Wednesday, June 24, 2009
New Location
For all of you who have been following me at this blog site, I have moved to www.insimplicity.wordpress.com. I would love it if you would visit me there! Add it to your favorites! Love you all!
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Leading Questions...
OK, before I begin, let me just lay the foundation of what I am about to write with two passages…
Acts 1:8, “but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth”
Psalm 23:2, “…he leadeth me…”
I was studying Psalm 23 and was looking into the word “lead”, when I came upon this very interesting definition and it quickened me.
lead: to suggest to (a witness) the answer desired by asking leading questions
Now based on the two passages above, I would like to make this statement.
The Shepherd asks leading questions….
I began searching where, at different times in the word and under completely different circumstances, God has asked questions. God has never asked a shallow question. He is not a surface God! His interest in us, searches us and any question He would ask, would be one that would cause us to take inventory of our beliefs because our answer turns out to be our “outcome”. And He is interested, very much in our outcome!
Here are a few examples of questions God asked in the Word:
Genesis 3:9, “Where are you?”
Genesis 4:9 (of Abel), “Where is your brother?”
Genesis 4:10, “What have you done?”
1 Kings 19:13, “What are you doing here?”
Ezekiel 37:3, “Can these bones live?”
Matthew 9:28, “Do you believe that I can do this unto you?”
Matthew 16:15 & Mark 8:29, “But who do you say that I am?”
Luke 24:5, “Why seek ye the living among the dead?”
Now, just for a moment, let God ask you these questions. Every question is an invitation to come to Him…the answer, your reality.
For all of you who have been following me at this blog site, I have moved to www.insimplicity@wordpress.com. I would love it if you would visit me there! Add it to your favorites! Love you all!
Acts 1:8, “but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth”
Psalm 23:2, “…he leadeth me…”
I was studying Psalm 23 and was looking into the word “lead”, when I came upon this very interesting definition and it quickened me.
lead: to suggest to (a witness) the answer desired by asking leading questions
Now based on the two passages above, I would like to make this statement.
The Shepherd asks leading questions….
I began searching where, at different times in the word and under completely different circumstances, God has asked questions. God has never asked a shallow question. He is not a surface God! His interest in us, searches us and any question He would ask, would be one that would cause us to take inventory of our beliefs because our answer turns out to be our “outcome”. And He is interested, very much in our outcome!
Here are a few examples of questions God asked in the Word:
Genesis 3:9, “Where are you?”
Genesis 4:9 (of Abel), “Where is your brother?”
Genesis 4:10, “What have you done?”
1 Kings 19:13, “What are you doing here?”
Ezekiel 37:3, “Can these bones live?”
Matthew 9:28, “Do you believe that I can do this unto you?”
Matthew 16:15 & Mark 8:29, “But who do you say that I am?”
Luke 24:5, “Why seek ye the living among the dead?”
Now, just for a moment, let God ask you these questions. Every question is an invitation to come to Him…the answer, your reality.
For all of you who have been following me at this blog site, I have moved to www.insimplicity@wordpress.com. I would love it if you would visit me there! Add it to your favorites! Love you all!
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
A bramble...for king?
Judges 9:7-15
And when they told it to Jotham, he went and stood in the top of mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said unto them, Hearken unto me, ye men of Shechem, that God may hearken unto you. The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us. But the olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honour God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees? And the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, and reign over us. But the fig tree said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees? Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, and reign over us. And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees? Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us. And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, then come and put your trust in my shadow: and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.
For His own purposes, God has been bringing me to this passage in scripture and He has instructed me to begin prophesying to the olive trees, “leave your fatness”, to the fig trees, “leave your sweetness” and to the vines, “leave your cheering influence” and govern!
Why..would a tree that carries the anointing, that is equal to no other… to both save, heal and deliver, ever refrain from using such an anointing? Why would a tree that yields such fruit, a taste that can give sight to who God really is, ever refuse those who hunger for it? And furthermore, why would a vine that carries a wine that can minister to both the mind and body of anyone who wants a drink, refuse to give it?
Instead, the lost are looking to the bramble. To the thorns, to the curse and saying, “Come and reign over us!” The bramble can also be translated as the world system and the bramble is more than willing to comply! We can so easily be deceived to think that we can trust in a shadow… when in truth, we should trust in the ONE who’s shadow is a result. What if we saw the bramble for what it really is? Would we still trust it?
There is one in whose shadow we can fully trust…”He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” Psalm 91:1
And that same shadow can be cast from us and is most certainly a place prepared for others…”Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them.” Acts 5:15
Peter was a tree uprooted…walking about! He had kingdom roots that looked very much like feet!
Olive tree, Fig tree, Vine…there is a time to plant and a time to uproot what was planted! (Ecclesiastes 3:2) Uproot and go! Cast your shadow!
And when they told it to Jotham, he went and stood in the top of mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said unto them, Hearken unto me, ye men of Shechem, that God may hearken unto you. The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us. But the olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honour God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees? And the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, and reign over us. But the fig tree said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees? Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, and reign over us. And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees? Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us. And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, then come and put your trust in my shadow: and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.
For His own purposes, God has been bringing me to this passage in scripture and He has instructed me to begin prophesying to the olive trees, “leave your fatness”, to the fig trees, “leave your sweetness” and to the vines, “leave your cheering influence” and govern!
Why..would a tree that carries the anointing, that is equal to no other… to both save, heal and deliver, ever refrain from using such an anointing? Why would a tree that yields such fruit, a taste that can give sight to who God really is, ever refuse those who hunger for it? And furthermore, why would a vine that carries a wine that can minister to both the mind and body of anyone who wants a drink, refuse to give it?
Instead, the lost are looking to the bramble. To the thorns, to the curse and saying, “Come and reign over us!” The bramble can also be translated as the world system and the bramble is more than willing to comply! We can so easily be deceived to think that we can trust in a shadow… when in truth, we should trust in the ONE who’s shadow is a result. What if we saw the bramble for what it really is? Would we still trust it?
There is one in whose shadow we can fully trust…”He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” Psalm 91:1
And that same shadow can be cast from us and is most certainly a place prepared for others…”Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them.” Acts 5:15
Peter was a tree uprooted…walking about! He had kingdom roots that looked very much like feet!
Olive tree, Fig tree, Vine…there is a time to plant and a time to uproot what was planted! (Ecclesiastes 3:2) Uproot and go! Cast your shadow!
Thursday, May 28, 2009
For A Time
Hello to my friends...I am beginning a fast today and will not be blogging again until the Lord releases me to do so.
I will leave you with two thoughts. One from the book of Proverbs, chapter 27 verse 21. "A hot furnace tests silver and gold, and people are tested by the praise they recieve."
And the other is a quote I read just today..."The challenge -- never negligible -- regarding the Christian Scriptures is not getting them read, but read on their own terms, as God's revelation."
~ Eugene Peterson
I am entering into a time of reading the scriptures on their own terms, as God's revelation. His words alone are always enough...
I will leave you with two thoughts. One from the book of Proverbs, chapter 27 verse 21. "A hot furnace tests silver and gold, and people are tested by the praise they recieve."
And the other is a quote I read just today..."The challenge -- never negligible -- regarding the Christian Scriptures is not getting them read, but read on their own terms, as God's revelation."
~ Eugene Peterson
I am entering into a time of reading the scriptures on their own terms, as God's revelation. His words alone are always enough...
Friday, May 22, 2009
Yet another Bible Bill Blog
OK since the Bible Bill is according to Yahoo, the most blogged about bill...I guess I can get in on this as well. This is an exerpt from an article that I read on Yahoo just this morning on this subject.
Broun’s simple congressional resolution aimed at honoring the Good Book has produced a push-back of biblical proportion in the blogosphere, with critics dismissing it as either unconstitutional or a waste of time. Jews in Congress and atheist activists are dismissing the resolution, while none of the many Democrats in Congress who are Christian have bothered to sign on as co-sponsors.
According to GovTrak.us, the resolution is among the most-blogged-about pieces of legislation, with most posts less than complimentary in nature.
“Does that mean 2009 is not the year of the Bible?” mocked Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), who is Jewish. “What is 2012 the year of? The Quran?” ...
...“Right now, we’re seeing atheism on such a rise,” said David Silverman, vice president and national spokesman of American Atheists, a group dedicated to fighting for the civil rights of atheists.
“We are seeing Christianity on such a dramatic decline that we’re not particularly worried about it. We’re thinking that this kind of old-style George W. Bush Republicanism is about to go away,” Silverman said, referring to the latest Pew Forum survey of American religious life, which showed nonreligious Americans as the fastest-growing group.
OK, let me just insert here for just a moment. This is my opinion of that statement by Silverman. HA HA HA HA....hahahahahaha! Getting a good belly laugh out of that one! First of all to be an "atheist" is to believe nothing. And if you believe nothing you do nothing. You don't get up. You don't sit down. You don't go to the left or to the right. You quite frankly will never move forward and most certainly cannot be on "the rise". Atheism has made complacency a religion. Continuing now....
And it may be the best-selling book of all time, as Broun’s resolution points out, but the Bible isn’t such a popular legislative topic.
A search of Thomas, the online congressional database, for “Bible” yields just one other bill: a resolution to have the “Lincoln-Obama Bible” on permanent display in the Capitol Visitor Center.
Listen, I don't think that anyone's bible should be on display. It's more important for it to be opened and in their lap at this point! Until you have lived it, it has no place as a memorial. And I say this with the most respect possible. I pray that someday, President Obama's well used bible finds it's place alongside of Lincoln's. But don't lay your hands on a bible that another man lived and gave his life for an think that it qualifies you, without looking into it yourself.
I quote our President Obama from yesterday's Yahoo article concerning Guantanamo, "But if we continue to make decisions within a climate of fear, we will make more mistakes."
I have news...the only counterpart to fear is true faith and love for God and His Word and mistakes will be made in any other climate, irregardless. Galatians 5:6 says, "faith works by love." And faith and love can only be found in Christ Jesus. (1 Timothy 1:14)
1 John 4:18 says, "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear:" The only perfect love is the love of Father God. God so loved us...and so did many of our founding fathers who laid the foundations of this great nation. Love was their motive and their faith yeilded results!
Broun’s simple congressional resolution aimed at honoring the Good Book has produced a push-back of biblical proportion in the blogosphere, with critics dismissing it as either unconstitutional or a waste of time. Jews in Congress and atheist activists are dismissing the resolution, while none of the many Democrats in Congress who are Christian have bothered to sign on as co-sponsors.
According to GovTrak.us, the resolution is among the most-blogged-about pieces of legislation, with most posts less than complimentary in nature.
“Does that mean 2009 is not the year of the Bible?” mocked Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), who is Jewish. “What is 2012 the year of? The Quran?” ...
