Friday, February 26, 2010
Proverbs 29:18,"For where there is no vision, the people perish."
There is a difference, a major difference between a vision and an idea. Many people
have ideas, but only a select few have vision. Ideas emanate from within. They are
self-generated, self-propagated and serve selfish purposes. Visions are quite the
contrary. Vision originates from God. It is divinely imparted, divinely connected,
and divinely constructed. It serves a universal purpose and always brings glory to
God, the Father. Visions have within itself the means and capabilities to produce
exactly what the Lord intended for it to do. The reason that people perish without
vision is because vision is God's design to meet the needs and sometimes wants of
the people. If the person to whom the vision was imparted does act upon his or her
God implanted vision, people will suffer as a result of that person's disobedience and
neglect. Vision brings with it hope and reward. Vision is the light at the end of
someone's dark tunnel. Vision is the answer to many prayers. Vision saves
marriages, families, ministries, and ultimately lives.
An idea is not so. One does not have to a live a sanctified lifestyle pleasing to God to
receive an idea. An idea is simply the result of complicated thought processes
taking place in a mental capacity. Ideas are shaped and governed by man. Ideas
serve the purpose of gratifying man. Ideas do not necessarily have a God-agenda.
Though it may come across as such, careful observation will prove its fleshly
objectives. Ideas make life convenient. Ideas do not necessarily possess moral
integrity. An idea can be good or bad. An idea can be harmful and possibly deadly.
An idea can destroy homes, marriages, families, ministries, and lives. God does not
author ideas and if He doesn't, there can only remain two other possible fathering
alternatives; flesh or satan. Ideas can be ruined and can be reckless. Ideas have no
restraints and acts upon one's own initiative. An idea will demonstrate the DNA of
the source from which it has derived. If the father of the idea was flesh, it will be
fleshly. If the father of the idea was satan, it will be deadly. God is not required to
uphold an idea as He is a vision.
If God has given you vision, I certify you today to cultivate your vision, fertilize it
and tend to it for it will surely come to pass. If on the other hand, you are birthing
ideas, take a coal from the altar of sacrifice and burn it that all appearances of evil
and flesh may be destroyed and seek God for the paternity of your dream.
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Friday, March 5, 2010
God is on the move again. As a matter of fact, moving is what He does best for
He named Himself, I am, which means I am whatever you need Me to be
whenever you need Me. If you need a healer, I Am, Jehovah Rapha. If you
need provisions, I Am, Jehovah Jireh. If you need peace, I Am, Jehovah
Shalom. If you need salvation, I Am, Jehovah Tsidkenu.
So you see, God's name changes as your situation changes. But God is
constantly shifting us. Even as a child grows in their mother's womb, the Lord
has provided water to facilitate that movement. Water has a symbolic meaning
which can represent trouble. Therefore the Lord will use troubled waters to
move His children who may have become complacent and rigid in the faith.
God is always shifting His saints, not the ain'ts. The ain'ts don't move, they
are not mobile in the Spirit. They resist growth and prohibit themselves from
renewing their minds. The saints are always on the move. We are moving from
faith to faith and from glory to glory. We are either being shifted up or out.
Some situations God will completely remove you entirely that you may grow. A
child has to be shifted out of his mother's womb in order to survive past a
certain stage of their growth. We as saints need to continuously be shifted
upward in our relationship with our Heavenly Father. He constantly beckons
us to come higher, shifting our spiritual gears forward. It seems as though
some of us have refused to allow the shift to take place, therefore our God,
Lord and Creator of the Universe has decided to shift the entire earth on its
axis! Have you heard the news? Indeed, He is awesome!
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Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Mark 9:9, " He charged them that they should tell no man what things they had
seen, till the Son of Man were risen from the dead."
What can you say except Christ has risen in you? What can you preach, except you
have been buried in sin and risen in the newness of life? In some of the professing
Christian's lives, Christ is still buried. He is still lying in the tombs, spiritually. We
are supposed to become dead in Christ that we may live, not allow Christ to become
dead in us. We are supposed to be crucified with Him and risen in His Glory, not to
crucify Him afresh. There are things which the Lord has spoken that will not make
sense to you until He is risen in your life. The things of the spirit are spirit and are
only revealed to those who have been gifted through the Holy Ghost to discern
them. There must be constant communion with the risen Lord Jesus in order for us
to effectively and strategically preach the Gospel message. How can we preach this
glorious gospel to others when Christ is still dead in us? How can we say Jesus is
alive and well and we have mortified Him through the deeds of our flesh? The word
of God tells us not to quench the Holy Spirit, however some of us have smothered
Him with our fleshly ways and mannerisms. How can Christ be risen in us and we
continue to live like the world? How can Christ be risen in us and we live beneath
our privileges as sons and daughters of the Most High God? How can Christ be risen
as King in our life and we entreat Him as our servant, commanding and expecting
from Him? The Lord Jesus rose on the third day with all power in His hands. Some
of us have accomplished something the grave could not do; hold Him hostage for
years. Let Christ arise in you so that you can tell what you have seen and heard not
as a spectator but as a participator.
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Thursday, February 25, 2010
2 Chronicles 27:6, "So Jotham became mighty, because he prepared his ways before
the LORD his God."
The secret to becoming a mighty warrior in the Lord's valiant army is in our
steadfastness. The reason why David was considered among many the mightiest man
in battle was because He was steadfast before the Lord. The Lord told Joshua, the
militant general for Israel that if was to mediate in the word of God both day and
night, then he would have good success in warfare. In the season of warfare,
whether personal or corporate, the Lord can only use those with a steadfast spirit.
Those who walk with their steps ordered by the Lord become mighty and do great
exploits. Jotham's ways were upright before the Lord. This man of God became
powerful because he obeyed God.
Obedience is almost always equivalent to suffering for in order to obey the Lord we
must make personal sacrifices. We must live lives conducive to producing an
atmosphere where the Lord, in all of His Holiness, can walk in at any given time and
give us instruction. The Lord is not going to invade your atmosphere, He awaits an
invitation. Our worship and praise extends an invitation to the Father to make His
abode with us.
It is not always easy to remain steadfast before the Lord. The flesh gets weary and
has a bend toward rebellion. It wrestles constantly and tirelessly against the nature
of God and at those particular times, we must ask the Lord to renew our spirits. In
times of warfare especially, we need a refreshing, a new visitation of His Spirit.
David, one of our all time chief warriors, understood the need to have his spirit
refreshed, He prayed in Psalms 51:10 for the Lord to create within him a clean heart
and renew a right spirit within him. He had just fallen into sin and mischief and he
needed his spirit refreshed that he might return to walking upright before the Lord.
In times of personal or corporate warfare, the mind gets weary for Satan hates our
prayers with a perfect hatred. It is his duty then to combat us with fiery darts
against our flesh and against our mind. This is comparable to a physical war where
soldiers run the risk of being kidnapped, shot by gun fire, or maimed. In a spiritual
war, we experience that type of military violence in the spirit. But we have a promise
from the Father for a refreshing that we may continue our steadfastness. "And the
God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have
suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and
steadfast", 1 Peter 5:10.
