Ephesians 6:10-18; “To end my letter I tell you, be strong in the Lord and in his great power.  Wear the full armor of God. Wear God’s armor so that you can fight against the devil’s clever tricks.  Our fight is not against people on earth. We are fighting against the rulers and authorities and the powers of this world’s darkness. We are fighting against the spiritual powers of evil in the heavenly places.  That is why you need to get God’s full armor. Then on the day of evil, you will be able to stand strong. And when you have finished the whole fight, you will still be standing.

“So stand strong with the belt of truth tied around your waist, and on your chest wear the protection of right living.  On your feet wear the Good News of peace to help you stand strong.  And also use the shield of faith with which you can stop all the burning arrows that come from the Evil One.  Accept God’s salvation as your helmet. And take the sword of the Spirit—that sword is the teaching of God.  Pray in the Spirit at all times. Pray with all kinds of prayers, and ask for everything you need. To do this you must always be ready. Never give up. Always pray for all of God’s people.”

When you’re in a battle, the first thing you must recognize is this; It’s not a battle you can win with your hands, it’s a battle you must win with knowledge of the Word. Not only do you need the knowledge, you need wisdom to use the Word as a weapon. If you want to be strong in the Lord and operate in His great power, you must put on His armor and fight like He does, “He sent forth His Word and healed them and delivered them from destruction.” Psalm 107:20

Our primary weapon is our words lining up with His Word, because He backs up His Word. We can’t keep agreeing with the way the world speaks and expect to live out the promises of God. ‘You’re killing me!’, ‘I’m sick and tired!’, ‘I’m afraid I’m going to get the flu cause it’s going around’, are all ways we speak like the world. But when you know who you are and WHOSE you are, you’ll begin to take notice of what comes out of your mouth. You think I’m joking? Let me tell you just how important your words are.

The other day I backed my car into my parking spot at the condo we live in. Shannon and I were joking about the condo rules and how senseless some of them are. I made the comment, “Watch, next they’ll say something about me backing into my space!” We laughed together, but as we approached the elevator, the president of our condo was standing there and asked me not to back into my space anymore. Coincidence, or was God showing me just how quickly I would begin to see the things I say come to pass. The Holy Spirit is in me to lead me into all truth. I don’t want just a part, I want the whole. Satan can only ensnare us with the words of our mouth, so it’s time we took our words seriously.

Father, thank you for this reminder and every other reminder you’ve given me lately. Put a watch guard on my lips so that I may not speak evil, ungratefulness, or curse the things you have blessed. Your Word says I will give an account of every idle or unproductive word I speak because you intended my words to yield fruit. So this morning, I put on the entire armor You’ve provided for me. I have the mind of Christ! You have given me power over all the power of the enemy when I speak your Word, stand on Your Word and continue standing on Your Word. I will not speak contrary just because I see something different with my eyes or hear something different then Your report. My trust will remain in You and Your ability, not my own. I will continually pray in the Spirit just as you said to. Even though I don’t know what I’m saying, YOU do, and I am praying Your perfect will over my life. It’s in Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen

Proverbs 6:20-22; My son, remember your father’s command, and don’t forget your mother’s teaching.  Remember their words always. Tie them around your neck and keep them over your heart.  Let this teaching lead you wherever you go. It will watch over you while you sleep. And when you wake up, it will give you good advice.

I’m so thankful for being raised in a home where my parents valued each other and us. I’m thankful that they took us to church every day the doors were open, read us Bible stories and missionary stories and taught us about honoring God. I’m glad I got a spanking when I didn’t obey and got my mouth washed out with soap when I lied. Those two things happened more often then I’d care to admit, and I didn’t like it when it happened, but I’m thankful they followed through on what they promised. I found myself passing that trait onto our children who now practice the same things on our grandchildren.

Those principles of right and wrong are indeed tied around my neck. I think about them all the time, they are the compass that keeps me from becoming directionally challenged. When I find myself crossing a line, I hear myself asking, “Is this really what I want to be known for? Is it worth the risk? What would my dad think? Would my heavenly Father approve?” It watches over me while I sleep and when I wake up, it gives me good advice.

