First and Greatest Commandment

I love reading Song of Songs because I love discovering different intimate ways that God wants to love us and the type of relationship He wants to have with each and everyone of us.  Recently as I was reading through this book Chapters 2 and 3 really jumped out at me.  It became an illustration of the way Jesus looks at the church, His bride, and how His bride looks at Him.  What I saw saddened me and I know I too have been guilty of what I was seeing in the scriptures.  Jesus declares His love for us, we declare our love back but when He calls us to be with Him in the secret place we make excuses until He leave us alone and we long for Him and seek Him.

I would like to share with you a little of what I saw and I hope it inspires you as well to draw close to Him and to love Him more and more.  Lets begin with the following scriptures, all from the Passion Translation, (you can find on Amazon).  Imagine Jesus saying the below to you....

Bridegroom-King
Arise my dearest.  Hurry, my darling.  Come away with me!  I have come as you have asked to draw you to my heart and lead you out.  For now is the time, my beautiful one.  The season has changed.  Arise, my love, my beautiful companion, and run with me to the higher place.  For now is the time to arise and come away with me.  How beautiful your eyes of worship and lovely your voice in prayer.  Song of Songs 2: 10-11a, 13b, 14b

Can you imagine this?  Can you hear Jesus speak this to you?  How does it make you feel?  Are you ready to arise and go with Him and be with Him?  Can you hear Him declare how beautiful, lovely, and wonderful you are?  Does it not make you feel so wonderful inside?

Now imagine how we at times have responded to this declaration of love from our God and King...

I know my lover is mine and I have everything in you for we delight ourselves in each other but until the day springs to life and the shifting shadows of fear disappear, turn around my lover and ascend to the holy mountains of separation without me.  I'll come away another time.  Song of Solomon 2:16-17

The Shulamite loved the Bridegroom-King and while she wanted to be with Him she allowed her fears and other things to keep her from the one she loved.  It was not until her bridegroom-king had left that she realized her mistake and became desperate for him.

Night after night I'm tossing and turning on my bed of travail.  Why did I let him go from me?  How my heart now aches for him but he is nowhere to be found.  So I must rise in search of him looking throughout the city seeking until I find him.  Just as I move past them, I encountered him.  I found the one I adore!  I caught him and fastened myself to him refusing to be feeble in my heart again.  3:1-2, 4

The Shulamite was overjoyed to find the one she loved, she was so overcome that she fastened herself to him and would not let him go.  The two were finally united and as the song goes reunited and it feels so good!!

Have you ever been so desperate for God that when you found Him you would not let go of Him?  Sometimes it takes a tragedy or a very hard circumstance to draw us to that place but we can long for Him at any time.  We should not wait until we desperately need Him because circumstances dictate.  How would that make you feel?  I believe if we personalized our relationship with God, if we personalized our worship towards Him our heart attitudes would begin to change.  It would change from one of maybe just giving Him lip service during a church service to one of intimacy and fellowship.  Circumstances and situations would no longer sway you or get you down because you would be so focused and in tune to the one you love.  He knows your need, you just need to share your heart with Him, let it go, and focus on His beautiful face.  And it is such a beautiful face. I have been privileged to see that face numerous times and I love gazing at His face, especially His eyes because they are so full of love towards me.  Do you know that we are all God's favorite!!!  Say that everyday, I am God's favorite!!!

I recently heard Mike Bickel, from IHOP, share a message on the first commandment, it was such a powerful message.  We can pray daily for Holy Spirits help to walk in this commandment until it becomes a reality in our life.  Again, The Passion Translation states this so beautifully...

Love the Lord your God with every passion of your heart, with all the energy of your being, and with every thought that is within you.  Matt 22:37 TPT

Once we get the first commandment a reality in our life the second will be so easy.  We will love each other because we have first loved God and God is love!!

So lets all begin to pursue God, pursue an imitate relationship with Him.  When we seek Him, we will find Him. What I am seeing in my own walk is that when I take my step towards Him no matter how big or small Jesus takes a giant step towards me quickly closing the gap.

To go along with the Song of Songs illustration I would like to share the following song.  Take time to just soak while listening to this song and may you begin to feel God's heart towards you.

I Just Want to Worship

I just heard this song this week and it so captures my heart.  At times I have felt completely out of balance because all I want to do is sit at the feet of Jesus and worship Him and just be with Him. It is almost like He has taken me back to the garden where the two of us can be together always.  It is hard to learn how to "just be" in a world that is saying you need to do, do, do but it is possible because we really should not be doing until we have first learned to be.  It is from that place of being that we know God's heart and His purpose and design for each of us.  It is from this place of being that we learn to move and flow in His amazing love.  Think about it, before Jesus left us the command to go out and do He was first with Adam in the garden and all Adam had to do was just be with Him and worship Him.

My beloved One, You are pleasing beyond words, and so winsome!  Our resting place is anointed and flourishing like a green forest meadow bathed in light.  Song of Songs 1:16 TPT

Arise, my dearest!  Hurry my darling, come along with Me.  I have come as you have asked to draw you to my heart and lead you out!  For now is the time my beautiful one! Song of Songs 2:10 TPT

There is no better book in the bible to describe an intimate relationship with God than Song of Songs.  I have come to love reading this book to better understand the relationship God wants to have with each of us.

Take a moment to listen to this song, allow the words to wash over you and begin to give your all to Him, not just lip service but your whole being completely to Him.

Now is the time to awaken love! 

For you reach into My heart with one flash of your eyes I am undone by your love, My beloved one, My equal, My bride.  You leave me breathless - I am overcome by merely a glance from your worshiping eyes. And you have stolen My heart I'm held hostage by you love and by the graces of righteousness upon you. Your loving words are like honey to Me.  Drenched with worship your tongue releases milk and honey for I find the promised land flowing within you.  The fragrance of your worshiping love surrounds you with scented robes of white.  Song of Song 4:9,11

I just wanna worship

It’s all I wanna do

Will You fully inhabit

The song I sing to You

I just wanna worship

Lift my hands to You

Fully present in this moment

Fully given to You

For this I have been made

Locked in Your embrace

Covered in Your majesty

Here I have no need

I am truly free

Everything as it should be

Mercy

Do you ever feel like you are on a merry-go-round?  The same questions continually go through your mind over and over and over again.  You come to the point where you just want to scream let me off I have had enough!  I have been in this place.  It seems like I was always coming back to the same place and the same questions.  My mind was saying God why didn't you handle things this way or even that way.  Why did this have to happen?  Why? Why? Why? 

Finally in desperation, knowing I had to let go of the why's I cried out to God and He began showing me I needed to begin journaling.  When I write the ponderings of my soul come out of me and it is amazing they don't necessarily come out the same as they are inside of me.  They come out in the form of a prayer, an answer, a declaration of where God wants me to be.  I find a lot of strength and courage in that because God doesn't see me where I am, He sees me as He made me.  He sees me where He has designed and purposed for me to be.