So if you are called in this season to do battle in the name of the Lord and have the
privilege of being chosen to fight in His army, the call to steadfastness comes along
a time of refreshing that you may continue to be strong, mighty, and powerful.
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Friday, February 20, 2010
To those who are waiting on the Lord, He has not only renewed your strength, but
He has changed your strength. Though you considered yourself weak, God says you
are strong. He is the very source of your strength. Right now, He is coupling your
strength with His grace to be sufficient for you. His grace is more than enough to
carry you through. The Lord is making His strength stand sure for you in the time
of your weakness. You should glory in your infirmities because the Lord’s power is
resting upon you. Reach out and take hold of His strength.
The burdens you carry are not your own. They belong to the Lord. Cast them upon
Him for His shoulders are stronger than yours. Let Him sustain and keep you. He is
making your arms strong by keeping them in His powerful hands. Be tenacious like
Jacob and don’t let go until He blesses you with your heart’s desire.
Though your enemies may come against you with a sword and a spear, the Lord says
that all you need to war with is His name which is mighty in all the earth. He is
pleading your cause against those who strive against you. He is fighting against
those who dare to fight against you. The Almighty has reached for His shield and
buckler to stand up for your help. Be encouraged for the Lord has just changed your
strength.
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Tuesday, February 23, 2010
n Luke 24:49, Jesus told the disciples to wait in Jerusalem until they were endued or
filled with power from on High. Consider this, although the first apostles spent at
least three years in the presence of the Lord, He told them to wait. Although they
witnessed Him performed signs and wonders on a daily, if not an hourly basis, He
told them to wait. Although He commissioned them to preach to the world the gospel
of Jesus Christ, He told them to wait in Jerusalem. Jesus understood and recognized
that if He, being Lord of the universe could submit Himself to water baptism and
baptism of the Holy Ghost, so must His disciples. He knew and realized that He
needed to demonstrate to us that in order to defeat the powers of darkness that lie
in wait to devour our very souls, we needed Power. He went to the mountain of
testing to show to us that we have power over the enemy as long as we have the
Power from on High. Why is it then that we have so many assumed leaders in the
Body who have never tarried in Jerusalem? How is it that we have run off to tackle
the world, without never having made the required and necessary pit stop in
Jerusalem? How can we venture into the Samarias and the Judeas of our ministry
and have yet to tarry in Jerusalem? In order to effectively witness Jesus Christ to
the nations, we need the Power from on High. In order to do valiant battle against
the enemy, we must have the Power. In order to set ambush against the enemy, we
must have the Power. God is not going to co-sign your ministry without your
tarrying in Jerusalem. After all the preaching, the singing, the playing, the dancing,
and the running, there is one question to be asked of you, Have you tarried in
Jerusalem to be endued with power from on high?
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Monday, February 15, 2010
Apostle preached an awesome Rhema word Sunday morning entitled, Time for a
Change. By the time he concluded his message, we were all standing to our feet
proclaiming that the ‘change has already come’. God is good. He knows when to
change our seasons. But most importantly, we must be prepared when the season
changes. God changes our season because He is a God of action, motion, and
reaction. If we would look around us and observe nature, we would see birds flying
from destination to another. We would see insects burrowing holes and transporting
food. We would see the leaves waving in the wind and bushes growing all at
different intervals. Our God is on the move. If nature has movement, then there
aught to be movement in our lives as well. Gone are the days when we attend
Sunday services and not see a move of God again until the next week. God is on the
move every day in every way. He has not called us to be a stagnant people, a stiff,
cardboard replica. He has called us into action. After the Lord’s assignment of
Passion here on earth, the early church was called in the Book of Acts. In other
words, the church has been called into ACTION. Action is movement; we are to be
busy adding to and edifying the Kingdom.
It is indeed time for a change. Winter is heavily upon us and winter is faithful to its
season. It is cold, snowy, rainy, windy, and chilly. Are we faithful to our seasons? If
this is our season to edify the saints, to what extremes have we committed
ourselves to this work of encouraging God’s people? If our season is to labor, where
are the seeds? If our season is to harvest, where are the baskets? Remember
natural seasons last for approximately three months, while our spiritual seasons
may last for years. Irregardless, we must always stay in contact with our Master
Meteorologist to determine what we need to be prepared for or against in terms of
being faithful to our seasons.
Finally, there are certain climates which don’t change their seasons at all. In these
places, winter or summer may last all year long. What do you do when your season
isn’t changing in your climate? It may be time to move to another climate where
there is change. In other words, some people won’t change, some things won’t
change, therefore you must take the initiative to change by uprooting yourself
from a stale and stagnant environment and stiff or complacent people. Even the
birds know to fly south for the winter. Surely, we have been endowed with more
wisdom than a bird! Declare this with me, “It is time for a change and the change
has already come!”
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Tuesday, February 16, 2010
"But now, all you who light fires and provide yourselves with flaming torches, go,
walk in the light of your fires and of the torches you have set ablaze. This is what
you shall receive from my hand: You will lie down in torment." Is. 50:11
One of the worst things we can do is to solve our own problems on our own. We can
become so obstinate in our views on relationships that we resist help from any and
everybody and make solitary attempts to blaze our own trails to find solutions and
self-invented remedies for our troubles. Too many of us are abandoning wise
counsel, fellowship, and Christian companionship and are lighting our own paths.
Sure there is hurt in the church, as well as any other place where people gather
socially, be it home, work, school, or community. People are diverse, God created us
that way. We all have different backgrounds, social and economical statuses,
education, training and preferences. But God has designed us to be a people of
fellowship. The Kingdom of Heaven is nothing but such. If we can’t share and
experience each other here on earth, is it possible to take that bondage into eternity
in the presence of God? God forbid.
The result of lighting our own torches and finding our own path is torment. The
Bible says so. God did not design us to be lonely creatures. He did not call us
bastards; children without fathers, but He has called us His sons and daughters. We
are apart of a large and very extended family. God has not called us as vagabonds;
wandering from here to there, shiftless, without direction and without guidance.
Many times God will use someone we are in fellowship with to share His heart
pertaining to His will for us. If we are out of that fellowship and have shunned His
gathering, how shall His Word be confirmed or determined?
The Lord wants to lead you out of darkness by His guiding light, not yours. He wants
to draw you to a people who are imperfect, of which we all are, yet have a strong
devotion to Him that you may a part of the Fellowship of the saints. Every family,
natural or spiritual has its share of ups and downs, but you don’t neglect your
family, you tough it out by prayer and reasoning together. Every husband and wife
have heated debates from time to time, but that is no cause to put away your spouse.
All parents get irritated and unnerved by their children but they are still our
responsibility to care for. We may not always like each other but we are commanded
by God to love one another.
