Layers of Freedom

This following study is of James 1:1-4. This study is a little different from the other ones I’ve done because every time I went back to reflect on this passage I got more and more out of it and discovered many layers of truth. While a number of topics are covered, they are all connected, which is why I chose to keep it all together instead of posting them separately. I hope that as you read it, you’ll be able to see how it all ties together and it can encourage you on your journey with God to experience spiritual freedom and to endure when you face trouble.

James 1:1-4 (New Living Translation)
1. This letter is from James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is written to Jewish Christians scattered among the nations. Greetings!
2. Dear brothers and sisters, whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy.
3. For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.
4. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything.


Layer 1
Complete Conditions for the Testing of our Faith:
The Leg Muscles of Endurance

As I reflected on this passage, another scripture came to mind that I wanted to include, and that is Romans 12:2, which says:
Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is.
I was also reminded of Jesus’ temptation, which you can find in Matthew 4, Luke 4 and Mark 1:12-13. If you remember Jesus’ temptation, he had to believe in the words God spoke to him, even when he wasn’t hearing God’s voice in the wilderness. Not only was his faith tested in that one part, but there was another piece that had to exist at the same time, and that was the hard part… the devil’s challenge. The question we must ask ourselves is “will we remain faithful and believe in what God has said to us, even when it seems like He’s not there and while trouble is all around us, and while the devil is telling us the opposite of what God has said?” These three pieces exist at the same time and I believe these are the complete conditions necessary for the testing of our faith.
The fruit of that testing is growing endurance; the ability to wait patiently for God’s timing and deliverance in any given situation. The good news is that endurance has a maturation point! So, as God works in us and allows those troubles to come, in order to test our faith; He helps us to develop those “leg muscles of endurance” that will help us to keep walking with Him. Once those muscles are fully developed, we can go from walking with God, to running with Him and finally to sprinting with Him through wherever He takes us.

When you walk with God, it can start out slow until you get your rhythm and your body gets used to the pace. The more often you walk, the easier it is to do so and your body gets used to the exercise. It is interesting to me that when you miss those days of walking, your body is more sluggish because it’s telling you it needed the exercise. And, when you get back to it, your muscles get kind of sore easily, until you find your stride again. The longer you go between walking, the more your muscles ache and the longer it takes to get back in shape.

My Daughter,
There’s a lot here and I want you to get as much as possible out of it, so don’t rush it. Take the week and keep reflecting. Let me show you more about testing your faith and developing endurance. There is a great connection between these things that relates to the ways in which I can use you depending on how much you let those “muscles” develop. Continue to let me show you more about it, so you can grow and so you can help others to hold on in the midst of the troubles they are facing. I love you and I am always with you. Be strong, be open and continue to trust me and let me teach you.
Love Always,
Your Father God
(I feel it is necessary to add a caveat here. Even though God told me to take the week to study this passage, there were days when I could not squeeze in the time to do as in depth a study; so I would re-read the whole chapter of James 1 and reflect on it while I was taking my daughter for a walk in the morning. All in all, it took almost 3 weeks, but there are 5 layers here that translate to about a week of study.)

Layer 2
The IBEX and Preparation

Being prepared for spiritual growth:
We need to recognize that first and foremost, we are God’s children and because of that, there is so much at our disposal. Do we have any idea what we are capable of? God set us free and gave us the Holy Spirit to help us and open our eyes to what is real and true. We are spiritual beings, as well as physical ones, and we need to learn how to operate with a balance between our physical existence and our spiritual one.
The challenges and trouble we face in life occur at multiple levels and it can be hard to tell at times where it’s coming from. “Did God do that?” “Was that the enemy?” Sometimes we think if it’s God, “am I being punished?”, or if it’s God, “He must have a reason” and we leave it at that instead of digging deeper. God desires us to have understanding and that doesn’t come easily. It’s our responsibility to seek it out; to use our time and resources to study, learn and grow. Proverbs 25:2 says, It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, to search out a matter is the glory of kings. To me, the kings are those who recognize their spiritual heritage as Sons and Daughters of God and they begin the journey to work with the Holy Spirit and discover who they are, what they are here for and all that they are capable of.
We are in training, here to learn how to operate as spiritual beings…that requires work…learning how to exercise those spiritual muscles, learning how to train your eyes to see the unseen, and your ears to hear God’s voice and specific direction (honing your hearing), and training your tongue to speak words of truth that cut through the enemy’s blanket of deception.

2. Looking at the IBEX and the connection to James 1:1-4:
The IBEX is a species of wild goat; animals of mountain habitats. They are very agile and hardy, able to climb on bare rock and survive on sparse vegetation. When an Ibex gets into trouble it runs from its predator and climbs on very steep rocks. Since it is agile and able to climb on bare rock, it can escape being attacked, because the predator is unable to keep pursuing without more difficulty than it wants to deal with. The predator recognizes that if it continues pursuing the ibex, it could fall off the cliff (the precipice) to its own death; so it gives up and decides to go after an easier target.
How can this relate to faith and endurance? Like the Ibex, we possess within us the ability to escape from the enemy, but in order for us to do that, we must first recognize a few things. If we want to be agile and able to go where the enemy cannot follow, we must recognize who we are and what we are capable of. As we work with God and go through the process of growing and developing, with patient endurance, the first thing God does is renew our minds, so that we think with our spiritual mind and so we can see the unseen.
As our minds are renewed, our relationship with God deepens. We accept His love for us, and we learn to submit to the ways He chooses to teach us. The more we are open to allow trouble and struggle to serve their purpose in our lives, the more our eyes and ears develop, so we can see situations with the perspective that God desires us to have. Then we can also listen attentively for His voice and direction. The more we develop like this, the longer we are able to wait on God to do what He’s told us He will do and the more we will see great things happen.

Layer 3
Settle in your Heart

The following is what God said to me while I was meditating a bit more on this passage. (If you are wondering what the “more” is that God is referring to, you can read it in the piece I did for the 2010 Electronic Calendar for the month of September. You can find the calendar in the archives or on my website at www.lilyeveart.com)

My Daughter,
Right now you are working on the “more” in this passage. Just wait…it gets so much better. Keep reflecting and let me show you more.
Love Always,
Your Father God

As I look back over these four verses in James, I’m beginning to see this from James’ perspective. He’s writing this letter to Jewish Christians who were “scattered among the nations”, which that alone to me indicates difficulty, struggle and possible feelings of being alone in that struggle. They may no longer have the power of numbers on their side, since they’ve been separated and called to be apart, yet still walk out their salvation. They were called to live the life of a Christian, which they are discovering is no easy life to live. So James starts out communicating a few very important things; almost as if to say, “these are the things I’ve learned that helped me through the challenge of following Christ and serving God Almighty. It’s not easy to go against the grain and flow of the world, but what I’m about to tell you will help you through it.”
James starts out with something very important…his identity. He tells them right off the bat who he is and how he sees himself. He belongs to God and serves the purpose of Jesus. More than any other way he could identify himself, he chooses this one and it’s significant because it communicates that the course of his life and the direction he’s going is settled. He serves God. He’s identified with his maker and that’s where his heart and allegiance belong. He puts first things first and gives them an example to follow. “Settle in your heart that you belong to God. He is your Father and you’re at home with Him.”
It’s also important that he mentions Jesus, because that makes it clear what God he is talking about. This is not a pagan God. This is the God that Jesus talked about as his Father, who sent him to earth to offer true life to those who were willing to believe in who he said he was, and accept him as the one who would guide their life. This is the God who rose Jesus from the dead and displayed many powerful acts through this Jesus. This is the God who Jesus said loves us so much that he was sent to give his life for us, God’s special creation; so we could have the opportunity to become Sons and Daughters of God; restored to our true place in life. This is no ordinary God that I serve. He’s the one who is connected to Jesus. James makes is clear to the people, so they don’t lose sight of who it is that they are following.

Layer 4 (Part 1)
The Significance of Trouble

As I continue to think about these first few verses from James’ perspective, I see that he’s giving them a new way to think about trouble and its purpose in their lives. It could be easy to see trouble only as a negative and say “woe is me” or even “why me?”. At the first sign of trouble, most people want a way out, right away, but James is telling them that there is a better way to look at trouble in your life. He says, “let it be an opportunity for joy.” How can he say that? What would make him think that way?
Over the years I’ve learned that you cannot teach what you do not know. The best way to teach anyone is to be able to relate the reality of your own experience and live out that example. If you have not had the experience, there’s not much you can genuinely say about it; especially when it comes to facing challenges and matters of the heart.