I know this post is a little different than the ones I have been posting recently but I felt I needed to keep it real.  We all struggle.  We all deal with things.  It is just how we chose to deal with all that life throws us that makes the differences.

One lesson I have been learning this past year is mercy.  I have a strong sense of justice and when wrong becomes right or people get away with doing wrong with no consequences I cry "where is the justice?" Why is that person not being corrected for what they did wrong?  God in His loving kindness began showing me that I needed to become more merciful.  I needed to let go and forgive and allow room for Him to work and move.  The only person I could affect and change was myself and I would have to stand before God one day and answer the question, did you love well?

1 Cor 13 has been my plumb line for many years but recently God has been taking me new places in this chapter.  Love is not easily offended!! Love does not remember any wrongs to it.  These are not easy things to learn especially when our flesh cries out for justice but they are possible to learn with God on your side.

Together, lets learn to show mercy, love, and kindness towards all even those who have mistreated us.  May we remind ourselves, love; real love God's love in us; is not easily offended and it keeps no records of any wrongs.  In fact God's words says that love covers a multitude of sins.  So if God loves us and He forgets then we too can forget.

When I started this post I wanted to share the song You Can Have It All by Bethel but as I have been writing a different song came to my heart that I thought would fit this blog better and it is called Mercy.  The song was written by Matthew West but I love the version by Jenn Johnson the best. 

God's mercy is as endless as the sea.  Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy Matthew 5:7

Be blessed as as Dr Robert Cook used to say on the King's Hour "walk with the King today and be a blessing!"

Good Good Father

What marvelous love the Father has extended to us!  Just look at it - we're called children of God!  That's who we really are.  1 John 3:1 MSG

I love the song Good Good Father by Housefires.  It so perfectly describes God and his feelings toward us.

God is perfect in all of His ways.  He is good, that is who He is.  God loves us, that is who we are. We are loved by a wonderful and merciful God.

Take a few moments to just listen to the words of this song and allow the truth of these words to go deep inside of you until they are a wonderful truth that has displaced every lie you have ever believed about Daddy God.

Your daddy God is so pleased with you.  I can go on and on about how much He loves you but again that is a truth you need to get deep inside of your heart.  It cannot just be head knowledge you need to know how great a love God has for you.

God's word is a great place to discover how much He loves each of us but if you would like another source there is a book called Heaven is Real and Fun by Kim Robinson.  Kim has done an amazing job of describing not only what Heaven is like but what our relationship with God should look like. He longs for us to just be with Him, to enjoy spending time with Him.  You can find the book on Amazon.

Listen to the song and allow God to reveal to you how much He loves you.  Open your heart to receive all that He has for you.

Oh, I've heard a thousand stories
Of what they think You're like
But I've heard the tender whisper
Of love in the dead of night
And You tell me that You're pleased
And that I'm never alone


You're a good, good Father
It's who You are, it's who You are, it's who You are
And I'm loved by You
It's who I am, it's who I am, it's who I am


Oh and I've seen many searching for answers
Far and wide
But I know we're all searching for answers
Only You provide
'Cause You know just what we need
Before we say a word


You're a good, good Father
It's who You are, it's who You are, it's who You are
And I'm loved by You
It's who I am, it's who I am, it's who I am
You're a good, good Father
It's who You are, it's who You are, it's who You are
And I'm loved by You
It's who I am, it's who I am, it's who I am


Because You are perfect in all of Your ways
You are perfect in all of Your ways
You are perfect in all of Your ways to us
Oh, You are perfect in all of Your ways
You are perfect in all of Your ways
You are perfect in all of Your ways to us


Oh this Love so undeniable
I, I can hardly speak
Peace so unexplainable
I, I can hardly think
As You call me, deeper still
As You call me deeper still
As You call me deeper still
Into love, love, love


You're a good, good Father
It's who You are, it's who You are, it's who You are
And I'm loved by You
It's who I am, it's who I am, it's who I am
You're a good, good Father
It's who You are, it's who You are, it's who You are
And I'm loved by You
It's who I am, it's who I am, it's who I am


Because You are perfect in all of Your ways
You are perfect in all of Your ways
You are perfect in all of Your ways to us
Oh, You are perfect in all of Your ways
Oh, You are perfect in all of Your ways
You are perfect in all of Your ways to us
Oh, You are perfect in all of Your ways
So perfect in all of Your ways
You are perfect in all of Your ways to us (yes You are)
Always perfect in all of Your ways
You are perfect in all of Your ways
Oh, You are perfect in all of Your ways to us
It's who You are...
(You are perfect in all of Your ways)
(You are perfect in all of Your ways)
(You are perfect in all of Your ways to us)
You are never changing, You are perfect
(You are perfect in all of Your ways)
...Always've been perfect, always've been loving
(Oh, You are perfect in all of Your ways)
O-ohh-o-ohhh... (You are perfect in all of Your ways to us)
Oh, You are perfect...
You are perfect in all of Your ways
Oh, You are perfect in all of Your ways
You are perfect in all of Your ways to us
Oh, You are perfect in all of Your ways
You are perfect in all of Your ways
You are perfect in all of Your ways to us

Let it all Go - Even When (IHOP)

Trust in the Lord completely, and not your own opinions, but with all your heart rely on Him to guide you and He will lead you in all the decisions you make.  Become intimate with Him in whatever you do and He'll lead you wherever you go.  Proverbs 3:5-6 TPT

If God is for us, who can be [successful] against us? Rom 8:31

Even when my eyes don't see it, You know what I need before I know I need it.
Even when I don't believe it, I know You are for me.
Even when my heart's uneasy, I'll still follow tomorrow Lord as you lead me
Even when I don't believe it, I know you are for me.

I will let go and follow, won't worry about tomorrow
I let go, I let go, I let go

This song reminds us of so many promises from God's word.  It reminds us to trust Him in all things, to let go of worry and fear and all that would hold us back from believing God through every season. This song reminds us that God is for us and if God is for us then who can be against us?

Take time to just listen to this song and then listen again and just praise God that He has it all covered, He is a loving Father.

To add a personal note to this post, I started listening to this song when I was having a very rough day.  There was a lot of chaos and confusion going on and this song helped me refocus my attention back to God, where it needed to be.  I am finding that Brandon Oaks is quickly becoming one of my favorite worship leaders at IHOP.  You too may want to check out some of his worship sets on the IHOP website, they are pretty amazing.

Unity

We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord

We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord
And we pray that our unity will one day be restored
And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
Yeah they'll know we are Christians by our love

We will work with each other, we will work side by side
We will work with each other, we will work side by side
And we'll guard each man's dignity and save each man's pride
And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love

Yeah, they'll know we are Christians by our love.

