“Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding and abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that “worketh in us”....
Unto Him, be all glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen!”
Ephesians 3:20-21
I have learned that any good thing we do is actually the empowerment and grace of the Holy Spirit at work “in us.” I sat with Eric and Mendy Anderson of Mission 615 in late October and listened as they shared their vision of blessing all the inner-city kids and the homeless men and women they minister to on a weekly basis with a gift for Christmas. To some, it seemed like an unlikely plan, seeing that it was already the end of October, leaving only about six weeks to raise the money needed for the project. Immediately, we shared their vision and climbed on board.
On November 4, we petitioned our partners of Repairing the Breach Ministries for generous contributions to meet the goal. It is amazing as we read the verse above, often we are made to believe that it is JESUS Himself who is going to meet these goals exceeding and abundantly above all that we have asked Him for, but the truth is we are Christ’s ambassadors, His representatives throughout this earth. Goals are met, the work of His kingdom goes forward through you and me as we obediently yield to that still small voice within our spirits. Yes, God sees every need and the Holy Spirit empowers the need to be met, but understand that GOD chooses to use people!
I am joyful to announce that the budget for “OPERATION CHRISTMAS” was met and the unlikely vision in October became likely on December 14th because of your obedience and generosity! On behalf of those who do not have a platform to say Thank you, I want to commend you! I believe the Lord smiled as the true spirit of Christmas was kept alive in the giving of gifts. To all who generously gave, may you reap a hundredfold return on your investment, coupled with peace, joy, health and true prosperity.
Merry Christmas from the staff of Repairing the Breach Ministries, Inc.
Repairing the Breach Ministries, Inc. is excited to announce our Christmas Project for 2013. We are honored to partner with our friends at Mission 615 in Nashville, TN, to be a blessing in the lives of nearly 200 inner city children and 200 homeless men and women this Christmas.
Our plan is to purchase a $25 gift for each child and a $25 backpack filled with necessary items for the men and women. As you can see, the cost of this project is $10,000, but together with faithful, generous people like you we can make the season brighter for those less fortunate.
Remember, RTBM is a 501 (c)3 organization and all donations are tax-deductible. We celebrate Christmas because God GAVE His only son so that you and I may have eternal life. Won't you step out this holiday season beyond the needs and desires of your own family and BECOME the meaning of Christmas to someone else this year...BECOME A GIVER.
Contributions can be given by DECEMBER 7th simply by using our secure DONATE button located at the top of this page
Yes, it is true. This is only a song, but as I listened I couldn’t help but realize just how true these words are for all of us at times. I dare to say that everyone suffers from “approval addiction” at some point in their lives. Sadly, for some, it is an every day disease, eating LIFE right out of you.
Our minds are programmed by the definition of the American Dream long before we are able to comprehend the messages. At one time the American Dream was defined as a hard working man or woman, who married his/her helpmate for life and together forged their own little piece of happiness, complete with a couple of kids, a house, a family vehicle and a dog named Lassie!
Nowadays, the definition of the American Dream vies for every ounce of our time, energy, attention, and perfection. We are programmed to impress and driven by the applause of man - all at the expense of true fulfillment, joy, health, peace, and purpose.
Have you ever stopped and asked yourself, “What am I doing?”
Instead of spending a lifetime as a people-pleaser, clothed by the standards of this world, why don’t you take that U-turn ahead and dare to become a God-pleaser? You were created with unique purpose. The most important dream of all is to discover that purpose and spend a lifetime fulfilling it, bringing glory, honor, and praise to your Creator.
We are His ambassadors, His living representatives in the earth. Everything we do, speak, or think is designed to represent and point to His love, mercy and goodness for those in our spheres of influence. This includes your spouse, children, neighbors, co-workers, and strangers in the places you frequent.
What message is your life delivering? Remember, the applause of man may stroke your ego for a moment, but that is it’s only reward. There is a greater, eternal applause to be desired. May we each live our lives in such a way that in the end we might suffer no regret and joyfully enter our rest hearing these words,
Do you know Jesus Christ as your personal Friend and Savior?
Many of you know that I was not raised in a Christian home. Aside from attending a few church services with friends, I knew very little about Jesus until I was eighteen years old.
After getting pregnant at seventeen and delivering a child at eighteen, I desired to offer our daughter a more stable and loving life. I remember the day so clearly. As I sat on the floor of our small basement apartment, listening to Amy Grant, the love of Jesus filled the room where I was sitting. His acceptance of me and all my mistakes was overwhelming.