...“Right now, we’re seeing atheism on such a rise,” said David Silverman, vice president and national spokesman of American Atheists, a group dedicated to fighting for the civil rights of atheists.
“We are seeing Christianity on such a dramatic decline that we’re not particularly worried about it. We’re thinking that this kind of old-style George W. Bush Republicanism is about to go away,” Silverman said, referring to the latest Pew Forum survey of American religious life, which showed nonreligious Americans as the fastest-growing group.
OK, let me just insert here for just a moment. This is my opinion of that statement by Silverman. HA HA HA HA....hahahahahaha! Getting a good belly laugh out of that one! First of all to be an "atheist" is to believe nothing. And if you believe nothing you do nothing. You don't get up. You don't sit down. You don't go to the left or to the right. You quite frankly will never move forward and most certainly cannot be on "the rise". Atheism has made complacency a religion. Continuing now....
And it may be the best-selling book of all time, as Broun’s resolution points out, but the Bible isn’t such a popular legislative topic.
A search of Thomas, the online congressional database, for “Bible” yields just one other bill: a resolution to have the “Lincoln-Obama Bible” on permanent display in the Capitol Visitor Center.
Listen, I don't think that anyone's bible should be on display. It's more important for it to be opened and in their lap at this point! Until you have lived it, it has no place as a memorial. And I say this with the most respect possible. I pray that someday, President Obama's well used bible finds it's place alongside of Lincoln's. But don't lay your hands on a bible that another man lived and gave his life for an think that it qualifies you, without looking into it yourself.
I quote our President Obama from yesterday's Yahoo article concerning Guantanamo, "But if we continue to make decisions within a climate of fear, we will make more mistakes."
I have news...the only counterpart to fear is true faith and love for God and His Word and mistakes will be made in any other climate, irregardless. Galatians 5:6 says, "faith works by love." And faith and love can only be found in Christ Jesus. (1 Timothy 1:14)
1 John 4:18 says, "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear:" The only perfect love is the love of Father God. God so loved us...and so did many of our founding fathers who laid the foundations of this great nation. Love was their motive and their faith yeilded results!
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Time to burn some bushels
Zephaniah 1:12
"And it shall come to pass at that time That I will search Jerusalem with lamps, And punish the men Who are settled in complacency, Who say in their heart, "The LORD will not do good, Nor will He do evil.”
The Lord has been speaking this passage to me for quite some time now and once again, I feel a conviction in my heart. God says he is sending out his lamps or the King James says “candles”. In prayer last Sunday night, this was made very clear to me. Rather than seeing cute little wax candles or even enclosed lamps, I saw what would be "fires” going forth. I saw or have the idea that we are to be "consuming" bushels, as it might be. All of this, yet I did not have a clear understanding of what a bushel by definition is. I looked it up and this is what I found in John Gill’s exposition..
1. anything which may hide and cover it, and so hinder its light and usefulness.
2. The Greek word (modiov) , rendered a "bushel", answers to the Hebrew (hao) , "seah", which is the very word used in Munster's Hebrew Gospel; and this was a dry measure that held about a gallon and a half; and accordingly is rendered here by the Syriac (atao) .
3. The design of the expression is, that Christ has lighted the candle of the everlasting Gospel, and given gifts to men for the ministration of it, not to be concealed and neglected, or to be used as the servant did his lord's money, wrap it up in a napkin, and hide it in the earth. Ministers are not, through slothfulness, to neglect the gift that is in them; nor, through fear, to hide their talents, or keep back any part of the Gospel, or cover anything out of sight, which may be profitable to souls…
Which leaves me wondering if this “bushel” that was meant to contain a “measure” is the same thing that contains our “measure of faith” that God has given us or even like the basket and store that Deuteronomy 28:5 mentions. “Blessed be thy basket and thy store.”
And what’s more interesting…and I don’t’ recall having seen this before is that in Mark 4:21 Jesus suggests that some might even hide their light under their bed. It says this, “And he said unto them, Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and not to be set on a candlestick?”
How interesting…putting a flame or a fire under a bed or a place of “sleep” or settled ness. As the Greek defines it, a place of repose, which means lack of activity or to remain still.
And the original wording in Zephaniah, in the KJV, says “men, settled on their lees.” This is what John Gill’s has to say about that…
...like wine on the lees, quiet and undisturbed; in a good outward estate and condition, abounding in wealth and riches, and trusting therein; and which, as the Targum paraphrases it, they enjoy in great tranquility; Moab like, having never been emptied from vessel to vessel, (Jeremiah 48:11) and so concluded they should ever remain in the same state, and became hardened in sin, or "curdled", and thickened, as the word signifies…
Oh glory…we are meant to be emptied from vessel to vessel! I don’t want this vessel of new wine to become settled on it’s lees. I have a feeling that in order to be filled up again and again, we must pour out! That’s why sometimes I drink the new wine and feel it’s effect and can just drink and drink but other times, I feel like I’m too saturated…not thirsty enough. I haven’t emptied out at all.
And then, here comes the part that has gripped my heart. The Lord said, “Who are settled in complacency, Who say in their heart, "The LORD will not do good, Nor will He do evil.”
That in our complacency, in our proclaiming to be a Christian yet lacking the actions, not willing to execute the Word given us, we demonstrate to others, that this is what God himself must be like. When we don’t do the good…save, heal, supply the need, minister peace and edification…do we give the impression that neither does He? When we don’t stand in defiance of what is unjust and declare the result of that…do we then give the impression that God is disinterested as well and that there will be no consequence?
I will be the first to repent…Father, forgive me for believing in my heart and speaking with my mouth, the Lord Jesus Christ and then nothing of who and what you are. Forgive me for misleading men and women…my family, my friends and even perfect strangers to believe that you are at all like me. Transform me today Lord. Transform me in such a way that they realize that I am altogether like you! I love you Lord and I want everyone to know it! Don’t let me walk by that woman and young man with downs syndrome ever again, thinking that they won’t want me to pray because they are an obvious target and have been prayed for time and time again with no result. Forgive me for supposing that they don’t have the faith to see it healed, just because he is already a man and has been living with this a long time. That’s saying that you think downs syndrome is not something you are interested in healing and that you are OK letting them live with it. Oh God…forgive me! And I thank you Lord for another opportunity…
Charles Swindoll said it best! “We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations.”
And I like this one as well… “Don't wait for extraordinary opportunities. Seize common occasions and make them great. Weak men wait for opportunities; strong men make them.”
"And it shall come to pass at that time That I will search Jerusalem with lamps, And punish the men Who are settled in complacency, Who say in their heart, "The LORD will not do good, Nor will He do evil.”
The Lord has been speaking this passage to me for quite some time now and once again, I feel a conviction in my heart. God says he is sending out his lamps or the King James says “candles”. In prayer last Sunday night, this was made very clear to me. Rather than seeing cute little wax candles or even enclosed lamps, I saw what would be "fires” going forth. I saw or have the idea that we are to be "consuming" bushels, as it might be. All of this, yet I did not have a clear understanding of what a bushel by definition is. I looked it up and this is what I found in John Gill’s exposition..
1. anything which may hide and cover it, and so hinder its light and usefulness.
2. The Greek word (modiov) , rendered a "bushel", answers to the Hebrew (hao) , "seah", which is the very word used in Munster's Hebrew Gospel; and this was a dry measure that held about a gallon and a half; and accordingly is rendered here by the Syriac (atao) .
3. The design of the expression is, that Christ has lighted the candle of the everlasting Gospel, and given gifts to men for the ministration of it, not to be concealed and neglected, or to be used as the servant did his lord's money, wrap it up in a napkin, and hide it in the earth. Ministers are not, through slothfulness, to neglect the gift that is in them; nor, through fear, to hide their talents, or keep back any part of the Gospel, or cover anything out of sight, which may be profitable to souls…
Which leaves me wondering if this “bushel” that was meant to contain a “measure” is the same thing that contains our “measure of faith” that God has given us or even like the basket and store that Deuteronomy 28:5 mentions. “Blessed be thy basket and thy store.”
And what’s more interesting…and I don’t’ recall having seen this before is that in Mark 4:21 Jesus suggests that some might even hide their light under their bed. It says this, “And he said unto them, Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and not to be set on a candlestick?”
How interesting…putting a flame or a fire under a bed or a place of “sleep” or settled ness. As the Greek defines it, a place of repose, which means lack of activity or to remain still.
And the original wording in Zephaniah, in the KJV, says “men, settled on their lees.” This is what John Gill’s has to say about that…
...like wine on the lees, quiet and undisturbed; in a good outward estate and condition, abounding in wealth and riches, and trusting therein; and which, as the Targum paraphrases it, they enjoy in great tranquility; Moab like, having never been emptied from vessel to vessel, (Jeremiah 48:11) and so concluded they should ever remain in the same state, and became hardened in sin, or "curdled", and thickened, as the word signifies…
Oh glory…we are meant to be emptied from vessel to vessel! I don’t want this vessel of new wine to become settled on it’s lees. I have a feeling that in order to be filled up again and again, we must pour out! That’s why sometimes I drink the new wine and feel it’s effect and can just drink and drink but other times, I feel like I’m too saturated…not thirsty enough. I haven’t emptied out at all.
And then, here comes the part that has gripped my heart. The Lord said, “Who are settled in complacency, Who say in their heart, "The LORD will not do good, Nor will He do evil.”
That in our complacency, in our proclaiming to be a Christian yet lacking the actions, not willing to execute the Word given us, we demonstrate to others, that this is what God himself must be like. When we don’t do the good…save, heal, supply the need, minister peace and edification…do we give the impression that neither does He? When we don’t stand in defiance of what is unjust and declare the result of that…do we then give the impression that God is disinterested as well and that there will be no consequence?
I will be the first to repent…Father, forgive me for believing in my heart and speaking with my mouth, the Lord Jesus Christ and then nothing of who and what you are. Forgive me for misleading men and women…my family, my friends and even perfect strangers to believe that you are at all like me. Transform me today Lord. Transform me in such a way that they realize that I am altogether like you! I love you Lord and I want everyone to know it! Don’t let me walk by that woman and young man with downs syndrome ever again, thinking that they won’t want me to pray because they are an obvious target and have been prayed for time and time again with no result. Forgive me for supposing that they don’t have the faith to see it healed, just because he is already a man and has been living with this a long time. That’s saying that you think downs syndrome is not something you are interested in healing and that you are OK letting them live with it. Oh God…forgive me! And I thank you Lord for another opportunity…
Charles Swindoll said it best! “We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations.”
And I like this one as well… “Don't wait for extraordinary opportunities. Seize common occasions and make them great. Weak men wait for opportunities; strong men make them.”
