Don't You Care?

 Don’t you care?

“If you had been here” exasperated Martha spoke to Jesus concerning her brother’s death. (Ref John 11:21)

“The boat is sinking!” The disciples panted desperately. (Ref Matthew 8:25)

“Does he really care? He wants to withhold from you something good” the serpent maliciously uttered to Eve. (Ref Genesis 3:4-5)

Above are my paraphrases of crossroads that people were confronted with in the Bible. Would they choose to believe the circumstance or God’s word? Did God really care? If you cared about someone you wouldn’t leave them out to dry, hide something from them or not use your power to protect them, right? 

The problem with judging God from our circumstance is our lack of knowledge of the whole story. When we stop short at Lazarus dying, our judgment is limited. We don’t know the whole story. We don’t realize that Lazarus’ resurrection would quadruple the amount of people coming into the Kingdom of God. 

If we stop short in the storm on the water that Jesus is sleeping through, we miss the deep seated awe that resulted in the disciples witnessing Jesus controlling the wind and sea. 

The serpent planted one of the most dangerous seeds in Eve’s heart in Genesis: questioning God’s love for her.

It’s the oldest trick in the book : make them doubt that God loves them.

Do you believe God loves you? 

Do you question how He really feels about you sometimes? Especially when you don’t “have it all together”? 

Can I tell you, friend, Paul didn’t write these words in vain. They were written to encourage you at this very moment. 

“For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:38-39‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

If God’s love was equal to health, wealth and happiness, then Jesus must have been hated. Jesus told us clearly, in this world you will have tribulation (emphasis mine). It’s guaranteed. But focus your eyes on the cross and the sacrifices he made to come close to you. Hear Him whisper over you “I love you” before you judge. You haven’t quite gotten to the end of the story. 

As a precious mother once told me, “Keep on living, baby”.

Do others tell you that you are intimidating?

“So when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him.” Exodus‬ ‭34:30‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://bible.com/bible/114/exo.34.30.NKJV

You are wondering why people react differently to you. Why you are so misunderstood and sometimes seem to be irritating to some, when all you do is strive for peace - even to your own hurt. This word from God is for you: 

You are trying to fit in when I specifically designed you to stick out. Just as Saul the king was designed to stick out above the crowd physically (“And he had a choice and handsome son whose name was Saul. There was not a more handsome person than he among the children of Israel. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people.” I Samuel‬ ‭9:2‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/114/1sa.9.2.NKJV),

I have designed you to stick out spiritually. People react differently to you because they see your face shining like Moses’ because you’ve been hidden away with me. Moses tried to veil the glory so he wouldn’t intimidate others BUT it was futile. In the same way, drop all the futile gestures used to make others feel more comfortable and instead stand in who I’ve made you to be. Get used to being stared at like the sign and wonder you are. You were designed to draw others to Jesus. Don’t try to shrink, instead use the amazement to bring them to Jesus. 

Don’t Let Go

Have you ever witnessed a crossbow being employed? Have you seen the tension in the strings as the arrow is drawn back? The tighter the tension, the more power the arrow exhibits; the further it goes. The further the strings are stretched, the higher the tension becomes. 

Have you been in a season of stretching? Have you felt the tension in your life until you’re at a breaking point? Well, you haven’t found this blog by accident. God wanted to show you a metaphor that could change your life if you let it seep in.

You are the arrow in the hands of a divine Warrior. It seems the more one is stretched - or allows God to stretch them - the more power and force they destroy the works of darkness with. The further their influence spreads. Can I let you know in this season of stretching, you are just being prepared for the sudden release.

With forceful thrust, the world will never be the same because you allowed God to stretch you. To put tension in your life as a propellant to your great destiny. 

Hold tight. Don’t let go.

Simply believe and speak out loud - this is not the end - this time of tension is simply a preparation for my sudden and very powerful release to the divine bullseye God designed for me before I was even born!

This too shall pass, my friend. This too shall pass.

Just hold on.

“And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.”

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭6:9‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Love the Skin You're In: 6 ways to be bolder than you've dreamed possible TODAY!

