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.” Daniel 9:20-23

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 seeking the face of God, far outweighed the persecution he endured. He weighed the risk and found that seeking God was worth it all.

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 after 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 don’t fit in. You become a social outcast, a misfit and people plot against you, set you up for a fall, sometimes it’s your own family or 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 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 one I’ve ever 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 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.

Until Next Time-Stay Focused!

Sandy G

If someone claims, “I know him well!” but doesn’t keep his commandments, he’s obviously a liar. His life doesn’t match his words. But the one who keeps God’s word is the person in whom we see God’s mature love. This is the only way to be sure we’re in God. Anyone who claims to be intimate with God ought to live the same kind of life Jesus lived. 1 John 2:4-6 Message

Scotty was our 92 year old fitness member. A gruff old, retired army drill sergeant who came in quite regularly, sat in the lobby, reading a magazine, explaining to me the finer points of working out. His outspoken manner had run off many people over the few years I’d known him. He didn’t mind telling them what they were doing wrong and what they should be doing. No one invited him into their conversation, yet he didn’t seem to need to be asked.

One day after cussing out a fellow member, he came out to sit and began repeating the conversation I just overheard. I said, “Scotty, you need to stop giving advise unless people ask you for it and for heavens sake, stop cussing them out. If they want to hurt themselves, that’s not on you!”

He chuckled and replied, “I suppose you’re right, I’m sorry. I just don’t understand why people just want to continue doing it wrong when I’ve told them how to do it right!”

At that, I stood up from my desk and made my way into the reception area. “Scotty, I’m pretty sure Jesus felt the same way! He showed them a better way but they refused to listen. He gave His life for them and they just didn’t get it, but He never forced Himself on them. He loves you too, Scotty.”

He looked at me intently and made a sound between a hmmm and a grunt. “I believe in God, I just haven’t needed Him much. I’ll have to give that some thought.” I never had another chance to talk with Scotty about his relationship with God because he died a few months later.

It’s not about knowing about God, it’s about committing to keep His Word. In chapter 4:7-8, John goes on to say, “My beloved friends, let us continue to love each other since love comes from God. Everyone who loves is born of God and experiences a relationship with God. The person who refuses to love doesn’t know the first thing about God, because God is love—so you can’t know him if you don’t love.”

It’s all interwoven into the tapestry of His plan. Know Love, be Love to the world, allow the Holy Spirit to take the seeds you’ve planted and do His perfect work in them. Do your job so that He can do His job. Study Jesus and duplicate Him in your world.

Until Tomorrow,

Sandy G

He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. Psalm 107:20

Gods words always have purpose. He never speaks ‘off the cuff’. When He speaks, it’s because He has every intention of doing exactly what He says.

You may be wondering, if that’s true, why am I not healed? Have you ever taken a time-released medication? How does that work? It’s released little by little into your system to gain the maximum benefit. You believe it’s working because a doctor gave it to you and you trust in your doctor.

When you read Gods word, it’s like medicine to your flesh and health to all your bones. It’s a ‘time-released’ word. As you read and meditate on His promises, it’s released into your body to do it’s perfect work. Your job is simply to believe God, resist the enemy of fear, doubt and unbelief and stand firm on His promises.

Don’t ever think that just because you don’t see it happening, that it hasn’t already happened. I love what Jesus instructed us in Mark 11:22-24, “Let the faith of God be in you! Listen to the truth I speak to you: If someone says to this mountain with great faith and having no doubt, ‘Mountain, be lifted up and thrown into the midst of the sea,’ and believes that what he says will happen, it will be done.  This is the reason I urge you to boldly believe for whatever you ask for in prayer—believe that you have received it and it will be yours.”

Let the faith of God be in you. What does that look like? He says what He means and means what He says. It’s easy to trust the word of those you’re in real relationship with and you can always trust in God and His Word. Just remember that the end result will probably happen in unexpected ways. God rarely does the same thing twice!

Until Tomorrow,

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 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 ask you to break the mold! May I be a stranger to this world and a friend of Yours.

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. Truth often offends. Jesus offended the religious leaders of His day because they were so set in their ways and traditions, they didn’t want things to be different. Kind of describes the days we’re living in right now.

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?

Until Tomorrow,

Sandy G

So if you’re serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ—that’s where the action is. See things from his perspective. Colossians 3:1-2 Message

I like the terminology in this translation. It’s so descriptive of us in our everyday lives, so absorbed with what we see, hear and feel that we miss the amazing life God has designed for us to live. We allow our vision to remain downward instead of focused on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith and race.

Have you ever watched runners? They’ve been trained to look ahead, not at their feet. Runners are forward focused.