To those of you who are blaming the church for all your hurts and pains and have
set off in life to light your own torch, beware. Satan is using people in the church to
move you out of your destiny and your purpose. If it is God’s will for you to leave,
let Him move you. He doesn’t need your assistance in that matter. Put the devil in
his place and you remain in yours. Stop packing your bags and leaving your house,
pack the devil’s bags and put him out. Stop lighting your own torch because
eventually your light will burn out, but the Lamp of the Lord burns forever. Quit
lying down in torment and lay down beside the peaceful waters that only comes from
abiding in the Lord’s will.
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Thursday, February 11, 2010
Hebrews 6:1, “Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go
on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to
death, and of faith in God,” (NKJV)
One of my children has a knack for falling out of the bed. Thankfully, we have
carpeted floors, however, the rumble can heard throughout the house. It is quite
disturbing and disruptive to our sleep to awaken and search the bedrooms to see
which child has taken a fall. We usually find the child, disoriented, sleepy and
attempting to crawl back in bed to nuzzle in the exact same spot they had just been
thrown from. Securing their safety, and hoping avoid any more ‘bumps in the
night’, we would position the child in the middle of their bed where they would have
room to shift.
As humorous as this event is, and was, we often make the same mistakes as
Believers in our faith towards God. Whereas the Lord wants to stretch us and grow
our measure of faith, we tend to want crawl right back to the edge where we feel
comfortable. Whereas the Lord wants us to inherit a large and wealthy place in the
Spirit, we tend to shy away and remain at the edge, standing in the threshold,
faithless to take any steps further. God gives each of us a measure of faith. That
measure is simply the ability to receive the word of salvation when it is preached to
us. But once we act upon that measure and accept the Lord Jesus as personal Lord
and Savior, then our spiritual cups deepen to receive more of that measure to
venture into the heights and depths of God. Most of us should have wells of faith in
our spirits, while others are possessing teaspoons of faith.
We say that we are going from glory to glory and we have well spoken. However, in
order for us to reach plateaus in the faith, we must move away from the edge of the
bed and rest in the center where we have room to move and expand. Let us not be
afraid to do exploit. Let us not be afraid to venture into unknown territory as
Abraham did. Let’s put away singing the same old songs, rehearsing the same
scriptures, and living our lives in a pattern of tradition and pessimism. God wants to
expand your faith to believe Him for the impossible and receive it at His hand.
Come away from the edge, leave the childish things behind, and seek after the
mature handling of the Word. Let’s digest the meat of the Holy Spirit that prevents
us from falling off the bed and stumbling in darkness. Move over and rest in the
middle.
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Friday, February 12, 2010
Two of satan’s most hated books of the Bible are the books of Genesis and
Revelation. In these two books, which undoubtedly are the first and last books of
the Bible, we find his beginning and his ending. I will stress this, satan hates
exposure and revelation. He dwells in our darkness; our ignorance. He is using these
tools to destroy churches, ministries, and relationships. When our people shun
correction, truth, and knowledge, they have in fact invited satan into their affairs
with a great, wide door. For nearly three years, the disciples ministered to Jesus and
ministered with Jesus, yet only one disciple knew, by revelation, who Jesus was. The
same disturbing report applies today. There are many who call upon the name of the
Lord, preach in the name of the Lord, pray in the name of the Lord, yet don’t
personally know who the Lord is. Many are calling on their mother’s Lord, or their
Father’s Lord, but each of must cultivate a personal relationship with Him for
ourselves. Grandma’s revelation of Jesus can only take us so far. But Jesus says,
“Who do you say that I am?” You must know Him for yourself.
This is the Word for this hour, know who Jesus is. When we look at the book of
Revelation, we often credit Apostle John as the author. He is not the author of
Revelation, Jesus is. John is the scribe of Revelation. He wrote as the Lord spoke
and revealed to him. Peter did not receive the revelation of who Jesus was on his
accord, the Father revealed it to him. No matter what word of knowledge or word of
wisdom we may receive, the source and the author of that revelation always belongs
to the Lord. Jesus said the Holy Spirit will take of His (revelation) and reveal it to
you. The Holy Spirit is revealing revelation by leaps and bounds in this season. He is
confirming and re-affirming like never before. More prophets and apostles have
been released in this hour than in any previous church age. But with all of our
getting and all of our learning, we must be certain that we know who Jesus is.
The chief enemies of satan are those who have the revelation of who Jesus is. He is
not concerned with our degrees, our cathedrals, our mannerisms, or our eloquence.
Those things are not a threat to his empire. But when you know who Jesus is and
the power of His resurrection, and you have been armed with revelation of God’s
Word through the Holy Spirit, watch out, you have been marked. Nevertheless,
greater is He that is in you than he who is in the world. You have already overcome
by the Blood of the Lamb and the word (revelation) of your testimony. You know
who Jesus is.
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Tuesday, February 09, 2010
“A change is coming”. I have been hearing this song in my spirit for the past few
days. It has been pulsating and throbbing in my veins, ‘a change is coming’. God is
a God of change, though He does not change. He changes seasons, times, kings,
situations, and names. It is time for name change. It is time for a seasonal change.
It is time for a situation change. Change has sometimes been regarded as a bad
thing, on the contrary, change is good. Our God is a God of fluidity; He’s always on
the move. The Holy Spirit is always hovering above our darkness awaiting a Word
from the Lord to CHANGE it into a marvelous light.
God is changing men’s hearts. He is twisting and conforming them to His advantage
which results in your favor. God changed Pharaoh’s heart after hardening it. He
gave him a heart of repentance which released favor to Moses to deliver Israel from
bondage. God also changed the hearts of the Egyptians who were in time past,
oppressors, became gift givers. They ‘loaned’ the Israelites gold and other precious
items they would never see again. The Lord is saying that people who have had a
hardened heart toward you before are going to become your gift givers. He says
they are going to ‘loan’ you items that you won’t have to repay or return.
God says that I am working to bring change to your household. A change is coming.
The Lord says, “I am working to change your relationships. I am changing minds.
The spirit of favorable influence is at work in the hearts of men to bless My people
who have been in bondage. I have put money in the mouth of fish for you to change
your perception. I am the God of change.”
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Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Genesis 18:17-19, “And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which
I do; Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all
the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I know him, that he will
command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of
the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham
that which he hath spoken of him. “
The children of faithful Abraham have a guarantee that God not will hide from us
the things He has planned for us. In fact, when our walk is upright before Him, He
has promised not to withhold one good thing from us. We can be assured that the
Lord’s desire is to inform His people of His plans concerning us. He said that He
knows the thoughts He thinks towards us and He longs to share them with us. How
many times have we been in relationship with someone and longed to share the
depths of our love with them uncertain of what their feelings are toward us? It is
touchy to share your heart with someone and they are hesitant and resistant
towards you. This is not the case with Abraham. He was intimate in not only a
relationship with the Lord, but a friendship with the Lord. Many of us are saved,
sanctified, and Holy Ghost filled. Most of us have relationship with God, but how
many of us have friendship with God?
The Lord was looking for a friend in Adam when He walked with him in the cool of
the day. He was looking for a friend in Abraham, one He could share all of His plans
with. He is also looking for friendship with you.
