Open Heaven

Food for Thought

I went by the water to feed the birds and normally when I do I have to throw the bread away from me because numerous birds swarm around me. Today someone had gone fishing and cleaned the fish they had caught and threw the remains in the water. There were an abundance of small fish swimming in the water; two decent sized crabs and even a baby sting ray....for this park this doesn't happen but this isn't the first unusual thing I have seen at this park recently. Last week God told me to be open; he didn't give me specifics, I think he is just preparing me for what's ahead so that I can be obedient no matter what it looks like. I think in this next season we are going to have the resolve to ask God is this you? and if it is no matter what we think or what it looks like we need to be willing. I believe it won't be the usual. Today as I sat at the park tossing the bread on the water  only about two birds ate the bread; the others had feasted on the fish carcasses but the bread didn't go to waste, it was food for the small fish that had come close to shore. It reminded me of the parable of the dinner feast. In this hour though we may desire to commune and celebrate with our families and friends God may call us to embrace and welcome people who we may not have chosen to befriend ourselves. We can continue to pray and intercede for our families and friends but if God calls us to band with others the only important thing is knowing that it is God, because when it is we can rest assured that even though the people may look different and be different if they are God's and he is drawing us together it is for our good and the advancement of the kingdom of God. So come who will to the great feast that our Lord has prepared.

Luke 14 Passion translation 12 Then Jesus turned to his host and said, “When you throw a banquet, don’t just invite your friends, relatives, or rich neighbors—for it is likely they will return the favor. 13–14 It is better to invite those who never get an invitation. Invite the poor to your banquet, along with the outcast, the handicapped, and the blind—those who could never repay you the favor. Then you will experience a great blessing in this life, and at the resurrection of the godly you will receive a full reward.” 15 When they heard this, one of the dinner guests said to Jesus, “Someday God will have a kingdom feast,[b] and how happy and privileged will be the ones who get to share in that joy!” 16 Jesus replied with this parable: “There was a man who invited many to join him in a great feast. 17 When the day for the feast arrived, the host instructed his servant to notify all the invited guests and tell them, ‘Come, for everything is now ready for you!’ 18 But one by one they all made excuses. One said, ‘I can’t come. I just bought some property and I’m obligated to go and look it over.’ 19 Another said, ‘Please accept my regrets, for I just purchased five teams of oxen[c] and I need to make sure they can pull the plow.’ 20 Another one said, ‘I can’t come because I just got married.’ 21 “The servant reported back to the host and told him of all their excuses. So the master became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go at once throughout the city and invite anyone you find—the poor, the blind, the disabled, the hurting, and the lonely—and invite them to my banquet.’ 22 “When the servant returned to his master, he said, ‘Sir, I have done what you’ve asked, but there’s still room for more.’ 23 “So the master told him, ‘All right. Go out again, and this time bring them all back with you. Persuade the beggars on the streets, the outcasts, even the homeless. Urgently insist that they come in and enjoy the feast so that my house will be full.’ 24 “I say to you all, the one who receives an invitation to feast with me and makes excuses will never enjoy my banquet.

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Praying in the Spirit

Make Me a House of Prayer

Knock and Keep on Knocking

Return to Worship

God is removing the voice of the enemy...it was always about your worship. Expect to recover what was stolen and expect it to be multiplied upon its return.

The Story of Jonah —A Lesson in Courage and Mercy

This movie was created by Jehovah's Witness; I am not a Jehovah's Witness nor do I believe what they believe. However, this was a good movie based on the story of Jonah.

Man Ought Always to Pray

I heard a speaker once say that worship generated power. He said that we need to send that power somewhere, in other words, we should worship with purpose. Yes, I know we should worship God because he is God  but while we have an audience with the King it would behove us to present him with our petitions. I am reading a book called "Worship Warrior" (I strongly recommend this book) and it reminded me of the principle mentioned above
In the book the writer discusses how prayers accumulate and how he believed that the bowls in heaven where our prayers are stored are checked by angels sent by God when we pray. He proposes that often times when the bowls are checked there is not enough in our bowls to meet the need and there wasn't enough power in our prayer time to get it done... to tip the bowl. He goes on to say that when the bowl is full it is tipped and released by an angel in the earth realm.  God gives us glimpses of this principle with scriptures like "pray without ceasing, knock and keep on knocking..." The only thing left to do is PUSH, pray until something happens.

Draw me close

Jeremiah 31:3
The Lord appeared of old unto me, saying yea, I have loved thee with everlasting love : therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee.

Luke 21:18
And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads for your redemption draweth nigh.

Psalm 18:16
He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters. 