Toes not polished, blow out impossible today, car filled with crumbs from the kiddos or skipped out on shaving today? Are there many days when you ‘have it all together’? I am not talking about what society has asked of you – NO…this feat is much more steep and almost impossible to accomplish: it is the pressure from within. What you have told yourself you need to do in order to be successful or be accomplished in your eyes? When is the last time you have stopped to celebrate a recent goal being accomplished? A brave step you took? A loving moment you chose to be in?

How about forgive yourself for not being perfect?

It isn’t easy to quiet the task master that lives inside our minds, but it is worth the work. The rewards of emotional health and increased happiness are priceless, not only to us, but to all around us depending on and drawing from the well of our souls. When the golden rule was issued, it had a small phrase on the end of it that goes completely unnoticed, yet is packed with unending power.

Love others as you love yourself. (emphasis mine)

Sometimes I think it could be looked at as a statement instead of a command. If we observe human behavior for more than a millisecond, we can see that if someone is bullying others, they were usually being bullied themselves; if someone is judgmental toward others, they are usually very hard on themselves; if a parent demands perfection from their children, there is a good chance the task master in their minds are demanding perfection as well.

How well are you loving yourself today? If you were to record your thoughts, would you allow someone to talk to your daughter, niece or mother that way? Even the act of respecting yourself enough to put up boundaries, tends to free you to be a more loving person again – giving of yourself out of cheerfulness and no longer out of obligation.

Here are my six admonitions I am striving to live by to love the skin I’m in a little more today than I did yesterday:

1)      Take some of the pressure off! Give yourself a day without makeup! Carve out ‘me’ time to do what brings you joy. If it involves others who won’t cooperate, keep looking for those who are flowing in the same river you desire to be in. If you focus long enough, you will see what you desire show up like a magnet. Don’t fix your eyes on certain people and trying to control them, but open yourself up to meet new people with which you can enjoy life. This brings me to my next point.

2)      Admit you cannot control everything or anyone. This is the first step in Codependents Anonymous and perpetuates the idea of loving others well by not driving yourself crazy! When you face the reality that you are powerless to control others, a pressure value releases and can you make decisions clearly when you accept others’ choices and move forward. What if moving forward involves something that scares me?

3)      Do it afraid! When you are excited and scared by something, it usually is stretching you beyond your past and is a great way to build a better tomorrow. You will miss so many wonderful moments and opportunities if you refuse to move toward what makes you nervous. Go for it! It will eventually be second nature and you will be ready for the next step of spreading out your influence. What if you are bold and fall flat on your face?

4)      Give yourself permission to fail. Do you expect the first time your toddler takes a step for him to be confident and sure of himself? Absolutely not! Then don’t expect yourself to be a superstar right out of the gate. Be realistic. Give yourself grace. Laugh a lot. But don’t give into fear. Fear and regret are twin sisters that want to eat your lunch! Close the lunchbox and walk on. It is not too hard!

5)      You are stronger than you know. This is a phrase I yell out when teaching group fitness classes. When people want to quit, hearing a voice that reminds them they have strength that will rise up under the right circumstances, they begin feel invincible. That is what I am praying my words do for you today: cause you to rise above your circumstances and see life in the light of eternity. What really matters to your heart? What do you want to look back on and be proud you gave your time and attention to? What is the next right step that will move you in that direction? A majority of that is in your mind.

6)      Watch what you say to yourself. Remember the ‘love yourself’ phrase from a couple of paragraphs ago? When you begin to talk lovingly to yourself, being grateful of what you have to offer to the world, your words begin to drip sweetness and peace as well. Others love to be around those that know how to love themselves well. That is where you will experience the natural overflow of loving others well.

Deepen your well today. Press into tomorrow without beating up on yourself today. It will come to pass if you just don’t give up, my friend. Just don’t give up. You are much stronger than you know.

“Love the Skin You’re In” is more than just a slogan for my mobile spray tanning business (Hot MamaMobile #hmm), it is a reminder to myself and all of us to be nicer, kinder, gentler on ourselves. As if society didn’t put enough pressure on women, I think we put even more pressure on ourselves to ‘do it all’ and do it looking good. We spend so much time and energy on trying to look good and feel good that we end up not giving ourselves to the causes that move our hearts as much as we wish to. My mobile spray tanning business was formed in an effort to give women some of their time back. I can be in and out of your home or office in 20 minutes with my spray tanning system. I never wanted to be a part of the system that says you aren’t enough just the way you are. I wanted to be the cheerleader that adds the ‘sparkle’ to your life, lifting your spirits and your melatonin level without the risk of skin cancer. Yes, I believe whole heartedly that you are enough just the way you are and if you decide you would like a little color to enhance that natural beauty you radiate, call or text me at 864-707-1948.

