IN the land of the Living!

Heart of God by Gary Rowell

I come today to encourage, bless, testify, declare, motivate and implore!  I have truly AGAIN seen the faithfulness of God in the land of the LIVING!  Are you living in His faithfulness?  Are you being stretched beyond yourself?  Are you SEEING God move in your midst?  You should be.  He wants to move on your behalf...He is SO for you!

Yesterday my son, Jon, was in need of $750 for a down-payment on a mission trip; deadline - TODAY!  He did all he knew to do by working, sending letters, messaging friends on facebook, praying, fasting, praising, giving and then you know what happened?  The Lord showed up...AGAIN!  Faithful God He is!

He came home from school yesterday, a bit late.  I asked him why and he told me he had to get gas for his motorcycle.  He went on to say that while there, he saw a man needing gas too but the man didn't have any money.  My son felt the Lord was saying to trust him for his money by filling a need in this man's life.  So my son used his debit card and bought the man gas!  (Now mind you, I don't go around advocating this as there are MANY who are just scamming but Jon has great discernment so I trust him when he said he heard God telling him to do so.)  Jon didn't go looking for something to do to make God move for him, the opportunity just presented itself in his timeline - just as God does, He meets us where we are at.  See this was about Jon and God, not about a man needing gas.  God set this up.  Jon not only pumped the gas but he also prayed for-and-with this total stranger.  This angel unaware possibly?  Not sure, but hold that thought a minute.  Jon then asked God for provision based on giving out of his very need.  He just said, "God I trust you to provide what I need, just as you provided for this man's need."  See, Jon understands the principles of heaven - sowing and reaping. Read about it - Jesus talks many times about fields and seeds and soil.  You can't "reap" harvest unless you have "planted" and you have to have seed in the soil to produce a crop.  Not only this day, did Jon "plant" but many days before he has "planted".  See - it's a lifestyle, not a situation.  Jon LIVES giving and therefore, God gave back to him when he was in need because Jon reminded God of his promises.  I don't think Jon was visited by an angel but then again, I guess we won't know until THAT day, will we?

Many people give, but they don't dialog with God about it.  The don't "till" the soil. They maybe even give out of compulsion rather than compassion!  See, we remind God NOT because God is forgetful but because WE are!  He wants to see that WE believe Him at His Word and the ONLY way we do this is to talk about it.  Hear me, we don't talk about the problem and how LATE God is or question WHERE God is, we just softly and quietly say, "God, I know you got this because I haven't forgotten and I certainly KNOW you haven't forgotten either!"  Simple.  It's a heart of a child coming before their daddy-God and kissing his checks saying, "but you said, Daddy!"

My Jon lives as a child before His Holy God.  He is SO tender, amazing and trusting because he knows how BIG his daddy is!  Some of this was because Jon has an amazing earthly father, but not all my sons have this same gift so therefore I know it is not about our earthly father's as much as it is about our hearts TOWARD our heavenly father!

Today, when Jon arrived at school he had EXACTLY $750 to meet his deadline in his account!  Praise the Name of the Lord!  He even had one person message him before he got to school this morning saying that they would give him what he needed to meet his deadline - just call 'em with a number.  What?  How cool is God.  Jon didn't even need this awesome gift to meet today's deadline yet God knew Jon didn't know this...YET!  Hahaha - that's just how our God rolls!  Lavishly!

Be encouraged my friends!  This is why I write to you today; not to brag on Jon but to BRAG on GOD!  This SAME God loves you too!  He desires relationship with you.  He longs for your time, your ear, your heart!  He has ALL the provision you will ever hope to need!  MAKE TIME to find Him in the midst of your busyness.  Crawl up into daddy's lap and lay your head on his shoulder and listen to His heartbeat.

The Lord reminded me of one of my favorite scriptures today and I must share it here with you.  It is Zephaniah 3:17.  Here it is in the message bible:  "Your God is present among you, a strong Warrior there to save you.  Happy to have you back, He'll calm you with His love and delight you with His songs."  Isn't that GOOD NEWS!  God is singing over you love songs, just as a mother does with her babe or a lover does to his sweetheart.  Amazing God, You are truly Magnificent!  Thank you Father for your love and power and provision...AGAIN!

Accountability in Benghazi

So tell me again why so many defended Hilary and the president when they stood in the rose garden and blamed a video?  Used to be that when leadership were caught in their lies, they resigned before bringing disgrace on our nation.  Remember Watergate?  How many people were fired, removed and/or resigned?  Today we have four people dead in Benghazi and one is an Ambassador not to mention the two former Navy seals and yet it seems some just want to "sweep this under the rug and move forward" like nothing terrible has really happened.

