The earth is Yours and everything in it belongs to you Heavenly Father. There’s a stirring in Your children and their hearts are returning to You. No more will they be deceived by wander-lust.

Lord, I decree by the authority given by Christ my Savior, that Your children SEE You. They see that You are dressed for battle.

I decree by the authority given by Christ my Savior that Your children HEAR. They hear  the war cry has sounded.

Lord, Your children are arising out of their sleepy state and with a fervent pursuit they return to HOLINESS. Our city stands in battle formation. Ready for the great Harvest. Ready for our coming King. We declare we are an Elijah generation that wages war on the complacency of the day. We are the generation that hears the REVOLUTION call.

We receive healing for the land of our heart. We choose to walk in unity with those counted in our number. We are laborers that are willing to go into the trenches to reap the harvest.

We are FORERUNNERS dressed for BATTLE. We declare that we are the generation that will call out in the wilderness. We are the generation that will offer a place of refuge in Christ. A refuge of WHOLENESS and HOLINESS. We stand against the current idols, and declare that there is no God like our God. Lord manifest Your HOLY fire though Your children, we are vessels used to manifest Your holy FIRE that will consume and restore Your family.

Lord, we know the Kingdom of Heaven is NOW. On earth as it is in Heaven!  Let Your name be declared to the nations. Show Yourself strong. Reveal Your FIERCE LOVE! In Jesus Name! Amen.

Not too many months ago that is what the Lord asked of us. Would you lay everything down?

Our yes to Him cost us everything.  Our yes to Him also set us free. He started pointing some things out in my life I didn’t even know was there. As I sought after Him, and sought after a deeper love life with Him my heart was broken open. Open to hurts I had held onto from people I had considered my closest friends. It always hurts when people just disappear from your life because of something you’ve done but they are unable to talk to you about it. I often wondered if people thought I had no feelings.

But, in those hurts…I just kept on keeping on. You know when you’ve done all to stand-stand therefore. I thought I gave Him those hurts.

I was unaware of the poison of hurt dripping into my heart, until the Lord showed me that I had an enlarged heart full of the poison of hurt. Upon this revelation, I began to pray. Repenting. Asking. Seeking. Knocking. I desired to be wholly set free.

My main prayer was: Lord, restore the innocence I had when I first came to love you. Replace this poisoned heart with a fresh heart of innocence. Along with many other words.

But, I want to share the goodness of the Lord and let you know that He answered my prayer. I truly feel that I was given a new heart.  Those areas I thought were damaged beyond repair are healed with a new heart. Now my job is to LOVE, to keep my heart poison free.

Philippians 2:2 Fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

Are you willing to pay the price for Healing, Unity, Love and Harvest, no matter the cost?

Are you willing to be the least so that He can be the greatest?

Are you willing to lay down your most prized possession?

In Genesis 22:2 God is asking Abraham to take Isaac to Moriah to be sacrificed. Abraham was asked to sacrifice his most prized possession for the bigger picture.  At the Word of the Lord, Abraham heard and responded. Can you imagine the thoughts going through Abraham’s mind? How would God accomplish His Word if Abraham sacrificed his son, his promise? In faith Abraham took that journey, with his son and his servants.  When they got to the mountain, the servants had to stay behind, but the father and the son walked up that mountain together. They walked away from fear, doubt and unbelief. They walked up, to a place of higher ground; they got above the snake line to a place of great depth of the VISION of the Lord. The son gets to know what the father is doing.

Genesis 22:14-18 The Message ¹⁴ Abraham named that place God-Yireh (God-Sees-to-It). That’s where we get the saying, “On the mountain of God, he sees to it.”

^15-18 The angel of God spoke from Heaven a second time to Abraham: “I swear—God’s sure word!—because you have gone through with this, and have not refused to give me your son, your dear, dear son, I’ll bless you—oh, how I’ll bless you! And I’ll make sure that your children flourish—like stars in the sky! like sand on the beaches! And your descendants will defeat their enemies. All nations on Earth will find themselves blessed through your descendants because you obeyed me.”

We can learn from Abraham that when we choose to give up our most prized possession God will see to it. God will provide.

If we truly want love, healing and unity we will have to lay down some of our agendas, some of our plans, to be a part of something BIGGER than all of us. We will, like Abraham, need to trust the Lord and walk in faith, knowing that God will see to it. Not just the type of trust and faith that has gotten us to where we are today. But, that type of trust and faith that gets you shaking in your boots. The type that screams if GOD doesn’t come through I’m finished. This type of faith AWAKENS everything!

God has a desire for you. He desires that you would be awakened to the true super-natural move of God with THE man, Christ Jesus! Allow Him to be your CENTER.