Trouble brings out the issues and unfinished business that lies in our hearts and as we follow God, He takes the opportunity to teach us and help us to grow through that trouble, even if it didn’t originate from Him. Sometimes, God does send the trouble; like in the case of Jonah and the whale. However, other times the devil brings it and God allows it, in order to serve a purpose; like with the story of Job.
James, being one of the twelve disciples, ran with Jesus and surely he experienced a lot of trouble as he made the choice to follow God and the Lord Jesus Christ. He learned that as someone who belongs to God, there is a different and better way to look at the way things are in the world. We possess the ability to walk with a spiritual perspective which can guide us, through the Holy Spirit…if we are willing to listen, believe, and obey. James introduces one of these spiritual perspectives as it relates to trouble. For God’s children, who are learning to develop spiritually and live their lives as spiritual beings, operating through a physical body; trouble serves a different purpose. So, he’s telling them, this is what trouble is for in our lives. Trouble tests our faith and helps us to develop endurance, and these are things that are essential components of our spiritual existence while we are on the earth. Faith and endurance make it possible for us to be “strong in character and ready for anything”. In this way God can use us to do amazing and powerful things for Him in the earth, just like Jesus did.

One man changed the course of history because he embraced his spiritual identity and learned how to harness what was available to him as the Son of God. Jesus’ faith was tested in the wilderness and his endurance had reached full maturity, and because of that he was ready for anything. In just three years of ministry, he did what he came to do, which was to be the sacrifice and die to take our punishment and restore right relationship between God and man, for all who would choose to believe. And he came to live among us and show us what it looks like to embrace who we are as spiritual beings, so that once we believed and accepted the life Jesus died to give us; we would know how to go about walking it out and become who we were each created to be.
Now, trouble is a part of that process, because of the way it tests our faith in God. When trouble comes, that’s when the rubber meets the road and we are forced to decide if we are going to hold onto what we said we believe, or if we will ditch it under the pain and pressure. The more we hold onto our faith and believe in God’s goodness, love and faithfulness; the more those “leg muscles of endurance” can grow and develop. Once those muscles are fully developed, we will have reached the point where we know who we are, as children of God, and we know why we are here, what is available to us and we’re ready for whatever God calls upon us to do in the short time that we are here.

Layer 4 (Part 2)
The Significance of Trouble

As I’ve been thinking more about this passage, the words “When trouble comes, let it be an opportunity for joy”, keep coming back to me. How can trouble present an opportunity for joy? Then when I realize that James is talking about a perspective change and the way he wants them to look at trouble; I am able to see more about how trouble can be an opportunity for joy. Trouble definitely brings opportunity for every person who encounters it, whether it be an opportunity for frustration, anger, anxiety, rebellion, or worse. And, for the world, that’s often the way trouble plays out for them. But, James is saying, for Christians, trouble can present an opportunity for just the opposite…joy!
He told them that the existence of trouble in their lives is meant to test their faith and develop endurance in them and that development does have an end, when it is fully developed. So, if you know that every time you face trouble, God is developing endurance in you, it is possible to look at that in a positive light for a few reasons. One, you know that God Almighty is working with you and preparing you for your destiny and that is exciting. He’s getting you ready for the very thing He made you for and when you reach the point where you’re ready to do that thing, you’ll be experiencing so much fulfillment and joy that you’ll hardly be able to believe it’s happening. So, you can endure because of the joy that is set before you, just like Jesus did when he endured the cross.
The second reason for you to look at that trouble in a positive light is because you know that in the midst of that trouble, your faith is being tested; which means you’re being given an opportunity to show God, yourself, and the world, that you believe what you say you believe and you can walk it out. When you hold onto your faith and keep your focus on what you know is true about God; that He loves you, He is faithful and He will take care of all that concerns you and work it out for good; you are pleasing God. Hebrews 11:6 says “it is impossible to please God without faith”, so when you’re exercising your faith and hanging in there through the storm, you can know you are pleasing the God who loves you and made you for His good pleasure. That is a reason for joy!
Furthermore, you’re killing many birds with one stone, because not only are you developing endurance and pleasing God; you’re also becoming an example that God can use to show the world who He is. If you think about it, when the world looks at you facing trouble after trouble and they see you hang in there and keep trusting God and loving Him; it says a lot about you, the God you serve and the possibility and power that exist to live a spiritual life on earth. When people look at you and see that you can have joy and bless God when things are tough, it makes your faith a lot more real and visible to others and it communicates to God and man that you’re not in it for the “stuff”. You’re not serving God just to get the blessings and to enjoy prosperity. You’re serving God because you love Him and you trust Him to sustain you, teach you and make you ready for anything!

Oddly enough, that was the test the devil brought before God for Job. He said to God, (and I’m paraphrasing) “Job only serves you because you’re blessing him. If you take all that away, he will curse you.” God knew Job. He knew Job’s heart and he knew that even if Job reached point of doubt through the test, he still wouldn’t turn his back on God. So, God agreed to allow Satan to rock Job’s world and in the end, God was proven right and the devil went away with his tail between his legs. And in the end, Job also got to know God in a way that few in life have ever experienced; and knowing God is so much better than getting the “stuff” that can come along with serving Him.

Layer 5
Ready for Anything

As I wrap up my reflections of James 1:1-4, I find myself focused on what it means to be “ready for anything”. James said, “When your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything.” Several things strike me about those two verses and it brings me back to what I originally started to reflect on about the “leg muscles of endurance” and Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness.
I think it’s safe to say that Jesus was ready for anything. When he went through that temptation in the wilderness, before his ministry began; his endurance reached it’s maturation point. He came face to face with the enemy and he held his ground and stuck to what he believed about what God said to him. “You are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” The devil challenged who Jesus was and he never faltered. He held onto those words from God and he accessed what he knew from Scripture to fight off the enemy’s challenges to his identity and ability.
It’s amazing to me that at the end of the day, that’s what the devil doesn’t want you to grasp…who you are (identity) and what you are capable of as a Son or Daughter of God Almighty (ability). Honestly, I think that’s what the trouble and the testing of your faith is meant to bring out. The more we walk with God, the more we really begin to learn who we are; that we belong to God, we are His offspring…He made us and He loves us…we matter to God. I believe that’s the first thing that God desires to settle in us. He wants us to get the truth and believe that we are safe with Him. So, I can say that my identity rests solely in the fact that I am my Father’s daughter.
Once that is settled, then God can begin to teach us what we are capable of. That’s where the “trouble” really begins to manifest, because the only way to learn what you are able to do is by going through the training, developing those “muscles” and then trying them out to see how well they work. Every time you go through trouble, consider it a “training exercise” for your spiritual development. You are training for your spiritual “black belt.” You are the student and God is your “Sensei”. With each season God takes you through, if you let it serve it’s purpose and you trust God through it and learn what you’re supposed to; you receive the color belt that relates to the level you’ve mastered.
In the beginning of your training, when you look at the Sensei and he shows you what he can do; you probably don’t think you could ever get to that point of doing the things your Sensei can do. But, he tells you that with the proper training you can do just what he can. Now think of Jesus as the Sensei, because he said in Matthew 11:28-29, “Come to me, all who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, let me teach you because I am humble and gentle and you will find rest for your souls.” Jesus is our example for what we are capable of, if we would only get with the Holy Spirit and allow God to teach us and train us.
Eventually, you can get to that place where your endurance is fully developed, but in order to do that, you’ve got to pass each test that comes your way. You pass those tests by enduring through the trial and using the very thing that God is teaching you in each season and putting it into practice. If in your training, you learned how to break a wooden board with your bare hand, then you’re going to be given the opportunity to do just that, before you can move on to the next set of abilities to master.
Once you have mastered all those spiritual abilities, then you will be “strong in character and ready for anything.” Your hearing will be developed to such a degree that you can speak only what you hear God say to you, just like Jesus did. You can walk up to that person who is feeling rejected and brokenhearted and share a word of knowledge with them, that only comes from God. You can deliver the very message that grabs their heart and leads them to make the decision that saves their soul, just like Jesus did with the woman at the well (you can find that story in John 4).
Jesus heard from God, through the Holy Spirit, about the woman’s particular situation and when he told her about it, it got her attention and she knew she was talking to someone who was no ordinary man. She was speaking to a prophet. That encounter led a woman who was an outcast in her community to go back to the village and tell them all what she had just experienced. And she was convincing enough that many people from the village came to see who Jesus was and what life was available to them if they believed his message. Well, this is the place that God desires to get us to; where our endurance is fully matured and we can run with Him wherever he takes us and do whatever he tells us to do; not matter how unusual or impossible it may seem. We must remember that with God all things are possible and I say AMEN to that!

My Daughter,
I am pleased with you for listening to me and taking your time with this study. I know it was only four verses, but look at all you’ve learned and come to understand as you kept going back to those same words and meditating on them. You’ve discovered the many layers in this passage and I want you to know that all of Scripture is like that. Like an onion, you peel back those layers the longer you stick with a passage and allow me to show you the “more” that exists there. I’m glad you are willing to study the Scriptures this way and I promise you that as you do that, you will discover more life and truth and hope then you would have ever imagined.
On this Independence Day, the symbol of freedom reigns and I want you to share what I’ve taught you and let these words help others experience spiritual freedom in their lives. I also want you to know that being willing to go through life and get to know me, despite whether you get the “stuff” or not, is amazing and there is tremendous honor in that. It’s a blessing to me and i time you will receive that honor seven fold.
Love Always,
Your Father God

Recognition Process: It's all about Love

This morning, I started reading Psalm 100, which is labeled a “Psalm of Thanksgiving”. As I read those few verses, it got me thinking a lot about God’s love and how that’s the point of everything. God made us and He’s going to take good care of us, if we let Him. The more I thought about it, I was reminded of a reflection I did of Psalm 5, which is all about recognizing the many ways that God shows us love in our everyday lives. As you read these verses and the study, I hope it encourages you to look for the ways that God is showing you love everyday, even in the small, seemingly ordinary things that happen in your life.

