Galations 2:20 EXB, I ·was put to death on the cross [have been crucified] with Christ, and I do not live anymore—it is Christ who lives in me. I still live in my ·body [flesh], but I live by faith in [or because of the faithfulness of] the Son of God who loved me and gave himself ·to save me [for me; on my behalf].

When I chose to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and his sacrifice, when I received his gift of salvation, it was as though I was put to death on the cross with him. There was an exchange made; my life for his life. My flesh may still be alive, but my spirit has been forever united with the Spirit of God. I can’t separate my spirit from his spirit, that would be like trying to get food coloring out of water. When we don’t understand this principle and try to live our lives as we please, it’s as if we’re married but living as if we were single.

We seem to want all the good stuff that comes with the Christian life, but we don’t seem to want to go through the ‘sanctification’ (to set apart as sacred, consecrate or make holy) process. Basically, we want to put on the nice clothes without taking a bath first. We want the grace in our own place, we’re unwilling to lay down the old for the new. In essence, we speak, “Come into my heart, but leave everything as is please! Oh, you can take the pain, sickness, sin and disease, but don’t ask me to love THAT person, he hurt me!” We give him permission to come in but deny him access to what needs to change.

Father, you challenge me daily to live a holy life, to follow in the very large but humble footsteps of your son. I repent of self-centeredness, hypocrisy, selfish ambitions, hatred and wrong motives. You have blessed me with all spiritual blessings simply because I am your child and I am thankful. May my life reflect your love. As I’ve been given forgiveness, help me to forgive. You have set me apart for a purpose, so I will glorify you in every way I can. As the old hymn, Take My Life and let it be says:

Take my life, and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee;
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise.

Take my hands, and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love;
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee,
Swift and beautiful for Thee.

Take my voice, and let me sing
Always, only, for my King;
Take my lips, and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee,
Filled with messages from Thee.

Take my silver and my gold;
Not a mite would I withhold;
Take my intellect, and use
Every power as Thou shalt choose,
Every power as Thou shalt choose.

Take my will, and make it Thine;
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart; it is Thine own;
It shall be Thy royal throne,
It shall be Thy royal throne.

Take my love; my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure-store.
Take myself, and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee,
Ever, only, all for Thee.

For your eyes only, Lord. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Psalm 23 (Sandy’s Version)

Oh Father, today I declare that you are my Shepherd, you lead, guide and watch over me and because of your every watchful eye, I will not want for any good thing, ever. Ah, you restore my soul as I lay down to rest in plush pastures and walk beside peaceful streams. Even in the darkest of dark nights, when death is so near I feel it breathing down my neck, I will not fear at all because your rod and staff make corrections, keeping me on the right path, listening to only your voice.

When I’m surrounded by my enemies, people who wish me harm, whose words are contrary to yours and are constantly hoping I will fail, I find myself partaking of the richness of your Word at the table you’ve prepared for me. You have anointed me and filled me with your Spirit so that what is in me, overflows to others around me. I’m not even affected by their ill wishes, their gloom, doom and despair bounces off me because you have placed angels around me to keep me on the right path always.

I’m being chased down by your goodness. When I mess up, your mercy covers it up. I’m so excited for what you have in store for me that I feel like a little kid about to go on their first roller-coaster ride. Every day is an adventure, finding treasure in the Word and people around me. If I look for you, I will find you. You’re always waiting for me, watching over me, planning great things for me. This journey just keeps getting better and better. We will never be apart for just as you are with me now, I will be with you forever. Amen and Amen.

Proverbs 9:10-11, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. For by me your days will be multiplied, and years of life will be added to you.

This is just a tidbit from our message on Sunday that I thought I’d share this morning. That word, fear is from the word Yirah, which means ‘manifested respect in godly things’. So this is how I read this verse; “The manifested respect of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” We also know that honor is treating someone with utmost respect to the point that when they walk into the room, we must remember that we’re standing in the presence of someone great. Can you even imagine how marriages and families would change if they’d simply remember to honor one another?

