Psalm 37 - "Dream Small"

The Lord woke me up in the middle of the night and again this morning with the lyrics to "Dream Small" going through my head. I asked Him to enlighten me on what He desired me to receive from them. He took me to Psalm 37. This Psalm is full of so much encouragement. The song "Dream Small" is about living out God's love every day by doing things that may seem small yet when we do them the Lord will bless our efforts and multiply them. Psalm 37 encourages us to live out such a life in so many ways:

• "Trust in the Lord and do good..." (vs 3)
• "Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart" (vs 4)
• "Commit your way to the Lord..." (vs 5)
• "Be still...wait patiently for Him..." (vs 7)
• "do not fret when people...carry out their wicked schemes" (vs 7)
• "Refrain from anger..." (vs 8)
• "But the meek...enjoy peace and prosperity" (vs 11)
• "The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in Him..." (vs 23)
• "Turn from evil and do good..." (vs 27)
• "For the Lord loves the just..." (vs 28)
• "Hope in the Lord and keep His way..." (vs 34)
• "...a future awaits the who seek peace" (vs 37)

The 'icing on the cake' for me is verses thirty-nine and forty...

Woo hoo! When we turn to the Lord, He is there for us. He will not only save us with salvation but He will save us when people are trying to tear us down. He will deliver us from their wicked ways. As we live for Him, we must share His love for others. This is done in simple little things like visiting a neighbor, seeing someone in need and providing for them, talking with someone who is hurting, etc. The more we love on people with His love, the more we are showing Him our love and faith in Him. "Dream Small" has these lyrics that tell us how to do that...

Keep loving, keep serving
Keep listening, keep learning
Keep praying, keep hoping
Keep seeking, keep searching
Out of these small things and watch them grow bigger
The God who does all things makes oceans... from rivers

The enemy does not like nor want us to love the Lord. He puts people in our path to tear us apart. The thing we must remember is that our God is greater than the enemy. Our Heavenly Father loves us more than the enemy hates us. We can never give up giving Him all of ourselves. When we do, the enemy wins and that is just not right.

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for the encouragement I received from Psalm 37. Thank You for all of the ways You love me. I pray I will bless You by the way I love others. I pray for a cleansing in my spirit so You can fill me to overflowing with more of You. May You be greater in a mighty way today in and through me. I pray the enemy will see Your love is greater than anything He can throw my way. Father, bless those who are being attacked by the enemy in a way today that they will see Your empowerment work through them. Be greater than the enemy in their life in a way that is nothing less than Your supernaturalness showing through. Once again I pray against the pain Doc is having. May You be His strength and he works and then has teens tonight. Thank You Jesus for being My Empowerment. Amen.

Hebrews 12 - "We Won't Be Shaken"

The Lord took me to Hebrews 12 this morning which is one I love to read for encouragement to keep on keepin' on no matter what my circumstances. This morning He gave me a different word picture as I read it in different translations. He showed me how I need to be an encourager to others going through tough times. I'm not in this race alone but rather with all of my brothers and sisters in Christ. We all have hurdles we face just as a runner does. There are times the 'baton' will be dropped just as with relay runners. Sometimes the finish line seems impossible to reach yet with encouragement it is possible. There are times we want to quit yet if we want to win the race we must stay focused on the prize. The same can be said for life. If we want to have eternal life with our Heavenly Father, we must stay focused on Him. We must accept the encouragement from those He puts in our path. In the beginning of Hebrews 12 Paul writes about how discipline must be a part of our life if we expect to finish strong. In The Message he likens it to a long-distance runner. They train to finish strong. There is one part that speaks of God's discipline as being how He educates us. It reads, "God is educating you; that's why you must never drop out." Just as a runner has things to overcome to win their race we have circumstances, people, etc. to overcome to win the race to eternal life. The enemy will try to trip us up but we must stand firm in our faith to finish strong. Verses fourteen through seventeen hit me hard this morning. This is something people don't even realize they are doing at times yet God desires all of us to get along. Sometimes people make it very difficult for this to be accomplished but we can never give up. There are times we have to walk away from situations so we don't do or say something not of Him but we must never walk away from Him. He is where we will find the strength needed, especially as we deal with difficult people and circumstances.

I love the last two verses of Hebrews 12. In The Message it reads:

Do you see what we’ve got? An unshakable kingdom! And do you see how thankful we must be? Not only thankful, but brimming with worship, deeply reverent before God. For God is not an indifferent bystander. He’s actively cleaning house, torching all that needs to burn, and he won’t quit until it’s all cleansed. God himself is Fire!