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Me...a tyrant?
Psalm 51:12
Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
OK, you may think that I have gone off the deep end but I sure hope so. I bought this little daily devotion calendar from the book of Psalms at a yard sale the other day for a dollar and it had never been opened. First of all, it was 366 devotions and God has been prophetically speaking that number to a friend of mine for years now because that is her house number. He has been saying, “I am going to visit your house.” So, in turn, He has been speaking to me.
When I got home, I opened it to the current date and this is the passage that was on that page. Simply, “uphold me with your free spirit”. Well…I haven’t been able to just read over it and go on! Praise God!
I lay on my bed last night at what others might call an ungodly hour but Oh…it was Godly! God was there…I could almost feel the bed weigh down with His presence as He sat reading the word with me.
Holy Spirit. Free spirit. Uphold me with your free spirit. That word free is quite an interesting word. Not only does it mean what we would think it means…voluntary, willing, without price. It also means generous & liberal, MAGNANIMOUS!
That word magnanimous suggests a courageous spirit or nobility of feeling or generosity of mind. Uphold me with your courageous spirit Lord. Uphold me with the generosity of your mind.
And if that’s not enough…this is where I am astounded at Holy Spirit! The word free means… "sometimes a tyrant”. Now, I read that and thought…what? Now why would that be there? What does that have to do with Holy Spirit…free spirit?
So I began to search this word out. What does being a tyrant really entail? Look with me at the definition of tyranny. It means, “government in which absolute power is invested in a single ruler.” You see, there has been a perversion of what we understand to be “free” in America. We have called this country, “one nation under God”. According to my estimation, that should very well translate, “government in which absolute power is invested in a single ruler.” But freedom, taken out of context, has become the tool in the hand of the tyrant (counterfeit freedom)…the one who is unrestrained by law or constitution, a usurper of sovereignty. A tool used to eliminate the freedoms that have been given us and are rightfully ours.
Matthew 11:12 says, The kingdom of heaven, suffers violence (counterfeit freedom) and the violent (the tyrant, the truly free) taking it by force. Now there's a thought! Turn about...fair play!
Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
OK, you may think that I have gone off the deep end but I sure hope so. I bought this little daily devotion calendar from the book of Psalms at a yard sale the other day for a dollar and it had never been opened. First of all, it was 366 devotions and God has been prophetically speaking that number to a friend of mine for years now because that is her house number. He has been saying, “I am going to visit your house.” So, in turn, He has been speaking to me.
When I got home, I opened it to the current date and this is the passage that was on that page. Simply, “uphold me with your free spirit”. Well…I haven’t been able to just read over it and go on! Praise God!
I lay on my bed last night at what others might call an ungodly hour but Oh…it was Godly! God was there…I could almost feel the bed weigh down with His presence as He sat reading the word with me.
Holy Spirit. Free spirit. Uphold me with your free spirit. That word free is quite an interesting word. Not only does it mean what we would think it means…voluntary, willing, without price. It also means generous & liberal, MAGNANIMOUS!
That word magnanimous suggests a courageous spirit or nobility of feeling or generosity of mind. Uphold me with your courageous spirit Lord. Uphold me with the generosity of your mind.
And if that’s not enough…this is where I am astounded at Holy Spirit! The word free means… "sometimes a tyrant”. Now, I read that and thought…what? Now why would that be there? What does that have to do with Holy Spirit…free spirit?
So I began to search this word out. What does being a tyrant really entail? Look with me at the definition of tyranny. It means, “government in which absolute power is invested in a single ruler.” You see, there has been a perversion of what we understand to be “free” in America. We have called this country, “one nation under God”. According to my estimation, that should very well translate, “government in which absolute power is invested in a single ruler.” But freedom, taken out of context, has become the tool in the hand of the tyrant (counterfeit freedom)…the one who is unrestrained by law or constitution, a usurper of sovereignty. A tool used to eliminate the freedoms that have been given us and are rightfully ours.
Matthew 11:12 says, The kingdom of heaven, suffers violence (counterfeit freedom) and the violent (the tyrant, the truly free) taking it by force. Now there's a thought! Turn about...fair play!
Thursday, May 14, 2009
All Four Chambers
Deuteronomy 6:5
And thou shalt love the Lord thy God will all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy might.
Yesterday I wrote that to love is “to make one’s choice in”. And thou shalt make your choice in the Lord thy God with all…
And that’s where I have stopped and meditated. ALL…
What a word. It means:
the whole amount, quantity, or extent of…
When was the last time I used the whole amount…to it’s fullest extent, my heart, my soul and my strength on loving God? It would be better to ask…when do I begin?
as much as possible…
Again…have I even yet considered the capacity of possible?
the whole number or sum of...
How many components are there that I haven’t even yet tapped into?
every, all manner of...
Didn’t my mother teach me to use my manners?
nothing but, only, completely taken up with, given to, or absorbed by
Oh, let my heart be absorbed with loving Him! Let my heart be completely taken up with my Lord! Let my soul be completely taken up with my Lord! Let my strength be completely taken up with my Lord!
having or seeming to have (some physical feature) in conspicuous excess or prominence, for example: "She's all legs."
Oh Glory…all God…all Jesus…all Holy Ghost…all prominent in Stacey!
paying full attention with, for example: "I'm all ears"
Just imagine walking away from someone and having them say, "They were hearing things that I have never spoken to anyone but God." Thus...ALL His ears. or "How did she see that in me? I don't show that side of me to anyone." Thus...ALL His eyes.
used up : entirely consumed
Nothing left…meat on God’s altar!
being more than one person or thing, for example, "Who all is coming?"
Go ahead! Invite me…but I’m never alone! How many people invite us knowing that they are inviting God too?
every member or individual component of
I saved this for last because this is where I want to camp out. I was reading a commentary on this passage (John Gill’s exposition) and he made this statement referring to all:
“with thy heart not divided about God, a heart not divided between God and the creature”
Sure, I can read this explanation and understand that my heart should not be divided between God and man or between God and any other thing for that matter. But my heart “divided about God”? That’s entirely different and a concept that I hadn’t considered.
Now get the picture of the physical heart in your mind and what does it look like?
First of all, I find it amazing that God made our heart to be the size of our fist. The kingdom of God is at hand and is also within us. That paints an interesting illustration for us doesn’t it? What a strong witness that the heart and the hand are one and the same.
The heart lies in the chest cavity between the lungs and works in conjunction with the lungs, circulating throughout the body what is breathed. The heart should work in conjunction with the God breathed word as well. Now, if the Word, if prophesy, the very things we long to hear God whisper to us each and every day as we read, pray, spend time and listen are God breathed…what then does that say of our heart?
The heart has four cavities, divided by a wall that causes two of those chambers to pump blood throughout the entire body and the others to pump blood only to the lungs. I’m no expert but interestingly enough as much effort or pumps have to be made to supply blood to the entire body as to the lungs which are surrounding it. Is this how my heart has been wrongly divided about God? All this time, I have just kept pumping to only the lungs to feel that oxygen rich life blood swell up in my heart again and again thinking that’s what loving God was all about. But no…God created the heart to love Him by not only pumping to the lungs…longing for His every breath filled with the life we need but to love Him by pumping that breath filled life blood to the body.
You see, yesterday I said that I identified what I was dealing with as “apathy” and it’s because of something Dr. James Dobson said. He said that today, we are so concerned about bringing pleasure to ourselves…we cater to it. We want to make sure we are comfortable and enjoying life and have even created all sorts of things for our pleasure…massage chairs, virtual realities in games and movies, computers, cell phones, ipods, mp3’s, etc. and the list could go on for certain. But we have spent so much time on this, that when it comes time to enjoy the natural things…the God made things that should bring us pleasure…we are desensitized to it and take no pleasure in it at all. We don’t feel.
Well, can it go to another extreme spiritually, all together? When we use all our hearts effort in pumping only to God and back to us so that we gain all the pleasure…does the heart suffer apathy? Does it even know the pleasure that would come from pumping to the rest of the body?
And thou shalt love the Lord thy God will all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy might.
Yesterday I wrote that to love is “to make one’s choice in”. And thou shalt make your choice in the Lord thy God with all…
And that’s where I have stopped and meditated. ALL…
What a word. It means:
the whole amount, quantity, or extent of…
When was the last time I used the whole amount…to it’s fullest extent, my heart, my soul and my strength on loving God? It would be better to ask…when do I begin?
as much as possible…
Again…have I even yet considered the capacity of possible?
the whole number or sum of...
How many components are there that I haven’t even yet tapped into?
every, all manner of...
Didn’t my mother teach me to use my manners?
nothing but, only, completely taken up with, given to, or absorbed by
Oh, let my heart be absorbed with loving Him! Let my heart be completely taken up with my Lord! Let my soul be completely taken up with my Lord! Let my strength be completely taken up with my Lord!
having or seeming to have (some physical feature) in conspicuous excess or prominence, for example: "She's all legs."
Oh Glory…all God…all Jesus…all Holy Ghost…all prominent in Stacey!
paying full attention with, for example: "I'm all ears"
Just imagine walking away from someone and having them say, "They were hearing things that I have never spoken to anyone but God." Thus...ALL His ears. or "How did she see that in me? I don't show that side of me to anyone." Thus...ALL His eyes.
used up : entirely consumed
Nothing left…meat on God’s altar!
being more than one person or thing, for example, "Who all is coming?"
Go ahead! Invite me…but I’m never alone! How many people invite us knowing that they are inviting God too?
every member or individual component of
I saved this for last because this is where I want to camp out. I was reading a commentary on this passage (John Gill’s exposition) and he made this statement referring to all:
“with thy heart not divided about God, a heart not divided between God and the creature”
Sure, I can read this explanation and understand that my heart should not be divided between God and man or between God and any other thing for that matter. But my heart “divided about God”? That’s entirely different and a concept that I hadn’t considered.
Now get the picture of the physical heart in your mind and what does it look like?
First of all, I find it amazing that God made our heart to be the size of our fist. The kingdom of God is at hand and is also within us. That paints an interesting illustration for us doesn’t it? What a strong witness that the heart and the hand are one and the same.
The heart lies in the chest cavity between the lungs and works in conjunction with the lungs, circulating throughout the body what is breathed. The heart should work in conjunction with the God breathed word as well. Now, if the Word, if prophesy, the very things we long to hear God whisper to us each and every day as we read, pray, spend time and listen are God breathed…what then does that say of our heart?