Prophets are often called the friends of God because out of all the five fold
ministers, we tend to spend more time, privately, in His presence. Apostles are
seeking for strategy to take territories for Christ, pastors are seeking the heart of
God to learn to love His people, teachers are seeking for more knowledge and
comprehension of God’s word, and evangelists are busy bringing souls to Him. But
prophets spend time alone listening to the Lord. We are listening for clarity, for
direction, for purpose, for clarion calls, for mandates, and for precision and
accuracy. Prophets become friends of God because they are good listeners and they
are always in agreement with what the Lord is saying.
God could not hide or conceal from Abraham the things He purposed to do for Him.
Neither did He want these things to remain hidden. He knew Abraham was a
trustworthy friend, one whom would remain faithful, even in times of abundant
blessings. God wants to reveal His purposes and plans to you regarding the things He
has destined for your life. He wants you to be fully aware and in full compliance with
His will. He prefers an open and honest friendship over relationship. He is looking
for that in you, but are you looking for that in Him?
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Friday, February 5, 2010
“I have seen your ways and I will heal you. I will lead you into a place of restoration
and return your comforts to you. Yes, all those who are mourning in spirit, I am
restoring your comforts.
I call you to reason with Me concerning your sins, for they are as red as scarlet. My
blood has atoning qualities, a chemical compound which cleanses you from your sins
to the point they are whiter than snow. Do you see the snowfall? Do you see how it
blankets the earth? So my blood covers and blankets your sins so that no one will
be able to see them again.
To those who have back-slidden and fallen out of love with Me, this is the season of
your Return. I am eager to heal you and make full and complete restoration.
Return to the Lord, your God, and I will heal you of your back-slidings.” Hear what
the Lord is saying for He is speaking peace to His people, His saints.
Father, we bless you from the depths of our souls and we shall never forget all of
your benefits. You have redeemed our lives from destruction, from the lion’s den,
from the fiery furnace of affliction. You have healed all of our diseases, natural and
spiritual and have restored us. Father, we praise you for even when you were wroth
with us for being fools in our sins, you turned your anger away and comforted us.
Hold us up that we may be safe and blot out our transgressions to remember them
no more, in Jesus name, Amen.
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Monday, February 08, 2010
Jesus asked the blind man a question. He asked, “What is it that you want me to do
you? The man responded, “Lord, that I may receive my sight?” So what would we
request from the Lord should He ask of us the self-same question? “What is it that
you want me to do you? Our response should be as follows:
“Lord, that you would open our eyes! Cause us to behold the wondrous things of thy
law. Cause us to see the marvelous works of your hands. Open the eyes of our
understanding that we may understand your Holy Scriptures. Teach us through your
Holy Spirit all things. Help us to comprehend that every good gift and perfect gift is
from above and comes down from you, the Father of lights. Lord God, give unto us
the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of you. Open the eyes of our
understanding and cause us to be enlightened. Cause us to know what is the hope of
your calling. Show us what the riches of the glory of your inheritance in the saints is
and what is the exceeding greatness of your power to us who believe according to the
working of your mighty power. That’s what I want you to do for me in Jesus name,
Amen.”
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Tuesday, February 3, 2010
Consider this people of God. The Lord found us in a desert land; in the waste
wallowing in darkness, filth and stench. His love reached us in the depths and
darkness of our sins. He chose us, led us out with a strong Hand, instructed us how
to live, kept us and delighted in us as the apples of His eye. He has taken care of us
as an eagle which stirs the nest, fluttering over us, and taking us up on His wings to
a high place. God has done this thing for us alone. As we age, He remains faithful to
us, watching our black and brown hairs gracefully change into a beautiful silvery,
gray. Even still, He has not abandoned us. He is still delivering and hovering
stubbornly over us.
He is restoring fragmented souls. He is leading us into paths of righteousness for
His name’s sake. And even though we may walk through the valley of the shadow
of death, there is no need to fear, for He is has already walked it, paved it, and will
accompany us through it as we walk therein. Lest we go astray, He guides us
continually with His rod and His staff, comforting us.
He shall guide us continually, I say, and satisfy our soul in dry places. He is
quenching the thirst of those perishing for water as they run, panting through the
courses of this life. He is making your bones fat, whereas the devourer wanted you
to waste away in the wilderness. You are likened unto a watered garden, a spring of
water with an unceasing source of rivers flowing into it. Who is likened unto our
God? Even at death, He is there to guide us into our next assignment: intimate
worship and adoration in His Throne Room.
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Thursday, February 04, 2010
The Lord wants us to place a watchful guard at the gate of our mouths. He wants us
to keep those doors of our lips under lock and key. Don’t be so easily moved by the
impetuous actions of others. Don’t allow trivial matters to ruffle you. Don’t be so
soon shaken as leaves on a tree during a windstorm. Learn to stand through
adversity, through persecution, ridicule, embarrassment and shame. Satan has
willing vessels whom he chooses to use at will, small minded individuals, fit for God’
s wrath, to provoke you and challenge the faith you have in the God of your
salvation. Don’t stoop to the devil’s level and don’t bend when he comes roaming in.
Stand, and having done all, keep standing. Put on the girdle of truth around your
waist and a body armor of righteousness. Do battle against evil forces under the
Lord’s banner with the Truth. Pilate didn’t know what Truth was, but you do. Jesus
is the Truth. In other words, fasten the belt of Truth (Jesus) around your waist. He
will restrain you (as a belt does) from making irrational and unreasonable decisions
based upon what the enemy has done or said. Some of us have allowed the enemy to
shove us right out of our destiny because we gave ear to satan. But the Lord has
restored you today. He has replaced the rug that the enemy snatched from under
you and has placed your feet on a solid path.
Every word escaping from the door of your lips has been incubating in your heart.
The whisperers, secret meetings, gossip and lies are fruits of satan hanging from the
branch of an evil tree growing in your spirit. An evil tongue only seeks an audience
of fools. If these are the conversations we have been engaged in, we need to lay the
Axe of the Holy Ghost fire to the root of the tree. An evil tongue is like a piercing
sword; it cuts, wounds, and splits to the death. A wise tongue is a healer; it
ministers, soothes, and comforts like a balm. The lips that speaks lies is not fit for
eternal life; it will be a tool the enemy uses to destroy the whole body and soul. The
lips of truth will be established forever and in their mouth is found no guile.
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Friday, January 29, 2010
North Carolina is preparing for its first winter storm of the year. Weather reports
have instructed residents to expect power outages. We are stocking our fireplaces,
preparing foods, and refreshing our supplies of candles and batteries in gloomy
anticipation of what could be. Within the next 12 hours, shoppers will make a mad
dash to grocery stores to stock up on convenience items and fill up their cabinets
with non-perishable food items. My, what a ready people we are going to be!
But I am reminded of a prediction made every Sunday across America’s pulpits,
based on a 2,000 year old statute. “Jesus is coming soon.” Where are the
preparations made for His return? Why haven’t we stocked our spiritual cabinets
with His non-perishable Fruits? Why haven’t we heard the news reporters warn
their viewers of this event? Why haven’t we crowded the altars seeking forgiveness
of our sins that we may be ready for this great and terrible day? Where are those lit
candles?