What is the Will of God for Your life? The Importance of Seeing in the Spirit

I have just officially closed a chapter of my life and have been reminded how very powerful and needed the ability to see and hear the spirit realm is for every believer.

In John 8:38, Jesus said "I speak what I have SEEN with my Father".

A little later in the chapter He says, "He who is of God HEARS God's words". John 8:47

In John 10:27, Jesus states "My sheep HEAR my voice...and they follow me".

I ran out of the court house with unrelenting sobs that came out louder than I anticipated. I knew they needed to be released, but I didn't know they would gush forth from such a deep place inside me. It was over. The gavel had fallen. The judge granted me what my lawyer had prepared for: a divorce by adultery. A divorce. A second divorce before I was even 40 years old. Grief was covering me like a menacing cloud that was starting to materialize and turn to an encompassing blanket. Not any blanket, but a thick heavy blanket of reality that I had to raise another son in a split home and release the hope of reconciliation with my husband. I just wanted to hide somewhere. I wanted to go into a private place where I could scream and cry and beat the floor without judgment. Where a year and a half of holding my breath looking for any change in behavior could finally be released.

That is when the phone rang. My oldest son uttered the words, "I just had a wreck". I really couldn't even understand the words I was hearing, much less an appropriate response I should give. I was still swirling in my own cloud when I suddenly had a knock in the head of mom strength to focus and be strong for him. Who knows where that energy to rescue my kids comes from but it seems to always be there in the reserves just waiting for times like this. Thank God my son wasn't hurt but his car wasn't going to bring him home for the holidays. So I commenced on my three hour trip to pick him up. God knew what I needed. The three hours back with him were refreshing, like cold water on a hot face. That dark blanket was sliding off and a deep seated thankfulness for God's divine timing and providence grew inside me.

The next morning as I reached out to the Lord in prayer, I saw him (not with my physical eyes, but with spiritual eyes) hand me a pair of wire cutters. I looked down and saw a giant fish hook hanging out of my belly (again, in the spiritual). I took the tool he handed me and cut the barb off the hook and slid it out of me, just like you would if you caught yourself while fishing. That's it! Sounds so simple, but from that moment on, I felt free. I mean like it doesn't make sense to your mind kinda free! I was no longer sad or full of grief. I felt light and excited. Like the scripture says, the joy of my salvation felt like it returned to me and I was ready to run. That unexplainable joy and excitement started a reflection process in me that I wanted to share here.

Sixteen years ago, I was hanging around a group of people that always asked the question "What is the will of God for my life?" They always seemed to be desperately seeking, but hopelessly blind. Their emotions followed suite: the days they felt like they were doing something 'spiritual' would bring elation and the days they did 'normal', everyday things would be disappointing. I couldn't help but desire to distance myself from these thought patterns as they were exhausting! Eventually in 2002, I met a group of people who were confident that everything they did was 'spiritual'. They were determined to preach the gospel in season and out of season with every word, action and thought no matter where they were or who they were with. They could see and hear things in the spiritual realm that would bless others tremendously and often cause life changing results. I wanted that. I wanted to be able to love people well. I wanted to hear what God had to say knowing it would be full of love and power. So I started to practice listening. I hung around those that could hear well and asked questions. I trained my ear to trust what I was hearing. A lot of times God is speaking to us but we pass it off as our own weird thoughts or something fleeting. In reality, it is the God of the universe that very clearly promised that His sheep hear His voice and follow Him.

What pasture is he leading into you today?

~Love you so much~

Nikki Martin

I am the undead

Halloween is tomorrow and all my Bitmojis are zombies. Sending my son a “Have a great day” zombie Bitmoji this morning made me realize I am in real life, the undead. I’m alive physically but before I was one with My Creator, I was dead. Dead spiritually - meaning I was separated from the life flow- unplugged - spiritually lifeless! When I got on my knees and asked God to take over in 2000, I became un-dead - colors were brighter, smells were stronger, my mind was clearer! I know the real zombie fans will say I don’t understand zombie culture and I agree, I don’t! But I’m totally jacking the word undead! Even if just for Halloween!

