to forgive, even when the other person does not ask for it. It takes humility to see the best for others. None of this can be accomplished without a deep love of Christ. This is not a one time confession either. This is a life long pursuit, and I am not always going to get it right. If I did, then there would not be a need for the Holy Spirit.

Are you questioning your salvation? How can one be assured of their salvation. Do you have a relationship with God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit? ‘Knowledge of’ and ‘relationship with’ are two different things. Our salvation was not to attain knowledge, but to attain His face. He wants a relationship with us. In a relationship it has give and take. If all you want is the gifts, then that is not a real relationship. If you are not willing to give of yourself and not willing to grow into holiness (because that is what His presence will do), then that is not a relationship with our God. When it comes to having more knowledge or having more of His presence, I will choose His presence. Here is the thing, He will give you knowledge when you desire His presence.

Read Hebrews 10:26-31 and Matthew 7:21-23. This is not meant to scare you, but to draw you closer to Him. If you are scared because you deserve punishment, there is still hope. Have the confident assurance that when you make Christ your savior, repent and surrender your life, you are redeemed. You can stand right before God. The rest is up to you. Casting all of my cares has to do with my mind, my will and my emotions. These are the parts that make me unique. They are also the parts that can cause me to not want the things of God. They are the areas that will hold onto pride. I decided, for myself, that holding onto things that did not glorify Him are just not worth it. What do you treasure? I treasure His Presence. I treasure being rooted and grounded in His love (unmovable and unshakable). Nothing is worth more than that. My reverential fear of displeasing God has nothing to do with punishment, it has to do with my great love for Him.

Abba, our Father, our Maker and our Banner, You are so Wonderful. Thank You for sending Your Son to live, die and come back to Your right hand. He is making intercessions for us because of Your great love. Thank You for the gift of the Holy Spirit. We receive all that He has for us. We thank You for Your Word and for the Body of Christ. We grow in our relationship with You when we apply what you have gifted us with. We repent for trampling the blood of Christ by holding onto our own ways and by allowing pride to rule and reign in our lives. Nothing in this world is as valuable as You. The fear of the judgement seat was taken away when You sent Your Son. It was not just for the judgement, it was also for the restoration. We desire and long for You. Thank You for Your Presence, let it not depart from us. We desire You. We choose love today. We choose forgiveness today. We choose joy today. We choose hope today. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Posted on

Lips filled with praise

Mark 14:26 (AMP) After they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

How big is your praise? This is a lesson that Jesus wanted us to learn. He knew exactly what was going on, yet He sang a song of praise and honor to God. What did they sing that night? It was a group of Psalms knows as “the Hallel,” Psalms 113-118. Jesus actually quoted from Psalm 118 earlier in the week, “The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief corner stone (verse 22).”

I want to pay extra close attention to Psalm 118. This is the passage that I have encouraged others to read over and over again this week as we prepare our hearts for service this Sunday. I also encouraged them to read it in different translations to get the fullness of what it is saying. In the Amplified Bible it says that “His lovingkindness endures forever.” In the Modern English Version, “His mercy endures forever (similar to the KJV).” In the Message, “His love never quits.” In the English Standard Version, “His steadfast love endures forever.” This is a psalm of praise. How big was Jesus’ praise that night?

This is the night that He washed the disciples feet, that He ate the Passover meal with them, then He tells them about the sacraments of the bread and the wine. He sings a song, and then heads to the Mt. of Olives, where He then tells them that they are going to scatter once He is handed over for death. Yet, He takes time to praise. In the midst of the craziness of life, will you take time to praise?

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (AMP) Rejoice always and delight in your faith; be unceasing and persistent in prayer; in every situation [no matter what the circumstances] be thankful and continually give thanks to God; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.

Use the words that I showed you from Psalms 118, “His love never quits” and “His love endures forever.” They are really easy to say and eventually will start to roll off our tongues when we commit to meditate on them throughout the day. Do you know how grounded Jesus was in the Father’s love? This is what He wants for you too.

Psalm 118:28-29 (AMP) You are my God, and I give thanks to You; [You are] my God, I extol You.
O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; For His lovingkindness endures forever.

Our God is still good. Even in the moments right now, His lovingkindness endures. I have to remember that when Moses asked to see God’s glory, God responded in showing Moses His mercy and lovingkindness (Exodus 33:19). As I write these words my heart leaps with joy and my eyes fill with tears. The wonders of this everlasting love. How deep, wide and high is that love. This is the importance of praise, otherwise we try to look at God at our level and the reverence for Him slowly fades.

Hebrews 13:15 (AMP) Through Him, therefore, let us at all times offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, which is the fruit of lips that thankfully acknowledge and confess and glorify His name. 

Psalms 63:3 (AMP) Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips shall praise You.

Praise should never depart from our lips. In this there is a need for our hearts to be in line with our lips. Do not just parrot these words and they have no meaning to you. He is not asking for lip service, as the nation of Israel did (Isaiah 29:13). Our reverence for Him does not need to become a tradition, completely empty of meaning. Glorify His name in your praise. A heart filled with reverence will have a mouth filled with praise.

