ALL is ALL

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6

Faced with some big decisions and some big confusion in my life, this verse has been in the front of my mind for several days now. And this is why. I find it easy to trust the Lord some of the time and sometimes acknowledge Him in some of my ways. But the key to the Lord straightening my path is me trusting Him with ALL my heart and in ALL my ways acknowledging him.

ALL is ALL. The Lord will guide me and direct me. But if I'm not giving Him ALL, I'm keeping the control for myself. When I get in way, God moves but I resist. So I need to remember that He is the Lord of ALL. No less. And if I give him less, then I get less. Not because He doesn't desire to give me all, because He does.

For what it's worth, that's what I wanted to share today.

Freedom

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free." Galatians 5:1

I'm heading home tomorrow to spend the 4th of July holiday with family and friends. There will be food, there will be fun, there will be people I haven't seen in quite a while. We gather to celebrate the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. Mostly we gather because our jobs give us a day off. Our celebration of freedom occurs in excess sometimes and people get hurt. Freedom does not give us permission to do what we want, when we want. Freedom is not a license, it is a privilege.

Freedom really isn't free. People lose their lives in the quest for personal and national freedom. Jesus died for my freedom. For several years, I lived with knowledge of Jesus but not a passionate love for Him. The price he paid on the cross didn't matter much to me. I did what I wanted, when I wanted. Since I knew about Jesus I could come to Him anytime I wanted and confess my sin and all would be okay. I, in my eyes, was not worth the price He paid on the cross. I didn't respect the gift of grace or the Giver. Needless to say, my life was a wreck.

Now I've been wrecked. I am passionately in love with Jesus. He is my "one thing" desire. I want nothing more than to know Him and make Him known. He guides me, graces me, grants me wisdom, greets me in the morning and sings me a lullaby at night. In Him I find everything I need. I am truly free. And for that reason I celebrate.

Qualified

"God does not choose the qualified, he qualifies the chosen."

I was sitting in a meeting the other night and these words hit me across the brain with great power. I have been struggling for sometime now with what the Lord is calling me to do, words that have been spoken over me, leading me into eventual ministry. I have been wrestling with the fact that I am not an eloquent speaker nor am I studied in Biblical matters. All I know is that God has saved me from the fires of hell, he has destroyed the works of the devil in my life and now I know peace.

In my mind, I don't see myself as qualified for anything. But God uses my exact weaknesses and shines through them so that all around will see that it is Him and not me. I don't have to be qualified, I just have to be willing to learn and to move in the power of the Holy Spirit. I am chosen just because I am a child of God. My Daddy is teaching me the family business, which is to save others from the fires of hell, destroy the works of the devil and teach of the peace only Christ can give.

I don't need to know everything, I just need to know one thing: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Washed by the Water

One of my favorite songs today contains the words, "Even when the rain falls, even when the flood starts rising, even when the storm comes, I am washed by the water."

Ephesians 5:25-27 says: "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless."

Now the Word is Jesus, so technically we are being washed by Him. And if that is the case, I'll take the water any way it comes.

Sometimes God has gently washed me, like a daddy washing his baby. Sometimes I'm cleansed in the midst of chaos, the winds and rains of a storm cleansing me, even in the midst of the pain and confusion. And other times, because I've been so dirty, God has power washed me. Sometimes it hurts to be made clean. But when all the nastiness is stripped away, God can use the being He created to shine as a living beacon of His love and righteousness.

Father, I just ask that you would cleanse me to the core. Wash away all that is unattractive to you that I may shine forth as a living testimony to the power of your cleansing work. Wash away the grime of the world and allow me to live a pure life for You. For although I live in the world, I am not of it. I am a citizen of Your heavenly kingdom and I desire to walk with You in all in my ways. Amen.

Darkness vs. Light

I have probably read the book of Ephesians at least 20 times. I've probably heard countless messages on what Paul had to say. Why then did I not see what was written in Ephesians 5:8 when is says: "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord." I had always read this verse as "for you were once IN darkness, but now you are IN the light of the Lord." Craziness!!

The eyes of my understand not yet opened, I read this passage to understand that I was in darkness (which I was but that's a whole other story) and now I am in the light of the Lord (which I am, but again, a whole other story.) This verse clearly says that I was the darkness and now I am the light. Quite a concept to grasp, yet another to live.

I know that the things that I did were in the darkness, as most evil things are, and those things have been exposed by the light of Jesus. Once they are in the light, they can be dealt with accordingly. However, I don't think I have had a concept that not only was I in the darkness but I was the darkness. It's a little easier to grasp that I am the light in the Lord now (once again, a whole other thing to live it) because there are verses elsewhere that say this. I've read them, I know that they are there. But I don't think I've ever read that I was the darkness.

I'm going to take a little journey into learning more about this. Any insight that others have is obviously more then I have now. Please feel free to comment here about what you have learned in regards to this. I will do my best to share what I have learned with you later.

For what it's worth, that is what I wanted to share today.

Held Captive By Hope

Once again, I'm going to pass along a couple of paragraphs from a message sent through in an Elijah List e-mail. This message is by Victoria Boyson. I am constantly amazed by God in how He places things in my life at the exact moment I need them. This message this morning was another time He did just that. The entire message was really poignant to me, however, I'm going to share just the following two paragraphs:

" There are times during the birth of your destiny that you feel as though you would like to give up hope, but God will not let you. If feels as though you are held captive by hope. 'Return to your fortress, O prisoners of hope...' Zechariah 9:12
There are times during the development of your dream when your hope seems to have turned into a prison. You cannot make your dreams come true, and you find it impossible to stop believing in them. You cannot go forward any faster than God will let you, and you cannot return to where you once were before you became pregnant with the promise from God. God will not let you give up! During this time you might feel like saying, 'Okay, God, this is enough! I don't want to hope anymore! I am tired of being pregnant with this promise! I want out of this prison of hope!'
It is during this time that your dreams feel so real to you, yet to others they are not. The conflict between what you feel in the Spirit and what is evident in the natural grates at your soul. You feel much like you are on a Ferris Wheel. You have your up times when you can see your dream's fulfillment far into the future, but you also have your down time when you cannot see anything. You think to yourself, 'Am I crazy to think that God could use me?' The enemy comes in like a flood and you begin to doubt, causing anguish to your soul. This is the time when God is doing His greatest work in you."

I was powerfully touched by this. God has His perfect time and perfect place for the release of His destiny into my life. I just have to trust that God is doing His perfect work in me and not give up hope. I have to keep my eyes and my heart towards the things of God. If my eyes are anywhere else, I will likely give up on hope because my hope is found in Him.

The message went on to say: "You may not like the circumstances you are in now, but do not run from it. It may be what is saving your life! The second half of Zechariah 9:12 gives us the answer to what we are looking for. Why are we going through what we are going through? It says, 'Return to your fortress, O prisoners of hope; even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you.' God says, 'Even now I announce to you that not only will I restore to you all that has been taken from you, but I will give you double for all the trouble you have endured.' He says, 'Don't stop now...keep trusting Me, because I can see your future and it is very blessed. Keep walking with Me and keep trusting in Me and I will give you rest.'"

My hope is found in Him alone. He is faithful. What He says will come to pass. So I believe that I will be restored, that God will bring me into the fullness of my destiny in Him and that I will have rest. Praise God for that!!

A Prayer in a Time of Trouble

I was cleaning my apartment on Wednesday morning, preparing for a yearly inspection that our city does on all of its apartment buildings. As I was going through the process of cleaning, I found a book that I had bought several months ago called "Life-Changing Moments with God: Praying Scripture Every Day." I honestly thought I had lost this book so to find it was quite a surprise and in reading the prayer yesterday, I know that God had planned for me to find that book on that very morning to read that very prayer to help me walk through the very situation I find myself in. God works that way. And so, because I needed to see it, I'm putting it out there for whoever else may benefit from it as well.

"Lord God, You are my refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore I will not fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling. I will enter my chambers, and shut my door behind me; hide myself, as it were, for a little moment, until the indignation is past. For behold, You, Lord, come out of Your place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity. In the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, until these calamities have passed by. My life is hidden with Christ in You, Lord God.
I will not be afraid of evil tidings; my heart is steadfast, trusting in You, Lord.
Jesus has spoken to me, that in Him I may have peace. In the world I will have tribulation; but I will be of good cheer, for You have overcome the world.
You are my peace and hope, Lord God, my Refuge and my Strength - and I praise You."

For what its worth, that is what I wanted to share today.

Stop Trying and Start Being

I get several e-mails each day from a couple of lists I belong too. The following couple of paragraphs were part of a message from Kathie Walters that was sent through in an Elijah List e-mail. The whole message was really solid, but I focused rather hard on two paragraphs. They are as follows:

"If you are doing something tonight in the way of serving God and it's not delightful, forget it --it's just works. And, sorry to say, God is not interested in your works, He's interested in His works. He is not going to anoint your works, He anoints His works. The glory of God will never come on what you do --the glory comes on what He does. It's not trying, it's yielding to the anointing.
Isn't it easier to yield rather than to try and strive and work at it? Trying can be very trying. God is not running around your city trying to recruit workers for the Kingdom, He is just wanting His sons and daughters to rise up and be who He called them to be. You're not a sinner saved by grace -- you were a sinner saved by grace, but now you are a son or a daughter of Almighty God. You are royalty of the Royalty, an heir of righteousness and an heir of the Kingdom. You don't have to earn it, you can't qualify for it -- Jesus gave you this inheritance, freely. He paid for it 100% when He died and rose again."