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for all that You do for me! Thank You for providing "an unshakable kingdom" for me to thrive in! Thank You for Your love, mercy, and grace that enables me to be who You desire me to be! Thank You for never giving up on me! Lord, cleanse me so You can fill me to overflowing with more of You. May You be my words, actions, and attitude throughout this day so people will see/hear You through me. Father, my heart breaks for some people who are going through difficult times. Some physically, some with relationships, some emotionally. I pray they will feel Your strength today in a mighty way. I pray for Doc as he deals with extreme pain today and working. May You give him relief. I pray for Janet who is having surgery. May You guide the surgeon's hands. Lord, guide me today to not be lazy. Thank You Jesus for being My Fire! Amen.

Colossians 3:23 - "God Of All My Days"

Saturday nights are normally praying for pastors. Last night the Lord had me praying for pastor's wives. I know there are a lot of lady pastors who have husbands but He did not have me praying for them. It was for those with wives. There are a lot of pastor wives who feel cheated because of the time their husband spends doing ministry. Many of them refuse to be involved because they feel they are not the one called. If God called a man who is married, He is also calling the wife to be supportive of her husband. I have listened to many pastor's wives who are not happy because they feel like their husband is taken advantage of or their children are not accepted as they are. The most important thing to remember as a pastor's family is God is not the enemy. He loves us and will equip us. He will enable us to love with His love when we will accept His love. He will enable us to not let our hearts be hardened when difficult people are in our lives. He will encourage us if we will accept His encouragement. He will give us His words as we speak, His actions as we live, and His attitude as we go throughout our days when we live in His presence. When we were first at Willard, I wanted to be the best pastor's wife I could be. I wanted to have the people in the church happy with me so whatever anyone asked, I did. I was working full-time, traveling over an hour each way to work five days a week, still had one child at home, and thought I could be super woman. That is not what the Lord desired of me. His desire was that I be His daughter, doing His work. He desired I would realize it was not about what people thought about me but instead was about what He wanted of me. One morning as I was getting ready to go to work He gave me Colossians 3:23-24...

This verse explains what He desires of us, no matter where He has placed us in life. When we live in this manner, we will spend all of our days with Him whether on this earth or in heaven. That means we cannot let people get under our skin. It means we need to keep our focus on God and not people. I have learned many times that the enemy will use people to try to get our focus off of God. He will use people to make us doubt ourselves and others. He is powerful but not near as powerful as our Heavenly Father. People's expectations of who we should be are not what is important. The way we parent our children, how we keep our house, etc. should not be up for debate and it won't be unless we allow it. Whether we are a pastor's wife or not, we must remember God is the Only One we need to answer to. We lived in a parsonage for fifteen years. During those years there were a few times when I felt like 'my space' was invaded but there was nothing major like some horror stories I have heard. But I really think it's because of our attitude toward the people of the church. It is a two-way street with showing respect and love. If people do not see it in us, they are more apt to not give it to us. This is true in all relationships. If a person is unapproachable or makes a point of unloving, it will be hard for people to love and accept them. Last night the Lord had me praying for pastor's wives who are...

• not happy with being a pastor's wife
• not accepting that God has called their husband to be a pastor
• not adjusting to a new place of ministry
• feeling like they are not good enough or their children are not good enough
• allowing the enemy too much of a foothold in their life
• feeling like their husband spends too much time doing ministry
• needing a friend they can share their disappointments of life with
• are not being supportive of their husband's ministry

This seemed like a weird night of praying since I wasn't directly praying for pastors. But in reality I was. If a pastor's wife is not happy, there will be stress in the home. A pastor needs full support of their spouse. They need to have a spouse who not only supports them through actions but most importantly through prayer. If a pastor goes into the pulpit knowing their spouse is upset with someone in the congregation, there is a great chance they will be distracted in their preaching. There is a saying, "If Momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy." That sounds funny yet unfortunately it is so true. The wife/mother in a household sets the tone of how the household is. God desires godly women who love with His love, no matter what circumstances they are going through. He desires spiritually sound women who will look to Him instead of people. When He calls men with wives into ministry, He is calling the wives as well.

