Timeless

 Today while I was getting ready to read the bible and I heard Hebrews 3:17. I had heard and read it before more than once recently so today I asked why am I reading this again? and I believe I have the answer.

Hebrews 3:17 But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned whose carcases fell in the wilderness? 

At first I was like Lord are you saying I am like the children of Israel? and what I got was that I was going to be separated from the sins of my father...Amen! and then I got more.

Numbers 11:32

Surely nome of the men that came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward shall see the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac and unto Jacob because they have not wholly followed me

Numbers 11:33 Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite and Joshua the son of Nun: For they have wholly followed the Lord.

According  to Joshua 14:7 Caleb was 40 when he went to spy out the land so we can guess that he was around 80 when he entered into the promise land and the oldest of the other children of Israel was 60 and the youngest was at least 40.

This realization caused me to bubble up with Joy. It was as if God was saying you are worried that you are getting older but the youngest of the children of Israel to enter into the promise was 40 years old!

In the 40th chapter of Isaiah in verse 31 God says he will renew our strength.  In Joel Chapter 2 verse 25 God says he will restore our years. In Deuteronomy 29:5 God says that for the forty years that the children of Israel wandered in the desert their clothes and shoes did not wear out.

God is a God of Miracles and he is a God of Restoration and Preservation; he is more than able to supernaturally keep us. Most of us have met someone who causes heads to turn and mouths to open when they say how old they are; God is able to do the same for us. Fear not, there is still time to enter into and enjoy the promises of God.

God's got a Blessing...

 

I felt led to come by the water for a while today. God told.me he wanted to spend some time with me. The song "The Lord Is Blessing Me" came to mind. I heard God say "sing it to me". I was reluctant but I sang the chorus; not loudly...as far as I know my only audience was God. After I did I heard him say that's  all I wanted. You don't ask us for much when you really think about it, do you God? What is God asking of you? It may be as simple as a song. Be blessed.

 

Rest in the Promise

I am still waiting on the manifestation of certain promises God has made me. There may be a promise that God made you that you are still waiting on. The bible has countless stories of  people being given a promise that did not come immediately but one thing the stories have in common is that the promise was fulfilled. Hebrews 11: 36 (says) For ye have need of patience, that after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. The story of the Israelites leaving Egypt and spending 40 years in the wilderness is a perfect example of what not to do while waiting. From Exodus to Numbers we learn of how God performed miracle after miracle for his beloved Israel and of his desire to lead them to Canaan as he had promised Abraham. The older generation died in the wilderness and did not enter into the promised land because of unbelief. Could their unbelief have been the result of the lack of a personal relationship with God? Moses talked to God face to face but when the Israelites had a chance to become closer to God they distanced themselves and told Moses to tell them what God said (Exodus 20:19). Could their unbelief also be tied to their refusal to completely let go of Egypt and its idols?

Hebrews 3

15  While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.

16 For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses.

17  But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness?

18  And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?

19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.

God says that those that come to him must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of those that diligently seek him (Hebrews 11:6)...that's not asking too much; GOD IS.

God is not limited to time and if we are in him and one with him he is able to redeem our time and empower us to not be bound by time; he is well able to renew and restore. 

Isaiah 57

13 When thou criest, let thy companies deliver thee; but the wind shall carry them all away; vanity shall take them: but he that putteth his trust in me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy mountain;

14 And shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumblingblock out of the way of my people.

15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

16 For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth: for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made.

17 For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him: I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart.

18 I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners.

19 I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the LORD; and I will heal him.

Joel 2:25

And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.

Sometimes the cares of this world hardens our heart and we resent the trials and tribulations that God uses to purge and mature us; we grow weary while waiting on our promise; but don't harden your heart. Rest is ahead....not the rest where we sit down and do nothing but the rest where the yoke is easy and the burden is light.

Hebrews 4

4 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.

2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

3 For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.

4 For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.

5 And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest.

6 Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:

7 Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

verse 9 of Hebrews Chapter 4 says

9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.

and 16 says

Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

We have access to the promises of God by being in the resting place. We must be careful not to forfeit the promise through unbelief and disobedience. God commanded us to have a Sabbath; a day of rest and in that day we gain access to the promises of God. 

Genesis Chpt. 1 

1.Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.

2 2.And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.

3 3.And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.

4.These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens,

5.And every plant of the field  before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field  before

it grew: for the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth and there was not a man to till the ground.