"Sweeping things under the rug and moving forward" seems to be a "spell" over many these days, not only in politics but I have seen this personally in my family and even in the church.  What happened to accountability?  How about responsibility?  Integrity?  Repentance?  Restitution?  When we allow people/leadership to do this, we are basically saying that this "injustice" (whatever it may be) is no big deal and we hear them saying "get over it".

Really?  I have seen this same demon manifesting in pastors taking this same stance over issues in their church when it comes to family disputes.  They want to "sweep things under the rug".  No one wants to get their "hands dirty" and so they "wash their hands" of involvement in anything "messy" so they don't loose tithes or members because too many people today are not about truth; they are about easy.

It reminds me of Meg Ryan's line in "You've Got Mail".  Kathleen Kelly is dealing with the loss of her business and she keeps hearing this line as if it is truth.  She is told that it is nothing personal; it's business.  She finally responds with this dialog, "What is that supposed to mean? I am so sick of that. All that means is that it wasn't personal to *you*. But it was personal to me. It's *personal* to a lot of people. And what's so wrong with being personal, anyway?"

I have seen SO many things in the past few years (even aside from politics) where people act like personal attacks are nothing personal.  Really?  Or where accountability and leadership don't want to get involved with "this or that" because that is a "family issue" or they use the line of it's "personal".

"And what's so wrong with being personal, anyway?" - Kathleen Kelly

We seem to live in a day where accountability and restitution seem to be a thing of the past.  Tragic!

He Loves Us

Wow - He LOVES us!  Do you know this?  He LOVES us!  Do you know it personally?  Do you?

I can hear you saying, "Sure, sure, but you don't know what I'm going thru.  He may love you and that's great but you don't have my life."

Well, did you know where the song originated, He Loves Us?

Let's look at it.  John Mark McMillan wrote the song the morning after he heard that a close friend (Steve) died from suffering injuries in a car crash the night before.  He was angry, upset, hurt and needed to vent what he felt, and for him that meant write a song.  He said even when making this video, seven years later, he still hurts and misses that friend.  See Christianity isn't always perfect.  It can be messy!

So, think about it.  Life can be hard but what are you going to do about it?  I encourage you to press into the Lord.  Love is not always pretty, clean and fabulous, sometimes it is very difficult and gross.

So let's listen to the song as sung by Kim Walker and take a minute to think about where the song came from...from the anger and desperation a of man before his God; a man who knew his God knew that he was angry and yet that God WOULD LOVE HIM THROUGH IT!

What do you need to take before the Lord and just pour out your heart about?  Let Him LOVE YOU!  What a great way to start the year!  In His LOVE!  Do you think He doesn't know what is eating you?  Really?  Pour out your heart; He knows, He cares and HE LOVES US!

One New Man

I was listening to Sid Roth today as he did this teaching that aired on his show

from October 29, 2012.  All around us are signs that America is at a crossroads with this upcoming election, and with that, we as people in this nation too are facing a crossroads as well.

America has been the most blessed nation on Earth to date many would argue and we have been the ones blessed to live here, but in my lifetime, I have seen our country continue to slip away from the things of the Lord.  We continue to grow darker and darker as a nation and the church has been ill prepared to face the onslaught of destruction.  Why? Because the church has been preaching a watered-down gospel. In fact, the church as "ridden the wave" with the world in many cases. We have secret sins in the church and abominations being practiced, even by church leaders, ministers, and supposedly "Godly folks" who think grace is enough.  Hear me, I am all into grace, but grace doesn't give us permission to sin.  We are to be "holy" people. The devil has been working rather diligently at this task of watering down what the Bible clearly states.

According to Sid, he said the Lord told him that there are "two end-time demonic entities that have been loosed on America to prevent America from fulfilling her destiny."  The following is a transcript from this show on the One New Man.  God is up to something; He is merging the Jew and the Gentile - in fullfillment of the scriptures. He went on to say,

 “ 'I, God, will bless those who bless the Jewish people and I, God, will curse those who treat you with contempt.' Genesis 12:3.

It’s that simple. God has multiple reasons for this. But that’s all we should need to know. God judges, a lot of people misunderstand this, God judges Israel for sin. I happen to be Israeli as well as an American. God judges us for sin personally. But He uses Israel to judge the nations. 

Let me explain this to you. Matthew 25 [31-46] talks about a shepherd separating sheep from goats. You know what a goat is. A goat has a mind of its own. A sheep follows the shepherd. And there’s one single issue that causes the separation of nations in the last days, according to Matthew 25. Whether you’re a goat nation or whether you’re a sheep nation, Matthew 25:40 says, 'As you have done unto the least of these my brethren you’ve done unto me.' And the word 'brethren' in the Greek means 'from the womb'. 

