Prophecy from our 9:00 am service on 1.23.2011

We had a prophecy spoken during our 1^st service on January 23^rd, 2011. According to 1 Corinthians 14:3, But one who prophesies strengthens others, encourages them, and comforts them. Prophecy, if it is truly inspired by the Holy Spirit, will always agree with scripture, and will strength, encourage, and comfort. I believe this “word” does just that, so I offer it for your spiritual uplifting:

For before there was an earth, and before there was a sun, and before there was a universe, I AM THAT I AM. And I am the Changeless One. The times and seasons are in My hands. You are in My hands. And this is the day for Me to display My sovereigness. This is the day for My people to see My greatness. Things will change. Things that many have trusted in for a long time will change. I am the Changeless One. And you are in My family, and My covering is upon you. My covenant is with you. My spirit is in you. My angels surround you. If you could only see what I see, you would see myriads of holy ones assisting those who know me. In the days to come, they'll be with you in every moment, and you'll recognize - "How could that be done by me? How could that be accomplished for my family?" And you'll see My hand will be upon you for good. Don't be discouraged or even upset when things occur that My Word has said will happen. Just know that invisibly I'm there. And behind the scenes I'm working everything together for My good, to those that love Me and are called according to My purpose. I'm working things for My glory and for your good. So don't be sad but rejoice that you live in this day. For you will see me sooner than you know.

Faith or Unbelief

And they returned from spying out the land after forty days. Now they departed and came back to Moses and Aaron and all the congregation of the children of Israel in the Wilderness of Paran, at Kadesh; they brought back word to them and to all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land. Then they told him, and said: "We went to the land where you sent us. It truly flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. Nevertheless the people who dwell in the land are strong; the cities are fortified and very large; moreover we saw the descendants of Anak there. The Amalekites dwell in the land of the South; the Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the mountains; and the Canaanites dwell by the sea and along the banks of the Jordan." Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, "Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it." But the men who had gone up with him said, "We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we." And they gave the children of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, "The land through which we have gone as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great stature. There we saw the giants (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight" (Numbers 13:25-33)

Only two out of the twelve spies that went to take a look at the land God promised Israel had a positive report to bring back to Moses. Joshua and Caleb had an attitude of faith. The other ten spies were steeped in the tradition of doubt and unbelief.

Unbelief looks at obstacles. Faith looks at God and His promises! What kind of report do you have of your life and your circumstances today? Do you have a God sized attitude, or do you have grasshopper vision?

With only human ability in view, the ten spies said they looked like grasshoppers beside the giants. Yet Joshua and Caleb sized up the circumstance in comparison to God and said, we are well able to over come them!

Doubt and fear looks at the size of the problem. Faith looks at the bigness and greatness of God.

Allow God’s Word today to build you up. You and God are a majority! Greater is He who is in you than he that is in the world! Take your eyes off of your problems, and place them on God, His promises, His faithfulness, and His love! All things are possible to him who believes!

Take it By Force

And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force (Matthew 11:12).

The fight is on until the end of the church age. It’s the forces of darkness verses the kingdom of light! We’re addressed as soldiers in a battle throughout the New Testament. We’re to fight the good fight (1 Timothy 6:12); the weapons of our warfare are not carnal(2 Corinthians 10: 3-5); as an enlisted soldier don’t be entangled with civilian affairs that weight you down (2 Timothy 2:4); we’re to put on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:11).

The great news is that the battle is already won; the outcome is set. We win! Our fight is a faith fight. We fight to maintain faith and to look beyond what we can see and feel to the never changing Word of the living God! Walking in the Word gives us security, confidence, and boldness in the face of extreme opposition.

It’s faith and patience that inherits the promises of God. Stand in faith today for your marriage, your children, your health, your finances, or for circumstantial change. Don’t be moved when the going gets tough. Satan’s power has been limited by the blood of Jesus to the power of suggestion and feeling manipulation! Satan is a defeated foe! (Colossians 2:15; Colossians 1:13). The only thing he can do is to put a thought in your mind and a feeling in your body and try to coerce you to act on it.

So war a good warfare and walk by faith. Say only what the Word of God says about your current circumstances. Refuse to be moved by what you see and feel. If you do, the power of patience combined with your faith will secure victory over the current test! Walk in praise and thanksgiving as you believe you receive from the Father. The more pressure Satan brings, the more tenaciously you speak the Word aloud, and the more you praise and worship the Father!

You only lose if you quit. The last chapter is already written. Take by force what belongs to you in Christ. Refuse to cower down to wrong thoughts and feelings. Hold your head high as a son or daughter of the Most High! Expect God’s best today! You’re more than a conqueror!

While we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal (2 Corinthians 4:18). What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? (Romans 8:31-32).