The provision was already there God only needed to speak so that we would be able to perceive and access it in this realm. We keep striving to do things out of our own strength when we should heed the word of the Lord to Zerubbable...not by might, nor by power, but by the Spirit of the Lord". (Zechariah 4:6)

Enter into God's rest.

Matthew 11

28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

God Will Provide/Rest

 I was reading Proverbs Chapter 14 today and the 23rd verse really stood out.

Proverbs 14:23 (says) Much food is in the tillage of the poor but there is that is destroyed for want of judgement. As I was reading that verse I saw a vision of people reaping in a field and leaving some of the harvest behind. I thought about how Boaz told the people under his employment to leave extra for Ruth.

Ruth 2:16 And let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her, and leave them, that she may glean them, and rebuke her not.

I thought about a time where I went with a friend of mine to pick greens that a farmer had left behind. The farmer had gathered what he had wanted to gather and there was plenty left. We picked as much as we wanted. 

Leviticus 23:22 (says) And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest: thou shat leave them unto the poor, and to the stranger: I am the Lord your God.

In the Torah Shmita is the "Sabbath Year" or the "Sabbath of the Land". It is the seventh year where everything that is produced is hefkar, ownerless and free. People are to refrain from planting, pruning, plowing or harvesting, or engaging in any other form of farming their lands during this time. The Shmita is said to shift the relationship we have with material possessions.

The seventh equals rest.

Genesis 2:2 says And on the seventh day God ended his work which he hand made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he made.

Let's Look at the word "rest" in Hebrew.  The Hebrew word for rest is "nuach" which is nun+vav+chet. Nun=the seed, thus continue, heir, son; Vav= the tent Peg, thus add, secure hook, Chet= the wall, outside, divide, half

Rest in the Lord Jesus Christ and he will add to you all that you need. As an Heir of Christ we can be at peace knowing that if we seek him he will take care of the things we need however he chooses to be it through people, a raven, water from a rock or bread (manna) falling from the sky God is well able to provide all of our needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus (Phillipians 4:19).

 

Fear Not

 I recently finished rewatching all of the episodes of "Touched By an Angel"; I am also watching "Highway to Heaven". At first I thought it was just a coincidence that I was watching them both. I had watched the "Flying Nun" and I thought it was because I wanted to watch shows that were more wholesome and although I did there was more to it. As I watched "Touched By an Angel" and "Highway to Heaven" I began to think more about angels. Saturday as I sat by the water God said he was Lord Sabaoth which means the "Lord of Host" or as I had heard it before "Lord of the Angel Armies". God also told me "I love you, it's going to be okay".  Glory of Zion's Sunday topic today was "Lord Sabaoth" it was  confirmation that felt like a trumpet being blown and God announcing " I AM LORD SABAOTH". I know various names of God and their meaning. But him introducing himself using a particular name let me know that this was the virtue of himself that he was releasing. There will be an increase in angelic activities. Recently I talked to an old friend about the period of being set apart I had gone through. I told her I had asked God "are the angels gonna be my friends?" She said, "well now they may be". I love that about her; the fact that she recognizes the greatness of God. Yesterday as I sat by the water I also reflected on how God is removing fear from us.  I first noticed this in my life when I realized that I had stopped wearing masks (as protection from Covid).  I had been strict about wearing them when I was in public and then one day I was running low on them and didn't buy more and just stopped wearing them. Even before Covid fear had crept into different areas of my life. I found myself being apprehensive about going certain places by myself. I like to be alone sometimes and that may be in an areas that are kind of secluded. I had started to think, maybe this isn't safe; whereas before the thought never crossed my mind. As I sat by the water after dark with my windows down and earpods in my ear looking at the water I felt completely safe and there was a freedom in that, that I had not felt in a while. As God continues to break fear off of us and dispatch his angels to subdue the enemy rejoice and fear not.

Luke 2:10

“And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.”