Who were Jesus’ brethren? From the womb. You see this? It’s so clear you need help to be confused. 

Now Obadiah 1:15 says, 'The day is near.' And whenever it says 'the day' it’s talking about the day of the Lord. 

'The day is near when I the Lord will judge all godless nations. As you have done to Israel so it will be done to you.' Can’t get any stronger than that. But there is a tipping point with Israel. It’s amazing. 

And here’s the tipping point with Israel. It’s sort of like God puts up with sin, layer and layer of sin, but there comes a tipping point. This is the tipping point: Joel 3:2, 'I will gather all nations.' Note the word 'all'.  

'I will gather all nations and bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat, and I will enter into judgment with them there on account of my people.' He’s talking about the Jewish people. My heritage, Israel, in case you didn’t get it straight, is not just the Christians. Christians are God’s people. But he’s saying, 'My people Israel', that’s what He’s saying, 'whom they have scattered among the nations, they have divided up MY land.' Very important. It’s not, contrary to popular opinion, the Jewish people’s land, the land of Israel. It’s not, contrary to popular opinion, the Arab people’s land, Israel. God says, 'It is MY land.' 

Then He tells us what He did with the land. He leased it. Any attorneys here? Any attorneys in the audience? I want you to tell me about this lease, how air tight it is. He leased it to the Jewish people.

I don’t know about you, but I have never seen the morality in America go downhill so fast. I mean, it’s usually like the boiling frog in all the slow boil, but it’s a hot flame right now. And I have to tell you, I know the cause. There are two deadly demonic demons instituting two deadly sins.

One is to make sure that America is on the wrong side of the fence in reference to God’s position on the Jew and on Israel. That’s the first one. The second is a lack of holiness." 

Genesis 12:3, 'I will bless those who bless you.' Did you catch that? There is a truth here that if you can grab hold of just this one truth it will be so life-changing for you. 

In the New Living translation, God says, people, and here is the length of the lease: three ways. Psalm 105: 8-11, 'He remembers his covenant forever.' Remember, 'forever'. Say it. Forever. 

'The word which he commanded for a thousand generations.' Repeat. A thousand generations. 

'The covenant which he made with Abraham and his old ties and confirmed it to Jacob for statute to Israel for an everlasting covenant.' Say, ever-lasting covenant. 

Saying to you, 'I will give the land of Canaan as the allotment of your heritage.' Here’s the terms of the lease: forever, ever-lasting, a thousand generations. God has to say it three different ways. But could the lease be revoked? I think we have a Philadelphia attorney here. 

Romans 11, just for you, God wrote, Romans11: 28-29, 'Concerning the Gospel, they, (that’s the Jewish people), 'are enemies for your sake. But concerning the election, they are beloved for the sake of the fathers, for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable,' signed God. ' 

Now I just explained the first deadly sin. And I’m going to tell you something, and I know it’s true. If you are on the wrong side with God in reference to the Jew and Israel, you will go into further deception and God will not use you in this last great move of God’s spirit. Be careful. This is what the Living Bible says in Zachariah [2:8]: 'He that touches Israel is the same as someone that pokes their finger in God’s eye.' Pretty strong. Okay. 

The second deadly sin, a lack of holiness. You see, coming from a Jewish background, I was involved in the new age. I had an encounter with the demonic. I know what’s back there. I cannot relate to a backslider. If you just knew what was back there you would run, run from what is evil. 

Let me give you a definition of holiness*. My friend Dr. Michael Brown told me this. Holiness is becoming like Jesus in thought, word and deed. Let me repeat that. Holiness is becoming like Jesus in thought, word and deed. 

Oswald Chambers would often say, 'God is not an eternal blessing machine.' Very different than what is taught today. God is not an eternal blessing machine. We were not saved out of pity. We were saved to walk progressively more each day in holiness. 

There used to be a bumper sticker, you’re familiar with it, 'What Would Jesus Do?' Would Jesus sacrifice children in the womb? Is He the God of pleasure? Would Jesus change the definition of marriage to include men marrying men? God have mercy on America. We live in an anything goes society. 

Jesus said, 'If you love me, keep my commandments.' Homosexuality is becoming the norm. Pornography, in the church and out of the church, people are addicted in droves. Abortion, sex without marriage, new age, addictions of all kinds, so quickly our society is turning. We’re not only in an anything goes society, we’re in an anything goes Christianity. Christianity is being dumbed down. We look like the world, we act like the world, we think like the world, we talk like the world and we wonder why we’re not walking in the presence of a Living God. We wonder why revival isn’t here. We don’t have messages today about the blood, about repentance, about the crucified life, about the power of God. Sadly, there’s little difference between the world and Christianity. 

