Archives for December 2010

INTRODUCTION
I believe that God interacts with His people on a daily basis. He desires to do that. Sure, we should see Him when we open our eyes, or dress ourselves, when we arrive at our destinations safely, and greet our family & friends. Yes, these are miracles we take for granted and we SHOULD give thanks to God for them. However, if at the end of the day, we cannot pinpoint a certain moment where there was a Yeshua-experience just for us, we have missed Him. I am going to start a series in which I detail those Yeshua Moments in my life and I hope you do the same. Let’s practice His presence. Let’s consciously choose to see Him in everything, everywhere! Here’s the point–”The more we focus on what He IS doing, the more of that He will do in our lives. If we focus on what He is NOT doing, He will NOT do anything–and it is not that He is Not doing anything, but that is all that you will see.” So let’s practice the presence of our God for the next 30 days and record them so that our spirits can be alive in Him. Let’s help to build one another’s faith and awaken our spiritual pores to the living Presence of our Abba. Come on! Let’s walk with the Father!

Day # 25 — “Don’t Count Me Out”
I had a chance to work out with my niece today! As we did, she was being ministered to by the songs of Marvin Sapp. There was one, in particular, that she wanted me to hear, “Don’t Count Me Out.” It spoke a rhema word, especially on the Julian Calendar day of New Year’s Eve! If you get a chance to listen to his fervent, soulful rendition, please do. Until then, here are the words and I encourage you to prophesy them over your life, declare them as truth because they are truth!

Left Alone
But never forgotten
Misunderstood
But my future is just starting
God is molding me and shaping me
He’s building me and making me
A king is being formed right in front of your eyes

So don’t count me out
When you don’t see what he sees
You can’t tell but his glory is resting on me
I’m his choice
After his heart, the unveiling is starting now
so don’t count me out

I’m no longer the same no more

There has been a change in me
For there are enemies that I must defeat
It’s my time, its my time
Don’t count me out

There’s a king in me
Goliaths to defeat
Visions to decree
It’s my destiny 4x

Father, thank you for the year that is to come and the year that has passed! Thank you for reminding me of how special I am to You and how bright my future is with you! Thank you for not tiring of making me so that I be transformed into the image of Your Son. A King/Queen is being formed in me every day! I have Goliaths to defeat, not just in my life, but in the lives of my family members, my community, my congregation . . . Thank you that you never counted me out! Amen!

INTRODUCTION
I believe that God interacts with His people on a daily basis. He desires to do that. Sure, we should see Him when we open our eyes, or dress ourselves, when we arrive at our destinations safely, and greet our family & friends. Yes, these are miracles we take for granted and we SHOULD give thanks to God for them. However, if at the end of the day, we cannot pinpoint a certain moment where there was a Yeshua-experience just for us, we have missed Him. I am going to start a series in which I detail those Yeshua Moments in my life and I hope you do the same. Let’s practice His presence. Let’s consciously choose to see Him in everything, everywhere! Here’s the point–”The more we focus on what He IS doing, the more of that He will do in our lives. If we focus on what He is NOT doing, He will NOT do anything–and it is not that He is Not doing anything, but that is all that you will see.” So let’s practice the presence of our God for the next 30 days and record them so that our spirits can be alive in Him. Let’s help to build one another’s faith and awaken our spiritual pores to the living Presence of our Abba. Come on! Let’s walk with the Father!

Day #24 — “The Promise of Spring”
It’s been great to finally get out from our snowed-in cabins, feel the fever abate, (you know, cabin fever) and drive on slushy, icy streets — just to feel the sunshine and to see all the snow that was dumped on neighborhoods. Upon my return home, I noticed the bushes in front of my house, heavy ladened with snow. I knew the promise of the spring, azaleas — pink, white, and purple — in full bloom. Bushes deep green and full with life. I am no horticulturalist, but seeing those bushes ladened with snow just did not seem healthy. Take a look below!