Father, thank you for providing me with home that was not perfect, but whose foundation was built on the perfect One. I know that when the foundation is good, everything else can be torn down and rebuilt, but when the foundation is bad, it must be dug up, done correctly and then built upon. Regardless of our upbringing or our past, You make all things new. When You lead us into all truth, our foundation and our house will remain strong in the storms of life. I will keep your Word ever before my eyes and in my heart so that it will guide me. This day, I will choose wisely and think before I speak so that my choices and words will be a reflection of Your own. It’s in Jesus’ name I ask this. Amen

Genesis 17:1-2 ERV; When Abram was 99 years old, the Lord appeared to him. He said, “I am God All-Powerful. Obey me and live the right way.  If you do this, I will prepare an agreement between us. I will promise to make your people a great nation.”

All he wanted was a son from Sarah, his wife, the love of his life. For so long they had dreamed about it, talked about it, were desperate enough to get a surrogate to have one for her.  I’m sure that if they heard about a ‘cure’, they tried it. But have you ever looked barrenness in the face? She brings with her a whole slew of friends; hopelessness, envy, bitterness, blame and shame. Why did God wait so long? Why? If it’s impossible, it’s God’s time to step in and make a miracle.

Listen to what happens next in verses 3-8; Then Abram bowed down before God. God said to him,  “This is my part of our agreement: I will make you the father of many nations.  I will change your name from Abram to Abraham, because I am making you the father of many nations.  I will give you many descendants. New nations and kings will come from you.  And I will prepare an agreement between me and you. This agreement will also be for all your descendants. It will continue forever. I will be your God and the God of all your descendants.  And I will give this land to you and to all your descendants. I will give you the land you are traveling through—the land of Canaan. I will give you this land forever, and I will be your God.”

What I saw here this morning is this, Abraham’s dream was for one son, but when God got involved, He expanded the dream to a multitude and nations. Do you see that? Read what Abraham was thinking and what God was meaning; God said to Abraham, “I will give Sarai, your wife, a new name. Her new name will be Sarah.  I will bless her. I will give her a son, and you will be the father. She will be the mother of many new nations. Kings of nations will come from her.”

Abraham bowed his face to the ground to show he respected God. But he laughed and said to himself, “I am 100 years old. I cannot have a son, and Sarah is 90 years old. She cannot have a child.”

Then Abraham said to God, “I hope Ishmael will live and serve you.”

God said, “No, I said that your wife Sarah will have a son. You will name him Isaac. I will make my agreement with him that will continue forever with all his descendants.”

God didn’t even respond to his ‘impossible’ thinking. God was causing Abraham to stir up his dream, to let Him get involved in the process. Why, because nothing is impossible with God. Age isn’t a factor! Economic status isn’t a factor! Your size isn’t a factor! When God says it, you can remove all fear, doubt and unbelief because it’s going to happen! In other words, your ‘impossible’ mindset will not keep God from accomplishing what He needs to do in the earth, so hang on tight and allow God to dream with you.

What impossible thing have you been dreaming about? Let God in to your dream. Let him lead and guide you to your next step. Let him in on the planning process. Open your heart and mind to Him and He will bring it to pass. It’s like driving a car. You may be sitting behind the wheel controlling the flow of gas, but it’s what’s IN the car that’s making it run. If the engine was missing, the car would not run, right? Yet we factor God out of our dreams and expect them to come to pass. With God, all things are possible.

Father, as I sit and think of the dreams I have, and the many times I’ve laughed inside, but the how and the when are not what I should concern myself with. You simply want me to believe, not in my ability but in yours. I hear you say, “Come and dream with me, child. Let me fill you with wonder and delight. Let me take you to a new place of trust and confidence in Me and what I’m able to do with your dream. When you trust in Me, I will bring it to pass. I will take your small dream and make it very large, for as you stated, nothing is impossible with Me.” I’m dreaming, Father. Dreaming of what we will accomplish together on the earth. You said it. I believe it. That settles it! In Jesus’ name and for His glory. Amen

Isaiah 42:18-19 ERV; So don’t remember what happened in earlier times. Don’t think about what happened a long time ago,  because I am doing something new! Now you will grow like a new plant. Surely you know this is true. I will even make a road in the desert, and rivers will flow through that dry land.