How truly wonderful, delightful, and beautiful to see brothers and sisters living together in unity. Psalm 133:1 TPT

This post has been a difficult one to write.  I know God has been laying unity in the body on my heart for awhile now but everything I have typed and erased and retyped so far appears to come across as a rant and that is not my heart for unity.

God commands us to love Him and to love each other.  I have heard for years we cannot love each other until we first learn to love ourselves.  While I believe that to be true I do know that love is also a choice.  We need to chose to love one another, we need to stop always finding fault and judging each other because God's love believes the best of others (see 1 Cor 13).  We need to start seeing the gold and treasure in each other.  God loves all His children no matter which denomination they are a part of.

Recently I decided to stop looking at each denomination as a church and I began to start seeing them as different families in the body of Christ.  One day we will have a great big family reunion in heaven and we will worship God as one body.  That will be a glorious day

Some of my favorite times are being with other family members in the body of Christ that may not be in my immediate family (church).  I glean so much from them and enjoy our times together.  We may not always see eye to eye on all things but that is okay because we all love Jesus and want to follow Him.

God has laid two songs on my heart for this post.  The first is a new Jesus Culture Song called Make Us One and the second is by Laura Hacket called Love Makes Us Stronger.  May these songs bless you, may we learn to lift one another up and no longer tear each other own.  May we learn to allow God to bind us all together as one in love.  May we grow in our intimacy and love in our relationship with God!  Blessing

Learning to love each other

Love should always be the compass that guides us, especially for those who desire to live a life of love.  1 Corinthians 13 provides a great example in God's word of what love is and what love is not. I love to read  these verses on love in different translations because each translation provides such great insight into this scripture.  Below I have listed the passion translations version, it is one of my favorite translations and I love the imagery it provides.  The other day as I was reading these verses in the Passion Translation I had the thought, "what if verses 8-10 came first prior to verses 4-7" that talk about what love is and is not.  I just thought that by swapping the verses we see how great an emphasis God puts on love.  Not only loving Him but loving each other.  Jesus sums up the commandments in these two statements:  Love the Lord your God and love your neighbor as yourself (see Mark 12:30-31).

When we love there is no jealousy, there is no offense (love is not easily offended nor is it easily irritated), there is no self promotion because we are honoring others.  I know I am not there yet because I can get in the way, but every time I feel myself go of course I remind myself what love is and what love is not.  I pray and ask God to help me love the one in front of me because He loves them.  No matter how people treat me or what they do my desire is to become love because God is love.  A few other great scriptures that direct us to love others are; Matt 22:37-39, John 13:34-35, Rom 12:10, 1 John 4-7-8, and John 15:12-13.  I know there are more than this but this is just a start on your path to loving God and others more.  Next time you have an irritating person in front of you remember they are not only made in God's image but that He loves them. Push past the snarky comments or retorts and just breath and ask God to help you, I know He will because He continually helps me.

Love never stops loving.  It extends beyond the gift of prophecy, which eventually fades away.  It is more enduring than tongues, which will one day fall silent.  Love remains long after words of knowledge are forgotten.  Our present knowledge and our prophecies are but partial, but when love's perfection arrives, the partial will fade away.

Love is large and incredibly patient.  Love is gentle and consistently kind to all.  It refuses to be jealous  when blessing comes to someone else.  Love does not brag about one's achievements nor inflate its own importance.  Love does not traffic in shame and disrespect, nor selfishly seek its own honor.  Love is not easily irritated or quick to take offense.  Love joyfully celebrates honesty and fins no delight in what is wrong.  Love is a safe place of shelter, for it never stops believing the best for others.  Love never takes failure as defeat for it never gives up.

1 Cor 8-10, 4-7 TPT

Again I love how the Passion Translation reads.  I know tongues, prophecy, and words of knowledge are important and we can move and operate in each of these areas but without love it is nothing, a loud and crashing symbol.  God help us to learn to love with open arms like Yo do so we may display you well everywhere we go!!

Chasing You

I'm chasing you, I'm so in love, captivated, I just can't get enough.  I'll spend my days, running after your heart, your heart, your heart.  Whoa!

Do we spend our days running after God's heart?  Do you know He longs to be in an intimate relationship with each and everyone of us?  Eden was created as a place where man could dwell with God and fellowship with Him.  Take a few minutes each day and begin to chase after God.  I know from experience as we begin to take steps to pursue Him, he takes a huge step towards us.  I am so thankful He is able to draw nearing to me as I draw near to Him.  Sometimes I see Him so extremely close I can lean in and kiss His face.  If you have never seen God's face ask Him to show it to you.  It is such a beautiful and glorious face.  His eyes are so full of love towards everyone of us.

James 4:8 TPT -  Move your heart closer and closer to God, and He will come even closer to You.

Other translations read, draw near to God and He will draw near to you.

Today take time to draw near to God, pursue Him, chase after Him.  You will experience such joy and freedom, it is completely amazing!!  Don't be afraid when He reveals Himself to you.  I know the first time I saw the face of Jesus it was inches from my face.  I jumped back at first and then leaned in and just beheld His beauty. It is the face of the one I love!!!

Clean Natalie Grant

Do you every hear a song that just makes you become undone?  Clean by Natalie Grant is that song for me.  When I begin to waver and see myself as less than how God sees me this is a great go to song.  The lyrics in this song remind me that I may see myself as a mess, I may see myself as unworthy but that is not how God sees us.  He sees us as beautiful, whole, completely worthy, acceptable, chosen, clean!!!

Take a moment to listen to this beautiful moving song.  You may need a few tissues on hand while you listen and just allow God's love and truth of who you are wash over you!

I love the part that says "I'm coming alive with joy and destiny, cause You're restoring me piece by piece."  I know the process can be unpleasant but there is growth and maturity in the process.  Stop focusing on the why and what and just focus on Him.  Learn to draw close to Him and as you grow in your relationship with our loving Lord, He will begin to reveal His heart for you.  He will reveal His plans and purposes for you.  May we all learn how to just be.  After all we are human "beings" and not human doers!!!

Love and blessings

Trust in You

Do you ever have a-ha moments?  I had one this morning and it was so simple but so profound. Recently I have felt God directing me to become more faithful to writing this blog but I continually doubt my ability to make this happen.  Despite the positive feedback some of you have given me I doubt I have what it takes to be a good writer, to adequately convey all the God is doing in me and through me.

Well this morning God got all in the middle of me worrying about my ability and He reminded me to just trust Him.  He took me to 2 Peter where He tells us that He has given us everything we need and then He took me to Moses.  Moses was given the great opportunity to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt and introduce them to the presence of God, and they did not want it!  In fact after continually trying to introduce the millions of people he lead out of Egypt to the wonderful and glorious presence of God he was really only able to affect 2 people that we are aware of; Joshua and Caleb.