In the stillness of that moment, I surrendered everything to Him.
No, I was not in a church service.
No, a pastor did not lead me in the sinner’s prayer.
Yes, all of that is beneficial and good, but Jesus is everywhere, searching for those who are lost.
That was ME!
I was lost, afraid, and dreaming of a life far better than I was living. As tears flowed down my face, the love of my heavenly Father began to saturate my heart with peace.
PEACE!
Ahhh...isn’t that what you need today? Could you use a good dose of REAL PEACE?
I dare you! Yes, I said, “I dare you to try JESUS.” I can testify that He has never forsaken me even once in 25 years and I have never turned my back on Him. He is my best friend, the One on whom I can constantly depend. Like a true shepherd, He has led me into the blessed life: one of acceptance, joy, peace, love and true contentment.
Do not confuse Him with RELIGION. He wants to have a RELATIONSHIP with you.
If you have never accepted Him into your life, you can right now.
There in your living room, or wherever you may be, as you’re reading this from your phone or computer you can utter these words from your heart:
“Jesus, I need you. I want you in my life. I surrender everything to you, my past and my failures. I believe that YOU died on the cross just for ME and You rose from the grave as triumphant King. Come into my life this day and set me free.”
If you prayed this prayer and you desire to speak to someone about your experience, privately INBOX me or leave a comment under this Blog. You will never regret this decision.
It was a humbling thirty days! Some years ago, God was teaching me the power of contentment, and He challenged me not to purchase ANYTHING for myself for an entire month. Now, I know what you’re thinking...Something like, “I haven’t bought anything for myself in years!”
But, He meant NOT ONE THING! Those were the days of wearing my hair in a clasp. One day, my only clasp decided to break. I was on my way to Walmart when I heard Him say, “I said, NOT ONE THING!”
That same month just happened to be the month I was invited to sing with our church choir at Regional Camp Meeting. I had lost about twenty pounds and was in desperate need of a new black dress. I reasoned that since I was singing at a Christian function then surely God wanted me to have a new dress. I mean, after all, I must look my best as I represent Christ? Right? That still small voice echoed once more, “NOT ONE THING.”
My attempt was obstructed as I drove into the gas station parking lot to purchase gum and mints...Yep, you guessed it. I heard, “NOT ONE THING” once again.
This may sound like an amusing story to you, but it was certainly sacrificial learning the concept of contentment. The flesh wants and then wants for more!
So often, we estimate the value of our lives according to the number of items we possess and we set out on an endless pursuit of trying to satisfy our true heart’s desires with meaningless materialistic “things”. Somehow, I would have felt better about myself had I been able to purchase the new dress for Camp Meeting. Perhaps then, I would have appeared more “put together” to others. However, God wanted me to understand that my true value and joy in life would be found in Him and not in my appearance or the items I possess or the stature He ever allowed me to stand in.
Our mindset is often that we will possess true contentment as soon as we get ----. (You fill in the blank) The truth is that it takes just as much control to be content in plenty as it does in lack because
Contentment is a Mindset
There is something powerful about being satisfied in your current state. Even now, I can say, I have lived in a camper and I have lived in my dream home. I have been in want and I have been in plenty. I have been surrounded by friends and I have walked many roads alone. I have been the focus of attention and also the forgotten one. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, and because of this powerful principle, life is stable and steady.
I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.
Contentment does not mean that we never set goals for our lives or that we never dream a bigger dream. It is simply the power of quiet confidence and trust on display to the world, screaming “I refuse to be defined by anything other than my wholeness found in Christ.”
“Be content in what you have; Rejoice in the way things are.
When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you.”
Steve and I are blessed to celebrate our 25th Wedding Anniversary in the coming week. In 1988, we stood before God, family and friends to declare our love and commitment to one another at the tender ages of 17 and 18. A fulfilling life has been sandwiched between then and now! Today, my heart and soul echoes those vows to my sweetheart more loudly and deeply than ever before.
This summer, while visiting with friends, we enjoyed Biblical conversation concerning marriage. One friend proclaimed that he loved God first and then his wife. To which, Steve humbly added, “I believe my love for my wife actually reveals my love for Christ.” His statement was meek, yet profound and brought to mind Ephesians 5:25-28 which lovingly states, “Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her. Husbands are to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.”
I am certain that if I were to ask, Steve would never desire any public praise for his role as a godly husband. However, in a world where much dishonor is shown to spouses, I want to honor and commend him for his expressions of love toward me over the past 25 years. His love truly is a reflection of Christ’s love for me.