Psalm 100
1. Shout with joy to the Lord, O earth!
2. Worship the Lord with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy.
3. Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
4. Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and bless his name.
5. For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation.

Psalm 5: 7,8,11,12
7. Because of your unfailing love, I can enter your house; with deepest awe I will worship at your Temple.
8. Lead me in the right path, O Lord, or my enemies will conquer me. Tell me clearly what to do, and show me which way to turn.
11. But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them sing joyful praises forever. Protect them, so all who love your name may be filled with joy.
12. For you bless the godly, O Lord, surrounding them with your shield of love.


Recognition Process:

It’s because of who God is that I get to enjoy Him and enjoy the things He’s made available to me. He comforts, He protects, and He shields me with who He is. His love covers me and heals my sensitive heart. The more I receive His love everyday, in the things He says to me and in the ways He acts to show me His love; the stronger I become in Him and the safer I feel. My prayer today is that I would always recognize God’s ways of showing me love each day and receive His spirit of love that covers me. I desire His love to be fresh on my heart and mind each day and that His love would permeate my entire existence. As I do this, I know my heart is filled with joy and nothing and no one can take my joy away from me. God seals my heart with His love and the joy that comes from that is forever glued with it.

My Daughter,
You’re really beginning to understand the core of what I want to teach you and what I desire my people to know and understand. My love is powerful and it can bring you through anything. If you are willing to see the many ways that I show you love everyday, you will become completely secure in me and filled with joy. And, following my ways to fulfill your destiny will not be a chore to you at all. It is easier to follow my will and have the right perspective once you are fully wrapped in my love.
This process of recognizing my love for you must happen everyday and as it does, you will grow stronger and be better prepared to walk in my purposes for you, fulfilling your destiny. I want you to get in the habit of looking for the ways I’m showing you love. As you are reminded of my love in the everyday, ordinary things that you see and encounter throughout your day; you will remain sealed in my love and your sensitive heart will begin to function in the way I designed it to and you will experienced peace, joy and fulfillment. Be encouraged and know that this recognition process is a very powerful tool that will help you to grow strong and secure in me.
Love Always,
Your Father God

Reflections of Psalm 91

The following is a study of Psalm 91 and what I learned about enduring life’s storms, especially when you feel like God is not there with you. I learned that God is always there and sometimes He waits in order to help you find the faith to believe that He hasn’t left. As you read this study, I hope it encourages you to endure through any storm you face in this life.

Psalm 91
1. Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2. This I declare of the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God and I am trusting him.
3. For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from the fatal plague.
4. He will shield you with his wings. He will shelter you with his feathers. His faithful promises are you armor and protection.
5. Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor fear the dangers of the day,
6. Nor dread the plague that stalks in darkness, nor the disaster that strikes at midday.
7. Though a thousand fall at your side, though ten thousand are dying around you, these evils will not touch you.
8. But you will see it with your eyes; you will see how the wicked are punished.
9. If you make the Lord your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter,
10. No evil will conquer you; no plague will come near your dwelling.
11. For he orders his angels to protect you wherever you go.
12. They will hold you with their hands to keep you from striking your foot on a stone.
13. You will trample down lions and poisonous snakes; you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet!
14. The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name.
15. When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue them and honor them.
16. I will satisfy them with a long life and give them my salvation.”


To me, Psalm 91 is a very important and critical Psalm to know as you walk along this journey with God Almighty. As I’ve been meditating on this Psalm most of last week, I found myself stuck on the first verse. I read it over and over and kept thinking, “what does it really mean to “live in the shelter of the Most High’’”? I thought about what a shelter is, what it is used for and for a while nothing profound was coming to me. I asked God to show me more about what that verse meant and I have to say that the way He taught it to me was very tough, but I don’t think I could have seen it any clearer any other way.
Last week I went though a pretty tough time and reached a low point that I hadn’t experienced since before my daughter was born. I wasn’t completely suicidal, but I found myself being okay with not being alive and I knew that was not good…not for me, not for my husband and especially not for my daughter. I really struggled and I kept trying to remind myself of all that God had been teaching me about depending on Him; and while it helped, I will still struggling. I felt completely alone and while I was in this state I asked God to help me and told Him that I was so close to not making it. He reminded me of something very important and then told me something to encourage my heart. The following is the dialogue we had over the period of a few days:

(6/4/10)
My Daughter,
I need you to remember a few things. I know sometimes it’s hard, but I’m with you and I will continue to give you all that you need to make it through this. Be strong and continue to remember who you are and what all is available to you to give you the strength you need, so you can be gentle, comforting and full of compassion. Also, it’s important for you to understand that I’ve sent you to teach and to bring encouragement and healing to those you are hurting. In order for you to do that, it requires that you go through the hard things as well. I know that’s tough, but I am with you and I will continue to sustain you. Hold onto me and let me restore you and be your all.
Love Always,
Your Father God
(6/5/10 - AM)
Papa,
Thank you for being with me. Despite all my struggling, you are still here with me and you’re helping me to develop. Just like we’re working on teaching my daughter to fall asleep on her own and we love her and are still around for her; I know you are still here for me. You are here, helping me to find my way, and to develop a deeper dependence on you. Thank you for the ways you teach me and help me to grow.
I know that you will continue to be with me and give me all that I need. Please help me to be strong as we help her to sleep on her own. Thank you for your grace and compassion. Grant us wisdom as we take care of her. Have your way in me and continue to provide me with what you know I need.
In Jesus’ Name,
AMEN

(6/5/10 - PM)
Papa,
Thank you for sustaining me throughout the day and for helping me to stay focused on you. Thank you for the reassurance that you are with me and that I am close to my deliverance. Please grant us wisdom as we care for our daughter and try to get her back on track with her sleep. Help me to be strong and to teach her how to sleep in a way that won’t erode the trust and feelings of security that I built up in her. Have your way Lord and continue to be with me and grant me good rest. Continue to teach me and grant me the strength to hold on and to rest in the shadow of your wings.
In Jesus’ Name,
AMEN

My Daughter,I love you and I am proud of you for trusting me today, even while you were in the thick of your depression. I want you to know that I am with you and your deliverance is not far away. I also want to encourage you and let you know that you will get your daughter back on track and she will sleep through the night again soon. Just keep on trusting me and follow your heart. Comfort her and rebuild her sense of security and she will be back to sleeping well. More than anything, she needs to know you’ll always be there and come to her aid when she needs help.
You’ve come a long way since yesterday and I wanted you to see that you could make those strides just by depending on me and doing what I’ve taught you to stay healthy and remain on track. Continue to believe that you are close to your deliverance and know that I will always give you what you need. You are in my shelter and I am protecting you, even when it doesn’t feel like it. Continue to be patient and endure and you will see my salvation every time. Rest now and know that I’m here for you.
Love Always,
Your Father God

(6/7/10)
Papa,
Thank you for this new day and for your faithfulness to me through this very trying time I just experienced. Thank you for your grace and your favor and for all that you are teaching me through it. I bless you for your mercy and loving kindness to me and my family. Thank you for the gift of rest last night and throughout the day yesterday. I bless you for all you do for me and my family. Have your way in me and continue to guide me and use me for your purposes. I love you Lord and I bless you for who you are. I am so grateful to be your daughter and to be taken care of so well by you. Continue to teach me as I reflect on Psalm 91. Show me all that you want me to see.
In Jesus’ Name,
AMEN