In today's standards that is not much of a success but think about how Moses affected these two men. They were the only two of the original Israelite's that crossed over into the promised land and they did so with the presence of God going with them.  Joshua was chosen to lead them into this wonderful promise and I know he must have been a little overwhelmed by the responsibility because God had to remind him at least 7 times to not be afraid (I know I counted them one time).

Whatever God is leading you to do, stop trying to lean on your own ability and talents and just trust Him.  He has given you all things that you need to accomplish what He desires you to do.  Don't focus on the how or what just focus on Him.  Allow Jesus to lead and guide you, allow Him to direct every step you take down the path that He leads you down and then know God is with you every step of the way.  Maybe you will reach millions, maybe you will only reach 2.  No matter the number be faithful to do all that God has laid on your heart and enjoy every moment you spend with Him and getting to know Him more and more.

For His divine power has bestowed on us [absolutely] everything necessary for [a dynamic spiritual] life and godliness, through true and personal knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.  2 Peter 1:3 AMP

As always, when God speaks to me He provides me a song that drives home the truth that He is showing me.  God speaks each of our love languages amazingly well, maybe because He knows us so well.  Take time to allow Him to speak to you in your love language.  Be blessed today and draw close to God.

Pastures Housefires

I love the group Housefires!  Their new cd is so amazing, loaded with songs that just make you draw closer to our wonderful God.  One of the songs on their new cd (yes I still refer to new music as a cd - I could really date myself and call it a record, ha!) is called Pastures.  The song, based on Psalm 23:2, talks about how God provides us a place of peace in Him.  When we dwell in Him we have found our home, our very being.  Isaiah declares that Jesus is the Prince of Peace and elsewhere in the Bible it says that Jesus gives us peace that passes all understanding.

Psalm 23:2  He makes me lie down in green pastures.  He leads me beside quiet waters.

Someone I know once made the observation that quiet waters are in the valley and not on top of the mountain.  If that is the case then when we are in our low places, when we are going through a trial or storm then we can also find our place of peace in an intimate relationship with Jesus.

If you are like me we love to find all of the promises in God's word and stand on those amazing promises.  Do you know that John 16:33 promises us that in this world we will experience trials and tribulations?  Do you also know that Jesus said in this verse to take heart because He has overcome the world?

I know any trial or storm is never easy and I know our flesh can rise up and want to have its way but instead of grumbling, instead of complaining, instead of giving worry a voice begin to thank God instead.  Ask Jesus who He wants to be for you in this situation.  He will always provide an answer.

I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have (perfect) peace.  In the world you have tribulation and distress and suffering, but be courageous (be confident, be undaunted, be filled with joy); I have overcome the world. (My conquest is accomplished, My victory abiding.)  John 16:33 AMP.

As you listen to this song take a minute to close your eyes.  Allow the lyrics to speak to you.  Allow Jesus to fill you with His perfect peace, then ask Jesus, Father God, and Holy Spirit to give you a picture of the you together with all three of them.  Many times he will lead you to a pasture like setting but whatever He shows you it will be a special place for you and Him together.

Blessings.

LYRICS
Verse
You give me peace that surpasses all my understanding
and love that is deeper than all I know

Chorus
You lay me down in the greenest of pastures
I am found by the one my heart was after

Bridge
Where else can I go
In You I am home

You Define Me

I have been listening to Kim Walker Smith's new cd On My Side.  I love all of the songs but one in particular has really been resonating with me.  The song is called You Define Me.  It makes me sad to realize that so many do not have a really understand how God sees them (how He defines them)

I have always known I am loved by God but because I have experienced life so many outside factors have defined me.  I have developed and become what the world and my circumstances have defined me.  I have become failure, I have become rejected, I have become unloved, and unwanted but that is NOT who God says I am.  That is not who He created me to be and that is not the good thoughts He is always thinking towards me.

For years now I have helped with a ministry called Sozo.  Sozo is a Greek word that is defined as healed, saved, and delivered.  It is a ministry to heal body, soul, and spirit.  Through this ministry the person receiving inner healing lets go of the lies that have been spoken over them.  The person receiving the ministry breaks ties with the wrong thoughts (lies) and we pray that the voice of the lie becomes unfamiliar to them.  At the same time the person seeks God for the truth.  The truth of who God says they are.  The truth of how God sees them.  The truth of how He defines them.  The person not only seeks God for the truth but also asks God to show them a picture of them together.  Most of the time when the person leaves they have a totally different countenance on them when they leave then when they came in.  They are set free from the lies that have bound them for so long and are beginning to walk in the truth.  The individual also has seen themselves with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.  Even though God is three in one He has three distinct aspects and it is so amazing to see how each of them interacts with you.

So take a moment as you listen to this song to ask God how He sees you.  How does He define you?  What lies have you been believing about yourself?  What lies have you believed about Him?  Then ask Him for the truth to replace those lies.  God is so good to speak to each and every one of His children.  He is so good to show them a picture of them together.  If you are not comfortable asking God the Father, then ask Jesus to show you a picture of the two of you together and then ask Him to take you to the Father!!!  He loves showing you the Father and they both love showing you the Holy Spirit.

Know that God thinks about you a lot!!!  Psalm 139:17-18 says that He thinks about us every day and His thoughts toward us outnumber the grains of sand on every seashore.  That is a lot of thoughts!!!

Eph 3:18-19 in TPT describes God's love for us as follows:

Then, as your spiritual strength increases, you will be empowered to discover what every holy one experiences - the great magnitude of the astonishing love of Christ in all it's dimensions.  How deeply intimate and far-reaching is His Love!  How enduring and inclusive it is!  Endless love beyond measurement, beyond academic knowledge - this extravagant love pours into you until you are filled to overflowing with the fullness of God.  Eph 3:18-19

Remember that God is always about the one.  You are the one!!!  When Jesus walked the earth He went out of his way for the one all the time.  Consider this, when Jesus and the disciples crossed the sea of Galilee they were met by a man who was demon possessed that could not be chained or dressed.  Jesus crossed the water to set that man free and to allow him to be in his right mind.  Think about it, he got back in the boat after that event and went back to the other side.  I wish I could take credit for this insight but I actually read about it in a book called Draw Near by John Bevere.

Below are the lyrics to the song!  Read them if you want or just go to the bottom and click on the video.  Close your eyes, focus on Jesus and allow Him to fill you full of His truth about you are. Allow Him to tell you how He defines you.  Ask Him to show you a picture of the two of you together and then write down what He says and shows you.  Meditate on the truths He gives you until they are firmly rooted within you leaving no room for the lies.  Blessing!



You Define Me"

No whisper can accuse
No rumor can undo
The words You speak over me
No lie can ever break
No shame can ever steal
The words You speak over me
You're speaking over me!