So the bible says, this is only the beginning of wisdom. What is understanding? The knowledge of the Holy One, or knowing God. So basically, we can’t have wisdom without respecting God, his ways and principles, nor will we ever have understanding until we get to know God. I know people who have gone to church for YEARS and when asked about God, they say, well, um, well, He is holy. Seriously? That’s all you’ve got about God after years of sitting in church? The problem is they know about God, but they really don’t know God.

I can go to a movie, watch it 10 times, love the movie and the actor, but I don’t know the actor. I know about him, but I will never know him. Why? Because I don’t know him personally nor do I have a relationship with him. I could go see every one of his movies, build a shrine to him in my home, read every article about him, follow him on twitter, that only makes me a stalker! I will never have an intimate relationship with him and to think so is merely a fantasy. So knowing about and knowing intimately are two completely separate things.

Are you a God stalker? Do you go to every meeting, every revival on the face of the earth, searching for him here and there? Did you know that God is in you? He’s as close as the mention of his name? Did you know you don’t have to go to a ‘healer’ to get healed because the Healer is in you? That’s right! Did you know you don’t have to go to see the Holy Spirit in action because the Holy Spirit is in you? That’s right! He’s just waiting for you to give him access so he can move in and through you, to lay hands on the sick, to raise the dead. It all starts with knowing and respecting God.

Oh Father, my father! May I always walk behind you, respectfully watching, listening and obeying you. May my lips bring you praise and honor and may my life display the same. May your divine favor follow me wherever I go and whatever I do. I won’t be a stalker of your presence, but a partaker. I will meditate on your Word day and night. My body is your house, may you be glorified in what I do today. Humbly I bow at your feet and proclaim you Lord. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Romans 4:17, As the Scriptures say, “I have made you a father of many nations.” This is true before God, the one Abraham believed—the God who gives life to the dead and speaks of things that don’t yet exist as if they are real.

God told Abraham that he would be the father of many nations back when he and Sarah couldn’t conceive, and he believed God. Who did he believe? The God who gives life to the dead and speaks of things that don’t yet exist as if they are real. What a powerful statement of what faith is. Hebrews 11:1 says, “Faith is what makes real the things we hope for. It is proof of what we cannot see.” You can’t wait until you see it to say it, that merely confirms the obvious. Faith is saying, “Light!” and watching Father flip on the light switch. It’s knowing with confidence, that He always keeps his Word no matter how dark it gets.

It’s knowing that NOTHING is too hard for God. NOTHING is impossible when we believe he is faithful to his Word. NOTHING. It’s knowing that God doesn’t play favorites, if we can believe it, we can have it. Healing-simply believe that what God says is true, “He spoke, and they were healed—snatched from the door of death.” Psalm 107:20 TLB. If we need provision, believe that He will provide, Philippians 4:19, “And my God will liberally supply (fill to the full) your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”

It’s all in the Bible, everything you need for life, but don’t take my word of it, study for yourself. Everyday, I hear people speak death, defeat, sickness and poverty over their lives and wonder why nothing changes. They think that as they get older, everything falls apart. They expect it because they’ve been told it over and over and they believe it. But friends, that’s not what the Word says! Let me share this last passage found in Psalm 91:14-16 MSG

“If you’ll hold on to me for dear life,” says God, “I’ll get you out of any trouble. I’ll give you the best of care if you’ll only get to know and trust me. Call me and I’ll answer, be at your side in bad times; I’ll rescue you, then throw you a party. I’ll give you a long life, give you a long drink of salvation!”

Father, I’m so thankful for your great and precious promises. It’s not just a nice history story, it’s alive and powerful. Your Word is light to my darkness, health to my flesh, provision for my lack, joy to my sorrow, peace to my storm, rest when I’m weary. I’m so excited for the plans you have for me. They are good plans, giving me a future and a hope. Every step I take, you have ordered and I trust in you. I don’t have to see it to believe it, but I know that I will see it if I stand on your Word and continue having confidence in YOUR ability and not my own. I depend on you for this day because tomorrow isn’t here yet but when it comes, I will be ready for it. It’s in your beautiful, wonderful name I pray, Amen

I Corinthians 4:15 ERV, “He died for all so that those who live would not continue to live for themselves. He died for them and was raised from death so that they would live for him.”

