Keep Going...

Have you ever followed the Lord’s leading...then hit a...storm of adversity?

“Now it happened, on a certain day, 
that He got into a boat with His disciples. 
And He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side of the lake.”
And they launched out.”
Luke 8:22

Found in Luke 8...Jesus tells the disciples to head to the other side of the Sea of Galilee and He promptly goes to sleep. As they cross the body of water...as He instructed...a severe windstorm whips up and their boat takes on water...they are perishing.

Yet, HIS word never changed...they did make it to the other side.
The disciples thought He didn’t care...He never left them.
Their faith was shaken...Jesus...was not.
They would have preferred calm waters...yet...what a story!

If you are going through something similar look at Luke 8. You will be encouraged...you WILL reach His destination for you...

Continue...to launch out...

The Power of Worship...

I am reminded…that worship…is often warfare…

“Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, 
And a two-edged sword in their hand,”
Psalm 149:6

When we worship…things break through in the heavenly realm that can miraculously change circumstances in our physical realm…yes…worship can do this. There are just too many Bible stories which record this…and too many life experiences to discount it.

No…we don’t worship to get. Nevertheless, when we do genuinely worship the King of Kings and Lord of Lords…fears cease, the enemy falters, Jesus is glorified...and we are transformed by His presence.

So whatever you are facing right now...instead of contacting someone else…go to the throne room, first. Stay until you have touched heaven, ask for a scripture to strengthen you…then see what He does next.

Now...Your Turn...

For much of my life, I lived in the nagging insecurity of feeling... unseen.

“Then she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees...”
Genesis 16:13

The enemy of my soul told me otherwise. He spoke subtle lies to me and I gave him a toehold...I gave him the time of day. He made it a stronghold. It is unfortunately so much easier to believe what the devil says, what the world says...what my own insecurities say...instead of ruthlessly trusting Jesus’ Words...for you too?

However, the desperate decision to live in the Lord’s presence on a minute by minute basis, broke up those lies. I am seen by the One and Only Who is worth being seen by. Instead of torment... His truth set me free. I am seen by the God of the Universe...Who is absolutely crazy about me... and that is all I live for.

Now...your turn...

New Year's Resolution...

If you are still contemplating New Year’s resolutions...here is a good one...

“He restores my soul; 
He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake.”
Psalm 23:3

The resolution? To keep surrendering full access to the Holy Spirit to restore our souls. In other words...asking Him to go deep in our hearts and minds to bring healing to our past, breaking lies we believe about ourselves and God, and delivering us from the grip of our enemy the devil.

Take it from one who was once so tormented in her soul...she almost lost her family: an amazing husband and three beautiful children. I know the heartache...and now I know the pure bliss of freedom. Jesus is the real deal and He can do it. He will be restoring us ‘til our final breath, but we have to start somewhere.

My new New Year’s resolution? Have at me, Lord.

Experience....

There is a world of difference in simply reading the Bible...and experiencing its power...

“Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, 
“If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 
And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
John 8:31-32

My dear friend, Marjorie, shared with me yesterday...

Although she dearly and deeply loved God’s Word, she once was riddled and held captive by every fear imaginable (I knew her then...oh my...this was so true!). Guilt and shame were weaved into her daily life, as well. It wasn’t until she allowed the Holy Spirit to His breathe upon His inspired Word...did she experience the transforming work of the Word. Jesus....the Written and Living Word. So...

Read the Bible to learn, learn, learn...but also ask the Spirit to cause life, power, deliverance, healing, and restoration be your daily experience, too.

At The Start of this Week...

At the start of this week...

Should you feel alone, abandoned, or confused...remember the Lord Jesus desires to hold you close. Turn to Him now...He is a gentleman and won’t force His way into your life unless you extend an open hand and surrender your plans for His.

Should you find yourself feeling irritated, impatient, or agitated with someone...Truly! Take a minute to laugh at yourself! Talk to the Lord and shake it off! The irritation you are facing is nothing in the light of God’s unfailing love and joy for you. Get over yourself and let the Lord’s joy overflow your soul to the person who may seem difficult. He holds you close.

This is a week of new beginnings, hopes that will be realized, and miracles to watch for. Keep your eyes open, your heart tender, and your mind from distraction. This week will be awesome in Jesus because Who is in you is greater than anything!

1 John 4:4

On Our Knees...

Jesus called it...

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33

We live in a messed up world. The King of Kings had no problem naming the devil as the culprit of earth’s darkness. However, the one who rules this planet 1 John 5:19...the one who would kill, rob, and destroy, is no match for the One who came to give life abundantly. He is our Peace. He is...the Light of the World.

We need to start – if we haven’t already – to take our stand...on our knees. Let’s be praying for those who don’t know Jesus yet. Let’s be praying for...nations. And, let’s be praying for the power of God’s Word and the miraculous in the Holy Spirit to be multiplied. So that many might come to faith. And...if we haven’t yet...let’s get serious about our own walk with the Lord.