Only Your words, define me
You tell me who I am
Only Your love, can hold me
You make me who I am
You define me
You define me

The author of my days
You're writing every page
With blood and scars
You heal my heart
Oh, You heal my heart!

Only Your words, define me
You tell me who I am
Only Your love, can hold me
You make me who I am
You define me
You define me

No fear, can hold me hostage
No lie, can keep me bound
My God has the final word
My God has the final word
No fear, can hold me hostage
No lie, can keep me bound
My God has the final word
My God has the final word!

Only Your words, define me
You tell me who I am
Only Your love, can hold me
You make me who I am, oh!...
Only Your words, define me
You tell me who I am
Only Your love, can hold me
You make me who I am

You define me
You define me, yes
You define me
You define me
You define me

God I Look to You (Bethel)

Have you even been in a time of transition?  Since my last transitional place I had decided that my next transition would be a better time and yet I still find myself struggling emotionally.  I want to carry on, throw a fit, and just rant and rave but I know that is not going to make the process any quicker if anything it will slow it down.

God promises that He will never leave or forsake us.  God promises that there is absolutely nothing that can separate us from His love.  God's word declare that God is for us and not against us!!  All amazing great promises.  It also states in James that we are to count it all joy when we experience various trials because the trials build our faith and give us wisdom and other amazing God minded things (see James 1:2-8)

I love almost all of the music that comes out of Bethel church in Redding, CA.  I would say their worship team is among some of the best because their worship attempts to glorify God and help others draw closer to God through their worship.

One of their older songs, God I Look to You contains such valuable Godly truths that I felt this was the song to share with all this week.  As you get ready to start your work week know that God is with you every step of the way.  Take a few minutes each morning to just pray and declare this song because it will help you get your focus on Him and not all the chaos going on around you.

God truths;

• He will give us His wisdom to know what to do and say in every and any situation
• When we focus on Jesus we cannot be overwhelmed
• God is our strength and shield.  He is our refuge in times of trouble.
• Worship changes our focus!!!

Ps 91 TPT

When you sit enthroned under the shadow of Shaddai,

 You are hidden in the strength of God Most High.

 Here’s how I describe him:

 He’s the hope that holds me, and the Stronghold to shelter me,

 The only God for me, and my great Confidence.

 And He will rescue you from every hidden trap of the enemy,

 And He will protect you from false accusation and any deadly curse.

 His massive arms are wrapped around you, protecting you.

 You can run under his covering of majesty and hide.

 His arms of faithfulness are a shield keeping you from harm

You will never worry about an attack of demonic forces at night,

 Nor have to fear a spirit of darkness coming against you.

 Don’t fear a thing! Whether by night or by day,

 Demonic danger will not trouble you,

 Nor the powers of evil launched against you.

 For God will keep you safe and secure; they won’t lay a hand on you!

 Even in a time of disaster with thousands and thousands being killed,

 You will remain unscathed and unharmed!

 You will be a spectator as the wicked perish in judgment,

 For they will be paid back for what they have done!

 When we live our lives within the shadow

 Of the God Most High, our secret Hiding Place,

 We will always be shielded from harm!

 How then could evil prevail against us, or disease infect us?

 God sends angels with special orders

 To protect you wherever you go,

 Defending you from all harm.

 If you walk into a trap they’ll be there for you

 And keep you from stumbling!

You’ll even walk unharmed
 Among the fiercest powers of darkness,
 Trampling every one of them beneath your feet!
 For here is what the Lord has spoken to me:
 “Because you have delighted in me as my great lover,
 I will greatly protect you.
 I will set you in a high place,
 Safe and secure before my face.
 I will answer your cry for help every time you pray,
 And you will find and feel my presence
 Even in your time of pressure and trouble.
 I will be your glorious Hero and give you a feast!
 You will be satisfied with a full life
 And with all that I do for you.
 For you will enjoy The fullness of my salvation!”



God I Look to You

God I  look to You, I won’t be overwhelmed

Give me vision to see things like You do

God I look to You, You’re where my  help comes from

Give me wisdom; You know just what to do.

I will love You Lord my strength

I will love You Lord my shield

I will love You Lord my rock forever All my  

days I will  love You  God

Hallelujah our God reigns

Hallelujah our God reigns

Hallelujah our God reigns

forever all my days Hallelujah

Your Promises (Elevation Worship)

Are you a participant or a spectator when it comes to worship?  Do you only consider worship as a service that happens on a Sunday morning during a church service?  Do you know that worship needs to be a lifestyle?  Do you know that when life's difficulties bombard you that it is worship that allows you to rise above the situation?

I love music and so many of today's songs contain wonderful reminders of God's promises.  I am very much of a lyrics person when it comes to worship songs.  I really don't want to sing about anything that does not line up with what God's word say or what God's word says about us.  That is why it breaks my  heart so much to hear songs sung in churches across america that speak to a weak minded mentality or ask for something that God's word says we already have.  I also do not care of fluff songs, songs that sound great on the radio but really do not say anything meaningful. I guess you can call me a worship song snob, not a great title I know but worship is so near and dear to my heart because it is through worship that we glorify our savior.  It is through worship that we can connect with Him, to see Him, and to hear His voice.

I love to consider the fact that in Heaven all we will do is worship Jesus (see Revelation 4:8) and during our worship we will not be distracted by various thoughts.  Our worship will be completely focused on the one we love and the one who loves us.  I wish I had that hear and I am growing in that but I can still be distracted by the clock, what needs to be done or my worship can be delayed because I cannot get my body out of bed early enough in the morning.  This past year I had a friend pass away who was a mentor to me when I was younger.  Her passing grieved me and I missed her greatly.  There were many if only moments the day I found out until the though hit me that she was with Jesus and she was worshiping Him and she was spending one on one time with Him with absolutely no distractions.  I must admit I was a bit jealous but it also helped me be thankful for the time I was able to know her here on the earth and I knew she was in an amazing place.

So because God speaks to me through music so much I would like to begin sharing with each of you some of the truths and promises various songs bring to me.  It is my hope and desire that we can go on this journey together of learning to worship Him more and draw closer to Him.  It is my desire that we can grow in our intimacy with our creator.  I do want to add I know that worship is not just singing a song, it is a heart attitude, but it is through music that we tend to express the most our worship and adoration to God.

The below song is by Elevation Worship and is calle Your Promises.  It speaks to me that when you are going through a storm in your life you don't have to focus on the storm you only have to focus on God and His promises.  He will never fail you, He will never forsake you, and there is nothing that is going to take His love away from you.  You cannot mess up greatly enough that Jesus will not still love you.