Isn’t it incredible how we believe every else’s report, including the doctors, our
employer’s, and economist’s, before we will believe the Lord’s report? Jesus was
astonished at the faith of the Gentiles (the unsaved) in the days of His earthly
ministry. I would subscribe to you today that He is just as astonished at our lack of
faith (the saved) in this present time. Whose report will you believe? Wouldn’t it be
hypocritical to prepare for a 24 hour winter storm when we haven’t we prepared for
a lifetime of eternity?
By all means, stay safe, warm, and dry during this storm, but stay ready and poised
against the Day of the Lord’s return as well.
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Monday, February 1, 2010
We begin the second month of the new year. If you have experienced the enemy
triumphing over you, his time is short. You will bruise his heel for this is your hour
of deliverance and salvation. Jesus has spoiled powers and principalities, making a
show of them openly and triumphing over them. Continue to be sober and vigilant
because your adversary is as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour, whom
resist steadfast in the faith. Be assured that your brothers and sisters are warring
against the one and self same enemy. You resist him and he will flee from you. The
Lord has bursted into laughter against the wicked who has plotted against you and
gnashed at you with their teeth. He will laugh at their calamities and will mock their
cries of anguish. He sees their day is coming and soon enough the Lord will bruise
satan under His feet. He will be cast into a lake of fire and brimstone and be
tormented day and night forever. Remind him of his fate when he rears his head
against you. Let him know that just as he is trying to abort your destiny, the entire
Christian world knows of the fate of his destiny that awaits him. You will have the
last laugh.
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Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Numbers 12:1-3, “And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the
Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman.
And they said, Hath the LORD indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken
also by us? And the LORD heard it. (Now the man Moses was very meek, above all
the men which were upon the face of the earth.)”
There were three demonic cords forming in this passage; jealousy, rebellion, and
disunity. Miriam was the faithful sister who watched Moses as he sailed down the
Nile River. Aaron was the loyal brother who assisted Moses in confronting Pharaoh.
These three were like a strong, threefold cord which could not be quickly broken
until Moses’ leadership begins to emerge as the stronger and more sustaining.
Moses married Zipporah while in the desert. Her father, Jethro, was a well known,
well respected and wise man, a Midianite priest. Through Moses’ marriage to
Zipporah, Jethro often gave Moses good, sound advice, like a father –in-law should.
Jethro observed the people contending with one another and bringing their conflicts
to Moses to resolve. Jethro offers Moses a word of advice, ordain seventy elders who
can govern the people or else he would die from stress never completing his God-
given assignment. Prior to this, Miriam and Aaron were the presiding elders
working along with Moses. Hostility began to brew, dissension began to arise as a
result of their apparent ‘demotion’.
They began to chide Moses and insult his intelligence. They scorned him for
marrying an Ethiopian woman. Then, they picked up a horrible stone called
‘judgment’. “Has God spoken only through Moses? Doesn’t God use us too?” (I
have learned that it is best not to use the Lord as a defense when you are attacking
your spiritual leaders! That’s a spiritual no-no.) The real issue starts to come out
now. First, it was an issue pertaining to his wife, an Ethiopian woman, now the meat
of their jealousy begins to manifest. They were jealous of Moses because of God’s
use of him in leading Israel. Jealousy bred rebellion, and rebellion begat disunity,
something God hates.
We are all human and we may not always agree with what our leaders say or do,
however, God is very strict about how His anointed are to be treated. Never rebuke
an elder. If there is a conflict, sit down and reason together like Christians, not
heathens. Don’t throw stones of judgment when you live in a glass house. God
doesn’t wink and He has somewhat of a low tolerance for those who touch His
leaders with their hands or their mouths. If you have to leave a fellowship, do so
quietly and peacefully, leaving bridges intact. Miriam learned the hard way for the
very same man of God she attacked was the one who interceded on her behalf for
her miraculous healing.
Aaron gave ear to Miriam’s backbiting and when it was time to pray for his sister,
he was unable to do so because iniquity was found in his heart. Let’s be on the
lookout for those three demonic cords; jealousy, rebellion, and disunity. Cut them
through with the power of God through prayer every time you see them trying to
form.
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Thursday, January 28, 2010
Who shall separate you from the love of Christ? – Romans 8:35
Precious man or woman of God, do not be beguiled into thinking once you
become a Christian your life will become easy. Contrary to popular opinion,
there will be struggles in this life, no matter how decent you try to live it. Jesus
foretold us that in this life there will be tribulation, but be good cheer for I
have overcome the world. Joseph was thrown into muddy pit, Daniel into a lion’
s den, the three Hebrew boys into a fiery furnace, Paul and Silas into jail,
Samson into the hands of his enemies, and so on. There will be many
opportunities presented by your enemies to cause you to separate from the
love of Christ, but nothing is supposed to separate you.
We are not immune to trouble. The Holy Ghost is not a vaccination against
trouble. Troubles must come but woe unto the willing vessel of satan through
which it comes. The Lord has promised you to be a very, present help in the
time of trouble. He has promised to hide you under the shadows of His Wings.
He has promised to be a Rock of refuge, a strong, impenetrable tower.
No matter how trying your tribulation, God’s love is there providing you with
an escape route. God’s love formed a great fish to swallow Jonah even in the
midst of his disobedience and rebellion, surely His love will manifest a rescue
boat for you.
No matter how angry you may become over being mistreated or unfairly
judged, God’s love is the Righteous Judge. His love is also your Defense
Attorney, so how can you ever lose a case? If He has to fight for you with
hailstones from Heaven, you will never be defeated.
No matter what your source of famine may be, God’s love makes provisions
for you. If you have been starved from affection, God’s love is a turning wheel
for the hearts of men. If you have been starved from a position on the job, God’
s love is a weed wacker, cutting evildoers away and clearing your path, ask
David.
Whatever you may be facing or whoever it is troubling you on every side, God’
s love has a remedy for your problem. Nothing, nothing shall separate you
from the love of God through Christ Jesus.
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Thursday, January 21, 2010
The Lord has gone before you this day. He is with you and will not fail you.
Do not tread in the path where His Spirit has not led you, neither allow anyone
of your company carry you there unwillingly. The way that the Lord has made
for you is not of yourself; to direct your own footsteps. God says that He is
taking you to a place. If you are that good ‘man’, then your footsteps will be
ordered in that direction. Once you take these strides on this path where the
Lord is taking you, He will take delight in you. Even if you falter along this
route, He will help you and will not utterly cast you away. He will uphold with
the right hand of His righteousness.
Know and understand the Lord is with you. He is continually guiding you with
His counsel and will ultimately receive you into glory. Be steadfast and fully
persuaded today. Don’t let anything or anyone separate you from the love of
God which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Don’t allow death, nor life, nor angels,
nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor
height, nor depth, nor any other creature to move you out of this place.