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for the opportunity to pray for pastor's wives. I'm sure there would be some who would bring up the fact there are a lot of pastor's husbands too but that is not who You had me pray for. I pray for more pastor's wives to realize what You desire of them in the role You have called them to. Father, I do not understand the road I am on as a pastor but I do know at this moment You have me on the road of being a pastor's wife. I pray You will cleanse me daily so You can fill me to overflowing with more of You. Open my eyes to how I can be more supportive of Doc. May the desires of Your heart be the desires of my heart. May I have Your words, actions, and attitude throughout this day. Father, thank You for being the One To Call Me. Amen.

Psalm 131 - "Different"

When I asked the Lord what He desired me to read and ponder upon this morning, His answer was Psalm 131. I went to it and read it in different translations to get what He desired of me to receive from it. There is so much meaning in this Psalm David wrote even though there are few words in it. It may be few in words yet the lesson of humility found in it is great. One commentary reads, "Comparing all the Psalms to gems, we should liken this to a pearl: how beautifully it will adorn the neck of patience." It takes time to understand living a life of holiness. It does not happen overnight but instead takes living a life for Christ and making mistakes. It takes time and experiences to live out a life sold out to Christ. We must wean ourselves from the things of the world not of Him as we engage in the process. The Israelites had to humble themselves when they returned from Babylon. We must humble ourselves before the Lord as we leave the ways of the world behind us and become His faithful servants. The process of being sanctified must be a part of our daily life. It takes asking for cleansing every day and allowing Him to work in and through us. It also takes having a willing heart and being humble before Him. I love the idea of being a pearl in this world. I desire to be different from others. I desire to show His value through the way I live. In the dictionary it reads of the pearl:

The finest quality natural pearls have been highly valued as gemstones and objects of beauty for many centuries. Because of this, pearl has become a metaphor for something rare, fine, admirable and valuable.

Yes! That is what I want to be known as...God's 'rare, fine, admirable and valuable' daughter. If I see myself as special in His eyes, I will have more worth. It does no one any good to put themselves down. When one talks down themselves, they are talking down God because He is our Creator. Instead we must know our worth in Him and live it.

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for the reminder from Psalm 131 that I am of worth to You. Father, sometimes this world makes me feel worthless or inadequate. I am grateful for the way You empower me to be who You desire me to be. Cleanse me so You can use me today to be who You want me to be. Open my eyes and ears to what You desire of me throughout this day. May I not miss any opportunity to be You to others. Lord, bless our efforts today as we 'Cram-the-Van' with school supplies. I pray the weather cooperates but if it does not then I pray You will multiple what is gathered to fill the needs of what will be distributed next week. Thank You for being My Pearl Maker. Amen.

Luke 15:11-32 - "Point To You"

Last night before falling asleep the Lord had me pray for a dear friend who is going through some tough days, actually years, in her life. Her husband has made some decisions that definitely are not of God. His decisions have tore their family into shreds. I do not know how she has survived this mess. Yes I do. It is only through the grace of God. I am not sure how I would handle such a situation. I pray for her and the children often but last night the Lord struck me up the side of the head that I need to pray more for her husband's soul. I do pray for him but I guess not enough. This morning He woke me these words of "Point To You"...

I need a miracle
Some healing for my heart
I need a revelation
A brand new start
I want simplicity
Where I can rest
But I need a miracle to put my past to death

As I sang this song I was overwhelmed with praying for this husband to get back to God. I prayed for him to realize the mess he has made for his family. If he feels like he can't go back, I prayed he would realize God gives second chances. As I was praying for this man, the Lord brought to my mind another man who has turned from God in a state of rebellion. I'm not sure why this young man who was raised in a godly home is living in such a way but I know his parents are crushed. They are embarrassed by his actions. The Lord had me pray for them to realize he is an adult and is making his own decisions. They are no longer responsible for his actions but they are responsible as his Christian brother and sister to pray for him and when given an opportunity to love on him with Jesus' love. The Lord then had me pray for a young single mother who is making bad choices. She was raised going to church and being taught to love and respect the Lord. Now as an adult with two small children her decisions do not reflect her upbringing. Instead she is living in the ways of the world. Once again, her parents are crushed and feeling like failures. He had me not only pray for her but also her parents. These prodigals need to come home to the Lord. They need restoration in their relationship with Him. They need to feel His love through others to the point of returning to Him. These three are just a few of the people who are in prodigal situations. I praise God for people who did not give up on me when I was a prodigal. I praise Him for the love shown to me even when I did not deserve it. My upbringing along with His love was what brought me back into relationship with Him. I would not be where I am today had it not been for His love, grace, and mercy. I pray for these three He has me praying for this morning along with all the other prodigals to come back into relationship with the Lord.