Take the Limits Off

 Friday my mom and I drove through an area of town that I use to really like. The area has beautiful waterfront homes. I use to like the neighborhood so much that I would walk there admiring the houses and the stunning views of the water. Today is Sunday; I drove to a park in the neighborhood and purposed to walk the old route I use to walk.  I began to get a little intimidated and I thought within myself "what if I am no longer able to walk that route?" The walk is filled with hills and it takes over an hour to walk to the point I had picked to walk to and back to my car. I heard God tell me that I could do it and he impressed upon my heart that I was the one who had told myself that I was no longer in good enough shape to do it. I walked the route just like God said I could.The thought that I had limited myself in that way was eye opening. How often do we let others put limitations on us or worse put them on ourselves? I am a dreamer; spiritually and naturally. I told someone once about wanting a house in an area of town that I really liked that is one of the more expensive areas in the city. The person I told began to ask me questions that on the surface seemed practical but overtly sent the message that you won't be able to purchase a home there. I felt defeated; you see one of the things I use to do when things got a little too heavy was to hold on to something I could hope on. During the time that I am speaking of what I was holding on to was the idea that one day I would be able to purchase a home wherever I wanted to.  I told another person whose opinion I also held high, and that person's response was "You can have anything you want." Those words went straight to my spirit and brought strength; although in the natural it may not have seemed practical, those words were absolute truth. God is more than able to give us the desires of our heart. Another time I was talking to someone else about different desires I had and they said "you want to much; you want things that are unattainable" during that time my spirit and faith were strong and without hesitation I replied "God would not give me the desires I have without giving me a way to get them". I want to speak a combination of the words I spoke myself when I was strong and the words someone else spoke into my life when I was not,  along with  Phillipians 4:13 to you..."You can have anything you want; you can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens you; God would not give you desires without giving you a way to get them" and guess what it doesn't have to be practical. If we are in God's will and our desires are in his will, God is more than able to provide; and give us the strength to achieve what may seem impossible. It may very well be through practical means but if God decides he wants to bless you in an unconventional way he can and will. Be encouraged in the Lord today to take the limits off yourself and off of God.

Job 5:9
Who does great things and unsearchable, marvelous things without number.

Luke 1:37
“For nothing will be impossible with God.

Love Is Enough

My oldest son and I were talking one day this week and he insinuated that his younger brother and sister were "bad". I told him they were angels and he respectfully disagreed. I told him one day they were gonna be like Monica on "Touched By an Angel" and reveal that they were angels sent by God. He laughed; I asked, "what if they did and started glowing; what would you say?" He said he would say that God has a good sense of humor l.o.l. (and he does).  I thought about how parents and grandparents view their children. It is not that they don't see their faults; its that there love overshadows or covers them. I thought on it even more and I wondered what it would be like if we saw each other as God sees us? What if we simply loved? Love is Enough. I love you with the love of Jesus Christ; till next time...

Let brotherly love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Hebrews 13: 1-2

Keys of Understanding

I have read various books on deliverance; I have prayed various deliverance prayers and fasted and yet in some areas I am still believing God for deliverance. I came across YouTube videos of Tiphani Montgomery featuring Kevin Ewing and a principle was taught that I had not heard before. There is a lot of great information in these videos but what got my attention was the information on dreams. Mr. Ewing stated that covenants could be renewed in dreams. That blew my mind! So after I have prayed, fasted and read these deliverance prayers, the spirit can walk right back into my life through a dream. There are numerous examples of God speaking to people through dreams in scripture one example is in 1 Kings 3: 5-9 it is about Solomon. Solomon walked in the statutes of the Lord and offered a thousand burnt offerings on the altar and after, God appeared to Solomon in a dream and asked "What shall I give thee?" as we all know Solomon asked for wisdom and it pleased the Lord and so he granted him wisdom. We can conclude it was more than just a dream.  A while ago I was recounting how I could dream about what I wanted to when I was a child and how what we dream about could potentially be manifested in the natural. When I heard this teaching things began to click into place. Mr. Ewing talked about having sex in dreams. How the spirit you had gotten rid of or a greater spirit that he brought along could disguise itself as someone in a dream and have intercourse with you which in turn would renew the covenant. We know that sex is an act of covenant. When Jesus saw the woman at the well he told her she had had five husbands, John 4:15-18. I had to go to God about this. I am going to be open because it may help someone. I said okay Lord, that was my vice; I may be able to resist in the natural but how can I resist in my dream state? The only thing I could think of that would work was the same thing that worked when I dreamed when I was a child...I would need to maintain a certain level of consciousness in my dreams. So my prayer was Lord help me to keep a certain level of consciousness in my dreams; we need to be aware that our dream life can affect our natural life IT IS NOT JUST A DREAM!  If you awake after having one of these dreams repent; denounce any evil covenant you may have entered into in the dream; decree that you are the bride of Christ and according to Numbers 30:8 Jesus can nullify the vow or covenant made and decree by the blood of Jesus the covenant is broken. This week I think I am going to be reexamining significant and reoccurring dreams that I have had. I love you with the love of Jesus Christ; be blessed.

