(day eighty-five) Are you hungry enough to face the depths of the great and mysterious sea?

I'm not gonna lie, today has certainly been a battle. It started with staying up till the wee hours of the morning writing a blog I may never post. I've felt an anxiousness I haven't felt in a long time and I'm not sure why. Earthly matters don't seem to have a troublesome effect on me anymore... but when I feel as though the enemy is truly out to get me, a girl can get a little overwhelmed you know? As hard as it is for me right now, i know that THIS is exactly what I'm supposed to write about.

Have you ever felt anxious, afraid, alone? I mean... like when all distractions of this world are removed, when you have nothing else to set your mind at ease. The moment when there is absolutely nothing YOU can DO. When all is still and completely quiet around you... do you FEEL God? ( I am beginning to sense the breakthrough for me even as I write...)

For years I was afraid to even tread to these deep waters at the thought of drowning, so I kept my floaties on and simply ignored the beckoning of my creator to explore the depths of my soul and the great mystery of His love. If you really think about the ocean, it's a little bit frightening. There is so much we don't know, but we do know that it has the potential of swallowing us up... this fear paralyzes us. So... instead of facing this deep calling we stay where it's safe. "As long as my toes can still touch bottom and I can see through the water clearly," we stubbornly yet justifiably protest!

Love, encouragement, proper education, family vacations, bible stories, comfortable worship, and mission trips were weaved throughout my childhood. My future began to be shaped by a culture who decided what they thought was best for me because it did not challenge the open sea. "You are welcome to be a this or a that, but make sure you fit in with the rest," they all projected. As soon as all of the securities, insurances, and invisible walls were built... I didn't even realize something greater existed.

Over time I became hungry for more. When this happens we have a choice. Do we follow the crowd and be satisfied with the food they are feeding us, or do we search for more? Do we seek out the Creator of it ALL in the depths of the ocean so many of us forget exists... for an exotic love and passion like the mysteries that lay buried deep inside the unfathomable capacity of God's very existence? Or do we simply stay safely put... waiting for someone else to tell us what's out there, what they see, how it feels, and if it's really worth it?

I was there, but I became hungry. I became so hungry for the depths that I had to see for myself. We are all beckoned to this place, but not all will decide to go... for whatever reason. For those who do go... don't count on them coming back. Sure they may send you messages in a bottle telling you of the massive love they are encountering... and possibly sharing of some of their lonely times as well. The truth is... nothing can come close to comparing to what God has in store for us when we completely abandon everything at the shore and dive into the great majesty of who He really is.

I'm reminded of the old hymn:

1. O soul, are you weary and troubled?
   No light in the darkness you see?
   There’s light for a look at the Savior,
   And life more abundant and free!
   • Refrain:
     Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
     Look full in His wonderful face,
     And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
     In the light of His glory and grace.
2. Through death into life everlasting
   He passed, and we follow Him there;
   O’er us sin no more hath dominion—
   For more than conqu’rors we are!
3. His Word shall not fail you—He promised;
   Believe Him, and all will be well:
   Then go to a world that is dying,
   His perfect salvation to tell!

If you are hungry and you seek Him with that hunger... you will never be disappointed. Graham Cooke says that there are two ways God reveals himself to us- hiddenness and manifestation. During hiddenness we may not feel Him, but He's doing something deep inside that's worth the wait. During those times He calls us to be faithful and obedient following Him and worshipping Him for who He says He is... not just for who we feel Him to be.

Some of us are experiencing this right now as I speak. About a year ago I did... I felt so alone and scared, like I'd been abandoned by God. Even so... I praised Him for who He was, fought to see the good and purpose in everything, consistently read the truth and his promises, and searched for more. I wanted to give up so many times, but He assured me He was present through what I knew of His character. Some moments that's the only tiny thread I could hold on to to survive.... but I wasn't about to trade in my deep sea experience for those floaties I had so long ago left behind.

Around the middle of 2011 I began to come out of that dark time... and as I carefully stepped into the next season I started to see what God had done in the hiddenness. Now, I'd have to say that I am fully experiencing the manifestation of the Lord in my life like never before. The ocean has become my playground searching out the greatest depths of His love and mystery with no fear because of the things He was revealing to my soul in the darkness. I'm hearing His voice clearer than ever, seeing more miracles, having more revelations, feeling more of His love, and experiencing more of His glory.

