Posted on

Echo

Revelation 2:7 (AMP) He who has an ear, let him hear and heed what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes [the world through believing that Jesus is the Son of God], I will grant [the privilege]…

I sat down last week to write on blog on Thanksgiving and the importance of being thankful every day. It is a form of prayer that should be daily on our lips. Then I was short on time and still needed to prepare for the people I had coming over. People are important. Being present with people is important. We have times when we put our families first, never before God. Then there is a time when our families make their own families, and we find a way to expand the love of Christ within and unselfishly love others to build up His temple (1 Corinthians 3:16). I found a way to do both last week and it was so fulfilling.

However, this word “ears to hear, let them hear” kept going over and over within me. It was like an echo. I had finished up my yearly reading plan through the Bible early. I started in Genesis on January first and ended with Revelations by the last day of November. When I read, I do not just take a few verses at a time because this is not my first time reading it through. I read chapters at a time or if the book is small the whole book in one sitting. I look for the repetition, the instruction, the action words and the context. In the second and third chapters of Revelation there are seven letters to seven different churches. Each one had this repeated statement in some form, “He who has an ear, let him hear and heed what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes [the world through believing that Jesus is the Son of God], I will grant [the privilege]…” There were words of instruction, but there is also a promise. I want to not just listen to the Word but hear the Word.

James 1:23-25 (AMP) For if anyone only listens to the word without obeying it, he is like a man who looks very carefully at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he immediately forgets what he looked like. But he who looks carefully into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and faithfully abides by it, not having become a [careless] listener who forgets but an active doer [who obeys], he will be blessed and favored by God in what he does [in his life of obedience].

I encourage our church to want everything that God has available to us. This is not about physical blessings; this is about us becoming the whole person that Christ redeemed us to be. When I read Revelation, I looked at all that He desires for us. Here is what I found in those seven letters:

  • I will grant [the privilege] to eat [the fruit] from the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God.
  • Be faithful to the point of death [if you must die for your faith], and I will give you the crown [consisting] of life. Will not be hurt by the second death (the lake of fire).
  • I will give [the privilege of eating] some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone with a new name engraved on the stone which no one knows except the one who receives it.
  • I will give authority and power over the nations; and he shall shepherd and rule them with a rod of iron, as the earthen pots are broken in pieces, as I also have received authority [and power to rule them] from My Father; and I will give him the Morning Star. 
  •  will accordingly be dressed in white clothing; and I will never blot out his name from the Book of Life, and I will confess and openly acknowledge his name before My Father and before His angels [saying that he is one of Mine].
  • I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God; he will most certainly never be put out of it, and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which descends out of heaven from My God, and My [own] new name. 
  • I will grant to him [the privilege] to sit beside Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down beside My Father on His throne.

These are just too grand to keep my focus on. I believe that is His point. There is so much that we cannot even imagine. Where should my focus be on when I read this? It should be on the echo He made sure to repeat, “He who has an ear, let him hear and heed what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes [the world through believing that Jesus is the Son of God], I will grant [the privilege]…” Ears to hear and do what the Spirit says. Jesus is the strength of my overcoming the world. Jesus is the strength in my repentance to regain focus. How can we lose focus? Look at the seven letters again:

  • 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. 
  • Fear nothing that you are about to suffer. 
  • there some [among you] who are holding to the [corrupt] teaching, put a stumbling block before others, [enticing them] to eat things that had been sacrificed to idols and to commit [acts of sexual] immorality. Therefore repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, your sinful behavior—seek God’s will
  • you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess [claiming to be inspired], and she teaches and misleads My bond-servants 
  • I know your deeds; you have a name (reputation) that you are alive, but [in reality] you are dead. Wake up, and strengthen and reaffirm what remains [of your faithful commitment to Me], which is about to die; for I have not found [any of] your deeds completed in the sight of My God or meeting His requirements
  • Hold tight what you have, so that no one will take your crown [by leading you to renounce the faith].
  • I know your deeds, that you are neither cold (invigorating, refreshing) nor hot (healing, therapeutic); I wish that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm (spiritually useless), and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of My mouth [rejecting you with disgust]. 

