This and That

Fragrance

2009-08-24T05:49:00.004-04:00

This morning before opening my Bible to John 12, I lit two of my new candles and poured myself a cup of coffee. It's quiet, it's dark outside, it's still and there is a wonderful fragrance filling the air. What a way to start out the day to a brand new week.

I'm in the process of reading through the book of John, paraphrasing as I jot down the "facts" from each chapter and then of course copying, word for word, the words spoken by Jesus. Once I complete the whole book, I hope to re-read the paraphrased notes so that I can try and remember all that happened.

As I began to read chapter 12, a thought came to mind, something I haven't thought about in a while and thought it noteworthy.

John 12:3- Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

What a display of gratitude for all Christ had done for her and her brother Lazarus whom He had just raised from the dead (Chapter 11).

As I sat here at this passage for a while I began to think about my life and whether or not it demonstrates the same affection and gratitude for HIM raising my own life from the dead. From what I read, this perfume was worth a year's wages, that's pretty expensive. You and I know there are 365 days in a year and in each day we are given breath to breathe and an opportunity to share Him with someone, to share what He's done in our lives by the way we live out our lives. This thought is not meant to heap condemnation on anyone but it's to serve as a reminder that though we can't physically place HIS nail-pierced feet in our lap, we can still wash them with our service to others, with praise and honor from our hearts and lips, with the fruit of the Spirit (don't hurry through these as you read them ) which is love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control and from the choices we make that says to Him, we are pouring out ourselves in honor to YOU for everything YOU have done for us.

Things to think about...Do I pour out my life as an offering to Him? Do I share the joy of knowing Him by the way I live my life? Ask yourself, "How can I wash HIS feet today?"

Bless someone today by demonstrating your love for HIM! As you do, I'm sure He will find your offering as a sweet fragrance, filling all of heaven.

Have a great day!

Chapter 17-Go For It!

2009-08-14T09:48:00.002-04:00

Whew, we made it, this is the last chapter of the book, "Fasting". It has been a great ride to share with you and the information answered a lot of my questions and I hope you can say the same.

Not sure what I'll blog about next but whatever it is, I pray it encourages you. Stay tuned! ;)

2 Pet. 1:10-11

Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you" (Josh. 3:5).

The Hebrew root for sanctify is qadhash, which is also the root for holy. God said, "I am the Lord your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy" (Lev. 11:44, NIV). Sanctification is the process of becoming holy in daily life; it is practicing purity and being set apart from the world and from sin. Sanctification is allowing the Holy Spirit to make us more like Jesus in what we do, in what we think, and in what we desire....if we are to see God do wonders in our midst, we must confront sin in our lives and live holy.

Fasting is an excellent means of sanctifying yourself.

Knowing God's Will

Sanctification is the key to being in God's will. As Paul said, "For this is the will of God, your sanctification" (1 Thes. 4:3). You cannot follow God's leading until you start where Paul said start.

It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit. (1 Thes. 4:3-8, NIV)

Fasting will help you identify areas of hidden sin in your life.

Fasting is an essential means of sanctifying yourself, pulling yourself away from the world, and getting closer to God. Fasting allows you to filter your life and to set yourself apart to seek the Lord. Jesus prayed for us:

John 17:16-19

Fasting helps you discern between serving the lesh and serving the spirit.

Heb. 9:13-14

Why do we need to sanctify ourselves? We have no place in our hearts for pride. We have no place in our hearts for complacency. Do not let the blessings of the past interfere with the blessings of the future.

Ps. 51:10

We need a sanctification of motives. We need a sanctification of desires. We need a sanctification of attitudes. We need a sanctification of the right spirit. We need a sanctification of our flesh.

Heb. 3:12-13

While the leadership should certainly set an example in personal sanctification and holy living, it is the responsibility of every believer to "exhort" fellow believers. Exhort means to be abrasive with one another, to encourage one another, to push one another to live holy so that no one falls into temptation and ends up turning away from God.

Joshua 3:3-4

When you fast and sanctify yourself unto God, it moves you off the bank and into the miracles! There are too many people on the edge of what God is doing and not enough of us standing firmly in the middle of His will.

When your family sees you stepping off the edge of mere "Sunday-morning religion" and getting right into the middle of what God is doing, they will follow and find God's direction for their lives.

You should be attached to a local body of believers instead of just trying to find your own way. If ever there was a time when we needed to be crossing together, taking a firm, united stand against sin in this nation, it is now.

Circumcision speaks of sanctification of the flesh. It is cutting away dead things and hidden sins. You can look good publicly, raising your hands, giving your offerings, praying, and even fasting, but all the while hiding deadly sins. You are sanctified by the blood of Jesus when you first accept Him as your Lord and Savior, but over time, complacency and hidden sins can creep into your heart.

Gal. 5:19-26

Fasting sharpens the blade and sharpens the Word in your heart and in your mouth, allowing you to cut away the dead flesh and hidden sin as you set yourself apart from God.

God wants you to ask Him for things that are bigger than yourself!

What if you set yourself to diligently seek the Lord, sanctifying yourself with a fast and journey back to the spot where it all began--where He saved you, set you free, filled you with His Spirit, and called you out? I actually physically traveled to that spot, but if you cannot do that, you can go back mentally. You can recall the ancient landmark, that same simplicity, innocence and dedication with which you first responded to His voice.

Fasting will bring you into destiny. Fasting will bring you into alignment with God's plan for your life. Just as Joshua called the children of promise to sanctify themselves--I believe that, likewise, your "tomorrow" is just around the corner. God is going to do wonders in your life, leading you places you have never been before. Now is the time to fast, to seek God diligently, to sanctify yourself, to discern God's priorities, and to walk in His promises. Go for it!