It is Up to Us!

The Father has done all that He can do to bless and help us. When Jesus became the incarnate Son of God, died in our stead, went to hell in our place, was raised from the dead, and then was seated at the right hand of the Father, our redemption was a settled fact in the mind of God.

Jesus sacrifice for us purchased our salvation, healing, deliverance, and freedom from everything Satan brought us through Adam’s sin. Victory over oppression, depression, fear, sickness, disease, poverty, all kinds of lack, personal weaknesses, and every form of sin is now available to every human being. This salvation transcends race, ethnic persuasion, or gender.

Every promise of God is equally available to every human being on the planet right now. In the mind of God, your salvation has purchased your individual freedom from everything the fall of man brought into your life.

Now it’s up to us to individually exercise our God given choice and our God given grace through faith and receive all that Jesus has purchased for us. Our freedom is no longer up to God. It’s up to us! We must choose to act on the Word of God in faith, and by faith receive all that Jesus provided. If we fail to act on the Word, God’s hands are tied. Jesus’ work is complete, and we are complete in Him.

What the Father said to His old covenant people is also said to us in the church today: See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil, in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, that you may live and multiply; and the Lord your God will bless you in the land which you go to possess. But if your heart turns away so that you do not hear, and are drawn away, and worship other gods and serve them, I announce to you today that you shall surely perish; you shall not prolong your days in the land which you cross over the Jordan to go in and possess. I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live (Deuteronomy 30:15-19).

Let’s make a clear choice today to act on the word in every circumstance, to speak God’s word in the face of the negative report and the feelings of defeat. We cannot be defeated if we make the choice to fight the good fight of faith. The battle has already been won. The victory is ours to possess. Let’s stand our ground and receive God’s best!

Our God Reigns

Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble (Matthew 6:31-34).

In these closing moments of the church age, the Father wants to shine through us! As the world situation continues to grow more challenging, our response is to trust the faithfulness of our God!

An ark was provided for Noah as God instructed him on how to survive the flood. The Israelites were fed by manna in the wilderness for almost 40 years! God provided water for them out of a rock when no water was in sight!

God fought for Israel when they trusted implicitly in the covenant, and they won every battle during the time they walked in the covenant. Lot and his believing family were spared the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah as the angel delivered God’s word to them to flee. Elijah was fed by a raven as he sat by a brook. Daniel was saved from the lion’s terror. The three Hebrew men thrown in the furnace escaped without even the smell of smoke on their clothes.

Jesus fed a multitude with a little boy’s lunch. Peter went fishing and found the money to pay their taxes!

God’s has a great record of taking care of His people. And He hasn’t brought us this far to leave us to fend for ourselves. He’s planned this day for a long time. The prophets have mapped out for us what will occur in the last days, and here we are.

We’re covenant people with the King of the universe! Don’t be moved by the naysayers that predict gloom and doom on us all. The Father will do for us what He has done in the past. He will guide. He will supply. He will set us apart. He will protect. He will empower. And one day, in the thick of the fray, Jesus will appear in the clouds and take us home!

Pray about every event and issue in your life. Believe that you receive the answer when you pray, and praise God for His provision. This is the day for us to shine. This is the day for celebration. Our God reigns. He honors His Word. He meets our needs. Let’s rejoice!

The World

I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world (John 17:14-16).

God’s people have always been a separated people. We are to shine as lights in the darkness around us. We have the influence of salt in a bland, sin-filled world.

John tells us not to love the world. Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world — the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life — is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever (1 John 2:15-17).

The world is defined by Kenneth Wuest as all the floating mass of thoughts, opinions, maxims, speculations, hopes, impulses, aims, aspirations that are at any time current in the world. Smith Wigglesworth defines the world as that which cools my affection towards God. Here in 1 John, the world is defined as the sinful longings of the flesh and eyes, and as the pride of life.

The world looms large as an enticing danger to every believer. For that reason we must guard ourselves. If we love the world (1 John 2:15), we could become friends with the world, which is actually classed with being an enemy of God (James 4:4). We then could become spotted or tainted by the world (James 1:27). The end result of all of this is being conformed to the world (Romans 12:2). And if a person continues in that, he or she could be condemned with the world (1 Corinthians 11:32).

A believer that becomes friendly, spotted, in love with, and conformed to the world, is open to receive the chastening of the Lord. For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world (1 Corinthians 11:31-32).

He does not want us to lose our spiritual life to the influence of the world. So the Father gives us an opportunity to repent, and if we choose not to judge ourselves from this behavior of becoming like the world, He then chastens us. When God chastens, His hand of protection is removed, and the enemy is allowed to move in where he then seeks to steal, kill, and destroy.