Not every letter had a statement of rebuke, two of the churches did not. They still had a statement of instruction. They were told to fear nothing and to hold tight. The others had a call to repentance. The only fear I do have is not holding true to His Word. It is so easy to slip into pride and draw people to yourself. I keep these words in my mind, because I reverence my Holy God. I care about you, genuinely and do not want you ignorant to what He says in His Word. I encourage you to start a reading plan this coming year.

You do not have to wait until January; you can start now. I have found that when we say that we have to prepare ourselves or we are waiting for the perfect time, we usually keep putting it off. The time is now. My first time reading through was a start in March. It took longer than a year. I started in a random place, I started in the epistles (1 John, 2 John, 3 John, 1 Peter, 2 Peter), then I read the letters to the churches. Next, I completed the rest of the New Testament, starting with the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John). That’s when I got to the Old Testament. I read the first five books of the Bible last. It put a different perspective of the why Jesus, and I could see Jesus in all of it. When we read the Bible trying to find ourselves, we are reading for selfish reasons. We need to read to receive more of Him.

Am I a hearer? Am I putting His Word forefront in my mind? Am I doing (taking action) according to His Word? Am I faithful to His Word? Those were the questions I asked myself. My husband has this checklist for us when we want to make sure we are successful: Am I where God called me to be? Am I doing what God called me to do? Am I doing it with the people God called me to be with? A heart for the ministry of reconciliation is going to answer yes to all three.

Are we hearing? “He who has an ear, let him hear and heed what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes [the world through believing that Jesus is the Son of God], I will grant [the privilege]…” What echoes do you hear when you read the Word?

Posted on

Third Quarter Reads of 2025

Philippians 1:9-11 (AMP) And this I pray, that your love may abound more and more [displaying itself in greater depth] in real knowledge and in practical insight, so that you may learn to recognize and treasure what is excellent [identifying the best, and distinguishing moral differences], and that you may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ [actually living lives that lead others away from sin]; filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God [so that His glory may be both revealed and recognized].

The third quarter reads are still not as big as the first, but their content was very deep. I have counted and have already surpassed the number of books that I read last year. Along with my daily devotionals, I read chapters of the Bible at a time (sometimes up to five chapters). This quarter I read Jeremiah through the Book of Acts. If you have never read through the minor prophets in the Old Testament, I encourage you to do so. They really highlight the love that God has for His us. Now that I am reading the letters of Paul, they are something that I will probably read together next time as they have the same message to the church. Even in outright rebellion, He is looking and providing a way.

I did complete the 365 Daily Devotions from Psalms by Joyce Meyer, that I began last year. I also read ten books, four of which I purchased and read immediately (the books by John Bevere and Louie Giglio). I will give you an overview of three books, but here is my total list for this quarter:

  • The Treasure Principle: Discovering the Secret of Joyful Giving by Randy Alcorn
  • I am a Church Member by Thom S. Rainer
  • A Heart Ablaze: Igniting a Passion for God by John Bevere
  • Breaking Free: Discover the Victory of Total Surrender by Beth Moore
  • Good Morning Holy Spirit by Benny Hinn
  • The Fear of the Lord: Discover the Key to Intimately Knowing God by John Bevere
  • Goliath Must Fall: Winning the Battle Against Your Giants by Louie Giglio
  • Don’t Give the Enemy a Seat at Your Table by Louie Giglio
  • Just Open the Door: How One Invitation Can Change a Generation by Jen Schmidt
  • Change Your Words Change Your Life by Joyce Meyer