So I got out of the car and attempted to extricate them from their snow caps. To my surprise, as I tried to lift big chunks, the snow was still powdery, so it crumbled in my hands. Then I used the snow shovel to free them. It wasn’t before long that I was winded but managed to rescue a few of them while the others sadly wore their caps of snow. When I went inside and looked out the back window, I saw my gardenia bush, bent to the ground in its coat of snow and extricating it meant walking through 14 inches, digging it out then digging out myself.
Galatians 6 says something quite relevant to my snow-covered bushes: “Bear one another’s burdens” (2) That’s what I tried to do with the bushes. That’s what we should do with one another. But then there are some burdens that we must bear alone: “For every man shall bear his own burden” (5). Those bushes that could not be extricated now must bear the weight of their own burden until the sun comes out and the temperature rises. And there is still always a promise of spring.

Father, there are times when you will send someone to come along side us to help. Thank you for those times and for those servants. Let those who help not crumble under the weight of helping, but let them be revived in seeing an improvement in the lives of the ones they help. And, Father, in those times when we are to bear our own burden, give us the strength to do it, even when we are bowed under the weight of it — let us remember the promise of sunshine, better temperatures . . . and ultimately the promise of spring. Amen!

INTRODUCTION
I believe that God interacts with His people on a daily basis. He desires to do that. Sure, we should see Him when we open our eyes, or dress ourselves, when we arrive at our destinations safely, and greet our family & friends. Yes, these are miracles we take for granted and we SHOULD give thanks to God for them. However, if at the end of the day, we cannot pinpoint a certain moment where there was a Yeshua-experience just for us, we have missed Him. I am going to start a series in which I detail those Yeshua Moments in my life and I hope you do the same. Let’s practice His presence. Let’s consciously choose to see Him in everything, everywhere! Here’s the point–”The more we focus on what He IS doing, the more of that He will do in our lives. If we focus on what He is NOT doing, He will NOT do anything–and it is not that He is Not doing anything, but that is all that you will see.” So let’s practice the presence of our God for the next 30 days and record them so that our spirits can be alive in Him. Let’s help to build one another’s faith and awaken our spiritual pores to the living Presence of our Abba. Come on! Let’s walk with the Father!

Day 23 —  “How Did They Know?”
During our Winter Storm reclusiveness, I watched a movie that my husband brought home from the library. He knew I would enjoy it — TRUE WOMEN. It was an epic saga of strong, southern pioneer women who withstood all the ravages of the South — the Civil War, dying sons and husbands, stillborn children, cholera, women’s suffrage, Indian Wars, bigotry, slavery, etc… During one scene, Negro slaves are working in the fields, and as they worked, they sang in melodious chords of rich harmonies — “Can’t wait to get to heaven. There is so slavery in heaven.” They sang this as they picked the cotton, laboring in the hot sun.

My question was “how did they know?” Slavery was all that most of them knew of life, being 2nd and third generations of African slaves. How did they know there was a better life somewhere? How did they know that God would want them in heaven, not as slaves, but as His sons and daughters?

They knew something that their slavemasters did not. Even as one southerner said, “Negroes are not fit to be free. They only know how to be slaves.” That’s what the enemy tells us every day! But let’s declare our freedom in Yeshua. We serve a God who said, “I no longer call you servants, but friends!” HALLELUJAH! And there is something in each of us that calls us to that higher standard of living and existing! Let’s believe what God says — despite what we see! Let’s believe it, pursue it, and live it!

Father, thank you for putting something in us that speaks louder than the voices that yell at us every day! Thank you that our spirits bear witness with your Spirit! Help us to follow Your voice and trust You! Amen.