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for the way You love me so greatly! Thank You for the opportunities You put before me yesterday to love on others and the opportunities You will give me today to do the same. Cleanse me so You can fill me to overflowing with more of You. May You be my words, actions, and attitude today. Father, I pray for a filling for my husband. I pray Your strength would be his today...physical, mental, emotional, and most of all spiritual strength. I pray the same for myself. Lord, do not allow the enemy to blind our eyes to what You desire of us. May You be greater in our lives. Thank You Jesus for being My Rescuer! Amen.

Matthew 4:1-11 - "Wonderful, Merciful Savior"

Wonderful, merciful Savior
Precious Redeemer and Friend
Who would have thought that a Lamb
Could rescue the souls of men
Oh, You rescue the souls of men

You are the One that we praise
You are the One we adore
You give the healing and grace
Our hearts always hunger for
Oh, our hearts always hunger for

These words bring tears to my eyes. To think that my Savior died for me is overwhelming at times. It is hard to comprehend. I struggle at times to explain it to non-believers. Sometimes it is easier to live out a life for Him than to put my love for Him into words. The hope He gives can be indescribable but the peace He gives can be seen through my life. What used to cause great distress now is accepted because I have come to realize He has everything taken care of. He knows the end of my story. He also knows every verse, every chapter that will be written. He has given all free choice. Therefore, if I would chose to turn from Him my story would change. Thankfully, I am determined to not allow the enemy any foothold for that to happen. Instead I choose to praise Him. I choose to praise Him whether I am on the mountaintop or in the valley. I know it is in the valley that my faith will grow deeper. I also know the more I praise Him the more the enemy will be upset so I have to stay on guard at all time. I am hungry for more of the Lord and the enemy does not like it. I want to go deeper in my walk with Him and the enemy is furious about it. The desire of my heart is to walk in total obedience to the Lord, going where He wants me to go and saying what He wants me to say. I know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, I must stay prayed up to not give into the ways of the enemy. When satan tempted Jesus in Matthew 4, Jesus told him that God was the only one He would ever serve. Satan finally left after Jesus told him to go away (vs 11). This is exactly what we need to do when the enemy is trying to trip us up. We must stand our ground and command him to leave. It helps to do it in the name of Jesus. He does not belong in a believer's life. He tries everything possible to get to us. Sometimes it's through circumstances, other people, etc. But he cannot be everywhere as our Father. He is not capable of knowing our thoughts as our Father. He should not be given power over us as we give our Father.

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for the reminder this morning of just how powerful You are! Knowing You turned away the enemy gives me strength to also do so when he comes knocking at my door. Father, cleanse me so You can fill me. May Your words, actions, and attitude pour out of me today. May You be greater than me. Father, I pray the same for Doc. I pray You will give him strength to get through work today. May Your presence fill him up. Lord, I also pray for some who are going through tough times where the enemy is in the midst of their relationships. Give them Your peace. I also pray for those going through physical issues or loved ones with physical issues. May You be their Healer, not just in the physical sense but most of all in the spiritual sense. Thank You Jesus for being My Savior. Amen.

Romans 12:1-2 - "O Come To The Altar"

22 Children/teens + 4 Adults....woo hoo!!!! Christmas in July results = 37 shoeboxes packed!!!! But the icing on the cake was having one pray the prayer of salvation for the first time! Woo hoo, God! No wonder I woke up singing "O Come To The Altar"! 

Leave behind your regrets and mistakes,
come today there’s no reason to wait,
Jesus is calling.
Bring your sorrows and trade them for joy,
from the ashes a new life is born,
Jesus is calling.

There is joy in living "a new life" with Christ. There is a peace in tough times that comes only from Him. Living with Him is not always easy but it is a blessing. Being in relationship with Him is the best way to live. His strength becomes your strength in days such as yesterday where the day is full of giving of yourself. His empowerment becomes real when you feel like there is nothing left in you yet you pray the sinner's prayer with someone. I am physically drained yet I know He will continue to guide me throughout the day. He knows what I need and provides it exactly when I need it. There is no need to fret over finances because He already knows how the bills will be paid. He goes before me and paves the way for every aspect of life. I am a living sacrifice for whatever He desires of my life. I go before every morning and ask for a cleansing in my spirit so He can fill me to overflowing. I do not have a physical altar to go to but I still go before Him. The altar was used in the Old Testament as a place for people to make sacrifices for their sins. When Jesus died on the cross, that was the ultimate sacrifice. After His death and resurrection, animal sacrifices were no longer needed. Instead we need to offer ourselves as living sacrifices. This sets us apart for Him to use as as He desires. It is important to ask for a cleansing every day so there is nothing separating us from the Lord. It is also important to die to self in order to be a living sacrifice for Him.

