A blessed day

Today has been a very blessed day! Church was awesome! Praise and worship was just good. You know? What I mean is, it was good for me. When we sang that song, "The More I Seek You," it really was overwhelming, just like the song says. My heart just swelled with love and the tears just started to flow. I couldn't stop! Not that I am complaining. It is good to be overcome by the reality of the love of God. That is a truly anointed song.

PK's message was anointed also. We are still on the love series, which is good. Faith pleases God, and faith works by love. So the more we love, the more our faith is boosted, yes?

We had some great fellowship with good friends this afternoon. We got to play some games and just laugh! I love to laugh! I didn't win one game, but I had a lot of fun! I guess I am not competitive enough or something, but it's just like a road trip . . . getting there is more than half the fun!

Well, more later . . . . I love you all! (not a faith statement!)

A Friend Indeed

OK, yes, this is more of the love stuff, but about the time I think I am moving on to something else, PK delivers another message (that hits me between the eyes) in his gentle way. Anyway, I have been studying the Body of Christ and our relationship one to another - you know - what is the Body supposed to look like if functioning the way we should?

So, what was my daily lesson from this? One question - Have you ever gotten frustrated at someone for going through the same thing over and over when they have enough truth that they should know better by now? Honestly? I have. I am not saying it's right, I am just giving you the facts. I realize that this is not by any means a demonstration of love toward members of the Body of Christ.

1 Thessalonians 5:14, says:

. . . encourage the timid and fainthearted, help and give your support to the weak souls, [and] be very patient with everybody [always keeping your temper].

In Romans 12, the Word also tells us to not think more highly of ourselves than we ought. In other words, when we think we have it altogether enough to think someone else doesn't, we are missing it. We are of the same body. We need to lift each other up and encourage each other in the Word. There are so many levels of development with all of us in many areas, so even if the devil tries to get us frustrated with our brothers and sisters in Christ, we should remind ourselves that there are those in the Body that are and have been patient with us about so many things.

When we truly love, we will exhort. Not just a smile, or a wave as we walk up the isle of the church, but we need to be obedient to the Holy Spirit. He may tell us to give someone a hug, shake their hand, buy them a book, send them a note or just get their email address and send them a scripture. The more we respond to other members of the Body the way we should (the way the Word teaches), they will get it. I used to have an instructor that often said, "some things are taught, and some things are caught." I don't know if it was an original quote, but it was a true one.

This post didn't turn out at all like I intended for it to, but here it is anyway! I am just so thankful that God didn't leave us alone to figure it out, but gave us His word and His wonderful Holy Spirit! And the more we yield, the more we grow! By the way, I put a link at the bottom of the page to read Romans 12 in the Message Bible. It has some great instruction to us in dealing with each other!

http://bibleresources.bible.com/passagesearchresults2.php?passage1=Romans+12&book_id=52&version1=65&tp=16&c=12

The Threat of Love

I remember a few weeks (maybe even months) ago, I was reading in 1 Corinthians about taking the Lord's supper. There it was talking about how because we do not discern the Body of Christ the way we should, that there were many sick among the Christians. I meditated on that for several days, and I started meditating on the Body of Christ, the Church. Could we have more sickness in the Body, because we don't realize the importance of each other? That came back to me several times and then, a few days ago, I was reading in one of Brother Hagin's books. He said that part of the reason that there was so much sickness in the Body of Christ (and even premature death), was because of the way that believers treated one another. My spirit exploded inside me with excitement! Not because of the sickness and death, but because I knew I was on the road to some revelation!

There have been some things that I struggled with inside myself for way too long concerning the Body of Christ and my relation to it, but when these revelations began to come, I told the Lord that I wasn't giving any place to that junk any longer! I asked Him to give me truth on this, and He did! and He continues to do so.

So what does this have to do with love? And what threat could love possibly pose? I am glad you asked that! (didn't you?)

Here's the deal. For years, satan has set it all up to make everyone feel . . . feel like they have the right, feel like they have to look out for number one, feel like they are unloved and mistreated, feel like they need to defend themselves, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. After a while, this seeped into the church. Well, how can the Church be effective when it's members are inwardly focusing and not looking out to a world that needs Jesus? When people get inward focused, there is a greater likelihood of offense, schism and division in the Body of Christ. This is a major factor that, in the past, has made the Church weak, because where there is no love, there is no unity. Love, by God's definition, is deliberately taking ourselves out of an existence based on self-seeking ways to a life of love and service to God and to man.

