Have you ever been in a cave void of light? I once visited the Cumberland Caverns in Tennessee and once in the deepest part of the caves, they turned the lights off. I couldn’t see my hand in front of my face. All sorts of thoughts crashed through my mind before they began a short video cataloging the stars and all of creation.

Sometimes darkness becomes our primary focus, hampering us from reaching our full potential in life. Just as if our soul is full of windows and they’ve become layered with the grime of experiences we’ve had. The abuse of a father, the cruel words of a mother, the bullying at school, an unexpected pregnancy, a hurtful friend or the loss of a love. Every experience simply adds to the darkness until it’s impossible to see anyone else in because the darkness hinders our vision.

Oh my dear friends, do you not realize the light that is in you waiting to burst forth? It’s time to clean the windows and let the light shine. Some of you have never allowed the light to shine, you’ve simply kept it hidden deep inside of you hoping no one will expose the horrible life you’ve lived. But the powerful effect of the light will not just change you but it will change those around us.  The powerful light in you is perfect Love and perfect Love casts out fear!. It changes the way we see things and people around us.

I just wanted to thank each of you who are doing the right thing when the right thing isn’t popular to do. Doing right in spite of what people think is not easy. It’s like swimming against the current or walking through opposing foot traffic. I’m not going to lie, sometimes it’s exhausting.

It’s amazing how many friends can turn enemies when you oppose their political or religious beliefs. Just because we disagree, doesn’t mean we can’t be friends. It simply limits the things we can discuss peaceably together. You have a right to your opinion, but if it opposes Gods Word, you may want to ask yourself what you’re sacrificing to maintain that belief.

I ran across this verse and wanted to share. It’s from Isaiah 3:10 ERV: Tell the good people who do what is right that good things will happen to them. They will receive a reward for what they do.

It may not be today or tomorrow, but because you did what was right in spite of what others were doing, there’s a reward coming to you. Stick to your morals. Hold fast to your belief. Keep seeking God’s face and expressing His Love. Keep letting your light shine and setting others ablaze with the same light that’s in you. Your reward will blow you away and no one will be able to take it from you.

I will, Father! I will do what is right in Your sight. I will be a blazing light set on a hill for all to see. I will burn for You so that the whole world may know Your amazing grace and experience the love and joy You have to give. It’s in Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Catch the foxes for us—the little foxes that spoil the vineyard.  Our vineyard is now in bloom. Song of Songs 2:15

It’s never the obvious things that do the most damage. Those are things easily seen and taken care of. It’s more the underlying current in a conversation, things perceived or not easily recognized that do the most damage.

Many times I’ve sat across the table in a counseling session listening to a couple pour out their pent up frustration and anger toward each other. It seems as though they’ve stored it all up, hurling rocks of insults and accusations back and forth until we hold up our hands to halt the war before actual blows are dealt.

With some, it becomes fuel that fans the flames and they don’t know how to live in peace with each other. Without the conflict, they feel things wouldn’t be ‘normal’, they would have nothing to fight for. What they don’t see is that 15% conflict is healthy, but anything more or less is destructive.

They may fight about the kids, but when the kids leave home they have nothing to fight about. It may be finances, but when everything is fine, they have no conflict and they cease to invest.

Or perhaps they begin to notice the flaws in each other because there is nothing else to draw their attention away from them. The way she chews her food has never changed, you’re just noticing it differently. The way he routinely comes home and sits and does nothing is now viewed as withdrawal.

It happens to everyone at some time, the picture doesn’t change, just the details do. So how do we keep our marriages from being the next statistic? By not allowing the little foxes to spoil the vine. When you’re tempted to nit-pic each other, choose to focus on the good, not the bad. Choose to hear the love, not the hate. Think the best of your spouse, not the worst.