Instead of writing out a prayer of my own words today, I want to lead you in taking a deeper look at Psalm 118. Sing it, pray it, meditate on it. Align your heart this week.

O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good;
For His lovingkindness endures forever.
Oh let Israel say,
“His lovingkindness endures forever.”
Oh let the house of Aaron say,
“His lovingkindness endures forever.”
Oh let those who [reverently] fear the Lord, say,
“His lovingkindness endures forever.”
Out of my distress I called on the Lord;
The Lord answered me and set me free.
The Lord is on my side; I will not fear.
What can [mere] man do to me?
The Lord is on my side, He is among those who help me;
Therefore I will look [in triumph] on those who hate me.
It is better to take refuge in the Lord
Than to trust in man.
It is better to take refuge in the Lord
Than to trust in princes.
All nations encompassed me;
In the name of the Lord I will surely cut them off.
They encompassed me, yes, they surrounded me [on every side];
In the name of the Lord I will cut them off.
They swarmed around me like bees;
They flare up and are extinguished like a fire of thorns;
In the name of the Lord I will surely cut them off.
You [my enemy] pushed me violently so that I was falling,
But the Lord helped me.
The Lord is my strength and song,
And He has become my salvation.
The sound of joyful shouting and salvation is in the tents of the righteous:
The right hand of the Lord does valiantly.
The right hand of the Lord is exalted;
The right hand of the Lord does valiantly.
I will not die, but live,
And declare the works and recount the illustrious acts of the Lord.
The Lord has disciplined me severely,
But He has not given me over to death.
Open to me the [temple] gates of righteousness;
I shall enter through them, I shall give thanks to the Lord.
This is the gate of the Lord;
The righteous will enter through it.
I will give thanks to You, for You have heard and answered me;
And You have become my salvation [my Rescuer, my Savior].
The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the [a]chief corner stone.
This is from the Lord and is His doing;
It is marvelous in our eyes.
This [day in which God has saved me] is the day which the Lord has made;
Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
O Lord, save now, we beseech You;
O Lord, we beseech You, send now prosperity and give us success!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord;
We have blessed you from the house of the Lord [you who come into His sanctuary under His guardianship].
The Lord is God, and He has given us light [illuminating us with His grace and freedom and joy].
Bind the festival sacrifices with [b]cords to the horns of the altar.
You are my God, and I give thanks to You;
[You are] my God, I extol You.
O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good;
For His lovingkindness endures forever. AMP
Posted on

A New Way to Live

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.

In the Chapters leading up to this point, Luke, the author of Hebrews wrote about how Christ fulfilled the law. It is now inscribed on our hearts because Christ paid the price (Romans 2:14-15). The works under the law had to do with the blood. Good deeds, good works, and serving one another was never under the law. It is a part of the new way of doing things. It is a part of the new commandment, “that we love and unselfishly seek the best for one another.” We are to be a part of a church, our church body is to encourage us in our growth in Christ, and to search for ways to do good deeds. We worship together, we serve together and we grow together.

As I was reading through Galatians, chapter 5, verse 13 through chapter 6, verse 10 jumped out at me. The new way to live is not full of self. Many times we will use our freedom in Christ to still live our way if we see that it is good (not harming anyone else). After Tuesday prayer we were discussing why the body of Christ struggles with unity. It all comes down to us loving unselfishly. We often use the permissive will as an excuse to not die to the flesh in those areas. I can be selfish as a believer when I choose to do only what pleases me, especially when I do not consider the needs of others above myself. We may not hate people, we even love our church, we just love what we want more.

Galatians 5:13-14 (AMP) For you, my brothers, were called to freedom; only do not let your freedom become an opportunity for the sinful nature (worldliness, selfishness), but through love serve and seek the best for one another. For the whole Law [concerning human relationships] is fulfilled in one precept, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself [that is, you shall have an unselfish concern for others and do things for their benefit].”

In a world that tells us to ‘look at for yourselves’, ‘build for yourself’, ‘to experience life for yourself’, ‘to do what makes you happy’, ‘to choose you’, this is a different way of living. I look at it this way, if my motive is questioned and I am defensive then is it self motivated or was is it Kingdom motivated? My flesh is going to seek preservation and will become defensive, even angry. That is why accountability has left the church today. We feel like it is an attack, when really it is suppose to bring us back to putting His way above seeking our own.

Galatians 5:16, 25-26, 6:10 But I say, walk habitually in the [Holy] Spirit [seek Him and be responsive to His guidance], and then you will certainly not carry out the desire of the sinful nature [which responds impulsively without regard for God and His precepts]. If we [claim to] live by the [Holy] Spirit, we must also walk by the Spirit [with personal integrity, godly character, and moral courage—our conduct empowered by the Holy Spirit]. We must not become conceited, challenging or provoking one another, envying one another. So then, while we [as individual believers] have the opportunity, let us do good to all people [not only being helpful, but also doing that which promotes their spiritual well-being], and especially [be a blessing] to those of the household of faith (born-again believers).