Let’s keep ourselves today, so that the enemy has no inroad into our life through the world. Jesus has prayed for us to be kept from the world. Let’s refuse to compromise. Let’s be salty, light filled believers!

Restitution and Forgiveness

When a man or woman commits any sin that men commit in unfaithfulness against the Lord, and that person is guilty, then he shall confess the sin which he has committed. He shall make restitution for his trespass in full, plus one-fifth of it, and give it to the one he has wronged. But if the man has no relative to whom restitution may be made for the wrong, the restitution for the wrong must go to the Lord for the priest, in addition to the ram of the atonement with which atonement is made for him (Numbers 5:6-8). Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift (Matthew 5:23-24).

Restitution is something that we don’t hear much about in our day, and it’s an important part of walking uprightly before the Father.

When we sin, and confess our sins, the Father is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). And when God forgives, sin, He forgets what we did, and we can then move on.

However, If our sin and misdeed affects another person, it is not enough to just go to the Father and ask Him only to forgive us! In order to bring closure to that misdeed or sin when others are affected, we must go to that person, and confess that what we said or did was wrong, and tell them we’ve repented before God and asked Him to forgive. Then we must ask them to forgive us for what we did. This is a part of restitution.

If a thief steals what belongs to another, becomes convicted of his misdeed or sin and repents, then he must also give back the stolen items to the person he stole them from. That is restitution. And when our sin affects others, we must deal with how that sin altered the relationship! Don’t just go to God; go to the other person also!

I’m talking here about things that are done out in the open and are known by others. If you’re holding a grudge or have been judging someone, and the person is unaware of this because you’ve hid it well, then this doesn’t need to be confessed to the person. No restitution is necessary. The person had no idea in this instance that there was a problem.

But if you do something and it has harmed another in some way, then part of the repentance for these sins must include restitution.

Let’s keep short accounts with the Father and with others, and let’s be responsible for our actions and choices and how they affect others!

No Fear

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but He has given us a spirit of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control (2 Timothy 1:7 – Amplified).

A fear based life is an unsettled life. What’s going to happen in my future, in my home, in my travels, in my body, in my finances? A faith based life expects God to act in every circumstance and situation that life brings.

A fear based life is based on feelings and circumstances. A faith based life is a life that is lived by the Word! What God says settles everything to the faith based life. A calmness, a rest, a hope, a security, and great joy accompany the faith based life. Depression, gloom, irritability, dread, hopelessness, and tiredness accompany the fear based life.

Make the switch today to be a person who lives by faith and not by fear based sight! Each day will become an adventure as you and the Father go through the day talking with one another, strategizing with His Word about the details of what you’re doing. Faith based living does not consult with the flesh, circumstances or opinion. Thus says the Lord rules the faith based life.

Fear attracts satanic activity, and draws a person into difficulty. The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe (Proverbs 29:25). Job ascribed his troubles to his fear that opened the door for the enemy to attack him. For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me, and what I dreaded has happened to me (Job 3:25).

Don’t allow fear to rule your life. Fill yourself with the Word. Ask yourself what the Word says about every area of life. Refuse fear and the emotional baggage it brings. Lift your hands, praise God, and declare the Lordship of His Word over your life! Speak the Word and run fear out of your life today!

The Life Changing Word

It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life (John 6:63).

The Word contains God’s very life and nature. Feeding on the Word is not like reading Shakespeare or classic literature. These contain no power to change. But God’s Word is the power of God unto salvation for spirit, soul, and body (Romans 1:16-17).

Time in the Word is time spent in the presence of the Father. And just as you take your car into the mechanics shop for a tune up, so the Word tunes us up spiritually. It rids us of the habits and attitudes that hold us back. It makes adjustments in all areas of life; our home, our business life, our private world, and has to power to break engrained habits of conduct.

The Word provides spiritual nutrition so that we grow into the likeness of Christ. The Word is spirit food. Keep your spirit richly fed with this manna from heaven.

One Word of caution though. Just reading the Word with no purpose to change or act will do no good. Spiritual growth will be stifled, and personal progress will not be realized. It becomes self-evident over a period of time whether or not we are submitting ourselves to the Lordship of Jesus through the Lordship of the Word.

Notice again James 1:22-25 (NIV): Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it — he will be blessed in what he does.

The author of Hebrews likewise gives us this warning: Hebrews 5:12-14 (NIV):

In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

Be sure to feed on the Word daily with the attitude of acting on what you read. Be determined to change any action, word, attitude, motive, or conduct that disagrees with the Word. Keep a sensitive ear to the Holy Spirit by consciously asking yourself what the Word says about what you’re doing throughout the day.