Desperate to enjoy your kids?

Get your shoes on NOW! I have told you a million times! Don't hit your sister! Stop whining! Why won't you listen to me??!! Sound familiar?

Are you tired of feeling like you are fussing and fighting with your kids all day long? Exhausted emotionally and desperate for a change? Wouldn't you love to spend quality time with your children?

Can you dream with me for a minute - like Dr. Seuss's Oh the thinks you can think we listen to on our Dr.Seuss App - about a day when your kids are excited to see you and want to spend time with you? Can you start to imagine yourself as a magnet that your kids are drawn to and untangle those frustrating thoughts? Can you let them fall to the ground now and mentally wipe the slate clean. Even if just for a moment, stick with me here!

If your kids were not yours - step outside the busyness of everyday life - can you put your magnifying glasses on and search for one good behavior or quality about your children? Do they love learning? Are they good at running? Are they an expert at a game? Are they tech saavy? Whatever you have to dig for - FOCUS very intently on the good that is in your children. Now start a list of those things and blow them up! Talk about them to your children - talk about them in front of your children to other adults. Act like you have won the lottery every time they obey or complete a nice gesture. Let them see how much you appreciate that good behavior and make it a habit to celebrate successes. What you focus on - you attract more of! It is hard to resist the natural draw of someone who is talking good about you (i.e. the power of social media).

What we have a tendency to do as humans, is focus on the negative our kids are doing and then make it bigger and bigger by telling others and rolling it around and around in our minds. Take those same habits and simply shift the focus to the positive instead of the negative. I'm not saying you ignore the behaviors that need to be corrected, but let's make sure we stick to the old 3-to-1 ratio; 3 positive comments for every negative one!

You Got This!!!

Hidden Doors

I have been sleeping beside this piece of furniture for almost a week now in my extended family’s home and just realized that it had this hidden side door literally facing me as I slept. God has hidden doors inside of Him he wants you to seek out. 

They could be accelerators or shortcuts to future promises, they could wisdom keys that navigate you smoothly through rough waters or decisions you have to make. It could be inventions or business ideas that elevate you to new levels authority. It could be just what you need right now! Dig into the Lord like a crab burying himself in the sand to find shelter and help from the pounding waves of life! He’s ready to take you on an adventure! 

Revelation 3:8 - See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it

Revelation 3:20 - Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with me.

CONTROL- I like to have a lot! -Janet J.

Isn’t it funny how we grasp for, pant after, grovel to control anything in life - even as elusive as it is? After joining Codependant Anonymous meetings, I have come to realize any control I think I have is really an illusion. Try it-think of something you think you control. Has it ever NOT gone the way you would like it to? Even my bodily functions like using the bathroom don’t listen to my pleas of waiting eight hours while I travel!
This need to control can come from many sources - mine came from emotional pain. I just wanted to do all I can to guarantee I wouldn’t have to suffer the way I have suffered in the past. It seems like the more I tried to avoid that kind of pain, the more came to me. Like Job once said “The thing I feared the most has come upon me”.
I am in a season of the Lord untangling the weeds of my beliefs. Especially beliefs about myself in my core. I have started tracing negative thoughts to their source by asking ‘why’ a lot and find most are rooted in fear of pain and a miserable attempt to control the future.
You know when you let go of trying to put the world in your basket and just let the day unfold as you walk with Jesus, the peace that passes understanding really washes over you!
Come on this journey with me to freedom and give up your desire to control. I dare you! xoxo
~Nikki
@jesusfreakmillionaire

God's Eye View of Marriage

View Video on Space.com Website >

 

 

Next time you talk about your marriage being a black hole, it might not be a negative statement!