As I meditate and study on this, I see that the more we develop in love, we are able, as the Church, to become stronger and more unified. This threatens satan's kingdom, and as Pastor Susan said, weakens his kingdom. He is exposed for his schemes. When we are walking in love, the focus goes out to a lost and dying world instead of some little boo-boo the devil has tried to convince us that we have suffered. I mean, how could we even let ourselves take one offense against our brothers in Christ (or our family or anyone else) when we know it is a strategy of the devil to keep us ineffective for the Kingdom of God? WE CAN'T!!!!!!!!! He is a liar! He is a liar! We cannot be deceived by him any longer! The Master has need of the church in her glorious state!

Aren't you glad I went for the encapsulated version? :)

Have you ever noticed . . .?

Have you ever noticed . . . ?

Have you ever noticed that when the Spirit of God begins to move and we are in His presence, whether in an intimate or in a corporate setting, things become so clear? There can be a little haze about something or there may be thick fog, but when God's presence is there, things just become unmistakable.

Also, have you ever noticed that when you are trying to change habbits, it becomes almost effortless when you are in the Presence of God?

Have you ever noticed, it becomes more apparent in our own hearts who we are when we sit in God's presence? when we spend time in His Word?

In this short writing, you can find the answer to every problem you may have in your life. Yes, I do believe that! Just some things I was thinking about this morning on my way home!

(I will get back to the love subject soon! Much is brewing in my heart!)

Love Is The Tie That Binds

I can't believe it's taken me this long to get back to my blog! I write all the time - either by computer, on paper or in my head! But sometimes things just don't fall together to be able to help others understand what is in my heart.

I am really passionate about this subject. I have recently been studying and meditating about love - the love of God, the love of God invested in us at the new birth - and I, more and more, can see how love affects the big picture. Creflo Dollar says it this way: love is the curtain rod on which everything else hangs. In other words, where the love is lacking, not much success will be realized in the things of God.

When you look at 1 Corinthians, you see that the definition of love includes these elements:

• It endures long and is patient and kind
• It is never envious nor does it boil over with jealousy
• It is not full of itself or bigheaded
• It does not display itself arrogantly
• It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride)
• It is not rude (disrespectful)
• It does not act improperly or inappropriately
• It does not insist on its own rights or its own way
• It is not self-seeking
• It is not touchy, fretful or resentful
• It does not keep scores of the evil done to it [pays not attention to a suffered wrong]
• It does not rejoice at injustice or unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail
• It bears up under anything and everything that comes
• It is ever ready to believe the best of every person
• Its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances
• It endures everything [without weakening]
• It NEVER fails

We have to make a decision every day to walk in love, because it is totally the opposite of "looking out for number one," which seems to be an anthem of many outside the Church walls, and unfortunately, we see it some inside the Church also. But, in our local Body, I am seeing more and more that believers are walking these things out and seeing big changes. As we walk in love, we begin to see the whole of God's plan more. We see less of how people may be treating us wrong, and develop more compassion for those people because we realized they are deceived. We also see more unity in the Body of Christ, which is what this end-time army has to have to operate at optimum levels to carry out God's plan on the earth.

Anyway, more coming on this subject. I don't want to write a dissertation for anyone to rad . . . at least not all at once! :)

Things I've learned from important people . . .

1. Jordan - never regret the past. It doesn't help anything and can change nothing. Such wisdom. I am happy God put her in my life.
   
2. Lauren - love people unconditionally. Lauren has got the love thing down as well as anyone I know personally. She has a very sweet heart and again, I am happy God put her in my life.
3. Tracy (who now lives in heaven!) - there is always someone watching out for you even when you are not aware!
   
4. P. Susan - prayer is like the army . . . it's not a job, it's an adventure! I love my pastors!
   
5. P. Kevin - if you don't quit, you win! Such a simple phrase that has come back to me at the most advantageous times.
6. Monica Fletcher - We all need one friend in our life who actually says what we are thinking! She also taught me that "taking one for the team" can actually be a good thing!
   
