He was wounded for our rebellious acts. He was crushed for our sins. He was punished so that we could have peace, and we received healing from his wounds.
Isaiah 53:5 GW

An exchange happened to me last night as I lay in bed. I had been struggling with a situation in my body, trusting that the symptoms would go away. Have you ever done that?

As I lay on my side and began to speak the Word, I saw what I’m sure was Jesus after He was beaten and scourged with the whip. I knew it was Him, but it looked like a form of a man clothed in raw meat. I heard these words in my spirit, “You were never meant to carry this, give it to me.”

At first, I hesitated, unsure if I could add one more thing on Him, but aware that it wasn’t mine to keep, that I had something that was taken away a very long time ago. I began to give/release to Him everything I had going on in my body. I started going through everything seen and unseen, known and unknown, including the excess fat on my body (yes, even that!) and the steam burned hand that was keeping me awake.

I fell asleep and slept for 8 hours. I woke up rested with a distinct feeling that I’m not carrying anything anymore. Free and unencumbered.

Isaiah 53:3-5 MSG “He was looked down on and passed over, a man who suffered, who knew pain firsthand. One look at him, and people turned away. We looked down on him, thought he was scum. But the fact is, it was our pains he carried-our disfigurements, all the things wrong with us. We thought he brought it on himself, that God was punishing him for his own failures. But it was our sins that did that to him, that ripped and tore and crushed him—our sins! He took the punishment, and that made us whole. Through his bruises, we get healed.”

Can’t tell you how many times I’ve read and quoted those verses. Can’t tell you how many plays I’ve been in, movies I’ve watched that demonstrated this very act. But I get it now. The exchange is a timeless act of taking everything in my past, present, and future so I don’t have to carry it ever again.

Every emotional wound, every soul tie, every pain, pressure, or stress I will ever have, I exchange it for His peace, rest, and healing. It’s a now gift, it’s a past gift, and it’s a future gift. I ride on the wings of my Fathers endless love for me, free to do and be what He needs me to be.

Sandy G

Praise the Lord, all His angels, you mighty beings who carry out His orders and are ready to obey His spoken orders. Praise the Lord, all His armies, His servants who carry out His will. Praise the Lord, all His creatures in all the places of His empire. Praise the Lord, my soul!
Psalms 103:20‭-‬22 GW

When you speak, angels are authorized to act based on your words. Choose words of life and not death to commission your angels in your life.

I don’t think or talk about angels much, not that I don’t believe in them because I do! I just know that we are to exalt the name of the Lord, not His angels. But lately, I’ve been thinking of the role they play in Gods plan.

They are, in essence, worker bees, you know, the ones who go out and gather the pollen to make the honey. They have been trained to hear the Word of the Lord. So when we speak His Word in faith (which is the activator of the Word), they are dispatched to go after that Word.

I see this in the book of Jeremiah, where God is training him to speak what he sees. God says, “You have seen well, for I am alert and active, watching over My word to perform it.”

If we have an understanding of who we are, whose we are and more importantly, the power of our words, we would be more earnest to speak more of His Word over our situations then to curse, spit, sputter and worry over them. If we actually believed that we are seated with Christ in heavenly places, then from that position of authority, we would be imitators of Christ, healing the sick, raising the dead, bringing hope to the hopeless.

I believe God has called all of us, like Jeremiah in chapter 1:10, “See, I have this day appointed you to the oversight of the nations and of the kingdoms to root out and pull down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.”

You’re asking, “How do I do this? I’m just a simple woman/man. I have no influence over the nations or kingdoms of this earth!”

Oh yes you do! You have great influence because you have hidden treasure of His Word in your heart. When you speak in faith, in your prayer closet, over things God burdens you for, you have more influence in the earth than any casual conversation you could have with anyone.

I think the key here is to speak what God shows us to speak. We will be more effective if we focus on what He tells us to speak instead of speaking what we want. We want a lot of things, but our purpose is what Jesus’ purpose was, “to do the will of the Father that sent me.”

Whew, I think I have something to think about today. Psalm 141:3, “Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips.”

Sandy G

So no wonder we don’t give up. For even though our outer person gradually wears out, our inner being is renewed every single day. We view our slight, short-lived troubles in the light of eternity. We see our difficulties as the substance that produces for us an eternal, weighty glory far beyond all comparison, because we don’t focus our attention on what is seen but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but the unseen realm is eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:16‭-‬18 TPT

We can be distracted so easily by what we see around us. Watching the news, a phone call from a friend or family. Let’s focus on what never changes. Gods Word. Let’s remember that everything Paul went through when he wrote these letters was to encourage generations of believers like you and me.