Hebrews 12:14 says, 'Pursue holiness without which no one will see the Lord.' Anyone here interested in seeing the Lord? Pursue holiness without which no one will see the Lord. Whatever happened to the fear of God? Whatever happened to a word that is actually eliminated from many Gospel messages today? Whatever happened to repentance? Things are about to change. I’m going to be on God’s side. Me and my house, we’re going to follow the Lord. How about you? How about you? Do you like that? 

I’ve been talking about the two deadly demons being on the wrong side of the fence in reference to the Jews in Israel and not walking in holiness. God says, in 1 Peter 1:16, 'Be ye holy for I am,' that’s another name for God, 'I am holy.' 

What is wrong with the popular grace message of the day? It’s not what is being said, it is what is being omitted. Grace without repentance, hear me and hear me well will lead to the following sins. It will be a license to sin. I understand grace. I would not be here without God’s grace. There is a wonderful blessing from God unmerited, unwarranted, but because He loves us, of God’s gift of grace. But there is a counterfeit grace which will lead to a license to sin, no hell or perhaps don’t stay in hell permanently, and the heretical belief of eventual reconciliation of all people. 

Well my Bible says there’s only one way. There’s no other way to be saved but the name of Jesus. And I’ll tell you, while I’m speaking on this, there are many Christians, and by the way, people are being physically right now as I’m speaking. Someone with a neck problem, the pain has just gone. Their backs are being healed right now. 

I am concerned about my Jewish people because we Jewish people are loved by many Christians, and praise God for that. But if you love us tell us about God’s grace with repentance. Don’t just tell us you love us. Tell us the good news that Jewish people do not go to Heaven with sin on our hands. And the Bible says there’s none righteous, no not one. 

Romans 6:1-2 talks about the true grace message. 'What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?' Certainly not. 

Romans 2:4, 'The goodness or the grace of God is what leads to repentance.' It doesn’t eliminate repentance. 

Now get this. The call of the Jewish believer in Jesus. Most of you don’t know that. Jewish people and Jesus have a call. It’s found in John 4:22, 'Salvation is of the Jew.' Every gentile that names the name of Jesus owes a debt of gratitude to some Jewish person who was faithful because the job of the Jew was to reach the gentile with the good news.  

So, what’s the job of the gentile Christian? Romans 11:11, 'To provoke them,' the Jewish people, 'to jealous, salvation has come to the gentile.' The job of the gentile is to reach the Jew. Now look at it from a spiritual DNA viewpoint. If you reach the Jew and the gentile, who have you reached? The whole world. And when these two spiritual DNAs co-mingle, listen to what Paul says. He’s almost beside himself in the Book of Ephesians 2:14, 15 and 22, 'For He,' that’s Jesus himself, 'is our peace who has made both,' that’s Jew and gentile, 'who has made both one and has broken down the middle wall of separation so as to create in himself one new man from the two, thus making peace.' Now this is in the Greek. But in the Hebrew, since Paul was Jewish, the word 'peace' is shalom. The word 'shalom' has several meanings, one of the meanings is completeness. So it’s as if a Jewish believer in Jesus is incomplete without a gentile believer in Jesus, and a gentile believer in Jesus is incomplete without a Jewish believer in Jesus. 'So as to create in himself one new man from the two, thus making peace,' or completeness, 'in whom you are also being built together for a dwelling place for God in the spirit.' 

But what kind of dwelling place? He just spoke about peace, shalom. A complete dwelling place. So if we want the full measure, the former reign of God and the later reign of God coming down in one day, that middle wall of separation, where it’s separated between Jew and gentile would form one new man, one new creation. We are at the fullness of the gentile age. 

You don’t realize this. Two places in scripture it’s mentioned. Luke 21:24 says, 'Jerusalem shall be trampled down by the gentiles until the times of the gentiles is fulfilled.' You know what happened in 1967? Jerusalem in Jewish hands. So the first thing to look for is Jerusalem must be in Jewish possession. 

The second thing to look for, Romans 11:25 talks about a mystery that should not be a mystery to God’s children. Blindness in part has happened to Israel. I’m Jewish, I see Jesus. So that’s why it’s just in part. 'Blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the gentiles has come in.'

Second thing to look for, spiritual scales come off of the eyes of Jewish people. I tell you, I see it. I just got a phone call a week or so ago from Ann, listen to this, an 88-year-old orthodox Jewish woman that got my book in the mail, and she said, 'All my orthodox Jewish friends in the neighborhood are talking about your Jewish evangelistic book that you mailed to them.' And then she said, 'Sid, I have to tell you, it was my birthday, my 88th birthday, and on my birthday I had a visitation from Jesus.' 