One thing for sure. Praise God. In the midst of darkness...His Light shines brighter still.

Feel free to share...

Oh. To Be like Anna...

I have a heroine found on the pages of the New Testament...

“Now there was one, Anna... this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.”
Luke 2:36-37

Think about it. Anna could have missed her divine appointment with the Christ child. She could have set her own day’s agenda, doing what she thought best, ignoring the voice of the Holy Spirit leading her.

Instead, she lived sold out for and totally in love with God. She was faithful to the ministry He had called her to even when no one probably noticed or knew her name. And... most certainly she knew Him intimately. She knew His still, small voice leading her throughout her seemingly ordinary days.

Oh. To be like Anna...

Because if we are faithful and obedient to the Lord in the little things, we will be in the right place at the right time for His big things.

A Simple Recipe...

Here a simple recipe for Holy Spirit transformation...

“Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”
Romans 12:2 NLT

Basically...letting God transform, heal, and deliver me from the world’s way of thinking so that I can hear from Him more clearly for my own life. Mostly...stop comparing and wishing I was someone else.

I was very much like the Charlie Brown character, Pig-Pen...not a glamorous comparison. However, the swirling mass of thoughts and confusion consuming most of my life was very much like the swirling mass of debris that little Pig-Pen’s life depicted. Jesus changed all that. And, He is still doing it.

From this launching pad of freedom in my thoughts...I started to know who I was created to be...and, my goodness, that’s what Paul writes about next in Romans 12. Take a look...and begin to let the Him speak to you how special you really are.

Some Verses for the Coming Year...

I am a huge proponent of asking the Lord for a Scripture(s) for the year...this is one of mine...

“Watch, stand fast in the faith, 
be brave, be strong. 
Let all that you do be done with love.”
1 Corinthians 16:13-14

The Holy Spirit is speaking to my heart to watch...to guard my heart from the world’s ensnarement. I also am to watch...for what He is doing and partner with Him to bring Jesus to those in need of Him.

He is calling me to ruthlessly believe His Word. Believe...Him. No more Plan B’s. And because I want the Holy Spirit to super-naturally enable me for what He has put before me, I need His bravery...His strength. Not mine. Lastly...let everything...yes, everything I do ...be done in His agape love. This is a tall order that only He can fulfill. I believe He will.

Do you need some verses for the year? This would be a great place to start.

Between the Commas....

Sometimes...you just have to read between the commas…

“…the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,”  Ephesians 1:18

The riches of the gospel of Jesus Christ are laid out for us in a few short words from Paul’s prayer above. These few words can change your life. Really.

Try it. Simply read the verse above…savoring each phrase…between the commas. I believe the Lord has something to speak into your current situation(s)…just from these three phrases. Ponder His words to you in this moment. What applies to you? How is your heart…being moved…or wrecked for His glory?

Let’s slow down. Let’s savor God’s Word. Let’s read between the commas.

(Happy New Year Everyone!)

Looking Forward...

You know…it is kind of a big event…this New Year’s thing...

“...and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith,”
Hebrews 12:2a

It is a good time to remember…how much His grace kept us and held us, even when we resisted. How the hard, even life-shattering days, were made softer by His presence…and, if we let Him…those difficult times actually turned to gold, by the power of the Holy Spirit in us.

And…the joys! Oh the joys! Did His joy permeate our lives this year? Was this a year of great gratefulness…that each day…I had received another day of life and adventure walking…with Him??

So yes…take inventory with honest eyes. Let Him make some adjustments….and then…look forward…oh yes…forward… 2016 will be grand expedition in the Lord Jesus Christ…when we set our gaze firmly upon Him.

Feel free to share...

Happy New Year!

I love new beginnings...

I love second chances, third opportunities, fourth starting fresh experiences...the list goes on.

Jesus loves new things, too. That is what grace is all about...and mercy. He is all about doing...new things...especially in His lamb’s lives.

“Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old.

Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth;

Shall you not know it?

I will even make a road in the wilderness, And rivers in the desert.”

 Isaiah 43:18-19

Let the Magnificent Creator create something new in you today, this week...this New Year. It is time to let some old things go and extend your hands to receive His fresh gifts in, to, and through your life.

However...let HIM do it. No help needed on your part...just surrender.  

You won’t be disappointed.

Reset Button...

This last week of 2015 is a good time to reflect.

“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.”
2 Corinthians 3:18

Really. Especially as a Jesus Follower...I have to ask myself...did I allow Him to do His healing work in my heart, mind, and body? Have I journeyed a bit further down the road in Christ by knowing Him more intimately? Do I look a little bit more like Him? Did I leave eternal footprints this past year? You know...were the people around me impacted by the Holy Spirit...because I was in their midst?