Victory is in the (wind) Air!!!

I have been looking at notes from pasts fasts this week and reviewing the prayers that were answered during those fasts and the revelations that were gained and writing them in a journal. It occurred to me this week that there was a matter that although I had prayed about I hadn't asked God what I should do as in what action to take if any. I had been praying about this matter for along time. I thought to myself surely I had to have asked for instruction, but I hadn't. I had prayed and prayed and then I did what I thought I should do to secure the result that I wanted (to no avail). So I asked the Lord "Lord what do I do to....?" and he gave me a direction. This weekend the strong winds in the area made me think about the Mulberry tree that was in my backyard. During a storm a Mulberry Tree in my yard was damaged to the point that it had to be cut down. I was sad about it; not because I like Mulberries, because I don't. I was sad because I love the scripture in second Samuel Chpt. 5 where God gives David the strategy to win the battle. He told David to listen for the sound of going in the tops of the Mulberry trees or listen for the wind blowing through the leaves in the Mulberry trees. Although that tree was lost, one day while in my backyard I discovered that the Mulberry Tree that I thought belonged to my neighbor was really in my yard and belonged to me. It was planted so close to the fence line that if you didn't look closely you might think the tree was actually in the other yard. Some of the branches even reach into the other yard. I had never noticed before because the Mulberry Tree that I had always focused on was bigger and it was positioned in the yard in such a way that it was an attention grabber. This week like David I sought the Lord about the battle and God sent an answer by the winds of his spirit. Victory is in the air! Do you feel it?

Zechariah 4:6

Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.

2 Samuel Chpt. 5

24) And let it be when thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the mulbery trees, that then thou shalt bestirre thy selfe: for then shal the Lord goe out before thee, to smite the host of the Philistines.

25 25) And Dauid did so, as the Lord had commaunded him; and smote the Philistines from Geba, vntil thou come to Gazer.

I Love You (With the Love of Christ)

 I did as I said I would do and I asked my mom what she prayed for when she prayed for me. I also told my children what I prayed when I prayed for them and how they could prophecy those prayers that had already been established in the heavens. When I began telling them about my prayer for them I realized I hadn't actually blessed and prayed over them in a while. I pray for them daily but I had not blessed them or prayed over their physical bodies in quite some time so it is something that I need to start doing again. This week I am moving on from Hebrews Chapter 11 and on to 1 Corinthians Chapter 13, the chapter that talks about Charity (Love). I think this chapter of scripture is well needed in my life right now. I never want Gods love to grow cold in me but I know that I can grow indifferent easily; for me it is a coping mechanism but in this hour I cannot afford to not concern myself with others. God recently brought people to mind that I thought I had forgiven; when he did I responded "no I have forgiven them". His question to me was "why don't you pray for them then?" He was right as always so I prayed for them and since then I pray for them often. Even though I had purposed to forgive them and verbalized that forgiveness there was still something there that kept record of the offense. There is one person in particular that God brings to my mind more frequently than others. It was hard to even get to the place of saying that I forgave them because the wrong done against me was great; but I got there with God's help and I am grateful because I want to experience God in all of his fulness and holding on to unforgiveness even when it seems justified could never be worth not receiving all God has for me. I haven't been given any details as to why I am being prompted to pray for the person so often...it may just be something God is doing in me and if so I am grateful for that too...I will obey and pray!

1 Corinthians 13 (The Passion Translation)

Love, the Motivation of Our Lives

If I were to speak with eloquence in earth’s many languages, and in the heavenly tongues of angels, yet I didn’t express myself with love, my words would be reduced to the hollow sound of nothing more than a clanging cymbal.

And if I were to have the gift of prophecy with a profound understanding of God’s hidden secrets, and if I possessed unending supernatural knowledge, and if I had the greatest gift of faith that could move mountains, but have never learned to love, then I am nothing.

And if I were to be so generous as to give away everything I owned to feed the poor, and to offer my body to be burned as a martyr, without the pure motive of love, I would 

gain nothing of value.

Love is large and incredibly patient.  Love is gentle and consistently kind to all.  It refuses to be jealous when blessing comes to someone else.  Love does not brag about one’s achievements nor inflate its own importance.  Love does not traffic in shame and disrespect, nor selfishly seek its own honor.  Love is not easily irritated or quick to take offense.  Love joyfully celebrates honesty and finds no delight in what is wrong.  Love is a safe place of shelter, for it never stops believing the best for others.  Love never takes failure as defeat, for it never gives up.

