Psalm 127:3-5 The Voice; Know this: children are a gift from the Eternal; the fruit of the womb is His reward. Your sons (and daughters) born in your youth are a protection, like arrows in the hand of a warrior. Happy is the man who has his quiver full, for they will help and protect him when he is old. He will not be humiliated when he is accused at the gate, for his sons will stand with him against his enemies.

I have the greatest daughters in the whole world! After an awesome surprise 60th birthday party in which they flew Stacy down from Michigan, we sat at home and talked about this and that, going over memories, laughing at silly things that only a family could appreciate. After we hugged and kissed, said goodnight, I lay in bed thinking about the fierce loyalty we have for one another. Nobody dare talk bad about my girls! I’m like a mama bear protecting her young. Don’t judge them, criticize them, speak bad things over them cause it’s just not your place.

We’ve all been through things with our children, but regardless of what it looked like at the time, the Word says that when you train up a child in the ways of the Lord, they will return to Him. It may not be tomorrow, but it’s a promise that you can hold onto. I wasn’t a perfect mom, I made lots of mistakes along the way, but I did speak the perfect Word over them and in them as often as I could. Why? Because that Word is alive and powerful. It never changes. It’s been proven. I taught them that when they’re in trouble, all they have to do is call out to Jesus and He will save them. He’s their provider, their healer, their shelter, their deliverer.

The last part of that scripture is the part I love the most. He will not be humiliated when he is accused at the gate, for his sons will stand with him against his enemies. This is how I interpret that; My girls will always come to my rescue when people accuse me of something. They are fiercely loyal to me. If I’m battling for something, they will stand by me and fight with me. That’s what family does.

Father, I thank you for the gift you’ve given me in my children and grandchildren. I pray a hedge of protection over them. Surround them with your mighty arm. Rescue them from the plots and schemes of their enemies. Provide for them houses and lands, better jobs, bonuses and raises, blessings not curses, health and not sickness. I trust no one with my family like I trust you, Lord, because you always keep your Word to me and you promised that great would be the peace and undisturbed composure of my children. It’s in Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen

Psalm 81:7 Voice; You cried out to Me, I heard your distress, and I delivered you; I answered you from the secret place, where clouds of thunder roll.

He hears us! Wherever we are, whatever we’re going through, in every trial and test, He hears us. What an amazing thing to know, that the God, the only God hears us.

Imagine for a moment a crowded room with lots of noise and in the center of it all, you think you hear your name. You strain to hear it and look around for where the voice comes from. There it is again. You search all over and sure enough, there’s your daughter or son calling out for you. That’s what happens in Heaven when you call out to God. He hears you. What a beautiful thing to know this morning as we rush to get ready for work or take the kids to school. We can call out His sweet name and He hears us.

Father, we will never take for granted that you hear us. When we’re lonely or afraid we can cry out to you and you hear us. Your ears are trained on our voice. You can hear us from far or near because you are our Father. As we call out to you today, we ask you to cover us with your blood, protect and keep us from the evil plans of our enemies, for there are many. We know that all power and authority are yours and you have given it to us though your Holy Spirit. May we be mindful of our authority and use it well today. We give You all the honor and glory forever. In Jesus’ Name. Amen

Proverbs 23:7a, “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” How limited we become when we allow our thoughts to stop short the plans God has for our future. It all begins with what we allow ourselves to think on. 

It’s statements like, “Well that’s impossible!” or “That will never happen!” that derail us from moving forward. It’s so important that when God shows you a portion of his plan for your future and it’s way bigger then anything you’re able to do, remember that NOTHING is impossible with God. It’s not the method you need to think on, it’s the God who gave you the vision that you need to focus on.

I loved Jesus’ response to impossible in Matthew 19:26; “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” In other words, take the limits off of God. Stop trying to humanize Him to your level of thinking and understanding. God is God and he always will be God. There is none like Him and no one that measures up to Him. His ways are not your ways nor are his thoughts like your thoughts. It’s time to stop trusting in your ability and begin trusting in His.

We are so used to solving our own problems! We spend so much time trying to figure out this way and that way instead of trusting in God to work it all out for us. When we become independent, we distance ourselves from our loving Heavenly Father who wants to bless us and work out things for us. If we would just spend time with Him and His Word, He would give us the wisdom needed to handle every situation.

I know there is nothing sweeter then when our children come to us and ask for our advise, bringing us a problem they can’t solve on their own and wanting our help figuring it out. Father God is like that! Jesus said, “How much more your Father in heaven wants to bless you.” We want Gods best! We want Him to care for us, but we sabotage ourselves by our thoughts. If we would begin to train ourselves to ‘cast down’ any thought that doesn’t line up with the Word of God and instead realize, we are God’s very own children and can do anything, nothing would be impossible. Let’s remove the word ‘impossible’ from our vocabulary.

