Friday morning after I had my time of prayer, I asked the Lord if he wanted to say anything specific to me. This is what I heard Him speak; “Watch your words. Judge every thought against my Word, if it’s not of me, cast it down. It’s crucial that you hear me and do as I say. If it doesn’t line up with my Word, don’t speak it out of your mouth.”

This morning as I was meditating on that, I heard Jesus’ in Mark 11:22-24; So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. 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.  Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.

I realized something, how many times have we believed bad things would happen to us and because we believed it and didn’t doubt, they came to pass? How many times have we allowed fear to be the foundation of our words, the motivation of our thoughts? We fear something is wrong, we speak our fears, we go to the doctor and have our fears confirmed then we pronounce the diagnosis and tell it to everyone we meet. Then we go to church and ask for prayer to get rid of the thing we feared, spoke and received. Do you see the foolishness in all of that? We even blame God or say that ‘healing isn’t for everyone’ or ‘I tried that and it didn’t work’, when it was clearly not God nor His will, it was simply what we chose to think on and speak out.

We need to be looking for what God’s Word says about the situation we face, have faith in God, stand on His promises and let His Word do it’s perfect work in us. Is anything too difficult for God? Is anything impossible with God? One drop of the blood of Jesus is enough to cover all sin, sickness and disease. Jesus died for that. Jesus ROSE for that. Anything else is heresy, a lie and need not come out of our mouth. What are we thinking on? What are we speaking out?

Psalm 19:14 is my prayer today; Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer. May I think on your Word so that Your Word comes out of my mouth. You are my strength when I’m weak, you have redeemed me from the curse of sickness and disease. You’ve redeemed me from poverty and oppression. You’ve set me free from wrong mind sets and old fears. You came to bring life and not just life, but abundant life. My life is rich because of you, Lord. You cause me to daily walk in your ways because I set my thoughts on you. May my words be Your Words and may you be exalted in what I say and do today, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Sunday morning as we were listening to the Word, getting ready for church, the Holy Spirit showed me something that I can’t get out of my head. A few years back, we decided to plant a tree in the front yard to help shade the house. The morning sun just heats the house up so quickly and we felt that eventually, our power bill would go down a little it we did this. We decided to purchase from a local woman who had her own business and stopped to talk with her about which tree would be the best choice for us. After hearing that the oak tree grew fastest down here and would provide the best shade, we made our selection and placed it in the back of Walts truck. What she said to us before we left is what the Lord brought back to my mind. “Be sure and water it everyday for a month, that’s what causes the roots to go deep. If you don’t, the roots will grow shallow and the first big storm that comes along will blow that tree over.”

Psalm 1:1-3 says; Blessed is the person who does not follow the advice of wicked people, take the path of sinners, or join the company of mockers. Rather, he delights in the teachings of the Lord and reflects on his teachings day and night.  He is like a tree planted beside streams—a tree that produces fruit in season and whose leaves do not wither. He succeeds in everything he does.

Ephesians 5:26 “ that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word.” When we read the Word, it cleanses us but it also deeply roots us. Who doesn’t want that? I don’t want the first storm that comes, blow me over! I remember at age 15 when I was saved and baptized in the Holy Spirit, I was hungry for the Word. I couldn’t read it enough. Perhaps that’s why I’m deeply grounded in my faith, I watered everyday.

After I got married and had children, I got out of the habit of daily reading the Word. Stuff happens in life to distract us but we don’t have to stay there. I’m thankful for our pastors wife who encouraged, no, made it part of our homework in her class, that we read the Word and journal everyday for 30 days. After that, we could do with it what we wanted. Needless to say, I’m still doing it. Don’t think that because you’re older that your roots can’t still go deeper. Don’t think, ‘it’s too late for me’, that’s a lie from the pit of hell. It’s never too late to grow. Ask your body, it’s constantly gaining or losing weight based on what you consume. Shouldn’t your spirit man grow as well?

End result; bearing fruit and leaves that don’t wither. Success in everything we do. With long life He will satisfy us and show us His salvation. What a wonderful promise, the promise of fruitfulness. Everything that’s planted and watered takes root and grows. The amount of watering determines the depth of the root system and the fruit that it bears. 

I pray for you, my friend. That people will be drawn to partake of your fruitfulness. That you will provide them shade and rest, encouragement and peace. That you will lay hands on the sick and they will recover simply because you’re rooted and grounded in Him. May the beauty you reflect draw all men to Jesus. 