I was talking to a friend once, telling them that what God was going to do wouldn’t look anything like what had been done before. This wouldn’t be a reflection of old things, but it would be new and different. They responded that they didn’t know anything else but the old ways. My friends, it’s time we stopped limiting God with our thinking and allow Him to do a ‘new’ thing. God doesn’t repeat himself! Look at all the miracles in the old and new testament. Not one of them are alike! The God we serve is full of new things, new ideas and new miracles.

Even Jesus didn’t heal each person the same way, so why would we expect the same? When I think of God, I see a creator. He made trillions of planets and not one of them is the same. Each snowflake that falls is a unique pattern, each one of us is different, why would God use a cookie cutter for our miracle? He won’t! He wants us to constantly be in awe of Him and His ways. He doesn’t want us to get hung up on the method or the means, He wants us to just seek His face, call out to Him, love on Him and learn of Him.

Each time we discover a new aspect of Him, we should be excited and rejoice. We will never know Him in all His glory, there just isn’t enough time in our lives to do that, but we can discover that His mercies are new every morning. We can know His grace and mercy. We will discover Him has provider, protector and healer, but we’ll never see Him do it the same way twice.

Oh Father, I just get so excited when I think of You and the way You work. You are the master artist who never paints the same sunrise twice. You never tire of caring for us and showing the depths of Your love for us. “When I think of Your goodness and what You’ve done for me. When I think of Your goodness and how You set me free, I can dance, dance, dance, dance, dance, dance, dance all night! All night!” Ha! Everyday is ‘party time’ with You. Every night, I lay my head in Your lap and rest. What a wonderful Father You are to me. Today, I will remember that You are doing a new thing! I won’t look for the old, I will expect the new. There is nothing too hard for You or impossible with You. I place my feet on the ground, taking territory for Your Kingdom. It’s in Jesus’ Name. Amen

Psalm 43:5 ERV; Why am I so sad? Why am I so upset? I tell myself, “Wait for God’s help! You will again have a chance to praise him, your God, the one who will save you.”

It’s so difficult to watch friends and family go through tough times and hard circumstances, isn’t it! There seems to be no way around it, over it or through it, tests and trials will come. The first thing we want to do is ‘rescue them’! Especially our children or grandchildren, right? But how many know that when we impulsively do that, we may be hindering the work that God is trying to do in their lives to refine them. Your children know you, so they’ve come to trust in you. They know that they can come to you for help and you will help them. But guess what? God wants that kind of relationship with them as well and each time you step in, you are prolonging the process. Just as you have learned through trials to trust in God, so God wants your children to trust in him as well.

Jesus said, in John 16:33 that trials were inevitable, but he also said that we are never to stay focused on the trial! He said to be cheerful because he overcame. We as blood bought children of God must know that because HE overcame, we overcome! It is far better that I give my children the Word and teach them to trust in God then to rescue them every time they have a problem in their life. I know first hand what it means to ‘rescue’ my children. Let me share a story with you this morning.

About 14 years ago, I was driving to a church to minister in music. My mind was on a situation one of my girls were going through at the time when I clearly heard the Lord say to me, “Stop trying to be god to your children!” That caught me off guard and I asked, “How am I doing that, Lord?” He answered, “Each time you try to rescue them, you are training them to look to you, not me. They will never learn to come to me for help if you always bail them out each time they go through hard times. You are hindering my work at maturing them for the work I have called them to. If you continue doing so, I will remove you so that they have no other choice but to come to me.”

Needless to say, that very afternoon I called a family meeting and informed them that the ‘money tree’ had died. I began teaching them how to trust in the Lord and in His promises. It has NOT been easy for me or them. There have been times where it pushed my face to the floor many times as I cried out to the Lord for them. What it did do, is build a strong foundation of faith and trust in God for them and myself. I’ve learned that God doesn’t need my help, he needs my words. I’m not to come to him whining over what I see, I’m to see as He does and declare the finished work. Everyday I thank God for what He’s done for us, watching over us and drawing us ever closer to Him. He is a faithful Father.