Father, thank you for the reminder that you live on the inside of us and nothing is impossible for you, therefore nothing is impossible for us. We won’t rely on our ability, but on yours. We will not pridefully claim that we did it, we will give You the glory for it all. You are such a wonderful Father. So many good gifts you have for us, we just need to take the time to open them up and use them. For this we give you thanks. You are with us always, nothing is impossible because we trust in you. It’s in Jesus’ Name we thank you. Amen

Romans 1:16-17 Message; It’s news I’m most proud to proclaim, this extraordinary Message of God’s powerful plan to rescue everyone who trusts him, starting with Jews and then right on to everyone else! God’s way of putting people right shows up in the acts of faith, confirming what Scripture has said all along: “The person in right standing before God by trusting him really lives.”

So many of the people Jesus encountered were just going about their business, living life as they had always done, some under oppression, some in fear, bound by sickness and poverty, but all of that changed for those who paid attention to His message and followed Him.  It was unusual, at best. They were hearing words of life, hope and love, unconditional love that threatened their very existence. What would happen to their ‘normal’ lives if they followed Him?

What about you? What would happen to your life if Jesus came to you and said, “Follow me!” Would you respond with, ‘Wait until I retire ’or ‘I need to take care of my parents first’ or ‘I have no talent or gift’.  Or would you just follow and trust Him to equip you with what you needed, to do what He’s asked you to do?  He has heard every excuse in the book, yet He keeps asking, “Will you forsake everything, pick up your cross and follow me?”

Let me be clear on something; this call to follow will involve sacrifice, rejection, humiliation and heartache, but its reward is, unconditional love, forgiveness, power to overcome, provision and eternal life.  His peace and joy will be your guard. You will gain fellowship with God on a deeper level then you could ever imagine. Your faith will grow exponentially as you learn to trust in the unseen rather than what you see in the natural.

Here’s the jarring truth; He’s already called you and equipped you, He’s only waiting on you to lay down your ‘normal’ life for His Kingdom.  How long will you keep Him waiting, till you get strong enough to lift your cross?  You can’t wait until all your ducks are in a row or your 401K get’s big enough to support you. It won’t get easier if you wait, it will only get harder to let go. Your excuses will turn into complacency which will turn into procrastination which equates to disobedience.

Father, may we burn with passion for your purpose, a passion for souls. The things that make us uncomfortable are the very things you’ve called us to.  You didn’t go to the rich and well fed, you went to the poor, the lost and the hurting. You weren’t concerned with who would fund the Great Commission. You even told your disciples not to take anything with them, that you would provide everything they needed. What’s wrong with us? Do we think you’ve changed? Become poor or needy? Are we so accustomed to providing for ourselves that we no longer know how to be dependent on you? Forgive us for our selfish ambition and lack of compassion. We will follow you and know that you will not lead us where you won’t go first. We will trust you so that we can really live.  It’s in Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen

Isaiah 48:3 GW, “From the beginning I revealed to you what would happen. These words came out of my mouth, and I made them known. Suddenly, I acted, and they happened.” Matthew 5:18, “I can guarantee this truth: Until the earth and the heavens disappear, neither a period nor a comma will disappear from the Scriptures before everything has come true.”

Whatever you’re facing today can change today, trust in the Lord. Whatever bad report you received from the doctor, He sent his Word and healed you and delivered you from all your deceases, so trust in the Lord your Healer. If you lack the finances to pay your bills, He sent his Word to say that He would provide for all your needs so trust in the Lord your Provider. God wants you to hunt for His promises to you, speak them over your situation and trust in Him.

So often we don’t get the immediate results we want so we give up and do it our way, but the Word says to wait on the Lord. That doesn’t mean to wait doing nothing, it means actively wait. A waiter takes your order at the restaurant, delivers it to the chef who prepares it and then the waiter picks up the food and brings it to us. We are to be waiters to the Lord. Whatever God tells you to do, do it. If we hear nothing, then we do what Jesus told us to do, find someone who needs the hope of God that’s in us and give it to them. He gave us His orders in His Word and instead of focusing on what we need, we should just obey.

While we are doing our Fathers business, suddenly He will answer. So many of us wait for the perfect time before we go and do what God has asked of us. There is no perfect time. NOW is the time and if we don’t reach them, who will? It’s time to stop focusing on ourselves and our needs, how we feel, our own comfort, a more convenient time or place. There are cold, hungry, hurting people out there who are desperate for the hope we have in us. They’ve lost their hope and we’ve misplaced ours. Get your eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. Find out what Jesus would do and get busy doing it. Stop fearing what man might think and just share. What’s the worst that could happen? You might get persecuted? So was Jesus and so are millions of Christians across the globe. Better to give your life for something you believe in then to not believe in anything at all.