So, I finally reached the point where even though it was hard, I could believe that God was still there and if it was getting harder, it must mean that I’m close to the end of the struggle and deliverance is right around the corner…and sure enough it was. However, in those trying moments I tried to reach out and get in touch with people that I knew, who cared very much about me, but to no avail. That’s when I realized God had me alone with Him for that moment to teach me what it meant to allow Him to be my all.
I felt the need to declare out loud that God was with me; that I could trust Him to come through for me and that deliverance was right around the corner. I called my Nana and left that message on her answering machine, just so I could profess it aloud. Then I said it to my daughter. I told her, “God is with us. He’s taking care of us now, just like He always has and He will bring us through this.”
That night, I went to bed and later found out there was a tornado nearby. I was grateful it didn’t come too close to my home, but it got me thinking again about a shelter. Shelters are used for protection; a place for safety when a storm is about to hit. The structure is sound and strong and nothing can penetrate it. In order to take full use of a shelter, you have to be fully inside it and close the door. You have to shut out any and all outside influences. And while you’re in the shelter, you wait out the storm. You hear the wind howling around you and you may feel things shaking outside, but you are inside and safely protected. As you wait it out, there may be turmoil inside you and you may wonder if the shelter is going to hold you. But if you live in tornado country and you’ve used that shelter enough times, even through the highest category storm, you begin to trust that nothing can really get to you while you’re in that shelter. And, you can eventually find a bit of rest in knowing that you and your family are safe. You may lose material things, but the most valuable possessions, your loved ones, are right there with you. They are safe and nothing else matters. That’s when your heart can begin to rest.
So, back to living in the shelter of the Most High; it’s the same way. The more you endure storms and trials in your own life and depend on God to protect you and bring you through; you are living in His shelter. You’re not just passing through; you’ve made God your safe place and when times get tough you learn to listen only to His voice. As you learn to believe in what you’re hearing and hang onto those words, even if it’s for dear life, you can begin to find peace and rest. And as you hold onto that, you learn to wait out the storm. You hang in there with God, knowing that even if you can’t feel Him and even if it seems like you are all alone; you know that you’re not and you keep trusting and wait it out, believing that the storm will pass and it will get better.
The sooner you do that and find rest in God, the sooner that storm passes and you receive the deliverance for which you’ve desperately been waiting. Then you can say verse 2 “This I declare of the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God and I am trusting him.” This verse is the other one I’ve been holding onto in this season. It’s in the front page of my journal and I call it to memory often. Those words were written by someone who knew how to ride out the storm and I’m grateful to have them, because it helped me to remember the truth and ride out my own storm. Now, I received my deliverance and God gave me a gift of rest and peace that I desperately needed.
My hope was fulfilled on Sunday and I’m grateful for all God has done to teach me and to help me through this time. I can believe all the words of this Psalm, that “He will rescue me…He will shield me…He will protect me.” And I can say, “Hosanna”, which means the Lord saves. He has for me today and He will do the same for you if you trust Him.

My Daughter,
I’m pleased with you that it didn’t take you that long to give you what you asked for and teach you what it means to live in my shelter. I hope you can hold onto what you’ve learned and continue to let me teach you many things. No storm lasts forever. Remember that and always trust me. You are safe with me and I will always give you what you need.
Love Always,
Your Father God

Lost Perspective and the Importance of Remembrance to Keep us on the Right Path

The following is a study of Psalm 73 and while I have included the entire chapter here, my focus of the study was on verses 1-3 and 13-28. Psalm 73:26 has been one of my key verses in this season that God is taking me through, but when I went back to study the entire Psalm, I gained an even better perspective on its meaning and how beneficial that insight was to me right now. I hope that as you read this Psalm and this study, it will encourage you, as it has me; to regain a proper perspective through remembrance of who God is and His faithfulness to those who trust Him.

Psalm 73 (New Living Translation)
1 Truly God is good to Israel, to those whose hearts are pure.
2. But as for me, I came so close to the edge of the cliff! My feet were slipping, and I was almost gone.
3. For I envied the proud when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness.
4.They seem to live such a painless life; their bodies are so healthy and strong.
5. They aren’t troubled like other people or plagued with problems like everyone else.
6. They wear pride like a jeweled necklace, and their clothing is woven of cruelty.
7. These fat cats have everything their hearts could ever wish for!
8. They scoff and speak only evil; in their pride they seek to crush others.
9. They boast against the very heavens, and their words strut throughout the earth.
10. And so the people are dismayed and confused, drinking in all their words.
11. “Does God realize what is going on?” they ask. “Is the Most High even aware of what is happening?”
12. Look at these arrogant people - enjoying a life of ease while their riches multiply.
13. Was it for nothing that I kept my heart pure and kept myself from doing wrong?
14. All I get is trouble all day long; every morning brings me pain.
15. If I had really spoken this way, I would have been a traitor to your people.
16. So I tried to understand why the wicked prosper: but what a difficult task it is!
17. Then one day I went into your sanctuary, O God, and I thought about the destiny of the wicked.
18. Truly, you put them on a slippery path and send them sliding over the cliff to destruction.
19. In an instant they are destroyed, swept away by terrors.
20. Their present life is only a dream that is gone when they awake. When you arise, O Lord, you will make them vanish from this life.
21. Then I realized how bitter I had become, how pained I had been by all I had seen.
22. I was so foolish and ignorant - I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you.
23. Yet I still belong to you; you are holding my right hand.
24. You will keep on guiding me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny.
25. Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth.
26. My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.
27. But those who desert him will perish, for you destroy those who abandon you.
28. But as for me, how good it is to be near God! I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter; and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do.


As I thought about this Psalm, I wondered about a few things? Who was Asaph, other than the writer of this Psalm, and is there anything in Scripture about what his life was like? We know a lot about David; he was very famous, but Asaph not so much. I searched online and found out, through Bible History Online (http://www.bible-history.com/isbe/A/ASAPH/) that Asaph was one of David’s three chief musicians. It doesn’t get into the kind of life he had or what troubles he endured, but from reading this passage of scripture it is clear that life was not at all easy for him. However, the fact that he was chosen to be in such an esteemed position under David’s rule says a lot. I’m sure he also learned a lot from witnessing David’s life and his relationship with God.
Asaph was a man who was honest with God about his feelings and his disappointments, much like David. He seemed to always face challenges that brought pain to his heart and discouragement. He also seemed to have reached the point where he’d gotten tired of the struggle, tired of always trying to do the right thing and, to him; it appeared that it was not getting him anywhere good. Meanwhile, as he compared his life to the wicked, he really began to get despondent and lose perspective. The more he looked at the wicked, who seemed to have it good (prospering); the more he wanted that instead. He was tired and ready to fall away. He was reaching the end with possibly no hope of coming back. As he continued to reflect, he was able to be honest and admit his envy and bitterness and he only shared that with God, because he know how bad it would sound to others, like he was ready to go to the other side. What’s important is that he could admit to himself and to God where he was at and what was really going on in his heart.
Sometimes it is necessary to come close to the edge with life, because that is where you’re more inclined to take a good, hard look at what is going on in your life. It is important to look inward in order to find your way out. Asaph did this and he came to a few very important conclusions, and this happened when he went to a safe place…the sanctuary…the house of God. There he reflected on what was true about the plight of the wicked. He remembered that God would rise up at some point and deliver justice to the wicked. Another important realization he made was that he had become bitter by looking at the surface of things. By looking only at the way the situation seemed on the outside, he lost perspective and began to compare his life to the wicked and he lost sight of the greater truth.
As he finally turned his eyes back to where they belonged, looking to God, and beyond this present existence; his focus was brought back in line. He recognized his flawed thinking, remembered that God hadn’t left him and that God was actually holding him up and sustaining him. He also remembered that God was, in fact, guiding him and leading him to a very important and “glorious destiny”. He regained his perspective and along with that, hope and a recognition of his deepest desire…that God was all he really wanted and needed in this life. Nothing else could take God’s place in his life.
He also recognized that, yes, in this present life the body may deteriorate beyond what one expects and it can be easy to be weakened at heart when this happens; however, his strength and ability to endure come from God alone! AND, more importantly, that God is his forever. So, no matter what else comes and goes in his life, no matter how much his body fails him and no matter how much pain he experiences, physically and otherwise; God is still there to hold him up and He always will be.
Those are some significant realizations, and if we, as God’s children, choose to remember that ourselves and take it to heart; we can overcome our own challenges in life and not end up falling away from God when things seem too tough. Having this realization helps us to remember good things about God; His love, His mercy, His faithfulness and His desire to bring us to our destiny and bless us. In this way, God becomes our place of safety and we can depend on Him to protect us, provide for us and to finish the work of transformation He started in us.
Finally, when we come to this realization and we choose to remember who God is, what our place is with Him and that He is working in our lives to bring us to our destiny; then we can go through our days with hope and joy. We can then share with others this hope we have and what God has done in our lives. This is extremely encouraging to me. It lets me know that no matter how far off the deep end I feel I’m getting sometimes, when I lose perspective and start to focus on the problems, the pain and begin to think that it is never going to change; I can always find my way back. If I look to God and depend on Him to be my all, my sight can become clear again. The discipline of refocusing through reflection and remembrance, is something that no one can take away from me. Thanks be to God for the powerful gift of remembrance.

