I hear so clearly the words of Psalm 91 this morning, “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High will abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “My Refuge, my Fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

“For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper and from the deadly pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall seek refuge, His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark.

“You will not be afraid of the terror by night, or of the arrow that flies by day; of the pestilence that stalks in darkness, or of the destruction that lays waste at noon. Five thousand may fall at your side and ten thousand at your right hand, but it shall not approach you. You will only look on with your eyes and see the recompense of the wicked. For you have made the Lord, my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place. No evil will befall you, nor will any plague come near your tent (home).

“For He will give His angels charge concerning you, to guard you in all your ways. They will bear you up in their hands, that you do not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread upon the lion and cobra, the young lion and the serpent you will trample down.

“Because he has loved Me, therefore I will deliver him. I will set him securely on high, because he has known My name. He will call upon Me, and I will answer him. I will be with him in trouble, I will rescue him and honor him. With a long life I will satisfy him and let him see My salvation.”

Those are not merely words on a page to me. Those are words I live by, everyday. They are so deeply seated within me, that there is nothing or no one can take them from me. They are not affected by the way I feel, the things I see or the things I hear. They are simply deeply rooted truths that cannot be shaken.

Until you have personal relationship with this covenant word and promises it contains, you will continue to fear what this world will try to put on you. Step into the assurance that He always keeps His Word to those who trust in Him.

I was sitting at my desk at work, looking at the next scheduled patient and her request for me to wear a mask even though a glass window separates me from her. Severe allergies to paper dust and the chemicals in the fabric ones has caused me to have breathing difficulties each time, but nobody seems to care about that.

I’m hoping you aren’t offended by my thoughts today. That’s truly not my goal. I’m simply sharing something that just happened in hopes that it may help you whichever side of the spectrum you may be on.

I heard in my spirit, “If someone asked you for $100 would you give it?” I could see myself picking up my wallet and opening it up, responding to the prompting of the Holy Spirit is always what I strive for. But as I opened my wallet, there was nothing in it. I then heard the Holy Spirit say, “You cannot give what you do not have.”

O Holy Spirit, that is so true! If I do not have sickness, how can I give it? I have trusted Him through this whole entire season of uncertainty to continually keep me well and whole, me and my family. Does it make me more holy because others have gotten sick and died? No.

I’ve been through an unusual season this past year. I didn’t enjoy it, nor did I seek it, it simply came and I tried to meet it the best I knew how. But somehow in the meeting, I began to learn the value of trust in a way I’ve never had to before. I’ve always trusted God, but only in ways I had experienced Him.

For example, in the mid-80’s, Walt was out of work and we had no means of provision. It was our trust in God that saw us provided for, time and time again. Groceries would appear at our door, Christmas gifts were placed under our tree. Our trust had been there all along, but it was lack that strengthened that trust in ways we wouldn’t have learned in good times.

So it seems that tests and trials, times of extreme difficulty and impossibility, are designed to give us what we do not have, so that we can have what we need to succeed. As James 1:2-4 says so well; My fellow believers, when it seems as though you are facing nothing but difficulties, see it as an invaluable opportunity to experience the greatest joy that you can! For you know that when your faith is tested it stirs up in you the power of endurance. And then as your endurance grows even stronger, it will release perfection into every part of your being until there is nothing missing and nothing lacking.

Every time my faith is tested, it stirs in me the power of endurance. It’s the endurance that gives me everything I need to succeed. He designed me that way so that I would never lack in any area. As food and water are for the body, so are tests and trials for the spirit and soul. Without them, we’d never grow into mature believers who know to trust in God.

So do you understand what I mean when I say, I cannot give what I do not have? What I do have and what I can share has been deeply rooted and grounded in the deep love the Father has for me.

Infecting Others With What Is In Me,

Sandy G

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. II Corinthians 3:17 & 18 NLT

My prayer today is, “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 Yours forever.”

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.

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..” 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 heart, 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. Are you the few?

Happy Seeking,

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 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.”

I see 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, you gain insight and understanding, and you become very precious to God.

There is a high price tag that comes with seeking the face of God, you’re not real popular with man. They don’t understand why you’re not more like them, why you don’t value what they value, why you can’t just fit in. You become a social outcast, a misfit, people plot against you, set you up for a fall. 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 as Daniel did, and carry what He’s called you to carry. I would rather leave this world light then to try to carry it with me. Knowing I’m obedient 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 I want.