If you’ll practice this for 21 to 28 days, you’ll begin to form a habit of walking intimately with your Father. This time next year, you’ll not be the same person!

The Lord My Shepherd

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever (Psalm 23).

The Father sees us as sheep, and He has the role of a shepherd in our lives. Here are some practical truths about sheep and shepherds that apply to our relationship with the Lord.

A shepherd knows his sheep by name and the sheep train themselves to know the shepherd’s voice. Sheep are helpless to defend themselves against enemies, and easily wander into danger.

The Father makes us to lie down in green pastures. A good shepherd will give his sheep the best food, and will lead them for miles to the greenest, most lush pastures. Good food means a healthy flock. Life is sustained by water, and the shepherd always looks for an abundant source near the grazing field. The Father is Jehovah-Jireh to us. He provides us with everything we need to live in blessing. He’s always looking for the best supply for all of our needs!

The Father restores our souls. A shepherd looks after each sheep, and seeks to make it feel secure and cared for. The Father wants to minister to us and heal the emotional wounds that life brings. The Father as our shepherd restores our soul. He leads us to partake of the engrafted Word that will renew our minds and release pain from our emotions (James 1:21). He will lead us away from the activities of the flesh that rob us of peace and inward rest, and urges us to spend time with Him so that He can brush away our fears with His comforting Word.

The Lord our shepherd is with us in times of danger. The valley of the shadow of death is a gulley on the side of a mountain that the shepherd and sheep must pass through to get back home. Animals of prey watch from the surrounding hills for sheep that stray. The shepherd has a rod to defend the sheep from the prey. On the other end of the rod is a hooked end that the shepherd uses to grab the sheep by the neck when they are about to leave the fold. Sheep feel secure from danger as long as they know the shepherd is nearby to defend them.

The Father prepares a table before us in front of our enemies. A shepherd will look for a flat place in a field where the sheep can lay down, eat lush grass, and rest. As the sheep eat and rest, the shepherd is ever watching for the prey that seeks to harm his sheep. The sheep eat and rest in security as long as they can look up and see their shepherd.

The Father anoints our head with oil. A Shepherd will anoint his sheep on a hot, dry day. Oil soothes the parched skin and brings refreshment in arid eastern countries. Wounds from brier scratches or snakes bites are cared for by being dressed with oil. The Father ever seeks to bring healing, health and restoration to our parched lives.

Our cup runs over. It’s one thing to have a full supply, It’s another to have so much that your cup runs over! That’s what our shepherd desires for us as His sheep. He wants us to have more than enough!

His goodness and mercy are extended to us every day of our lives. His mercies are new every morning! Blessing chases us every day! Allow the Lord to be your shepherd today. Listen for His voice. Watch for the guidance He brings through His Word to you. Expect Him to nurture you and care for you spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and physically. He is a good shepherd!

The Lord My Shepherd

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever (Psalm 23).

The Father sees us as sheep, and He has the role of a shepherd in our lives. Here are some practical truths about sheep and shepherds that apply to our relationship with the Lord.

A shepherd knows his sheep by name and the sheep train themselves to know the shepherd’s voice. Sheep are helpless to defend themselves against enemies, and easily wander into danger.

The Father makes us to lie down in green pastures. A good shepherd will give his sheep the best food, and will lead them for miles to the greenest, most lush pastures. Good food means a healthy flock. Life is sustained by water, and the shepherd always looks for an abundant source near the grazing field. The Father is Jehovah-Jireh to us. He provides us with everything we need to live in blessing. He’s always looking for the best supply for all of our needs!

The Father restores our souls. A shepherd looks after each sheep, and seeks to make it feel secure and cared for. The Father wants to minister to us and heal the emotional wounds that life brings. The Father as our shepherd restores our soul. He leads us to partake of the engrafted Word that will renew our minds and release pain from our emotions (James 1:21). He will lead us away from the activities of the flesh that rob us of peace and inward rest, and urges us to spend time with Him so that He can brush away our fears with His comforting Word.

The Lord our shepherd is with us in times of danger. The valley of the shadow of death is a gulley on the side of a mountain that the shepherd and sheep must pass through to get back home. Animals of prey watch from the surrounding hills for sheep that stray. The shepherd has a rod to defend the sheep from the prey. On the other end of the rod is a hooked end that the shepherd uses to grab the sheep by the neck when they are about to leave the fold. Sheep feel secure from danger as long as they know the shepherd is nearby to defend them.

The Father prepares a table before us in front of our enemies. A shepherd will look for a flat place in a field where the sheep can lay down, eat lush grass, and rest. As the sheep eat and rest, the shepherd is ever watching for the prey that seeks to harm his sheep. The sheep eat and rest in security as long as they can look up and see their shepherd.