An Abundance of Rain

Today a ministry that I am connected to sent out a letter and had a widow's mite enclosed in the envelope. I heard it (the mite) hit the floor and I could not find it. I became agitated after a while. I thought to myself...that's typical. I said to myself I will look once more and when I did I found it. I read the story of Elijah and the abundance of rain in 1 Kings 18 later on in the evening and I felt like the message was keep the faith and keep expecting God to do what he said he would do; which is a good principle but knew there was more and I felt led to read the story of the widow's mite; after reading the story of the widow's mite what I believe God is saying is if we are giving according to God's will, there is a blessing there...we need to ask the Holy Spirit to help us find it if it is not in plain sight; because it is there. We may need to look again; we may need to call it forth; we may need to pull it from another dimension...but it is there.

Wonderful redeemer

I wrote a post once about how I had driven down by the water searching  for peace and how the weather was beautiful and there was even a man standing at the end of the pier playing an instrument but I could not stay to enjoy it.  Well my God is a redeemer... the weather is  beautiful, the sun is about to set and the guy is at the end of the pier playing...my heart is smiling.

Egypt is in ruin

God often answers by fire and although the fire is  uncomfortably hot, it is by his grace and protection that we are not consumed. I have prayed and God has heard but most times the answer did not come as I imagined it would and sometimes I have felt that process was too much and the price was too costly. But a prayer prayed from the spirit that is aligned with God's word and desire is one that he will answer. I have been guilty of looking back. I have been guilty of thinking that when I was doing what I wanted to do things were better. I have been guilty of falling back into some of those things but not others and that was probably only because I felt grace depart in that area and I did not have the nerve to see what would happen if I proceeded to do it anyway. I feel like being honest. God knows already and he is my Lord. I think on his grace...on how I have been given warning and had to call to say "I'm staying home tonight". I think on the times I resented not being able to do what I wanted to do when God had my best interests in mind when he told me not to. This has been a lonely difficult process but Cannan is in view and God will be there when we get there so this is the time to make ourselves ready...how? you may ask...
2 Chronicles 7:14
"If my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land."
Now is not the time to play sanctified and do and say the unthinkable in secret. The king is near and he knows and sees all. It is time to acknowledge our wrong and ask God for deliverance. I can be open and honest enough to say I need his help in some areas. We are at the threshold of our promise but know that it is on holy ground. I love you with the love of Christ.

"Defense 👐👐 Defense 👐👐 Defense👐👐"

He Is Still Good...He Is Still God

I drove by the water today seeking peace. I love the water and I haven't been able to sit by the water as often as I would like for a while. Today I drove by the water and it was the perfect day for it...the sky was absolutely beautiful...the weather was nice too...as hot as it has been lately today it had cooled down and was pleasant by the water. Circumstances happened and interrupted what I wanted. I mean it was so perfect that a guy randomly stood at the end of the boardwalk and began to a play musical instrument (a horn) and he played beautifully, but because of circumstances I had to leave. It made me so aggravated. After I got home the song "Be Glorified" came up in my spirit and God asked me to sing it and I did. It was still there so I pulled up a video of someone singing it on youtube and I said to myself God is still good. I would like to share the video below with an extra bonus one that I like too. I love you with the Love of Christ...and God is Still Good and He is Still God.

The Root of the Issue

Matthew 3:10

10 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

A while ago I revisited the need to deal with the root of issues. So often we focus on the fruit. If we were to pick a tree bare the fruit would eventually just grow right back. Mark Chironna use to deal with roots of issues in his early ministry...I had never seen anyone administer deliverance like that. I am sure there were others but his was televised. I am sure that alot of the attacks and temptations that flooded him were all attempts to stop him...excuse me while I trail off...a relative and I were talking about prayer and declarations and I said if we pay attention to the strategies of our enemies we can learn the key to their defeat. When the devil wants to stop you he normally doesn't just hit you with one blow. Its blow after blow until you tap out. Tired and beat up we still have to keep fighting...to keep praying...to keep prophesying and declaring. It is hard to fight wounded but that is the time we need to fight the most.....Back to the root. A ministry that I watch talked about dealing with the root and I was reminded of Mark Chironna. I was also reminded of a time when I reflected on the root of some of my issues. One was my relationship with money. As I thought back I remembered some things from my childhood one was my cussing grandfather (lol) always saying "It's money's mammy around this son __ __ ______." He was from the south with a dirty mouth but still a decent person. What he was saying was there is always something to take your money. I can't count the times I heard that. It impacted the way I thought without me knowing it. I also remembered my glass piggy bank. I had a glass piggy bank when I was growing up that I loved loved loved loved. I got to the point that when the doorbell rang I would take it out and make the people at the door pay a toll for entry (lol). They thought it was cute so soon they brought me dollars instead of change. One day I was showing it off to my cousin and it dropped and shattered. When I told my mom she scolded me and took the money. I think the incedent with the piggy bank affected the relationship that I have with money the most. I know that one day I will be entrusted to steward over alot so it is imperative that I receive deliverance in this area. I have been making declarations about my finances, while writing this I came to the conclusion that I need to add declarations about stewardship of my finances and began praying and studying scriptures about it well. Last night I went to walmart and I saw a piggy bank that was a stuffed animal and I felt it was symbolic of what is going on in that area.