This isn’t a fad or a new clothing style 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.

Keep On,

Sandy G

Now Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him even more. Genesis 37:5

I don’t know why this popped into my head this morning, but none-the-less, it did. Sometimes when that happens, God is trying to show me something, but often it’s to bring revelation to others. I’m not sure which this is at present, but perhaps it will present itself as I type.

A dream in itself is just a dream. It can puzzle us with it’s meaning, or simply have no meaning at all. Reoccurring dreams are usually something that’s meant to be either a warning or a wake-up to a future event. I believe that’s what Joseph had, his error in judgement brought on his brothers hatred.

When I was younger and began having visions or dreams, I shared them with anyone who would listen. I’d never had them before, so I guess I was hoping someone would tell me what they meant. When I was young, I thought as a child…..truer words were never spoken. But as I matured, I realized the value in holding onto my dreams and allowing clarity to come along the way.

Knowing the whole of Josephs story, those young dreams make sense. But think about this; how would it feel to read a book only to discover that the first 3/4 of the book was missing. It would be hard to piece it all together, wouldn’t it be.

I think of the prophets of old, prophesying an unimaginable end, one that held things they had never seen before. How would you describe it? What reference would you have? If you’d never seen an airplane and the technology wasn’t there, what would you call it?

I often hear modern day prophets, those who have stepped into a realm that makes no sense, but have been told to release what they’ve seen to their sphere of influence, only to be ridiculed and condemned as heretics when what they spoke didn’t come to pass. What do I have to say about that? Well, since they work for God and answer to Him, I’ll just stay focused on my job and leave them to theirs.

Bottom line, sharing may bring hate, so what? Didn’t Jesus say, “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword.  For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’ (Matthew 10:34-36)

I don’t know why people choose to hate rather then love, but they do. I don’t understand why someone would choose to walk away from a God who loves them so much, that He gave His only Son to allow them to fellowship with Him. Who wouldn’t want to experience that? But so many choose not to.

There are even Christians who would rather have a man tell them what they should do rather than sitting at the feet of the Father who promised to lead them into all truth. A Father who created us for relationship, waits for us to draw near to Him so He can give us dreams and visions, allowing us to glimpse His great plans, but we’re too busy.

So the next time you hear a prophetic voice, or have a dream or see a vision, know that it’s merely a peek into a future you may or may not see yourself. Keep it hidden in your heart and watch and see what the Lord does with it.

Happy Dreaming,

Sandy G

II Corinth 12:8-9a “Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.”

The key is Grace. It’s me leaning into and surrendering to the Grace of God that shows off His ability to save, heal, deliver, provide. I feed MY glory if I do it myself, but I give HIM all the glory when I depend on His righteousness.

Lets face it, there are things we struggle with that we just can’t get the upper hand on. Some of us have struggled for years with a habit, a pattern, an addiction. We’ve been told we just need to do this, or that, hold our mouth just right, jump up and down 7 times (cause that’s Gods perfect number, you know!)

Paul struggled with the same thing, praying God would just take it away. I’ve prayed that my excess fat would dissolve, then was told that I couldn’t rely on Gods grace for THAT, there were just some things we had to do ourselves.

Let’s take away the air you breathe and see how well you do on your own. Then I hear the sweet words, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.”

Thats me He’s talking to. Little ole me! Everything He ever did, He did it for me. Every drop of blood, shed for me. His limitless, endless, abundant Grace is enough to make everyone of my weaknesses a strength for His glory.

Oh, I like that! I don’t struggle with or waste time trying to do what I cannot do. I just free fall into His Grace.

Grace To You,

Sandy G

This thought came to my mind this morning as I was getting ready for my day. It wasn’t a thought in doubt or disrespect, just a question to the Lord, “Was I wrong to trust you?”

After prayer this morning, I had a deep sense of the room full of declarations spoken over the past 10-12 years and an even deeper awareness that God saw every word and had cataloged them, was ordering them, and that they were all quickly coming to pass.

I hope this encourages you as much as it did me. When you place your trust in the Lord, He will not leave you hanging. He who began the work in you is faithful to finish it. Perhaps I should have called this ‘Faithful to Finish!’, because God never leaves things undone.