Dear Jesus,
Wow! It is hard to even begin to express to You how I feel about last night. You are so awesome in the way You provided exactly what was needed to accomplish the task of packing 37 shoeboxes! Most importantly You are awesome in using me to pray with one for salvation. Father, continue to cleanse me so You can fill me to overflowing with more of You. Make me a vessel of Your love in such a way that people will desire to come into relationship with You. Thank You for providing exactly what I need. Thank You for loving me so greatly. Thank You for being who You are in my life. Lord, go before me in this day and point me in the direction You so desire. May people see/hear You instead of me today. I pray You will be with my Momma in a special way today...guide the surgeon. Thank You Jesus for being My New Life. Amen.

Acts 26; I John 3:2; Hebrews 10:24-25; Romans 12:2

Every time I was awake during the night the Lord had these words to the song "The Gospel" going through my mind....

to the captive it looks like freedom to the orphan it feels like home
to the skeptic it might sound crazy to believe in a GOD who loves
in a world where are hearts are breaking and were lost in the mess we've made
like a blinding light in the dead of night
its the gospel the gospel that makes a way


He brought to mind several individuals to pray for who are allowing the enemy too much space in their lives. They all have been in relationship with God and some are still in relationship with Him to a point but not the way they once were. I prayed for some who...

• are making decisions not from God to remember I John 3:2.

This is God's final purpose for you: That when Christ returns, you will be just like Jesus.

• have given up going to church to remember Paul's words in Hebrews 10:24-25. 

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

• are allowing the ways of the world to blind their eyes to Christ to grasp Romans 12:2.

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Some of these people I prayed for I have contact with and others I do not. But all of them need to have a change in their lifestyle to live in the way God desires of all of us. I know living without answering to God can seem to make you happy but when you live in such a manner you are just kidding yourself to think that way. The only true way to live a peaceful life is with Him in the center of it. It breaks my heart to look back on people I've known throughout life and see so many who were once in full relationship with Him and now are not. People who were once church goers who now either do not go at all or go whenever it fits their schedule. People who would never think it was ok to blatantly sin yet now do so every day. There are people watching the decisions they are making who do not follow the Lord. They are questioning their ways and wondering what Christianity is really about. We all, as believers, need to remember our purpose on this earth is to share the Gospel and live like Him. Acts 26 has the words of the Lord spoken to Paul about what he was suppose to be doing. It reads:

15 “Then I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’

“ ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied. 16 ‘Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me. 17 I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them 18 to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

These words are not just for Paul but for all believers. The words in verse eighteen show our responsibility to others. We are to share Jesus with them so they can have freedom in Him. The only way for this to be accomplished is for us to be living in His will. That means we must die to self. No more going to church when we feel like it. No more reading our Bible when it fits into our schedule. No more saying 'no' to what God asks us to do or say. It means walking the road of obedience so He will be in every  decision we make. The only way this will happen is for people to "get back to the altar, back to the arms of our first love, there's only one way to the Father and He's calling out to us." Life cannot be about us. It has to be about Him.

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for the privilege to pray for those who are making decisions not of You. Thank You for bringing people to my mind during the night. Father, my heart breaks for so many who used to live for You yet are no longer. It also breaks for their families who are watching the decisions being made effect their lives in so many ways. Physically, mentally, emotionally, financially but most of all spiritually. Lord, put someone before them today that will make a difference in their thinking. Open their eyes to what You desire of them. Lord, I pray for a cleansing in my soul so You can fill me to overflowing with more of You. Use me today in a different, new way to shine for You. Father, give me physical strength for what is ahead in this day. I pray the same for Doc as he has a long day today. Lord, keep us on our toes so we do not miss any opportunity to share Your love today. Thank You Jesus for being My Way of Life. Amen.

I John 3 - "Never Too Far Gone"

The Lord woke me during the night and again this morning singing these words to "Never Gone Too Far"...