Don’t Give the Enemy a Seat at Your Table by Louie Giglio was a book that I bought this year and read almost immediately. Louie takes the 23rd Psalm and pulls out the verse, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.” This is the position of this verse as looking at it from what we allow into our minds. How does God feed us? What is the Bread of Life that Jesus talked about? What we think on will affect us tremendously, not inviting the enemy to a seat at our table has to do with the battle of our minds. There are countless occurrences in the Bible of those who were faced with unfair trials physically and emotionally, from Shadrach, Meshack and Abendego to Paul and Silas. What did they keep before them? I read this verse in this book and when I go to it again in the Old Testament this quarter it has reminded me over and over to keep my focus on Him. When the enemy wants us to listen to lies of others not wanting to be a part or doing everything they can to sabotage, or just do not care about you, that will invite the enemy to your table. Anything that will distract you is the enemy at your table. Here is that verse: Though the fig tree does not blossom and there is no fruit on the vines, though the yield of the olive fails and the fields produce no food, though the flock is cut off from the fold and there are no cattle in the stalls, yet I will [choose to] rejoice in the Lord; I will [choose to] shout in exultation in the [victorious] God of my salvation! (Habakkuk 3:17-18) Even though…I will. That needs to be our stance. Not on the circumstance. I will still be joyful and glad because the Lord is my Savior.

A Heart Ablaze: Igniting a Passion for God by John Bevere. John Bevere is one of my favorite authors and speakers. If you have not downloaded their free app, Messenger X, I encourage you to do so. Podcasts, courses and books all right there ready for you to access, for free. This is my go to app at the gym. I picked up A Heart Ablaze and The Fear of the Lord at the same time. John uses the illustration of the Israelites coming out of Egypt in both books, but he gets really into the heart motives why God wants our hearts to be on fire for Him in A Heart Ablaze. There are many illustrations of how we want to live first place in our lives and call that God. Actually, it is little “g,” god. Here are some words from the chapter titled “Intentions or Desires?” “They had not separated themselves in their hearts from the world, which resulted in their inability to separate what was of the world and what was of God. If you desire both the world and the intimate knowledge of God, the image of God become distorted. You do not truly know Him; you know a different Jesus.” That is such a strong statement, “you know a different Jesus.” This is why it is so important that we check the rhema word (personal revelations) with the logos (the written Word of God). “Moses wanted God and would gladly pay any price to know Him. The children of Israel wanted what was best for them. If the benefit of walking in God’s ways was evident to their natural senses, they would gladly embrace it, but if it was not evident, they would gravitate toward what seemed best. To know God will always result in what is best for us, for God is perfect love. However, many times this knowledge will not be evident in the natural senses. Moses loved God for who He is; Israel loved God for what He could do for them. If what He was doing did not meet their desires, they moved toward what they deemed best.” This illustrates the church today; there is a dividing line. There are the true worshippers and there are those who profess Jesus, yet they are still self-seeking. Who do we want to be?

Breaking Free: Discover the Victory of Total Surrender by Beth Moore. This book published in 2000 and really digs deep of the importance of surrender to Christ. Nothing in it talks about self-importance, only that true healing comes from a place of surrender. I know that some may of cringed when you saw that I picked up a book by Beth Moore. I just did a shallow dive into what happened and hope that healing can come. Pride, as she talks about in this book, will only put us back into captivity. We have to take a stand against idolatry, and some of those can be our old belief systems. It is really important to read the Bible for yourself, and she says that over and over again. Her key verse is from Isaiah 61:1-3 “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed and commissioned me to bring good news to the humble and afflicted; He has sent me to bind up [the wounds of] the brokenhearted, to proclaim release [from confinement and condemnation] to the [physical and spiritual] captives and freedom to prisoners, to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance and retribution of our God, to comfort all who mourn, to grant to those who mourn in Zion the following: to give them a turban instead of dust [on their heads, a sign of mourning], the oil of joy instead of mourning, the garment [expressive] of praise instead of a disheartened spirit. So they will be called the trees of righteousness [strong and magnificent, distinguished for integrity, justice, and right standing with God], the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified. (AMP) This verse is one I have almost committed to memory; it has come across my readings so much. The book points back to the reason we have been set free, why it is important for us to break free from bondages. It is all for His glory. Pride does not glorify God; it seeks to glorify ourselves. Surrender is the key to our freedom. “Freedom and lordship are inseparable partners in the believer’s life.” “Freedom becomes reality when we yield to the authority of God.” A lot of times we want God to remove the temptations from our lives, that we do not want to have to struggle with them any longer. We want to forget about the suffering. He wants us to lean into Him more, not try more. “God will not release us from anything that enslaved us until we’ve come to the mind of Christ on the matter. We will not be free until we adopt the mind of Christ in the matter that has enslaved us.” “We will think with the mental language we practice the most.” Surrender starts in the mind. This book is 47 chapters, but I was able to read two to three chapters a day and enjoy it.