2 Chronicles 14 recounts the story of King Asa when he was met with a mighty army of a million strong men, the first thing He did was call on the Lord and exalted His name.

Then Asa called to the Lord his God and said, “Lord, there is no one besides You to help in the battle between the powerful and those who have no strength; so help us, O Lord our God, for we trust in You, and in Your name have come against this multitude. O Lord, You are our God; let not man prevail against You.”

Whatever you’re facing today, it pales in comparison with the Lord your God. So the answer to that question is a resounding NO! No you’re not wrong to trust Him. He will never fail you. His timing may not be yours, but if you stand still, you will see the salvation of the Lord. Rest in this process.

Psalm 9:10 says, “And those who know Your name will put their trust in You, for You, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.”

This morning I cannot get the word peace out of my mind. I sense there is struggle to maintain peace this morning in the hearts of so many people. But God would say to you, “Keep your eyes on Me, I Am The Peacemaker.”

So whatever you face in your day, know this, the Peacemaker is making peace for you. Stress, worry, dicontentment, doubt and fear are all distractions to keep peace at bay.

God promises peace in the middle of your storm. Whatever that storm is, give it to him. You were not meant to control it, but if you wrap yourself in his presence, you can ride the storm out with him.

There is nothing too hard for God. He just wants you to trust in him. here are two verses to get you through today; “I will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on me.”
And Jesus spoke to the storm, “Peace be still!”

Sandy G

There I stood, in waist deep water, hands lifted, heart stilled in the ebb and flow of the water. Beside me stood Jesus, arm around my waist, speaking so quietly I had to strain to hear over the music.

“What, Lord?” I asked, “The music is loud and I can’t hear you!”

He replied, “Focus on my voice. My still small voice.” Suddenly his voice was so clear even though I could hear the music the same, as though he was speaking directly in my ear. Relief came over me.

I love to hear His voice, my best friend, my confidant and love. Then He lowered me into the water as if baptizing me again. When I came out of the water, He began pulling off what remained on me. I felt so free, so focused, so complete.

Psalm 51:10-13 “Create a clean heart in me, O God, and renew a faithful spirit within me. Do not force me away from your presence, and do not take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore the joy of your salvation to me, and provide me with a spirit of willing obedience. Then I will teach your ways to those who are rebellious, and sinners will return to you.”

I wanted to share this simply so that you can understand something. No matter who you are or what you do, when you live in the world, the world gets on you. You don’t even realize it. You’re not doing it intentionally. But everything you watch on t.v., everything you surround yourself with, people who throw their cares on you instead of the Lord, it all leaves a residue on you. That’s why it’s so important to stand close to Jesus, allowing Him to wash you daily of the stuff that’s come on you. To constantly be ‘baptized’ by the Word (Eph. 5:26), and by the Spirit (Acts 11:16) so that you can present yourself holy to the Lord (Romans 12:1).

We were not made to be part of the world, but to be separate. If we look like the world, talk like the world and act like the world, we are not doing what He created us to be. It’s time to examine ourselves and ask God to wash us and make us totally His.

Wash it off,

Sandy G

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. Philippians 2:3-4 NIV

Here are two verses that should be taught in our schools to every child so that when they grow up, they may remember that everything in life is about others. There would be so many less given to self-centeredness.

It’s the nature of our Father to be a giver, and it’s His son, Jesus, who taught us to be servants. But not servants to self, servants of God. 2 Corinthians 5:20 calls us Christ’s Ambassadors, representatives of the Kingdom of God and not subject to live as the world, or under the worlds authority.

Isn’t it odd that the world is constantly trying to rid itself of true God followers? I believe it’s because we can’t be easily persuaded to ‘go with the flow’ or to follow blindly where everyone else is going. We choose the road less traveled, the straight and narrow road, even if it means walking the earth seemingly alone. But just as Elijah was told in the cave of loneliness, there are more out there than you know!

So take heart my dear friends. You’ve been given a covenant by the God you serve; He will never leave you! Stop focusing on what you see in the natural and begin to focus on the God who is in you, guiding you and leading you into all truth. Stop listening to the voice screaming on the news or in places of earthly authority and shut yourself up before Him until you clearly hear His instructions, than do them.

Remember, it’s not about you, it’s about Him and His agenda and His Kingdom.

Happy Monday,

Sandy G