Always keep in mind that the real deal is that the devil comes to steal, kill and destroy. If you think you’re not subject to attack, just let down your guard and wait for it. If it’s left exposed long enough, it’s fair game! He always plays with your mind so guard it! Don’t allow yours to be his playground, twirling you on his merry-go-round until you can’t stand up straight and fall down at his mercy.

Father, for all the marriages that are under attack right now, I ask that you’ll expose the plans of the enemy and may he be stopped in his tracks. I plead the blood of Jesus over every couple right now. I ask that they see and know the truth and that it set them free. I guard my own marriage and refuse to allow the devil to run roughshod over our conversations. May Your love be evident in all we do and say. It’s in Jesus’ name and for Your glory. Amen.

Now faith brings our hopes into reality and becomes the foundation needed to acquire the things we long for. It is all the evidence required to prove what is still unseen. Hebrews 11:1

I love how that’s written; Faith brings our hopes into reality and becomes the foundation needed to acquire the things we long for.

You may have the plans to build a house, but until what’s on the paper is built, you’ll never be able to live in it. If there’s no foundation, the house won’t be inhabitable. I can wish for a home, but without faith in the builder to build it, well, you see where I’m going with this!

Faith in God brings my hope into my now. God is my foundation, He holds the plans and knows how to bring my desires in line with His. He delights in the plans He has for me and I trust Him.

And without faith living within us it would be impossible to please God. For we come to God in faith knowing that he is real and that he rewards the faith of those who give all their passion and strength into seeking him. Hebrews 11:6 TPT

I don’t know about you, but my soul desire is to please God. If I can only do that by focusing on Him, building my faith muscles every day by disciplining my tongue to only speak what He says and do what He does and obeying His leading, I’m all in!

What a great foundation to have-Faith in God! Trusting Him regardless of how things work out or don’t, it’s simply all about Him. I’m so thankful for the opportunity to do life with Him. My reward, a life of peace. How you ask? Because I’ve learned that if I place my trust in Him, everything else will work out for His Glory.

Father, thank you for my measure of faith and showing me how to grow it into mountain moving, devil defeating, chain destroying miracles. How can I think small when You’re so big. I will not limit You or Your ability to work in and through me. It’s in Jesus’ name and for Your glory, Amen.

As soon as the people were fed, Jesus told his disciples to get into their boat and to go to the other side of the lake while he stayed behind to dismiss the people.  After the crowds dispersed, Jesus went up into the hills to pray. And as night fell he was there praying alone with God.

But the disciples, who were now in the middle of the lake, ran into trouble, for their boat was tossed about by the high winds and heavy seas.

At about four o’clock in the morning, Jesus came to them, walking on the waves!  When the disciples saw him walking on top of the water, they were terrified and screamed, “A ghost!”

Then Jesus said, “Be brave and don’t be afraid. I am here!” Matthew 14:22-27 TPT

Isn’t it just like Jesus to give instructions and just as you obey, unforeseen things happen. You’d think that simply by being obedient, God would bless it, protect it and keep anything bad from happening. WRONG!

As I read this for the gazillionth time, I saw it as just a way to highlight Himself as Savior. Revealing that He truly was the son of God to those closest to Him. It’s one thing to feed a multitude with a two piece fish dinner, but to rescue them by walking out to them on water, showed He was willing to do whatever it took to come to their aid.

What about you? Are you hungry, thirsty, naked, homeless or sick and need of a Savior? Jesus is that for you. Everything you need, He is. He said if you call out to Him, He will answer you. Are you sad, depressed, without hope, feel alone, lost or empty? He will be your Savior. He will be a father to the fatherless, husband to the widow and hope to the hopeless.

Jesus was willing to suffer and die and conquer death, hell and the grave just to be your Savior. He didn’t want you to do life alone, He wants to be your friend. If you’ve never acknowledged that, you can do it today, right where you are, in the middle of the lake, in your little earthen vessel. Simply call out to Him and say, “Jesus, I need your help! I can’t do this anymore! I believe you’re the Son of God and I want to do life with you.”