As I have been listening to teachings about hearing God and really developing a relationship with the Holy Spirit, the one key component is to get yourself in a neutral state. Close off my own desires and really listen to the heart of God. Most of the time we are swayed to make a decision because of our own yearnings, which means our voice is louder. God gives us the desires of our hearts, but I want my heart lined up with His. This is how I can battle my selfish nature. This is how my desires match His desires. This is how my wants do not become idols (coveting creates idols). Dying to self means I let go of the permissible and submit to the perfect will. I want all that God has for me. That means I want God to have all of me. Fill me up Lord! I do not want to live any old way anymore, I want to live Your way, the new way.

I did not include the entire chunk of verses of Galatians 5:13-Galatians 6:10 for the sake of the link of this blog. I do encourage you to go back and read it for yourself. I chose to read it in both the Amplified Bible and the Message Bible. Just a little taste of message for Galatians 5:13-14, “It is absolutely clear that God has called you to a free life. Just make sure that you don’t use that freedom as an excuse to do whatever you want to do and destroy your freedom.” I do not want to destroy my freedom by submitting to my selfish ways. I do not want to be under the bondage of my mind, thinking things that are contrary to the Word. I want to live free, I also want you to be free also.

Abba Father, we want to know You more. We want our lives to be an honor to You. You are all that matters. Thank You for Your Son to restore us back to You. Thank You for the Holy Spirit. Let us listen and be led by Him. Let us hunger and thirst for Your Word. Let us desire to please You, not out of fear of punishment, but because of our deep Love for You. We repent for considering our wants above Your wants. Even things that my look good can become idols in our lives and we do not want to put anything above You. Please search our hearts Lord and correct any way You see in us that is not Your will. Forgive us for the times we have bitten and used divisiveness as a defense to keep doing what we please. Let us give preference to others. Let us love the way You love, unselfishly, not self seeking. We choose forgiveness today. We choose hope today. We choose joy today. We choose love today. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Posted on

Perfect Love Casts Out Fear

1 John 4:18 (MEV) There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. Whoever fears is not perfect in love.

There are enough “fear nots” in the Bible to cover every day of the year. According to Quora.com the word “love” appears 310 times in the King James Bible, 348 times in the New American Standard Bible and 551 times in the New International Version and 538 times in the New Revised Standard Version.

1 Corinthians 13:13 (AMP) And now there remain: faith [abiding trust in God and His promises], hope [confident expectation of eternal salvation], love [unselfish love for others growing out of God’s love for me], these three [the choicest graces]; but the greatest of these is love.

I believe the perfect love that casts out fear is the love that come out of God’s love for me. I also think this love is linked to my faith and hope. That is why God said the greatest of them was love. The opposite of fear is not faith, it is whether I have completely received the love of God. If I have then my faith filled words are not said out of fear, but out of love and the assurance of knowing who my God is.

John 14:1 (AMP) Do not let your heart be troubled (afraid, cowardly). Believe [confidently] in God and trust in Him, [have faith, hold on to it, rely on it, keep going and] believe also in Me.

For my last blog I wrote about the name above all names in “What is in the Name?” If you have not had the chance to read it, I encourage you to do so. The Name of Jesus has been placed above all names. When we call on His Name we do so out of our knowing of who He is. If you have not done so before, I also encourage you to read all of John 14. None of this can be truly revealed to you without the Holy Spirit.

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].

The biggest change in my life had to do with me receiving this perfect love, not me perfecting my love. Our love walk is something we have to work on, and I still have a lot to go in that area. However, the love of Christ is something we have to receive. It is more than the words I say in receiving my salvation. It has to do with how I think about how much He really does love me. I have to be rooted and grounded in that love, so that nothing else will move me. The rejection of those that I love will not move me because of His perfect love. This perfect love casts out fear. It is not a mere knowledge of the love, it is an immersed experience to be full and complete, that no one can take away from me. It is the richest experience of His Presence.

Romans 8:35, 37-39 (AMP) Who shall ever separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors and gain an overwhelming victory through Him who loved us [so much that He died for us]. 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.

I looks like this perfect love is the source of our victory. Just confirming to me that perfect love casts out fear. It is not my perfect love, it is His perfect love. Have you received the fullness of that yet? Let us open up our faith filled words, to love filled words. When we speak His Word in faith, do you know the Love of Christ behind it? Are we rooted and grounded in that love. The width and height and depth of that Love. Let it surround you today. We have enough verses of “fear not” in the Bible to cover every day of the year. They are powerless without His love. Let His perfect love envelope you today. Get in His Presence and let His perfect love cast out fear. Do you need more peace, get in that perfect love. Are you having hard time with guilt and shame, get in that perfect love. Do you need help with your anxious thoughts, get in that perfect love.

God, our Father, our Source, our Maker, our Jehovah Nissi, Your Banner over us is Love. We stand in awe of You. You are worthy of praise and honor. We want to magnify and lift up Your Holy Name. Thank You for Your Son, the Word made flesh. Thank You for loving us so much that He died for us. Thank You that now that He sits at Your right hand that we have the Holy Spirit dwelling in and with us. Your Holy Spirit reveals Your Perfect Love. We repent for thinking that it all depended on how we feel. Our feeling will deceive us, but Your Perfect Love will never leave us. Let us get to know with experience the width and height and depth of that Perfect Love. Let us be grounded in the Love of Christ. Search our hearts Lord and let any areas of unforgiveness be rooted out. We choose joy today. We choose hope today. We choose faith today. We choose love today. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Posted on

What is in the Name?