God, I know you love me! You show it to me each and everyday of my life. I wake up with breath, strength and energy to face the day. You know what I will face and what I will need, and you know it for my family as well. I trust you with them. I thank you that your Word says that you will never see the righteous forsaken nor their seed begging bread. I have your assurance that regardless of the economy, regardless of the money they make or don’t make, you alone are their source and provider. I will not be afraid, for you have placed your angels around them to keep them in all their ways. A thousand may fall at their right hand and ten thousand at their left, but it will not come near them. They will see it, but their heart will not faint, for they trust in You. I place all my hope in you, Lord. It’s in Jesus’ name I pray. Amen

Psalm 62:10 ERV; Don’t trust in your power to take things by force. Don’t think you will gain anything by stealing. And if you become wealthy, don’t put your trust in riches.

Sometimes we need or want something so badly that we will try to manipulate people or situations to make it happen. I should know, I have done it on many occasions myself. What have I learned from this? That getting what I want, is not always having what I need. And may I add, when I obtain it, it never satisfies me at all. I’m usually out looking for the next thing that I think will bring me joy or happiness. But since I’ve learned to focus on the Lord, rest in His promises and be satisfied with Him, the peace and joy I’ve found is overwhelming.

When I manipulate, I’m simply stealing someone else’s victory, their miracle, their blessing. When I force something to happen, I’ve closed a door in my life for God to move because I’m in the way. My desire to be in control causes me to step in front of Jesus who is leading me into truth. Let me just tell you this, being ‘in control’ is a very lonely place to be. It’s frustrating and steals everything God is trying to do in and through you. I’m learning that with each surrender comes peace, joy and a freedom I’ve never possessed before.

Recently, we sold our home and our deadline to be out was just weeks away. I was looking everywhere for a home for us to move into, but everything was priced out of range and I was feeling panicked.  “Father, I’m freaking out here! I don’t know what to do or where to look anymore. Everything looks so impossible! But your Word says that You’ll never see the righteous forsaken or your seed begging bread. I’m going to do what you said, I’m turning this problem over to you. I’m not even going to look until you tell me to. I’m going to take YOUR yoke and YOUR burden, because it’s a heck of a lot lighter then mine! I trust you to work this out.”

I began each morning in praise. I continued doing what God called me to do and each time the problem got overwhelming, I simply turned to Him and said, “Father, you have this and I trust you!” 21 days before we were to be out of our house, God led me to a website search I wasn’t familiar with. It’s where I found this condo, in a place I’d never been, at the price I’d asked for. He even threw in the bonus of a gas stove which I’d wanted since I left Michigan almost 13 years ago. When Walt and I went through it, he turned to me and said, ‘This is it!’ Do you know that when I went back to find the condo to look at it again, I couldn’t even find the site? Now THAT my friend, is just how God works.

I won’t trust in money because then money will own me. I will trust in God, he will give me the money to do what HE wants me to do and give HIM the glory for it all. He’s more than enough! He’s my provider, my healer, my peace, my joy and I love Him so much! And guess what? He’s this to you as well. Stop striving and reaching for what’s on the top shelf when you have a big God who has long arms and can reach it for you.

Oh Sweet Father, how I love you. You’ve been such a gracious and wonderful provider. All glory to you and to your name forever. I don’t have to wait till I get to heaven to worship in your throne room. I’ve already got access through your Holy Spirit. I will sit with you and listen to your voice as you instruct me and show me the path to take and the words to speak over that path. No one or nothing else will take the place of you. I surrender all! It’s in Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Proverbs 4:18 ERV;  The path of those who live right is like the early morning light. It gets brighter and brighter until the full light of day.

There was an old song my mom used to sing called, Everyday With Jesus. It goes like this; Everyday with Jesus, gets sweeter then the day before. Everyday with Jesus, I love him more and more. Jesus saves and keeps me, yes He’s the one I’m waiting for. Everyday with Jesus, is sweeter then the day before.

I hope I didn’t slaughter that too badly! But that’s the song that came to my mind when I read that the path of those who live right is like the early morning light. It gets brighter and brighter until the full light of day. There’s something to be said about the aging process, because the older I get, the lighter I get. I don’t carry what I used to carry! I’ve learned that His yoke is indeed easy and his burden is very light.