The heart has four cavities, divided by a wall that causes two of those chambers to pump blood throughout the entire body and the others to pump blood only to the lungs. I’m no expert but interestingly enough as much effort or pumps have to be made to supply blood to the entire body as to the lungs which are surrounding it. Is this how my heart has been wrongly divided about God? All this time, I have just kept pumping to only the lungs to feel that oxygen rich life blood swell up in my heart again and again thinking that’s what loving God was all about. But no…God created the heart to love Him by not only pumping to the lungs…longing for His every breath filled with the life we need but to love Him by pumping that breath filled life blood to the body.
You see, yesterday I said that I identified what I was dealing with as “apathy” and it’s because of something Dr. James Dobson said. He said that today, we are so concerned about bringing pleasure to ourselves…we cater to it. We want to make sure we are comfortable and enjoying life and have even created all sorts of things for our pleasure…massage chairs, virtual realities in games and movies, computers, cell phones, ipods, mp3’s, etc. and the list could go on for certain. But we have spent so much time on this, that when it comes time to enjoy the natural things…the God made things that should bring us pleasure…we are desensitized to it and take no pleasure in it at all. We don’t feel.
Well, can it go to another extreme spiritually, all together? When we use all our hearts effort in pumping only to God and back to us so that we gain all the pleasure…does the heart suffer apathy? Does it even know the pleasure that would come from pumping to the rest of the body?
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Apathy no more...
Deuteronomy 6:5
"And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might."
What does it mean to love?
That’s worth meditating on and that’s where I have been spending my time. How do I love when I…if you want me to be completely honest, don’t feel anything? I have been repenting and even grieved at how “hard hearted” I have been or have atleast thought myself to be. God has since enlightened me on this and you might think that the words “hard hearted” are a bit strong, especially when God hardened Pharoah’s heart but that’s exactly what it is. The only difference is…God didn’t do this! Muscles are meant to be used and are kept flexible by use but what happens when you don’t use your muscle? It becomes stiff and hard! I have not been using my heart! In fact…I would even go as far as to say, I have been stiff necked! My eyes have been so fixed on me and my circumstance that I have hardly turned my head to the right or to the left!
Well…I have spent time and come face to face with this demon that I have lived with for most of my life. I have so fixated myself on making sure I am comfortable…that I am happy…that I have what I need and what I want…yes…even taking the Word of God and time spent with Him and relishing in His love…and hording it, thinking that it belongs only to me. It’s apathy and it is pathetic and I AM DONE WITH IT! I want to be consumed with asking the question “How are you?” and I want to be so provoked by the answer that I am moved to do something about it because if I really listen…my heart will respond! My head…which by the way, contains these two things called eyes that the Holy Spirit uses to look through and see the need…will be turned!
On Sunday night, the Lord delivered me. I sat on the floor and my head and neck shook uncontrollably. I was planted in the altar and the Lord would not allow me to get up, no matter how hard I tried and any time I would try to stop the head turning…it would begin again and the pain in my neck would increase. I was even having pains in my heart and thought at one point, something was really wrong. I was completely aware that the preaching had begun and I did not want to be a distraction (and thankfully Ps. Sharon had said that we could stay in the altars) but the truth is…I was the one distracted and God so desired my attention. God has said to me that I have not even begun to cry and I know this…still the tears have barely come, despite the release I feel inside and I believe that a beginning is pending but I see it like this. We are to renew our minds by the washing of the water of the word. And just like when we are washing our clothes and the washer must be filled, it doesn’t drain out until the clothes are clean. Well, I believe the waters are washing over my mind still and soon they will drain. And then there’s a rinse cycle…and heaven help me…a spin cycle and the clothes can then come out for everyone to see…hung out on the line so to speak and thus, they become part of my wardrobe.
And then…just like in the natural…the washer is ready for another load. And believe me…God will show me what needs to be washed.
This bringing me back to the word and to Sunday night when I got home. This all seems rather personal and I guess another analogy would work here…no one wants to air out their dirty laundry but I get to today (as Pastor Sharon would say)! Praise God! Anyway, when I got home, I went to bed…my body still ringing literally…and the enemy was waiting. All night I warred because he told me I was going to die…that I had just shook my brain loose and that I wouldn’t wake up in the morning and it felt like it but IT WAS A LIE! I was up half the night and didn’t know how I was going to function the next day but my Savior was right there with me. Try as I may, I could find nothing in the Word that seemed to help or would even quiet this thing but it didn’t change what I know… that Jesus Christ is my life and the length of my days and no weapon that is formed against me shall prosper…that’s my inheritance! Morning came, I got up, got dressed, got the kids off to school and headed off to work and of course, my head hurt and my muscles ached…PRAISE GOD because when your muscles ache…especially those in your neck…you know your head has been turning! I had worked some "hard" muscles loose and they felt like flesh again!
I went through my day in a fog…and fear seemed to pursue me all day. I got home and the kids and I got dinner and rented a movie and as I was relaxing on the couch…my daughter came to me and said, “Mommy…my belly hurts and I don’t feel well.” Her face was flushed and I asked her, “Are you afraid?” And she said, “I don’t want to be sick on my birthday.” (...the next day was her birthday.) I pulled her up on my lap and began praying and again the threats started coming to me… that she would be sick and I was going to die. You see, the spirit of death knew me …there were spiritually dead places in my heart and in my life…and it did not want to leave. It knew it was done but fear was it’s helper and if I would just be afraid….
Well, I promptly stood up! I didn’t want to scare my girl but I said, “That’s it! Spirit of death! Get out! Spirit of fear! You too! Get out of my house! I opened the door…walked out on the porch, opened the second door and said, “GET OUT!”
And shut the door and went back inside and enjoyed the movie!
Later I went to bed and listening to night sounds on He’s Alive Radio, got more free (whoohoo!) and spent time in the Word and thus….Deuteronomy 6:5…
“And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.”
I have heard this and prayed this many times over and now it has set me free!
The word love here has nothing to do with emotions or feelings and is in no way subject to apathy! It means this…”to make ones choice in”.
I shall make my choice in the Lord my God, with all my heart, and with all my soul and with all my might! I will make my choice in the Lord my God whenever He asks me to talk to someone for Him, to give provision to someone for Him, to heal someone for Him, to have love toward…, to have compassion for…, to have mercy on…, to demonstrate grace to…, to…to…to..! I will make the choice in Him with all my heart, with all my soul, with all my might!
When I make my choice in Him, I am loving Him! When I make my choice in Him, I am loving them! I am a loving person! I am! I don’t have to feel anything to chose! I just chose! Chose…chose…chose! Bring on the choices Lord…I want to lavish love on you today! I want to lavish love on others today! Let me chose!
"And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might."
What does it mean to love?
That’s worth meditating on and that’s where I have been spending my time. How do I love when I…if you want me to be completely honest, don’t feel anything? I have been repenting and even grieved at how “hard hearted” I have been or have atleast thought myself to be. God has since enlightened me on this and you might think that the words “hard hearted” are a bit strong, especially when God hardened Pharoah’s heart but that’s exactly what it is. The only difference is…God didn’t do this! Muscles are meant to be used and are kept flexible by use but what happens when you don’t use your muscle? It becomes stiff and hard! I have not been using my heart! In fact…I would even go as far as to say, I have been stiff necked! My eyes have been so fixed on me and my circumstance that I have hardly turned my head to the right or to the left!
Well…I have spent time and come face to face with this demon that I have lived with for most of my life. I have so fixated myself on making sure I am comfortable…that I am happy…that I have what I need and what I want…yes…even taking the Word of God and time spent with Him and relishing in His love…and hording it, thinking that it belongs only to me. It’s apathy and it is pathetic and I AM DONE WITH IT! I want to be consumed with asking the question “How are you?” and I want to be so provoked by the answer that I am moved to do something about it because if I really listen…my heart will respond! My head…which by the way, contains these two things called eyes that the Holy Spirit uses to look through and see the need…will be turned!
On Sunday night, the Lord delivered me. I sat on the floor and my head and neck shook uncontrollably. I was planted in the altar and the Lord would not allow me to get up, no matter how hard I tried and any time I would try to stop the head turning…it would begin again and the pain in my neck would increase. I was even having pains in my heart and thought at one point, something was really wrong. I was completely aware that the preaching had begun and I did not want to be a distraction (and thankfully Ps. Sharon had said that we could stay in the altars) but the truth is…I was the one distracted and God so desired my attention. God has said to me that I have not even begun to cry and I know this…still the tears have barely come, despite the release I feel inside and I believe that a beginning is pending but I see it like this. We are to renew our minds by the washing of the water of the word. And just like when we are washing our clothes and the washer must be filled, it doesn’t drain out until the clothes are clean. Well, I believe the waters are washing over my mind still and soon they will drain. And then there’s a rinse cycle…and heaven help me…a spin cycle and the clothes can then come out for everyone to see…hung out on the line so to speak and thus, they become part of my wardrobe.
And then…just like in the natural…the washer is ready for another load. And believe me…God will show me what needs to be washed.
This bringing me back to the word and to Sunday night when I got home. This all seems rather personal and I guess another analogy would work here…no one wants to air out their dirty laundry but I get to today (as Pastor Sharon would say)! Praise God! Anyway, when I got home, I went to bed…my body still ringing literally…and the enemy was waiting. All night I warred because he told me I was going to die…that I had just shook my brain loose and that I wouldn’t wake up in the morning and it felt like it but IT WAS A LIE! I was up half the night and didn’t know how I was going to function the next day but my Savior was right there with me. Try as I may, I could find nothing in the Word that seemed to help or would even quiet this thing but it didn’t change what I know… that Jesus Christ is my life and the length of my days and no weapon that is formed against me shall prosper…that’s my inheritance! Morning came, I got up, got dressed, got the kids off to school and headed off to work and of course, my head hurt and my muscles ached…PRAISE GOD because when your muscles ache…especially those in your neck…you know your head has been turning! I had worked some "hard" muscles loose and they felt like flesh again!
I went through my day in a fog…and fear seemed to pursue me all day. I got home and the kids and I got dinner and rented a movie and as I was relaxing on the couch…my daughter came to me and said, “Mommy…my belly hurts and I don’t feel well.” Her face was flushed and I asked her, “Are you afraid?” And she said, “I don’t want to be sick on my birthday.” (...the next day was her birthday.) I pulled her up on my lap and began praying and again the threats started coming to me… that she would be sick and I was going to die. You see, the spirit of death knew me …there were spiritually dead places in my heart and in my life…and it did not want to leave. It knew it was done but fear was it’s helper and if I would just be afraid….
Well, I promptly stood up! I didn’t want to scare my girl but I said, “That’s it! Spirit of death! Get out! Spirit of fear! You too! Get out of my house! I opened the door…walked out on the porch, opened the second door and said, “GET OUT!”
And shut the door and went back inside and enjoyed the movie!