There's no distance too far, that I can't reach you
There's no place that's so dark, that I can't find you
Anywhere that you are, if you need proof
Take a look at these scars, and know I love you

Oh how I wish more people would realize the truth in these words. I've heard people joke about how 'if they walked into a church, the roof would cave in.' Those words are just an excuse. Another excuse is 'I can't go to church until I quit' smoking or drinking or whatever their habit is. These are just excuses that are lies from the enemy. God loves each and every one. He desires to be in relationship with all. We all have a past which gives us a story to tell. Our testimony can be what changes people's lives. When people find out how God transformed us from being one way to living His way, they will be more apt to accept Him in their life. When people see the happiness and peace we receive through a life with Him, they will desire the same. We need to get better at sharing our testimony. As we share it, we are sharing His love. I John 3 talks of God's love for us. We are to follow His example and love others with our whole being. God loves us enough that He gave His Son to die for us. He loves us enough that He takes us back into relationship even when we walk away from Him. He loves us enough to overcome the sins we commit. Plain and simple. He loves us enough. That is something to share! Why would we not share His love? What would ever keep us from wanting others to know what we have in Him? There are no reasons for such behavior. There are excuses used but they are not valid. 'I'm just not good at talking to people' or 'People won't like me if I push Jesus on them.' Excuse me? If we are not telling others of Him, we are not doing what He put us on this earth to do. Spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the task of all believers. It is not just up to pastors but everyone. People are dying every day and going to hell because of the excuses believers use to not share about Him. Matthew Henry writes of verse eleven of I John 3, "We should love the Lord Jesus, value His love, and therefore love all..." How much value of His love do we show to Him? How many people to we share His love with on a daily basis? How much influence are we making in people's lives? When was the last time we changed someone's life through our words and love of Christ? These are some hard questions to answer but they shouldn't be. If we truly desire to live in the presence of the Holy Spirit, we must love as He loved. The last verse of I John 3 reads:

Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.

I desire to live in His will with the empowerment of the Holy Spirit working in and through me. The only way for this to be accomplished is by loving with His love. That means loving in an unselfish manner. It means not only being aware of what He desires but walking the road of obedience to fulfill it. Living out His love is not always easy but it always is a blessing.

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for Your love, mercy and grace! Thank You for the testimony of my past that make a transformation not only in my future but in other's futures. Thank You for being My Guide on this road of life. Thank You for cleansing me so You can fill me to overflowing with more of Your love. May You empower me to live out Your love in a different, new way throughout this day. Thank You Jesus for being the Lover of My Soul. Amen.

II Timothy 1:7 - "Fearless"

I don't think I've ever had a Saturday night so full of prayers for pastors. Multiple times the Lord woke me to pray for different ones...

• those who have been on recent mission trips to stand up against the enemy who does not like the progress for the Lord's Kingdom that was made while they were away 
• some who are dealing with health issues or with health issues of their spouse
• a retired pastor who is struggling with gaining his physical strength back after going through multiple health issues
• children's and youth pastors who need to have His wisdom with delicate situations that arise in their ministry with children and their parents

One time when He woke me He reminded me of a video I watched this week of Pastor James preaching about what life would look like if more people said 'yes' when God asked them to do something. He had me pray for more spirit-filled sermons such as this one to be preached today. He reminded me the purpose that should be behind every sermon is for transformation in people's lives.

Another time He woke me it was to pray specifically for my pastor/husband for a renewal in his physical, mental, emotional, and most of all spiritual body. He has been through tough days physically which has taken a toll on the rest of his being. The Lord had me pray for him to have restoration in every aspect of his being. He had me pray for his wisdom to be from the Lord in all decisions that he makes. He also had me pray for people to support him in prayer and by sharing words of encouragement to him.

The last time He woke me up with the words to "Fearless" going through my mind...

These mountains
These giants 
Will fall at a single word
In Your name
In Your strength
I'm more than a conqueror

But I wasn't given the spirit of fear
I was given the power of love
Everything I've been fighting against
I'm gonna lift it up

I wanna be fearless
No holding back
No backing down
Fearless
Because I believe You're with me now
Bring on the unknown
Lead me and I'll go
Come set me free
God, I want to be
Fearless

He told me there are some pastors who are giving into fear that the enemy has put upon them. They are allowing the enemy to be control instead of Him. He had me pray their eyes would be opened to what is happening in their life. He also had me pray for them to realize how the enemy is trying to destroy their ministry. The Lord will protect them but if they continue allowing the enemy in, His protection will be no longer. There are some times in prayer that what is revealed to me breaks my heart. This was one of them. It hurts to see people's lives being taken over by the enemy but when it happens with someone in ministry the hurt goes deeper. It is not only their life being effected but so many others too. Oh how I pray for hearts to be open in these situations. He also had me pray for those who He has asked to be bolder or go a different direction yet they are holding back. His will is desired of them. When they take the next step for Him, they will be blessed in abundance. The road of willingness to Him is not easy but it is where His peace is greatly realized. He had me pray for more pastors to be filled with His love to the point it naturally flows out of them.