Have you ever heard someone say, “Well it’s my life, and I’ll live it the way I want to!” I have, many times. Perhaps you’ve even said it to someone at one time or the other, but this verse says that Christ didn’t die so that we could live for us, but so we could live for Him. It’s something we have to remind ourselves of each and everyday.

In the very next chapter, verses 19 & 20, Paul reminds us again, “You should know that your body is a temple for the Holy Spirit that you received from God and that lives in you. You don’t own yourselves.  God paid a very high price to make you his. So honor God with your body.” Wow, there it is again, we don’t own ourselves, God does. And I love the reminder that God paid a very high price to make me his. So each and everyday, I must spend time with my owner, getting his direction for my life and my day. My needs must take second place to his needs.

Let me end with a verse from Matthew 6:33, “What you should want most is God’s kingdom and doing what he wants you to do. Then he will give you all these other things you need.” That was from Jesus himself, even before he died for us he let us know that God’s way is different then ours. When we work for him and do what he wants, he will give us all that we need. We must lose the ‘me’ mindset and yield to his ways of doing and being.

Father, I’m so grateful for the sacrifice of Jesus so that I could come into your throne room and love on you. You will never turn me away or say, ‘it’s not a good time for me’.  As much as you have going on, it’s me you stop and listen to when I sing praises to you. It’s me you allow to jump up on your lap and lavish your love on. It’s me Father, your daughter, the one you created, the one who loves you. Me with my silly self, laughing and loving, jumping and worshipping. Me who you never turn away. I run to you in the frailness of my body and you strengthen me and make me well. I run to you in my time of need and you provide for me. You’re a good, good Father and I love you so very much, how could I not lay down my life for you. It’s for your glory, Father. Amen

Deuteronomy 7:9-10 ERV, “So remember that the Lord your God is the only God, and you can trust him! He keeps his agreement. He shows his love and kindness to all people who love him and obey his commands. He continues to show his love and kindness through a thousand generations, but the Lord punishes people who hate him. He will destroy them. He will not be slow to punish those who hate him.”

What are we to remember?

1. The Lord God is the only God, there is no other God but him. Don’t look to or worship other gods, which can be in the form of money, self or monetary things. He cannot be 2nd place, 3rd place or 4th place. We must place Him on the throne of our lives as everything to us. Father, Physician, Banker, Spouse, Peace, whatever you need him to be, he is all that and more.

2. We can trust Him. He made a promise and he will keep it. With everything and anything, we can trust him because always keeps his Word! Trust his plan because it has purpose but with everything, there’s a process. Just because we don’t see it, doesn’t mean it’s not there. We can’t go shaking our finger at God when things don’t happen in our time frame. God doesn’t work in our time. He sees the end from the beginning so he sees things we don’t. We can trust Him!

3. Love him and keep his commands. This isn’t a one-sided covenant. We can’t do whatever we want and think that there aren’t consequences. Don’t be deceived! Galatians 6:7 says, “If you think you can fool God, you are only fooling yourselves. You will harvest what you plant.” God’s love and grace, his forgiveness is a free gift to us, we don’t have to work for it or do anything to earn it. Salvation is for us and it’s ours for the asking. Believe in Jesus, receive his gift and it’s a done deal. But if we want to live a life of sonship, we must obey Father and love him always.

4. His love and kindness is generational. It’s for our children, our grand-children and our great-grandkids a thousand generations strong. I’m reaping from seeds planted by Jesus when he was here on the earth. I’m reaping seeds my father planted and my children will reap from the years of my faithful obedience to the Lord. What a great promise. Some of us need to pray for crop failure! Just sayin!

5. Lastly, the Lord punishes those who hate him. Ok, that’s never something we like to think about, but it’s going to happen. It doesn’t say that he hates them, it says he will punish those who hate him. The gift of Jesus’ sacrifice extends to them as well, but if they refuse to receive it, they hate God. It’s hot or cold, right or wrong, there’s no ‘perhaps’ or ‘maybe’, no living life ‘my own way’ and expecting to go to heaven when I die. There is one way and that’s through Jesus Christ, period, end of story. No argument, no other way.