Reflections of a Very Important Psalm

Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about the importance of reflection, especially with having a newborn and surprisingly having a pretty good chunk of time to reflect while breastfeeding. Becoming a parent is a very awesome, yet terrifying experience, and as I’ve spent time observing my daughter as she grows, I find that God is teaching me a lot about Himself through that experience. I’m amazed at how much we can learn if we take the time to observe and reflect on seemingly simplistic things.
Since my daughter’s birth, four months ago, I’ve been spending a lot of time in the Psalms and reflecting on the words of the writers…mostly David. The more I journal, the more I’m starting to see the Psalms as a prayer journal left behind for all of mankind to read and explore the idea of having an intimate relationship with God. David wrote a majority of the Psalms and he was called by God “a man after God’s own heart”. Despite the not so wonderful things that David was known for doing in his life, he was known to have an intimate relationship with God that profoundly impacted his life and the lives of an entire nation. David knew how to be alone with God and how to cry out for help when he needed it. He also had a healthy appreciation for God’s work in nature and it touched his life.
I find myself grateful for David’s utter honesty with God and his desire to please God and still let him know when he was struggling. And, knowing that God dubbed him “a man after God’s own heart”, tells me that it’s necessary and it’s God’s desire that our relationship with Him be open, honest and fully transparent. That, to me, is the backbone of any good, intimate relationship. Reflecting on David’s words to God about how he was feeling in dark times and in good times, has taught me many things and has increased my hope in God’s desire for us to know Him as He fully knows us. David’s realization of who God is in His life can be seen very clearly in Psalm 23, and it’s the passage I reflected on for several weeks. What has come out of that reflection, has enhanced my view of God and shown me the importance of going through ups and downs in life and how God operates to bring about His deepest desire for us to have an intimate relationship with Him.
The following study captures what God taught me as I reflected on this very important passage of scripture. I hope that as you read these words, both mine and what God said to me, it will encourage you to reflect on scripture and to be open to what God wants to teach you as you walk with Him.

Psalm 23 (New Living Translation)

The Lord is my shepherd; I have everything I need.
He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams.
He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.
Even when I walk through the dark valley of death, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.
You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You welcome me as a guest, anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings.
Surely goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.

Reflections from vs. 1
God is the one who takes care of me. He protects me and handles everything that concerns me. Like a child, I am completely dependent on Him to give me what I need, so that I can develop spiritually. My responsibility is to depend on Him, love Him and trust Him; and as I do that I cannot help but develop good character and grow strong - completely secure in Him.

Reflections from vs. 2
God knows the importance of nature and its restorative powers. There is healing that can be experienced when you allow yourself to soak in nature’s essence. God knows that…He designed it to function that way in order to give us what we need. That provision can be subtle, but it is always perfect.

My Daughter,
Over the years you have discovered the hidden treasure of nature, and as you continue to enjoy its gifts, you will grow in inspiration and in your ability to see the unseen. Allow me to teach you more as you rest in nature and know that I am always with you and I will continue to guide you.
Love Always,
Your Father God

Reflections from vs. 3
If God renews my strength, it means He gives me the amount of strength I need at just the right moment. He guides me to keep me going in the right direction. I can always depend on Him to lead me to the right places. If things don’t seem to work out the way I plan or expect them to, I can trust that God is working behind the scenes to bring about the right outcome at just the right time. So, rejection is not rejection and missed connections are not avenues of failure, but God orchestrating, guiding and protecting me because He knows what I need and when I need it. He also knows when being around others is not good for me, so He intervenes and protects me when I need it most; even when I am not aware of my need for it. As He does this, He receives glory because I know the credit rightly belongs to Him.

Reflections from vs. 4
The dark valley of death can rear its ugly head at any time, but the important thing to grasp is that God is still right there beside you. The sooner you recognize that and ask Him for help, the sooner peace will come. It is safe to say that the dark valley symbolizes a low point in one’s life, whether it is experienced for a day, a month, a year or more. That low point brings with it fantasies about death, both figurative and literal. We all go through low points with periods of darkness, because of the unknown or because of a lack of satisfaction in our present circumstances. However, if we believe that God is with us and He’s working on us, we know that these periods of darkness won’t last forever because they are meant to bring about growth. As we grow, we change our perspective, so that it matches up with what God wants for us. The more we grow, the more we are prepared for our destiny and the more satisfaction we will experience. Even when we face the unknown, it is okay because if God is with us and we believe He desires good things for us, then we can hold onto that truth and allow that to encourage us.

Reflections from vs. 5
Protection and comfort are two essentials for everyday life as a believer. God knows us better than anyone because He created us and He lives inside us. He knows what’s going on inside us, even before we do and He uses His own tools to protect us from harm; whether it be from others or ourselves, and He comforts us in the way that only He can. As we depend on Him for protection and comfort, we see His faithfulness to come through for us and to guide us. Thanks be to God for being what I need at the very moments in my life when I need it most.

Reflections from vs. 6
It is God who does the work of preparation and planning and it is our job to work with Him and get on board with what He’s doing in our lives. His intentions are good. His plans are perfect. We just have to trust Him. When we do, all that we need follows us and catches up to us at just the right moment.
When I think about it, in those times and even now, feasts are used during times of celebration and even honor. When David says “you prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies”, that is significant because often David’s enemies would mock him and his God because they knew he served God and in their eyes if this God was real and powerful, He would have already come through and delivered David from them. However, often times the fact that we are required to wait is all a part of God’s plan for drawing the right amount of attention to the situation, so that when He does come through, we can be sure that our enemies and all who doubted can see God in His glory and splendor, coming through for us.
Since David learned to hang in there while He was waiting for God’s deliverance, God chose to honor him with a “feast” and He honored him in front of the very people who were trying to destroy him. God’s tactics may at first seem hard and callous on the surface and at times it may feel like God has abandoned those who serve Him, but in reality He’s just creating the perfect opportunity for others to see who He really is. He is love, He is faithful, He protects and always come through for His people and He restores those who serve Him and gives them more than they ever could have imagined, far beyond the grief that they went through in getting to that moment. The joy, honor and peace that they experience by the hand of God far outweighs the sadness and pain they went through prior to God’s deliverance. And, as they learn to depend on God and remain faithful in the midst of such trying times, God gives them the strength and grace to endure. God brings us in, welcoming us as His guest of honor, after we’ve come through the trial and we receive blessings beyond anything we could have imagined…more than our lives can ever contain.
Now, because God takes care of me and I remain faithful to believe that He will always do that, “goodness and mercy will pursue me all the days of my life” and no longer am I just a guest in God’s house, but I will live there forever. Once I’ve reached this place with God, where I am this dependent on Him, I don’t have to seek goodness and mercy anymore…it comes after me. It follows me everywhere and I go through my life always basking in the goodness and mercy of God. Having this kind of relationship with God is pleasing to Him. It is what God desires from us. It is what He wanted from the very beginning and those who have that relationship with Him are now invited to live in God’s house. They belong there as a permanent resident, living in the house of the King of the Universe, having full access to Him and enjoying the fulfillment that comes with freedom to be who they are in God and to finally find their heart’s home.

My Daughter,
I’m so glad you’re getting to understand more and more about my intentions for people in this life. I’m glad you took the time to keep reflecting on these verses in Psalm 23 and to ask me to show you more. I am always faithful to do that as you humble yourself and depend on me to guide you through your life. It is my hope that you will continue to pursue me in this way and let me teach you many things.
Look at all you’ve learned about my desire for all people, just by taking the time to reflect on the words that I encouraged David to write. He did have a very special relationship with me, despite the mistakes he made, because at the core of his heart, he desired to know me. I put that longing in his heart, just as it exists in all people, and he chose to pay attention to that longing and not ignore it. As David spent a lot of time in solitude, while shepherding, he became aware of that longing and didn’t run from it or try to drown it out with ambient noise. His time in nature fostered an environment where he was free to explore the true longing of his heart and as he did that, he became a man that I have said was after my heart.
I desire this for all people and I give everyone the chance to discover it within themselves. However, in this world, and in this time, most people choose noise instead of the quiet that is required to discover the longing that exists in the heart of every human being. You’ve been drawn to and able to discover the longing in your own heart through your connection with nature.
As you’ve desire to get away and enjoy the peace and quiet that nature provides, you’ve discovered a safety there that has made it possible for you to face the truth and embrace it. As you’ve done this, I’ve brought you back from the abyss and you’ve been learning what it means to depend on me for every part of your existence and you’ve allowed me to develop good character in you, just as I did with David. I want that for all who are willing to come, so share my words and let what I’ve taught you be the helping hand that my people need to see the truth and come to me. I want you to know that in doing this, you receive blessings far beyond what you will have room to contain and it is my great pleasure to give that to you and to continue to work with you. You will experience many great things in me, among which are freedom and fulfillment.
Love Always,
Your Father God

Prayer for the people of Haiti

Papa,
I cannot imagine what is going on in the hearts and minds of the people in Haiti right now, after having experienced such a horrific earthquake. The shock and trauma alone must be devastating, but also not having the aid necessary to rescue the hundreds of thousands who may be trapped underneath the rubble; must be destroying the people as well. Help the people of Haiti, who are struggling right now. Bring relief and aid from all corners of the world to help them. Cause people from all over the world to be generous and help in the ways that they can; even if it's just by taking time to pray.
Protect those who are still caught under the rubble, but are still alive. May your hand of mercy cover the people there and bring hope in the midst of utter devastation. Have your way and may your perfect will be done. Bring peace and clarity in the midst of chaos, and cause the hearts of the people to be open to care for the children who have lost their parents in the earthquake. Comfort those who are mourning in Haiti and may they feel your presence and your hand of protection. Restore Haiti and bring them through this tragedy, to the other side and may the faith of the people be strenghtened in the midst of this painful experience. Thank you for all that you will do to protect these people and bring the relief that they need.
In Jesus' Name,
AMEN

Importance of Struggle and Self-Reflection

It is in the challenges that you learn what you’re really made of and begin to discover who you are, underneath the surface. We all have the potential for real depth; we just need to take the time to do the work and look within ourselves to see what we believe and what makes us tick. Often times it takes significant challenges to get us to the place where we are willing to do the work. It’s easy to despise those challenges and seemingly bad situations that come up in our lives, because struggle is hard and no one likes to struggle. But, struggle is a very important part of true and meaningful development.