Space.com reported an emission of light as a byproduct of two black holes merging together and made a video simulation of what that would look like. As I gazed at the video, I couldn't help but think of my husband and I merging into one five years ago. As Paul said, marriage's many meanings and parallels truly are mysteries buried deep in the heart of God (Ephesians 5:32), but I believe this phenomenon we are stumbling across in the "space time' continuum may be a cosmic bread crumb. The two black holes swirl around each other for long periods of time, millions of years according to scientists, and then finally collide and become one. The news worthy component of this story is the fact that a light flash may be a result of this merger and is demanding more study. How beautiful to picture two children of God coming into each other's realm of influence, swirling around one another until finally they become one in the eyes of the Lord, just like these black holes. The result? A bright flash of light that draws others' attention: Almost like the Lord taps his knife on the side of his glass and says, watch them and observe how life is done when I am invited and involved. Scientists also report that black holes can become some of the brightest objects in the universe, not on their own accord, but because they draw massive amounts of light reflecting objects into their vortex. Wouldn't you love for your marriage to draw others' attention to the Lord and all his goodness, despite or even in spite of the fact we go through the same trials and heartaches as the rest of the world? I certainly do. I would pray that my 'merger' with my husband sent out a light flash of glory and continues to draw others close to us out of curiosity to see what makes us handle difficulties differently than most. We have not arrived yet, but I will continue to pray for the rest of my days. Oh lets join together in prayer for marriages around the world:

Father God,

We honor your goodness and your obvious bread crumbs you leave throughout creation for us to follow directly to your heart. We ask for your forgiveness when we focus on our trials and not on our Triumph; when we see our spouse through fallen eyes and not your loving, selfless eyes; when we make ourselves out to be a victim instead of standing on the fact that we are victors. I pray with all that is within me: Fashion our marriages world wide into black holes with deep wells anchored in you that draw others into our spheres to see you as you really are. May the stereotypes and misunderstandings of your character be cleared up and wiped out when the world comes face to face with your goodness through the lens of our marriages. In Jesus' sweet and holy name. AMEN.

 

 

For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made. Romans 1:20 (NIV)

31 “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”[c] 32 This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband. Ephesians 5:31-33 (NIV)

3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. Matthew 7:3-5 (NIV)

 

Raising the White Flag

Talk about raising a standard...I'm talking about lowering a standard. Through counseling, I have come to realize that I have this imagined standard of what a Christian should look like: always on time, hardest worker that comes in early and leaves late, witnessing to every person that makes eye contact with, eating healthy, cleanest house, etc...add to this the hammer drop of knowing that if I don't meet this standard, I  am bring in dishonor to the name of Christ - sometimes not wanting to say I'm a Christian bc I didn't want people to think Jesus is as screwed up as me! Wow! What have I been thinking??? I'll tell you: condemnation! I couldn't even believe Romans 8:1 because of the phrase "walk according to the spirit". I seriously believed I should be "beat up" or condemned bc if I wasn't meeting my invisible standard then I must be walking according to the flesh! When in reality NO ONE - no not one is able to perfectly adhere to this standard! If they were, they would be Jesus!! Why could I preach that message to others and yet be blind to my opposite belief?

I  so thankful now that my eyes have been opened to the truth to see the word in a whole new light. I am so thankful that the heavy burden of the law has rolled off my back onto its proper place- Jesus. He has done all the heavy lifting! I get to walk in His grace and mercy with a smile. I have the priveledge of being the predestined one - to be adopted BY HIM, accepted just the way I am BY HIM, made holy and blameless BY HIM! Let's sing- What a priveledge to carry everything to God in prayer...

 I am working on tearing down this unreachable standard that the Old Testament called "the law", accepting the fact that God says I am righteous in Jesus (still blows my mind) and bloom into who my heart longs to be (a carbon copy of Jesus) by basking in His unconditional love. Just as an adoptive parent would have mercy on their new child that came from a home where they weren't groomed with the best character traits, Jesus knows we learned some bad habits when we walked as children of darkness. And as an adoptive parent would take on the role and responsibility of grooming the child into who they were meant to be, my Heavenly Father is doing the heavy lifting of changing me from glory to glory into who I was meant to be! I get to enjoy the ride!! Now if that isnt good gospel news, I don't know what is?? If that is the heart of our message, how could that not be a magnet for all those hungry for unconditional love??

Amen.

Watch Out! Danger Ahead!

Proverbs 22:3 - A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself...