I want you to know this because I realized something so important during all of this that I hope is encouragement for you wherever you are in this story. He was not ever withholding his love from me... but while I was wondering where He was, and having to choose to follow Him regardless of what I was feeling, He was quietly removing the hinderances of my soul so that I could receive even more of the love that constantly flows from our magnificent Creator.

Just a few days ago... a close relative of mine experienced something very similar. For years He's felt abandoned by God... but stayed hungry and fought for every bit of truth, holding on to God's promises until his fingers bled. I've hardly seen a man go through all he has, except for Job in the bible... and maybe a few others. Our family prayed and prayed and prayed that He would SEE God at work in his life. We knew God was up to something, but were also frightened that at any moment he would give up the fight, let go of his hunger, and drown in his own despair. Very recently he was driving in his car and felt the holy spirit's presence undoubtedly with Him. For the first time in years he clearly heard the Lord say, "I am with you, I've always been with you... nothing else matters but my relationship with you, and you are going to be ok."

An instantaneous peace rushed through his body like he'd never felt in his life and He knew the Lord was truly with Him. The next day he was bent over with pain, but drove to the hospital further away to be closer to home. They did an emergency surgery and simply because the grace and power of God found a growth that had been causing so much pain throughout his body for years. He had so many symptoms and was on many drugs to treat these things no one could really explain. That one thing was hindering His body from working the way it was designed to.

As God was working deep inside the his soul removing hinderances... preparing Him to be used so greatly in the kingdom, he had no choice but to push through the darkness and the pain. He was not going to give up the fight. It is of no coincidence that hours after God began to reveal what He's been doing in this weary man, He shows him physically by allowing doctors to pull out a hinderance that's been causing so much pain and sorrow. All of the details surrounding this event are so astonishing that they can hardly be described with words.

I pray God uses our stories to speak to you clearly today. Here are some encouraging things to ponder:

1- If you are satisfied with the safe place close to the shore, please ask for a desire to be hungry for more of him.

2- If you are hungry, ask for courage to swim out into the deep places of His heart.

3- If you find yourself abandoned in that deep place... be encouraged that God is doing something hidden in you that is so great and so revolutionary that you might interfere if you knew what it was... or refuse and swim back to shore. Don't give up!!! He is with you, you must be faithful... what will come from this is greater than you could ever imagine.

4- If you are basking in the depths right now- enjoy! Fill up your storehouses and stay faithful to him in these times. It's so easy to become distracted with other things again... but He wants to use you to be a ray of His light, a vessel of His love and a temple for His holiness and glory.

Whatever place you find yourself in is an opportunity for you to be a testimony of His love, grace, forgiveness, and truth. He will never leave you or forsake you... in fact, the moment you turn to Him is the moment He runs after you. In the kingdom of heaven we will never be bored... there is always more love, more mystery, more adventure, more grace, more of HIM. Please don't just let someone tell you about it... experience and know it for yourself. Right this moment it doesn't matter if you go to church, how many things you're involved with or what you've promised you'd do.... He's looking for HUNGRY people. Are you hungry for Him alone?

Watch this video and just sit and reflect for a bit on how DEEP and wide is His love for you.

B90 (Colossians 1- 1 Timothy 6:21):

"if indeed you continue with the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven..." col 1:23

"Set your minds on the things of Christ that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, the you also will appear with him in glory." col 3: 2 & 3

"Let the word of Christ dwell within you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.... and whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." col 3: 16 & 17

I just keep thinking about us being hidden in Christ and him in us. What does that really mean? What does it look like? Wow... how amazing that when we get this... we see that when he who is in us appears, we also will appear with him. And as He is "dwelling" in us richly He is doing things in us we could never fathom... but let us continue to praise Him through it all because He is worthy!!!!