Father, I place my hope and trust in you. I will do what you tell me to do and go where you tell me to go. I’m not going to trust in my ability because you’re not looking for those who can, but those who will. You’re weary of our excuses! We expect from you but are unwilling to do what you’ve asked of us. I’m sorry, Lord. I ask your forgiveness for lost opportunities to share hope with the hopeless and love with the unloved. Give me another chance to obey and whatever the cost, I will do it. It’s in Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen

Isaiah 60:1-3 NCV; “Jerusalem, get up and shine, because your light has come, and the glory of the Lord shines on you. Darkness now covers the earth; deep darkness covers her people. But the Lord shines on you, and people see his glory around you. Nations will come to your light; kings will come to the brightness of your sunrise.”

I think we can pretty much agree with the fact that darkness covers the earth. Deep darkness definitely covers people. But our focus must not be on the darkness, we must focus on the light, Jesus. It says that the Lord shines on you and me and people see His glory around us. That kind of glory only comes from being in the presence of the Lord. If we don’t position ourselves in His presence, we won’t be the light that draws all men unto Him. You can’t bring light to light, you must be light in darkness.

Jesus gave us orders before he left the earth; “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” Mark 16:15. It wasn’t for a few to go, it was for all. We have a mandate to give the good news of Jesus to everyone we meet, everywhere we go. You may not be comfortable with that, but that doesn’t change the facts, does it? Let’s just stop for a minute and ask ourselves a question; What am I doing to preach the gospel? Am I a carrier of the presence of God? What do people see when they encounter me? Do I draw men and women to God or away from God? Do I cause others to hunger for what I have? What do I need to do to change in order to do what Christ commissioned me to do?

Father, you said that if I lift you up, exalt your name, you would draw all men unto you. It’s more about who I spend time with that makes me more effective in this world. It’s not about doing more, it’s about being in a position where your light in me is greater than the darkness and draws sinners to You like a moth to a flame. To open my mouth and tell others how deeply you love them in spike of what they’ve done. The homeless, the poor, the sick, the lame, that is who are hungry to hear. Those who have no hope, You alone can bring them hope. Help us to evaluate where we’re missing it. We can’t just continue feeding those who aren’t hungry. We must feed those who hunger for you. It’s in Jesus’ Name. Amen

II Corinthians 6:14-18; Don’t be teamed with those who do not love the Lord, for what do the people of God have in common with the people of sin? How can light live with darkness?  And what harmony can there be between Christ and the devil? How can a Christian be a partner with one who doesn’t believe?  And what union can there be between God’s temple and idols? For you are God’s temple, the home of the living God, and God has said of you, “I will live in them and walk among them, and I will be their God and they shall be my people.”  That is why the Lord has said, “Leave them; separate yourselves from them; don’t touch their filthy things, and I will welcome you  and be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters.”

I awoke on Sunday morning to a dream. It wasn’t so much what I saw, it was what I heard that made me instantly awake. I heard these words, “Clean up my temple! Get rid of the idols you’ve allowed in to corrupt the place where I dwell.” I got out of bed, sat in my chair and asked the Lord to show me any and all idols I had knowingly or unknowingly invited to be a part of myself. The Holy Spirit and I did some ‘housekeeping’ yesterday morning. Funny how things creep into our lives that we’re not even aware of. We become so comfortable with a habit or pattern that we don’t give it a second thought, but God does.

Walt and I have had a lot of people live with us over the years. Some long term, some short term and many have shared our home as guests. The comment we hear the most is, “There is so much peace in your home. The instant we walk in, we sense the presence of the Lord.” That is such an enormous compliment to us, because we don’t wait till we go to church to pray, we pray here at home, we intercede here at home, we minister here at home. We always invite the Lord to be a permanent roommate. So perhaps you’ll better understand why this dream had such an impact on me. Nothing like having people live with you and discover they left a spirit of pornography or a spirit of anger or fear. Be careful who you allow to share your home.

If the influence in you is not strong enough to withstand the influence in them, step away. Make sure that you stay strong in your beliefs to not be swayed. KNOW THE WORD OF GOD! It’s not a suggestion! God’s Word to your spirit is like oxygen to your brain, you’ll die without it. I’m not being dramatic, I’m being real. If you fast anything, fast food but don’t EVER fast the Word of God. If you eat 3 times a day, read and meditate on the Word 5 times a day. Make what you give your spirit more and your flesh will shrink. Don’t be a glutton for food an anorexic Christian.