Philippians 4:6-9 ERV; Never worry about anything. But in every situation let God know what you need in prayers and requests while giving thanks. Then God’s peace, which goes beyond anything we can imagine, will guard your thoughts and emotions through Christ Jesus.  Finally, brothers and sisters, keep your thoughts on whatever is right or deserves praise: things that are true, honorable, fair, pure, acceptable, or commendable.  Practice what you’ve learned and received from me, what you heard and saw me do. Then the God who gives this peace will be with you.

So often, satan tries to convince us that what God has promised will never come to pass, but we are not to do that. Paul said to never worry about anything. Why? Because worry produces doubt, which gives way to fear, which negates our faith. In other words, we have to manage our mind. That’s right, we must control what we think on and what we talk about because what we think on determines the outcome of our situation.  We must agree with what the Word says, not with what our circumstances dictate to us.

I love Proverbs 24:5; A strong man knows how to use his strength, but a person with knowledge is even more powerful.

Why do you think that is? Because if I know the Word, have knowledge of what it says about me and the authority I have through Jesus Christ, I will be more powerful than a physically strong man. Spirit trumps flesh every time. What? Yes, that’s right. Abraham was fully persuaded that what God said, he would do (Romans 4:21). He continually meditated on the promise of God and trusted in God’s ability to do what He’d promised. You know what that did? It built his faith. You never hear one time of Abraham telling his best friend that He just couldn’t believe anymore, it had just been too long, he’s too old. No, he had given birth to that promise in his spirit when God took him outside his tent and told him to count the stars. He knew that whatever God promised, he would do it.

Proverbs 30:32 GW; If you are such a godless fool as to honor yourself, or if you scheme, you had better put your hand over your mouth.

That means if you honor or think more highly of your self, have more confidence in your words rather than God’s Word, you’d better watch yourself or shut your mouth. No one can top what God says. He has the final say about your past, present and future. When you accepted Jesus Christ as Lord of your life, He washed away your sins. Gone. Done deal! When you bring up something that’s under the Blood, you are telling God that the Blood was just not good enough to cleanse you from all unrighteousness, you dishonor God. Either trust Him and His Word or walk away because you can’t do both. 

If you’re reading this right now and are thinking it’s just too hard, you need to get back to reading the Word more than you do anything else because you can’t trust in what you don’t know. You’re allowing the cares of this world to choke out the Word and make it watered down and ineffective. You can’t walk by faith focused on the problem, you must focus on the promise. You can’t focus on the promise if you don’t KNOW the promise and you can’t KNOW the promise if you don’t read the Word. It can’t get much more simple than that!

Father, give us a hunger for your Word. It is the bread of life to our spirit and flesh. We suffer from spiritual malnutrition if we don’t feed on your promises and daily build faith and confidence in your ability over all else. Give us deep roots, so that the storms of life don’t cause us to topple over. You are our hope and our foundation. We trust in you.

Ephesians 3:16-19 NLT; I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit.  Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.  And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.  May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

Isn’t it wonderful to have unlimited resources at our disposal? To tap into a love so powerful that makes everything you go through, only deepen and strengthen that love? Makes sense that if God is love and we are his children, that our very foundation, our DNA is love. If we truly want to draw closer to God, we must also draw closer to love. When we trusted in Jesus as Lord and Savior of our lives, we invited love to be our primary response to everything and everyone around us. 

I’ve watched marriages change before my eyes when men and women experienced the deep love of God. It’s dissolved years of hate, bitterness and strife, irreconcilable differences, division all because of this God like love. It springs up from deep within, like a geyser of cool, clear healing water, leaving nothing behind but joy, peace and freedom. Gone is self loathing. Gone is self centeredness. Gone is manipulation and control. Paul said it best above, “May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.”

Our pursuit of power is a waste of time and effort when it’s all found in trusting the gift of the Father, LOVE. What a priceless gift. John 15:13 says; “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” That’s just what Jesus did, he lay his life down so that in planting that great love, a huge harvest of deep lovers would be grown in the earth. You, me, we were made to love and love deeply. Our love should not need words.  Our love should be evidence of who we are and WHOSE we are. Our love should reach out to everyone our lives touch so that we leave traces of love on each heart, each life. When they ask why we’re doing these things, our response should simply be, it’s what our Father told us to do, love others and you are loved.