What marvelous love the Father has extended to us! Just look at it—we’re called children of God! That’s who we really are. But that’s also why the world doesn’t recognize us or take us seriously, because it has no idea who he is or what he’s up to. But friends, that’s exactly who we are: children of God. And that’s only the beginning. Who knows how we’ll end up! 1 John 3 Message Bible

Remember always You are a child of the Most High God and you are greatly loved.  God is for you!!!!

Your Promises

When the weight of the world begins to fall
On the Name of Jesus I will call

For I know my God is in control
and His purpose is unshakable

Doesn't matter what I feel
Doesn't matter what I see
My hope will always be
In Your promises to me
Now I'm casting out all fear
For Your love has set me free
My hope will always be
In Your promises to me

As I walk into the days to come
I will not forget what You have done
For you have supplied my every need
And Your presence is enough for me

Doesn't matter what I feel
Doesn't matter what I see
My hope will always be
In Your promises to me
Now I'm casting out all fear
For Your love has set me free
My hope will always be
In Your promises to me

You will always be more than enough for me
You will always be more than enough for me
Nothing's gonna stop the plans You've made
Nothing's gonna take Your love away
You will always be more than enough for me

Doesn't matter what I feel
Doesn't matter what I see
My hope will always be
In Your promises to me
Now I'm casting out all fear
For Your love has set me free
My hope will always be
In Your promises to me

Child of God - No Longer Slaves

Hello friends.  Thank you for taking the time to read this blog.  My numbers may still be small but I am thankful for each and every one of you.  I am thankful for your prayers and encouragement and for staying with me as I sort through the pain of healing some wounded areas within me.

God is so good and faithful and He is doing an amazing work within me.  As I was walking out some truths this weekend and trying to move into different more truthful mindsets I found myself anxious and fearful.  I was fearful as I faced the same situations that in the past have left me hurt, wounded, and feeling rejected.  I was nervous and afraid that I would act the same way as I have acted in the past, from a place of hurt and woundedness and not from a place of love.  While I cannot say the weekend went perfectly, there were a few times I know my words and actions may have been better, I just asked God to forgive me and moved on.  In the midst of my fear I say Jesus taking my hand and saying He was with me walking right beside me.  In Isaiah 41 verses 10 and 13 God reminds us to not fear because He is with us and He is upholding us with His righteous right hand.  This is the verses that came to mind with the picture I saw, while the fear never left it did diminish and I was able to walk in more confidence and boldness as the weekend progressed.  The feeling of always being on the outskirts and looking in began to recede as I began to know I had a place and a purpose with others.

Last week I began to allow God to really show me who I was in Him.  I began to confess those words out of my mouth.  At times I felt like a liar but God's word is true so I just pushed through the negative until the truth began to take root in my life.  John 8:32 declares that we will know the truth and the truth will set us free.  I held firmly onto these words because this scripture has brought past healing to me so I know it would bring a deeper healing as well.

To move on, this weekend at church we sang the song No Longer Slaves.  This song talks about being free of fear but it also talks about being a child of God.  This phrase in particular stood out to me during church.  What does it look like to be a Child of God?  Obviously it doesn't look like a person who walks around in gloom and despair.  Graham Cooke always says there will be no Eeyore's in heaven.  So as children of God we should be loving, kind, joyful, always willing to help another, and so much more.  It means living a life that sees the one in front of you and not just living a life that is all about you.  Friday night I observed a group of ladies that love God but do not walk in the power and authority that is their's because they are children of God.  They walk in a place of powerlessness feeling that what they need can only come from others.

It dawned on me friday, and I have observed these ladies for awhile now, that they all had a leader and that leader maybe in good faith was training the other women to be powerless as she was.  Maybe the leader did not know the power that was within her but for whatever reason I began to have compassion on these women.  I know that each one of them was loved by a great God and He had great plans and purposes for them, there was a treasure waiting to be mined in them.

Since I want to be a gold miner and draw that gold out of others I began to pray for God to help me help them discover their worth and value in Him.  I want to see people walk in the power and authority that God gave them.  I want to help others not only walk in truth but I want them to see themselves through God's eyes.  I know a few of their stories and I know their past has been difficult but I also know we don't have to live in our past.  We are made new, the old man has gone, it has been crucified with Christ on the cross.

Please know I do not judge these ladies for where they are I just recognize it as having been there myself.  When you have dwelt in a pit long enough you begin to see other pit dweelers and your desire will be to help them see how they can be free of their pit too.

As you listen to the song No Longer Slaves my God begin to speak His truth to you.  May you hear from Him what it looks like to be a Child of God.  For me He is speaking the truth the fear will not take my voice away.  I am important and I have something to say!

In parting I want to leave you a few truths to stand firm on:

• You are valuable
• You are loved
• You are chosen
• You are wanted
• You have a part that only you can fulfill (Jer 29:11)
• You are accepted
• God will make a way when there appears to be no way because He is a God of the impossible.

Love and blessings to each of you.

Peace in the process

All who have been reading my blog for awhile know how much I love music.  Growing up I developed a love for the oldies.  I remember the first time I heard The Byrds sing Turn, Turn, Turn.  I loved the song and then I learned something pretty amazing.  This secular song was taken directly out of the Bible!  Yep that's right, the song comes right out of Eccl 3:1-8.


The song was released during a time of war but it promoted peace.  The last line of the song says; "A time for peace, I swear it's not too late."  God's word declares that we are to seek peace and pursue it, we are to let it be the umpire of our lives (see Ps 34:14, 1 Pet 3:11, Col 3:15).  I don't know about you but I don't always seek peace and pursue it.  Often times I let the negative thoughts going through my mind get me in such a tizzy that I find it difficult to get back to a place of peace.  Or I let my circumstances and situations rob me of peace because I only see the problem and not God's solution.

I seem to battle the same feelings of unworthiness, rejection, and unwantedness over and over again. Recently someone said something to me that made me think; they said I was constantly setting myself up to be rejected and maybe it was time I removed myself from some of those situations. Well I thought about that and prayed about it and I came to the conclusion that if I removed myself from everything where I felt rejected then I would never be able to leave the house, ever!  I really did not want to become a hermit so I began seeking God to gain some victories for those areas in my life that were continually causing me hurt.

I am so thankful for those who have walked this path before me and who provide me with additional tools I need to walk in greater levels of freedom.  God first led me to Beth Moore.  Beth is great in helping woman discover all they were created to be.  I began reading her book So Long Insecurity.  I'm not far but a line in the very beginning made me think, "this woman has read my mail."  "We're going to let the truth scream louder to our souls than the lies that have infected us."  This had been the cry of my heart to God.  I wanted the truth to become more real to me than the lies I have been believing.

God also took me to Dawna Desilva.  If you don't know her she runs the Sozo Ministry at Bethel and her messages always speak truth to me of who I am.  In her message on Hope she said something to the effect that God's Kingdom always expands or adds to.  When you see yourself through the lense of rejection, unwantedness, unworthiness, etc than you are dealing with lack and that is not a Kingdom mindset.  We need to place our hope in Jesus and it is through Him we can do all things.