God is on the move and stirring people up to a great intimacy with Him that will AWAKEN the body to the harvest that is ripe and ready.

Haggai 2:21-23 The Message  “‘I am about to shake up everything, to turn everything upside down and start over from top to bottom—overthrow governments, destroy foreign powers, dismantle the world of weapons and armaments, throw armies into confusion, so that they end up killing one another. And on that day’”—this is God’s Message—”‘I will take you, O Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, as my personal servant and I will set you as a signet ring, the sign of my sovereign presence and authority. I’ve looked over the field and chosen you for this work.’” The Message of God-of-the-Angel-Armies.

A militant praise will bring defeat to the enemy and his snare. It’s time to tear down the enemy in our lives once and for all. God is stirring people’s hearts to the freshness of what He is doing. He’s stirring love in people. Let’s give up our most prized possessions and see what the Lord will do for “such a time as this”.

Rain upon my family

Blow a fresh wind upon us

For we love You and seek after Your heart

Bring upon our lives hunger

Hunger beyond what we could ever imagine

Our hearts grieve when we are not in Your presence

We need You Lord

We need Your presence and wisdom

What we had today

Will never be enough for tomorrow

Your whisper gives me pleasure

Your wind gives me peace

Your breath gives me life

Your heartbeat gives me drive

I want to enter your Holy Place and never come out

I need Your voice to make it through the day

On the day you gave yourself to the cross

Nailed to a board with both hands and feet

Not counting your life as a loss

A completely selfless act

For an incredibly selfish created being

When I think of the price you paid

I’m simply amazed

That in our selfish state,

You were willing to give all you had

Even when we showed no love to you

You gave us the greatest expression

Of love ever given

My gratitude abounds;

Christ you made my life worth livin’

So what do I have to say to you?

But, I love you more than anything

And I lay myself at your feet

The least I can do is offer all I have

By giving you my everything

Thank you Lord, for adopting me

Because your blood was spilled

I was made your child

I’m receiving all you’ve given with no guilt

What rules you?

There is a separation

We were created to put spirit first

Then the flesh lines up

They both have a voice

Flesh is demanding, manipulative too

Spirit yields wants to do right

Flesh always wants immediate results

Spirit is content to walk it out

This creates a war within our members. If we listen to what our Spirit man tells us our flesh is instantly uncomfortable. If we listen to our flesh our Spirit man is uncomfortable. Our Spirit man is supposed to be in charge as it is the part of us that is completely surrendered to God.

God is NOT interested in you being comfortable, He is interested in you being set-apart for Him. Wholly devoted to Him. He accepts you in the one-sided relationship. The place where your yes and nothing more was needed. But, His desire is that we would grow in Him. In His Kingdom. That we would mature. That we would have a fiery passion to pursue Him. It a choice He gives to you. He’s not forcing you. He’s wooing you into a deeper intimacy with Himself.

For some it stops there. It’s their “get out of jail free” card. Ok…well that’s not for me.

For some it’s about following rules. It’s their “I’ve done enough to make God happy with me” card. Ok, well scripture tells me I can’t earn His love. It’s by Grace I’m saved. Not through works. So that’s not for me either.

For others it’s about love. It’s their “He’s loved me so I love” card. Now that’s what I want.

So, why do I do some of the things that I do? Because of love.

Why do I get out of bed in the morning when I want to stay in bed all day?

Because I love people. I love my family. I express my love by doing things for them. Making breakfast, doing laundry, spending time with them, encouraging them. Most days I love doing these things, some days I don’t want to but because I love I press on and love.

Why do I tithe? Tithing is giving 10% of all my income to the place I receive spiritual food.

I tithe as an expression of love toward God, not because I feel like I have to. I get to be a part of what God is doing through my local church seeing lives changed and touched. Does money have our hearts or does God have our heart. Tithing is an expression of love. Lord, you have my heart. Nothing on this earth has my heart and I trust Him with my everything. Tithing doesn’t make God love me more. I give when I have little and when I have a lot. As far as I’m concerned He has my everything.

Why don’t I drink alcohol?

I don’t drink as an expression of love to the people God has place in my life. So many people in our culture struggle with addiction. I chose not to drink to be an example of a set-apart life. I live so consumed with God I don’t need any additives. Because He is all I need.  I choose to love. I will not be someone’s permission to live an intoxicated life. Jesus is my intoxication .

Why do I only listen to music that Glorifies God?

I worship as an expression of love towards God.  Because I love Him and want Him to know that I only want to worship Him with my song. Every time I sing, I want it to be words of love and adoration because I am so grateful. Because I am so in love. Because I am consumed with loving Him.