The Father anoints our head with oil. A Shepherd will anoint his sheep on a hot, dry day. Oil soothes the parched skin and brings refreshment in arid eastern countries. Wounds from brier scratches or snakes bites are cared for by being dressed with oil. The Father ever seeks to bring healing, health and restoration to our parched lives.

Our cup runs over. It’s one thing to have a full supply, It’s another to have so much that your cup runs over! That’s what our shepherd desires for us as His sheep. He wants us to have more than enough!

His goodness and mercy are extended to us every day of our lives. His mercies are new every morning! Blessing chases us every day! Allow the Lord to be your shepherd today. Listen for His voice. Watch for the guidance He brings through His Word to you. Expect Him to nurture you and care for you spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and physically. He is a good shepherd!

Praise is Powerful

But You are holy, O You Who dwell in the holy place where the praises of Israel are offered (Psalm 22:3 – Amplified).

Believers have several weapons at their disposal as they fight the good fight of faith. They have the Word of God, the name of Jesus, the blood of Jesus, and praise and worship!

The Father watches over His Word to make it good as the Sword of the Spirit comes out of our mouth from our hearts in faith (Jeremiah 1:12). Demonic forces tremble when the command of faith is given in the Name of Jesus (Philippians 2: 9-11)! And we overcome Satan forces by the blood of the lamb and the word of our testimony (Revelation 12:11).

But of all the weapons in our arsenal, perhaps praise is the strongest. When praise is offered, God Almighty shows up in the atmosphere! The weightiness of God, the power of who He is manifests when praise is uttered. The power of God’s kingdom is aroused when our praise and worship are expressed.

In Acts 16, Paul and Silas were praising and worship so loudly that the other prisoners heard them as they were held in chains in the dark prison. Instead of the atmosphere of the prison invading them, they decided to invade that atmosphere of darkness with the presence of God! And their chains fell off, the prison doors were opened, and they were set free! God responded to their praise, shaking the ground under their feet, and shaking the unbelief around them that threatened their lives!

During battle, the Israelites were instructed to put Judah (praise) in the forefront of the combat They would sing, for the Lord is good, and His mercy endures forever! Israel’s enemies would be defeated time after time by an unseen host of angels as Israel fought with the weapons of a new type of spiritual warfare, praise and worship!

God has not changed. He still responds to praise by pouring out the weightiness of His presence, causing unseen enemies to flee. Don’t cower down to circumstances today. Pull out that weapon of praise, and allow the Lord to fight your battles. The battle is the Lord’s. The victory is ours to enjoy!

The Meditations of My Heart

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer (Psalm 19:14).

The Hebrew word for meditation here is higgayown and means to meditate, mutter, roar, speak, study, talk, or to utter. The Hebrew word gives reference to a murmuring sound.

The Father wants us to think and ponder things that will cause us to flow with His purposes to bless us with the best He has in this life. The words be acceptable in the above text are from the Hebrew word ratsown and means to delight or to satisfy. It delights the Father when our inward meditations agree with Him! And here’s why.

We are already blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ (Ephesians 1:3). All things that pertain to life and godliness already belong to us by faith. That is, all things necessary to sustain us both spiritually and materially have already been provided! (2 Peter 1:3-4). When our meditations, our self talk, the things that we really believe that make us what we are agree with the Father, it delights Him because we receive in life exactly what we believe! And when we agree with Him it gives Him permission to bless us.

All lack of agreement with the Father produces unmet need. He wants to help us in every area of life, but He’s hindered when we fail to agree with Him internally.

Proverbs tells us to keep our hearts with all diligence, because the things that we have in life flow out of it (Proverbs 4:23). We receive in life exactly what we believe in our hearts (our inward thoughts, our self-talk) about ourselves. Jesus said all things are possible to him who believes. He said as you have believed, so be it done to you, and He said according to your faith let it be done to you (Mark 9:23; Matthew 8:13; Matthew 9:29).

When our inward belief system agrees with the Father, the impossible becomes possible, the limits are removed, and we change! Our needs are met, the chains are removed, and we grow into the person we were created to be when we choose to meditate and think on the word!

Begin today to make His word your constant meditation. You’ll then be challenged by the Father to change wrong beliefs, and your life and circumstances will change from glory to glory!

The River

This is a prophecy the Lord gave me during our Wednesday night service this past Wednesday, January 12th, 2011. It needs no explanation, I'll just let it speak for itself:

There's a river flowing from My throne. And that river is flowing into the earth. It's a river that's in the realm of the spirit. It's not a river that you can see. It's not always a river that you can feel. But it's a river that flows from Me. And in that river is life. And in that river is victory. And in that river is deliverance. And in that river is joy. And in that river is peace. And in that river is all that you need and all that I ask you to do. If you're dry, if you're parched, if you're thirsty, come to the water and drink. And I will give you freely.