Hebrews 12:1-4 NLT; Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.  Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.  Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin.

Since this is Passover month, I was reminded last night of the intense struggle with Pharaoh to free the children of Israel. Even after God heard their cry and sent them a deliverer, Moses, who He had set up to be a spokesman for the people. Even through all the plagues that God sent onto the Egyptians and the repeated refusal to let the people go. When things went from bad to worse for the children of Jacob and the demands for production went up until they couldn’t physically keep up. All these things happened so that the mighty wonders of God would be seen in Egypt. How else would the people of God trust to know God was able to do exceedingly more than they could ask or imagine?

So while you’re running your race and your life looks hopeless, your finances look hopeless, your job situation looks hopeless, nothing seems to be working out right, your family and friends think you’re crazy, there seems to be no end in sight, remember this my dear fellow runner; God is setting you up for the greatest season yet, your deliverance is fast approaching. Get ready to move forward, no looking back. Stay in your secret place with God. Get familiar with His voice. Listen and obey even if it makes absolutely no sense at all. God wants to show off big time in your life where He alone will get the glory. There will be no mistaking that He’s kept you from disaster. There will be no wondering who is responsible for THIS blessing. 

Remember that Jesus is now seated in a place of honor with all authority and power in his hands. He didn’t get there by God waving a magic wand, he ran his race. So I encourage you, keep running. Don’t keep looking back or wondering how far you have left to go, keep running. Ask God to strengthen you along the way because that is what He does. You’ve come this far by faith, leaning on His arm, trusting in His Word, He’s never failed us nor will He. The finish line is in sight now. You can do this.

I pulled up Biblegateway this morning and found this scripture as the daily verse, but what drew my attention was the announcement at the beginning: 

For the Third Time Jesus Foretells That He Will Die and Come Back to Life

Matthew 20:17-19 When Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem, he took the twelve apostles aside and said to them privately, “We’re going to Jerusalem. There the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the experts in Moses’ Teachings. They will condemn him to death and hand him over to foreigners. They will make fun of him, whip him, and crucify him. But on the third day he will be brought back to life.”

Whats with the 3rd time? What significance does that have? I’m not a biblical scholar by any means, just a lover of the Word and a deep thinker, but seriously, odd that it was his 3rd time telling he would be raised on the 3rd day. So I looked it up and according to Rabbi Dr. Hellil ben David;

“The number 3 is used in the Torah to mediate between two opposing or contradicting values. The 3rd value mediates, reconciles and connects the two. Time is divided into three portions: The past, the present, and the future. The position in time that is most expressive of the non-physical is the present, because it is so fleeting and instantaneous. The function of that time, the present, is its service as connector. The number three expresses connection. According to Jewish law, once something is done three times it is considered a permanent thing. This is called a “chazakah“. Once we have done something three times, we have connected to it and connected it to this world.”

Isn’t that interesting? What Jesus was doing by saying it 3 times was making the connection between past, present and future. He was making it permanent thing. He connected himself to it and connected it to this world. OMG! That gets me so excited! Thats what I love about the Word of God, it’s so rich and full and purposeful. I’m so glad I didn’t miss this nugget of truth this morning. 

More than anything, I want my words to have purpose as well. I want to connect myself to the promises of God and have those promises connected to me. That’s why it’s so important to speak the Word over your life over and over again. Job 22:28 says, “You will also declare a thing, and it will be established for you; So light will shine on your ways.” Shine on me, Lord, that I may see the way you want me to take and say the things you’d have me to say.

Technology is great, isn’t it, especially when you take a trip to an unfamiliar city. You can pull up GPS, give your phone an address and it will direct you right to your destination.  Not sure where you want to eat? You can say, “find restaurants” and there they are on your screen. Want to find out what’s showing at the movies? You can do that sitting in the car because there’s an app for that.

What I REALLY love is the Bible app. Wherever I am, where ever I go and need direction, I can consult the Word on my phone and find out what God says about any situation at any time, anywhere. Psalm 119:133 says, “Direct my steps by Your word, and let no iniquity have dominion over me.” Psalm 37:23, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way.” Psalm 119:105, “Your Word is a lamp to my feet, a light to my path.” 

I love what Paul wrote in Romans 12:2, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” When was the last time you allowed the Word to wash your mind, to renew your thoughts? What controls your mind? The news report you watch on T.V.? The chaos in the lunchroom at work? You were created to make a difference in the world but if you don’t exchange your thoughts for His thoughts, you won’t offer the world any hope of anything other than what the see around them. 