Father, as I go out into the world today, may I be a brightly shining light for all to see. May I never be ashamed and try to hide the light of your love in me. Help me to confront evil when it rears it’s ugly head, both in me and in others. When someone says, ‘There’s nothing wrong with that!’ and I know it’s sin, may I not be ashamed to say so. Help me not to tolerate what you hate. If it’s gossip, help me walk away or say, ‘I really don’t want to hear this! You should be praying for them not gossiping about them!’ Holy Spirit, be well fed in me today. May you find my temple clean so you can totally fill it and occupy your place in me. It’s in Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen

Jeremiah 17:7-8 NLV; “Good will come to the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is in the Lord.  He will be like a tree planted by the water, that sends out its roots by the river. It will not be afraid when the heat comes but its leaves will be green. It will not be troubled in a dry year, or stop giving fruit.”

Good will come to those who live their lives trusting in the Lord, not in this worlds system. Good will come to those who continually give in good times or bad times, their trust remains planted in God who has always been their source and supply. Good will come to those who aren’t troubled by what they see happening around them, who stop tithing and giving because things are bad in the economy. They know what their God said, that he will supply all their needs according to HIS riches not their own.

Their roots go deep in a foundation that is unshakeable and immovable. They are rooted and grounded in Love. A hurricane may blow off all it’s leaves and a few branches may fall, but it remains to yield fruit in the next season. They still get their nutrition from the soil they’re planted in. They remain. No fear in the tree who knows where their help comes from.

You see these people everywhere, men and women of faith. They give because God tells them to, not according to what bills are due. They connect with people of like faith and vision. Did you get that? They connect with the body of Christ and remain where they are planted regardless of what the weather looks like in that season. That is where their reward lies, it’s not allowing people, situations or seasons to move them from the place God has connected them with.

Last fall the Lord showed me a check and said, “Your name is on my checking account. You have access to everything I have. Whoever you bless will be blessed. Whatever you give will be multiplied.” That changed the way we gave. We no longer looked at the balance in my account the same. When we give, God said he will multiply it and that means we don’t ever have to worry about whether there will be enough. Walt and I have decided we’re all in! If God is looking for radical faith in the earth, He will find it in us. We’re not doing it to get rich or have a lot of things, we’re looking to be ridiculously obedient servants with what we’ve been given. You could say our givometer had gone off the chart!

Father, I pray that your people know you as the God who blesses. That they won’t wait till they have enough to give, but they will trust in you to supply. Your supply is vast. Your supply is unlimited. Your storehouse is full and you’re just waiting for someone who will give everything so you can take it and turn it into gold. You’re return is better then the stock market, better then property, it always goes up and over the top. How I praise you for this great revelation that You are a giving God and I must follow your example. This day, I give you free reign over my life. Use me as you will in Jesus’ name and for your glory. Amen

I Chronicles 16:27 ERV; He lives in the presence of glory and honor. His Temple is a place of power and joy. Isaiah 51:11 JUB; Therefore the ransomed of the LORD shall return and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head; they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.

At the first of the year when I came before the Lord, I asked him, “What would you have me do? How shall I pray?” His response; “Come before me with thanksgiving and praise. Allow it to come up from deep within you until it spills out before me.” Now, I just can’t stop smiling! Sometimes I catch myself in the car, on my way to work, grinning from ear to ear. Just thinking about it makes me smile. This morning when I woke up at 4:00am, I found myself smiling. It’s as if I, His temple, have become a place of joy.

He lives in the presence of glory and honor. Do you see that? As we give God honor and glorify His name, being thankful for everything He’s done for us, it changes the very dynamics of our worship. We go from asking of the Lord to giving to the Lord. It’s from that place, sorrow and mourning flee away. We come away refreshed, rested and full of joy, not in our ability, but in His ability. We tip the scales when we worship from our spirit and know the truth of His unfailing love. Our confidence changes. Our faith soars. Nothing else matters! Not the problems we face, the rain that’s falling, the fire that surrounds us. Hallelujah!

His temple (we are His temple) is a place of power and joy. WOW! There is indeed power in joy. Nehemiah 8:10b states that “The joy of the Lord is our strength!” If you’re weary, shout to the Lord your best praise! Sing a song when you don’t feel like singing. Catalog all the things the Lord has given you and done for you, If you will but shift your focus from this world to that world, off the bad and onto the good, you will find yourself smiling too.

Father, I’m reminded of that old hymn, “Joy Unspeakable and Full of Glory and the half has never yet been told.” I could spend my whole lifetime praising you and giving you glory and never be able to express all of your goodness and grace. One minute in your presence washes me. Five minutes in your presence renews my strength. Thirty minutes in your presence changes the atmosphere around me and attracts your blessing. Oh my King, I’m forever your grateful servant. Oh my Father, I’m lost in your loving arms. Oh my Savior, I’m forever in debt to the price you paid for me. Oh my Jesus, I will forever wear the robe of righteousness you’ve given me. For Your glory may I be forever filled with your joy. Amen