That’s it! If you want to know Him more, begin reading about Him in the greatest book ever written, the Bible. You can download an app if you don’t have one. You’ll want to read the entire book, but start with Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. That will help you know what He wants you to look like to the world.

Welcome to the family.

In my time of learning things this morning, I listened to a message where the preacher spoke about ‘Power of Attorney’. What he said was really good, so good that I had to rewind and listen to it a couple more times.

For those not familiar with this term, power of attorney means the authority to act for another person in specified or all legal or financial matters. It usually happens when the person is unable to act for themselves because of physical or mental issues, or if they are out of the country and need someone to handle things while they’re away.

Let’s go to Luke 9:1-2 and see what Jesus did.  Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases.  He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. Luke 10:19, Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

Now lets look at Matthew 28:18-20, dubbed the ‘Great Commission’ or Jesus’ parting words to His followers. And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

I think it’s pretty obvious that Jesus is no longer with us in the physical sense, correct? So He left us with power of attorney to act on His behalf while He’s away. Now, He didn’t leave us with nothing. No, we have full access to everything He had access to. Through His account, we have access to all of Gods excess. Finances, miracles, angels, authority over demons, you name it, if Jesus did it, we have the authority as His representative to do what He did.

Some of you are scratching your head thinking I’ve lost mine, but track with me here. Perhaps we’re not doing because we’ve believed we can’t. But my friend, the Holy Spirit in you is the link between God and you. You just need to receive it, believe it, and allow Him to have His way in you. If we’re truly His representing Him in the earth, we need to stop limiting Him based on our supply and start representing Him with His.

According to YOUR faith, be it done unto you. Not faith in you, faith in HIM. Believing in a God you couldn’t see, is faith, and doing what He said to do in His authority, that’s the same faith mixed with obedience.

Holy Spirit, open the eyes of our understanding. Take the blinders of deception off so that we may know the truth and it will make us free. We want to be true representatives of Your Kingdom in the earth. Forgive us for not being an example of You to those who need You most. It’s in Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in Heaven give good things to those who ask Him! Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them… Matthew 7:10-12.

I’ve heard people talk about God as if they know Him. They say things like, “If it’s Gods will to heal me, I’ll be healed.” But if they knew the nature of God and the Word of God, they would know that He made provision for Your healing. He sent His Word (Jesus) and healed you of all sickness. He took all your diseases on His body at the cross so you could walk in healing. Our part is to believe it! Receive it! Plant the word, work the word and reap the harvest.

God wants us to know Him as a giving God. He doesn’t hold on with a death grip like we do when He asks us to give something.  The words, ‘How much more’, is a question that begs for an answer. It’s my experience that if I seek to out give God, it’s impossible to do because it just keeps multiplying and coming back in superabundance.

God calculates our seed differently. He has his own mega calculator and we haven’t quite figured it out yet. One thing I do know, He loves a cheerful giver, so when I give, I put a smile on my face because I know the harvest attached to that seed. You need to give like you have an endless supply, because you do.

Father, by Your very nature You are generous. You love to lavish gifts on your children just as we do ours. You see our heart attitudes and bless accordingly. When we try to match Your love, You heap more on us. When we try to out give You, You show off Your riches. Thank You for hearing and answering me. May I reflect Your nature today. Amen

“The king loved Esther more than any of the other young women, and she became his favorite. He approved of her more than any of the others. So King Xerxes put a crown on Esthers head and made her the new queen in place of Vashti. And the king gave a big party for Esther. It was for all his important people and leaders. He announced a festival in all the provinces and sent out gifts to people, because he was a generous king.” Esther 2:17-18

What a beautiful picture of the lavish love of God. The bible says that He formed you in your mothers womb. You were created for greatness. You are royalty. A son/daughter of the King. He has commanded blessings on you, He’s simply waiting for you to take your place in His Kingdom and move in the authority He’s given you.