I’ve seen people receive a diagnosis from the doctor and go online and research it until they are so focused on the disease that they’ve forgotten that God has the final say and He says that Jesus took all their diseases on the himself so they don’t have to. They haven’t washed their minds with the Word. It’s like an after thought when it should be the first thought. What does the Word say about that?

I don’t know what you’re facing today, but if you’ll do this one simple thing, renew your mind in His Word, you’ll find the hope you need and the assurance that God has an app for that. You can apply the blood of Jesus to that problem, that disease, that lack, because His Word is alive, powerful and like a surgeon, cuts out the bad so that the new can live. I trust Him over any doctor, banker or employer. I trust Him over our president, financial adviser or real estate agent. I trust Him over my bank account, my paycheck, my bills. Though I’ve failed Him many times, His Word never fails and He never leaves me or forsakes me. Every promise in that book is mine and I claim it by the blood of the Lamb.

You may be directionally challenged as I am at times, but you have a compass that is always true; God’s Word. His Spirit leads you into all truth. Open up your heart to Him and allow the peace and presence of the Lord to fill you up to overflow, spilling out onto whatever you’re facing today.  There is always a better way, sometimes you just have to look for it.

There’s just something about the stillness of the morning, the whisper of my Father, inviting me to come and sit with him. How can I refuse such an invitation. His presence washes over me like refreshing water on a hot, humid day. He brings such hope, such joy. I sit with a smile on my face, basking in the sunshine of his love. For so many years I rushed through my morning getting the kids ready for school and myself out the door for work that I ran past the secret place, wondering how on earth I could ever fit one more thing in my morning. Don’t misunderstand me, I was mindful of the Lord. I’d have Creflo Dollar or Joyce Meyer playing as I got ready for work and it was in my head during the day, but this, what I do now is like WOW!

At first, I didn’t think I could get up any earlier to set apart before my day began. I hated the very thought of ‘routine’, thinking it would turn me into my husband who is nothing BUT routine. Afraid of the ‘box’ it would put me in, not realizing that God always keeps it interesting and never takes me to the same place in the same way. Now I wake up wondering, what will He show me today? Where should we read? What do you want to say to me and teach me?

This morning I distinctly heard the words from Psalm 46:10; “Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” What I hear in this is, “Let me take care of all this. I don’t need your help with any of it. I will be big in the whole earth and everyone will know that it was me. Just lay back in my arms and watch. Enjoy the view! Things always look differently from up here.”

I don’t know what you’re facing, but I needed to hear that. I love that God cares about everything we face. He never intended for us to stress about anything, he simply says, “Be quiet and know I have this!” We try so hard to fix everything ourselves only to make such a mess of it and us, then we want Him to clean it up. Lets just take our hands off it and trust his very capable hands to do it for us. He said he’d direct our steps so how about we just take time to listen and obey. 

Psalm 91 NIRV is my prayer today: The person who rests in the shadow of the Most High God will be kept safe by the Mighty One. I will say about the Lord,“He is my place of safety. He is like a fort to me. He is my God. I trust in him.” He will certainly save you from hidden traps and from deadly sickness. He will cover you with his wings. Under the feathers of his wings you will find safety. He is faithful. He will keep you safe like a shield or a tower. You won’t have to be afraid of the terrors that come during the night. You won’t have to fear the arrows that come at you during the day. You won’t have to be afraid of the sickness that attacks in the darkness.
You won’t have to fear the plague that destroys at noon. A thousand may fall dead at your side. Ten thousand may fall near your right hand. But no harm will come to you. You will see with your own eyes how God punishes sinful people. The Lord is the one who keeps you safe. So let the Most High God be like a home to you. Then no harm will come to you. No terrible plague will come near your tent. The Lord will command his angels to take good care of you. They will lift you up in their hands. Then you won’t trip over a stone. You will walk all over lions and cobras. You will crush mighty lions and poisonous snakes. The Lord says, “I will save the one who loves me. I will keep him safe, because he trusts in me. He will call out to me, and I will answer him. I will be with him in times of trouble. I will save him and honor him. I will give him a long and full life. I will save him.”

You are my home, Lord. I will be quiet and rest in your peace. You have this!