Its super cute!

Good News

I made the decision some months ago to start what I call a "spiritual feast". I pick out  a group of scriptures and read the same scriptures daily for a month or 21 days. I decided to do this because it was like I was being bombarded by the wrong things. I made a conscious effort to feed and strengthen myself with the Word of God. At the end, the scriptures I have been studying will become my foundation. Scriptures that I meditate on daily and pull from when needed. My cousin and I began talking about the effects of removing prayer from school and how you can get reprimanded  or worse if you discuss God on the job. What it has done is make it uncommon to talk about God in certain environments. I remember when God was a common part of conversation. It quickened you...it made you think of God more often. It kept the fire burning. Today while waiting for someone to come out of the store I used the time to listen to the scriptures I was meditating on today and I noticed that after a while the people in the car next to me turned from the station they had been listening to, to a station playing Christian music. Now there is therefore now no condemnation because I listen to secular music too (not bragging about it, just being honest and transparent) but I have to take a moment to reflect and remember that we have the power to change our environment. I am going to begin to share the love of God again until it is common place.


*Update* I felt the need to share the scriptures that I am studying and meditating on. Although I really like a few of them they are not my favorite scriptures per se....one of the chapters I am reading is Hebrews 11 which talks about faith...that in itself is good. I really like the part about "Women receiving their dead to life again" and I also really love Psalm 24 which flows like a melody...I have sung it more than once. I am going off on a tangent so I will share this and real it back in but my favorite scriptures are: "As for me and my house we will serve the Lord" Joshua 24:15 and "I can do all things though Christ who strengthens me" Phillipians 4:13. I have them both on the wall in my front room...they are called wall stickers you can order them online; you just have to peel and stick.


Here are the chapters of scripture I am "feasting" on: Hebrews Chpt. 11, Joel Chpt. 2, Psalm 91, Isaiah 61, Isaiah 40, Jeremiah 29, Psalm 23, Psalm 24, Psalm 34, Ephesians 6, Romans 8, Psalm 103, Matthew 5, Psalm 18.
The first month I choose 4 chapters of scriptures and read or listened to them each 3x per day. If you decide to feast on scripture pray and ask God for direction. I am sharing what I did as an example only.

Oh yeah! The Good News today and everyday is God Loves you and so do I! Be Blessed.

Lovely

A friend and I were talking a couple of weeks ago and we began to talk about staying hopeful and optimistic. She told me that she keeps a journal and wrote down something good that happened to her everyday. Later I was reminded about a class we had taken together and the class started out each time with something called "New and Good". It always positively shifted the atmosphere because no matter what you had been through that day or that week there was always good. My friend had implemented that lesson learned in her life and it was inspiring. As we talked further I thought on a  play we had gone to see together earlier that day and I told her about how while getting ready I needed a purse that matched my outfit...I had a purse that would match but I had not seen it in months and the start of the play was drawing near. Suddenly, where I should look came to mind and when I looked there it was; I exclaimed "Jesus, you are so good to me" and when I did, it quickened something in me. The same day of our conversation I began to journal the good that had happened each day. I start each entry out with "Jesus, you are so good to me". The saying has become cliche but it is yet true..."God is good all the time and all the time God is good". We only have to take a moment to think about it...the good is always there and I am not talking about "I woke up this morning, clothed in my right mind" although those things are very good because some didn't; but there is always more if we but look and acknowlege. I love you with the love of Christ Jesus.




Phillipians 4:8
 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Hallelujah

I am really grateful. I have found my song again. I don't know if it was exercising my gifting in karaoke (lol) or the prayers of the saints...either way I'm grateful. Two songs have been playing in my head this morning and I'll add two more as a bonus.

I know the next one may seem a little random since it's not even Thanksgiving yet but it has been coming to mind just the same.

Bonus

Days of Elijah

���� The Power Within A Gallon of Milk

Last night while praying God began to speak...my faith had been shaken so when I began to hear him I began to question. I began to cry and I said God how do I know its you and not just my mind or imagination; I told him I want to be sure that it is you that I have been hearing. Today a cousin of mine from Tennessee sent this video. I had a rough day so I took it as inspiration and thanked her. Tonight as I began to pray God reminded me of the prayer that I prayed last night and said your cousin all the way in Tennessee gave you the answer to the prayer you prayed (by God of course). So today if your faith has been tested or if you just want to know if God hears your prayers know that he does and know that God is still speaking...we only have to listen. God Bless You. I love you with the love of Christ.