I am writing this blog about books to encourage you to read. First and foremost, pick up your Bible and read it daily. I am not asking you to start with five chapters, start with one. Start with five verses if you must but start. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal His heart to you as you read. Do not skip over the minor prophets. God is not a God of wrath, but of grace and mercy. Yes, He is judge and He has come against the prideful. Humility is a position of the heart. We should not gloat at another’s misfortunes but should seek restoration. Jonah had an issue with that when God revoked the sentence on Ninevah because they turned their hearts back to God. Love always hopes. Obadiah is one chapter. Do you get bored reading the Bible? Ask God to help you with that. I went years without reading it and only doing the verses that accompanied my devotions. It was through my desire to surrender that I picked up the Bible to read. It was part of my quest to desire for more. I do not regret it, and you will not either.

Posted on

Now

John 17:3 (AMP) Now this is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true [supreme and sovereign] God, and [in the same manner know] Jesus [as the] Christ whom You have sent.

This verse jumped out at me the other day. “NOW this is eternal life.” That means that when we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we stepped into eternal life. We are a people that are looking to be satisfied. Will anything really satisfy us other than Jesus? What else could we be looking for?

We are being watched by those who do not know Christ that way. What are they hearing from us? Are they hearing us proclaim the Gospel? Or are they hearing us being divided on post tribulation or pretribulation rapture, the Sabbath is Saturday or Sunday, whether we have to celebrate all of the feasts. What does any of that have to do with eternal life?

Matthew 22:36-40 (AMP) “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” And Jesus replied to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself [that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for others].’ The whole Law and the [writings of the] Prophets depend on these two commandments.”

Love God and Love People. That is what you will want to do when you accept the fullness of who God is. The enemy is pretty good at getting us distracted. He wants us to look anywhere other than keeping our eyes on Jesus. He would use things that should bring us closer together. It is our choice though. The devil has no authority in a born-again believer’s life.

Whenever I get in a conversation with someone about any topic, can be worldview, social, economic, my heart position is to bring it back to our position in Christ. Somehow that conversation is going to be led back to us being rooted and grounded in the Love of Christ. That is where peace is found. You cannot take away the joy of someone who has found peace. Go back to what Jesus proclaimed while reading Isaiah 61:1-3:

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
Because the Lord has anointed and commissioned me
To bring good news to the humble and afflicted;
He has sent me to bind up [the wounds of] the brokenhearted,
To proclaim release [from confinement and condemnation] to the [physical and spiritual] captives
And freedom to prisoners,
To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord,
And the day of vengeance and retribution of our God,
To comfort all who mourn,
To grant to those who mourn in Zion the following:
To give them a turban instead of dust [on their heads, a sign of mourning],
The oil of joy instead of mourning,
The garment [expressive] of praise instead of a disheartened spirit.
So they will be called the trees of righteousness [strong and magnificent, distinguished for integrity, justice, and right standing with God],
The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.

We are no longer captives. They keys of our bondage was taken by Jesus (Revelations 1:18). Those chains are there until we remove them (Isaiah 52:2). You have been raised up with Christ (Colossians 3:1-4). We have been called something new. We are now righteous through Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21). I believe this last part is why the enemy fights us in all of it, “That He may be glorified.” Does it glorify God?

What does it mean to be a tree of righteousness? Trees produce. We also call it the fruit of the Spirit. What if we looked at our fruit as not us having good morals, but at us being obedient. What does this have to do with eternity? This tells the world who we belong to. God is gloried when we exhibit who He is. Everything about love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control is a direct reflection of who we are in Him. This is how He is gloried!