Father, I believe in your son, Jesus and the sacrifice of his life for me. I believe that when he shed his blood, it was for my forgiveness, my healing and my deliverance. I submit and surrender my old life for the new life you give. I know that means I’m no longer my own boss. I have a new employer to work for and that is You. You prepaid for my services, the least I can do is obey and love you, do what you ask me to do, go where you ask me to go. You see the big picture and I trust your perspective in all things. I know I don’t have to ‘work’ for my salvation because it was a gift. But I do have to work at being obedient and trusting in what I don’t see to gain what you freely give me. I want to reap good things, so help me to plant good seed. It’s in Jesus Name I pray, Amen

I Corinthians 1:26-31,  Brothers and sisters, God chose you to be his. Think about that! Not many of you were wise in the way the world judges wisdom. Not many of you had great influence, and not many of you came from important families.  But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise. He chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.  And God chose what the world thinks is not important—what the world hates and thinks is nothing. He chose these to destroy what the world thinks is important. God did this so that no one can stand before him and boast about anything.  It is God who has made you part of Christ Jesus. And Christ has become for us wisdom from God. He is the reason we are right with God and pure enough to be in his presence. Christ is the one who set us free from sin.  So, as the Scriptures say, “Whoever boasts should boast only about the Lord.”

Paul could have written this letter to me personally. Wait, in a sense he did just that! Go ahead, put your name in there and read it again, “Sandy, God chose you to be his.” Think about that. I’m not wise by mans standards, no education past a high school diploma. I was raised in a home of meager means, but rich in faith. Yet God has entrusted me with teaching others in things I have only received directly from Him and lessons learned through life experience. I can’t boast in my accomplishments because they were done for God, by God. I just gave Him access to do the work through me.

And Christ has become for us wisdom from God. He is the reason we are right with God and pure enough to be in his presence. Christ is the one who set us free from sin.  So, as the Scriptures say, “Whoever boasts should boast only about the Lord.”

God, you have done amazing things and allowed me to be a small part of it. YIPPEE! In every trial, every tribulation, every hurtle, every mountain, you were with me. It’s by your great hand that I’m even alive and able to run this race. For every day that passes, I’m thankful I made it. To every new day, I’m thankful for the chance to try again. I don’t look at mistakes as failures, I look at them as growth spurts. Only you can take the bad and make it good, the weak and make it strong, the poor and make it rich. Only your Spirit can change my heart and cause me to trust, to love and to surrender. I make my boast in you, King of my life, Lord of my now and forever. How I love you and am excited for the plans you have for me today. It’s in Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen

Mark 11:23, “For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.”

We’re all familiar with this wonderful passage, but did you know what Jesus was trying to teach us? Vision. Be people of vision! That’s what we were created to be. I can give you tons of examples, but let me go back to when the people built the what is called, the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11:6 & 7.  And the Lord said, “Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them. Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.”

Back in that time, everyone spoke the language that Adam spoke with God in the garden; the pure language of Heaven. There were two key ingredients we must see to understand vision. First they were of one language because to accomplish anything, you must be unified in what you speak. This is probably why so few of us see what we’re believing for come to pass, because we speak our vision to the wrong people and they’re not where we are. They can’t see it, so they speak their doubt and unbelief which hinders the vision from manifesting.

Secondly, they purposed to do what they envisioned together. Unity in speech and purpose is what God saw as a combination for success. Think of successful business, they believe in a product, they surround themselves with likeminded people and they succeed. What causes a business to fail? Disunity, complaining and lack of vision. God even said that without vision, people perish.

Father, clear my vision and help me to see what you see, say what you say, agree with Your Word and allow that Word to speak things that aren’t seen yet. I know that life and death are in the power of my tongue, help me to speak life today and every day. Give me vision and keep the words I utter, that are designed to create. I want to see BIG things come to pass, so I come into agreement with you. Kingdom come! Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. It’s in Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen

Jeremiah 17:8 AMP, For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters that spreads out its roots by the river; and it shall not see and fear when heat comes; but its leaf shall be green. It shall not be anxious and full of care in the year of drought, nor shall it cease yielding fruit.

Luke 12:29-30 GW, “Don’t concern yourself about what you will eat or drink, and quit worrying about these things.  Everyone in the world is concerned about these things, but your Father knows you need them.”