The things we go through are not for us. Allow God to work through you to encourage and build others. Leave a road map that shows others the way through it. Use what’s in you cut through the fog.

The Word is in you, even in your mouth and in your heart. Use it to bring life to others today.

Sandy G

For though the mountains should depart and the hills be shaken or removed, yet My love and kindness shall not depart from you, nor shall My covenant of peace and completeness be removed, says the Lord, Who has compassion on you.
Isaiah 54:10 AMPC

The secrets of His covenant to you are safe. He’s aware of your trials. He sent them to you to prepare you for the life He’s created you to have. There’s purpose for the dark agenda you’re passing through, but the God of covenant can’t lie. You will come out more blessed than when you entered into it.

God is not a man, that He should tell or act a lie, neither the son of man, that He should feel repentance or compunction [for what He has promised]. Has He said and shall He not do it? Or has He spoken and shall He not make it good? You see, I have received His command to bless Israel. He has blessed, and I cannot reverse or qualify it. Numbers 23:19‭-‬20 AMPC

Do you see it? What God has spoken He will do. What He’s promised can’t be undone. You can take it to the bank. You can rest in His arms. He holds your secrets.

Sandy G

I love the story of Daniel. What an example he set to constantly place God as highest priority. Daily he rose early to pray, even after a law was passed to stop. What he received for his seeking the face of God is found in Daniel 9:20-23

I went on praying and confessing my sin and the sin of my people, pleading with the Lord my God for Jerusalem, his holy mountain. As I was praying, Gabriel, whom I had seen in the earlier vision, came swiftly to me at the time of the evening sacrifice. He explained to me, “Daniel, I have come here to give you insight and understanding. The moment you began praying, a command was given. And now I am here to tell you what it was, for you are very precious to God. Listen carefully so that you can understand the meaning of your vision.”

There are lots of things here, but two that personally spoke to me. When you prioritize the Lord and the things that are dear to His heart: 1. You gain insight and understanding. 2. You become very precious to God.

There is a high price tag that comes with seeking the face of God; you’re not really popular with man. They don’t understand why you’re not more like them, why you don’t value what they value, why you don’t fit in. You become a social outcast, a misfit. People plot against you, set you up for a fall, and sometimes it’s your own family, even members of your church.

They tell you not to be so extreme, they don’t understand why you weep for the lost, why you carry such a heavy load, why you’re loud or so passionate. Can I just encourage you for a moment, my remnant friend?

Set your face toward God and carry what He’s called you to carry. I would rather leave this world light than try to carry it with me. Knowing I’m walking in obedience to the voice of the Lord is probably the most rewarding choice I’ve ever made.

Am I perfect? Not by a long shot. God’s probably the only thing I’ve been able to focus on in my life. Sometimes, I think even our pastor shakes his head and wonders what to do with me. I still blurt out inappropriate comments, still get upset and still vent about ‘stupid people’, but my heart is set on God and little by little He’s changing me to care more about what He wants and less about what’s mine.

This isn’t a fad or a style change that if you decide you don’t like it, you can take it back and exchange it. This is for keeps! Don’t try this at home and live something else on your job. It’s not like make-up that you take off at night. It’s permanent! You won’t find it in any church; you find it on your knees.

Sandy G

How much does God think about us? How aware is He about us?

Many, O Lord my God, are Your wonderful works which You have done; and Your thoughts toward us cannot be recounted to You in order; if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered. Psalms 40:5 NKJV

O Lord, our God, no one can compare with you. Such wonderful works and miracles are all found with you! And you think of us all the time with your countless expressions of love— far exceeding our expectations! Psalms 40:5 TPT

He thinks of us all the time with countless expressions of love, exceeding our expectations. Wow. That simply blows me away.

There is not one moment that goes by that we are not thought about. He’s aware of what you’re facing and won’t leave you. You are always on His mind.

Does that speak volumes to you? It should. If that doesn’t get you through your Monday, I don’t know what will. Every time something happens, He’s thinking of you.

He thinks of you much more often than you think of Him. Let’s change that and begin thinking of His goodness and love towards us. It might just turn your day around.