"Your love for me has never wavered. Thank you for loving on purpose, showing expressions in many ways...sometimes audibly...sometimes in the unspoken expression of a touch or a deep look from those brown eyes. You always make me feel like your beautiful bride.
Your provision for us is steady. I have never encountered anyone with a stronger work ethic than you, my sweet husband. Other than our family get-a-ways and vacations, I can count on one hand the number of days you have missed from work in our 25 years together. You are noble, honest, full of integrity and perseverance. By God’s grace, our household has never been in want.
Your mercy and forgiveness have often been exemplified toward me. Becoming a wife at seventeen, there was much growing up still left to do...I was mouthy and headstrong! Many times, I have needed your mercy and forgiveness for my unthoughtful words...and then there was that time when I wrecked our new car three times in a single day! (Yes, that really DID happen! ) I am a woman of imperfection, but I am bonded to a man of forgiveness and mercy.
Thank you for being a faithful teacher and guide in our home. You lead by example. Patience defines you. You learned much from both your best friend “Papa” and life experiences and we are beneficiaries of your gained wisdom.
I adore how interested you are in ME...diligently observing my likes and dislikes over the years...making all my dreams come true. Because of your care and interest, our marriage has continued to grow and expand. We enjoy one another’s company. Our laughter is great medicine.
Is there a more loving exhorter? Your trust fuels my purpose and provides strength, comfort, advice, and affirmation for the journey. Although you are the head of Repairing the Breach Ministries, you are quite content and comfortable to stand in the shadows and willingly and sacrificially supply funding for my vision.
We are a team and I could not ask for a better man to share life with. You are my king and because of your love I sit in the seat of a blessed queen! I cannot wait for the next 25 years. Truly the best is yet to come. I love you ‘til I draw my last breath. Happy 25th Anniversary, my love."
It was August 2009 and I felt the Lord preparing us for a brand new season...a season of FAITH like no other we had ever walked in. After eight and a half years, God told Steve to resign from his position at Division Two Constructors in Nashville, Tennessee. It was at the height of the recession and NOT a logical time to be giving up a GOOD job. We had a daughter in college, a son in high school, a mortgage, and all the other daily expenses associated with life.
Nevertheless, we obeyed immediately.
“The Shaking has begun! If you can go through the regeneration process with ME, it will end in a place of power on the other side” - these were the words I heard the Lord speak to me. At that moment, I did not fully comprehend. I simply knew what I heard.
Within months, our dream home sold, complete with the contents and we were transported to Mansfield, Texas, a suburb of Dallas. I have moved twenty-three times in my life, so the relocation to Dallas was easy for me. It was the sequence of events following that I was not prepared for.
For twenty-two years, our family had always been firmly connected to a church body. Steve and I, together, have held every position in the church over the years except pastor and clerk. We had given our lives to the local church. Upon moving to Texas and trying to settle into a new church, we were humbled to find that no one really needed or wanted our gifts and talents. We faithfully attended service, but it was as if we were invisible. No one asked us to become involved. We attended newcomers meetings and other events in order to offer ourselves to the body, but not one time did anyone ask us to become involved in three years. Once, I asked our pastor’s wife, at the time, if she would have lunch with me and she replied, “You can have lunch with my secretary.” My heart broke!
I felt alone. I knew I wasn’t because I had Steve, but when one is used to performing many acts of service and good deeds, it is easy to begin to evaluate your worth according to your busyness. It was not long before feelings of uselessness began to set in. I had taught the Bible for twenty years and this lull was killing me inside. There were many moments when I asked the Lord, “Are you finished with me?” No one called Repairing the Breach Ministries requesting me to speak. I had very few friends. My children lived away at college. We lost two parents in the same year. All I knew to do was keep my eyes focused on Jesus and seek His face on a daily basis. Which I did!
During my quiet days alone with God, He began revealing many areas in which He was requiring me to make a change. My beliefs were challenged. Old, religious mindsets were chiseled away and deeper wisdom began to penetrate my soul. God became more than enough for me during this season! Before long, the Spirit revealed that He had brought me to this place of isolation. The Great Shepherd was forcing me to lie down in green pastures.
I was reminded of the “regeneration process” God spoke to me about in 2009.