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Tuesday, January 25, 2010
2 Peter 1:5, “And besides this giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue”
God wants you to ‘add’ something to your faith called ‘virtue’. In other words,
your faith should produce a life of excellence, resolution, or some type of
energy (works) which compounded with your faith produces the types of
results you desire. It’s okay to have faith, but faith alone may become
stagnant and dormant. If you have the faith to believe one day you will become
the world’s greatest Christian author, then to supplement or add to your faith,
you would need to enroll in journalism or some other type of advanced
communications class. You would want to meet other Christian authors and/or
visit printing plants to learn about their processes to familiarize yourself with
the distribution process. There is more to having faith than just believing God.
The devils also believe. Your faith in God to must be exercised; it must be put
in motion.
God will do what we cannot do, however He will not do what we can do. Part of
the faith growing process is overcoming the bumps in the road. God is not
going to develop your character for you, character development comes from
within. He is not going to finish your college degree for you; you have to walk
across the stage to receive the reward of your academic labor.
Some Christians have developed a “Jesus will fix it” syndrome and many will
leave this earth before accomplishing their dreams or fulfilling their visions,
waiting on Jesus to fix it. Jesus is not going to make you get a job, although
He will open doors and opportunities for you. Jesus is not going to pour a
million dollars into your lap if you don’t have the faith to tithe off of the $100
you have. You must add excellence to your faith and be resolute about it.
When God speaks through His written or rhema Word, act upon that Word.
Don’t become as the disciples who were gazing into the sky after Jesus’
earthly departure. Stop gazing and start working. Don’t try to analyze what the
Lord is saying and don’t ever burn bridges because although a major portion
of the help you will need comes from those whom you will meet, there are
those in your past and present who can help thrust you into your destiny.
Christians have made the mistake of receiving a Word from the Lord and
developing a spirit of arrogance thinking they won’t need anyone to help them
build their vision; that is a lie from Satan. Jesus needed the 12 disciples; yes
even Judas played an influential role in His ministry of redemption. Joseph
needed his brothers to throw him in the mud pit that he could make it to his
mansion. His forgiving attitude toward them demonstrated his appreciation for
their folly and the understanding of his destiny.
When God speaks to you, stop hesitating and begin embracing what He is
saying. Add to your faith, virtue or excellence. Apostle Paul said to add ‘work’,
for faith without it profits you nothing.
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Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth mark many of us today who love the Lord, are
faithful to Him, and obey His precepts. They would be the older couple in the church
who are always remembering the saints’ birthdays and anniversaries. They would be
the ones who bakes the cookies and give gift baggies of treats on holidays. The love
bond between husband, Zechariah and his beloved wife, Elizabeth, was one that had
sent them through the toughest and roughest of times. She was a loyal and
submissive wife. He was a gentle man and a wonderful provider. All seemed well on
the outset except for one thing, they were barren.
Is it possible for one to attend church regularly, pay tithes and offerings, participate
in auxiliaries, and serve on the church’s advisory board and be barren? Sure it is.
Zechariah had not sinned against his wife, neither had she sinned against her
husband. They had not broken any commandments against the Lord God. They
loved the Lord with all of their heart, yet there was a place in the spirit they had
never attained, the place called Fruitfulness. When you attend worship services
every week and walk away empty handed in the spirit, you are faithful but you are
not fruitful.
A fruitful person conceives the Word of God each time it is released, whether
through the preaching of the Word or through prophecy. There are some people
who receive anything the Lord sends their way. Some conceive through song being
played on the radio because they have conditioned their spirits to be fertile. In order
to condition your spirit, your flesh must be disciplined. This is an area we struggle
with. Imagine a man yearning to be intimate with his wife and having to wrestle
with her to fulfill his joy. This becomes a forced act which lacks the love and
mutuality which makes conception enjoyable and desirable. Then imagine a man
and his wife who have yearned for intimacy with one another, the Word is deposited
and conception takes place and a ministry has been birthed.
It’s okay to be faithful in the Kingdom. It’s alright to serve on boards,
departments, auxiliaries, and so forth. However, don’t get so busy for the Lord that
you are too busy for the Lord. Make time for intimacy in the Word of God. Be that
yearning vessel He needs to plant His works. Don’t get so caught up in being
faithful that you neglect being fruitful.
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Thursday, January 14, 2010
If you are not at the supposed place, at the supposed time, with the supposed
people, doing the supposed thing, what do you think is supposed to happen?
Israel’s valiant king and shepherd was supposed to be at war, leading the
battle for his nation. Instead he remained at home, resting, relaxing, and
roaming. Idleness is the devil’s armor bearer for it can surely be found
wherever there is mischief. David took a supposed harmless stroll across the
rooftop of his palace and fastened his eyes on the thing that has been created
to be a man’s glory, a woman. We all know the story from there but what door
opened to sin and invited him in? Idleness. When he should have been fighting
the Lord’s battles, when he should have been an example of might and
strength for his country, David was taking an idle stroll. As his men lie in the
patches, wounded, dirty, hungry, and bleeding, David was gazing at the glory
of another. As his men ran for cover, shielding themselves from danger, David
was undercover, delighting himself in the temporary pleasures lust has to offer.
The spirit of idleness is one of the arch enemies of the church. What are you
involved in from Sunday to Sunday? Have we visited the sick, fed the hungry,
clothed the naked, and ministered to the lost? Are we sitting at home idle? Are
we active soldiers in the army of the Lord, full time, or are we secret agent
soldiers only showing up for Kingdom duty one day out of the week? What are
we spending our time doing? Are we fulfilling our destiny here on earth or are
we wasting time becoming agents for satan? What are you supposed to be
doing? What are you doing as a wife and mother? What are you doing as a
husband and father? The result of David’s night rambling and Bathsheba’s
infidelity was a child cursed with death from the womb. Have we brought
curses on our children? Has the curse of Meroz been released from Heaven
because we have refused to fight the Lord’s battles? When the Lord needs us
to be faithful over all He has committed our hands to, are we faithful?
When Prophet Nathan confronted David with the parable of the sin he
committed, David immediately stood in the third person and began to pass
judgment. When the Lord confronts us with our sins, how many times have we
passed judgment on others and excluded ourselves? How many times have we
pointed fingers at everyone else’s evil and overlooked our own?
Be more vigilant over what you spend your idle time doing. Ensure that
whether you are among the saints or not, God is requiring you to maintain your
integrity. Don’t let the devil use you because he will use a saint (if you let him)
just as willingly as he would a sinner, if not more so. He wants to steal your
testimony and make you out of the liar that he is. Use your time wisely;
redeem the time for the days are evil. The Lord needs His faithful to be
instant and always available for His service. Stay away from the devil’s armor
bearer, idleness.
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Monday, January 11, 2010
Luke 12:31, “But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things
shall be added unto you.”
We have always been the type of people to seek after things. In the 1960’s,
we sought out our freedom. In the 1970’s, we sought out to cure for disco
fever. In the 1980’s, we sought out who was the father of Billie Jean’s kid
according the Michael Jackson’s song defending he was not the ‘baby daddy’.