Later I went to bed and listening to night sounds on He’s Alive Radio, got more free (whoohoo!) and spent time in the Word and thus….Deuteronomy 6:5…
“And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.”
I have heard this and prayed this many times over and now it has set me free!
The word love here has nothing to do with emotions or feelings and is in no way subject to apathy! It means this…”to make ones choice in”.
I shall make my choice in the Lord my God, with all my heart, and with all my soul and with all my might! I will make my choice in the Lord my God whenever He asks me to talk to someone for Him, to give provision to someone for Him, to heal someone for Him, to have love toward…, to have compassion for…, to have mercy on…, to demonstrate grace to…, to…to…to..! I will make the choice in Him with all my heart, with all my soul, with all my might!
When I make my choice in Him, I am loving Him! When I make my choice in Him, I am loving them! I am a loving person! I am! I don’t have to feel anything to chose! I just chose! Chose…chose…chose! Bring on the choices Lord…I want to lavish love on you today! I want to lavish love on others today! Let me chose!
Friday, May 1, 2009
Holy Rebellion
Two words that do not seem as though they should in any way be spoken together, yet this is what I have been hearing in my spirit all day long.
Matthew 16:18 says, "And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."
Recently, during Sunday night prayer, the words, "Lord, give us the gates of hell." came out of my mouth before I truly even realized what was being asked. And later, as I meditated on this at home, I began to ask God questions that I'm not sure I even yet have the answer to but I do know this...there are gates wide open in this nation that were never meant to prevail!
There are gates that have been open, taking the lives of our unborn children. There are gates that have been open, working to destroy the sanctity of marriage. And there are gates open...seeking to take our liberties and silence the voice of truth.
And looking at this...someone can say that I am attacking the abortionists or the homosexual or even the Hate Crimes Bill...but no, I am making plain the real issue! Every man, woman and child that Jesus died for. Every one that God sent His word for!
Murder...is no more to be opposed than the lies. Homosexuality and fornication are no more severe in nature than stealing. Sin=Sin no matter how you spell it.
But to be Holy...that means to forsake it all!
To be holy is to be devoted entirely to...to be set apart...separate unto Someone far greater than us! To Someone who loves us far more than we even have yet to comprehend! To Someone who's heart is fixed on saving a lost people who were created for Him alone!
And to rebel....is simply to be in opposition. And it's time for the devoted, the set apart, the separate to position themselves in opposition. It's time for the voice of opposition to be heard.
Let the revolution begin! A revolution is that of successful rebellion and major change is the outcome!
We are meant to be a successful people! God has stated that in His word. In fact...His word in itself is the only success to be had! Joshua 1 says, "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success."
And our concern should not be that there is opposition to His word but that we are failing to oppose the opposition.
Matthew 16:18 says, "And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."
Recently, during Sunday night prayer, the words, "Lord, give us the gates of hell." came out of my mouth before I truly even realized what was being asked. And later, as I meditated on this at home, I began to ask God questions that I'm not sure I even yet have the answer to but I do know this...there are gates wide open in this nation that were never meant to prevail!
There are gates that have been open, taking the lives of our unborn children. There are gates that have been open, working to destroy the sanctity of marriage. And there are gates open...seeking to take our liberties and silence the voice of truth.
And looking at this...someone can say that I am attacking the abortionists or the homosexual or even the Hate Crimes Bill...but no, I am making plain the real issue! Every man, woman and child that Jesus died for. Every one that God sent His word for!
Murder...is no more to be opposed than the lies. Homosexuality and fornication are no more severe in nature than stealing. Sin=Sin no matter how you spell it.
But to be Holy...that means to forsake it all!
To be holy is to be devoted entirely to...to be set apart...separate unto Someone far greater than us! To Someone who loves us far more than we even have yet to comprehend! To Someone who's heart is fixed on saving a lost people who were created for Him alone!
And to rebel....is simply to be in opposition. And it's time for the devoted, the set apart, the separate to position themselves in opposition. It's time for the voice of opposition to be heard.
Let the revolution begin! A revolution is that of successful rebellion and major change is the outcome!
We are meant to be a successful people! God has stated that in His word. In fact...His word in itself is the only success to be had! Joshua 1 says, "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success."
And our concern should not be that there is opposition to His word but that we are failing to oppose the opposition.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
No table left unturned...
Matthew 21:12-13
"And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves."
Could it be that when Jesus came into the temple, He was disturbed, not because what they were doing was wrong but more so...displaced?
Was it that the moneychangers and the sellers were not doing their business outside of those walls? You see, as long as they sat within the temple...they were gaining something for themselves but in truth, if they didn't get themselves up and take their trade outside those walls, they were stealing from God!
Isaiah 54:2 says,
"Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes;"
You see, by remaining inside the four walls of the church...warming the "seats", we are doing an injustice.
As we were praying this morning, I saw a very clear picture of something. There is a variation of this account of Jesus going into the temple and it's found in John 2:12-16. Take a look...
"After this he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, and his brethren, and his disciples: and they continued there not many days. And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem, And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables; And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise."
Now, Isaiah says that we are to lengthen our cords and I believe that it is not a coincidence that Jesus made a scourge from "small cords". You see, He put in his hand the proof that they had "spared" an rebuked them with it!
Would anyone want to believe that God would say such a thing as "Why are these tables in My house? Why are you sitting here? Get out of My house!"
Perhaps not but this was the message of Jesus!
I pray, "Lord, let there be no table overturned in this personal temple. Don't allow me to be sparing! And Lord, let your church be the House of Prayer that you intended! Reveal the small cords...and get us out!"
"And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves."
Could it be that when Jesus came into the temple, He was disturbed, not because what they were doing was wrong but more so...displaced?
Was it that the moneychangers and the sellers were not doing their business outside of those walls? You see, as long as they sat within the temple...they were gaining something for themselves but in truth, if they didn't get themselves up and take their trade outside those walls, they were stealing from God!
Isaiah 54:2 says,
"Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes;"
You see, by remaining inside the four walls of the church...warming the "seats", we are doing an injustice.
As we were praying this morning, I saw a very clear picture of something. There is a variation of this account of Jesus going into the temple and it's found in John 2:12-16. Take a look...
"After this he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, and his brethren, and his disciples: and they continued there not many days. And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem, And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables; And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise."
Now, Isaiah says that we are to lengthen our cords and I believe that it is not a coincidence that Jesus made a scourge from "small cords". You see, He put in his hand the proof that they had "spared" an rebuked them with it!
Would anyone want to believe that God would say such a thing as "Why are these tables in My house? Why are you sitting here? Get out of My house!"
Perhaps not but this was the message of Jesus!
I pray, "Lord, let there be no table overturned in this personal temple. Don't allow me to be sparing! And Lord, let your church be the House of Prayer that you intended! Reveal the small cords...and get us out!"
Friday, April 3, 2009
Breaking the net!
Luke 5:4-6 “Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. And when they had this done, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.” Reading this, we see that in order for Simon to bring in the harvest of fish…he had to launch out into the deep. Until that point, their boat had been tied to the seashore but what is God saying here? He is saying that in order for us to go out into the deep places where we begin to glean, we have to cut the ties to shore, to those things that make us feel secure. For you, that tie may be to your bank account, to your nest egg, your rainy day money. It can be anything that you rely upon rather than God, even a person but when we cut those ties of reliance and launch out into the deep and at His word, let down the nets, that "break" through comes.
And those nets…what are they? I believe they were a type and symbol of an old wineskin. They were meant to be broken so that the great multitude could come in. God is asking us, "Cut the ties. Go out deeper. At My Word cast forth your nets. Sow the old way you have done things. How it’s always been, make it a seed." You see, they had been casting their nets all night and had taken nothing. It was a works mentality and it was not yielding results.
What exactly was Jesus asking them to do? Something different than they had already done? He said, "go out into the deep". That word deep there actually means, a place of deep, extreme poverty. Isn’t that the place where nobody wants to be? Well, that’s where God wants us to be when it comes to the self-life and anything we do to preserve “me, myself and I”…any thing that is “cast” in our minds as a better way. Simon was casting his nets and gotten nothing but then the Word came. You see, there’s even a flip side to this. We can even say, “I’ve done that already Lord and it hasn’t worked. It’s yielded nothing. I've given before, I've prayed that before. I've been there, done that...and nothing!" But at His word…let your net down. Let your old wineskin down and there will be a draught!
Go back to the text with me one more time. He said, “let down your nets for a draught”. Oh Glory, I can hardly contain it! That word draught means, "the act of drawing in a net.” Seems contradictory doesn’t it? No! It was the moment they released it that the net was drawn in! The moment we release that thing, the moment we sow, is the moment the net is drawn in! I'm all in Lord! I mean "I" am all in! Break this net!!
And those nets…what are they? I believe they were a type and symbol of an old wineskin. They were meant to be broken so that the great multitude could come in. God is asking us, "Cut the ties. Go out deeper. At My Word cast forth your nets. Sow the old way you have done things. How it’s always been, make it a seed." You see, they had been casting their nets all night and had taken nothing. It was a works mentality and it was not yielding results.
What exactly was Jesus asking them to do? Something different than they had already done? He said, "go out into the deep". That word deep there actually means, a place of deep, extreme poverty. Isn’t that the place where nobody wants to be? Well, that’s where God wants us to be when it comes to the self-life and anything we do to preserve “me, myself and I”…any thing that is “cast” in our minds as a better way. Simon was casting his nets and gotten nothing but then the Word came. You see, there’s even a flip side to this. We can even say, “I’ve done that already Lord and it hasn’t worked. It’s yielded nothing. I've given before, I've prayed that before. I've been there, done that...and nothing!" But at His word…let your net down. Let your old wineskin down and there will be a draught!
Go back to the text with me one more time. He said, “let down your nets for a draught”. Oh Glory, I can hardly contain it! That word draught means, "the act of drawing in a net.” Seems contradictory doesn’t it? No! It was the moment they released it that the net was drawn in! The moment we release that thing, the moment we sow, is the moment the net is drawn in! I'm all in Lord! I mean "I" am all in! Break this net!!
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Official statement
This idea was not originally mine but because God gave it to another man (and author)by the name of David Timms who freely gave what he recieved, I get to claim it! Amen to that!
I am making an official statement today..."Faith does not give me control of God."
In his book, Living the Lords Prayer, David Timms asks the question, "Does Father really measure our level of love or trust (faith) and hand out rewards accordingly? What sort of love is that?"
He then goes on to strengthen the question with this (give or take a bit of my input)from Hebrews 11! WOW!