Humility, love and compassion will cause people to take notice, but will heap on you the favor of the King of kings and the Lord of lords. As you demonstrate His glory to the world, things will begin to change around you and in you.

Romans 12:2 says it like this; Stop imitating the ideals and opinions of the culture around you, but be inwardly transformed by the Holy Spirit through a total reformation of how you think. This will empower you to discern God’s will as you live a beautiful life, satisfying and perfect in his eyes.

Father, may we shine in all we do as we were created to. May we bring hope to a lost and dying world. Its what we were born for! Teach us how to use our authority as You meant for us to. Activate Your Word in us by the power of Your Holy Spirit which is always working in us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20

It doesn’t matter who you are, where you’re from or your education level, God needs you! If you surrender to Him, He will use you in the weirdest places in the strangest ways. Take on His nature of love and you will shine in the darkest places.

It’s time to put hands and feet to the Kingdom of God and be His witnesses in our work place, our community and homes. We all have talents and abilities, skills that God can use to show that famous Love.

You may ask, what can I do? Take an inventory of what you’re able to do and add Gods ability to it. He will use your little, multiply it and make much out of it. Making disciples is simply showing them who Jesus is-Love. Once they are baptized in the Spirit, He will lead them into all truth.

Walt and I have always looked for ways to help those who have less or are going through a tough time. We take what little we have and bless them with it. Just a can of soup can make a meal. Just a smile and word of encouragement can give someone strength to take another step. Just praying God’s peace over someone may be enough to change their lives.

Change your ‘but I don’t’ to ‘I can do this’ and watch God give you opportunities to love. You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.

Father, I ask for divine opportunities to show Your love today. In the middle of my busyness and business, may I constantly be looking for ways to show others Your deep abiding grace and goodness. Its’ in Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

The Lord’s power came on me. The Spirit of the Lord carried me out of the city and put me down in the middle of the valley. The valley was full of dead men’s bones.  There were many bones lying on the ground in the valley. The Lord made me walk all around among the bones. I saw the bones were very dry.

Then the Lord said to me, “Son of man, can these bones come to life?”

I answered, “Lord God, only you know the answer to that question.”

Then he said to me, “Speak to these bones for me. Tell them, ‘Dry bones, listen to the word of the Lord!  This is what the Lord God says to you: I will cause breath to come into you, and you will come to life!  I will put sinew and muscles on you, and I will cover you with skin. Then I will put breath in you, and you will come back to life! Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”

So I spoke to the bones for the Lord, as he said. I was still speaking, when I heard the loud noise. The bones began to rattle, and bone joined together with bone!  There before my eyes, I saw sinew and muscles begin to cover the bones. Skin began to cover them, but there was no breath in them.

Then the Lord said to me, “Speak to the wind for me. Son of man, speak to the wind for me. Tell the wind that this is what the Lord God says: ‘Wind, come from every direction and breathe air into these dead bodies! Breathe into them and they will come to life again!’”

So I spoke to the wind for the Lord, as he said, and the breath came into the dead bodies. They came to life and stood up. There were many men—a very large army! Ezekiel 37:1-10 ERV

It’s important to understand that we are all called to speak God’s word as He tells us what to speak. Most of the time, you won’t understand the instructions, but your obedience to them will activate the power of the Holy Spirit in you to cause that word to grow and become alive.

This morning I heard the Lord say to me, “The Spirit is hovering, waiting to activate the spoken word. There are words that have been spoken in the past that are waiting for agreement, so they can be activated. Did I not say that where two or more agree, it will be done? I’m waiting for many to simply agree.”

Father, I agree with Your Word. I agree with Your Word for provision-You WILL supply all my need according to Your riches, not mine. I agree with Your Word of healing in my body, my husbands body, my children body and my grandchildren bodies. Your blood was enough. I agree that Your peace will guard my heart and mind as I think on You today. May Your glory be seen in the earth as we agree with Your Word. So be it!