*Regeneration - forming again, especially with improvements and the removal of defects
You see, the regeneration process is not the granting of something brand new that you have never had before; but the re-making of the old YOU! Even science teaches us that regeneration is a primary attribute of all living organisms and that without it, there could be no LIFE! In order to receive and give LIFE on this journey, we must not abhor nor resist the regeneration process. This season, which is sure to come to all of us, serves great purpose to rebuild upon an even stronger foundation.
Strength = Power
Recently, the Lord required me to do something very odd. He asked me to contact twenty of the people closest to me: peers, friends, and family and ask them to sum up Jeneen Kohler using one word. Their responses were humbling and beautiful and much different from the ways I believe they might have summed me up three years ago. God said, “I wanted to show you how others view your life now after following ME through the regeneration process.” Just as God promised, this process has brought me into a place of greater power than I have ever experienced. How, you might ask? I have become less and HE has become greater in my life.
If you go through life always holding the reins and being in charge, you will NEVER walk in your divine destiny. Destiny can only be reached when you allow God, your Creator, to take the reins and guide you safely along. Reaching your destiny and life’s purpose requires your obedience and cooperation and you can be certain that somewhere along the way the Great Shepherd WILL make you lie down in green pastures...in the place of stillness and isolation. Just remember, it’s for your own good!
Whoever is kind to the poor is lending to the LORD— the benefit of his gift will return to him in abundance. – ISV
Have you ever desired to become part of something bigger than yourself? The world is so big and full of many hurting people and though it may seem overwhelming or impossible to help everyone, each of us can sense the Lord tugging upon our hearts to GIVE and make a difference to that “one”. However, apathy and indifference speak loudly and often hinder us from actually “doing” anything. God is reminding you today to allow your compassions to launch you beyond just a sympathetic thought and INTO obedience. This obedience surpasses our own churches and neighborhoods, for it is globally minded!
Repairing the Breach Ministries, Inc. (RTBM) is compelled by such a mandate. We are blessed to partner with ministries here in the United States, as well as around the world.
Currently, we are faithfully partnering with Pastor Tyrone Paul and New Creation Church in the city of Durban, South Africa, to feed over 320 less fortunate human beings on a monthly basis. We wish to extend hope and the love of Christ to these precious people. Pastor Tyrone is a trusted friend and humble bishop in the Kingdom. With your faithful contributions we were able to supply New Creation Church with a brand new freezer in which they can store locally donated food for this project.
Our son, Bryce, and daughter, Alyse, feeding the homeless in Durban, South Africa.
We are also very privileged to partner with Eric and Mendy Anderson, through Mission 615, to feed over 1600 homeless men, women, and children on a monthly basis in Nashville, Tennessee. Eric and Mendy are two of our spiritual children and dear friends who received much of their spiritual foundation under our ministry. They have now gone forth to resurrect Mission 615, a thriving inner-city ministry to the homeless and needy children of their area.
Through the compassion of our Lord, RTBM is making a difference and assisting in changing the lives of many. We need your help! Through your partnership, we can make a larger impact for the glory of God. RTBM is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization and your contribution is fully tax deductible.
You crown the year with Your goodness, and Your paths drip with abundance.
Psalm 65:11
If you haven’t known me very long, you might not realize that I was not raised in a Christian home. On occasion I would ask to attend a church service, but had no real understanding of what it meant to walk with the Lord.
Many today are affiliated with religious denominations and organizations and believing this is the way to abundance. However, that type of mindset only serves to represent a façade. The ONLY way to experience the abundance spoken of in this scripture is through an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ.
For many, it is very difficult to trust someone else with your heart and life. For various reasons we hold tightly to the reins of our life and steer the cart independently on our own. When I was only 18 years old, I decided to surrender my life to Christ, the Good Shepherd. After all, who better to steer the cart than the One who created me.
He knows every microscopic detail about ME! When I was in my mother’s womb, HE formed me and fashioned my life with specific detail. He set my days in order. This, my friend, HE has also done for YOU!
One day, shortly after I decided to follow the Lord, He gave me a vision. In this vision, I could see a very large map that revealed road after road after road. Instantly, I saw myself walking down a certain street. There were people hanging out of their windows, standing by the road, walking down the same street. I had tremendous impact on these lives!
Then, God removed me from that street and placed me on a different road. The people there just stared at me as I passed by. On this street I had no impact! That day the Lord taught me the importance of staying on the path HE had chosen for me in life. His chosen path would become my path of success and effectiveness. Since that day, God has been the author of all my steps. Steve and I never make a life decision without the consultation of the Lord.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean NOT unto your own understanding. In all of your ways ACKNOWLEDGE Him and He will direct your path.”