In the 1990’s we sought after intelligence by means of internet browsing. In
the new millennium, we sought after houses, cars, better jobs, and everything
else under the sun which would bring an improvement to the exterior of our
lives, but when are we going to seek the Kingdom of God which answers all
things? Our nation is one with a revolving door for fashion. We update our
televisions with Tivo, we update our microwaves, our VCRs, our clothing,
shoes, cars, and all other material things that will eventually become outdated,
rust, become stolen, worn out, or discarded. But how many of us are
expending that same effort seeking the Kingdom. We seek conference after
conference, revival after revival, prophet after prophet, church after church,
yet we are never fulfilled. What we are seeking for cannot be supplied through
external means, God created us to be seekers after Him.
The Word of God says to seek rather the Kingdom of God, then all these
things will be added to you. God wants us to receive, but we must receive it
from Him that we may in turn give Him thanks. He wants us to be blessed, but
how can we ever expect blessings without spending time with the One who
holds our blessings? God created us to be seekers. We seek food to eat,
clothes to wear, houses to live in, vehicles to drive, people to congregate with,
but when, the Father is asking, when you will seek after Me? In God’s
presence is the fullness of joy and in His right hand, pleasures for evermore.
Why wouldn’t you want to seek the Kingdom?
Esther understood this concept. Although she was the queen, she honored the
office of king and before she could make any request as to the livelihood of
her people. She had to seek the face of the king. She couldn’t do as we
sometimes do, run in the palace screaming our heart’s pain at the King. She
entreated him. She graced him. She pleased him. She prepared a banquet in
his honor. (How many banquets have we made in the King’s honor?) This
woman of God pleased her king so, that he offered her whatever she desired.
He offered to ‘add all these things’ to her. What about us? The reason we
have so much sorrow attached to our life is because we have become
recipients of counterfeit blessings. The blessings of the Lord enriches us and
there is no sorrow added to it.
Set your face this year to seek the King, His Kingdom, which is
righteousness, and He promises to add all the desires of your heart to you.
You don’t have to plead, beg, or cry. He knows your heart’s desires better
than you because they came from Him. Declare this year as a year of seeking
and searching out the King’s precepts and the blessings, the abundant
blessings of Heaven will rain and reign upon your life.
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Tuesday, January 12, 2010
I Corinthians 3:3. “For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you
envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?”
Everyone in the church aren’t apart of the church. Some people are just
churchy; they love to dress up and go to church. They love to sing, shout, look
good, and put on the act, but are not apart of the ‘Church’. The church is a
Body, a living organism of Believers, which represents the love of Jesus
Christ and manifests it toward one another. Apostle Paul, after having dealt
with numerous issues concerning ‘church folk’ came to the conclusion that
they were yet carnal. Even though they attended church, paid tithes, sang in
the choir, and preached in the pulpit; they were yet carnal.
How does one know if they are fulfilling the lusts of the flesh and walking in
carnality? The first sign or evidence of carnality is division. Since Christ never
divides against Himself, when we see sects and groups forming with no
spiritual oversight, or people absent for extended periods of time alienating
themselves from other members of the Body, this is the spirit of division and
ultimately the work of the flesh. There is not one single, solitary shred of
evidence where Christ forsook an assembly. He was the assembly. The
disciples never wondered where He was, He was always there. If He wandered
away to enjoy a few delightful moments in the face of His Father, they knew
where He was and what He was doing.
I have never seen an arm operate apart from its body. Yet, in the professing
church, we see arms, legs, feet, and entire torsos, wandering away from the
Body. Some have attached other parts of another ‘body’ attempting to make
itself whole and complete. Substitutions will never suffice for the real thing and
God’s glory cannot be duplicated.
Spirits of strife and envy are also prevalent in our churches today. Would you
believe people compete over who sings the best, preaches the best, testifies
the best, or looks the best?! What would Jesus say about His Body today?
What would He say to the One He shed His precious atoning blood for? Well
done? Or I know you not?
This month a corporate fast was mandated for our members. Throughout this
fast, we are asking God to allow us to look within, not without. We are not
accessing the Throne Room in spirits of accusation, but in the spirit of
repentance and brokenness and contrition. The ‘Real Church’ wants to know
how to feel the heartbeat of Jesus in their lives like never before. We are
casting off garments of religious pride, arrogance and pride and are trading
them in for the cloaks of peace, obedience, and the favor of God.
God said no flesh shall glory in His sight. If we endeavor to glory in His sight,
we must resist the works of the flesh and walk in the spirit. The true sign of a
son or daughter of God is those who are led and guided by the Spirit of God,
not meat-heads.
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Thursday, January 7, 2010
What do you do when God is silent over a situation you really and desperately
need an answer to? What do you do when you feel your cries have fallen on
deaf ears? What do trust in when you feel as if you can't trust in God to edit
your circumstances? How do you react when the very circumstances you
trusted into the Lord's very capable Hands, falls to pieces? The sisters in
Bethany felt as if Jesus had forsaken them. They felt as if the Lord
mishandled their prayer request. They needed Him right away? Have you
ever needed the Lord to show up right away and you became disappointed
when He didn't? When your faith is being stretched in order for the greater of
God's glory, even the surpassing greatness of His Glory to be revealed in
your life, your prayers will appear as if they are going unanswered. You will
feel as if you are groping in the darkness for a reply, a response, an
acknowledgment of the Lord's nodded Head to assure you that your answer is
on its way.
Jesus made a two day delay in approaching the Bethany sisters' dilemma. He
knew very well what the odds were, for though they may appear stacked
against Mary and Martha higher and higher as each day passed, the odds
grew in Jesus' favor the more. Jesus wanted a certain audience to be present
in order for this miracle to achieve His desired results and He knew that the
individuals who needed to be there would only be drawn to the situation after
they felt Mary and Martha had given up hope. Don't you know people like
that? They wait to see if the Lord has answered your prayers and then they
pounce on you with their mouth and ridicule you in the spirit if He doesn't
show up soon enough. Jesus had something to prove. He wasn't concerned
about the process of deterioration taking place in Lazarus' tomb, He was the
Resurrection, He could recreate Lazarus to be better than the first. He
wanted to prove His Glory on behalf of these sisters for all spectators to see
and He did just that.
Do you have a prayer request locked away in a tomb? Is your daughter's
salvation or your son's deliverance a thing you feel is too impossible for God
to change? Have you been travailing over a matter you seem as if God has
ignored? Is God silent as you stand outside the tombstone of your marriage,
job, relationship? Be encouraged today and know that He is waiting for a
certain audience to appear. The work that God is about to complete in your
life is going to be a great testimony to many others, therefore He needs to
draw a crowd to you. He needs to draw out the haters and the gainsayers. He
needs you to see above and beyond all who is really rejoicing with you. He
needs you to apply patience as a soothing balm to this painful matter and
simply trust, trust, trust, trust the Resurrection.