How does a man like Samson, fit into that lineup of great faith, alongside Joseph, etc? Samson was a picture of immorality...who kept company with prostitutes. He was disobedient to his parents and "played the game" basically until he lost everything. It was when he was blinded, humiliated, shamed, and degraded, AT THE END OF HIMSELF, that he called out to God. Samson deserves his place in the Hall of Faith, not because he was great in faith but because his surrender declared that God is. That prayer in particular was the only prayer of Samson's recorded.
I have always read that passage and thought,"My...what men of faith, I want to be like them." Now I read it and see, it's not so much about the men as it is about their God. (Even though, without their example, where would I be?) Rather than, "My...what men of faith!", now I say, "My...what a God that responded!"
I am done having faith in my faith to see me through. I want to have faith in the God of faith! Today, I lose faith in myself. I can't do it!
And God gave me a glorious picture of something as well. I was talking about this with my friend Claudia and she said, "By grace, through faith we are saved." Of course! In 1 Corinthians 15:10, Paul said that he laboured more abundantly than they all but not him! It was the grace of God which was with him. Grace was "by" him and the thing is, we can't fit through faith, that passage that leads to the fulfilled answer unless grace is "by" us...unless we are side by side, in agreement with grace! Seems like a strange analogy that we have to add something to us in order to be able to fit, where we alone can't but that's how I see it. Grace somehow makes us fit where we wouldn't have to begin with!
I am making an official statement today..."Faith does not give me control of God."
In his book, Living the Lords Prayer, David Timms asks the question, "Does Father really measure our level of love or trust (faith) and hand out rewards accordingly? What sort of love is that?"
He then goes on to strengthen the question with this (give or take a bit of my input)from Hebrews 11! WOW!
How does a man like Samson, fit into that lineup of great faith, alongside Joseph, etc? Samson was a picture of immorality...who kept company with prostitutes. He was disobedient to his parents and "played the game" basically until he lost everything. It was when he was blinded, humiliated, shamed, and degraded, AT THE END OF HIMSELF, that he called out to God. Samson deserves his place in the Hall of Faith, not because he was great in faith but because his surrender declared that God is. That prayer in particular was the only prayer of Samson's recorded.
I have always read that passage and thought,"My...what men of faith, I want to be like them." Now I read it and see, it's not so much about the men as it is about their God. (Even though, without their example, where would I be?) Rather than, "My...what men of faith!", now I say, "My...what a God that responded!"
I am done having faith in my faith to see me through. I want to have faith in the God of faith! Today, I lose faith in myself. I can't do it!
And God gave me a glorious picture of something as well. I was talking about this with my friend Claudia and she said, "By grace, through faith we are saved." Of course! In 1 Corinthians 15:10, Paul said that he laboured more abundantly than they all but not him! It was the grace of God which was with him. Grace was "by" him and the thing is, we can't fit through faith, that passage that leads to the fulfilled answer unless grace is "by" us...unless we are side by side, in agreement with grace! Seems like a strange analogy that we have to add something to us in order to be able to fit, where we alone can't but that's how I see it. Grace somehow makes us fit where we wouldn't have to begin with!
Friday, March 27, 2009
My heart is fixed, O God!
In Psalm 57:7, we read from David, "My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise." Now we know that David has such a fixation with God, such focus...that his outward expression of that was to lift up his voice an sing and to give praise.
Now, it's on record that David was not a "private" praiser. He literally danced until he had exposed himself and all he had to offer and even desired to offer...was himself...uncovered...unhindered...nothing added to or taken away from what God created him to be. Raw praise! So that would lead me to believe that when David decided he would sing...it wasn't alone in the shower or off somewhere in a corner. He was not an out of site, out of mind kind of guy..atleast that's not the impression I get.
So, when David gave sang his song, would God have been the only one recieving from the praise David was giving? No, if others heard him and were listening, their hearts were changed. They had to have been asking, "Who is he singing to? Who is the object such loud love?" With Davids focus on God and his song released for God...praise was given. A gift was distributed and other hearts no doubt became fixated as well. He drew their focus...their attention to Father.
This is my song today...for all to hear! (or read) My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed. I will sing and give praise. Notice that David had to say it twice. Sometimes, with all the distraction, we have to go back to our heart and remind it that it is fixed on God and capture it's attention again...return to your first love!
Now, it's on record that David was not a "private" praiser. He literally danced until he had exposed himself and all he had to offer and even desired to offer...was himself...uncovered...unhindered...nothing added to or taken away from what God created him to be. Raw praise! So that would lead me to believe that when David decided he would sing...it wasn't alone in the shower or off somewhere in a corner. He was not an out of site, out of mind kind of guy..atleast that's not the impression I get.
So, when David gave sang his song, would God have been the only one recieving from the praise David was giving? No, if others heard him and were listening, their hearts were changed. They had to have been asking, "Who is he singing to? Who is the object such loud love?" With Davids focus on God and his song released for God...praise was given. A gift was distributed and other hearts no doubt became fixated as well. He drew their focus...their attention to Father.
This is my song today...for all to hear! (or read) My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed. I will sing and give praise. Notice that David had to say it twice. Sometimes, with all the distraction, we have to go back to our heart and remind it that it is fixed on God and capture it's attention again...return to your first love!
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Beloved!
The other day, as I was driving home from a rather difficult appointment faced with choices that I had no clear answer to, God spoke a very familiar scripture to me. 3 John 1:2 "Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospers." And for the first time I heard something in this that I have never heard before. The emphasis was not on prosperity or health but on BELOVED. I realized that God was addressing me. He said, "BE LOVED" and in this is my identity! He had my full attention!
I've just begun looking at this word and there is much to take in but one thing I want to note is that when God addresses us as "beloved"...He is saying lovable one!
To prosper means to have success or to thrive. And to have success by definition is the following:
1 a: to come next after another in office or position or in possession of an estate ; especially : to inherit sovereignty, rank, or title b: to follow after another in order
2 a: to turn out well b: to attain a desired object or end
3 to pass to a person by inheritance
1: to follow in sequence and especially immediately
2: to come after as heir or successor
This just explodes on the inside of me! Here is the SBV of that passage, "Be loved! I wish above all things that you would come after my dear Son in office and take possession of His estate! Reap what He has sown for...the fields are white for the harvest! Inherit My sovereignty...see it, hear it, say it, do it, as I see it, hear it, say it, do it! See them, hear them, say to them, do for them as I have seen them, heard them, said for them and done for them! Take rank! Take your title as a executor of My will! Follow after my order! It's my desire that you will turn out well and obtain My desired end for you...everything I have expected for you because the moment you were formed, I became an expectant parent once again! Great Expectations! Greater than you have yet to know! You are heir to the Kingdom!"
"...as your soul prospers!" As my mind, my will, my emotions...all of the above!
I've just begun looking at this word and there is much to take in but one thing I want to note is that when God addresses us as "beloved"...He is saying lovable one!
To prosper means to have success or to thrive. And to have success by definition is the following:
1 a: to come next after another in office or position or in possession of an estate ; especially : to inherit sovereignty, rank, or title b: to follow after another in order
2 a: to turn out well b: to attain a desired object or end
3 to pass to a person by inheritance
1: to follow in sequence and especially immediately
2: to come after as heir or successor
This just explodes on the inside of me! Here is the SBV of that passage, "Be loved! I wish above all things that you would come after my dear Son in office and take possession of His estate! Reap what He has sown for...the fields are white for the harvest! Inherit My sovereignty...see it, hear it, say it, do it, as I see it, hear it, say it, do it! See them, hear them, say to them, do for them as I have seen them, heard them, said for them and done for them! Take rank! Take your title as a executor of My will! Follow after my order! It's my desire that you will turn out well and obtain My desired end for you...everything I have expected for you because the moment you were formed, I became an expectant parent once again! Great Expectations! Greater than you have yet to know! You are heir to the Kingdom!"
"...as your soul prospers!" As my mind, my will, my emotions...all of the above!
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
It's All Confetti
Isaiah 41:15-16
Look, I have made you like a new threshing board with many sharp teeth. So you will walk on mountains and crush them; you will make the hills like chaff.
You will throw them into the air and the wind will carry them away; a windstorm will carry them away. Then you will be happy in the Lord; you will be proud of the Holy One of Israel.
I was reading this last night and I want to make note of two things….the first being, can you see yourself taking this mountain that is in front of you, threshing it and crushing it under your feet? What ever it is, whether it’s an infirmity, relational difficulties, financial, etc. I couldn’t possibly name every possibility but to thresh it? What a way to look at that! Threshing is to separate the seeds from a plant harvested. Do you realize that this mountain you are facing is for your harvest? It is for you to “strike repeatedly” and take the seed from it? Wow! What a concept! I have always just wanted the mountain to get out of my way. I don’t want to have to strike it, especially not repeatedly as sometimes seems necessary in prayer but according to this…every time I hit that mountain with the word of God…seed is extracted from it for me! I harvest it! And you do too!!
And then, vs. 16 says that we will throw them into the air and the wind will carry them away! It’s a celebration! I got this picture going in my head right now of that mountain just turning to confetti and taking handfuls and throwing it in the air! God says, then will you be happy!
One more thing…off the beaten trail…no pun intended! Hee! Hee!
God had me to begin reading a different version of the bible recently because I am an avid KJV & Amplified reader and I love to study that way. I still study there but just to read, I am trying the New Century Version. Well, when I read in vs. 16 where God says, "Then…you will be proud of the Holy One of Israel.", do you know how that touched me? As children, we so desire for our parents to be proud of us? Well, for the very first time, I heard Him whisper to my heart… “Are you proud of Me?”
I am so proud of my Lord! My heart just swells every time I think of Him!
Look, I have made you like a new threshing board with many sharp teeth. So you will walk on mountains and crush them; you will make the hills like chaff.
You will throw them into the air and the wind will carry them away; a windstorm will carry them away. Then you will be happy in the Lord; you will be proud of the Holy One of Israel.
I was reading this last night and I want to make note of two things….the first being, can you see yourself taking this mountain that is in front of you, threshing it and crushing it under your feet? What ever it is, whether it’s an infirmity, relational difficulties, financial, etc. I couldn’t possibly name every possibility but to thresh it? What a way to look at that! Threshing is to separate the seeds from a plant harvested. Do you realize that this mountain you are facing is for your harvest? It is for you to “strike repeatedly” and take the seed from it? Wow! What a concept! I have always just wanted the mountain to get out of my way. I don’t want to have to strike it, especially not repeatedly as sometimes seems necessary in prayer but according to this…every time I hit that mountain with the word of God…seed is extracted from it for me! I harvest it! And you do too!!
And then, vs. 16 says that we will throw them into the air and the wind will carry them away! It’s a celebration! I got this picture going in my head right now of that mountain just turning to confetti and taking handfuls and throwing it in the air! God says, then will you be happy!
One more thing…off the beaten trail…no pun intended! Hee! Hee!