She gives a great illustration in this message of how she wanted opal earrings for Christmas one year but her husband was always saying they couldn't afford things.  God had been working with her to take down her walls she was hiding behind to avoid being hurt so she told her husband for Christmas she wanted the earrings.  Of course the first words out of his mouth were we can't afford it!!  When we are trying to walk in freedom the enemy will alway always always try and hold us back!!!  Anyway christmas came and she opened her gifts and no opal earrings.  She was getting more and more upset because she knew that she had stepped out as God had said, made herself vulnerable, and was not going to receive the desire of her heart.  Well she came to the last gift which was a box inside a box inside a box, etc.  Finally in the last box was her desired opal earrings but by the time she opened them she could not enjoy the gift because she had allowed all the negative thoughts to control her emotions!!!

Whether our desire is opal earrings or something else when we allow our self to believe that is not for us or could never happen to us then we look at the situation through a lens of lack instead of seeing the situation through the eyes of God.  The lens of lack can rob us from the blessings that God has made available to us.   One thing I have to continually remind myself of is that His every thought and intention towards us is for good.  This is an easy truth to grasp but only if you don't see yourself through the lens of lack.

Gungor's song Beautiful Things was on my heart this morning, especially the line "He makes beautiful things out of us."  So this is the reminder I will leave you with.   God has made you beautiful, you are more than enough, and you are blessed and highly favored.  Don't allow lack to hold you back!  Don't allow the lies of negative thoughts rob you of God's best for you.  Allow His truth to become so loud you cannot hear the lies anymore.

My desire and hope is that what I am learning may help you also.  It may feel so hard and impossible when you are in the process but know dear ones that God is there with you holding your hand and seeing you through the process.   Don't live in despair but begin to allow God's hope to invade your being.  Jesus understands everything you are going through because He experienced it first and His live on earth gave us an example to follow.

Watch What You Say

Recently I had the priveledge of reading a friends manuscript.  The manuscript was about her different experiences with God and is an amazing read that shows how good God is.  In one of her times with God, God said to her that He HATES it when people talk bad about her.  In fact she told me that God was very emphatic about this.

Out of all that I read in the manuscript this hit home to me more than anything.  I am guilty of saying and thinking wrong things about others but I am also quick to recognize it and ask for forgiveness.  But, I am not so quick to recognize when I say and think wrong things about myself.  In fact the wrong things I say and do tend to become a distorted truth to me that goes against how God sees me.

When I see myself as a goofup or a failure then I am not believing the truth of who God says that I am.  His word declares that He has good plans for me to give me a future and a hope.  His word also declares that I can do ALL things through Him, because He strengthens me.  One translation words it a bit differently and says I can do all things through Him because He empowers me.  So if God has good plans for us that cannot fail and His every thought towards us is good (see Psalm 139) then who am I to call what He created bad?

Your life may not look like you want it to but you are not a mistake and God does have a plan and a purpose for you!  He loves you and He loves spending time with you.  God has chosen and accepted you into the beloved.

I challenge you to watch the thoughts you have towards yourself and definately watch what you say about yourself.  Get into the Word and find what God's word says about you.  Begin speaking God's truth out of your mouth until His truth becomes a reality.  Begin to laugh at the lies you thik about yourself.

One ministry that I have found that helps me speak God's truth about myself and whatever situation I am facing is Igniting Hope Ministries out of Bethel.  Steve and Wendy Backlund have an amazing ministry to help others discover God's truth!  Check out their website:  www.ignitinghope.com for declarations you can begin declaring today.  Their facebook page is also another great place to obtain Godly truth about yourself.

It is hard at first when you speak the lie out of your mouth and then laugh at it.  When I began, I felt like crying more than laughing but I am keeping on until I have more of the joy of the Lord inside of me.

Last I challenge you to write down every lie you have ever thought, spoken, or believed.  Also write down every lie that has been spoken over you by another or that you have perceived others felt about you.

Sometimes I think the words spoken to us or how we perceive others feel towards us can become the open door to what we begin to see and say about ourselves.  All of my life I had felt unwanted and unchosen so a root of rejection began to grow within me.  If I am not careful the actions and words of others can make me feel rejected and unimportant if I allow it to.

After you have written down all the lies take another piece of paper and begin writing down every truth that God reveals to you on how He sees you.  Once you are done with both take the lies and rip them up as much as you can and throw the lies away!   The lies are not who God says you are!  Begin to mediate on the truth, speak the truth out of your mouth, speak what God's word says about who you are.

You have to replace the negative lies you have been thinking and speaking with the truth and the best way to do that is to replace every lie when it comes with the truth!!!!  Above I have provided resources to begin speaking the trut of who God says you are: The Word of God, Igniting Hope Ministries, the truths about yourself that God gives you.

Here are some confessions to begin with on who God says that you are:

• You are special and unique!  One of a kind!
• You are chosen!
• You are accepted!
• You are loved!
• You are healed!
• You are an overcomer!
• You are valuable!
• You are beautiful!

There are so many more truths you can begin decaring about yourself today! Go find the truth and begin declaring it over yourself today.  May you begin to walk in more freedom, peace, and joy and may you begin to experiece the abundant life that Jesus died to give you.

Blessings and peace.

Hold onto Hope

When hope’s dream seems to drag on and on the delay can be depressing, but when at last your dream comes true, life’s sweetness will satisfy your soul.  Prov 13:12 TPT

The first part of this verse seems to have become my life for the past year. I continually ask God when will I experience a longing fulfilled or life's sweetness? At times I have not weathered the storm well. I have gotten to a place of worry and fear. I have lost hope and have just wanted to give up. I have even gotten mad at God and asked Him why and when. I know this last statement may shock some of you, I am not proud of the fact but God used this to show me another side of how good He is.

While I don't understand why this season continually stretches out before me I know God is using this season to grow my hope and trust in Him and to work out all the fears, worries, and insecurities still residing within me. At times I have wanted to go at this battle alone because after all I seem to be saying the same things over and over again and it gets old, well that and I get tired of it being all about me.

Recently as I began to loose hope again God began speaking to me through different songs and the picture that is shown below. When I first saw this painting I could not stop looking at it because it seemed God was speaking to me through this painting. I believe this painting represents a seedling of hope that is being grown and developed in the Master's hands. In this place the seedling is safe and secure and has been planted in such rich soil that will allow it to grow and develop into what it was designed and created to be.

No matter what you are facing don't lose hope! There is no failure in God, His promises are true, and He is more than able. His nature is one of love, hope, and joy. His every thought and plan He has for us is good. While I don't understand why people deal with lifetime illnesses without seeing healing, or have physical needs that don't seem to be met, or even why promises spoken don't seem to come to pass I know God is still able and He is more than enough.