We are all drawn to anointed people. To see a person flow in the power of the Kingdom of Heaven is something unforgettable and inspiring. However, if you begin to exalt gifts of the Spirit over fruits of the Spirit, you are asking for trouble; You are on your way to getting hurt by deep disappointment and disillusionment. You see, we often equate being anointed with godliness, but that just isn't the case. Just because you can flow in the gifts of the Spirit [notice- gifts are things given that are undeserved, regardless of performance] doesn't mean you 'earned' it by living holy. See what Paul has to say in the book of Romans concerning gifts of the Spirit: For the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable. Romans 11:29  In this context, Paul was talking about the Jewish people that had rejected Jesus as their Messiah. Although they were not being obedient to the gospel of Christ, their gifts and calling of God remained - these are 'irrevocable'. Google defines irrevocable  as 'not able to be changed, irreversible'.

So are anointed people obedient people? Not always. Do you have to be obedient to flow in your gifts? No. Do not be fooled into these two wrong camps of thought:

First Camp of Wrong Thinking: I am living right (obedient to the gospel) because I am anointed when I ...(whatever your gift is). This is not true. The enemy wants you to feel secure and avoid examining your life against the word of God because you are anointed. Don't be mislead - anointing does not equal holiness. If you have fallen into this trap of false security, I would urge you to talk with the Lord and ask Him to open your eyes to any weaknesses in your life. This is a good prayer to pray - guaranteed to be answered as it comes straight from the Word:

Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if their be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way. Psalm 139:23,24

Second Camp of Wrong Thinking: I and those around me are going to be better people (more godly & holy) if we surround ourselves with anointed people. Again - this is just not true. The only time this statement would be true is if the anointed people consistently bear fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control Galatians 5:22,23

Remember - anointed people can flow powerfully in the gifts of God, then immediately walk into a disobedient life full of works of the flesh: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambition, dissentions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries and the like Galatians 5:19,20

If you exalt the gifts of the Spirit or the anointing over the fruits of the Spirit, you may very well surround yourself with people that, because they are not walking in obedience to God's word, will hurt you and disappoint you. If you have had the wrong mindset that anointed people are holy people, then when you see those anointed people walking in an unholy life or making unholy decisions - you will become disillusioned. You believed the lie that surrounding yourself with anointed people will encourage & inspire you, when in reality, it is the fruit of the Spirit in people that will uplift you and encourage you consistently and faithfully. Can anointed people be filled with the fruit of the Spirit? Absolutely. Can anointed people lack the fruit of the Spirit? Absolutely. If you have been hurt by those that are anointed, but bear little or no fruit, I would encourage you to pray Solomon's prayer from 1 Kings 3:9:

Give your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil.

May the Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace. Numbers 6:24-26

An excerpt from my book, Eating from the Lord's Table (order a copy here):

DAY THREE

On Mount Carmel, God showed up with holy fire like never before.

He showed Himself alive and well so that even the false prophets

had to fall on their knees and cry out, “The Lord, He is God! The

Lord, He is God!” (1 Kings 18:39) That is the kind of fire the world

needs to see again. The unbelievers and scoffers need to know that

in the midst of all these religions, there is One True God that still

answers by fire. Once people see the moving of God Almighty, you

won’t have to beg them to come to the altar for 30 minutes; You

will no longer have to convince them of the truth–it will be evident

and undeniable. Just as the resurrection of Jesus was sure and

unquestionable, for Luke started the book of Acts stating that Jesus

showed Himself alive “by many infallible proofs” (Acts 1:3). The

Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines ‘infallible’ as “incapable of

error; not liable to mislead, deceive, or disappoint; certain”1. Now is

the time of infallible proofs. How can you get to that point in your

life? How can you pray and be certain God will show up in mighty

power? One prerequisite for holy fire is rebuilding the altar:

1 Kings 18:30—Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near

to me.” So all the people came near to him. And he repaired the

altar of the Lord that was broken down.

Before the fire can fall, we must rebuild and reestablish the broken down altars. We must bow our knees once again and put our faces

to the ground. We must cry out to God and lay on the altar of God’s

mercy once more. We come humbly to God’s throne where sin is

dealt with and reconciliation with the Lord occurs. This is where we

are washed of sin and wrong mindsets are forever changed.