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Friday, January 8, 2010
There is an immeasurable amount of power in your imagination. The Word of
God states that as a man thinketh, so is he. The mind of a man is such a
commanding place in the spirit. The enemy knows this and dispatches fiery
darts to smolder your vision. But Apostle Paul charges us to bring every
thought to the obedience of Christ. Every thought and every shred of your
imagination should always harmonize with the Holy Scriptures.
In the beginning, God had an idea. His plan was to design a place and a people
He could enjoy as the hallmark of His creative nature. When He conceived
this plan, He strategized who would do what, when, how, where, and with whom.
Before He called the seas to exist apart from dry land, He laid this foundation
in His imagination. Because He is not restricted by time as we are, He was
able to outline the birth date and expiration date for earth and her inhabitants.
Since He is Alpha and Omega, He has charted out your destiny simultaneously
with the calling forth of light in the first days of creation. In addition, He
created you in His image. Therefore, we have been endowed with an
impressive imagination to use to help form our world around what we have
designed in accordance with God’s will.
The Lord is saying to you today, you have a rod in your hand, which is your
imagination. Use your rod to command the highway in the sea. Use it to draw
water from a rock. Use it as a weapon against your enemies. Use your
imagination to birth vision and compel things into existence. You were made in
His image, now use His tools.
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Tuesday, January 05, 2010
This morning as I drove my daughter to the bus stop, I could not help how
hard and icy the ground had become. Even as I walked across the front yard, I
could hear the frozen grass crunching under the weight of my foot. I stood still
for a moment, cold, but intrigued, as I reminisced how the luscious and velvety
green the yard was only a few months ago. Thoughts of my children playing
ball flashed through my mind. Thoughts of my husband and sons tending to the
lawn flashed through my mind, but as I looked down, there were no signs that
life was ever there. The Lord began to speak.
He said,” This ground has become like the hearts of some of My people. It
once was a place where I could plant, tend, and harvest. It was once a place
where my Word would dance and come alive. It was a place where I managed
the activities of the body because it yielded itself to Me. Now look at it. It is
hard. It is icy. It is lifeless. It represents a heart which refuses to repent; one
which refuses to confess its sins. Nothing can be planted. Nothing can be
harvested. It is good for nothing but to trodden upon by man. The grass you
heard painfully bowing underneath your feet, represent what little harvest has
remained. It is like the withering leaf; listless and worthless. It represents the
fragment of the Word which is yet trying to spring forth and live despite
having its roots frozen. Never you mind, and don’t be concerned for I have a
remedy for the frozen heart. I have a Tiller which burrows deep in to the
earth, it cuts up and shreds and prepares the heart to receive again. This
heart is experiencing a season of winter, but I have a rainy season, full of
tears, which tenderizes that frozen heart, and softens it to receive seed again.”
I gave careful thought to what the Lord said and my response in prayer was
simply, “Lord, in my winter season, keep the heater of the Holy Ghost
burning that my ground will remain soft and pliable that the works of Your
hands should remain.”
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Wednesday, January 6, 2010
The Lord showed me a vision of a fruit this morning. A small fruit; even a
raisin. He whispered in my ear saying, ‘There is a raisin in the Son.” Whoa,
God, I pondered, what do you mean there is a raisin in the Son? (God loves to
deal with me in parables!) He said remember the virgins in Israel who would
tread the freshly harvested grapes from the vines to make wine? I said, yes
Lord. He said you know that wine is symbolic of the joy in the Holy Ghost; it
makes one happy. I said, yes Lord. He said there is a joy that My people are
getting ready to experience that will surpass any they have had in the past.
There is an anointing of fresh wine, an anointing of fresh joy coming to the
church. God said that we have been travailing, warring, and wrestling and the
enemy has tried to seize our joy. But I am returning to you the joy of your
salvation. You will smile again. You will laugh again. There has been a garment
exchange in the Spirit concerning you. I have given you a cloak of joy for the
garment of heaviness. God said I have given you a new dance, a new shout
and a new reason to rejoice.
I said okay Lord, but what about the raisin? He said the raisin has withered in
the faith; withered in the Son. He said the raisin has been overexposed. It had
no covering and it made a vain attempt to stand before me naked and
ashamed. Then the Lord began to show me how many ‘church folk’ have been
hiding behind religion, dogma, titles, and positions imitating the robustness and
vitality of grapes, but when the curtains were pulled back and when the covers
were snatched off of them, they were exposed and ashamed, hence the raisin.
God said although a raisin has maintained a portion of her sweetness, she has
lost her elasticity. She cannot be stretched, in other words, a raisin will always
move in restriction. She cannot be used after the manner of the grape. She is
unable to release sweet juice like a grape, thus unable to produce joy. God
said raisins are cheap, inexpensive, and in plenty and are available at anytime
for anything, but the grapes operate in their seasons, fulfill their purpose and
wait patiently for the Lord to call them forth again. Grapes are a hot
commodity, when they function in their season, they are in high demand, but
raisins are never in high demand for they are always used as a side item.
Furthermore, a raisin can be kept for extended periods of time. A raisin could
care less if anyone chose them to do a work for God, a grape, on the other
hand, is always a looking for an opportunity to be used by God. A grape wants
to remain fresh and has to be used within a few days of it being harvested. A
raisin can sit on the shelf for weeks. God said there is a stagnant, stiff, story
behind every raisin. God said He is calling for a re-examination of our status:
are we grapes or raisins?
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Monday, January 4, 2010
Proverbs 18:21, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it
shall eat the fruit thereof."
In True Love, we opened the new year with a prophetic bang. We completely
restructured our Watch Night service and our First Sunday's service to give way to
the prophetic. The results were mind boggling. After Apostle ministered, "No
Looking Back", we gathered the people around the altar and released their strategy
for the upcoming year. Normally, our tradition would be to have praise and worship
until the last 10 seconds of the new year and countdown with cheers and tears,
hugging and embracing one another. This year was totally different. We released
the prophetic word of God over every soul in the building. We loosed the spirits of
Moses, Joshua, Abraham, and Elijah over the men. We loosed the spirits of
Deborah, Hannah, Abigail, and Mary over the women. We loosed the spirits of
eagles (vision), lions (courage & boldness), lambs (humility), etc. We bound
marriage breaking, poverty, and all tormenting spirits. We loosed blessings and
provisions for God's people.
Sunday morning, the prophetic expression was so thick in the place that the babies
began to prophesy! Yes, the children began to perfect the praise through the
prophetic. We required every member with a willing mind to stand up and decree the
will of God and the mind of God over their lives. The place was on fire. Two souls
returned unto the Lord. Husbands began prophesying over their wives and children.
Wives began to prophesy over their marriage and their husband's ministry. Children
began calling their ministries forth and prophesied over their parents! It was a First
Sunday service indeed. By the time I stood up to minister, it was nearly 2 o'clock!
People of God, use your tongue as a formidable weapon against your enemies this
year and use it as an invaluable tool to bump you into your destiny. Couple the
prophetic word with fasting and prayer to solidify and reinforce the perfect will of
God to be manifested in your life.
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