Perfect Love

Love never stops loving.  It extends beyond the gift of prophecy, which eventually fades away.  It is more enduring than tongues, which will one day fall silent.  Love remains long after words of knowledge are forgotten.  Our present knowledge and our prophecies are but partial, but when love’s perfection arrives, the partial will fade away.  When I was a child, I spoke about childish matters, for I saw things like a child and reasoned like a child.  But the day came when I matured, and I set aside my childish ways.

For now we see but a faint reflection of riddles and mysteries as though reflected in a mirror, but one day we will see face-to-face.  My understanding is incomplete now, but one day I will understand everything, just as everything about me has been fully understood.  Until then, there are three things that remain: faith, hope, and love – yet love surpasses them all.  So above all else, let love be the beautiful prize for which you run.

Be Blessed

 I listened to a message by Robert Heidler of Glory of Zion this morning. In the message he referenced the first three verses of Hebrew chapter 11...I will be reading Hebrew Chpt. 11 again this week. Yesterday I started listened to the Aaronic Blessing and I decided to listen to it daily this week; now I understand why I felt that prompting. The First 3 verses of Hebrews 11 talk about faith being the substance of things hoped for and how faith caused creation the come into the realm of existence or into a realm that we are able to perceive. Robert Heidler said that prayers are already answered in the invisible realm and they are waiting to be downloaded. This made me think of the prayers that have been prayed by our forefathers and how we can prophecy those prayers into manifestation. I am going to make it a point to ask my mother what she prays when she prays for me and I am also going to make sure that I tell my children what I pray for when I pray for them and how to declare those things. Prayer is powerful and there is something extra special about prayers from our parents and our spiritual leaders. Pray blessings over your children, your family and everyone in your life. God tells us in Luke 6:28 to bless even those who curse us and to pray for those who mistreat us; it not only benefits them it benefits us as they draw nearer to Christ. Be blessed in Jesus Christ on today an everyday; I pray that your week is filled with God's presence and it is prosperous.

Hebrews 11

1. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

2. For by it the elders obtained a good report.

3. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

God is is Faithful/Personal Halls of Faith

Last week I read Hebrews 11; I  read it and listened to it being read daily. At the end of the week I was all set to read another chapter in the Bible but God led me to continue reading it for another week. This week I also worshiped daily. Today as I was singing God called my attention to the fact that I was singing quietly. I tried to sing louder and found that there was some resistance there. Upon that realization I was determined to sing louder. I had been worshipping for 6 days and felt the presence of God but I hadn't realized that I was doing it quietly. It reminded me of the Battle of Jericho. Today was my seventh day and it was time for me to lift up my voice like a trumpet to breakthrough to victory. I sang a few songs and reflected on the fact that they were older songs. I turned on YouTube and began to sing along to various videos all of which were older songs. I knew the fact that I was singing songs that I had song over the years was significant. For one older songs were clear about who they were about...the name of Jesus was mentioned in most of the songs that I listened to and sang. I also thought about things that were going on while the songs were new and how the songs had helped me through some difficult times; times where my faith was tested.  I am grateful for the goodness of God. He has brought me through so many things...God is faithful.

Hebrews 12

1. Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay said every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 

2. Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith: who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Remember

 This week I have been thinking about patterns and repetition as they relate to breakthrough and other aspects of life. God told me something about 20 years ago that he has continually repeated. I did not understand it at the time but over the years the statement he has been making has become clearer. I won't share what he said but I will share that it was a bit of an instruction. I also thought about things that have caused me to miss breakthroughs and blessings in the past and it tends to be one thing in particular. So as I wait for the manifestation of what God is doing I will be careful to remember instruction and I will also remember to not let old patterns cause me to forfeit what God has for me. Has God repeated something to you over and over? if so do not take it lightly. Is there an old pattern that you seem to get caught up in that affects your life negatively? Take a moment to identify those things and then pray and ask God to give you more insight on them...keep them in remembrance so that when they come up you will know how to proceed.

John 14:26

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?