Proverbs 3:5-6
I would be lying to say that every path He chose for us was our choice as well…Many of the paths have been paved with great sacrifice and painful experiences, loneliness and discipline, but I CAN tell you that HIS paths have caused us to DRIP WITH ABUNDANCE!
Abundance of PEACE.
Abundance of WISDOM.
Abundance of TRUST.
Abundance of LOVE.
Abundance of CHARACTER.
Abundance of JOY.
Abundance of HOPE.
Abundance of WEALTH and RICHES.
And after all, isn’t this what we are all searching for?
If you find yourself today desiring His goodness and you have traveled many avenues to find it, only to be left in the end unfulfilled and disappointed, I would submit to you this day…
TRY JESUS!
His Paths drip with the abundance you are so looking for! He loves you. He loves you right where you are. You do not have to change a thing to come to Him. Come as you are – broken and a mess and allow the Good Shepherd to steer you to fulfillment and destiny.
I hear Jesus’ voice and He calls me by name and leads me out.Jesus goes before me and I follow Him, for I know His voice.I will by no means follow a stranger.
John 10:3-5
More than likely, most of you have experienced getting to and fro these days by means of a navigation system. Whether you opted for this fine option on the car you recently purchased or invested in a portable version, these systems are quite handy to own. Often, we find names for the voices behind the turn-by-turn instructions and she/he becomes a lifesaver for those of us who are directionally challenged.
I am happy to report that I have been gifted with a great sense of direction and cannot measure the number of miles I have traveled in my forty-two years! However, as I navigate through unknown territory I am wise enough not to depend on my own sense, but instead to consult the expertise of my Suburban’s built-in navigation system.
Recently, while visiting my daughter in Knoxville, Tennessee, I decided to make a quick run to Walmart. She was not home at the time, so I keyed “Walmart” into the system and selected my choice of location. In minutes, I was off and rolling. The nearest Walmart was six miles…"this will be a breeze", I thought. The route led me down backwwood, mountainous roads, around a quarry, through neighborhoods, along highways, and around curves. My thoughts, after several miles into the trip were,
I must have missed it somewhere?
Maybe I should turn around?
Perhaps I got off track?
Suddenly, out of nowhere the Walmart appeared on my left…just as I was questioning the voice that led me…just as I was about to turn around, regroup and head in a different direction…just when I was about to give up!
Instantly, the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart. For any of us who decide to follow Jesus and allow Him to set the course for our lives, there will be times along the journey that we find ourselves questioning the guidance we were given. Sometimes, we step out in a direction and find it to be a place of loneliness and our fleshly nature fights to retreat back to the beloved comfort zone. Other times, the route can be so difficult and challenging that we begin to question whether or not we truly heard the voice of God? So many times in our own marriage, we knew we heard God’s voice telling us to go here or there, but when we got there, we were surrounded by trouble, causing us to second-guess our decision to follow. In every situation, we stayed the course and around the corner and down the loooooooong hill we ended up in GLORY.
“You shall hear a voice behind you saying, ‘This is the way, Walk in it.” Isaiah 30:21
We have found our Great Shepherd to be the only infallible navigation system for our lives. Not once in our twenty-five years of serving Christ together have we ever been led astray. Even when it “looked” like we had taken a wrong turn, our obedience proved to be the correct choice on every occasion. He has been faithful to lead us by the still waters for times of rest and comfort – down long, continuous roads for times of patience and perseverance - along the rocky mountainside for times of trusting – through the low valleys for times of testing – along unknown territories for times of learning – through the thickets for times of pruning – to walk on water for lessons in faith – but all ending atop a summit for times of joy, laughter, victory and reward.
God will instruct me and teach me in the way I should go. He will guide me with His eye. – Psalm 32:8
Just like the navigation system in your vehicle, God is responsible to present the turn-by-turn instructions for your life. However, YOU are responsible to seek Him and obey the directions you are given. Although it will not always “look” right at the time, we must continue under the command of the Master Navigator. Your way may be long and it may be trying, but somewhere up around the corner is your “WALMART” and if you walk by faith and not by sight, you will be shopping there with unlimited funds in no time.
One month ago, my family and I stood at what I referred to in my last blog as a “Red Sea” sort of crossroads.We were desperately in need of God’s grace in order to prevail and see our daughter successfully walk on dry ground to the other side.Today, as a family, we stand on the side of VICTORY!The cries of joy and the celebrations are over, but NOT the lessons I learned or the GRATITUDE I have for God’s amazing GRACE.