Now is eternal life. If we are in Christ, then we are in it. There is a coming back, but I do not need to fear it if I remain in Him. Getting ready because Jesus is coming should not bring us to more division, it should bring us to unity. Love God. Love People. If you do not know how to do that in Your life, ask the Holy Spirit. He will reveal it to you as you read your Bibles. Turn off the news and turn off your favorite preaching videos and get in the Bible for yourself. Read all of it. Read it to know who God is, with Christ as our example and the Holy Spirit as our Teacher. Are you secure in your eternity today? If not, here is a prayer for you:

Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I have sinned and strayed from Your will. I’ve lived selfishly, and for that, I am truly sorry. I repent and ask for Your forgiveness. I believe in Your sacrifice on the cross to save me, doing what I could never do for myself. I surrender my life to You now and ask for Your guidance. From this day on, help me to live each day in a way that honors You. I love You, Lord, and I am grateful for the promise of eternal life with You. Amen.

Posted on

Just like breathing

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.

Let us just be honest, the world we live in is a negative place, if you allow it to continue. Do you know what happens to your mind when you rejoice always? It starts to shape your world differently. As we should be interceding for all people (Ephesians 6:18), we have to stay alert by looking at prayer as a continual thing like breathing. That is why I have turned to breath prayers throughout my day.

Prayer should not be formula driven. What do I mean by that? I have to be in a certain room, with a certain book (other than the Bible), saying the same words every time at the same time every day. Yes you can do that, but that is not the only time God hears you. Jesus gave us a model in Matthew 6 on how to pray. With that in mind, we are able to pray through our days. Prayer was not meant to draw attention to ourselves, but to Him.

Luke 18:10-14 (AMP)  “Two men went up into the temple [enclosure] to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood [ostentatiously] and began praying to himself [in a self-righteous way, saying]: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like the rest of men—swindlers, unjust (dishonest), adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing at a distance, would not even raise his eyes toward heaven, but was striking his chest [in humility and repentance], saying, ‘God, be merciful and gracious to me, the [especially wicked] sinner [that I am]!’ I tell you, this man went to his home justified [forgiven of the guilt of sin and placed in right standing with God] rather than the other man; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself [forsaking self-righteous pride] will be exalted.”

Pride has to be eradicated in order to pray throughout the day. To keep your eyes on the Lord is to keep your eyes off of self. A lot of negativity is because we think of self too often, how things will affect us. When we start to have those thoughts is where breath prayers become so vital. I am not saying I do not have a need; it is telling Him that I know He is the One I need.

Hebrews 4:16 (MEV) Let us then come with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Where is the throne of grace? Wherever you go, you should be walking as if you are continually in the throne room (1 Corinthians 6:19). That is why breath prayers are so important. That is why every conversation you have with others about His goodness is being recorded (Malachi 3:16). We have this confidence that He hears all prayers according to His will (1 John 5:14-15). We are not to be double minded in our prayers (James 1:8), doubting that God’s Word is truth.

Are breath prayers biblical? I believe so. “Then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being” Genesis 2:7). We were formed in the likeness of God. With four words creation began, “Let there be light.” Life and death are in the power of our tongues (Proverbs 18:21). Let everything that has breath praise the Lord (Psalm 150:6). It is the breath in our lungs that we are to praise Him, that is what a breath prayer does. Here are a few of mine, I hope it encourages you to find some of your own as you read the Word.

  • I count it all joy. I have mentioned this one quite a few times. It is taken from James 1:2. It reminds me to keep my mind on the promise that even in difficult times, He perfects the work. The biggest work is to be done within, so I count it all joy because developing my faith in His faithfulness means there will be nothing missing.
  • You are my strength. This is from Isaiah 41:10, Psalm 18:2, and 1 John 4:4. It is a great prayer to pray when change happens unexpectedly. He is my help. He has got me. He is my God. There is no one greater.
  • You are my rest. This is taken from Matthew 11:29 and Exodus 33:4. We are to work in rest. When we get too focused on the task, we can get overwhelmed. When we know that He is with us, then we can rest in the work. Do not be afraid to move, He goes before You. Work in rest.
  • To You all the glory. This is taken from Romans 11:36 and Colossians 3:23-24. So many times, when we succeed or do something really well, we get praised for it. Then we can get a puffed-up ego. Our ego’s like to be fed, that is where pride sets in. How do you starve an ego? Give the praise unto our God. Everything that has been put into my hands and into my mind is because of Him. To Him all the glory is given.
  • No other voice but Yours. Taken from John 10:16, 27 and Romans 8:14. There are so many voices that are screaming for our attention. What may sound good is not necessarily from God. I shared about our ego in the “To You all the glory” prayer, this is one of the voices that we can choose to listen to. That is not His voice, it sounds like it because it comes from inside of us. The still small voice that you are listening for will bring peace, joy, faith and love.
  • Whatever is lovely. Taken from Philippians 4:8 and 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. I have to remind myself to think better of people. We are given discernment not to be critical nor judgmental but to intercede. We are to cast down vain imaginations that exalt itself above the knowledge of God (2 Corinthians 10:5). Our thoughts are very important in our love walk. How I think will reflect on how I act. True love seeks the best for others.