If you look at the natural birthing process, a baby has to make it’s way through the birth canal in labor before it can be born. There’s an intense struggle to force its way out into the world. It’s the same for a bird that has to peck its way out of its shell. As that pecking and pushing take place, muscles are exercised and get stronger, so that when that bird makes its way out of the shell, it has a chance to survive and eventually use its wings to fly. Imagine you are watching a bird emerging from its shell. You see it struggle and you decide you want to help and pull away some of the shell for that baby bird. You may think you’re doing it a favor, but you’re actually hurting its chances for survival. This is because those muscles won’t develop well enough to work outside the shell if that bird doesn’t get the chance to do the work and peck/push it’s way out.

Struggle is necessary for every being’s development and the sooner you recognize this, the sooner you can allow that struggle to function as it should in your life, to bring about the right changes in you. As you allow struggle to operate in your life, the way it’s designed to, it will cause you to enter a period of self-reflection. This self-reflection will lead you to a place of asking yourself some important questions. “Who am I, really?” “What am I doing here on earth?” “Do I have a purpose?” “Can I find true fulfillment, or is this all there is to life?” When you reach that place of self-reflection, God will be waiting, expectantly and with love, to answer your questions and show you the truth about who He is, who you are, and who He created you to be.

Moments with God: Vigilance during the Home Stretch

Included within these pages are the keys necessary to know how to engage in eternal living, as a child of God, when you are on the spiritual battlefield and especially how to be vigilant when you approach the home stretch in your season. The scripture verses studied include John 7:39 (A Look at Belief) and Ephesians 6:10-18 (A Look at the Whole Armor of God). The format of the entire study includes conversations between myself and God as I studied these passages, along with the actual study and the truths God revealed to me to help me grow spiritually and stand firm during attacks of the enemy.

A Look at Belief

John 7:39 (New Living Translation)

(When he said, “living water,” he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.)

Looking at John 7:39, it says “the Spirit would be given to everyone believing in him”; so it truly is all about your belief. Your belief activates the process. Your belief fuels your growth and transformation. Your belief gives you the ability to express the power of God through eternal living. That is why the devil fights so hard to get you to doubt.
First, he tries to distract you with problems, so that you do not even consider looking to the truth and believing in God. Then, he tries to plant seeds of doubt to keep you from believing once you have been exposed to the truth of the Gospel. Moreover, once you have accepted the truth, believed and received the Holy Spirit; the devil will try to get you to doubt God’s love for you and God’s perspective about how valuable you are to Him. The devil will also try to make you doubt that you can hear from God, understand and especially interpret what God is saying to you.
The devil will fight you every step of the way on your journey. However, if you resolve to trust in God’s words, depend on His love and provision, and believe you hear Him and can interpret what He is saying to you and apply it to your life personally; then you will become an impenetrable force for God. This will cause the enemy to tremble, because he knows there is nothing else he can do to stop you. This is where God desires us to be. It is essential that you spend time with God and let Him transform you and renew your mind, so you can experience eternal living here on earth and be a mighty force for God and express who God is, LOVE, to everyone you encounter.

My Daughter,
Yes, this is exactly the way the enemy likes to work and since you now know this, you can avoid his traps. From this, you know if you start getting distracted and focused on the problems, you can overcome by shifting the focus from your situation onto who I AM, my love for you and my track record of provision and faithfulness in your life. You also know that if you begin to doubt in any way, that the devil is trying to steal life from you. So, since he is trying to steal it, shift your focus again onto my words that are life and remember who I AM, what I have done for you and what I have been teaching you, and you will reject the seed of doubt that the enemy is trying to plant in you. As you do this your faith will grow and you will not succumb to his trap of deception.
This truth is the key to staying on track with me. If you will always remember this truth and do what I have told you when you recognize that you are focused on the problems, or that you are beginning to feel doubt; you will become this great vessel that I can use to make a powerful impact in the world, just like Jesus did – AND THAT IS THE TRUTH. See how freeing that is. When you know the truth and you know where the traps are, you can easily avoid them and avoid destruction. Victory will then be yours, and you will experience power beyond anything imaginable. This is simple and the truth does not have to be complicated. Keep this word straight and hold it over your heart. Speak the power of this word and see it manifest great results for you. Be encouraged today and know that this truth you have discovered will be your saving grace.
Love Always, Your Father God



A Look at The Whole Armor of God

Papa,
I thank you that today is a new day, with new mercies. Thank you for the grace that you give me to endure and for the strength to keep pressing forward. Thank you for helping me to see what’s been happening and why I keep ruminating over things. I did take what happened personally and I should not have, because the enemy was behind it. In all my pain and distress, I failed to see that and I allowed myself to get very hurt. I should not be allowing myself to be affected by things like this, because you have taught me to see beyond the surface to what is really going on and to forgive. Please forgive me for not seeing that sooner.
I’m amazed at what that taught me about the power of being hurt and how it can keep you on the ground, focusing on every aspect of the problem, instead of looking up and flying above these burdens and challenging circumstances. Thank you for helping me to see that the attack caught my “spiritual wings”, so I wasn’t able to fly and rise above the situation to a place where I am completely focused on you and trusting in your goodness and mercy. That hurt took me to a place of self-pity and fear about the future and that is not where you want me to be. I’m grateful that you’ve helped me to see the truth and now get my focus back where it belongs, on you, so that I can experience healing and the freedom to fly again, above the problems and the unknown.
Thank you for your goodness to me and for helping me to see these truths. Thank you for what you have taught me about hurt and how it can keep me bound if I don’t open my eyes and see the truth about what is going on. Please continue to guide me and help me to recognize it sooner, so that I don’t get caught like that again. I can see I’m still adjusting to these “glasses of mercy”, which I should have on all the time. Help me to use them appropriately and see beyond the surface, to the truth of what’s really going on.
Thank you for your goodness and your loving kindness. I love you Lord and I’m grateful for what you are teaching me. Thank you for your forgiveness and for showing me the truth, that has set me free. Thank you also for helping me to see the importance of staying calm in every situation. If I stay calm, I can avoid escalating a situation to a place that only leads to strife and grief. Continue to help me to do that and grant me the wisdom I need to always operate calmly and rationally.
Thank you for your faithfulness and your grace to me today. Thank you for helping me to remember the things you’ve taught me, and for the power of applying those truths. Lord, please be with me today as I work on typing up some of the newer things you’ve been teaching me, so I can start to review them every day and get those words deep inside me. Thank you for showing me the importance of recognizing the changes within a season and the need for more vigilance as I come down this home stretch. Continue to guide me and work in me. Help me to be careful about what I allow into my mind in these last few weeks of this trial. Thank you for your mercy, compassion and forgiveness. Thank you also for your love and patience through this challenge. Thank you for the way you are strengthening me and preparing me for your purposes. I love you Lord, and I am so grateful for all you’ve done for me and for the healing and restoration you’ve given me this morning. Have your way in me today and keep me from falling into any traps of the enemy. May your will me done in my life and may you receive all the glory.
In Jesus’ Name, AMEN

My Daughter,
I’m proud of you for recognizing what you were experiencing and for using what I’ve taught you to come through it. There’s something very important I want you to understand about what the enemy is doing and how you can overcome it. The enemy will use the people closest to you, and plan attacks to do things to try to hurt you. But, you have a very important weapon against that attack and it’s in the way you choose to love, despite what is being done to you. If you will make up your mind to love and keep expressing that love, no matter what, the enemy’s tactics will not work and he will eventually release the hold he has on those he is using to harm you. So, if you will submit to what I am teaching you and choose to use those “glasses of mercy” and always respond with love and quickly forgive; knowing that the person who’s attacking you has no idea what they are really doing (because they are being used by the enemy), that will break the hold the enemy has over them.