It was a journey indeed, but once again, our faithful Shepherd went before us, guiding us to the place of victory.I wish I could personally speak to each of you to relay just HOW God spoke to me during this process because it is difficult to put into words.However, I will try.I‘ve been told that I always have a story!
Once I became aware that we were facing a desperate situation, I immediately went to God in prayer.To be honest with you, I prayed for four days with no release.I heard no answers and felt no peace in my heart for this particular request.It was as if a ceiling held my prayers captive.It was not until I began to make the eleven hour drive to my home state of Tennessee that I received a word from the Lord ensuring me of a victorious outcome.He plainly spoke, “I delivered her back there.”I had no idea at the time exactly what “back there” meant, but I clung to the promise of victory God was showing me.
Within days, God began to reveal His omniscience regarding our situation.He said, “You see yourself at the edge of the Red Sea needing deliverance as my people, the Israelites, did, but what they never realized was that I delivered them “back there” in Egypt.The crossing of the Red Sea was merely another obstacle that stood before them, but MY deliverance had already been provided.”“It is the same with your daughter!I delivered her “back there” and what stands in her way HERE is only a hurdle that I will help her to cross.”He showed me the place where he had delivered our daughter “back there!” I wept…
What I began to see was that God had delivered Alyse out of a desperate situation BEFORE any of us ever knew there was a situation.She did not even know! THAT IS OMNISCIENCE!!!!!!So often, God reveals a situation to us and we begin praying about it.Somehow, we believe that WHEN we begin to pray, it is God’s wake-up call to begin moving in the situation, but what God showed me was that HE had already delivered and taken care of our daughter before we ever knew there was a problem to pray about! When God called us to prayer,HE was simply choosing to partner with us.God can do it all by Himself.He is perfectly able.However, He chooses to co-labor with us.
Four days after the revelation that Alyse was delivered “back there,” God gave me a dream.When I awoke, He gave me the interpretation of my dream, complete with instructions for the part I was to play the next six days.The instructions were simply this,“Consecrate this day unto Me and in six days I want you to SHOUT and I will cause Alyse to cross this hurdle in victory.I was out of town, staying with my mom.Together, we consecrated the day unto God in praise, prayer, and fasting.On the sixth day, at exactly the moment Alyse was to be tested, we shouted together and God gave our daughter the above and beyond victory! Was I afraid of looking stupid? Absolutely, but I shouted anyway.
Please understand that faithful people were praying for us all the way from South Africa to California, so I am in nowise saying that “I” was the only reason for a victorious outcome.I can only tell you that God gave me specific instructions, for which I was responsible and I willingly obeyed.
I feel a sense of vulnerability in placing this information out before all my readers, but someone needs to hear this message:
God has your life under control and in the palm of His hand even when you cannot see it.
We are not always aware of His delivering Hand.Sometimes, it is disguised in the missed test due to sickness, missing the bus, being late to the meeting, etc.
Do not follow the instructions you see for another’s deliverance.Seek God for the instructions He has specific to YOUR situation.
Only do what God says to do.Often we stress ourselves out trying to fast for 40 days and quote scriptures for hours.If that is the instruction God gives you, then by all means obey, but there is a place of rest in the Lord while you wait andIf all He requires is a shout on a set day at a set time, then SHOUT my friend.Do not respond as Naaman did in the beginning when he believed the command of dipping in the Jordan River seven times to cure his leprosy was absurd!
Obedience is better than Sacrifice – 1 Samuel 15:22
I want you to know that you were created for VICTORY.We were made to be overcomers in all things because Christ lives within us.Do not allow your desperate situations to keep you in fear and doubt.God has already delivered you “back there.”So rest!
It does not matter what your name is, what your status in life is, or even how many years you have walked with the Lord. There are going to be times when you stand at a Red Sea sort of crossroads. A situation where only God Himself can part the waters and allow you to walk through victoriously on dry land.
My family is in a desperate situation right now. We acknowledge that only God can impart the grace needed to prevail, but friends that is the exact definition of GRACE. It is God’s ability to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves.
In these times of desperation, worry will not produce the answer you are believing for. Begging will not move the heart of God. The answer in this desperate moment is found in John 15:7...
“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire and it shall be done for you.”