INTRODUCTION
I believe that God interacts with His people on a daily basis. He desires to do that. Sure, we should see Him when we open our eyes, or dress ourselves, when we arrive at our destinations safely, and greet our family & friends. Yes, these are miracles we take for granted and we SHOULD give thanks to God for them. However, if at the end of the day, we cannot pinpoint a certain moment where there was a Yeshua-experience just for us, we have missed Him. I am going to start a series in which I detail those Yeshua Moments in my life and I hope you do the same. Let’s practice His presence. Let’s consciously choose to see Him in everything, everywhere! Here’s the point–”The more we focus on what He IS doing, the more of that He will do in our lives. If we focus on what He is NOT doing, He will NOT do anything–and it is not that He is Not doing anything, but that is all that you will see.” So let’s practice the presence of our God for the next 30 days and record them so that our spirits can be alive in Him. Let’s help to build one another’s faith and awaken our spiritual pores to the living Presence of our Abba. Come on! Let’s walk with the Father!

Day #22 — “Making the Gospel Your Own”
My devotional today was I Thessalonians chapter 1. In it Paul gives thanksgiving for the believers in Thessalonica. There is something that he said that really spoke to me. He says in verse 5 “for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction” (emphasis mine). We share with others the good news and we tell them that Yeshua loves them, but do we share the gospel message with POWER! What’s so wonderful is that power is not necessarily demonstrative, but those who hear us will feel the power if it is there. Paul said that they shared the gospel in the Holy Spirit (Ruach Hakodesh). Someone once said that when a man or woman of God, full of the Spirit of God, bears the word of God by the Spirit of God, people will listen with attentive ears!  And finally he says with full conviction. Do we really believe what we say? Do we really live the gospel? Can we claim it as our own like Paul and his companions; he said “our gospel.”  Is there FULL conviction when we share it? Does the unbeliever sense somehow that this is not a conviction that is worth dying for?

Knowing the word is not enough when sharing it! We have to share it in POWER in THE HOLY SPIRIT and with FULL CONVICTION!

Father, thank you for your word! Thank you that it is TRUTH. It is LIFE. But I pray, Father, that as we share it, that we will love it so much that it becomes OURS. Amen!

INTRODUCTION
I believe that God interacts with His people on a daily basis. He desires to do that. Sure, we should see Him when we open our eyes, or dress ourselves, when we arrive at our destinations safely, and greet our family & friends. Yes, these are miracles we take for granted and we SHOULD give thanks to God for them. However, if at the end of the day, we cannot pinpoint a certain moment where there was a Yeshua-experience just for us, we have missed Him. I am going to start a series in which I detail those Yeshua Moments in my life and I hope you do the same. Let’s practice His presence. Let’s consciously choose to see Him in everything, everywhere! Here’s the point–”The more we focus on what He IS doing, the more of that He will do in our lives. If we focus on what He is NOT doing, He will NOT do anything–and it is not that He is Not doing anything, but that is all that you will see.” So let’s practice the presence of our God for the next 30 days and record them so that our spirits can be alive in Him. Let’s help to build one another’s faith and awaken our spiritual pores to the living Presence of our Abba. Come on! Let’s walk with the Father!

Day #21 — “The Decorator of Trees”

There is so much talk about Christmas trees:

What do they have to do with the birth of Yeshua?

Aren’t they pagan?

Didn’t the pagans cut them down, decorate them, bring them into their homes and worship them?

I would never put up one?

I will not put up one again.

During the snowstorm of 2010, the Father confirmed this truth in me — No one can dress or decorate a tree the way He can! You never have to put up one, decorate one, dress one, or take one down. He will do it for you! And His work is amazing!!!!!! Behold for yourself what the Master Decorator can do!

Decorator of the Universe, you are awesome . . . simply amazingly marvelously awesome! When I consider the heavens . . . and the trees . . . the work of your fingers, all I can do is a David did in Psalm 8, cry “Who am I that you are mindful of me? And who is the children of men that you visit them?” Do what you do best, Creator, Creative God — Decorate! Decorate the trees and decorate us with your glory! Amen!