Why do I talk about Jesus all the time?

As an expression of love towards the people He has placed in my life. My love for people through Christ will show what love is supposed to look like. I’m not perfect. But He is. I don’t have it all right. But He does.

Expression of love is not religion. It’s not legalism. It’s not always comfortable. But, I love Him and am compelled to express it.

He was the deepest expression of love ever represented on this planet. I just want to look like Him. I just want to sound like Him. I just want to love like Him.

There are many other ways to express love. This was just a few I wanted to share.

A passion for God and a passion for souls will be expressed through my actions. Through what I’m willing to do for Him and others. It’s doesn’t get me saved. It shows that I am saved.

In the scriptures, Jesus was moved with compassion to heal people’s spiritual, emotional, and physical needs. He never turned a person away.  He wants to meet your needs; any situation you are dealing with right now is not too big for Him! 

One-way to open the floodgates of heaven, to see your needs met, is to meet the needs of others.  To reach out with whatever you have.  It’s so easy to become overwhelmed with the problems that seem to consume our lives; but when we take the focus off of self and place it on others there truly is freedom, freedom that only comes from sharing the love of Jesus with others.  A liberty that comes from giving up self.  Praise God! The Lord is so faithful! 

When we let go of what we have, God is able to come in and meet our needs.  Ask the Lord to open the door for you to meet someone you could give an encouraging word to.  Ask Him what He would have you do, and He will make a way.  Begin to build relationships with people.  Walk in love to all, and recognize Christ’s work in each individual. 

 Ephesians 4 teaches that the Body of Christ grows together as each member performs his/her function. 

1 Peter 2 teaches that believers are living stones clustered around the chief cornerstone, which is Christ.  To be walking living examples of Christ, demonstrating the fruits of the spirit: love, joy, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all will be added to you. 

Seek Him, reach out, and expect extraordinary things to happen in you and through you.

The Bible says, you can’t have two masters. You will love one and hate the other. Our lives can’t stand on 2 foundations.

What’s your foundation? The world or the Word? I lived 19 years of my life on the foundation I was born into. I allowed the world to shape me. Dictate to me. Tell me who I was. I listened. But, I didn’t like what I heard. I didn’t like thinking I was worthless. I’m simply taking up space. As long as it feels good do it. I listened, but…

As my life and my foundation crumbled around me I did what the world told me. Look good. Look successful. Wear a mask. Hide behind the misery. You know fake it till ya make it.

At 14 someone gave me a Bible and I started reading it. I didn’t understand it, but I was overwhelmed with peace when I read it. The Word showed me who I was. Who I was in the Word was totally different from who I was in the world. I couldn’t get enough of the Word. Of His life, through His Words.

I began to figure out how I could stand a bit in the world and a bit in His Word. But all that did was bring confusion. It seemed like things got harder. The world holds a mirror up and says, you’re not measuring up. The Word holds a mirror up and says, I accept you right where you are, but love you so much I give you the ability to overcome the world.

That’s FREEEDOM.

The Creator loves me. The Creator LOVES you. He is the answer to every question. We have to stop running away from Him and begin running towards Him. His presence is a consuming fire that will burn away the pain of not “measuring up”.

When you hang out with Him He gives you the ability to see things differently. He gives you the ability to ‘see’ clearly. His Word is the missing ingredient in many people’s lives. If we don’t know what He says about us we think He’s just taking away everything we like. But when we learn His character. His integrity. His faithfulness. His voice. EVERYTHING changes. His presence changes everything.

It doesn’t mean everything will be perfect. It means we have a friend that will stick closer than anyone. It means we have someone to help us.

Do you have a Bible? Begin to read it. The Book of John. Romans. Ephesians. Hebrews. Read His Word. See what He has to say about you. You just might learn that He sees you as the apple of His eye. You just might see that He’s calling you to be a part of His family. You might just see that He wants to hang out with you every day! You just might see, He’s calling you to be His best friend.

His Word is the Breath many have been missing. The more you read the more you want to read.

Be stirred up to something bigger than you’ve ever seen. Be stirred up to HIM! Hang with Him in His presence!

The Word takes the “hell” out of our lives…His presence lifts us higher.

Lord, stir us up to your Word. We cry out and say, I want you in my life Jesus! I want you more than anything. I refuse to be lukewarm, and declare I am hot for you. I want to be in Your presence. I want YOU for YOU! Remove the hell from my life and let my foundation be the Word. I’m in need of you! I’m running towards you Jesus. Seeking first the Kingdom of God. My life will never be the same! Praise God!