"And we urge you brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is god. Abstain from every form of evil. Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. he who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it." 1 Thes. 5: 14- 24

And lastly... I pray God speaks to the very depths of your soul as He has captivated mine through these words: "Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. I charge you in the presence of God, who gives us life to all things... to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which he will display at the proper time- he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality who DWELLS in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see..." 1 Tim 6:11- 16

(day eighty-four) Well Dressed Poverty: the stuffed starving souls and cardboard mansions

Tomorrow I will be kicking off a brand-new challenge that I'm VERY excited about (because I can already sense how much I'm gonna learn and grow!)... and slowly but SURELY will complete this one. Didn't finish it as soon as I had set out to, but I will definitely cross the finish line... which is quickly approaching! God has been speaking to me so clearly the last few weeks through the gospels and I can't wait to share it all with you. As I've been talking with others I'm starting to see that God is moving in a BIG way in a lot of people. If you don't feel like He's speaking to you.... press in deeper, ask for that hunger, and plug into the source! He doesn't withhold His love from His children... just believe, ask, praise, and receive. You might need to start consuming yourself with HIS truth... dive into the word! Do this 90 day challenge from the beginning. If you read the word and still don't feel alive, then i encourage you to take the 12 week journey through the spiritual disciplines that I am starting on Monday. Please ask for MORE of Him... and trust me, your mind will be blown! (In the best way possible). You won't be able to restrain His love any longer....

THE STUFFED STARVING SOULS:
I had quite a revelation the other day about this very thing... and like most other things, it's easier for me to relate it to food because it makes sense. It seems as though I've seen a lot more apathy among Christians in the western world than anywhere else... so I started asking the Lord WHY? Is it because we haven't REALLY seen Him move, as though we need some sort of proof?? Or maybe just more encouragement that He's powerful? Is it because it's just another religion to us where we follow rules and know there's grace if we don't? Is it because we are so consumed and numbed with media and technology that we can't even hear His gentle sweet voice? Are we so drugged in our little world that we just can't feel anything anymore? Are we too prideful to ask? Too shy to receive? Do we think "well God does what He wants anyway so it's really not up to us"?? Or what? Why are we not hungry for MORE of God in each of us and MORE of His power on this earth?? Or are we?

All of those questions (which by the way are not just directed towards American Christians but any of us that find ourselves in this binding category).... led me to this single thought. Is it possible that some of us don't even know that we are hungry??? Because I have to believe that if we know and have Jesus in our lives... and if we knew we were deficient we'd want more... right?? Maybe the reason we haven't experienced ALL of what He has to offer is because we first need to acknowledge our deeeeeepest hunger and desire for a continuous flow of HIM and desperate need in our own lives. We NEED a daily love encounter with Christ and most of us are not getting it. WHY? Is it because He's not giving it??? Abso-freaking-lutely not.

He is the SOURCE of all that is good for all of eternity that spans beyond time. The Source is always there... never moves away or changes... remains full of these things and never runs out of anything for those that love HIM. So (I'll ask again)... .why in the world are we so deficient of this LOVE??? And why don't we even know it??? Is this concerning anyone else out there? Or do you relate at all?? Again... I'm not trying to bunch every Christian up into this group... I'm only trying to bring some light out there for those feeling around in the dark wondering if God turned the switch off. I'm hoping and praying that those who know Him but feel like the "walking dead" are REVIVED... and those who don't know Jesus truly find LIFE and freedom in these words today!!! If you are FULLY alive in Christ please be encouraged to keep pressing in to Him and pointing to HIM no matter how tired or weak you may sometimes feel... He WILL sustain you!

Ok, so here's the deal. I've been learning a lot about our temple the past few years and how we can properly take care of it. What I've seen is that I've made a lot of excuses over time for how I've eaten- not really understanding how it really effected my walk. Well, now it's clear to me that it does. As you've read in posts I've written before... how we eat can determine how we think, feel, look, and even act. Ok, so now for the connection...

Our body NEEDS and WANTS nutrients to survive. Our body could heal itself a lot easier and faster if we treated it the way it was intended. But the problem is: We don't even know that our body is deficient or truly hungry because we fill up on things that give us false satisfaction and fulfillment. The only thing processed foods, sugars, carbs and preservatives are doing is filling our stomach and telling our brain that we are full. In the meantime our bodies are truly suffering and not being nourished.... hence one of the reasons why we experience so much sickness, disease, and untimely death in our world. We don't even know how hungry we really are....