INTRODUCTION
I believe that God interacts with His people on a daily basis. He desires to do that. Sure, we should see Him when we open our eyes, or dress ourselves, when we arrive at our destinations safely, and greet our family & friends. Yes, these are miracles we take for granted and we SHOULD give thanks to God for them. However, if at the end of the day, we cannot pinpoint a certain moment where there was a Yeshua-experience just for us, we have missed Him. I am going to start a series in which I detail those Yeshua Moments in my life and I hope you do the same. Let’s practice His presence. Let’s consciously choose to see Him in everything, everywhere! Here’s the point–”The more we focus on what He IS doing, the more of that He will do in our lives. If we focus on what He is NOT doing, He will NOT do anything–and it is not that He is Not doing anything, but that is all that you will see.” So let’s practice the presence of our God for the next 30 days and record them so that our spirits can be alive in Him. Let’s help to build one another’s faith and awaken our spiritual pores to the living Presence of our Abba. Come on! Let’s walk with the Father!

Day #20 — “A Missed Opportunity”
I met a dear woman who wanted to purchase two of my books — Journey Beyond Imagination. When I went to her house, I noticed that the driveway was free, that it was about 3:30 P.M., and that my time there would be very short. However, when I went in, she wanted to know all about me, and, in turn, I discovered a lot about her and her family. At that time her daughter came home and was very upset that I had parked in the driveway and chided me in that respect. Because the house sits at the top of an incline, she likes to park in the driveway so that her walking will not put too much strain on a back that is already bad. I was too busy explaining why I parked in the driveway that I did not hear anything but her angst. I apologized, thanked the mother, tried to pray with her, settled the transaction, and was on my way.

As I was sharing this incident with a friend, she asked, “Did you ask the daughter if you could pray for her back? If you had not parked in the driveway, you would have never known about her bad back. Maybe God sent you there, not just to sell books, but to bless this lady and to pray for her healing.” Wow!

Was that a Yeshua moment — a divine appointment and interaction — that I missed!? Mind you, these blogs have been dedicated to my capturing those moments. I had purposed to be open to God’s intervention in my life and could have missed it! I am not beating myself up and will not allow the enemy to level me with guilt, but what a great revelation! I tried not to take offense by remaining polite — after all, I was in her house and parked in her driveway — but even a slight offense (there must have been) kept me from hearing the real heart of God for this situation.

This is what I learned about offense from Steve Backlund in his book Victorious Mindsets: “…mistreatment itself does not cause the offense; but we choose to be offended when we place more value on protecting ourselves than for the call we have and the assignment we have been given.” Good stuff!

Father, in those moments where we interact with other people and you intervene in our midst, help us to remember ALWAYS that we are on assignment. I had tried to bless the mother because she was nice to me, but I could not move beyond the offense to even see that I had a greater assignment. Forgive us, Father, for magnifying an offense and making it greater than You! As Backlund says, “forward-moving people are less apt to notice wrong things done to them. Their big vision causes them not to even be aware of many of these offenses, and they know that being easily offended causes a ‘going-down’ from the high place of God.” Father, we do not want to come down! Amen!

INTRODUCTION
I believe that God interacts with His people on a daily basis. He desires to do that. Sure, we should see Him when we open our eyes, or dress ourselves, when we arrive at our destinations safely, and greet our family & friends. Yes, these are miracles we take for granted and we SHOULD give thanks to God for them. However, if at the end of the day, we cannot pinpoint a certain moment where there was a Yeshua-experience just for us, we have missed Him. I am going to start a series in which I detail those Yeshua Moments in my life and I hope you do the same. Let’s practice His presence. Let’s consciously choose to see Him in everything, everywhere! Here’s the point–”The more we focus on what He IS doing, the more of that He will do in our lives. If we focus on what He is NOT doing, He will NOT do anything–and it is not that He is Not doing anything, but that is all that you will see.” So let’s practice the presence of our God for the next 30 days and record them so that our spirits can be alive in Him. Let’s help to build one another’s faith and awaken our spiritual pores to the living Presence of our Abba. Come on! Let’s walk with the Father!