Thousands, tens of thousands of Jewish people are coming to the Lord because we’re at the fullness of the gentile age. But just as the spiritual scales are off the Jewish, they have to come off of Christians, too. How can we call on him if we not heard him? How can we hear unless those called by name tell us who? Romans 11:11, 'Salvation is come to the gentile to provoke Jew to jealousy.' 

Why is this so important? Because Amos 9:11-13 talks about the End Time revival, the greatest revival the world has ever seen, ever, ever. It’s never happened before. You should read this sometime, Amos 9:11-13, but read it through Jewish eyes. Listen to this, 11th verse, 'On that day I will raise up the tabernacle of David.' The word 'tabernacle' in the Hebrew means house or family. Who is the family of David? The Jewish people. 'I will raise up that tabernacle, that family of David that they may possess the remnant of Edam and all the gentiles who are called by my name.' 

In other words, whence the tabernacle of David, the family of David, the Jewish people are restored to God it’s going to release a revival among gentiles. Here’s the part that’s never been before, Verse 13: 'Behold the days are coming, says the Lord, when the plowman shall overtake the reaper, the treader of grapes will sow seed.' Do you know what this is saying? 

It’s saying it’s going to be such a harvest of souls that you will not be able to get the fruit off of the vine before the next harvest is beginning, and it’s going to be a harvest, when? When that one new man comes together. It doesn’t make sense to me. But a lot of things God says don’t make sense to me, and that’s why He’s God. It’s that simple. But God says, you want a complete dwelling place of God by the spirit? You want to see the greatest revival the world has ever seen? You want to see America fulfill its End Time destiny? Reach the Jew to combine with the gentle Christian, the spiritual DNA with the Jew, the spiritual DNA of the gentile Christian, put the two together and you have a complete dwelling place of God by the spirit. 

Repentance in the Greek means a change of mind. Repentance in the Hebrew means a change of action. That’s what true biblical repentance is. You need the Jew and the gentile. We need each other. It’s time to repent. Repentance is to turn from your sin, believe the blood of Jesus was enough to wash it away, but turn all the way to God for the power to walk away from the sin, not keep walking back. The Gospel is repent and believe. We’re about ready to see the greatest outpouring of God’s spirit in history, in Jesus."

*Holiness is becoming like the Lord, in thought, in words, and in deeds. In Philippians 4:6-9 we read about what we are to think on. God has something to say about our thoughts.  In I Peter 1:16 there is a command from the Lord to be holy, because He is holy.  God addresses Holiness in several Old Testament scriptures as well, including: Leviticus 11:44-45, Leviticus 19:2, Leviticus 20:7, Leviticus 20:26, Leviticus 21:08, and Exodus 19:6.

Are You a Good Person?

So many people today think they are a "good person" what does that mean?  What does that look like? What are we really saying when we think we are "good"?  Are any of us truly good?  Hmmm, that requires deeper investigation.

Ray Comfort has some incredible teachings and this one too will not disappoint. I have yet to listen to something from him that doesn't make me grow or challenge me.

In this video he will explore the Genius of John Lennon and what motivated him and his artistic expressions in song and music. Fascinating information about his upbringing, his early years, events on the road and even the news around his death are shared in this intriguing look back at the Beatles and "being happy".

Please take the 35 minutes to view this entire video; you will never be the same.  I have shared this with SEVERAL people from all types of backgrounds; people who are "saved", people who think they are "saved", people who hope they are "saved" and even those who have really never been questioned the topic and ALL of them walk away from the video in the least full of conviction and even some needing to make some things right.  See none of us plan on dying; John Lennon certainly wasn't expecting to die at 40.

I encourage you to not only watch the video but then share it with those you love and care about.  It is an easy way to bring up one of the most important questions ANY of us can face - where will we go when we die?

I pray that the eyes of your heart will be enlightened and that you too will find the peace that only can come from the truth of the gospel message found in Jesus Christ.  Blessings my brothers in Christ and may your 2013 start off strong, with the Lord on your side!

Beautiful Things

What a wonderful time of year!  It's the MOST WONDERFUL Time of the Year and we hear it playing as we shop and eat but then, is it?  I see broken people, hurting people, empty people, lost people and my spirit aches for them.  I receive calls, prayer request, messages on Facebook, emails, texts from dear friends who are drowning in doubt and I pray.  I pray,  I pray.  I wake up daily, hearing the Lord sing over me songs of peace and hope and joy and then I begin to pray again, to intercede, to lift up and tear down (strongholds) and bring situations before my amazing daddy, God!

Today I heard the words from Michael Gungor's song Beautiful Things replaying in my head, "You make beautiful things, beautiful things out of the dust."  (See entire song lyrics below.)  This song is a musical version of what God is doing, daily in us.  He is making us new!  He is working!  He is awake, alive, active, able, aware, among us, around us, upon us and in us and He is working; YES, He is making us new!