These are just a few that I use. As you study the scriptures, make note of the ones that impact you to want to change. 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 (Hebrews 4:12). Let the Word do a complete work in you by keeping it on your lips throughout the day with breath prayers. That is why we meditate on the Word. The Word of God becomes a part of us and when times get tough, the next breath is a prayer. Peace be still.

Posted on

Deeper

Colossians 1:9-10 (AMP) For this reason, since the day we heard about it, we have not stopped praying for you, asking [specifically] that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom [with insight into His purposes], and in understanding [of spiritual things], so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord [displaying admirable character, moral courage, and personal integrity], to [fully] please Him in all things, bearing fruit in every good work and steadily growing in the knowledge of God [with deeper faith, clearer insight and fervent love for His precepts]

My husband and I have been pastoring our church for going on twelve years this January. It has been one of joy and sometimes sorrow. Our joy is seeing the spiritual growth in others. We love it when we see people grab onto the Word of God and start growing in the revelation knowledge. We especially love it that they get in and study it for themselves.

Ephesians 1:18 (AMP) And [I pray] that the eyes of your heart [the very center and core of your being] may be enlightened [flooded with light by the Holy Spirit], so that you will know and cherish the hope [the divine guarantee, the confident expectation] to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints (God’s people)

There are many precepts in the Bible for us a believers to grab a hold of. It is up to each one of us to discover them. My job as a pastor is to equip you to do so. That means I need to point you back to the Word, the Holy Spirit and Jesus. The Holy Spirit is the one who brings the revelation knowledge, not me. I have been attending church regularly since I was sixteen years old. I have been under some amazing teaching, and took notes, even early on in my journey. The most knowledge I received has been when I got in the Word for myself. When I desired a real knowledge of who God is and not just what He could do for me. Many times we want to know what He can do for us. Paul’s prayer was that we would grow in the knowledge of God, with a deeper faith into who He is and His fervent love for us. That is the same prayer for my church.

This blog is not very long, but I hope it encourages you to depend on the Holy Spirit more. My hope is that we are not so dependent on just one person to do all of the revealing of the Word in our lives. The Bible has been made so available to us that we can now carry it along with us every where we go. It is just as simple as downloading an application with our favorite translations (I recommend reading it in more than one to get the fullness). Do not put all of the pressure to know God’s precepts on your pastor. That would be the your job with the Holy Spirit in partnership. So why do you go to church? How can you put into practice what the Holy Spirit is revealing? How can we know that we are in unity without the body? How can we be challenged for more growth? Also, it was ordained by Christ (read Ephesians).

Matthew 13:44 (AMP) The kingdom of heaven is like a [very precious] treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid again; then in his joy he goes and sells all he has and buys that field [securing the treasure for himself].

Lord, my prayer is that those reading this will have a deeper desire to know You more. Thank You for Your Son, the Word made flesh. Thank You for the Holy Spirit, our Teacher. Thank You for the revelation knowledge that comes when we open up our Bibles. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Posted on

Pure in Heart

Matthew 5:8 (AMP) “Blessed [anticipating God’s presence, spiritually mature] are the pure in heart [those with integrity, moral courage, and godly character], for they will see God.“

I have written about this many times, but my word for this year is “Presence.” When we desire to see God face to face. Why? It is the type of relationship that we can converse with God as a friend (not His equal). Here, in Matthew, Jesus tells us that we should be pure in heart. Pure means to not contain any other substance, not to be mixed of different elements. Job asks, “Can [mortal] man be just before God or be more righteous than He? Can a man be pure before his Maker or be more cleansed than He?” (Job 4:17) Although my spirit man has been made alive, I am still residing in this fleshly body.