Lily, love is so powerful and unfortunately my people don’t see the importance of it enough, because they are so busy focusing on their own problems and their own hurt, instead of just trusting me to take care of them and heal them. I want my people to see that if they will trust me, keep their eyes on me through a challenge and allow me to show them what’s going on beyond the surface; they can begin to overcome by responding with love, compassion, mercy and forgiveness. These are the four things that will help you to overcome the attacks of the enemy. You fight with faith and my word, but these are the underlying tools that work to break the hold of the enemy and his power in an attack.
I want you to take your time this morning and study the passage on the armor you use when fighting a spiritual battle. It’s time for you to understand the truths here and begin to use all that is at your disposal to defeat the enemy. Trust in me and know that I’m with you and I will continue to show you the truth. Let that be your focus today and over the next few days. I want you to be prepared for the battle ahead. And, remember not to fear because as I’ve told you, I’ve already overcome and your responsibility in the battle is to keep your eyes on me, keep trusting me and use what I’ve taught you; submitting to my word, and you will always make it through. Continue to trust me and know that I am always with you.
Love Always, Your Father God


Ephesians 6: 10-18 (New Living Translation)

A final word: Be strong with the Lord’s mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies and tricks of the Devil. For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in heavenly realms.
Use every piece of God’s armor to resist the enemy in the time of evil, so that after the battle you will be standing firm.
Stand your ground, putting on the sturdy belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness.
For shoes, put on peace that comes from the Good News, so that you will be fully prepared.
In every battle you will need faith as your shield to stop the fiery arrows aimed at you by Satan.
Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Pray at all times and on every occasion in the power of the Holy Spirit. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all Christians everywhere.


Study of Ephesians 6: 10-18

-The strength we get must come from God. He teaches us and shows us that He is with us and that He has already overcome. So, as we believe in God’s words about these truths, we are strengthened and more prepared for the battle.

-We must make use of every piece of armor that God has put at our disposal and that armor is powerful, once you know what it’s for and how to use it. When you understand that the armor is for a battle that you cannot see with your natural eye, you are more prepared to depend on God, who is in the spirit realm where the battle takes place, to show you what you need to see. This way, you can fight the attack by resisting the enemy (James 4:7). The armor is for the resistance.

-When you’re in a battle that you cannot see with your natural eye, you’ve got to learn to work with God, who will teach you, develop you and help you to have the perspective that you need to see the enemy’s attack. God will teach you how to see the spiritual battle, but you must first learn what tools are in your arsenal and how to use them.

-It’s important that you see who your enemy is in the battle and how he tries to attack you. Your enemy is always Satan, not people; however, he will use people all the time to try to get to you. This is where you will need the guidance and wisdom from God to show you when you are under attack and how that attack is happening. If you don’t know you are in a spiritual battle, you will find yourself getting hurt or injured inside and you won’t know why it’s happening, where it’s coming from and what’s causing those feelings. And you will begin to respond (or fight back) in a way that will only escalate things, instead of doing what is necessary to break the back of the attack against you.

-Our goal in overcoming the battle is to stand firm, so that we can continue to be about the purpose God created us for and to represent Him in the earth. We represent Him best by showing mercy, compassion, forgiveness and love to others.

*The purpose of the armor is to give you the ability to stand firm against all strategies and tricks of the Devil. It’s important to understand that the Devil will use many different tactics to get you to fall in the battle. His goal is to get you to fall down until you reach the point where you fall away from God completely. But, the one who stands firm and is victorious in the battle is the one who can admit their complete dependence on God and spend regular time with Him, in order to be transformed and prepared for the battle. This person can then use the tools in their arsenal the way God shows them to.

As you stay humble, wholly dependent on God, and remain in constant communication with Him, He will show you how to fight off every different tactic that the enemy tries to use against you. You must keep an attitude of vigilance, staying alert and prepared for the battle, by staying connected to God, remaining in Him and walking around with His peace. That peace comes as you trust completely in Him, casting all your cares, worries and problems on Him; knowing that He cares for you (1 Peter 5:7) and is able to do all that you will ever need Him to do. This frees you up to focus on your destiny and do the very thing that God created you to do in the world.

The enemy will use every strategy and trick he can to deceive you into thinking that you are alone, unloved, no one is concerned about you and you have to make it on your own if you want to survive. He will whisper those words into your ear, but if you’ve been with God and you’ve heard His words and you can hold onto His words to you, then you can defeat that kind of attack. Once you’ve learned how to defeat the enemy in this way, he will try other methods, maybe more subtle way to get to you. He may use friends or family or even people in the church to send you that same kind of message by how they treat you or the words they say to you. But, if you learn to stay connected to God and remember the things He’s taught you and allow Him to remind you about the very truth you need to combat that attack; you won’t fall prey to these strategies either and you will continue to stand firm, strong in God.

Allow God to be your constant companion and never allow yourself to stray from Him or stop trusting Him. Believe in His love for you and His goodness, mercy, grace and faithfulness and hang on tightly to those things that you know to be true. And, if you trying that and you still feel like you’re getting stuck, you may have gotten snagged by one of the Devil’s arrows and you may need to let God show you where the hurt is that’s keeping you down. This way, you can see the truth, have compassion, extend mercy, forgive, choose to love and move on. When you do this, you break the back of the enemy’s attack or his hold on whoever he’s using to try to harm you.

So, what’s in your arsenal for the battle?

Truth (Belt)
God’s Righteousness (Body Armor)
Peace (Shoes)
Faith (Shield)
Salvation (Helmet)
Word of God (Sword)
Prayer -> holds all your armor together

What is the function/benefit of each piece of armor:

Truth & God’s Righteousness are the anchors that you need to help you stand your ground. No matter what the enemy throws at you, if you can hold onto the truths from God’s word and what personal truths He reveals to you about yourself and the life He’s given you, you won’t be thrown off balance. As you depend on Him, He will show you the truth in any given situation, so you can see beyond the surface to what’s really going on, and you can see the enemy behind it. If you always walk in God’s righteousness, adopting His right way of living eternally; keeping the perspective that you are a spiritual being (God’s child), and the life you’re meant to live is a spiritual one expressed through your physical body, then you will remain anchored in God. Your identity is then completely secure in Him and nothing and no one can shake you from that understanding.

Peace that comes from knowing the Good News of eternal life, which God has promised to those who believe, will change you and put you in a state where you are always prepared to tell others about this wonderful gift from God. As you walk through your journey with this peace, people will be drawn to you and want to know how it is that you’re able to have such peace. It is then that you can share with them the Good News of the gift of eternal life through belief in Jesus and the power that is available to you to live eternally, wholly dependent on God. Also, it is in this way that you do damage to the enemy’s camp. Walking around with peace and being prepared to share the truth of this Good News is a very powerful weapon, and when you share this Good News, it is like planting a bomb or setting up a grenade that will blow up in the enemy’s camp when someone hears and receives the Good News.
*The Gospel shared in peace is most effective and does the most damage to the enemy’s camp.

Salvation is the helmet that protects your mind from the attacks of the enemy. When you know that you have been saved by grace and nothing that you’ve done, it puts you at ease. You have nothing to prove. God saved you purely because He loves you and He chose to spare you and save you from sin and eternal death. Your response is simple, to believe and receive His love and let Him transform you so you can express God’s love to others. As God transforms you and renews your mind, you develop a desire to love others. The more time you spend with God, the more that desire grows, until love is no longer just what you do; it becomes a part of who you are.

Faith & the Word of God are a winning combination on the spiritual battlefield. Faith, as the shield, is your defensive weapon and the Word of God, as the sword of the Spirit, is your offensive weapon. These two weapons work together to block attacks and to do some damage to the enemy’s camp. As you spend time with God, getting to know Him, your faith grows and you learn how to hear Him better and hold onto the words that He shows you in Scripture and the words that He speaks to you personally. Both words from God are effective in fighting the battle and as you hold onto those words and confess them when the enemy attacks; you are using your faith in the confession, so your shield is lifted and your sword comes out at the enemy.
The more you get in the habit of spending time with God and studying His word, the easier it will be to access those words in your spirit and confess them by faith. The more you learn to use these weapons in the attack, the more effective you will be and the faster and easier it will be for you to pull out exactly what truths you need from God’s word to hold onto by faith and defeat the enemy.

Prayer is the secret weapon that holds all your armor together. Simply talking to God and always keeping the lines of communication open, will do tremendous things for you. The more you get to know Him intimately and depend on Him, the more you will talk to Him throughout your day; asking Him for wisdom and guidance as you encounter different situations. This allows you to develop a deep trust in God, which will keep you casting all your cares on Him and will keep you focused on fulfilling your destiny.
The more intimate your relationship is with God, the more you will advance and grow, and get the get the attention of the enemy. However, since you’ve learned from God how to fight the battle, you can use your weapons and continue to be driven by love, compassion, mercy and forgiveness, which is what Jesus did and it’s what God desires from you. As you grow spiritually, you will be more vigilant and effective in resisting the enemy. You will also get into the habit of praying for other believers because you know the attack is real and challenging, and it can only be won through dependence on God.