John 15:7 (AMP) If you remain in Me and My words remain in you [that is, if we are vitally united and My message lives in your heart], ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you. 

Prayer is an essential part of being a born again believer (Ephesians 6:18). It is something we have to grow in. I also believe it is the least discipled part of this new life. In order to disciple we must be willing to talk to people, not talk at people. Every Tuesday, before our corporate prayer time, we talk. We will share prayer requests, but we will also share what is going on in our lives. Afterwards we will share about our prayer time. We will encourage each other in our time of devotion and even share a scripture. There may have been a word of knowledge that was received that can be shared. This has strengthen my personal prayer time. As a leader I do not have to do all the talking, most of the time I listen and encourage.

One of the things our prayer group has started doing is praying Ephesians One over our church, Connect Church. A part jumped out at me when I was praying it this week (Ephesians 1:18-23): 

And I pray that the eyes of Connect Church's heart, the very center and core of their being, may be enlightened, flooded with light by the Holy Spirit, so that they will know and cherish the hope [the divine guarantee, the confident expectation] to which He has called us, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the people of Connect Church, and [so that they will begin to know] what the immeasurable and unlimited and surpassing greatness of His [active, spiritual] power is in us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of His mighty strength which He produced in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion [whether angelic or human], and [far above] every name that is named [above every title that can be conferred], not only in this age and world but also in the one to come. And He put all things [in every realm] in subjection under Christ’s feet, and appointed Him as [supreme and authoritative] head over all things in the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills and completes all things in all [believers].

As Christians we pray in the name of Jesus. Most of the time we have parroted this without a revelation of how powerful that name really is. God (the Father) put the name of Jesus above every name. In John 15: 7, Jesus instructed us that if we remain in Him and His Word remains in us we can ask anything. Here is the big part about the ask, we have to remain in Him, the name above every name. His name is eternal. Why am I searching for words when He is the the Word? Why am a searching for a formula to pray when He gave us the model to pray (Matthew 6:5-15)? Again, not to be parroted, but to be modeled. There is a story in Acts about some men using the name of Jesus:

Acts 19:13-16 (AMP) Then some of the traveling Jewish exorcists also attempted to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I implore you and solemnly command you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches!” Seven sons of one [named] Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. But the evil spirit retorted, “I know and recognize and acknowledge Jesus, and I know about Paul, but as for you, who are you?” Then the man, in whom was the evil spirit, leaped on them and subdued all of them and overpowered them, so that they ran out of that house [in terror, stripped] naked and wounded.

Why did the name of Jesus not work for these men? They used the name of Jesus, however, they were trying to go off of someone else’s revelation of who Jesus is and not a personal revelation (only the Holy Spirit can do that). Remember Jesus said to remain in Him and we will have what we ask. What was the result of people hearing about what happened to these men? Verse 17 tells us, “This became known to all who lived in Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. And fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified and exalted.” The name of Jesus was not common. The name of Jesus is to be revered, just as our relationship with Him should be.

John 8:58 (AMP) Jesus replied, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, before Abraham was born, I Am.

This is the same I Am that sent Moses to Pharaoh to demand His people free. Jesus is saying He is the I Am. A name God called Himself out of a burning bush.

We have been given the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-17, Acts 1:8). The Holy Spirit will reveal to us Jesus (the Word). That is why we pray that the Holy Spirit fill us up. That is why we should receive the Holy Spirit and know that we are not alone. The Holy Spirit is to be communed with. He reveals to us all that Jesus desires for us. He will reveal the name above every name. You cannot use the name of Jesus apart from the Holy Spirit.

So what is in the name of Jesus? Above all power and authority (above every title). Above all dominion and principalities. The name of Jesus is the Great I Am. The name of Jesus is the name above all names. Through His name we now have authority over the principalities and powers (Matthew 28:18-20). What a beautiful name it is.

Adonai, Our Father, Our Maker, Our Banner, we want to honor and glorify You with everything within us. There is none like You. Thank You for sending Your Son Jesus. He died, rose again and is now at Your Right Hand. Thank You for the Holy Spirit that reveals the power of His Name, Jesus. We repent for using the name as common. We repent for not valuing the name as other than an escape from hell. We want to remain in Your Word (Jesus). We will not shy away from the dominion and power that You have given to us through the name of Jesus. When Jesus said that apart from Him we could do nothing, it was not that He was speaking of something that You did not already put into place. If I am to be effectual in the Kingdom, I need to know who Jesus is, I need a relationship with the Holy Spirit. Fill me up Lord. I choose to walk in forgiveness today. I choose hope today. I choose love today. I choose joy today. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Posted on

Come Closer

Romans 11:36 (AMP)  For from Him [all things originate] and through Him [all things live and exist] and to Him are all things [directed]. To Him be glory and honor forever! Amen.