Gimmicks and fads in the church just won’t work. You have got to

rebuild the altar.

Remember, what you experience in your private prayer closet will

show up in your public ministry.

Prayer

Lord, Abba, Comforter, Keeper, Wonderful Counselor, we love

You. We long to stay in constant communication and

companionship with You. Reveal any deception in our lives. I pray

we never be deceived by ourselves, the world, or the enemy. Open

our eyes to any sin we need to forsake. Keep us, Father, as the apple

of Your eye and hide us under the shadow of Your wings, in Jesus’

name, AMEN.

Notes from my heart - February 17, 2009

Found this entry in an old journal of mine and wanted to share -

Tear stained sheets - evidence of God's goodness - Thank you Lord for delivering me from the constant ripping of my heart - every time my heart was torn a little more - hot tears were released on my pillow - my mascara that I had relied on to get myself some attention - some affection - just a small glimpse of love was now running down the tip of my nose. I searched so hard for even a hint - just a shadow - a fleeting mist of some sort of evidence that I was worthy of love. What's wrong with me? Why has this mascara washed off along with my self worth - trickling slowly on my sticky pillow? I just wanted to be loved - I just wanted to be affirmed. How could I feel more lonely with someone in the house, than I feel now - all alone?

The reality of God's continual presence is made manifest now. My pillows are dry. My heart is being sewn up, piece by piece by the gentle hand of the Holy Spirit. I no longer have to grasp the wind in hopes of affirmation. God, my Lord, my Friend has held me close every night. He has rubbed his strong hand through my hair and told me over and over how beautiful I am - No need for the mascara, the tanning bed, or the high heels. In my PJs, with crazy hair and bad breath, my Beloved Jesus still looks at me face to face and whispers so gently with all his heart:

"I love you, Nikki"

Then I became in His eyes as one who found peace.

(Song of Solomon 8:10)

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Prayer of Jabez: (It really works!)

Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!

Hide and seek with the Lord

Where do you keep your precious items?

In the dog's bowl?

Or in the cat's litter box?

How about the dirty laundry hamper?

Most people keep precious things in a special place. Things that are of value to you are usually taken care of and strategically placed where you know you could find them easily. Usually it is a hiding place where you wouldn't expect thieves to look, since it is of value to you, you assume it would be valuable to others as well. The Lord Jesus said a few facts concerning hidden treasures and Kingdom of God recounted by his disciples in the gospels:

Matthew 11:25 NIV

At that time Jesus said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.


Matthew 13:35 NIV

So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet: "I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world."

Matthew 13:44 NIV

"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.


The Lord hid gold in the earth at creation and men have risked everything in pursuit of this great treasure. Some gave up their very lives with the hope of finding this precious metal.

How much more should we seek after the treasures of heaven! And I will let you in on a little secret of where those treasures are hidden.....

in PEOPLE!

He whispers secrets to those who diligently seek after him, like a man seeking for great treasure of enormous value - and those secrets are treasures from heaven!

God is THE BEST at "hide n' go seek" because he hid his treasure in LAST place people would look for kingdom of heaven - IMPERFECT PEOPLE!!! This is the last place people would look because this secret doesn't belong to those who give up easily! All those who want the fast food version of God's secrets will not find them. Those who want to understand for selfish reasons, or evil motives will not keep looking long. These treasures belong to the diligent and not the faint hearted-those who recognize the value of the Kingdom of God and will not give up easily in the quest, in the pursuit, but who press in to cross the finish line strong.

And I can promise you that continual seekers of these treasures will not be disappointed.

Happy Seeking!

Realtionship tip for the day

When you begin to get frustrated with someone, take a deep breath and begin to to speak out loud all the things you are thankful for about that person. Once you've reminded yourself that this person is not your enemy, then figure out why you were frustrated and decide if in the big scheme of life, does it really matter? Is it something that can just be overlooked? Then live and let live! Live, laugh, and love! You know for sure you are definitely over it when you can laugh out loud at what you were frustrated about!
A good proverb to live by:
A relaxed attitude will prolong your life.

Aaronic blessing I have started to pray:

The Lord bless you and keep you,
The Lord make his face shine upon you
And be gracious to you.
The Lord lift up his countenence upon you
And give you peace.
Numbers 6:24-26