God had me to begin reading a different version of the bible recently because I am an avid KJV & Amplified reader and I love to study that way. I still study there but just to read, I am trying the New Century Version. Well, when I read in vs. 16 where God says, "Then…you will be proud of the Holy One of Israel.", do you know how that touched me? As children, we so desire for our parents to be proud of us? Well, for the very first time, I heard Him whisper to my heart… “Are you proud of Me?”
I am so proud of my Lord! My heart just swells every time I think of Him!
Friday, March 6, 2009
Disappointment or Divine Appointment?
All of us experience what we call disappointments…these are the things that fail to meet our expectations but what if disappointments are Divine?
Not that God caused them but that he will use them to bring us to a place of what He has expected for us, rather than what we expect!
Ezekiel 13:2 says, that we are capable of prophesying our own minds…speaking to our future from a seat of emotions and being deceived into thinking that this is what God wants for us. Even to the place of saying, "The Lord has said..." Making appointments for something to take place that never was meant to be to begin with. And when the appointment never happens or when someone fails to meet us at the appointment that we have contrived in our mind, we enter into what is called “disappointment”. Disappointment is our appointment with God! A hidden appointment with love because He loves us too much to allow us to settle for anything that is less than His for us! A time for Him to reveal a greater plan for our life!
Not that God caused them but that he will use them to bring us to a place of what He has expected for us, rather than what we expect!
Ezekiel 13:2 says, that we are capable of prophesying our own minds…speaking to our future from a seat of emotions and being deceived into thinking that this is what God wants for us. Even to the place of saying, "The Lord has said..." Making appointments for something to take place that never was meant to be to begin with. And when the appointment never happens or when someone fails to meet us at the appointment that we have contrived in our mind, we enter into what is called “disappointment”. Disappointment is our appointment with God! A hidden appointment with love because He loves us too much to allow us to settle for anything that is less than His for us! A time for Him to reveal a greater plan for our life!
Friday, February 27, 2009
I abandon the quarrel
Proverbs 20:3
"It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling."
Interpretation by definition of the Hebrew Lexicon of Proverbs 20:3 is as follows:
It is with a reputation of honor, glory, reverence for God and dignity that a man ceases or rests from strife or controversy with words; but every fool, one who despises wisdom or mocks when guilty will be meddling, breaking out in contention, carrying on a debate, though it is to his disgrace.
Proverbs 17:14
"The beginning of strife is like the letting out of water, so abandon the quarrel before it breaks out."
God has placed precious living waters on the inside of me, too precious to be let out by allowing strife to begin and empty me of those waters. I abandon the quarrel. By grace I write what is in my heart and I trust the All Consuming Fire...that He loves me and you enough to burn up what cannot remain in our lives.
1 Corinthians 3:11-15 says "For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire."
My heart doesn't know, simply what it doesn't know but the Refiner will reveal it, lovingly.
"It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling."
Interpretation by definition of the Hebrew Lexicon of Proverbs 20:3 is as follows:
It is with a reputation of honor, glory, reverence for God and dignity that a man ceases or rests from strife or controversy with words; but every fool, one who despises wisdom or mocks when guilty will be meddling, breaking out in contention, carrying on a debate, though it is to his disgrace.
Proverbs 17:14
"The beginning of strife is like the letting out of water, so abandon the quarrel before it breaks out."
God has placed precious living waters on the inside of me, too precious to be let out by allowing strife to begin and empty me of those waters. I abandon the quarrel. By grace I write what is in my heart and I trust the All Consuming Fire...that He loves me and you enough to burn up what cannot remain in our lives.
1 Corinthians 3:11-15 says "For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire."
My heart doesn't know, simply what it doesn't know but the Refiner will reveal it, lovingly.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
It Takes An Army
Malachi 3:10 says, "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it."
Normally I would use italics to emphasize an entire scripture but in this case, the italics are important, in that these words were not in the original context but were added later. Keep that in mind. That in itself is not the main focus of this entry but is important to note for later reference.
Now, I know you have read and heard Malachi countless times, especially if you tithe and attend a church that tells the truth about it! Amen? But as I read this passage the other evening, I recognized someone in it that I never did before. God called himself, Lord of Hosts. I had to stop and ask why?
He could have said, "prove me now...saith your Source" or "prove me now...saith Jehovah Jireh, your provider." No, he said, "Prove me now with this...saith the Lord of armies...Lord of companies, mighty in battle!"
It is the Lord of Hosts, our heavenly Captain, the General that actually opens the window of heaven over our life and why is it Him? Because He knows the war that is ensued when someone is faithful with Kingdom finances and He is willing to go to war and send forth the heavenly hosts, the company that will battle to deliver the blessing to all those who will do what is right, just and holy, releasing to God what is His.
And what is this window? Interestingly enough, the word "window" is defined in the Hebrew as a place for lurking, to lurk, lie in ambush or lay wait. Can't you just see them now, the heavenly host, laying wait for your tithe and offering to give the order for the window to be opened? Just waiting to ambush your life with the blessing of God and remove any hindrance that gets in the way.
The "poured out blessing" is another thing altogether. "Pour" in the Hebrew means "to empty". This thing that God does is not a mamsy pamsy trickle! He takes the blessing, turns it upside down, inside out, all at once and empties it into our lives! He empties prosperity to give it to us! He empties every divine care and confers every happiness to us! To confer is to literally exchange views. He wants to pour out upon us in such a way that heaven is literally emptied into our life and we are looking then from heaven's perspective, right here on earth! A blessed perspective.
And now, take away every word from that passage in italics and read it now. That... not enough! I may have gone to the other side on this point but I believe God says to me, "Prove me! I'll do this but you'll see, with how I love you, that's not enough for Me! There's more!" Come to the other side! What a view!
Normally I would use italics to emphasize an entire scripture but in this case, the italics are important, in that these words were not in the original context but were added later. Keep that in mind. That in itself is not the main focus of this entry but is important to note for later reference.
Now, I know you have read and heard Malachi countless times, especially if you tithe and attend a church that tells the truth about it! Amen? But as I read this passage the other evening, I recognized someone in it that I never did before. God called himself, Lord of Hosts. I had to stop and ask why?
He could have said, "prove me now...saith your Source" or "prove me now...saith Jehovah Jireh, your provider." No, he said, "Prove me now with this...saith the Lord of armies...Lord of companies, mighty in battle!"
It is the Lord of Hosts, our heavenly Captain, the General that actually opens the window of heaven over our life and why is it Him? Because He knows the war that is ensued when someone is faithful with Kingdom finances and He is willing to go to war and send forth the heavenly hosts, the company that will battle to deliver the blessing to all those who will do what is right, just and holy, releasing to God what is His.
And what is this window? Interestingly enough, the word "window" is defined in the Hebrew as a place for lurking, to lurk, lie in ambush or lay wait. Can't you just see them now, the heavenly host, laying wait for your tithe and offering to give the order for the window to be opened? Just waiting to ambush your life with the blessing of God and remove any hindrance that gets in the way.
The "poured out blessing" is another thing altogether. "Pour" in the Hebrew means "to empty". This thing that God does is not a mamsy pamsy trickle! He takes the blessing, turns it upside down, inside out, all at once and empties it into our lives! He empties prosperity to give it to us! He empties every divine care and confers every happiness to us! To confer is to literally exchange views. He wants to pour out upon us in such a way that heaven is literally emptied into our life and we are looking then from heaven's perspective, right here on earth! A blessed perspective.
And now, take away every word from that passage in italics and read it now. That... not enough! I may have gone to the other side on this point but I believe God says to me, "Prove me! I'll do this but you'll see, with how I love you, that's not enough for Me! There's more!" Come to the other side! What a view!
Monday, February 9, 2009
What's in you?
Last night at the World Lighthouse here in Grantsville, MD, we watched an instrumental teaching (video), by Lance Wallnau. The topic was the Kingdom of God and the Seven Mountains but at the very beginning, he mentioned something that has been ringing in my heart since I heard it. He said, "When Elijah called for the rain and there appeared a cloud the size of a man's hand, it was because the rain was in him." WOW! What a statement! How can we prophesy and see it come to pass? Because it's in us! The provision is in us! The only way that Elijah could call for the rain...was because it was in him!
If you are not familiar with this part of history, it's 1 Kings 18:41-46
And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain. So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees, And said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said, Go again seven times. And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not. And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel. And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
What's in you just waiting to be called for? What part of the KINGDOM should you be determining to be in the earth now? What has God said to bring up out of your belly now? The "rain" is in you!
If you are not familiar with this part of history, it's 1 Kings 18:41-46
And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain. So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees, And said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said, Go again seven times. And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not. And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel. And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
What's in you just waiting to be called for? What part of the KINGDOM should you be determining to be in the earth now? What has God said to bring up out of your belly now? The "rain" is in you!
Saturday, January 31, 2009
The Power of His Might
Recently the Lord has been speaking to me about the power of His might. It is, as men & women of God, part of our being.
The definition of might is simply and I should say, complexly this: The power, authority or resources of an individual.
And this is what has been given us. Below, I just want to share a few scriptures with this definition replacing the word might.
Deuteronomy 6:5
And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy power, authority, and resources.
So then to love God will all of our might, would mean to love Him in the use of the power & authority he has entrusted us with and with all of our resources as well. All we have, all he has given us, we love him in return with it! We use it in a way that demonstrates our love for Him, amen?
2 Samuel 6:14
And David danced before the LORD with all his power, authority and resources.
When David danced, he did it before the Lord, demonstrating power, authority and with everything he had! He invested everything he had in every movement! What I think is beautiful, is that David would never had been able to do something that God himself did not do. How then does God dance?
2 Chronicles 29:12
Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and power, authority and resources; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all.
I love how this passage refers to what is in God’s hand….power and might, and in His hand is to make great and to give strength to all. Do you know what else is in God’s hand? You and I....John 10:28 says that no one will snatch them out of His hand. That’s talking about you and me. We are in the same hands, with all of God’s power, authority and resources today. We are in that place where He makes great and gives strength to all who are in His hands! How beautiful is that?
Ecclesiastes 9:10
Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy power, authority and resources.
Isaiah 33:13
Hear, ye that are far off, what I have done; and, ye that are near, acknowledge my power, authority and resources.
Jeremiah 10:6
Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O LORD; thou art great, and thy name is great in power, authority and resources.
Isaiah 62 says that God has given us a new name…one that is righteous and that’s the name of Jesus. And in giving us that name, He has given us what is in that name as well. That alone has caused a resolve on me to consider how I say the name of my Lord. That when I say His name…I say it differently. Knowing that when I say it, a treasury of power, authority and resources is opened up. Jesus is limitless.