God is the originator of all. It is because of Him that we live and exist, and it is for Him we live and exist. This is why He is to be honored and glorified. We live in a world that only wants to worship when they receive. How about it is because of who He is. The next verse comes in Romans chapter 12. It is connected to the above scripture.

Romans 12:1 (AMP) Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies [dedicating all of yourselves, set apart] as a living sacrifice, holy and well-pleasing to God, which is your rational (logical, intelligent) act of worship. 

My act of worship is not a song I sing before the preaching starts. It is not the few minutes I give God in my day to pray. My life is an act of worship. Now this does not mean that I quote scripture ever other breath. This is an invitation from God that I can walk continually in His Presence. When someone is in our presence, do we ignore them? We check in and acknowledge them.

James 4:8 (AMP) 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].

What does it mean to be double-minded? I look at it that we become self-focused and self-driven. We are double-minded in that we care more for our well being than anyone else’s. Part of my worship is how I treat others. I do not live for other’s approval, but I am to live is such a way that people do matter. This does not mean I subject myself to abuse or put myself in places that people can manipulate me. It does not mean that I only seek out relationships that can benefit me. My prayer this year has been for God to increase His love in me so that it is all that flows out of me. This requires patience, because I am not always going to get it right. This is why I have a deep need for Him.

John 15:7 (AMP)  This [is what] I command you: that you love and unselfishly seek the best for one another.

John 15:10 (AMP) If you keep My commandments and obey My teaching, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love.

Jesus walked in Oneness with the Father here on earth. Why? He stayed close to Him. In His humanity He showed us how to do this. His life on earth was that of worship to the Father. That is why He could just speak and deliverance, healing and people were raised from the dead. I do not believe Jesus spent so much time with God so that He could do those miracles, the miracles were a by product of His time spent with God. How many of us seek God for the blessings, when the blessings should be an outflow of the time we spend with Him. The Kingdom of God cannot help but to prosper. Your mind cannot help but to be renewed. Your emotions cannot help but to be put back in line. He is desiring us to draw near to Him.

My life matters. My eternity started when I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior. I am not fearful of losing my salvation. That is not the point of this life of worship. The point is that we should not treat His Presence as common (the opposite of Holy). He is still the God of the beginning and the end.

Romans 11: 33-35 (AMP) Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and decisions and how unfathomable and untraceable are His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been His counselor? Or who has first given to Him that it would be paid back to him? 

No one is like the Lord. In His Presence is fullness of joy. Why would you not want to be there? He is inviting you to come closer today. Lay it all down. Surrender whatever that you have been holding onto. Surrender the worry. Surrender the doubt. Surrender and let faith draw you near. The width and length and height and depth of His love (Ephesians 3:18), let it surround you. We are learning a new song at church called Surrounded By Holy. I love this part of the song that says, “The more that I enter in, You consume all I am, I lose myself in the One who’s holy.” There is no one more Holy. Come closer.

Father, Elohim, Creator and Lord, You are all that is and all that will ever be. You are Holy. We honor You today in our worship. Thank You for sending Your Son to restore us back to right standing with You. Thank You for the Holy Spirit, the third person of the God head, that dwells within and with us. We thank You for the throne room of grace and mercy. We are no longer bound to the outer courts. We repent for the times we have only sought Your face for when we needed something from You. We do not seek after Your blessings. We seek after You. We are choosing to love like You love. We want to see the best in others and to live unselfishly in love. We surrender our hearts and minds to You. We desire to present our whole selves as a living sacrifice to You, holy, as our act of worship to You. We want to draw closer. We are making a choice to forgive freely. We choose love today. We choose hope today. We choose forgiveness today. We choose joy today. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Posted on

My Treasure

Isaiah 33:6 (AMPC) And there shall be stability in your times, an abundance of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge; the reverent fear and worship of the Lord is your treasure and His.

I love this verse. This verse has been on the cover of my Facebook page off and on for the past few years. How much do you desire stability? Stability in our lives makes us feel more secure and safe. You may be saying, ‘look at the things going on in the world, do they look stable?’ Right now there is a war in Israel. The United States just launched an air strike against Iran in retaliation for the attack that killed three American soldiers. Let’s not talk about the price of everything going up and the interest rates. Are those the things we look at to gauge stability?

John 14:27 (AMP) Peace I leave with you; My [perfect] peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be afraid. [Let My perfect peace calm you in every circumstance and give you courage and strength for every challenge.]

An abundance of salvation. This my heart leaps for because I want to see the captives set free. As I have written before, ‘Sozo’ is the Greek word for salvation. It means to save, deliver, heal, restore, to be made whole. In Hebrew it means deliverance and redemption. We cannot separate salvation from the need of repentance. I grow in my salvation when I realize I have a great need for Christ. I have to remind myself of that daily, because Amanda still likes to live. I so much want to surrender to that Sozo life.

John 10:10 (AMP) The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows].