My life was in turmoil as a 19 year old teenager and I knew there had to be more to LIFE than simply taking up space. I just never could believe what I was taught; that I was just a blob taking up space. Humans are too intricate. Too diverse to “just believe” we just “happened”. We have a creator. We have been chosen to live a life that radiates the life the creator puts on the inside of us when we say YES!

So at 19, I recognized there must be more than what I was experiencing. In fact, my experience left me dismayed. Hopeless. Fractured. I longed for wholeness. But I didn’t know what wholeness was. All I knew was I felt wooed. I felt pursued, by Him. I couldn’t deny Him any longer. He was standing calling my name and I said yes to God.

His presence. His power. Set me free! In a moment, in a twinkling of an eye I was set free. I stepped into who I was. I stepped into the reality of freedom.  That longing I’d been feeling was satisfied the very moment I said yes to a life set apart for Christ. Set apart for His Kingdom. I didn’t know it before I said yes. I didn’t understand it would be that easy. I thought I had to be fixed before God would let me say yes. But, just as I was. In the bareness of my humanity, I said Yes.

My life has never been the same. I had this idea before I said yes that yes meant being confined to rules and regulations. I believed that all my freedom would be taken away. I thought that I would be forced to give up what I thought was fun.

An amazing thing happened though. I didn’t just say yes and leave it at that. I said yes to His saving grace, but I also said yes to the fullness of HIM. I experienced Him. His love. His power. His Life. I said more than yes. I said yes to His everything. Yes to His will. His desires. His way. His presence  consumed me and set me FREE. He is the very essence of FREEDOM.

That experience of Yes, became a lifestyle of faith. You see I can’t live without Him. I can’t breathe without Him.

He is my all in all. My hope when I’m hopeless. My Love when I’m loveless. My strength when I’m weak. My answer when I’m questioning. He is my I AM. The all sufficient One. My Redeemer. My strong tower. My healer. He is the One true and living God. There is none like Him and there will never be another one greater. He IS Creator.

He put a fire on the inside of my belly that can’t be contained. He gave me purpose and destiny. I chose Him because He first chose me. I love Him because He first loved me. I came with nothing and He has everything, and He loves me just the same.

He didn’t take my fun away. He GAVE me a fun that comes with peace.

That day changed my life. I’ve never been the same. It’s more real today after 20 years than ever before. I’ve never regretted my yes. He is the power to change. My life has in no way been perfect. But, when I’ve been broken and bruised. When I’ve been abandoned and left for dead. When all has been stripped away and there is nothing left. In those moments, He is with Me. He never leaves me or forsakes me. He is my strength and power to overcome death, hell, and the grave. Whether I have a little or a lot, I’ve learned how to trust Him. He is my peace and my strength.

If you’ve never said yes to a set apart life for Christ, ask Him to reveal Himself to you. Ask Him to show you the way to TRUTH. His Truth. He will answer you. He will speak to your heart in a way that no one else can. Ask Him to show you His power. Ask Him to show you His presence!

Say yes to Jesus! Yes to His way.

Lord, I thank you for stirring people up to a great awakening of your love, power and presence! Let hearts be stirred and hungry. Lord, let us be stirred to your truth. Your Word is truth. Mess up our reality to Your reality. Fill our bellies with Fire and Passion. Lord, you are more than enough and only you will satisfy! I declare you will never be the same in the Mighty Name of Jesus Christ!

So Turkey day, the day of Thanks has come and gone for this 2010 year. WOW! Time is swimming by and isn’t slowing down at all is it? We ate Turkey, even though we almost weren’t able to get one. We waited. Till Wednesday night, did you know that Turkey’s are hard to come by Wednesday night? The day before Thanksgiving? Well they are.

I have no photos today but I wanted to share a yummy recipe that my family loved. So easy. And mindless really. It worked out nicely since I didn’t want to think.

I used a deep 6×9 pan.

First the crust

1 cup butter real butter is always best

2 cups flour

1/4 tsp salt unless you use salted butter then omit.

1/4 cup cold water

Mix til it looks like play dough.

Turkey mixture

1 cup frozen green beans cut into bite size pieces

1 1/2 cup corn

5 potatoes cubed

3 cups cubed turkey

2 cups chicken stock

salt/pepper to taste

2 tsp corn starch

1/2 cup cold hot water

Adjust amounts to suit your taste. Put in a pot on the stove and cook  till just boiling, mix corn starch and hot water til there are no lumps and add to mixture. Allow to boil for a couple of minutes and turn heat off.

Split dough in half and roll out. Put in pan and add turkey mixture. Roll out the rest of the dough and place on top. Bake for about an hour.

This was so yummy. I’ve made it twice.