I awoke this morning at 4:30 am and my heart was heavy. I could feel someones struggle to face another day, their deep anguish of soul covered me like a blanket on a hot and humid day. Oppressively heavy were my thoughts as condemnation and discouragement teamed together to create feelings of hopelessness and despair.  I quickly rose from my bed and went to the spare room to intercede. Someone was fighting a battle they could not see and needed help. Oh Father, great lover of the lost and broken, hear my cry. Come to their rescue! Sweet Spirit of grace, rush into their room and flood their mind with light, may they have a vision of your great love for them. 

I have this word for you, whoever you are; Psalm 45:10-11 My lady, listen to me. Listen carefully and understand me. Forget your people and your father’s family, so that the king will be pleased with your beauty. He will be your new husband, so you must honor him.  Then in verses 13-15; The princess is so beautiful in her gown, like a pearl set in gold.  Clothed in beauty, she is led to the king,
followed by her bridesmaids. Filled with joy and excitement, they enter into the king’s palace.

Forget your past, it does not define you, God does. He thinks you’re beautiful just the way you are. You don’t have to change your exterior because you’re beautiful just as you are. He created you in his image and likeness and it’s your spirit that is so valuable to him. Come to Him as you are and lay each and every accusation at his feet. Exchange your thoughts for His thoughts toward you. 

Jeremiah 29:11-13; “I say this because I know the plans that I have for you.” This message is from the Lord. “I have good plans for you. I don’t plan to hurt you. I plan to give you hope and a good future. Then you will call my name. You will come to me and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will search for me, and when you search for me with all your heart, you will find me.”

God is not hiding from you. He’s been standing next to you waiting for you to come as you are. He wants to be your everything. Lay it all down and stop carrying what you were never meant to carry. God has purpose for you. He is well able to keep everything you commit to him at this very moment. Your husband, your children, your family, finances, everything. There is nothing, absolutely nothing you have to carry on your own.  He said to take his yoke, his burden because his is light.

“Come, learn of me. My way is easier. Just let me love you. Let me wrap you in my arms and hold you. Don’t be afraid! I have come to calm the water that rages around you. You won’t drown as long as I hold you. I know you can’t see it right now, but I have a plan for all of this that you’re carrying if you’ll just trust me with it.  You are mine and I am yours. For so long I’ve wanted to be your everything, let me be that now.” Father

John 14:6-12  Jesus answered, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. The only way to the Father is through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father too. But now you know the Father. You have seen him.”

Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father. That is all we need.”

Jesus answered, “Philip, I have been with you for a long time. So you should know me. Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father too. So why do you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The things I have told you don’t come from me. The Father lives in me, and he is doing his own work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Or believe because of the miracles I have done.

“I can assure you that whoever believes in me will do the same things I have done. And they will do even greater things than I have done, because I am going to the Father.  And if you ask for anything in my name, I will do it for you. Then the Father’s glory will be shown through the Son. If you ask me for anything in my name, I will do it.”

Christ in me the hope of glory. That’s what came to my mind as I read these verses. Just as the Father was in the Son, so is the Son in us. How beautiful! Just as Jesus asked the Father and it was given to him, he says that if we ask for anything in his name, he will do it for us. Then the Fathers glory will be shown through the Son. He repeats it; If you ask me for anything in my name, I will do it. He will back up what he said, he has to. 

Wait now, anything? Let’s back the truck up a little bit here. When Jesus asked, was he asking for himself or others? Was he doing it to bring glory to himself or to God? I think we all know the answer to those questions. He did only what he heard the Father say, so what he did, he always did for the Father, to bring glory and honor to Him. That means that what we ask must do the same, it must bring glory and honor to Jesus.  It must be about honor, love and serving others. 

I think there is a principle here that we must understand before we see the signs, wonders and miracles we long to see. Give and it shall be given, seek and you will find, knock and it will be open (Matthew 7:7-8), because all of this is available to us who seek to know Him, to love like Him and DO for Him. Jesus never did anything for himself, only for the Father. What would our lives be like if that became our goal. I’m thinking that the world would hate us because they hate what they don’t understand. It is foolishness to them.

Father, I need to focus on you more because in reading this, I realize how little I am like you and how little I do for you. Purify my heart, cleanse my hands and my feet from the cares of this life and deceitfulness of this world. I don’t want to be of this world but of you. I want your Word and your will to ever be in the forefront of my thinking and doing, reflecting your love, serving others, encouraging, teaching. healing, giving. Make me less like me and more like you.