Cast all your doubt, discouragement, disappointment, people's disapproval, denial, depression, distraction and even the destruction that your sin may have caused in your life at His feet and give it to Him.  Ask Him to take it all and then watch and see how He will make beautiful things out of the dust of your life!  He is amazing and HE can do it!

I listened to this song over and over and over and over in the last 24 hours, letting it water me, refresh me, permeate through the thick junk of the world on me and I have listened at least five times in the last hour.  I keep listening as the Spirit of the Lord poured into me, refreshing me, rejuvenating me, reminding me that He is indeed working on my behalf; restoring me, revitalizing me, reworking my thinking and my heart.  He wants to rebuild us, equip us, heal us, commission us, empower us BUT He is limited by our choices.  Some of us choose sin.  We need to stop.  Some of us currently are not choosing sin, but we are beat us with our remembrance of our sin and that it is paralyzing us in the now.  He needs to make us new.  He needs to have the permission to go in and rewire us, refresh us, rework us, renew us!  Give Him that permission today; right now! ASK Holy Spirit to come in and make all things NEW in you!

Gungor writes, "Hope is springing up from this old ground, out of chaos life is being found in YOU!"  After hearing this over and over, the Lord brought me to that word, HOPE!  There is it, again.  I have been being infused with Hope since the outcome of our national election.  I needed HOPE and God has been faithful to provide it to me!  The spirit of the Lord then brought to my remembrance the song Hope's Anthem by Bethel Live.

God is preparing us.  He is pouring out Himself again, as a drink offering.  He is OFFERING you refreshment, renewing, water to your dry soul.  He is HOPE personified and He is pouring out what we need in these days of depression, mall shootings, economy crises, bankruptcy, wars and rumors of war, family disfunction, divorce, betrayal, eating disorders, cancer; what is your need?  He has poured out the solution and he is OFFERING it to you but you have to TAKE it, DRINK it and receive it!

A good place to start this act of faith would be to have some communion, right now.  YOU and God.  Grab a cracker, a hunk of bread, and some juice and REMEMBER what He did for you at the cross.  Take the bread, bless it and see Him on the cross for you and your sin.  Eat the bread and then drink the cup as you remember how he was beaten and bled and died for your sickness, your disease (habitual sin can be like a disease - eating at you, destroying you).  Confess your sin and your need for Him to take your place and then RECEIVE His finished work at the cross for you.  Ask Holy Spirit to come and FILL YOU, renew you, refresh you, and motivate you.  He is a fire, and all consuming fire (God is) and His spirit (one of the three parts of God) is the only entity of the God-head that is still moving here on this planet.  God the Father is in heaven and Jesus is sitting at His right hand but Jesus said,

"but the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you." John 14:26. 

"But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away.  Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you."  John 16:7

"And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever." John 14:16

You see, there are three baptisms; there is the baptism in water, the baptism of Holy Spirt and baptism of fire.  The English word "baptism" is a derivative of the Greek word "baptisma," which was a term used for a ritual washing. In the Old Testament, the term describes the ritual cleansing practices priests were supposed to perform for the congregation of Israel.

The baptism in water: By the baptism of water one experience in conversion to the faith in this life and a cleansing away of the old nature and as a consecration.  The baptism of water should happen AFTER your confession of faith to Jesus!  It's your outward sign to the world that something has changed or shifted in you.  It could also be understood as a typification of the judgement of God on the earth by means of water during the deluge of Noah, wherein God cleansed the world of wickedness.  The water WASHES us!  It is a sign that our sins have been washed away!

Which leads to the baptism of the Holy Spirit:  This is where you as a believer ask Holy Spirit to have His way in you and you give Him permission to "drive".  It is similar to what you did for salvation, when you asked Jesus to take your sin and save you.  Holy Spirit is IN you when you were saved but just as a guest in your home is not "welcomed" until YOU, the owner of your home, "RECEIVED" them, so Holy Spirit is waiting in the hallway or foyer of your "home" (your body) for your acknowledgment of His part in the Trinity.


In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit was a privilege from God upon just a few categories of people.  These categories were mainly the Kings who were anointed to rule over Israel, the true Prophets of the living God and the Levitical Priests.  The Lord God also slightly extended this privilege of the Holy Spirit to afew other special people - for instance, the seventy elders who were to help Moses in leading the Israelites on their way towards Canaan (Exodus 11:16-26).


A look at the scriptures also reveals a few other people receiving this special privilege of the Holy Spirit.  A few of these examples include Mary who was espoused to Joseph (Luke 1:35) and Elizabeth and her unborn child John the Baptist (Luke 1:41).  However, the Holy Spirit did not indwell in them constantly, but instead came upon them to give special divine directions and revelations for some specific situation.