DAY #19 — “Angels: A Window to His Greatness”
During this season, radio teachers and pastors teach on the birth of Messiah. Of course no advent message is complete without mentioning the angels. As this particular pastor began to speak about the angels that spoke to Mary (Miriam) and the shepherds, I drifted into my own stream of consciousness. (Here is the stream — don’t get lost; follow me, now.) I thought of the play that I am currently writing entitled From the Lips of Angels. I thought about how I would love to have a scene where Gabriel and Michael talk about Adonai in “angel-ese.” Boy, that would take divine revelation!!!

We see angels through our eyes, so we seldom see God from their eyes. (You’re following, right? Okay.) Why is it that we think that angels admire our position? (I told you this was a stream! C’mon — follow me!) We get so excited when we say that we can sing a song that angels cannot sing — the song of the redeemed! Do we really know what that means — “the song of the redeemed”? It is a song of one who fell from grace, from a personal relationship with the Father and was bought back by Him to regain that relationship! But these angels who minister before Him night and day (as if there were such things as “night” and “day” in heaven) NEVER fell! They NEVER strayed from His grace! They NEVER left Him! They were given that choice, but NEVER chose to leave Him or rebel. What I am saying has nothing to do with praising angels . . . because here was the fodder for my play . . .

Gabriel: Imagine, those humans have tried to worship us.
Michael: That is because they really know little about our Sovereign’s amazingness!
That was just a little taste of what the play is about. But here’s the point — In eternity, we will get an angel’s perspective of the Infinite One but we will do it from the position of redeemed man. Now, there’s a thought — Fallen angels will never be redeemed! Fallen man can now — because of the graciousness of the Son of God — see what angels saw and know the depth of the depravity of one who falls away from Quintessential Love! Amazing!

Abba, I believe your word with all my heart that my eyes have not seen, that my ears have not heard, and it has not even entered my mind the things that you have prepared for me! I cannot even imagine it! Wow! Thank you for the angels, the ones who did not fall, who value You and protect us! One day we will stand around Your throne and worship You . . . with them! The Redeemed and the Stalwart worshipping You together . . . with the same song! Amazing! Amen!

Application: Somehow allow the greatness of the angels to reveal to you the ultimate, infinite, and absolute greatness of our Amazing God! What do you see?

On the way from a doctor’s appointment, I was listening to the radio. One of my favorite songs blared life and excitement into my car: “O, Praise Him” by the David Crowder Band. I got so excited and started singing with him! Listen to some of the words:

Turn your ear to heaven
and hear
the noise inside.
The sound of angels’ awe.
The sound of angels’ songs
And all this for a King

All to Christ we sing!

O, praise Him O praise Him,
He is Holy, He is Holy

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Another verse says, “Turn your gaze toward heaven and raise a joyous noise. . .” Just as I had turned my gaze and my ear toward heaven, three little blackbirds danced with effortless grace inside my periphery, while I was rapturously declaring, “He is Holy! He is Holy!” and I smiled! The angels declare God to be Holy, Holy, Holy — that’s THRICE holy! That’s the ultimate in holiness! That’s Father, Son, Holy Spirit holy! That’s blood, water, and spirit holy! That’s three blackbirds holy! 🙂 That’s HOLY!

You know the angels told Isaiah in the 6th chapter of his prophetic work that the whole earth was full of God’s glory! Whether it is the blazing sun, the naked trees, a winter landscape, a baby, a child, an adult, an old man . . . or three blackbirds — the existence of each one declares with unmistakable truth and melodious crescendo — HE IS HOLY! HE IS HOLY! Look around yourself — see his glory and declare with creation — He is Holy!