So is it possible that, in the same way, we have filled up our spirit, soul and mind with so much else that we've temporarily satisfied ourselves and become full with things that give us the illusion we are being nourished when in all reality we are becoming sick, diseased and dead?? I'm just curious. Looking back, that's exactly how I lived my life... even as a believer. I had no idea that I was so malnourished in the spirit and that God wanted to give me more of Him.

Sadly there was absolutely no more room in the inn because of my own selfishness, ignorance, and apathetic attitude spiraling out of control. It took me digging deep in the word of God, asking for the desire to become truly hungry for Him and making the necessary steps to cut the crap out of my life. It's so very simple, but not easy at first. Then... you began to see glimpses of His love, mercy and glory and it snowballs leaving you doing anything for more!!! He is the same... all we have to do is TAP into the SOURCE. Ask for God to show you what that means for you personally... since we are all so different. YOU are His child and I know God wants to reveal who He truly is to you :)

CARDBOARD MANSIONS:
While I was in Nashville I was sharing my story of "missionary debt" with a friend and complaining about my complete hatred for money. She quickly checked me on it... like a good friend does... and i was instantly convicted. All of the sudden my eyes were opened. I realized that I had been suppressing these issues for so long because I was afraid of something. Whether I was afraid of money controlling me, me succeeding or being a failure I did not know... but in fact because of this it WAS controlling me!!! Over the next few days I got given the Dave Ramsey book, workbook, and cds. Crazy right? Anyway... I've been listening to them for about 4 days and finally beginning to feel some freedom already in this area! Yahoo!!! I see hope!

What I've realized though ties into the illusion that we are fine and full, but really in a way starving for more of His love. In the western world we have this way of making things look bright and beautiful to cover up a rough internal struggle of insecurity, doubt, pride, etc. Whereas, if someone is struggling with poverty, hope, or shame in another world it is easier exposed for all eyes to see. They don't have the advantage... or disadvantage... to "buying" their way out of it. Then I started to wonder if we didn't have credit... how many of us would be in the very same boat they are? What do we ACTUALLY own? Right now, if I were to count up how much debt I owe... as compared to cash in the bank I would possibly have less than the homeless man on the corner or the family in the slums of Nicaragua wondering where their next meal is coming from. I know i know... it's a lot to chew on. What I'm NOT saying is that we should stop giving or that we should feel sorry for ourselves.

SO WHAT THEN?
But what I AM saying is that we've got to get past our illusions of wealth, satisfactions and fulfillment and start looking at the TRUE reality of our lives... align it with the word of God and discover our desperate need for HIM. Then and only then do we have SOMETHING to offer the world that the world can find no where else. We have the SOURCE of all that is good and beautiful and we have it for all of eternity for anyone who so desires to lay down his own life and pick up the cross that is offered. We must recognize our own deficiency, acknowledge that God is the source, and choose to plug into Him and receive. Then, because of our extra-ordinary lives who have been changed by His love... others will desire the same encounter, want the same REAL fulfillment, and count the same costs.

B90: (Galatians 1-Phil 4:23) Gosh, there is so much packed into these three books that it would be impossible to cover it all!!! It's hard to even know where to start... so I may just highlight certain verses for you to meditate on but my hope is that you would spend some time digging into Galatians, Ephesians and Philippians the next few days.

Know your inheritance and recognize your need: do you know WHO you belong to and WHAT He says about you? "When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons (and daughters), God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, CRYING, "Abba! Father!" So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God." Galatians 4:4-7. Listen to the cry of your heart... we must put all things aside and ask to hear the hunger that your very soul is singing.

"For YOU were called to Freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another..." Gal. 5:13 There is so much freedom and healing in knowing we are sons and daughters of the King. He loves us so much and desires for us to overflow with all of that into the lives of others.

Ok here we go... "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing IN THE HEAVENLY PLACES (that we can tap into), even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. IN LOVE he predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the RICHES of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In him we obtained this inheritance....." Eph 1:3-11

I hope this is all sinking in. YOU ARE LOVED and God desires for you to WALK in the fullness of the inheritance He's set before you. It's too precious and valuable and eternal for us to "cash in" and squander in the world. He wants us to stay connected to Him always so He can continuously flow through us in a powerful way!