There are a few keys to this scripture:
We cannot operate apart from the favor and grace of God. Jesus is the Vine and those who are connected to Him are the branches. Those who ABIDE in Him produce much fruit; For without Him we can do nothing. - John 15:5
It is the goodness of God which leads man to repentance. God longs to answer our prayers because when others see answered prayer in our lives, the Father is glorified and His goodness is revealed to the world. The Father is glorified when we bear much fruit - John 15:8
When His words abide in you, your desires and petitions will align with His will. Therefore, the Father gladly gives you what you ask for. James 4:3 explains to us why our prayers are sometimes answered with a no! The scripture clearly tells us that when we ask for things out of our own will, lust, and pleasure the Father is not pleased to grant us those petitions because they do not align with His will for our lives.
I know many of you are facing Red Sea situations today, just as I am. There is nothing more YOU can do. I want to encourage you to enter into a place of rest and peace in the Father’s Presence. Confidently go before His throne and ask what you desire and IT SHALL BE DONE FOR YOU because you ask in accordance with His will. Ask for the impossible! He delights in supernatural deliverance.
Everywhere I go, I encounter people who suffer due to a defeated mindset. In helping a friend today to better understand the process of a renewed mind, I also felt led to communicate this truth with my readers...
First of all, let me say this:
Your Soul is your Mind, your Will and your Emotions.
Your Spirit is the place within each of us where the Holy Spirit comes to dwell "when" we have surrendered our lives to Christ as Lord. Once the Spirit dwells within us, we are fully able to communicate with GOD. That is why the Bible says: GOD IS A SPIRIT and THOSE WHO WORSHIP HIM MUST WORSHIP HIM IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH. - John 4:24
The only way to communicate with God is through our Spirit...Spirit to Spirit!
Contrary to what you may have been taught, unbelievers do not have a communication line to God. They may pray or beg a lot, but the only line to God comes through our acceptance of His son. The Bible says, "For we know that God hears Not sinners, but if ANY MAN be a worshipper of God and in His will then God hears him." - John 9:31
Once you become saved, there is a constant battle between your soul (mind, will and emotions) and your spirit (the place within you where the Holy Spirit resides and the only part of man which can truly communicate with God)
In order to renew the mind, you MUST educate and enlarge your spirit with the truths of the Word of God and then bring your soul (mind, will and emotions) into agreement with your spirit!
The first passage God taught me on this was 2 Corinthians 10:3-6.
It is a very powerful scripture. Take the time today to read it in many different translations if you are able. Understand that WHEN you get saved, it is your Spirit that gets born again, but your mind, will and emotions may remain the same. We must grow in knowledge and train our mind, will and emotions to submit to truth!
This may or may not be foreign to you, but it has transformed my life. God allows me to travel and teach this everywhere I go. Every time, people are set free! When we get saved, we are taught from 2 Corinthians 5:17 - "Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature! Old things have passed away. Behold ALL things have become new."
I encountered in my own life that after I got saved, I still had a bad attitude, bad thoughts, and some habits that were not pleasing to God. I began to ask, "What is wrong with me? Why can't I just be good? I thought ALL things were going to be new once I gave my life to Christ?" Everywhere I minister, I encounter people who feel this same way and when this erroneous thought is not dealt with, it often leads people to believe, "Well, I guess I was never really saved."
When you get saved, your SPIRIT is born again and you are filled with ALL power and POTENTIAL to change! But WE must grow in knowledge and self-discipline! That is why the Apostle Paul said, "I DIE DAILY."
Which brings me to the last Scripture I want to share with you for NOW...
Romans 12:1-2 Read this passage in several translations and study it thoroughly.
Paul was speaking to the CHRISTIANS in Rome. These people had already given their lives to Christ, but were still experiencing problems with being carnal or "fleshly".
Paul said, I beg you to present your BODIES as living sacrifices unto God and to renew your minds!!!!!!
The phrase "living-sacrifice" is quite the oxymoron because what it is saying is - God wants you to be alive in Christ, but dead in you! Become alive in Christ and His truths and allow yourself (your erroneous thoughts, your will, your ways to DIE!)
Paul begged the believers to do so because it is vital to victorious living!
I will leave you with one more of my all-time favorites - Proverbs 23:7 "For as a man thinks in his heart, so is he!" Whatever you believe about yourself is what you shall become. That is why it is imperative to believe healthy thoughts about yourself and to align your thoughts with God's Truth.
I purposely did not write out every scripture reference for you today because it is crucial that you get into the Word and allow the Spirit to give you revelation relevant to your circumstances. I pray that you will find a renewed hunger and thirst for truth.