Jesus said that I was to let my light shine, not so that I look good, but that HE looks good. Nothing I do in and of myself has any lasting value, but in HIM, everything I do unto Him becomes frosted with goodness. I could be just a plain cupcake, but God lavished me with rich, gooey topping that makes HIM look good. The more time I spend in His presence, the more beautiful I become. Some of us REALLY need to spend more time with God! Just sayin!

Father, “You are beautiful beyond description, too marvelous for words. Too wonderful for comprehension, like nothing ever seen or heard. Who can grasp your infinite wisdom! Who can fathom the depths of your love. You are beautiful beyond description, Majesty enthroned above. And I stand, I stand in awe of you. I stand, I stand in awe of you. Holy God to whom all praise is due, I stand in awe of you.” The song in my heart echos that of the beautiful worship song from long ago, but it’s so true, my Lord. I am in awe of you and your goodness to me. You are the light of my life and the length of my days. This day, may you be glorified in me. May you brightly shine through me, like a high beam piercing the darkness of the night. It’s in Jesus’ name I pray. Amen

Mark 4:3-8 ERV; “Listen! A farmer went out to sow seed.  While he was scattering the seed, some of it fell by the road. The birds came and ate all that seed. Other seed fell on rocky ground, where there was not enough dirt. It grew quickly there because the soil was not deep.  But then the sun rose and the plants were burned. They died because they did not have deep roots.  Some other seed fell among thorny weeds. The weeds grew and stopped the good plants from growing. So they did not make grain.  But some of the seed fell on good ground. There it began to grow, and it made grain. Some plants made 30 times more grain, some 60 times more, and some 100 times more.”

So, I’m thinking that this person was a farmer as it obviously states in this story. A farmer knows his soil, right? Why then would he indiscriminately sow his seed? Wouldn’t you think he would only sow seed where he knew it would produce the maximum harvest? I mean really, isn’t that why you farm? To produce a huge harvest for huge profit and income?

Verses 13-20 give explanation: Then Jesus said to the followers, “Do you understand this story? If you don’t, how will you understand any story?  The farmer is like someone who plants God’s teaching in people.  Sometimes the teaching falls on the path. That is like some people who hear the teaching of God. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the teaching that was planted in them.

“Other people are like the seed planted on rocky ground. They hear the teaching, and they quickly and gladly accept it.  But they don’t allow it to go deep into their lives. They keep it only a short time. As soon as trouble or persecution comes because of the teaching they accepted, they give up.

 “Others are like the seed planted among the thorny weeds. They hear the teaching,  but their lives become full of other things: the worries of this life, the love of money, and everything else they want. This keeps the teaching from growing, and it does not produce a crop in their lives.

 “And others are like the seed planted on the good ground. They hear the teaching and accept it. Then they grow and produce a good crop—sometimes 30 times more, sometimes 60 times more, and sometimes 100 times more.”

Do you know why this is so beautiful? God gives revelation to those hungry for truth. The harvest is simply determined by the condition of the soil of the heart. If their heart is hard from bitterness and anger, they’ll hear it, it will sound good, but as soon as someone hurts them again, they forget the Word because the soil of their heart hasn’t changed.

It’s the same with those who worry all the time about not having enough money. Their focus is on how much they have or don’t have and the soil of their heart is influenced by the rise and fall of the economy. They haven’t learned to completely trust in God, to bring back to God what is his and give offerings out of the anticipated blessing they’ll receive. They always wait till things are good. They trust in money more than they trust in God. Watch their giving when they go through tough times, it will either stop all together, or go down to barely nothing.

Father, you have tested the soil of my heart to see if I will be influenced by the things of this world. I hope I have proved to you that you are the only one who really matters to me. I can’t take anything with me when I go, so since I am your daughter and you constantly watch over me and keep me in all your ways, I will purpose to give lavishly. I will partake of your Word and ask for revelation, because you give liberally to all who ask. Everything I have is yours, even the words of my mouth. May I be a faithful sower so that you may come again for a great harvest. It’s in Jesus’ name. Amen

John 3:16 ERV; Yes, God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him would not be lost but have eternal life.