You can step your toe in. You can put your ankle in. You can go knee-deep. You can go waist-deep. But if you'll trust Me, I'll give you waters to swim in. And if you'll step out in the water, and you'll let yourself go, you'll see that I'll work the problems out in your life.

You can do it two ways: You can either do it by yourself, and you can struggle, and you can strain, and you can grunt, and you can have a hard time. Or you can throw yourself on Me, and throw yourself on My promises. And I promise you I will carry you.

This is a day, this is a day of great darkness and tests and trouble and trial. But it is also a day for My glory to be displayed. Arise, shine, your light has come. The glory of the Lord is risen upon you. Darkness does cover the earth, and gross darkness the people, but I'm shining My light on you. And I'm beckoning you to come to that river. I'm beckoning you to stick just one toe in and see how it feels. And you'll see the more you give Me, the more I'll pour Myself on you. This can be a year of new beginnings if you want it to be. Come and walk with Me. And one day you'll be like Enoch. You will not be; I'll take you.

You are an Ambassador

Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God (2 Corinthians 5:20).

An ambassador is a representative. An ambassador lives by the laws, values, and customs of his home country. His job is to represent his home country well, and to foster the relationship between his home country and the country where he’s working.

The Father could have just called us to glory after salvation, but He’s left us here on a mission. We are to represent the kingdom of heaven everywhere we go, in everything we do.

When you live as the Father’s special representative, it will attract questions from others. Jesus said that we believers are salt and light. Salt protects, enhances, and flavors. Without us, the world would be completely overcome with corruption. We protect the earth from total rebellion. We believers add hope to life on earth. We are to be change agents for the kingdom of God. The light within us exposes darkness.

If we live in Christ, with godly attitudes, values, words and actions, others will begin to notice and ask us questions. And we’re to sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear (respect) (1 Peter 3:15). Being an ambassador for Jesus is simply telling others what he’s done for you and showing them that He can do the same for them.

We’re not called to prove the Bible is the word of God, We’re not called to prove that our doctrine is the correct. We’re not called to show others how much we know about the Bible. We’re called to be ambassadors, and to be ready to tell others that the same Jesus that set us free can set them free too!

Notice the words of the Apostle John: That which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ (1 John 1:3). In witnessing, we’re simply to tell others what He did for us!

Look for opportunities today to be a witness, an ambassador. First of all, witness by your example of godly living. When others see the hope in you by the way you live, they will ask questions. Then, ask the Father to open up opportunities to share Jesus with others. Don’t quote scripture and be religious. Share your own experience in your own words. Invite them to come to a Lifegroup with you. Invite them to a service at your church. Tell them that what you have is not religion, but it’s a moment by moment relationship with Jesus that invades all you think, do, and say. Exercise your faith today and ask for opening in conversation with others to share the reason for the hope that is in you!

The Battlefield of the Mind

If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth (Colossians 3:1-2).

Spiritual battles are won or lost in the battlefield of the mind. Spiritual warfare is not out in the atmosphere somewhere. It’s between your ears! Satan knows that whatever rules your thoughts will eventually manifest in your life. Things that you meditate on get down into your underlying thoughts, into your spirit, and from there they rule your life.

We are encouraged to think on things above because thoughts rule conduct. We’re to imitate God. The only way to do that is to think like God. We have the mind of Christ. He’s given us the ability to think like Him!

Most believers allow their thoughts to meander all over the place. Throughout the day by thought association, events, people, smells, and a thousand things we come in contact with tag thoughts from the past in a millisecond. These thoughts mushroom if not controlled and can stir up the old man and can create much doubt and fear. Don’t let the ticker tape parade in your mind continue!

I learned years ago that thoughts must be purposely challenged and redirected. The mind has a mind of its own! It will lead you where you don’t want to go if you allow it to be in charge. Take the reigns of your mind today by forcing yourself to turn away from the negatives that creep into your thoughts.

The only way thoughts can be changed is for them to be replaced. Years ago I wrote Philippians 4:8 on a note card and kept it with me. Ever so often I would pull it our and read true, honest, just, pure, lovely, virtuous, praiseworthy. If my current thought life did not agree with these words, then I made myself think on a scripture. I would choose a scripture a day and write it down, seeking to memorize it. Then, when I found my thoughts racing down the wrong path, I would bring them to a halt by forcing myself to think on a scripture.

It works! And instead of my natural mind and my fickle emotions ruling me, I learned that the Holy Spirit through my spirit could rule me. When He’s in charge love, joy, and peace rule your life.