If you too are struggling with holding onto hope; begin to meditate on His promises, begin to verbally speak out of your mouth His promises, and begin to praise and worship Him for the promises yet fulfilled. Find something in your situation to be thankful for and begin to declare your words of thanksgiving to God.

Lastly, don't go at it alone! I know when I hold it in and don't talk about all that is happening within me is when I face some of my toughest battles. It is not always easy to share but make sure you are planted in a good church and find at least one person you trust who you can share all of your struggles with.

I am beyond thankful for the community God has blessed me with. Even when I don't want to talk they ask just the right questions to open me up and allow the light of who God is to shine once again down inside of me. They are great to restore me to a place of hope, even when they don't know it. Eccl 4:10 & 12 has been proven true for me over and over again within this community.

It's better to have a partner than go it alone.  Share the work, share the wealth.  And if one falls down, the other helps, but if there's no one to help, tough!  By yourself you're uprooted.  With a friend you can face the worst.  Can you round up a third?  A three-stranded rope isn't easily snapped.  Ecc 4:10, 12 MSG

A special thanks to my community!  You all have been such a blessing to me.  More than even my words can say.  When I have wanted to give up in despair you have unknowingly restored me to a place of hope and trust.   I love each of you so much and am extremely thankful to be doing life with you.

Here are some songs that you can listen to and mediate on that will strengthen your hope:  Take Heart by Hillsong, God I look to You by Brian and Jenn Johnson,  and Nothing Wasted by Elevation Music.  I know there are so many others but these are a few that God has given to me personally. 

There is nothing to hard for our God!

Blessings.

You are Precious in His Sight

"Red and Yellow, Black and White they are precious in His sight.  Jesus loves the little children of the world."

Who remembers singing this song when you were young?  God brought this song back to me the other day to remind me how precious and unique we are to Him.  We all have our own strengths and weaknesses and we can all learn something from those around us.  Are you weak in relationships?  I bet God has placed someone in your life that is great at relationships in order to show you how to grow stronger in this area.  I know He has for me.

The other day I was dwelling on this and I realized how great a group of people God has surrounded me with.  Some are great at outreach, their boldness is amazing and challenges me to come up higher in this area.  Some are great at seeing the needs of others, physical or not, and praying for them every chance they get.  Some are amazing intercessors.  Still others are amazing worshipers.  I am thankful for each of them.  We are called to do life together, not by ourselves.  So today begin celebrating the strengths you see in those around you.  Encourage that person, support them, speak life to them.  Step out in a greater level of boldness as you go about your business today.  Ever heard the phrase actions speak louder than words?  Show someone the love of Jesus, this could be a smile or an act of kindness.  Get creative and just open yourself up to all the good God has in store for you.

Stop looking at the negative!  Stop looking at the storm!  Stop looking at what you are not or how far you still have to go and just begin looking to Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.  Allow Him to mold and shape you into the person that He has created you to be and remember above all else He loves you and is for you!!!!

One Thing Remains

Higher than the mountains that I face
Stronger than the power of the grave
Constant through the trial and the change
This one thing remains

Your love never fails it never gives up
Never runs out on me

On and on and on and on it goes
It overwhelms and satisfies my soul
And I never, ever, have to be afraid
One thing remains

In death and life I'm confident and
covered by the power of Your great love
My debt is paid, there's nothing that can
separate my hart from Your great love

How would you like going through every trial, storm, or situation with joy and happiness?  Sounds impossible doesn't it, especially when you see how big the storm is.  Well joy and happiness in the midst of the storm is not impossible because with God we have the victory even if the victory doesn't look like we think it should.

Do you remember the story in the bible about Paul and Silas in prison?  They praised God in the midst of the storm and the doors to their cell where thrown wide open.  That stuff didn't just happen back in the day it is for us right now too!  When we turn our focus, attention, and praise towards God and then we have the power through Jesus to move that mountain in front of us and make it no more.

Here are a few scriptures that proclaim that promise!

Therefor no mountain, however high, can stand before Zerubbabel! For it will flatten out before him! And Zerubbabel will finish building this Temple with mighty shouts of thanksgiving for God's mercy, declaring that all was done by grace along.  Zec 4:7 TLB

Jesus replied, I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, .... you can say to this mountain, go throw yourself into the sea and it will be done.  If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.  Matt 21:21-22 NIV

Wonderful promises from God's word.  Begin to speak these promises out of your mouth over every trial and circumstance you are facing.  You will begin to see your mountains made flat as you focus all of your attention on God and His word.

As you speak to your mountain recognize the lies that the enemy is speaking to you.  God's word says that the devil is the father of lies so he cannot speak any truth about you or your situation.  Besides a liar the enemy is also a thief and he wants to rob you of all the blessings and promises of God.  Don't let him.

You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire.  He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him.  When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.  John 8:44

Be self-controlled and alert.  Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.  Resist him, standing firm in the faith.  1 Pet 5:8-9a

In a recent study I started,, with a few others I was reminded by Bill Johnson that the enemy can only have access to us through our agreement with the lies he is speaking.  We empower him, the devil, when we come into agreement with his lies. Makes you think, doesn't it?

Want to change who you are giving the power and authority to?  Well begin to recognize those lies.  Speak them out of your mouth and laugh at them.  Won't be easy at first, you may even feel like crying a time or two but don't give up because when you begin to laugh at the lies you can back the power and victory from the enemy.  Joy and peace begin to flood you spirit and soul as you come back into alignment with Gods word and His truth and promises.

In fact there are many scriptures that tell us how good a cheerful heart is.  Below are a few.

A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.  Prov 17:22

A heart at peace gives life to the body but envy rots the bones.  Prov 14:30

A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit.  A cheerful look brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones. Prov 15:13,30

So begin laughing at the lies.  Recognize the negative that is coming at you and know it is not from God!  The situation and circumstances may not change but how you view them will change as you laugh at the lies and focus on God's promises.

May you know today how great God's love is towards you.  May you feel more deeply and intimately in love with Him.  May His love for you overwhelm and satisfy your soul, may it drown out all your fears as you know that nothing absolutely nothing can separate you from God's love.

If you have given your heart and life to God then you are children of the day because God is light and in Him there is no darkness.  Jesus came to this earth and He died to give you everything you would need for this life here on earth.  God's nature is good and His every thought towards you is good.

You are all sons of the light and sons of the day.  We do not belong to the night or the darkness.  So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled.  For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night.  But since we belong to the day, let us be self controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.  1 Thes 5:6-8

Walk in God's amazing blessing.  I feel I need to sign off with a tagline I heard on a radio program when I was a teenager called the King's Hour with Robert Cook.  He always ended his program with "walk with the King today and be a blessing."   The "One thing" that will always remain is how much God loves you.  Never ever loose sight of that.