Psalm 20:7-9 (AMP) The law of the Lord is perfect (flawless), restoring and refreshing the soul; The statutes of the Lord are reliable and trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart; The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the Lord are true, they are righteous altogether.

Psalm 24:3-6 (AMP) Who may ascend onto the mountain of the Lord? And who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to what is false, nor has sworn [oaths] deceitfully. He shall receive a blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. This is the generation (description) of those who diligently seek Him and require Him as their greatest need, who seek Your face, even [as did] Jacob. Selah.

Our Master, our Creator, our Lord God is Holy. I am sitting here thinking of different ways to convey why we should obey, but all I can think of is that if you first do not understand that He is Holy. Where does the deep reverence we have for Him come from? Nothing I can write will convince you to even open your minds to such an idea without surrender. This is where we begin.

In order for me to be pure in heart, I need to surrender. In our surrender, God will remove the impurities. Everything used in the temple had to be of pure metals, the gold, the silver, etc. How do you get rid of the impurities? They had to put it under extreme heat. Surrender may seem extreme to some. I am not talking about rituals and works. I am talking about your mind, will and emotions. Not the goofy stuff either. God does not want us looking weird to show others of our surrender. We become no better than the religious men Jesus talked about in Matthew 6:1-8 and 16-18. His commandments are not supposed to be a burden. His precepts are not a formula to receive His blessings. They come from a heart of surrender.

It is not about how many scriptures you can memorize. It is about how much time you spend saying ‘God not my will but Yours today. Not my response, but Yours today. God, what is Your heart towards this?’ Read your Bible not to get streaks, not to get your reading goals met. Read your Bible with a surrendered heart. ‘God, what are you saying to me today?’

He desires a relationship with us. That is why I say to hunger and thirst for the communion as you would a close friend. This relationship development takes a pure heart. If I only go to Him to see what I can get our of it, is it really pure? Is my worship based on my emotions? Who’s atmosphere are you setting? What is my prayer life based on?

I can do good works; I can serve in ministry, and do them without a pure heart. I can be doing them as a stepping stone to a promotion. Why am I aligning with certain leaders? Is it so that I can support the vision that God has called me to, or am I biding my time until I can gather others to support my vision? Your personal surrender means you do not look for your own benefit. Love of self can be a huge distraction in our surrender. Remember we must align our will with His. Personal surrender means saying ‘no’ to areas that hinder me from developing a relationship with Him, so I can say ‘yes’ to the opportunities that draw me closer.

I have already mentioned serving. Jesus was all about serving. If you do not have an outlet to serve then you cannot put your surrender into practice. Where do you think the fruit of the Spirit is cultivated (Galatians 5:22)? Love is the unselfish concern for others. How I can I measure my patience if I do not have opportunities to be impatient? Patience has to do with our relation to people more than it does to events. How can I have opportunities for kindness if I do not have anyone to be kind to? How can I be gentle when there is no one to be gentle to? The fruit of the Spirit is a result of His presence within me. Being available to serve others, to love others, is your proving ground to surrender.

2 Samuel 22:26-27 (AMP) With the loving and loyal You show Yourself loving and loyal, with the blameless You show Yourself blameless. With the pure You show Yourself pure, with the perverted You show Yourself astute.

He knows the intent of our hearts. There is no manipulation I can use to hide my intent. He sees right through to the core of what we value most. I am choosing to surrender my mind to Him. I am choosing to surrender my will to Him. I am choosing to surrender my emotions to Him. In desiring His Presence my heart needs to be His as well. This is the gateway to something greater than I could ever imagine. In the scope of eternity, what are you waiting for?