Read Eph 2:1-10... He's made us ALIVE in Christ and seated us in the heavenly places so that the coming ages may show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ! "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ for good works, which God prepared beforehand, THAT WE SHOULD WALK IN THEM.

..."so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith- that YOU, being rooted and grounded in love, may have the strength to COMPREHEND with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be FILLED with all the fullness of God!!!!" Eph. 3:17-19 Amen amen!!!

"Therefore be imitators of God, AS BELOVED CHILDREN (kids who know their Papa loves them and act accordingly, full of Him... not deficient in anything)... and WALK in love." Read Eph 5:1-21... It's all good :)

Let Eph. 6 always remind you that our battles are not of this earth but in the spiritual realm. I could write another whole blog on this alone... but I know that if we begin to see this and rely on the power of God in the spiritual, we will begin to see more victory on earth. But if we decide our battles are here on this earth and try to win them with our own strength... we will find defeat around every corner. He does desire for us to plug into Him... and God desires to see ground taken for him in the spiritual and physical.

"IN ANY AND EVERY CIRCUMSTANCE, I HAVE LEARNED THE SECRET OF FACING PLENTY AND HUNGER, ABUNDANCE AND NEED. I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH HIM WHO STRENGTHENS ME." Phil. 4: 12 & 13.... "And my God WILL supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen."

Father, let your words sink deep into our hearts tonight as we ponder your amazing love that simply takes our breath away......

(day eighty-three) the Unshakables

If you've been following my blog at all, you probably have read tons of analogies, epiphanies, parallels and revelations. I feel like my life has been one "ah ha!" moment after another... but I don't know if I've experienced a season like this. It's almost as if the revelations, dreams, visions, etc are getting stronger and more frequent that ever before. I sense the momentum picking up not only in me... but in everyone around me. They come all day every day and sometimes I can barely get them written down! I'm reminded of Joel 2:28 &29:

"And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. Even on the male and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit."

So incredible... I mean, it's written in the word and it's happening people! I want to encourage you today to let the truth penetrate your heart so deeply that you will stop JUST believing it happens to others and begin to believe it for YOURSELVES.

A string of insane connections has been happening since I left Jonesboro for Nashville a little over a week ago. I remember one of my last conversations there (one that's continued here) is the idea of God's heavenly realm being the CONCRETE thing. It's interesting because we tend to think that we are more real than the kingdom of heaven or the spiritual realm because... well... we can see us. But today I'm here to challenge you to find more reality in the unseen than what is right before your eyes. I understand it's hard to trust what we can not see, but isn't that what faith is all about?

I love Gungor's new album "Ghosts upon the earth"... they actually touch on this a little bit. We tend to think that God, his love, and the heavenly realm are more theoretical rather than concrete and we easily think of ourselves as the concrete thing left with the power to decide if God's really real or not.... as earthlings mostly asking ourselves if He is who He says He is and if it's worth it to abandon all and follow. I figure the average person reading this might be certain God is real... but occasionally asks the other questions. Perhaps those answers are even assumed and never dealth with? I don't know about you... but after twenty something years of thinking I knew God my faith was shaken with several tramatic events. I was essentially forced to find my identity in Him and KNOW that He really is who He says He is no matter the circumstance. Otherwise, I wonder if i would have continued to live a shallow existence of inactive faith never really going deeper, walking closer, or becoming confidently unshakable.

God IS real. God IS truth. God IS love. God IS so many things... so it's really not even our place to say otherwise. What we believe is a different story. Now that we've established that, we must decide whether we are going to align with that under God's authority and power.... or align with the world under the enemy's authority and control. The wishy washy crap is nonsense. Does God still love you no matter what you believe? Yes, I do believe so... and so will I. But there is a whole spiritual realm out there waiting for believers to stand up and fight those battles... in the meantime we are still "trying to decide" if He's worthy. As long as we remain in that position we will not be able to be trusted with the authority our Daddy desires for us to have.