How many of us would like more wisdom and knowledge? I know I would. That is why I read every day, if I am able. Most days I am able to spend a couple of hours to read. I know that it is a something that not everyone is capable of doing. I did not start out with a couple of hours. I started out with maybe five to ten minutes. I had to make it a priority in my life. I make sure that i am at least reading a few verses from my Bible every day. When I am at the gym, I am listening to the Word being taught. I love the Messenger X app. It is completely free and is tool from Messenger International, a ministry of John and Lisa Bevere. Reading without application really is a form of disobedience. I will go further in that in my last point.

Joshua 1:8 (AMP) This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall read [and meditate on] it day and night, so that you may be careful to do [everything] in accordance with all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will be successful.

The reverent fear and worship of the Lord is your treasure and His. This is where i want to sit for a moment. This fear is not of failure nor of punishment. It is ‘God, am I honoring You?’ Once we receive salvation we become new creations in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). I am now called into the ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18). I am now an ambassador for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20). God gave us the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8) and the Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16). Jesus gifted us with five fold ministry (Ephesians 4:10-11) and the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:12-13). The fear of the Lord is also a gift. It is even a treasure. I take the Word very seriously, even the commands that Jesus left us. I am constantly allowing the Holy Spirit to put me in check because of the fear of the Lord. One verse really stood out to me this past week:

Exodus 20:7 (AMP) You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain [that is, irreverently, in false affirmations or in ways that impugn the character of God]; for the Lord will not hold guiltless nor leave unpunished the one who takes His name in vain [disregarding its reverence and its power].

Most of us were brought up with warning of not saying ‘oh my God’ or ‘Jesus Christ’ as response to be startled or in the heat of an argument, as in taking the Lord’s name in vain. How about how we live our lives as Christ’s ambassadors. Are we selfish? Are we self seeking? Do we put others down? Are we putting ourselves first? Do we take an account of a suffered wrong? Are we slandering? Do we stir up gossip and strife? All of these are taking the name of the Lord in vain. I have started to take this very serious in my life. I have written before that my prayer this year has been for God to increase His love in me, so that it is all that flows out of me. That requires me to submit to His cleaning some things out of me. Boy has this been an eye opener and stretching of my faith. The love walk is not an easy one. However, with the right training, it can become something we enjoy. I have to walk the walk and not just talk the talk. FYI, those who just talk it and do not live it actually come off unloving. It is truly a humbling thing to go back and apologize. Asking for forgiveness is an essential part of our love walk. I have to continually die to the rights of Amanda.

I go to the gym five days a week, not because it helps me looks good. I go because it gives me strength that I am going to need one day (we all get older). That is why I submit to the Lord. It is not about me looking good. Every day I need that strength to go through some really tough things. I know that I am being watched by people. I know they are writing down my words. That can be a really scary thing. In James it talks about the great weight it is to teach the Word (James 1:1). People hold you to a higher standard. Then it talks about if anyone who does not say the wrong thing then they are perfect (James 1:2). I am not perfect. I do misquote things, not with the intention of twisting their meaning, but in my zeal for the Word. Why do I do it then? Honestly, I would rather not be doing it. Like Paul, I am a bond-servant to it (Galatians 1:10). Even if my words are judged, it is His Word that brings freedom. I am in awe of who He is. I cannot keep it to myself.

When I focused on the reverent fear of the Lord, as my treasure, things began to change in my life. Stability is in my time. I am not afraid for the future or what is going on around me. I am quicker to repent and put into practice what the Word says (James 1:25). I take it seriously. I have an abundance of salvation. I have more life, more hunger, more thirst, more contentment, more wholeness like never before. Wisdom and knowledge started to chase after me. The light bulbs started going off. The way I present the Word changed. Proverbs 9:10 says, “The [reverent] fear of the Lord [that is, worshiping Him and regarding Him as truly awesome] is the beginning and the preeminent part of wisdom [its starting point and its essence], and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding and spiritual insight (AMP).” My relationship with God is so much deeper than I could have ever imagined. He is not some distant God. He is not a God that cannot be reached. He is my secret place. I am surrounded by Him. The more I enter in, the more I am consumed by Him. He desires to meet with us face to face. He desires to commune with us like we read about with Abraham and Moses. We can have that. I do not need anyone to write books about me, when He has written the best one (Psalms 139:16, Ephesians 2:10). His authorship did not do away with my free will, I will still have to give an account (2 Corinthians 5:10). Focus on Him. Honor the Lord. Let Him be your treasure.

Yahweh, Elohim, our Master, our Creator, You are Holy. We do not need anything but You. Thank You for Your Son. Thank You for the Way that You provided, established at the beginning. You are the Author of the beginning and the end. Thank You for the Holy Spirit. We are alive in You because of that great gift. Thank You for the gift of Your Word, of the five fold ministry, of the body of Christ. We are sorry for the times we took these gifts for granted and did not hold them dear. Thank You for the gift of the righteous fear of You. You said that the beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord. We desire Your Wisdom. We desire Your ways. We desire the stability that only You can bring. We repent for seeking out anything or anyone that would take attempt to take Your place. Thank You for the gift of salvation, for restoring us to wholeness. Thank You for forgiveness, let us be courageous in giving it away freely. We choose hope today. We choose love today. We choose forgiveness today. We choose joy today. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Posted on

Who do you say I am?