Oh my, I sure needed to read these verses this morning. Deadlines have a way of pressing in on every side of us until we feel the life squeeze out of us. Three weeks isn’t nearly enough time to pack up the rest of the house, find a place to live and move, all while working full time. If I were only a tree, planted by the water, roots drinking deeply, no fear, always bearing fruit. Wait, there is a place like that, where each of us can go and draw from everyday; in the presence of our Father. It’s a time where deep settled peace, washes over us continually, until all the insanity and turmoil is completely gone. Oh how I love that place.

“Peace, peace, wonderful peace, coming down from the Father above. Sweep over my spirit forever I pray, in fathomless billows of love.” I can hear my mom singing this old hymn as she lifted her head toward God in remembrance of His ability to keep that which she had committed to Him. What a sweet example she’s always been, speaking of God’s promises in answer to our questions, “What are we going to do? Where are we going to go?” Mom always seemed to have the answers but her answer was HIS answer. She taught us to look to God’s Word for everything we needed. Jesus IS the answer, always.

Father, you are indeed the answer for every question. The solutions to every problem, and you have the key to every locked door. What doors you open, no man can close and what door you close, it doesn’t matter how much we pound on it, it won’t open. Help me to walk away from situations I can’t control and that frustrate the stew out of me. You already know the plans you have for me and you lead and guide me each step of the way. My heart trusts in you! I will not lean to my own understanding but in all my ways, I will acknowledge you as Provider, Healer, Deliverer, Strong Tower, Faithful Father, King of kings and Lord of lords. There has never been a problem you couldn’t solve nor a mountain you could not move. I give you glory, honor and praise because it’s in Your Name and for Your glory that I live and breathe. In Jesus’ Name. Amen

Luke 6:12-16, Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.  And when it was day, He called His disciples to Himself; and from them He chose twelve whom He also named apostles:  Simon, whom He also named Peter, and Andrew his brother; James and John; Philip and Bartholomew;  Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called the Zealot;  Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot who also became a traitor.

Jesus had many disciples or followers that he taught, but he saw the need to place 12 as apostles. These 12 men went with Jesus everywhere and did his bidding. You could say that they were put ‘in charge’ of the other disciples, seeing to their needs and issues that arose, so that Jesus could devote all of his time to teaching and doing miracles. These men were privy to intimate friendship with Christ, in other words, they were told things that Jesus didn’t share with the multitudes. He shared his heart and the heart of the Father with these few, even though it was a part of God’s plan that one betray him so that he could be the sacrifice for the world.

As I read this, I thought of the theatre of life and friends God has surrounded me with. Some have a front row seat, some are a part of the viewing audience, but all bring value with them. Some are seasonal, they come and go, taking what they need and giving to others. Some may be there for a few years, but they’re missionary friends, called to move on and influence other parts of the world. But there are a few, a select few, who know the intimate details of my life. They encourage me, they pray for me and I for them. We share meals together, our families know each other and in spite of all the flaws they see, they still love me unconditionally. They’re never easily offended, they know how to take me, never question my love.  We have learned that the benefits far outweighs the sacrifice.

The key here is to discern who God has placed in the front row seats of your life. Never think that just because you want them as a friend, that they would be the best friend for you. God knows who you need and who you don’t need, trust Him to make those choices for you. In other words, don’t take a seat just because you like it, wait until it’s offered to you. When they leave, thank God for the times you had and ask Him if this friendship should continue, even when they’ve moved to another state. Never be hurt or bitter over them leaving, rather be thankful.  I’ve been blessed with some very deep relationships who live far away. We talk when we can but each time we do, the Spirit of the Lord rushes in. We laugh, we cry, we encourage each other, but bottom line, miles don’t make a difference with a heart connection.

Father, I thank you for each and every person you’ve placed in my life. Near or far, I am rich because of the depth of love they hold for you and how they touch me personally.  I’m thankful that I allowed you to personally choose them for me, from my husband and children, to my very closest friends. They challenge me to hold fast to hope, reach for stars, dream bigger, wait patiently and love deeply. I ask that you will bless each one in the audience and those in the front row seats. May they be blown away by your sweet love and grace today as you lavishly poor out blessing on them. Meet every need, heal every hurt, sickness and disease. Be their best friend as they go about their day. It’s in Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen