Faced with a mountain?

One of our pastors had a dream once that he shared with us, I've never forgotten it and it's served over the years as a source of encouragement.

He was standing in front of an ominous mountain made of smooth granite. It was urgent that he get to the other side. He could not go around it, and he knew all he could do was scale that thing, but by the looks of things, THAT TOO was impossible.

Restless and overwhelmed, he was then instructed in his spirit to search with his hands for a foothold. As he did, he found a place to use. He then began to search for another, and after having found three places to make use of, he leaned over and saw a passageway that went clear through the mountain to the other side.

There have been places in my life that have presented themselves to me as impossibilities. You too. Overwhelming circumstances that will try to convince us that there is NOTHING that will change them. They speak to us, they know to do nothing but lie, their author is the father of lies.

The Word of God tells us in Luke 18:27:
And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.

Mark 10:27 says:
And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.
Luke 1:37 tell us:
For with God nothing shall be impossible.

Regardless of how impossible ANY situation that looms over us LOOKS, they are always subject to change through the Word of God, through His Power and Might, and with our agreement with Him.

Remember over in Zechariah 4:6,7 that tells us:
6 Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This [is] the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.
7 Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it.

It's NEVER by our own might or our own power...it's ALWAYS by the Spirit of God.
The gospels instructs us in Mark 11:23, 24:
23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

Zerubbabel shouted GRACE GRACE to the mountain in front of him. We can do the same too. We're to SPEAK to those mountains. Is it a mountain of pain? Is it a mountain of sorrow, of regret, disease, sickness. Are they overwhelming mountains of relationships gone awry, feelings of inability, insecurity, lack, anger, rage, the devil has no new bag of tricks/lies, the same he's used through all of time.

Speak to that mountain, like JESUS instructed us to. He will always give us a way THROUGH it. The situations will have to bow their knee to God's Word. EVERY TIME. FOR EVER!

We truly ARE made overcomers through the Blood of the Lamb and the Word of our testimony, just as John told us in Revelation 12:11

There's NOTHING in life that God's Word has not provided for. He's equipped us to live a victorious lives....every day of our life.

Hallelujah!!!!!

Once I was faced with changing a situation in my life and I could NOT see any way out of the RUT. Told the Lord that I was willing to make that change, but needed HELP in getting it done.

Father, I ask You to HELP US to remember what to do with the mountains that the devil would bring our way. Lord, I know that sometimes we've lived with situations that have become RUTS...and ruts try to be difficult to get out of. You KNOW HOW to HELP US out of them. That's what I'm asking You to do. HELP US Father. HELP US to bow to You and NOT to the mountains in our life. You are our GREAT and MIGHTY God. You are the strength of our life. YOU have every solution to every challenge that is presented to us, and I want to remember that and not be overcome by what hell presents me. In Jesus' Name.

The thought for today....

The thought for today is --- HOLD FAST
Hold Fast in the Greek gives this definition:
1) to hold back, detain, retain
a) from going away
b) to restrain, hinder (the course or progress of)
1) that which hinders, Antichrist from making his appearance
2) to check a ship's headway i.e. to hold or head the ship
c) to hold fast, keep secure, keep firm possession of
2) to get possession of, take
b) to possess

It resonates a posture of strength and allowing God to be our resolute protector with our commitment of steadfastness.

It's something that is doable.
Every way that God's Word instructs us is doable, else He wouldn't have given us the directive, right? :)

He's enabled us to be overcomers IN THIS LIFE. We will batten down the hatches and secure the main sail of our own lives and walk in the victory that Jesus purchased for us. In Jesus' Name.

I Thessalonians 5:21
Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.

Hebrews 3:6
But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.

Hebrews 4:14
Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.

Hebrews 10:23
Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)

Revelation 2:5
But that which ye have already hold fast till I come.

Revelation 3:3
Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.

Revelation 3:11
Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

Proverbs 4:14
Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.

I Corinthians 6:13
Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.

Galatians 5:1
Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

Philippians 1:27
Only let your conversation be as it becomes the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel

Father, thank You for overcoming victory. HELP US to live and move and have our being in YOU. Thank You for the instruction that You've given us in your Word, it's our LIFE, and STRENGTH - Help Us to draw upon it, and to be ANCHORED IN IT. In Jesus' Name.

Throne Time.

I read something this weekend that impressed me.

There was an article in a newsletter that had a guest writer, Jesse Duplantis, and in his article I found this:

During one of my throne sessions with God, I asked Him, "Why do you give Yourself so many names?"
He said, I'm very big.
I wanted more so I asked, "Can You explain that further"
He said, I have many facets that the human brain cannot understand and the way I get to them is through words. That way, My children can get a concept of Me because most of them never visit Me; they just visit My house.

That was a thought I'd not heard before. Most of God's people never visit Him, they just visit His house.

Many of us, out of tradition, or a decision to not forsake a worship day because that was God's instructions, we attend God's House, for corporate worship and teaching/instruction...learning about God That is school time. Learning about God so we can do His will, His commandments and His statues here on earth. Throne time is not church time. Often, people mistakenly think just because they went to church or attended a special meeting they spent quality time with God. No, they spent time with a teacher of God -- not one-on-one time with God Himself. We can feel God's presence in a church service, and I hope you do. You may run and holler and shout in church, but that still doesn't qualify as throne time.

Throne time is not designed for us to have a prayer meeting. It's going to the throne room to visit with God. He likes that, He reveals answers to questions in our heart and mind. Church time is where we are educated in the things of God to complete the mission of God. Throne time, on the other hand, is just us hanging out with God, talking about whatever the two of us decide to discuss.

Spiritual truths must be spiritually discerned. We cannot intellectualize a spiritual truth. They cannot be taught to us, they must come from God, He's the One that "reveals" to us.

Father, I thank YOU for HELPING US to come boldly before Your throne. Thank You for HELPING US to MAKE TIME in our days and nights to visit with you...not just rattle off a prayer list and be on our way. HELP US to get to KNOW YOU, and to gain all we're suppose to with that relationship with You! In Jesus' Name.

The paths of our feet.

My husband travels a lot with his work. He's detailed away more often than not, and is usually gone a week at a time, home on weekends. Occasionally he'll be gone for two weeks at a time, but not usually. He's a government employee.

Occasionally I will travel with him for a few days or sometime the whole week. I'll take a project I might be working on to keep me busy during the day/or night, depending on when he's working. I need to take my own car, as his gov. vehicle is not insured for any of his family to ride in it. If there's good shopping in the town he's in, I'll enjoy that also. We usually have one very nice meal out each day and catch up on what's going on with the family...as we seldom have much time to TALK!!! :)

Last weekend, we talked about me going along with, and it sounded cool....I could be away for a few days and dash home in time to take a couple of our children to the dentist office in a nearby community. They are having all their wisdom teeth removed. Ugh!!!

Well, Monday morning, my husband was loading up his car and made mention that I was not doing the same....and needed to get packed so we could hit the road. I was sitting here at our dining room table, just NOT IN GEAR. Finally, I told the Lord, that I'd not deferred to Him about this trip, and asked Him if I should be going on this trip. I immediately heard the word "No" in my spirit. I stopped, cocked my head and said, "Really?" Then smiled and went on my way NOT going on the trip. Very soon I began hearing the lyrics to an old song .... that can be found here.... by the Isley Brothers. OLD song. Anyway, the only thing God brought to me was all the "no's". Isn't that a HOOT???!!! He has such a sense of humor and can be SO FUNNY!!!

We need to be careful ALL the time what path our feet are on, and NOT to assume that if it's OK with us, it's OK with God. Right? LOL

Father I thank You for HELPING US, to ask, seek and knock. Help us NOT to assume anything from you. Help us to submit our WHOLE LIVES to YOU, Lord, so we will not be snared by our enemy. Thank You for helping us to stay on the paths that YOU have for us, and not to look to the right nor to the left, and know that this is where we are made safe by You. What we WANT or have PLANNED is never important in the light of Your will. Thank You for helping us to remember to look to You, even with things that seem quite trivial. In Jesus' Name.

Watchman, Watchman what of the night?

Isaiah 21:11
The burden of Dumah. He calleth to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?

Strong's Concordance #6822 says this about "watchman". tsaphah (tsah-fah): Which means to look out, peer into the distance, spy, keep watch; to scope something out, especially in order to see approaching danger, and to warn those who are endangered. This verb occurs 80 times. Often it is translated "watchmen," referring to the king's guards from (I Samuel 14:16) or to those who look out from a tower in the city wall (II Kings 9:17, 18). In other instances, it is spiritual watchmen, or prophets, who look out, see danger, and report to the people. See Isaiah 52:8; Jeremiah 6:17; Ezekiel chapter 3 and 33:2-7.

Father, I ask YOU to HELP US to be the watchmen that you've called us to be in our own time. Help us to hear from you, speak what You have to say, and be faithful with what you show us. Lord, help us to guard what you've placed us over, in our homes, in our communities (commerce, government schools, hospitals, law enforcement, retirement centers, day cares, the women, children and men that need to come to you). Father help us to have our ears circumcised, and any blinders off of the eyes of our hearts, so we can truly be the ambassadors that YOU have called us to be. Time is short and souls hang in the balance. Thank You for Your FAITHFULNESS. Thank You for strengthening our hands, helping us to remain alert, full of courage and to keep our armor on. Teach our hands to war, and HELP US to depend upon You as we never have before, in Jesus' Name.

Preserving our own soul...

Proverbs 16:17
The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul.

That's about as simple as it can be, isn't it. Depart from evil, be obedient to the Lord preserves his/her soul.

GOD HELP US.

Isaiah 35:8 tells us:
And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.

I tell you what!!!.....Even a fool will be safe, if he stays on the highway of holiness. Well, I'm not a fool.

Verse 9 says:
No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there

That tells me that even the demonic cannot pursue me there...they cannot come up onto that HIGHWAY OF HOLINESS. It's just being obedient to His Word, and His instructions with a humble heart.

Glory to God!!!

This is doable folks, else He would not have given us those instructions.
It's not by our own might or our own power, but it's by HIS SPIRIT.

Father, I ask You to HELP US to stay on the highway of the upright, the highway of holiness. We will preserve ourselves with those instructions...and will keep us out of harms way from our enemy and Yours. Thank You for helping us to Listen and Do what Your Word tells us to. Help us to draw close to You, because You told us that if we do, then You would draw close to us. THANK YOU. You have a future and a hope for us...and we WILL, in Jesus' Name walk in the paths that YOU have for us to attain that future and to embrace that hope. Thank You.

What a sweet visit....

My husband travels a great deal and he gets what I call frequent lodging points...where after accumulating a certain amount of points - he is able to stay a certain places without cost. Isn't that fun? :)

He had last week off and we took care of some business out of town...both in Oklahoma and here in Kansas where we were able to make use of those points. It was very nice, not to have to include lodging in the expense of a trip.

On one of those trips we went to a place to retrieve a car for his work/travel, (he's a government employee) so he doesn't have to use the wear and tear of his car here at home. We didn't want to make the trip there and back in one day, so we stayed over and had a relaxing trip both coming and going.

On the way there we were listening to some ministry CD's that we were traveling with. They were speaking about Divine Protection that God brings to us as His own. Protection with our health, with our families....every area of our lives...and about How the Lord makes good use of His angels FOR us. I made the remark to the Lord that even though I was not "visually" aware of our angels, I was ALWAYS very much aware of their presence and will never know this side of heaven all they have really done for us. Thanking Him for ALL of His PROTECTION.

On the morning that we were to leave there was a thunder storm (I LOVE the sound of thunder - well distant thunder.) We were deciding when to be leaving because we didn't want to run into any unpleasant traveling. It got to the place where there was just some lovely VERTICAL rain, and we thought it was well to leave.

While I helped pushed our luggage cart to the lobby, to load up the cars, there was a couple there. The lady was standing facing the window. She was stately in appearance and was dressed very well. The gentleman was sitting in the chair next to her. When I cam to the lobby, she turned and looked at me, and then faced the window again. His gaze did not leave us as we left the building. All while we were loading the cars, they had come outside. It was still raining, and they were under the portico. They just stood there looking at us. As Pat and I drove out of the parking lot together, their gaze just followed us as we drove away. I told the Lord that THAT was strange! His response to me was that it wasn't strange, they were some of His angels that look after us.

That remark took me back, and then I began to chuckle, thanking Him for such a sweet visitation!

Hebrews 13:2 tells us:
Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

Isn't He just too sweet? :)

We as Christians don't (or shouldn't) depend on SEEING with our eyes things that the Word of God tells us about. That's why it's called a "walk of faith", isn't it? :)
But it's a pleasant surprise when the Lord brings us the unexpected. Thank God.

Father, I THANK YOU for Your Divine Protection in our lives. Thank You for HELPING US to DWELL IN THE SECRET PLACE You have for us all. Help us to walk, live, move and have our being in YOU. Thank You for Delivering us from evil, even when we do not know we are being delivered. Help us to have a thankful, greatful heart, in Jesus' Name.

Be Angry and Sin Not.....

Yesterday morning as I woke up and before my feet hit the floor, the Lord spoke to my heart..."Be Angry and Sin Not." My first thought was GREAT, what's this all about, and I started to let my day get started almost upset. Isn't that a shame? Then I realized that the Lord was giving me a heads up to what the day held for me.

THANK GOD!!!

Well, I began applying the Blood of Jesus over us all, and over the day, and asked the Lord to HELP ME with whatever He knew laid ahead. He's so gracious, isn't He? :)

As the day wore on, I had a lot to do and before the afternoon came to an end, I saw what the Lord spoke to my heart about. At first I was taken back and was quickly reminded about what He said, and what I'd already determined WOULD NOT happen.

Yes, I WAS very angry, but as I turned to the Lord He brought His peace to my heart, and even though I had to walk by FAITH and not "react" to what happened, after being prepared earlier in the day, I was able to "act" on God's Word.

It may sound trite, even after writing and reading this post....but it was indeed potentially a very hurtful, volatile situation, to me personally. I thank the Lord that His loving care was there to the point that I was able to hear Him whisper to my heart His warning.

Father, thank YOU for Your tender mercies, and that Your lovingkindness is with us always. HELP US to hear Your voice in our spirit, and recognize it as from You. Help us to be watchful and obedient to Your instructions, because they mean life to us all. You are so sweet, Lord. Thank You, in Jesus' Name, I'm asking asking these things of You.