We as runners in the Kingdom of God are designed to be focused on others, not on our own problems. Watching for opportunities to show love, to pray for and introduce them to the magnificent power of God. How will they know without teachers, and the most important lessons are observed.

Take a moment when you step into your marketplace, your workplace and your neighborhood. Be aware of the many opportunities out there. Don’t be focused on the floor in front of you and your agenda in being there. Look around and ask the Spirit of God to show you why you’re there at that time, for He has surely brought you into the Kingdom for His benefit, His purpose and not your own.

Live where the action is on purpose. Jesus said the Kingdom of God isn’t about eating, drinking and having a fun time. It’s about getting involved in God’s agenda, His plans and purposes full time. Not when we feel like it, but learning to surrender and be His even when we don’t.

Let’s learn to live where the rubber meets the road. Let’s learn to interact with the Holy Spirit on not just a daily basis, but a moment by moment, action packed adventure that no one can orchestrate but Him.

Until Tomorrow,

Sandy G

Pausing to reflect on what the Lord has done just seems fitting today. It should be fitting everyday, but we just get so busy with trivial things that we forget.

Paul said it so well in his letter to the Philippians; Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies. (Philippians 4:8-9 Message)

The things we think on determine how God weaves us into His tapestry. The beautiful harmonies of the song He’s written, will be the note we represent. The choices I make today could effect not only me, but others who are destined to cross my path. What a beautiful thought.

Today I will scroll through the pages of my week and be thankful. For every single time I didn’t sleep through the night allowed me to help my husband who only a little while ago was not in my bed, but in a hospital bed alone.

For every day I looked across the table and was able to share a meal with the man God gave me in covenant. I’m thankful not just for the food, but for the gift of covenant keeping promises.

I consider the Promise Maker to always be the Promise Keeper. He said that He would satisfy us with long life and show us the deep magnitude of His redemptive salvation. I pause and think on that.

Thank You my gracious Father for being such a wonderful, faithful Father. How deeply I love You and am thankful for each brush stroke in my life. You have made me beautiful in Your sight and I lift up my song of worship to You.

Until Next Time,

Sandy G

My dear children, you come from God and belong to God. You have already won a big victory over those false teachers, for the Spirit in you is far stronger than anything in the world. These people belong to the Christ-denying world. They talk the world’s language and the world eats it up. But we come from God and belong to God. Anyone who knows God understands us and listens. The person who has nothing to do with God will, of course, not listen to us. This is another test for telling the Spirit of Truth from the spirit of deception. 1 John 4:4-6 Message

You have a right to question what you’re being told, especially when it doesn’t set right in your spirit. Nobody likes to be bossed around, to be told what we should think or how we should speak. To be manipulated into doing something that goes against everything you know to be true. I loved how Jesus stood up to the religious leaders and healed on the Sabbath.

I think that one of the first words I learned to say was, who says? I remember saying that often to my sister when she tried to boss me around. Like, who gave you authority to tell me what to do. Have you ever questioned? Especially when someone tells you something you don’t want to hear? I have! Man, it’s something I’ve struggled with most of my life. I know this comes as a huge surprise to most of you. LOL!

Did you know that God has given us authority over all the power of the enemy? We think of enemies as something we can see, but did you know that the biggest enemy we have is unseen? He accuses us, puts fear on us, addicts us, makes idols for us, convinces us we’re powerless to defeat him when all the while we’ve forgotten who gave us the authority to question.

II Corinth 10:4 says, “We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments.”

Perhaps it’s time we started back talking the devil! Who says, you big fat liar! (OMG it IS like talking to my sister! LOL) Who says, I’m sick-liar! By His stripes I’m healed! Who says I’m broke-liar! My God will supply all my needs! Who says I’m afraid-liar! He gave his angels charge over me to keep me in all my ways. 1000 may fall here and 10,000 may fall there but it won’t come near me!

Know who you are! Know your authority! Use your weapons because they are mighty-Use the Word. Learn to question so that you’re not bowing to the wrong authority.

Until Tomorrow,

Sandy G

Pray without ceasing. 1 Thessalonians 5:17

Those who pray, understand. Those who think prayer is a meal blessing or a ‘now I lay me down to sleep,’ have not cracked the prayer door open.

To pray without ceasing is a continual conversation with Father. It’s complete surrender to what He says and does. It’s realizing that we’ve been set free from sin to walk again with power and authority. It’s knowing that we reign because He reigns.

Prayer is having your heart so moved with compassion for the lost that you cry out as if it were your own children on the road to hell. Prayer is declaring and agreeing with what the Word says. It cries out, “Kingdom come! Will of God be done!”

Prayer doesn’t stand with political parties, its stands with God who says to pray for those in authority over you. His words, not mine! Not my own will, but His.