 I was talking with my son earlier this week and I told him about how I could make myself dream about anything that I wanted to dream about when I was a child. I could even make myself dream in cartoons if I wanted to. Before I went to sleep I would just say to myself "I am going to dream about _____..." and I did. I could also change my dream if I was dreaming and I didn't like something about that dream. I lost that ability when I was around 7 years old.What changed? My innocence. As I got older my experiences and environment shifted my perception. The frontal cortex, the part of the brain that controls reasoning developed more and more as I got older and as it did my ability to reason and the way I saw the world changed. There are countless scriptures about being childlike in the Bible. What characteristics do children have that we lose as we get older? trust, faith, concern for others, love, not being aware of the differences between other people etc. There is so much that we can learn from children. Life can change you; it can make you cold, judgmental, selfish and it can do it slowly over time so that we don't notice the shifts. God tells us to renew our mind; to bring it back to an original condition of freshness and vigor..this will transform us; it will completely change our appearance or character causing us to become more like Jesus Christ. I am on a quest to regain those childlike qualities and I am going to have fun along the way by doing things that I enjoyed while I was a child like blowing bubbles, having dance parties, when it gets warmer walking barefoot etc. Will you join me?

Romans 12:2

"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. 

Mark 10:15 

Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.

Matthew 18:

At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?

2 And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,

3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

5 And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.

A Sweet Smelling Savor

 The Lord has really been drawing me to him this week. I knew that this week I wouldn't simply be observing Shabbat and that he was literally calling me to "remember the Sabbath and keep it holy". I normally read the Bible and pray...I worship too, (although I could definitely do it more )but God was asking for something specific of me this week. On Saturday's I may read my bible, pray etc. but it has sort of become "my day". I watch what I want to watch, a movie or shows. I may drive by the water or whatever else I choose to do for the day. Today was different. I knew I needed to study to see what God was telling me and I knew that if I watched t.v. it should be a Christian movie. I started watching more wholesome tv a while ago, older shows like "Highway to Heaven", "Touched by an Angel" or the "Flying Nun" but I watch secular tv as well. The addition of wholesome shows alone has made a difference on days when my senses have been overloaded by worldly stimuli. On those days watching one of those shows is just what I need. They are entertaining with decent content; "good clean fun" as the older people use to say. Considering how hard my week was, surrendering control of my day and not #treating myself was a sacrifice but that is exactly what God wanted...a sacrifice. When we worship in the midst of challenge it produces a sweet smelling fragrance that ascends to the throne room of heaven. God sent confirmation today by way of an air freshener sent by a ministry I am connected with. The fragrance was so strong I smelled it through the envelope. I smelled it as soon as I opened the door to my P.O. Box. I was watching a recording of Chuck Pierce today and he said he heard God say "river bed" and that he was reading Joshua 3. In Joshua Chapter 3 the children of Israel cross over the Jordan as if it were dry land. The text says that the Jordan normally was overflowing during that time; the time of harvest. I looked up river beds on Youtube and I found a video where a river bed was bone dry and then suddenly it was overtaken by a rushing river. That reminded me of me at times; of times that I have felt dry and barren and then God called me into his presence and filled me again with his spirit causing the rivers of my spirit to live and move..."in him I live move and have my being". No matter what is going on around us or in our lives if we lift up our eyes, focus on the Lord, and worship he will come in and overtake us with the living, restoring, reviving waters of his spirit. Enjoy the REST of your day.

Jeremiah 17:

19 Thus said the Lord unto me; Go and stand in the gate of the children of the people, whereby the kings of Judah come in, and by the which they go out, and in all the gates of Jerusalem;

20 And say unto them, Hear ye the word of the Lord, ye kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, that enter in by these gates:

21 Thus saith the Lord; Take heed to yourselves, and bear no burden on the sabbath day, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem;

Psalm 24:

Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.

Joshua 3

13 And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the Lord, the Lordof all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand upon an heap.

14 And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people;

15 And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,)

16 That the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho.

17 And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan

John 7

37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.

38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

Green Pastures

 Up until a few months ago I thought that what was growing in my yard was weeds. I like to mow and do the up keep of my yard myself, but I often got annoyed because what I once thought were weeds would spring up and make the yard look like it needed to be cut before it really did. One day my brother came over and I was complaining about the "weeds" in my yard and he said "that's grass seed". That blew my mind... immediately I thought of how my not recognizing what I had in my own front yard could be likened to so many other things, like: how people don't recognize the value of something or someone; how the thing (or person) you need or want is right in front of you and you don't recognize it (I had been contemplating buying grass seed);or how the grass may look greener on the other side but if you just cultivated what you had there would be no comparison. Welp, I will be taking the bagger off my mower and I look forward to greener days.

Psalm 23:2

He taketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leaders me beside the still waters.

Oh, the Glory of Your Presence

 

Yom Kippur (Wash Me Clean Allow Me In)

At the Cross

 

Hope in God