Sandy G

“What delight comes to you when you wait upon the Lord! For you will find what you long for.” Matthew 5:4 TPT

As I read this verse, I found myself thinking about what an awesome time it would be if I could wait on God as a servant. Then I realized that I’m more than a servant, I’m a daughter.

Being a daughter holds more benefits than a servant. It gives me direct access to His inner courts. I’m privy to His secret plans. I sit at His table and feast from His provision. He clothes me in the finest garments. Anything I need is graciously given.

I will always find what I long for in His presence. I delight myself in Him, for He gives me the desires of my heart.

Sandy G

II Corinthians 3:17-18 NLT “The Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.”

Make me more like you, Lord. More of your glory. Fill me up to overflow so that what comes out of me is unrecognizable to the world. No fitting into this worlds design for me, I will break the mold!

May I be a stranger to this world and a friend of Gods. Until I possess more hunger for the things of God, I will never see His glory and that, my friends is all I want.

If I miss your birthday or don’t respond to your posts or perhaps don’t live up to your expectations of me in part or in whole, I just don’t care anymore (not that I cared that much to begin with). I purpose to offend you! Yes, you read that right. I hope I downright offend you! I hope my postings become so offensive that your religious spirit drops off and you see the truth lies not in you, but the Spirit that lives in you.

Isaiah prophesied it, “Behold I do a new thing..” (43:19) When we reflect the glory of God, trust me, everyone around you will see it just as they did with Moses. Until we seek him with all our hearts, read His Word as the only food we need, we will only stay on the pretend train going to our pretend destination. Well, this chick is on the glory train going after the glory of a living God who loves me enough to leave me the instruction manual on how to find Him.

Thank God for His Word!!!!! He said few would find the narrow road. May we be part of the few.

Sandy G

Have you ever read something and found yourself taken in by a word, a phrase, or had a ‘wow’ moment? That happened to me this morning when I was reading an article on Ambassadors. Here’s a tidbit of trivia for you this morning.

Did you know that way back when someone was sent to represent their king to a nation, they wore a mask in the likeness of that king? Yeah, I did not know that! But as soon as I read it, my mind began to go in so many directions on how this applies to us as representatives of Christ our King.

Can you even imagine the intense training involved? I mean, if you’re going to represent someone, you have to know them, share their vision, be loyal, and be passionate about their vision. Some have seen the movie, watched the crucifixion, and received Jesus as Lord of their lives. Don’t get me wrong, that’s a beautiful thing, but you can’t represent what you don’t know.

Have you got the vision and passion to become representatives of God, not only in church on Sunday morning, but daily in your jobs, neighborhoods, and communities? Some of us have known God for years, but we don’t wear His mask. We aren’t committed to His vision of rescuing the world with Love. It’s not a mask you remove when it’s inconvenient, when you’re weary or you just want to do your own thing. No, once you put it on, you must have the passion to lay down your own life and live for Him.

That’s what the body of Christ is missing today. That’s why there is talk of a remnant who walks the earth wearing the mask of the King of Kings. They look alike because they wear the glory of the Lord. We are blinded by their countenance. It convicts us to lay down our own lives and pick the mask of love.

“I have been crucified with Christ. I don’t live any longer. Christ lives in me. My faith in the Son of God helps me to live my life in my body. He loved me. He gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20 NIRV

Sandy G

And in a similar way, the Holy Spirit takes hold of us in our human frailty to empower us in our weakness. For example, at times we don’t even know how to pray, or know the best things to ask for. But the Holy Spirit rises up within us to super-intercede on our behalf, pleading to God with emotional sighs too deep for words. Romans 8:26 TPT

When you come to a place where nothing makes sense and nothing looks familiar, and you feel lost and alone, God has given you His Spirit to help you. It’s moments like these that you need to be reminded of the gift He gave you.

He can translate the deepest sighs of your heart, every tear that you shed into flowing words to the Father’s heart. He takes our weakness and makes them into strengths. That’s a gift.

I don’t believe even my husband can do that. In all the 47 years of our marriage, he still just shakes his head at times when I try to explain how I feel. But to know there’s someone who does understand–that’s truly a gift.

Today, I will release all the stuck words, the feelings of depression and hurt, the hidden things that no one sees or cares about to you, Holy Spirit. Take them all up to the Father, where they’ll be seen and understood. I release them to You, for I can trust them to no one else.

Thank you,

Sandy G