Abba, we are in awe of your holiness! Every chance we get, we want to turn our ear to heaven and hear all that wonderful noise inside (Ez. 1)! Every chance we get, we want to turn our gaze toward heaven! May every fiber of our being chorus — along with angels — the greatness of your holiness! Because Holy is not only what you are; it is WHO you are! We stand in awe of you, Holy God!

My exercise instructor told the class today that she would no longer be working at the gym beginning next week. Of course the class was a bit despondent, for she is energetic, encouraging, friendly, and very helpful. When I went into the locker room to change, I sat and thought about my time under her instruction. At first, I was not able to endure the entire Kwondo-Flex class, a mixture of karate, kickboxing and weights. I would participate in a portion of the class and then work out in another part of the gym. Now, I work out very hard. I stay for the entire class! This morning I even added 2 more pounds to one of the exercises. The same was true for her advanced step class. All I could think is that in the two years I have been with her, I had really developed my strength and endurance and lost a few inches to boot.
Nothing happens in the life of a believer by happenstance, not even encounters and relationships. If this is true, then we should make good use of these encounters. He gives us seasons with people. He brings them into our lives for a moment . . . and for a purpose! What is it that I can glean from this sister? How can I learn from that brother? What would you say to me through them, Father? Who can I bless today? It would be a travesty of God’s mercy to know that he sent a teacher, an encourager, a mentor, a model, a blessing into our lives, and we did not realize it until he/she was gone.

Abba, thank you for all those that you have sent into my life to bless me — the ones that I saw as a blessing from you and the ones that I did not. Thank you for even those who seemed bent on making my life miserable. By contrast, they helped to strengthen my walk with you. Thank you for the life lessons and for the growth! I ask that you would bless all of these of whom I speak! Bless them with your presence and with divine encounters! And Father, thank you for Robin, my exercise instructor. May she go on to strengthen and encourage others as you reciprocate that blessing to her through others. Amen.

Application: Appreciate the time you have with the ones God brings into your sphere of influence.

“Do you know who this is?” a raspy voice asked on the other end of the phone.
“No, I do not,” I replied.
She then identified herself and I realized that I had not spoken with her in a while, nor had I seen her at services. She had been thinking of me and called me. As we caught up on what had been going on in our families, she told me that she always prayed for me because she prayed for leadership at the synagogue, so she always mentioned my and my husband’s names.

There is this prayer in Cindy Trimm’s book, The Rules of Engagement: The Art of Strategic Prayer and Spiritual Warfare, that declares, “I release my name into the atmosphere and declare that prayer warriors, intercessors and prophetic watchmen are picking me up in the realm of the Spirit. I speak that they will not cease or come down from their watchtowers until their assignments have been completed. I decree and declare that they will conduct their intercessory assignments under the direction of the Holy Spirit and Jesus Christ (Yeshua Hamaschiach) who is my Chief Intercessor” (Jer. 27:18; Ez. 3:17; John 16:13; Lk 18:7; Rmns 18: 26-27, 34; Heb. 7:25).

I have often prayed this prayer! It is always a Yeshua moment when someone tells you that he/she prays or have been praying for you. More often than not, the Holy Spirit releases our names into the atmosphere because we do not know to do it ourselves. But wouldn’t it be wonderful if we did that every day and then were open to the names that the Holy Spirit would send to us when we spend time in prayer? And that we would “not cease or come down from [our] watchtowers until [our] assignments have been completed”?

I knew that I had to be busy every day, not only in releasing my name and others into the atmosphere, but also adding another name to my prayer list. When you have been called to pray or reminded to pray, that is a Yeshua moment. It is an interaction with the Father.

Father, there are so many people to pray for, and so, oftentimes, we pray a general prayer. We want to hear in the Spirit the names of those you want us to pray for. May you use us as you interact in the lives of your people; may you use us to let them know you have given us the/an assignment to pray for them. May they feel your hand upon them when we do. Amen!

APPLICATION: Listen to the whispers of the Spirit today tenderly calling out a name to you! Then pray!