You begin to live in sync with heaven, and every day becomes an adventure with the Father. Yes, tests and trials still come, but with every challenge you have an inward content knowing that all things work together for good to them who love God, and are living in His purposes! Keep your mind and you’ll win every battle!

Today, don’t just seek things above as the beginning verse states, but force your thoughts to think things above! This will clean your life up, keep the enemy away, and draw you close to the Father and Jesus moment by moment!

The Father, the Holy Spirit, and the Word

Acting on the Word brings God into the details of your daily life. Then said the Lord to me, You have seen well, for I am alert and active, watching over My word to perform it (Jeremiah 1:12- Amplified). Acting on the Word causes God to watch over your actions! He pays attentions and gets involved when you act like His Word is important to you!

The Holy Spirit is attracted to the Word. He’s called the Spirit of Truth (John 14:17). When we show our love for Jesus by walking in obedience to the Word, the Holy Spirit is pleased!

The Holy Spirit takes the Word that we feed on in our personal times and reminds us of what we’ve heard. His major ambition is to help us act, think, respond, love, speak, and live like Jesus does. As He is, so are we in this world (1 John 4:17). Be imitators of God (Ephesians 5:1).

That’s why it’s so important to adhere to the Word. Where the Word is esteemed, the Holy Spirit manifests to bring it to pass. He sent His Word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. For healing to manifest, it’s important to say what God says and as much as possible, act like you’re healed by believing you receive. This brings the Holy Spirit into the situation with your body. He is the one who materializes the healing that Jesus purchased for us 2000 years ago. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you (Romans 8:11).

Acting on the Word brings you into realm of the limitless God who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all you can ask or think!

Take time today to meditate on the Word. Speak the Word. Intertwine the Word into your work, your family, and your leisure. Become conscious of what the Word says about what you’re involved in today. If you do, and act and speak in line with the Word, then the Holy Spirit will aid you with His ability, and the Father will watch over you and do amazing things. Magnify the Word!

Free from Deception

In our postmodern culture, we have the same personal ideology as the culture in Israel during the time of the Judges. Every person did what was right in his own eyes.

As Christians, we’re admonished not to be of the world (Romans 12:2). That is, we’re not to be swayed by the attitudes and actions of unbelievers. And instead of doing what we feel like doing any given moment, we’re to obey the Word! Our blessing in God is in obedience! What some folk don’t realize is that if we refuse to obey the Word, we’re turning a deaf ear to the Spirit of God!

We’re entering into the time period just prior to the time of tribulation spoken of by Jesus in Matthew 24, Luke 21, and found in Revelation 6-19. It’s a time of great challenge and difficulty. To navigate successfully through this time, it’s important for us to be people of the Word!

Notice 1 Timothy 4:1-2 (Amplified): But the Holy Spirit distinctly and expressly declares that in latter times some will turn away from the faith, giving attention to deluding and seducing spirits and doctrines that demons teach, through the hypocrisy and pretensions of liars whose consciences are seared (cauterized).

Then also notice 2 Timothy 4: 3-4 (God’s Word translation): A time will come when people will not listen to accurate teachings. Instead, they will follow their own desires and surround themselves with teachers who tell them what they want to hear. People will refuse to listen to the truth and turn to myths.

Demonic forces are working today to separate people from truth. They seek to twist truth to turn people from the path of right living. Here’s the way to stay with the Spirit of God, and to stay safely in the protection and care that the Father has for you during this time. It’s real simple! Obey the Word!

The verses above reveal that doctrines of demons will urge people to turn away from the faith, and only hear what pleases them. So, when I hear the truth of the Word, but the Word disagrees with what I feel like doing or want to do at the moment, and I ignore the Word and act on my feelings, I actually open myself up to demonic deception!

As a pastor, I’ve had the unfortunate experience of having people sit in front of me in my office and tell me that adultery for them is ok, that fornication, for them for the moment, is ok; that lying, in this situation and for the moment, is ok; and the list goes on and on!

Here’s the bottom line: Any believer that decides to ignore the Word and do what he or she knows is wrong, defies conscience and opens themselves up to demonic deception! Don’t do that!

If God says love your neighbor as yourself, then love your neighbor as yourself! If God says, be angry and do not sin, then be angry and do not sin. If God says, don’t gossip and say bad things about your fellow worker, then don’t gossip and say bad things about your fellow worker. If God says, don’t lust, then turn your eyes away!

The Father’s protection, favor, and care in this hour will be with those who choose to love Him by obeying His Word! Don’t compromise the Father’s care in this time with loose living; doing what is right in your own eyes. Defy your own thoughts and feelings and obey the Word! That’s where you will find the blessing, protection, and favor of the Father today!