I am physically drained after being up so much during the night but I know He will be my strength throughout this day. I am privileged to be a prayer warrior. I do not always like what He reveals to me but He has His reasons and that is all that matters. He must think I can handle such things or He wouldn't give them to me. As I start this day, I am praying for more of Him and less of me. I am praying for His supernatural strength to take over in me.

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for the privilege to be a prayer warrior. Thank You for all the people who have answered the call to be pastors. Thank You for the cleansing in my soul this morning so You can fill me to overflowing with Yourself. Thank You for calling me to be who You have called me to be. Thank You for the ones You put before my path. May Your eyes be mine today so I do not miss any opportunity to share Your love. May Your voice show through in my words. I pray especially for Your attitude in my being today as I am so tired. Renew my spirit. Father, give me Your wisdom with decisions that need made. Thank You Father for being My Conqueror! Amen.

Zephaniah - "This Is Amazing Grace"

This morning the Lord took me to the book of Zephaniah. He also gave me the number five. There are only three chapters in this book so I took a look at the fifth verse of each chapter. As I read through the book, I was encouraged by the message of God's restoration and hope. Zephaniah is about what will happen when people do not follow God and the restoration of such people. It is about what is going to happen when He returns for His people. He is not playing games but is very serious about the importance of all being His followers. We do not know when He will return but we can be assured He will. If we want to live for eternity with Him, we must be ready at all times. I once again went back to the number five. The fifth verse of each of the three chapters did not stand out to me in any great way. In all three chapters, verse five is about His judgement on the people. I looked up what the number five represents in the Bible and found that it symbolizes "God's grace, goodness and favor" that He shows to all people.  Doc preached about grace last Sunday. When he asked me what grace means to me, I responded with 'something I receive that I don't deserve.' God loves us all enough that He gave His only Son to die on the cross for us. The grace He shows to us is amazing! It is wonderful! It is beyond comprehension! I love the words to "This Is Amazing Grace"...

This is amazing grace
This is unfailing love
That You would take my place
That You would bear my cross
You laid down Your life
That I would be set free
Oh, Jesus, I sing for
All that You've done for me

Wow, God! He loves us so greatly. I am sure His heart breaks for those who do not live in His love. I also am sure every time a person comes into relationship with Him He is doing a happy dance! Every time one of His followers falls and comes back to be restored, is a great moment for Him. Yesterday as I was talking with a friend I was telling her how it recently hit me just how great of a responsibility all believers have to share His love. We need to not just share it with those who don't know Him but we also need to share it with those who do. We never know what people are going through. They may need to feel His love in a different, new way. Perhaps they are feeling like He has forgotten them because their prayers are not being answered. Or perhaps they are starting to believe the lies of the enemy and feel worthless. Everybody goes through periods of doubt in life. There are times in everyone's lives where we feel like giving up. We must remember God is a God of love and hope. He is a God who never gives up on us. The last part of the book of Zephaniah is about His faithfulness. We are told to "rejoice with all your heart" (vs. 14) and "Do not fear" (vs. 16). Verse seventeen is the 'icing on the cake' for those who are restored in relationship with Him. 

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for Your love, mercy, and grace. Father, I am so grateful for the way You restored our relationship. I am grateful that I am where I am today to know when I ask You to cleanse me and fill me, that is exactly what You will do. I also am grateful for the knowledge that You will return for Your people. Lord, help me to do better at sharing Your love with others. Enable me to be bolder with Your love. The desire of my heart is to live out Your love in a way that will make You proud of me. Just as my earthly Daddy would get a look of being proud of me on his face, I desire to see that look on Your face. Father, may You be greater than me throughout this day. You know the things I am facing. I pray You will go before me and prepare the way for me to know how to best handle the day. I am so in awe of the way You work in my life. May You continue to encourage me on the road of holy living. Thank You Jesus for being My Hope. Amen.