Ephesians 6:10
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his power, authority and resources.You know to “be” by definition is "to have a specific relationship to" For example: the leaves are green or the fish is a trout. Did that leaf make itself green? No but God said, to be green and it was. Did the fish make itself a trout? No but God said, fish be a trout and it was. So if God says BE in his word…it’s not something we have to try to do, it’s something we are. He will never tell us to be something we are not but will reinforce what we already are in Him.
Colossians 1:11
Strengthened with all power, authority and resources, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness.
The definition of might is simply and I should say, complexly this: The power, authority or resources of an individual.
And this is what has been given us. Below, I just want to share a few scriptures with this definition replacing the word might.
Deuteronomy 6:5
And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy power, authority, and resources.
So then to love God will all of our might, would mean to love Him in the use of the power & authority he has entrusted us with and with all of our resources as well. All we have, all he has given us, we love him in return with it! We use it in a way that demonstrates our love for Him, amen?
2 Samuel 6:14
And David danced before the LORD with all his power, authority and resources.
When David danced, he did it before the Lord, demonstrating power, authority and with everything he had! He invested everything he had in every movement! What I think is beautiful, is that David would never had been able to do something that God himself did not do. How then does God dance?
2 Chronicles 29:12
Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and power, authority and resources; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all.
I love how this passage refers to what is in God’s hand….power and might, and in His hand is to make great and to give strength to all. Do you know what else is in God’s hand? You and I....John 10:28 says that no one will snatch them out of His hand. That’s talking about you and me. We are in the same hands, with all of God’s power, authority and resources today. We are in that place where He makes great and gives strength to all who are in His hands! How beautiful is that?
Ecclesiastes 9:10
Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy power, authority and resources.
Isaiah 33:13
Hear, ye that are far off, what I have done; and, ye that are near, acknowledge my power, authority and resources.
Jeremiah 10:6
Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O LORD; thou art great, and thy name is great in power, authority and resources.
Isaiah 62 says that God has given us a new name…one that is righteous and that’s the name of Jesus. And in giving us that name, He has given us what is in that name as well. That alone has caused a resolve on me to consider how I say the name of my Lord. That when I say His name…I say it differently. Knowing that when I say it, a treasury of power, authority and resources is opened up. Jesus is limitless.
Ephesians 6:10
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his power, authority and resources.You know to “be” by definition is "to have a specific relationship to" For example: the leaves are green or the fish is a trout. Did that leaf make itself green? No but God said, to be green and it was. Did the fish make itself a trout? No but God said, fish be a trout and it was. So if God says BE in his word…it’s not something we have to try to do, it’s something we are. He will never tell us to be something we are not but will reinforce what we already are in Him.
Colossians 1:11
Strengthened with all power, authority and resources, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness.
Friday, January 16, 2009
A time to keep silence....
Ecclesiastes 3:7 says that there is a time to keep silence, and a time to speak.
Recently, I have found myself just wanting to be silent. I've been desiring the quiet of my home, the solitude that it offers me...even when my family is around making all the noise that two children and their Daddy can make. But what I have come to realize is that silence isn't subject to circumstance or atmosphere. It's an attitude, a position of the heart and especially the mind...in order to hear God.
I read a beautiful quote and I believe this is what has fed the hunger for silence in my life. "Silence is the place...just before the voice of God."
Beautiful, isn't it? And as I was reading the word & making a study of silence, I found that a synonym for silence is "secrecy" or "secret". My spirit man just leaps inside me every time I even think about that.
Immediately my mind made reference to Psalm 91:1, "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty." and then Psalm 25:14 that says, "The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant."
Allow me to just convey to you what God has spoken to me in my times of silence.
-Silence is the address to where you live. (Psalm 91)
-Silence is a mark of understanding My presence and acknowledging it.
-Silence is the character trait of someone who dwells in the secret place and a witness to the desire to know more of My secrets.
-Silence is the prelude to prophecy, where words are concieved and things come forth. Silence is where I will equip you for what I am about to do, a place of preparation for what is to come.
-Silence is the true mark of reverence and is the atmosphere where I can deposit my secret.
-Silence is characteristic of those who hunger for my secret and recognize my presence.
-A secret is something in which a man has thought me to be silent but in truth, I have made you to know all things...but it's man's unwillingness to be silent that hinders that knowing.
I'm going to step out here for a moment but just bear with me. Revelations 8:1 has always intrigued me and now...even more. It says, "When the Lamb broke the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour."
I love what the Adam Clarke Commentary has to say about this:
This must be a mere metaphor, silence being put here for the deep and solemn expectation of the stupendous things about to take place, which the opening of this seal had produced. When any thing prodigious or surprising is expected, all is silence, and even the breath is scarcely heard to be drawn.
If silence speaks of that kind of expectation...what a wonderful attitude to hold.
Just recently, Ps. Margaret Vis, a powerful intercessor and very wise woman shared that this year is to be the year of birthing. That means that many of us are expecting. Selah.
Recently, I have found myself just wanting to be silent. I've been desiring the quiet of my home, the solitude that it offers me...even when my family is around making all the noise that two children and their Daddy can make. But what I have come to realize is that silence isn't subject to circumstance or atmosphere. It's an attitude, a position of the heart and especially the mind...in order to hear God.
I read a beautiful quote and I believe this is what has fed the hunger for silence in my life. "Silence is the place...just before the voice of God."
Beautiful, isn't it? And as I was reading the word & making a study of silence, I found that a synonym for silence is "secrecy" or "secret". My spirit man just leaps inside me every time I even think about that.
Immediately my mind made reference to Psalm 91:1, "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty." and then Psalm 25:14 that says, "The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant."
Allow me to just convey to you what God has spoken to me in my times of silence.
-Silence is the address to where you live. (Psalm 91)
-Silence is a mark of understanding My presence and acknowledging it.
-Silence is the character trait of someone who dwells in the secret place and a witness to the desire to know more of My secrets.
-Silence is the prelude to prophecy, where words are concieved and things come forth. Silence is where I will equip you for what I am about to do, a place of preparation for what is to come.
-Silence is the true mark of reverence and is the atmosphere where I can deposit my secret.
-Silence is characteristic of those who hunger for my secret and recognize my presence.
-A secret is something in which a man has thought me to be silent but in truth, I have made you to know all things...but it's man's unwillingness to be silent that hinders that knowing.
I'm going to step out here for a moment but just bear with me. Revelations 8:1 has always intrigued me and now...even more. It says, "When the Lamb broke the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour."
I love what the Adam Clarke Commentary has to say about this:
This must be a mere metaphor, silence being put here for the deep and solemn expectation of the stupendous things about to take place, which the opening of this seal had produced. When any thing prodigious or surprising is expected, all is silence, and even the breath is scarcely heard to be drawn.
If silence speaks of that kind of expectation...what a wonderful attitude to hold.
Just recently, Ps. Margaret Vis, a powerful intercessor and very wise woman shared that this year is to be the year of birthing. That means that many of us are expecting. Selah.
Friday, January 9, 2009
He's Better Than Life!
The other day in prayer, the Lord spoke to my heart from the passage in Revelations 12 verse 11…”they loved not their lives unto death.” And I began to wonder what that truly meant. What does it mean to love not my life unto death and am I doing that? Can that be said of me?
Well…I have to ask this question then…
Do I love what I think, how I feel, and my desires for me more than I love God’s thoughts. Do I put His feelings first and are His desires mine? Because that’s what the word life in that passage means and we can love what we think, our knowledge, our understanding to such an extent that is can spiritually kill us. I read a stop me in my tracks quote the other day from Bill Johnson. He said this, “I cannot afford to have a thought in my head about me that is not His.” That quote is now written in my journals that I write in every day and my bible, right next to this passage. Wrong thoughts can cost me everything and I am not willing to spend that much! How about you?
Let me just take it a step further…the word “their” in this passage, when I referenced it, refers to a lower and denser air as distinguished from the higher, rarer air. Think me silly but when I read this, I thought of what being dense means if someone were to call me that. It means stupid or lacking in sensibility or intellect. THICKHEADED...so many of my thoughts crowded together and none with the ability to move or take me anywhere. But the opposite end of the spectrum…to be rare is to be choice or to be the best part. And that’s what I want…to deliberately love God’s choices for me…what He considers to be the best part for me. And the truth of the matter is...it doesen't matter how many thoughts I have crowded in this head of mine, only God's thought holds the possibility.
Psalm 63:1 & 3 says ” O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is… Because thy lovingkindness is better than life” Do you know what He is saying here? My interpretation is this, “God…you are Lord over me, my mind, my will and my emotions. Early will I seek you because my soul is naturally thirsty for you and I want your thoughts to be my first thoughts. I want them to come before mine. My flesh longs for you but this world is dry and thirsty as well and only the waters of your word will do! Your lovingkindness, your goodness, the thoughts and the plans that you have for me that you will carry out are better than I could ever think of on my own!” What a wonderful God he is! HE'S BETTER THAN LIFE!!
Well…I have to ask this question then…
Do I love what I think, how I feel, and my desires for me more than I love God’s thoughts. Do I put His feelings first and are His desires mine? Because that’s what the word life in that passage means and we can love what we think, our knowledge, our understanding to such an extent that is can spiritually kill us. I read a stop me in my tracks quote the other day from Bill Johnson. He said this, “I cannot afford to have a thought in my head about me that is not His.” That quote is now written in my journals that I write in every day and my bible, right next to this passage. Wrong thoughts can cost me everything and I am not willing to spend that much! How about you?
Let me just take it a step further…the word “their” in this passage, when I referenced it, refers to a lower and denser air as distinguished from the higher, rarer air. Think me silly but when I read this, I thought of what being dense means if someone were to call me that. It means stupid or lacking in sensibility or intellect. THICKHEADED...so many of my thoughts crowded together and none with the ability to move or take me anywhere. But the opposite end of the spectrum…to be rare is to be choice or to be the best part. And that’s what I want…to deliberately love God’s choices for me…what He considers to be the best part for me. And the truth of the matter is...it doesen't matter how many thoughts I have crowded in this head of mine, only God's thought holds the possibility.
Psalm 63:1 & 3 says ” O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is… Because thy lovingkindness is better than life” Do you know what He is saying here? My interpretation is this, “God…you are Lord over me, my mind, my will and my emotions. Early will I seek you because my soul is naturally thirsty for you and I want your thoughts to be my first thoughts. I want them to come before mine. My flesh longs for you but this world is dry and thirsty as well and only the waters of your word will do! Your lovingkindness, your goodness, the thoughts and the plans that you have for me that you will carry out are better than I could ever think of on my own!” What a wonderful God he is! HE'S BETTER THAN LIFE!!
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