Our battles are not of this earth. And I do believe that when we fight in the spiritual realm territory is won for the Lord and victory happens also in the physical realm. When we don't understand and fail to seek, or don't have the word on our hearts and mind, or don't see it as reality... we will begin to experience much defeat on the earth. Yes, God fights for us... but we have got to give him authority and power to do so in our lives. And we do so by praying His will with confidence and His strength, trusting that He is who He says He is no matter what and is worthy of our worship and praise!! We must "plug in" to the only true source of POWER!

As I was driving to Nashville last week it was an amazing 4 hours of praying, crying, meditating, listening and worshipping the Lord. I felt like every moment was so real and divine. My heart was breaking all over again for what breaks His heart and He was preparing me for something big. Around 7:30 I pulled into the parking lot of Grace Center in Franklin, TN and He began to make His presense publically known in that place. It was unbleivable.

The guest pastor focused on the "dry bones" passage of Ezekiel 37. It could not have come at a more perfect time. This man has been all over the world and he said there are two things people say about the place where they live. 1- That it's the "valley of dry bones" and 2- That God is going to begin revival there. It's funny because I've thought that about all the different places that I've lived. Haha. And then it dawned on me, of course we would think that... because that's exactly what God wants to do! And this is the very thing He was highlighting that night. You've heard me say it beore and I'll say it again....we must continue to SPEAK LIFE into the dry places.

How exactly do we do this? Take a person, church, job, family, or "dry" or "broken" situation then begin to speak in the opposite spirit. All you have to do to be a prophet is to know the word and speak it out over somene. That's it! It's that simple and profound! Ha. The word is truth and what God says about His children is true and His desire for us is good... so we've got to REALLY and truly start speaking this out to others!! Then just watch as God moves!!! How much joy it must bring to our Papa when we are His become His mouthpiece!

Another thing He said when speaking was that "the depth of our hunger is equal to the extension of our arm to God". Are we hungry for Him? Do we want to know Him more? Do we want to see Him move? Are we ready to abandon all for Him??? God so desires for our hunger for Him to outweigh our feeding frenzy on other things that don't quite satisfy but fill our momentary need. Just like processed foods that fill our tummy but don't really feed out body what it needs... we end up filling full, while our body cries out for something real. Perhaps some of us don't even know that we are starving for something real because we keep filling those voids with man-made things instead of heavenly goodness?

You see, I'm not sure if we get it yet or not. But the UNSHAKABLE faith is what the Lord is asking of us. The times are only going to get crazier and we MUST be a people who clearly hear His voice, have deep true conviction, follow His lead quickly, have a humble heart of repentence, who are fit to serve Him- mind, body, and soul!!! I do realize that we are all on different parts of our journey and God has had so much grace for all of us. But i know God wants to take us so deep in the knowlege of His word and the revelation of our heart that we never sway to and fro... but remain confident in who He is no matter what!

B90: (1 Cor. 13- 2 Cor. 13:14)

I absolutely love what Paul has to say in 1 Cor. 15: 12-19... basically saying: If Christ was raised from the dead, why on earth couldn't we believe that others can? But if we believe the dead can't be raised then it must not be true that God raised Christ from the dead... and our "faith is futile, we are still in our sins, and will perish." Well gosh, this brings up a great point. Sounds to me like God is in the business of making dead things alive. How? He speaks life into being and it happens, whether we see it right away or not... it's happening. Why? Well, I can't think of a better way to demonstrate power, grace, beauty, and love than full fledged redemption and the gift of life in a dry or dead situation. I do believe He wants to awake our sleeping body, unite us for HIM and use us to speak life into the broken/dying world.... one person at a time. That's true revival people!!!! To be breathed into by the King of the Universe is resisitation at it's absolute finest.

"But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in TRIUMPHAL procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of Him everywhere. For WE are the AROMA of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a gragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God's word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we SPEAK in Christ." 2 Cor 2:14-17

"Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kils, but the Spirit gives LIFE." 2 Cor 3:4-6

Lord I ask that your word resisitate our soul tonight... that we actually feel you breathing life into each and everyone of us. I pray that we see every person as a divine appointment and opportunity to represent you. I pray that you break our heart for the death we see all around and desire to see you breath life into the dry bones. Let us be a united people who accept your life, live it, and speak it every day in every place. You are so worthy of our honor and praise. We give you all the glory Lord!!! Amen.