  

Matthew 6:10 - "Jesus, I Believe"

I woke up this morning with words to "Jesus, I Believe" going through my mind. What a powerful song this is! In starts with:

I wanna walk with You Jesus
Feel Your presence and know You're near
I wanna see You Jesus
Move in power and cast out fear

This is exactly where I desire to live. In His Presence. It is then that I will be empowered by Him. As I live in His Presence, I will see "the impossible" become reality. I desire to have His words, actions, and attitude be mine throughout the day. I desire to speak life and not death.  I desire to not miss any opportunity He puts in my way. I desire to live in His will so His Kingdom will happen "Here on the earth just like it is in heaven." When I went through the nine months of not walking on my own, I prayed for healing over and over again. I do not know why it took nine months to happen but I do know I never gave up asking. I believed the Lord would heal me. I didn't know how it would happen but I knew it would happen. I didn't know when my walking would be restored but I kept the faith that it would. I prayed for it to be "on earth as it is in heaven." There is no MS in heaven. Therefore, I asked for it to not be in my body on this earth either. MRI's show the MS is still in my body but thank God the effects of no longer being able to walk on my own are gone. Sometimes He heals through doctors and medicine. Sometimes He heals through physical therapy. Sometimes He heals instantaneously. Or as in my instance with my walking it was nine months of knocking on His door and praying with persistence. When I walked into the church that night with the walker and danced out at the end of the service, it was only because of my persistence and Brother Dan's obedience to the Lord in coming to Willard. God could have healed me nine months prior but it wasn't in His timing. His time to heal was orchestrated for people to see what great faith looks like. 

This picture was taken on our vacation to Hilton Head after my walking was restored in February 2016. It was on that trip our hearts felt the tug to come to Beaufort. There were no open doors at that time but as we walked by the waterfront we felt the Lord's call. Within two months the doors opened and within four months we were walking through them. We continue to pray for His Kingdom to come here in Beaufort "as it is in heaven." We desire people to not only be saved but to embrace the message of holiness. Many doors have been shut over the last two-plus years but we refuse to stop pressing on as we know God has called us to this place. Some things that have happened don't make sense but they don't have to. All we have to do is have faith and continue to believe the Lord is in control. That is exactly what happened in 2015-2016 with the MS exasperation. It is what has happened since we moved to Beaufort with all that has happened in our lives. It is what will continue to happen in the days ahead. The desire of my heart is to fulfill the desire of His heart. I know this means life will be challenging but I also know He chose the right couple to accomplish this task.

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for Your love, mercy, and grace that encourages me to keep on pressing on toward the goals You put before us. I refuse to give up. I refuse to allow the enemy any foothold in my life. I pray the same for Doc. I pray You will cleanse us so You can fill us both to overflowing with more of You. I pray for Your strength when the days get tough. Father, this morning as I was praying You brought the word 'embellish' into my prayers. You had me ask You to 'embellish' us. I was taken aback with this word. I know what it means but when I looked it up it said "to make beautiful with ornamentation." That doesn't make sense to me. Why would You put that word into my prayers? Normally this word is used in the physical sense but what does it mean in the spiritual sense? Does it mean I am to take on more of You? Does it mean I need to be more Christ-like? Father, whatever it means I pray You will accomplish it in me throughout this day. I pray people will see/hear You instead of me. May You be more of my words, actions, and attitude. May You be greater than me. May Your love show through in a powerful way. Father, I pray for Brother Dan and his team as they continue to be Your servants to bring people deeper into relationship with You. May You continue to shine through them in a mighty way to allow people to be not only be physically, emotionally, and mentally healed but most importantly to be spiritually healed. Thank You Jesus for being My Reality. Amen.

Philippians 4:13 - "Lord, I Come"

These words are going through my mind this morning...

Lord, I come, I confess
Bowing here I find my rest
Without You I fall apart
You're the One that guides my heart

Lord, I need You, oh, I need You
Every hour I need You
My one defense, my righteousness
Oh God, how I need You

Yes! I do not know how people get through life without Him being their Rock. I need Him "every hour" to not only get through the day but to live it in the best way possible. In His way. I need Him to not only guide me but to encourage me. His love not only get me through the day but it empowers me to love others in the way His heart desires. I am thinking this morning of Philippians 4:13. He gave me this verse twenty-four years ago as I laid in bed with my first MS exasperation. I thought then the verse was for physical strength but soon realized it is 'the whole ball of wax'! It is only through His strength that I can do what I do every day. Physically, mentally, emotionally, financially, and most of all spiritually. His strength is all I need. 

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for the reminder this morning of Your strength being perfect for my life. I pray for a cleansing in my spirit today so You can fill me to overflowing with more of You. I also pray for those who do not know You. I pray someone will go before them to make a difference in their life. May You use Your servants to lavish love on them. May Your servants be open to Your empowerment. May they be ready when You direct and not miss any opportunity to be You today. Thank You Jesus for being My Rock. Amen.