I John 3:16 ERV; This is how we know what real love is: Jesus gave his life for us. So we should give our lives for each other as brothers and sisters.

Look at what I found! Another treasure in the Word this morning. We’re all familiar with John 3:16, but how about I John 3:16. The first showed the love of God given to us, the second reminds us of the gift and that we should give our lives for others. I wonder if the writer knew they would break both those books down to chapter and verse and how they would play out? Probably not, but I’m sure God did.

My take from this is that Jesus as always, is our example. What he did, we are to do also. He was the ground breaker, the path forger, the one who went before us, the firstborn of many brothers. If we don’t know him, how can we possibly follow his example? It’s not enough to just be a Christian and go to heaven. His plan was to take many with him, and although he is the way to the Father, we are to be a light for others to want to follow.

Love is an action. You can’t just say it, you must also do it. The action in these verses show a sacrificial life of love. That’s to love even though it’s not reciprocated. To be the first to love and the last to love. To take love to a ‘whole nutha level’! Not as the world loves, but as only God can love. When was the last time you loved like that? I Corinthians 13:4-7 says, “Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous, it does not brag, and it is not proud.  Love is not rude, it is not selfish, and it cannot be made angry easily. Love does not remember wrongs done against it.  Love is never happy when others do wrong, but it is always happy with the truth.  Love never gives up on people. It never stops trusting, never loses hope, and never quits.”

Father, I thank you the love I experience each day with you. So often I screw up and get it wrong, but there you are, patiently showing me a better way. How sweet of you to send your Holy Spirit to help me love, to remind me to submit to your way of loving, unconditionally and completely. May my life do what it is suppose to do; stay in the background with your love in front. I surrender to this life of love. It’s in Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

Matthew 20:19 ERV; “They will hand him over to the foreigners, who will laugh at him and beat him with whips, and then they will kill him on a cross. But on the third day after his death, he will be raised to life again.”

As I read this verse, I asked the Lord what the significance of the ‘third day’ was and looked up the significance of the number ‘3’ in the bible. What I found was extremely interesting so I thought I’d share:

THREE:  In sacred Scripture the number three represents that which is solid, real, substantial, and something in its completeness.  This number usually indicates something of importance or significance in God’s plan of salvation by identifying an important event in Salvation History.  This number operates as a “sign-post” in Scripture study for the reader to “pay attention” to the significance of the next event.

Notice that it is a sign-post to pay attention to the significance of the next event. What followed the third day? One would say the resurrection! After all, Jesus completed his mission. He took back the title deed to the earth from satan. Took the keys of death, hell and the grave (another 3), and gave the authority back to man. WOW! We really should pay attention to the significance of that. We need to stand in our rightful place, the place of ownership that was first given to Adam, and reign in the victory that Jesus stepped out of the grave with.

But I believe the most important event following the third day was the Holy Spirit, the third person of the God-head. He was the gift of God to help us, counsel us and lead us into all truth, Extremely misunderstood, the prayer language of the Spirit that was poured out on the day of Pentecost has been under attack since the day it happened. Great persecution of the church. Many say it ‘passed’ with the apostles, but they are so wrong. This wonderful gift was given to all who would receive Him. Just as Jesus was rejected by the religious, so the Holy Spirit has been rejected by much of the church. Why? Because once again, satan doesn’t want us to walk in victory. He doesn’t want us to walk in the healing provided on the cross.

Oh Spirit of God, take your place in me! I give you freedom to reign in my life. Thank you for revealing to me the plan and purpose of God in this beautiful number ‘3’. You are the gift Jesus gave when he left the earth so that we’d never be alone and we’d always have a teacher. You cause me to grow in wisdom and favor with God and man. I’m so thankful that you’ve given me a language that prays the perfect will of the Father directly from my heart to His, without even fully understanding what it is. I ask that Your Kingdom come and Your will be done on this earth, just as it is in Heaven. That you would give me this day, the daily bread of your Word. That it would satisfy my life with good things so that my youth is renewed like the eagles. It’s in the name of Jesus I pray. Amen