Lord, Master and Creator, You are Holy. Holy is everything about You. Grace, Love and Mercy are just a few of Your attributes. Just is also one that we often do want to remind You of, but who You have always been. You are Just, just as much as You are Love. You are Just, just as much as You are Grace. Thank You for sending Your Son to be the atonement for us, so that we may be restored to Your right standing. Thank You for the Holy Spirit, so that we may be empowered to surrender. We cannot do this on our own. In the desire to see us restored, You give us every opportunity to grow strong in You. Thank You for the revelation of Your Word. Thank You for speaking to us as we listen in prayer. Let us continue to surrender our mind, will and emotions to You. Let us continue to listen to You and read our Word so that we do not get off in weird revelations. You call us Your sons and daughters. We desire Your Presence. We desire to be fruitful as You have commanded us to. We choose love today. We choose hope today. We choose forgiveness today. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Posted on

Motives

Colossians 3:17 (AMP) Whatever you do [no matter what it is] in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus [and in dependence on Him], giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

I believe this verse needs to be as memorized as Philippians 4:13. What is our motive? Why do you want to do something? Or even why should I do it? I should do everything in the name of the Lord, no matter what.

Is it to please our leadership? Is it to make ourselves feel good or more pious? You have a choice. Many people want to do something and do not want to be held accountable (especially when they make a verbal commitment). Their motive is wrong. Let’s be honest. We are self seeking. When we do not measure up, we say we make a mistake and should never have committed to that. True! You were not doing it unto the Lord.

Who or what is your dependence on? If it is not in Christ then you will feel like a failure. In Christ we cannot fail. Keep your heart motive on Him no matter what!

Luke 19:31 (AMP)  “If anybody asks you, ‘Why are you untying the colt?’ you will say, ‘The Lord needs it.’” 

Matthew 14:28 (AMP) Peter replied to Him, “Lord, if it is [really] You, command me to come to You on the water.”

Jesus was referred to as Teacher, Rabbi, Son of God, Savior, Friend and Lord. Which one of those titles holds the most weight? It is unto the Lord that we serve, worship and dedicate. “Lord” carried the most weight when it came to trust in what they were told to do. Peter, said, “Lord, if it is really you….”

Maybe we get frustrated at our leadership because we want them to be Lord (sometimes, but not all the time, only when it is convenient). That is not their role. When we make a commitment to people, what is the intent? For example, my husband and I are pastors. We have heard “Pastor, I am committed to this church. Nothing can run me off.” Or “Pastor, I am all in.” Both parties are pumped and ready to do ministry together. Can I be honest and transparent? Most of the times it does not end well. Guess who is to blame? The pastor. Not really, but they are left to pick up the pieces and move on. We do have a part to play. We are not perfect. It is in the imperfection that you should pray for us.

We have to make Jesus Lord of our lives. When we try to short cut and submit with the wrong intent, we are setting ourselves up for hurt. Yes, honor your pastor. Your pastor is called to equip and lead you to do the works of the ministry (Ephesians 4:11).

I will not remind you to tithe.Yes, I have had someone ask to hold them accountable to that. Did I do it? NO!! Something else made them mad and they left anyways. That is between you and God. Now, when it comes to giving you a leadership role, should those who do not financially support the church be put in leadership? I will let you answer that question yourself.

I will encourage you to love God, I will encourage you to seek the best for others and to love unselfishly. I will encourage you to pray, to get in your Word and to serve in and outside of your church. I will encourage to make Jesus Lord of your life. You can ask me if you heard Him correct and for the direction of your life? I am going to point you back to your Word and ask if it lines up with His character and nature. Will it cause division among believers? Then you did not hear from Him correctly. Will it cause someone to stumble in their faith? Then you did not hear from Him correctly. Will it bring healing? Will it encourage you and others to grow in their faith? Does it show love? Will it draw people closer to a relationship with Him? Then yes you have heard from Him correctly.

What are our motives?

Lord, I want to glorify you with whatever I put my hands to, no matter who sees it. Lord, I want to serve your people, no matter who acknowledges it. Lord, blind my eyes to what does not need to be seen to keep me from stumbling. Lord, I have faith to step out, all you have to say is ‘come.’ Yes, You have given me free will and everything is permissible for me, but not everything will bring glory to You. I choose to make you Lord over my life. What I choose that may be best for me, may not be what is best to glorify You. My dependence is on You today and every day. I choose today whom I will serve. Amen.