The following was God’s response to me after finishing this study:

My Daughter,
I’m pleased to see that you have pressed through and taken the time today to study this passage the way I instructed you to. Now you have learned some very valuable truths that will help you to be even more effective in the coming days ahead, and further into the future. I hope you will take the time and review these truths that you’ve learned, so that you can use them and be effective. Allow what you have learned to penetrate your heart, so you can have easy access to it later. Remember that I am here for you and I will continue to guide you and strengthen you.
Love Always, Your Father God

The following was what God said to me regarding His word, after having reviewed this study of Ephesians 6:10-18 a few times:

My Daughter,
I’m glad to see that as you continue to review this study of Ephesians 6, you’re beginning to realize that there’s something very important about having my word as a weapon. The combination of your faith and my word is very powerful in defeating the enemy; however, in order for my word to be in your arsenal of weapons, you’ve got to get it on the inside of you. My word has to become very real to you, so you learn it, know it and hide it deep in your heart, then you can access it when you need it.
My words have got to make its way from the page, into your spirit; otherwise, when you go to reach for that sword, it won’t be there because you didn’t get the word inside you. That is why I continue to stress to you the importance of reviewing what I’m showing you in my word (scripture) and reviewing the personal words I’m giving you, because I want them to get deep inside of you. Once the word is deep inside you, the enemy cannot steal it from you, and then you’ll have full access to it when he comes against you.
Part of what I want you to understand is that, just reading the word or hearing the word will not get it inside you. It will remain on the surface of your spirit and the enemy can easily take it from you. Then you will have no recollection of what you’ve heard, so you won’t be able to use it to your advantage. But, if you study my word, meditate on it, keep reviewing it and let me give you more revelation about it, my words will begin to penetrate your heart and sink deeper and deeper into your spirit. The more of my word that you study, the more you will have in your arsenal. This way you can pull out the right word for the right attack.
The other part of what I want you to understand about my word is that it becomes real to you as you are tested in it. So, when I teach you something from my word or I speak a personal word to you, it must then be tested to see if you got what I taught you. This means you will go through things that will require you to use the words I just gave you. The more familiar you are with my words, because of the review that you’ve done, the easier it will be to remember it for the test. Then, when you’re out in the battlefield, those tests that you’ve had will come in handy and you’ll be prepared and know just what to do to overcome the attack and stand firm. Remember that I am always with you and I will be here to help you through your tests and on the battlefield. Continue to trust in me to reveal more to you as your review this study.
Love Always, Your Father God

The following was what God said to me regarding pain and the spiritual drivers (love, compassion, mercy and forgiveness) after another review of this study of Ephesians 6:10-18:

My Daughter,
I know what’s getting at you as you review this study of the Whole Armor. You recognize that the reality of being in any battle, spiritual or physical, is that there will be pain involved. Yes, it’s true, when you’re in a battle you will experience pain. Jesus had to do it and so will you. But, I want you to see that the more you work with me and let me teach you how to fight in the battle, the stronger and more skilled you will become and the less you will get hit by the arrows and blows of the enemy. The less you get hit, the less pain you will experience. However, you must know that pain is a very important part of living. Pain is very much like struggle; it’s necessary for this time, but later on, after pain has served it’s full purpose, I will have no more use for it and my people won’t experience it any longer.

What I want you to see are two things. As you come to me when you experience pain, I will heal your wounds and make you better off than if you had never been through that pain to begin with. So, always stay connected to me and know that I will heal and restore you. The second thing I want you to understand is how you get more skilled, so that you can reduce the number of arrows that snag you.
I know you’ve been wondering more about these spiritual drivers I keep talking about; love & compassion, mercy & forgiveness. They are paired this way for a reason and I will continue to reveal more to you about it. But, for now I want you to see the connection that as you begin to allow yourself to be driven by love & compassion and extend mercy & forgiveness, you will develop the ability to see more sharply in the spiritual battle and your skin will be more like Teflon. So, most of what will come at you will not be allowed to penetrate your heart and cause the extent of the damage it normally would.
For now, you need to know that the more time you spend with me, the more I will teach you about allowing these spiritual drivers to have their work in you. Just be patient. I know you want it now, so you can avoid more pain, but it will take time and more revelation to get you to the place where you are ready to let these drivers work in you completely. Trust me, in time you will have them, but right now there is more I need to teach you before you are ready for that work to be done in you. Remember that I’m always with you and I will continue to teach you, guide you, protect you and heal you.
Finally, I want you to see that in the midst of your pain I will never turn my back on you. Jesus endured that, so you wouldn’t have to. All the sins of the world were placed on him and in the midst of the greatest physical pain anyone could ever endure (being on the cross); Jesus also had to experience the pain & weight of all that sin on him and I had to turn my back on him because I couldn’t look on all that sin. He endured a break in our relationship that he had never experienced before and that’s what finally killed him.
He endured that because it was the only way for you and all people to ever have a chance to be restored to a true and real relationship with me. Jesus paid the ultimate price and endured a separation from me that he didn’t deserve, all so true life and balance could be restored. Be grateful, and understand that because of what he endured, you never have to endure separation from me when you’re going through painful experiences. You always have me, so lean on me and I will bring you through in the midst of your pain and suffering. I am always here for you.
Love Always, Your Father God

This was my response…

Jesus,
Thank you for what you did, for the tremendous sacrifice, all because of the love you had for us and more importantly for your Father. You paid the ultimate price and endured pain unimaginable, just because it’s what your Father wanted you to do. I can’t imagine what it must have felt like to endure such physical pain and the agony of the separation from your Father that you experienced. What that must have done to your mind, body and spirit, I may never know, but you endured it because of love.
I want you to know that I am humbled and forever grateful for what you did and I will dedicate my life to learning what I need to learn in order to experience the life you died for me to have. I want to experience all that you, the Father and the Holy Spirit intended for me here on this earth and in the fullness of eternity. I look forward to all the more there is to learn as I continue to work with the Holy Spirit and study your life on earth.
I am grateful to have such a Savior and a Brother. I love you Jesus and I always will. Thank you for paying the ultimate price for me and all mankind. I’m grateful and I know that it’s because of what you’ve done that I have access to your Father. It’s great to be part of your family. There is no other like it. I give you glory today and I praise you for saving me.
AMEN

Prayer for 2010

Papa,

Thank you for this new day and the beginning of a new year. Thank you for all you’ve brought me through in the last year and all the changes you’ve made in my life. Thank you for all the healing you’ve done in me and for never giving up on me as I struggled to live and to press through. Thank you for your guidance and closeness in the last year and for the hope of new life, with a child. Thank you for all your provisions and for your continued grace to me. I bless you for your faithfulness and loving kindness. You’ve been so good to me. I’m grateful for the way that you’ve saved me and given me the perspective on how you want me to live life. I’m so grateful for your favor and for your timing in the things you’ve allowed to happen this year. Thank you for all that you have done.

Thank you so much for who you are and for your awesome power and might. I look forward to getting to know you even better in this new year and to learning how to function well as your daughter on this earth. Thank you for your word and the power in it. Thank you for the truth of your word and for revelation, that has the ability to completely change lives.

Lord, I ask that in the coming year, your people would learn what it means to be yours and that they would come to you desiring desperately to know you intimately. I ask that there would be a tremendous shift in the priorities of your people, where they’re no longer caught up by the problems they face, but they learn to keep their eyes on you and to depend wholly on you, no matter what. I ask that your people would begin to leave old things behind in this new year and get with you to break the strongholds in their lives and heal all their wounds. I ask that your people would finally get to the place where they desire to know who they are in you and begin to learn about how valuable they are to you and the purpose you created them for. I ask that your people would begin to be about doing your will in the earth and be wholly committed to you. Let there be a longing to know you deeply and a desire to be faithful, to be transformed, to love and live completely for you. I ask that these changes would take place this year in your people and that the whole world would begin to see that you are God Alone, ruler of all, maker of all and you love them and have a gift of life to offer them.

This is my desire for 2010 and I ask that your kingdom, your rule and your way of doing things would come to our world and be done on earth in the same way that your angels go about carrying out your will in Heaven. May this be a year where you are glorified and your people finally get straight with you, and begin to live radical lives with boldness and an evident commitment to you, that leaves judgment and religiosity aside. Let love, compassion, mercy and forgiveness drive your people this year and let it create a change that this world has never seen before. Give them strength to stand during the attacks they will face as they pursue you and begin to advance. Have your way Lord and may you receive all the glory.

In Jesus’ Name, AMEN


My Daughter,

It pleases me that you would desire to ask for these things. I desire to see these changes take place in the world, and the time is coming where those who are truly my people will rise up and begin to do as you have asked. You’ve seen what it takes for drastic changes like that to occur, because of what you’ve endured in your own life in this last year. There will be pain, suffering and intense challenge to draw out this type of true commitment to me, because people don’t really experience a desire to change until they see the real emptiness in their own lives. Sometimes, seeing that emptiness requires significant, life-changing things to happen. You’ve experienced those things this year and I’ve taught you how to overcome and press through to really get to know me intimately. You see that it’s not an impossible feat and it is what I have desired from the beginning - to have intimate relationships with my creation and to lavish love and goodness on them and give them responsibility.

The world needs to know and my people need to remember that I am not about condemnation and that I am offering life to all who desire it and choose to believe in the provision I’ve made through Jesus Christ. I know that in this year you will remain committed to sharing what I’ve taught you with the world, so they can begin to know the power of an intimate relationship with me. This is my desire for you and it pleases me that you desire to do the same. Know that I will always be with you and I will continue to guide your steps and reveal more of my truths to you.

Love Always, Your Father God