7. Farah Stout - worshipping the Lord is one of the greatest honors of my life.
8. Rosemary (who's gone to heaven) - have a positive attitude all the time! See the blessing in the thing that seems so tiring right now!
9. Kyle Morris - Let the excitement for God on your inside actually show on the outside.
10. Mona Parker - I never really related to this until I heard her talk about it so much, and that is, God is a good daddy!
11. Darlene Lambdin - Do what God has for you to do with your whole heart. I never hear her complain even when I know she's getting physically tired.
12. Shannon Clark and Sheena Schlegel - there are still women whose grace makes them shine with beauty. They are two of the most graceful women I've ever been around.
13. LWRV Body of Believers (all and each) - it is wonderful to be among a company who loves the Lord and each other, and who are going after God with their whole hearts!
14. Last but not least, Randy - It is better, easier, and more fun to go through life with a friend you love with your whole heart!
    

What is in a name?

Yesterday morning as we were preparing for praise and worship, P Susan said she sensed in her spirit we were to make much of the Name. So it prompted me to read after that subject today, and, oh, how powerful!

E.W. Kenyon said:

". . . He has given us the legal right to use His Name.

"As we take our privileges, and rights, in the new Covenant and pray in Jesus' Name, it passes out of our hands into the hands of Jesus; He then assumes the responsibility of that prayer, and we know that He said, 'Father, I thank Thee that Thou hearest Me, and I know that Thou hearest Me always.'

"In other words, we know that the Father always hears Jesus, and when we pray in Jesus' Name, it is as though Jesus Himself were doing the praying -- He takes our place."

Yes! Jesus gave us a legal right to use His name and we know that it will always, ALWAYS produce results b/c Jesus HIMSELF takes responsibility for the thing! Jesus' name only holds integrity so He will follow that until it's done (as long as we don't negate with our words, but that's another topic)! He said whatsoever you ask the Father IN MY NAME, he will give it you . . . ask, and you shall receive, that your joy may be full. He did NOT say, ask and receive . . . if you use the right dialect, or if you comb your hair the right way, or if your breath isn't bad! NO! He said, ask in his name and we would receive! (Oh, Lord, let us not forget one of your benefits!)

I guess I will stop here, but I think there is more on this subject on it's way!

A Personal Word

In my time with the Lord this morning, the Lord told me to write this down. It was for me, but I felt impressed in my spirit to post it. It may not have been any other reason but for me to be accountable to what God said to me. I hesitated a little for a moment because you know, you don't want the whole world to think you are a slug because God tells you to stop being complacent! But I am glad we have such a personal God that he loves us enough to tell us how our lives can come in line with His word so that we can be fully blessed and fully usable! Here is what I heard:

I want My people to be blessed. Accept this [truth] and you will be. There are many things I want to do through you and ALL My people, which cannot be accomplished if My people are always taking care over money and other cares of this life. SHAKE IT OFF! and rest, rest, rest in Me.

Follow close. Obey in the very smallest of things, and you will unmistakably hear everything the Spirit is saying to you. Make a habit of coming before Me and waiting . . . on Me, on my word to you, on instruction for the race. We must fulfill the Plan! It's time! Arise and take your place! No more complacency . . . no more thinking and not doing . . . no more to not discern the time! Now is your time to arise! I don't care about age - young or old - I am interested in willing hearts, yielded vessels. It is the time. It is the place. Arise and run!

Running Against the Wind

Psalm 127:1 Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it;"

Have you ever felt like you are running against the wind? Or maybe taking a shower with your clothes on? You are making an effort, but not quite getting to where you feel like you need to be.

Sometimes we are doing things that in and of themselves are good, but not necessarily in God's specific plan for our individual lives. Just because it seems to be working out well for the Pastors or for Sister So-and-so, doesn't mean it's what you should do individually. God may have called your Pastor to give 75% of their income, but if God didn't tell you to do that, you may starve if you do!

We need to sit at the Master's feet and get our own individual plan for our life. We need to spend time in His presence and just wait on Him. The Master has need of us where HE needs us, and when He needs us there.

A quote from Brother Hagin:

Dear friends, if you're too busy to wait on God to discover His plan, you may go through your entire life and everything you do will be in vain. Then what will you say to God when you stand before him in eternity? He won't ask you about those things you did according to YOUR ideas and plans. He will want to know what you did about HIS PLAN for your life.

Selah!

Starting It . . .

You know, I wanted to get my daughter, who is home schooled, to do some writing. I thought about having her journal - like I did at her age - but thought that a blog might hold her interest more.

Then I started thinking about how much I always loved to write, and so I thought, "why not?" Not that there will be a great deal of people who will be interested, but I know there is a lot in my heart to say, and I'd much rather write it than say it!

- So that is the history lesson for the blog. It will be more interesting tomorrow, I promise!