Enter Your Closet

But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly (Matthew 6:6).

The Father wants us to share our heart with Him. He wants to be our burden bearer. Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you (1 Peter 5:7). Heart fellowship was the reason He created us. It’s the reason He redeemed us.

Jesus said that when we pray, we’re to go into our most private room, he called it a closet. This is a place of intimacy. The Greek word here could be translated bedchamber. This is a place where a husband and wife share intimate moments. Life comes from that sharing.

The Father wants to be intimate with us. He wants us to share our secret thoughts with Him. Life will come out of those moments.

I want to encourage you to take time to develop intimacy with the Father in your closet, your bedchamber. Find a place that is undisturbed, and just begin to talk to Him about the concerns of your life.

I’m going to leave you today with Psalm 139: 1-18. The Father has used this passage to reveal to me how tenderly He thinks of me. Allow it to minister to you:

Ps 139:1-18 (God’s Word Translation)

O Lord, you have examined me, and you know me. You alone know when I sit down and when I get up. You read my thoughts from far away. You watch me when I travel and when I rest. You are familiar with all my ways. Even before there is a single word on my tongue, you know all about it, Lord. You are all around me—in front of me and in back of me. You lay your hand on me. Such knowledge is beyond my grasp. It is so high I cannot reach it. Where can I go to get away from your Spirit? Where can I run to get away from you? If I go up to heaven, you are there. If I make my bed in hell, you are there. If I climb upward on the rays of the morning sun or land on the most distant shore of the sea where the sun sets, even there your hand would guide me and your right hand would hold on to me. If I say, "Let the darkness hide me and let the light around me turn into night," even the darkness is not too dark for you. Night is as bright as day. Darkness and light are the same to you. You alone created my inner being. You knitted me together inside my mother. I will give thanks to you because I have been so amazingly and miraculously made. Your works are miraculous, and my soul is fully aware of this. My bones were not hidden from you when I was being made in secret, when I was being skillfully woven in an underground workshop. Your eyes saw me when I was only a fetus. Every day of my life was recorded in your book before one of them had taken place. How precious are your thoughts concerning me, O God! How vast in number they are! If I try to count them, there would be more of them than there are grains of sand. When I wake up, I am still with you.

Finding Intimacy

Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created (Revelation 4:11).

The Father created us for His pleasure. He created man so that He could have someone with which He could enjoy rich fellowship. We are created to bring Him pleasure. He has brought us into relationship with Him through the New Birth. And once the relationship is established, He longs for intimate fellowship with you.

Sometimes there are roadblocks to personal fellowship. A person raised in a harsh family environment where their thought and opinions were not welcomed or valued will at first struggle to have an intimate fellowship wit the Lord. Some people are just naturally inclined to hold themselves back, and not share their heart with others.

This deeper level of communication with the Lord must be developed. It takes time to break habits of holding yourself back. The first key to having deep, rich fellowship with the Lord is knowing that He loves you, accepts you, and forgives and cleanses you from sin.

You are righteous in His presence. When you confess your sin, it is as though you have never done wrong! As a righteous person in Christ, you have the same standing before the Father that Jesus has! The Father unconditionally loves and accepts you! Because He does, He has an open ear to listen to you and understands everything you think and feel.

The next step to rich fellowship with the Father is to force yourself to go there! Go to a private place and begin to share your heart secrets with Him. Tell Him everything; the good, the bad, and the ugly. Hold nothing from Him. At first, this is uncomfortable if your experiences have caused you to hold yourself back from others. But you’ll find that the moment you get real with the Father, His love and joy will rise up in you by the Holy Spirit. This is the beginning of your close communion and fellowship with Him.

As a new believer and a young man in my late teens, I would go to my room and read my Bible for a period of time. Then, I would begin to pray, and I found myself for the first expressing to the Father my deepest heart thoughts.

At first I was afraid that He would be upset with me as I was so honest. I shared motives, thoughts, fears, questions, longings, and wrong desires. I found that when I did this, the Father did not judge me, yet He held me to the standard of the Word. And by the Holy Spirit He would speak to me and comfort me. He would encourage me to trust Him to change me.

In time, it became easier and easier to bear my heart to Him. He became a place of refuge when I felt emotional pain, or when the pressures of life seemed too much to bear. He is the kindest, most understanding person you will ever know.

The Father is a refuge from the storms of life. In His shadow you will find protection from the harshness of life. If you’ll give Him your heart life and open yourself up to Him, He will become an ever present strength and will sustain your mind and emotions in every challenge life brings. He will be the vine and you will be the branch. His life will pour into you as you unreservedly give Him your heart.

Come with me on this journey of intimacy with the Father. He’s longing for your fellowship today. Let the walls down!