Steve and I were flying home from Phoenix, Arizona, the morning that Daylight Saving Time 2013 began. Our friends and family cautiously reminded us the evening before to set our clocks forward so we did not miss our plane. So, we DID and we were so thankful for their reminder UNTIL we arrived at the Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport four hours early for our flight, due to the fact that Arizona does not observe Daylight Saving Time...Oh, you live and learn!!!
During this time of “Springing Forward”, which none of us are extremely crazy about, I am reminded of Philippians 3:13
“Dear brothers and sisters, I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing:
Forgetting the past and looking forward or (springing forward) to what lies ahead.”
I have never been one to harbor unforgiveness and I have learned through the years that forgiveness is an ACT, but healing is a PROCESS that takes much time. I am quick to forgive. However, because God blessed me with a healthy mind and a great memory, I can still recall every detail of the offenses that really caused me a lot of pain.
Before leaving for the conference in Phoenix, where one of the topics I was to speak on was titled the Trap of Offense, the Lord tenderly spoke to me saying:
“Real love, MY love, keeps no record of the offenses committed against us.” 1 Corinthians 13:5
It was a moment to go deeper! A moment to even relinquish offenses to my Lord. I had relinquished my offenders but in some way I had held on to their offenses somewhere deep inside my mind. I physically found myself placing those things at the feet of Jesus and asking Him to take them from me. It was so freeing, my friends. So powerful.
It Is Time To Spring Forward and Do Some Spring Cleaning!
Time to open the windows and allow the SON to shine through! Isn’t the SON so refreshing as His rays beam through our hearts, cleansing us and making all things new.
I encourage you to forget those things which are behind you today...Offenses, guilt, heartache, bitterness, self-pity, disappoinments, etc. Physically give them to Jesus and Spring Forward to what lies ahead. You will never regret it and you will find yourself free and living in the blessed place. I love you...
My father sustained irreversible injuries from a terrible motorcycle accident when I was eleven years old, which left him as a quadriplegic. A once very free, extremely active, nature-loving, jack-of-all-trades kind of guy who was full of life was suddenly reduced to a life of physical bondage for more than twenty years. I often wondered as I watched him what it would feel like to be forever dependent upon another to feed, clothe, scratch my itch or blow my nose! What an incredible man he was, but despite his brain operating at maximum potential, the lack of movement and inability to feel touch below his neck reduced him to living life only in part. He passed away in 2001. I love and miss you, Daddy.
Today, the Lord related my father’s condition to a spiritual epidemic occurring in the church! Just like him, so many Christians have one component of their lives operating at maximum potential, while the other portion exists in a paralyzed, lifeless state.
Man is comprised of three parts: spirit, soul, and body. These work together to perfect WHOLENESS. Complete fulfillment and satisfaction is only found in the BALANCE of all three. We are called to action and service by walking in our own unique life’s purpose (our calling or career) and actively representing our Lord in the earth, BUT God’s Word also cautions us against neglecting to care for our spirit and soul.
Proverbs 4:23 reminds us to “Guard your heart (spirit), for everything you do flows from it.” We are commanded to be the gatekeepers of our own spirits. Only YOU can control the entrance to your heart. What are you giving access to? To function as a WHOLE person, you must consistently build yourself up on spiritual truths. Every decision you make flows from the abundance of your heart. In order to make wise decisions, you must place important emphasis on nourishing your spirit.
Few understand the connection between success and the prosperity of one’s soul. Our soul is comprised of our mind, will, and emotions. 3 John 1:2 says, “Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and prosperity, “even as” your soul prospers.” “EVEN AS” means “ACCORDING TO”. Your health and the growth of ALL areas in your life, whether it be financially, emotionally, spiritually or socially is dependent upon the condition of your mind, will and emotions.
Have bitterness and negativity left you paralyzed? Or perhaps doubt and worry? Are you bent on getting your way, controlling, and selfish? Do you subject your mind to debilitating messages through TV, radio, Internet, or books? Until you grasp the importance of a healthy soul, you will limit the prosperous life you were created to occupy!
Our spirit (heart), soul (mind, will and emotions), and body were created by God to work together in congruence to deliver optimum fulfillment in this life. When one of these areas is lacking, it creates a lifeless, paralyzing condition. My father’s motorcycle accident was irreversible, but you have been given today! A day to establish turn-around. May God enlighten you to any areas of paralysis in your own life and may YOU choose to make strides in 2013 to experience WHOLENESS and joy beyond compare.