2 Samuel 22:47 (AMP) The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock, and exalted be my God, the rock of my salvation.

Psalms 46:10 (AMP) “Be still and know (recognize, understand) that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations! I will be exalted in the earth.”

While in prayer yesterday, I kept going back to “I exalt You, Lord.” There is a reassurance within yourself when you are rooted and grounded in the knowledge that He is our Rock. Why not exalt Him? It comes from what we say He is. We often limit the greatness of God in our lives by filtering His awesomeness through the lens of our view of the world. How can you tell? It is by the words that we speak, by our actions and by the way we respond verbally or non-verbally (your attitude).

Luke 6:46-49 (AMP) “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not practice what I tell you?  Everyone who comes to Me and listens to My words and obeys them, I will show you whom he is like: he is like a [far-sighted, practical, and sensible] man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood occurred, the torrent burst against that house and yet could not shake it, because it had been securely built and founded on the rock. But the one who has [merely] heard and has not practiced [what I say], is like a [foolish] man who built a house on the ground without any foundation, and the torrent burst against it; and it immediately collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great.”

We are going to have times when the waters of life comes against us. We can either collapse under the pressure or be secure in who we are in Christ. Christ is our Rock. Be still and know (recognize and have a deep understanding) that He is God. We often want God to take us out of the storm or to cancel the storm. How can we exercise our faith or our peace if we never have to use it?

When I read the word foundation, and remembered the rock that it was lain on, I had to go back to Jesus’ question: “who do you say I am?”

Matthew 16:15-19 (AMP) He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed), the Son of the living God.” Then Jesus answered him, “Blessed [happy, spiritually secure, favored by God] are you, Simon son of Jonah, because flesh and blood (mortal man) did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades (death) will not overpower it [by preventing the resurrection of the Christ]. I will give you the keys (authority) of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind [forbid, declare to be improper and unlawful] on earth will have [already] been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose [permit, declare lawful] on earth will have [already] been loosed in heaven.”

The word rock is not singular in meaning throughout these verses. In Hebrew, as referred to in the old testament verses, it is tsur, meaning a word that describes God’s constancy, strength, power and presence. In Greek, it is petros, sharing origins with Petra and Peter. Often we reference “rock” here as revelation knowledge (knowledge that you now live by because you understand it). If we are referring to Jewish tradition, they often referred to Moses, so Jesus being the Rock would be God’s provision for us (the grace and goodness of God flowing through Jesus as released through the Holy Spirit).

So which it is? It is all of it. When we try to make the definition singular, when we try to limit to just one aspect, we limit who God can be in our lives. Jesus is asking, “who do you say I am?” If He is Lord, then act like it, stop running the show. If He is your Savior, do you really know what that means? “Sozo” is the greek word for salvation, but it is way deeper than the forgiving of sins. It means wholeness of spirit, soul and body. Is He Immanuel, God with us, then invite Him in to every part of your life. If He is your Prince of Peace, then lay down the anxiety and worry. Can He be your Everything? Can He be the Son of God, the Prince of Peace, Immanuel, our Rock, Prince of Wholeness, our Healer, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father…Everything? If you are not ready to take it all in, I understand, it can be so much. I made up my mind a long time ago that I wanted everything God had for me, so that meant I could not limit who He was in my life. I want that for you life too. Be still and know is the confidence in me to do the hard things. He is my Rock, a firm foundation.

Abba, Father, Creator, God, You are so Marvelous, You are so Holy. Holy, Holy, Holy is Your Name. Thank You for sending Your Son. Thank You for providing the Rock of our Salvation. Thank You for the Holy Spirit. Thank You for our Wonderful Counselor. We repent for not laying the correct foundations in our lives. We are sorry for the times we put in our own reasoning along with Your Goodness and Mercy. We repent for the times we have allowed bitterness, unforgiveness and self pity to take part in who we allowed You to be in our lives. We are sorry for limiting You. We want Your fullness, You make us whole. Our redemption is not just for ourselves, it is for all. Give us the courage today to step out in boldness and proclaim Your Great Name. You are our Everything. We are secure and grounded because of You. Let us not speak anything contrary through our lips. We choose forgiveness today. We choose hope today. We choose joy today. We choose love today. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Posted on

All About You

Psalms 27:8 (AMP) When You said, “Seek My face [in prayer, require My presence as your greatest need],” my heart said to You, “Your face, O Lord, I will seek [on the authority of Your word].”

We are officially in 2024. You may have written out your goals or made a resolutions to be a better version of yourself this year. I have seen this statement over and over “A Better Me.” Do you remember when were in grade school and the first week of school we had to do a project called “All About Me?” I do and it still goes on today. It is something that we have done because it is our nature to be self centered and self focused. There is nothing wrong with making goals. There is nothing wrong with wanting to better yourself. My question though is for what reason?

Isaiah 12:5 (AMP) Sing praises to the Lord, for He has done excellent and glorious things; let this be known throughout the earth.