Prayer opens me up to the neighbor who lost his job, to takes a meal, a bag of groceries to them and extends what is in my own hands. Prayer sees someone hurting and gives a hug, even when the world says not to. It’s not afraid to do what the Father says.

Prayer is a living, breathing word. It has no end because it’s continual. Amen in a prayer is not the end, it’s simply a warrior of agreement, “SO BE IT!” It’s when their very agreement attaches to faith and believes with you.

Anyone who has experienced prayer, has smelled the burnt sacrifices and heard the cries of the lost. They have felt the flames being fanned, heard the sweet Spirit of God rush up out of them and into the room. Those are the ones who will push aside everything standing in the way to be there when prayer takes place. They’re always in a state of readiness.

Father, for those who haven’t experienced Your Name and all that it contains, make Yourself known to them. Open the eyes of their understanding. Give them eyes to see, ears to hear and an obedient heart that obeys. It’s in Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Until Tomorrow,

Sandy G

“Sandy, give attention to my words: tune your ear to my sayings. Don’t let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the center most protected part of your heart; For they are life to you as you find them, and health to all your spirit, soul and body.” Proverbs 4:20-22 Sandy’s Version

A few years ago, I got ahold of a series by Creflo Dollar entitled, Are You In The Game. I just couldn’t stop listening to them. It was all about winning the battle of your mind, how to fight your thoughts with the Word and they were the most eye opening, mind bending, practical truth I’ve listened to.

Have you ever felt yourself tossed into the heat of a battle and wondered what the heck was going on? I have, but it’s weird, like really weird warfare. When the enemy tries to convince you that you can’t communicate, no one really understands you and that people are just being nice.

Each time you open your mouth, it’s like you’re stumbling over your words and what you say doesn’t translate into English right. You begin to wonder if you’re actually having a stroke or losing your ability to speak.

This actually happened to me and I was about to stop talking until I could figure out what was going on, but when I thought that thought, I instantly recognized it was the devil and in my spirit I heard, “He’s trying to steal your words!” (Mark 4:15) So I said, “You will not have my words, devil! For they are hidden and protected in the center of my heart where you can’t get to them. I know the truth and the truth sets me free!”

My friends, Satan’s goal is to shut you up and he is relentless in his goal to do so. He will come at you from every side, to discourage you and get you to give up. If that’s not happening in your life, perhaps you should examine what, if anything is coming out of your mouth. If there’s no warfare, there’s no treasure to steal.

I’m thankful that I have had the opportunity to stand in a place of battle and from a place of victory to contend for what Jesus purchased for me. I hold up my shield of faith and quench every fiery dart hurled at the Word in me. No weapon formed against me will prosper. Jesus won the war, I must be convinced of that and rest in it.

I pray for each of you who have treasure in you to protect; guard your heart and mind. Don’t cry out for yourself, cry out for others. God did not make you to be self-centered but to focus on Him and others. I link myself together with you and pray for you that I might be saved. (James 5:16)

Until Tomorrow,

Sandy G

Now, this is the goal: to live in harmony with one another and demonstrate affectionate love, sympathy, and kindness toward other believers. Let humility describe who you are as you dearly love one another.  Never retaliate when someone treats you wrongly, nor insult those who insult you, but instead, respond by speaking a blessing over them—because a blessing is what God promised to give you. 1 Peter 3:8-9 TPT

What does it mean to speak a blessing? To bless those who curse and insult you instead of retaliating? That takes a lot of forethought, doesn’t it? Our first instinct is to give back what they’ve just dished out! But our new nature should be to bless them. I don’t know about you, but I feel like that is something I need to work on.

Each day I spend renewing my mind in the Word of God, I’m trading my old nature for my new one. It’s not something that just comes naturally. Even Peter struggled with doing things the way Jesus taught him. Remember in the Garden when they came to arrest Jesus? Peter took a sword and cut off the priests ear. Jesus told him to put away his sword, because people who live by the sword, die by the sword. 

Learning to recognize where evil actions come from, helps me to separate the person from the action. When I understand that they are influenced by the evil one and I’m influenced by Jesus, I can choose to walk away or ‘turn the other cheek’. Jesus didn’t say it would be easy, but He said I could do it because He did it. 

So how do I bless someone who is cursing me? I can bless them by speaking peace and joy over them. I can bless them by speaking the Love of Jesus to them. I can smile and give them my love. I can bless them with a gift card or buy them lunch. Perhaps while they’re cursing me, I can silently ask the Father what I should do and than listen for instructions. The best blessing always comes from Him.

Freely I’ve received, freely I will give. They may not deserve the blessing, but than neither did any of us. Yet in His great love for us, He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him might be saved. That’s the greatest blessing we can give.

Until Tomorrow,

Sandy G