So, in the Old Testament days, the Holy Spirit had not yet been poured out from heaven upon ALL those who believed in the living God.  We do find in many places in the Old Testament where prophets like Joel announce a big change is coming - that the Holy Spirit shall be poured out upon all flesh.  "And it will come about after this that I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind". (Joel 2:28).

Jesus had to leave and go back to the Father so the Gift of the Father would be released.  Jesus had to go up to heaven so Holy Spirit would come down to believers.  (John 16:7).  In Acts 1:4-5, the Lord Jesus Christ commands his disciples not to preach the gospel until they had received the gift of the Holy Spirit.  A few days later during Pentecost, the Baptism of the Holy Spirit occurred upon the 120 disciples who had obeyed the Lord's command to await this special Baptism at Jerusalem (John 24:49, Acts 2:1-4).

And so in the New Testament, the scenario changes. Here we find true believers receiving the Holy Spirit who now indwells in them constantly. This was the first outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon believers in the New Testament era. From that time up to this present time, the Holy Spirit's baptism is open to all believers who desire him, and who walk in holiness before God.


The baptism of fire: This is a purifying and sanctifying baptism.  It is the restoration of all things in Christ.  What is important to note is that the fire and water baptisms are symbolic and represent the purifying and cleansing power of Gods Judgment.  This baptism is ONLY for the saints of God and is given by Holy Spirit. Luke 12:50, Jesus says, "There is a terrible baptism ahead for me, and I am under a heavy burden until it is accomplished."  Jesus paved the way for us!  

Fire is a symbol of Holy Spirit and the purifying judgement of God. Believers need to walk in the Spirit of God. Holy Spirit will lead the saint in the ways of God. All ungodliness in the lives of the saints will have to be burned up by the fire of the Lord.  1 Corinthians 3:13 "Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire itself will test the quality of each man's work."

As long as the believer is founded in the unshakeable word of God – by faith and obedience – they will always come out of the fire stronger. They will not fall apart. These hard times of fire baptism will also make the believer come out of the trials purified, just like gold is when it is passed through the hot furnace fire to be purified.

The Bible is full of men and women of God who went through this type of baptism – Job the man of God, the prophets of God in the old testament especially during the reign of King Ahab and his wicked wife Jezebel, David the King, Jesus Christ, Apostles Peter and Paul, and the persecutions of the saints of God in the early Church during the reign of a great many Roman kings. Jesus Christ talks frequently of this type of baptism upon all those believing in him. You must also keep in mind that our heavenly Father is faithful, He will not allow that which we can not bear. Instead he gives us the spiritual strength to endure what ever he allows to come into our lifes so that we are victorious to the glory of his name. It is written, "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man, but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it," (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Jesus told us to wait for Him as He was giving another.  When did you acknowlege the "other" sent by Jesus to help you now?  If you need HOPE, you need Holy Spirit!  Come Holy Spirit, I Need Thee!

"Beautiful Things"

All this pain
I wonder if I’ll ever find my way
I wonder if my life could really change at all
All this earth
Could all that is lost ever be found
Could a garden come up from this ground at all

You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us

All around
Hope is springing up from this old ground
Out of chaos life is being found in You

You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us

You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us

You make me new, You are making me new
You make me new, You are making me new

You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us 

"Hope's Anthem"

He's awakening the hope in me

By calling forth my destiny

He's breathing life

Into my soul

I will thirst for

Him and Him alone

Pre Chorus

He has come like the rain

That showers on the barren plain

So my heart and tongue confess

Jesus, Christ the Hope of man

Chorus

My hope is in you, God

I am steadfast

I will not be moved

I'm anchored, never shaken

All my hope is in You

Bridge (2x)

He's bringing hope to the hopeless

And giving his heart to the broken

And sharing His home with the orphan

He is the joy, He is my joy

He is the hope of the nations

The father's heart we're embracing

He is the song we're declaring

He is the joy, He is my joy

COME HOLY SPIRIT, I NEED THEE 

CHORUS:

Come Holy spirit, I need You,
Come Holy Spirit, I pray,
Come in Thy strength and Thy power,
Come in Thine own gentle way.

Come as the wisdom to children,

Come as new sight for the blind

Come Lord as strength to my weakness

Take me, soul, body and mind

Come like the spring in the desert,
Come to this winner of souls,
Oh, let Thy sweet healing power,
Touch me and make me whole.

Come Lord as rest to the weary

Come as a balm for the soul

Come as a dew to my trials

Fill me with Joy evermore.

Come Holy Spirit I need You,
Come in Thine own gentle way,
Come as the rest to the weary,
Come fill me with joy today.

HOPE in this Season!