I love reading. I do it to gain knowledge, but also because the written word puts pictures in my head. When I read the account of David bringing the Ark of the Covenant back to Jerusalem, David’s first attempt was failure. Those who he had chosen to help him did not understand the reverence that needed to be held for such a piece. David was grieved that he could place people in a path of destruction by doing something so noble. Was this something that God wanted him to do? If so, how? The second attempt he, and the camp were successful (see 2 Samuel 6 and 1 Chronicles 13:1-16:43). In 1 Chronicles 16 we see a psalm commissioned by King David of which is also recorded in Psalms 105:

Psalms 105: 1-4 (AMP) O give thanks to the Lord, call upon His name; make known His deeds among the people. Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; speak of all His wonderful acts and devoutly praise them. Glory in His holy name; let the hearts of those who seek and require the Lord [as their most essential need] rejoice. Seek and deeply long for the Lord and His strength [His power, His might]; seek and deeply long for His face and His presence continually.

As soon as the Ark is brought in, he has commissioned the task for them to sing a song of thanksgiving. Who received the glory? God did. It is His grace that allows us to do anything whether it is in the marketplace, in our homes or within the church.

Ephesians 2:8 (AMP) For it is by grace [God’s remarkable compassion and favor drawing you to Christ] that you have been saved [actually delivered from judgment and given eternal life] through faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [not through your own effort], but it is the [undeserved, gracious] gift of God

The word for grace in greek is ‘charis’, it is the word that we get charisma from. We often translate it as God’s undeserved favor. What if we looked at it as God’s empowerment? When I say I have been graced for something, I am saying that God has empowered me for this. When Jesus ascended He sent the Holy Spirit to empower us. We now have the charisma of God on this earth moving in and through us. This is a gift. What we do with this gift can either be used to glorify Him or it can be abused.

Philippians 2:3-11 (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. Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this same attitude in yourselves which was in Christ Jesus [look to Him as your example in selfless humility], who, although He existed in the form and unchanging essence of God [as One with Him, possessing the fullness of all the divine attributes—the entire nature of deity], did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped or asserted [as if He did not already possess it, or was afraid of losing it]; but emptied Himself [without renouncing or diminishing His deity, but only temporarily giving up the outward expression of divine equality and His rightful dignity] by assuming the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men [He became completely human but was without sin, being fully God and fully man]. After He was found in [terms of His] outward appearance as a man [for a divinely-appointed time], He humbled Himself [still further] by becoming obedient [to the Father] to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also [because He obeyed and so completely humbled Himself], God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow [in submission], of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess and openly acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord (sovereign God), to the glory of God the Father.

In the fall of 2018 my ego and spirit had been wounded. I could have retreated and pulled back from everything. I did run into the hiding place of God. That did not mean that I hid from people. Remember, it is through Him that we are empowered. When I shrink back, I am giving power to whatever hurt me. We have instinctively told people that this is okay because it is a natural reaction. 2 Samuel 6:6-7 (AMP) “When they came to Nacon’s threshing floor, Uzzah reached out [with his hand] to the ark of God and took hold of it, because the oxen [stumbled and] nearly overturned it. And the anger of the Lord burned against Uzzah, and God struck him there for his irreverence; and he died there by the ark of God.” It was a noble thing that Uzzah reached out to catch the Ark when it looked like it would fall, but that is not what pleased God. I think when we withdraw and focus on self we are doing the same thing. It may seem noble to encourage this, but ultimately we become so self-focused that we lose sight on what we were graced for. The ministry of reconciliation, that we are called to, get put on the back of our minds. We have been graced for this. The charisma to carry out our calling has been gifted to us. Desiring for More was birthed out of that time. My desire to see spiritual growth in others was birthed out of that.

In a world that tells us to make it all about us, we should be conforming to the model of Christ. He wanted His Father to get the glory, so He served. Christ did not want to make a name for Himself, in doing so God made His Name above every Name. What was the heart motive of Christ? It was for you and me. Seek first His Kingdom and all things will be taken care of (Matthew 6:33). If you want to better yourself, spend more time in His Presence. Get to know the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David and Jesus. Jesus became a man so that He could show us the way to the Father. He did that through selfless humility. He went to the cross.

Abba, Father, You are so Marvelous. We stand in Awe of Your Majesty. You are our Creator and our Banner. Thank You for sending Your Son to bring us back to right standing with You. Thank You for gifting us with the Holy Spirit. We have now been given the grace and power to walk into everything that You have for us. You have gifted us with Comfort, with Peace, with Joy and with Wholeness to just name a few. In our desire to grab a hold of these, we have omitted that we still need You. They are free gifts, but it is You who shows us how to operate in them. We repent for the times we did not walk in Your grace and made it all about us. You have told us not to conform to the world and yet we did. Forgive us as we turn back to You and pull from our place of Redemption. We want to glorify Your Name. We want Your Name to be high and lifted up. We want to speak of Your good works. We choose joy today. We choose hope today. We choose forgiveness today. We choose love today. In Jesus Name, Amen.