I was powerfully reminded by these two paragraphs who I am to God. I am His daughter. He freely gives, whether I deserve it or not. I don't have to try to be anything, I just have to yield to God's anointing on my life and be who I already am. It's not about what I do, it is about what He did and is doing.

For what it's worth, that is what I wanted to share today.

More Learning

It never stops. Learning is a life long event, which I suppose is good because the minute you stop learning, you start dying. But sometimes the events which lead to the learning are not fun. Such was the case this past weekend.

I'm not going to comment here on exactly what happened, as that is between me and God, but I got an up close and personal lesson on how satan can strategically sabotage your walk with God by bringing things into your life that hit you where you struggle the most. I didn't completely walk back to the life I was living, but I was close.

So, now I'm having to deal with some of the backlash of the events of this past weekend. I'm bringing some selected individuals who stand strong with God along side of me to walk through this issue, and I know from experience, that no matter how bad the walk to recovery may be, I will be stronger on the other side because of it.

My daddy God is bigger then anything the world wants to throw at me and big brother Jesus is ready and able to put the smack down on anything that would prevent me from coming close to Him.

Who I Am

I am a child of the King. I am a princess in the kingdom of God. I am blessed beyond measure because my Daddy provides everything I need. I am assured of my salvation. I am learning to be an eagle for God.

Leif Hetland is currently conducting a "Soaring as Eagles" conference at Heartland Assembly in Ankeny, IA. He talked a lot last night about knowing who we are and whose we are. We are God's. He bought us with a price, that price being his Son. Jesus gave His life for me and the question is posed once again, what will I do with my life for Jesus today.

God is doing a deep work in me. Plans that I had abandoned due to past issues in my life, God is stirring those things in me again. I don't know much, but I know that God knows and that is all that matters.

I had an opportunity to talk to my friend Jenni last night about some things that God was teaching me. Jenni and I share a similar past but God has shown us the same grace. I know that although our overall ministries may be different, we will minister together on occasion. I was telling Jenni about an e-mail i sent to one of my friends, someone that I knew from my past. In part, I told my friend that life and love are found in a relationship with Jesus and until that is established everything else fails to be true. I see the rest of my life in the eyes of Jesus. My friend didn't respond too great to this e-mail but the message was put out there, she has now heard it and I'll continue to pray that the seed that has been planted will be watered and given light so it can grow. We talked on the phone for over 2 hours and as the call was nearing an end, I had a Sheryl Crow song come to mind. I don't normally listen to Sheryl Crow, or much secular music at all for that matter, but basically the chorus to the song goes "I'm gonna soak up the sun, I'm gonna tell everyone to lighten up." But I said that I was going to soak the up the Son, as in Jesus, and am going to tell everyone that true freedom comes in knowing and being known by Him.

We are His. Bought with a price. Destined for greatness. Empowered by the Spirit.

Anticipation

God is moving. I can feel it. We had a prayer meeting at Heartland Assembly in Ankeny, IA last night. We are preparing for a conference there that is starting tomorrow. Leif Hetland will be the speaker. He is coming up from Florida where some exciting things have been happening. Healings, supernatural signs and wonders.... the reports are amazing.
I am ready to see God move as I've never seen before. The anticipation is high. God is faithful to those who apprehend Him.

Learning

It's been awhile since I've posted things here. That means I've either been learning a lot and have little time to write, or I have been learning nothing at all. Well, I've been learning a lot. In time, I will share more, but these are just the highlights:

1) Grace - Sometimes I get what I don't deserve, because Jesus died on the cross for what I did deserve

2) Unconditional love - Jesus drew people in with love, let that love and His power change them and then said go and sin no more. Too many people what you in your Sunday best before they will love you. They remember the preach the truth part, but leave out the in love part.

3) Forgiveness - I can let people off the hook, knowing that God will deal with them. Just because I forgive, it doesn't mean I have to forget, but I don't need to hang on to things that Jesus is better at dealing with than I am.

4) I am a princess - My Father is the King, that makes me a princess. For more insight into this, please read "The Supernatural Ways of Royalty" by Kris Valloton and Bill Johnson.

Anyways, God is awesome. Big things are happening. Keep your eyes open and you will see God move everyday.