This isn’t guilt and condemnation time (when has that ever worked?). It is more...I-don’t-want-to-waste-another-year-time. Take it from someone who wasted a LOT of years...but hit the reset button with Jesus about eleven years ago and has been enjoying the thrill-ride with Him ever since.

Feel free to share...

At the Start of This Final Week of 2015...

At the start of this final week of 2015....

Take time to with the Lord Jesus to reflect on this past year. Yes...the good, the not so good, the difficult, and the beautiful. Stuck on a particularly trying occasion from 2015? Ask for the Holy Spirit’s tangible comfort and peace. Honestly. You don’t always need answers...but you will always need Him. Don’t run from Him...come closer instead, until His touch is felt deeply in your heart.

Start to prepare your heart for all Jesus wants to do in and through your this coming year. Prepare your heart to live on purpose daily...for Him. Ask the Spirit for a passage or two from God’s Word...His words over your life this coming year. He wants to give you extravagant adventures in your home, your school, your workplace, your extended family and friends, your world. Don’t miss anything He has for you in 2016.

This is a week of new beginnings, hopes that will be realized, and miracles to watch for. Keep your eyes open, your heart tender, and your mind from distraction. This week will be awesome in Jesus because Who is in you is greater than anything!
1 John 4:4

He Sees Me...

I received an early Christmas present about two months ago...

“He also brought me out into a broad place; 
He delivered me because He delighted in me.”
Psalm 18:19

Jesus delivered me from a lifetime bondage...
I can’t take the time to share how He accomplished this...or how I was set free in layers...Nevertheless. I know now. I am completely free...to be seen only by Him.

I think a lot of us need this gift. We need not only to know we are seen by Him, but to know in the depths of our being that He is the only One who needs to see us. He is more than enough. I am wondering if this struggle is a part of the “selfie” craze? (No judgement or condemnation here.)

Anyway...please pray about this. Let Jesus give you an extraordinary Christmas gift as well.

Creative Gift...

This Christmas...listen for the Lord possibly awakening something creative...in you.

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”
Genesis 1:1

Each and every one of us has a creative bent. You know…something we like to do…something we make…or something we form. Possibly something we build, write, cook, dance, bears artistry…something that brings us pleasure.

However...some of us have given up on our creativity. Why bother? Who will see? Who will care?

He does.

What have you given up on…or never tried…because you thought the "why" questions? I think our creative God created us in His image for His pleasure…and ours. Let His gifts be revived in you again...this coming year. His Christmas gift to you...

At the Start of this Week...

At the start of this countdown to Christmas week...

Should a situation in your life: financial, relational, physical… seem greater than what you can handle...He already knows. His strength is made perfect in your weakness!

Should you feel hemmed in by your circumstances, walls on every side…Look up! Let God scoop you up in His everlasting arms and give you all that you need. He may have you hemmed for a strategic purpose so don’t try to wrangle out of what you are going through. Let Him carry you safely to your next destination in Him.

This is a week of new beginnings, hopes that will be realized, and miracles to watch for. Keep your eyes open, your heart tender, and your mind from distraction. This week will be awesome in Jesus because Who is in you is greater than anything!
1 John 4:4

Give an Eternal Gift...

This year…how about giving the gift that keeps on giving…

“…The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”
James 5:16b

Give the gift of consistently praying for someone, a ministry, or a world event…for several weeks, months…or for all of the coming year.

Please understand…I am a prayer flake if there ever was one. I am more of a shotgun shooter…I spray out a bunch of prayers and hope one hits the mark. Not always thought-full or Spirit-led.

Anyway, this past year… the Lord directed me to start designating days of the week…Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, etc…to become prayer days for a particular person, ministry, or world event: Debbie’s Day of Prayer…Contival’s Day of Prayer…Middle East Day of Prayer…you get the drift. I’m not spiritual…I am lack-a-daisical. I need help…

Maybe you need help with prayer as well. Find what works best for you...and give an…eternal…gift...

Feel free to share...

The Star...

The Bethlehem star can teach us a few things about guidance...

“Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”
Matthew 2:1-2

Like the Wise Men...we need to look up! All our direction comes from the One Who made us. Our earthly circumstances, though used by God, shouldn’t guide our decisions. Only the leading of the Holy Spirit in line with His Word. And...wherever Jesus is leading us...will be filled with His light. In other words...He won’t lead us into something dark or oppressive. Even the most difficult things He is guiding us into…fill us with His joy.

We should check in daily with Him to know we are still on the right page. Just as the wise men surely had to keep their eye on the prize with daily calculations.

Finally, we need to stop when He stops…move only when He tells us to…and be patient! It may have taken the Magi two years to reach their final destination…it was worth the wait.

Yes...this star of wonder...is still...pretty special...

Feel free to share...