I woke up singing, "Holy Spirit you are welcome here.  Come flood this place and fill the atmosphere.  Your glory God, is what my heart longs for.  To be overcome by your presence Lord."  It's called Holy Spirit by Brian and Katie Torwalt.  I have shared this song before but this morning the Lord was up to something, I could feel it in my bones, and the something was something GOOD!

Sunrise 12-11-12

After listening to the song about 5 times and singing it over my husband as he was shaving, I went to my computer to begin to seek the Lord as to who needed to be filled up. I posted it as my status on facebook and then saw a friend post about the moon and Venus up high in the morning sky.  She said it was beautiful so I had to go see.

This is the coldest morning we have had in about 10 months or so, it was 19 degrees according to my thermometer but I didn't care, I grabbed a blanket, and rushed out the front door.  Draped in this warmth while in my pj's, I was stunned. WOW - it was breathtaking and inspiring.  I ran back in for my camera as I knew I had to capture this treasure.  MAGNIFICENT, I thought! Here is exactly what the sky looked like, I just watermarked it and framed it.  The air was cold, the atmosphere was crisp and God was speaking!

While preparing the image for this post, I noticed another friend had just posted her photo of God's awesomeness to facebook.  Her's was of an evergreen branch with snow.  I was overcome with the magnitude of God's love for me in seeing her photo and all that God was already doing so I had to post to her wall.

2012 Snow by Corynn Flood

"How WONDERFUL our God is, from the detail of clusters of ice crystals clinging to a branch to the magnificence of the heavens. WOW - OUR GOD REIGNS and he LOVES us SO! Have a FABULOUS day my sister! You are a HOPE ambassador. Everywhere you go, you bring the HOPE of Glory that the world LONGS for! WOW- what a job you have!"

Did you catch that word of exhortation that the Lord gave me for her?  That WE are called to be "ambassadors of HOPE"!  My pastor has been teaching on HOPE (look for 12-09-12 Steve Fish HOPE Prophets part 4) for the last few weeks and he really wasn't planning on teaching on it again, but he did.  This message of HOPE has permeated my spirit and accosted me. He shared that in this hour, God is raising up "Ambassadors of HOPE" or "Hope Prophets".  See we are to be pouring out on to others the "Hope and Glory" that is in us but here's the deal; you can't give what you don't have.  

He went on to say that, "Hope is the seedbed for Faith.  Hebrews 11:1".  In my walk, God has always filled me with Faith and now my HOPE is being charged because my faith has been rising up!  Do you see?  We need to RISE up!  Hope is founded in Love so I encourage you to take time to be filled with LOVE from your daddy, your papa, your Lord and Savior, JESUS CHRIST!  Take time to let the Lord LOVE YOU!

Here are some of my favorite songs that minister life to me and some have ministered to me over the last 40 years.

I Need to be Still by BJ Thomas
I Met God in the Morning by Lydell (1970's)  I can't find a music track link that was to the tune that Lydell sang it but I did find the words. It was poem by Bishop Ralph Cushman

"I met God in the morning"

I met God in the morning
when the day was at its best,
And His Presence came like sunrise,
Like a glory in my breast.

All day long the Presence lingered,
All day long He stayed with me,
And we sailed in perfect calmness
O'er a very troubled sea.

Other ships were blown and battered,
Other ships were sore distressed,
But the winds that seemed to drive them,
Brought to me a peace and rest.

Then I thought of other mornings,
With a keen remorse of mind,
When I too had loosed the moorings,
With the presence left behind.

So, I think I know the secret,
Learned from many a troubled way:
You must seek Him in the morning
If you want Him through the day!
By Bishop Ralph Cushman

10,000 Reasons by Matt Redman
Hope's Anthem by Bethel Live

I then was messaged by a friend saying how much he has been encouraged by my family and me.  He stopped his message as he said tears were welling up in him.  I told him that I too cry easily because God is continually melting off the calluses on my heart and the tears are those shavings, pealing off like drops shedding out of my heart.

I then felt the Lord rising up in my spirit to pray for him.  As I was praying, I felt this come out of me for him,  "That God was to make a way where there seemed to be NO way because God is SO about...providing, guiding, teaching, releasing, positioning, reconstructing, healing, restoring...He's got this! Love you brother. May you FEEL the Lord WITH you as you enter this day! Amen!"

This is what happens when YOU get filled up with His love, you become a river that the Lord just begins to pour out onto others.  Be encouraged my friends and find your HOPE in the Lord.

Finally one more message came from a brother in the Lord seeking links and CD's to put into the hands of a dying relative who didn't believe.  I sent him to my favorites:

Pastor Thurman Scrivner
Louis Giglio - Laminin
Case for Christ by Lee Strobel (audio version)