I can mentally go back where I knelt down and invited Jesus into my heart but I can't go back physically. However, in March 1997, God began to work in my life and bring about some major change that I earnestly and sincerely sought Him for. I'm blessed to say that in September of this year, I will physically journey back to that very place and spot, for a personal retreat with Him and I know undoubtedly, I will not return the same. That, I believe, undoubtedly or unwaveringly. Is that a word? :)

You my friend have finished!!!! Put what you've learned to work because faith without works is DEAD!

Chapter 16-Seen but Not Heard from "Fasting" by J. Franklin

2009-08-13T22:48:00.002-04:00

After this chapter, only one more to go and you have read directly from the book, "Fasting" by Jentezen Franklin. The stories and personal testimonies are really good, it's worth the purchase. The first passage to look up is...

2 Chron. 7:14-15

Though you do not fast to be cleansed of sin (the blood of Jesus is the only solution for sin), you should enter a fast seriously, having repented of any known sins. Fasting will even bring hidden things to the surface so you can repent.

When you fast your appearance should be normal, and you should not draw attention to your "affliction" of fasting through your actions, your treatment of others, or your temperament. Though your focus should be on your own needs, the needs of others should be on your heart as well. God said... Isa. 58:6-9

Matt. 5:14

...in our lives as children of God, our light will break forth and be apparent to others--I imagine much like the glow on the face of Moses when he descended the mountain after spending time with God.

The Lord says that when you fast, "your righteousness shall go before you" (Isa. 58:8).

Your faith, your right standing with God, will cause you to move into areas where you would not have moved if you had not fasted. Doors will open to you that were not opened before, and your influence will go out like ripples in a pond.

There are people whose lives can be forever made better because of your righteousness going forth with influence.

When you fast, Isaiah said, "The God of Israel will be your rear guard" (Isa. 52:12).

Isa. 54:17

...the devil wants fasting to remain the best-ket secret in the kingdom.

Isa. 58:10-12, KJV

In...situations you face that are just overwhelming and you don't know how to find your way through the darkness of obscurity and confusion, God will cause your light to shine on the path you are to take.

...another benefit of fasting: the Lord will guide you continually. Though the path before you may be obscure, when you fast and pray in faith, God will reward you and guide you. "Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, "This is the way, walk in it." (Isa. 30:21).

When you fast you begin to lay a spiritual foundation that not only affects your life, but God says you will also affect the generations to come after you. I don't just fast for myself; I fast for my children, my future grandchildren, and so on. I have laid a foundation through my devotion to God that He will build upon because He found an inroad to my family.

Fasting can end the demonic attack on your family. Fasting can break the generational curses. When you fast, you lay a new foundation of blessing that will be transferred over to your children and your children's children. "And you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach, teh Restorer of Streets to Dwell In." (Isa. 58:12)

Personal thought of mine after reading this chapter...
It should never be the reason we fast--to get something in return. It should stem as an act of obedience and a desire to know Him more intimately. Should HE decide to bless us because we fasted...that is gravy my friend!

Chapter 15-Is Your Blade Sharp Enough?

2009-08-13T04:36:00.002-04:00

After this chapter, we only have two more and we've done the whole book! I hope this has been helpful to you and more importantly, with the Scriptures provided, I hope it has answered questions that you may have had regarding "Fasting."

Heb. 4:12

Dan. 1:9, 17 NASU

"In those days I, Daniel, was mourning three full weeks. I ate no pleasant food, no meat or wine came into my mouth" (Dan. 10:2-3). The Hebrew word used here for "pleasant food" is lechem, or breads. So for 21-days, Daniel fasted all sweets, breads and meats, and drank only water.

It was soon after that fast when Daniel's encounter with teh angel of God took place along the Tigris River. Notice something very encouraging in what the angel told Daniel: his prayers had been heard in heaven from the very first day he started the fast (Dan. 10:12)!

The Daniel fast is probably one of the more common--and with good reason. It is one of the personal fasts recorded in the Bible that brought with it great favor from the Lord. For 21-days, you eat only vegetables and fruits and drink only water. No colas, burgers, Twinkies, meats, sweets, or bread. Like Daniel, it is time we set ourselves apart to seek the Lord and find understanding.

Eph. 6:10-17, NIV

Have you ever seen a military man try to fit into his uniform thirty years later? Usually, it won't even come close to buttoning down the front. When you're a soldier, you stay fit; you stay healthy, alert, and ready. Paul said we should live that way because the days are evil.

Moses fasted. Elijah fasted forty days. Paul fasted fourteen days. Jesus fasted forty days. If the children of God do not fast, how will we ever fit into the armor of God? How will we effectively wield the sword of the Spirit?

I want you to understand something: fasting and prayer sharpen the blade, which is the Word of God. When you fast, mealtimes often become study times. You become more keyed in to God's Word, and God begins to show you deeper truths. Daniel began to understand God's truths after fasting and getting alone with Him. Understanding comes from the study of God's Word!

When you fast and pray, you effectively sharpent the Word in your mouth. Instead of flippantly quoting Scripture, you now wield a powerful weapon with a powerful weapon with a razor-sharp edge that slashes the enemy when you speak.

Simply by missing some meals and setting your heart on understanding by studying God's Word, you please God, you release beauty for ashes and joy for mourning, and the garment of praise defeats the spirit of heaviness. Your praise goes forth and scatteres the enemy, you develop patience, you come in line with God's priorities, you loose angelic messengers, and you find God's right way for you and protection for your little ones. When are we going to take dominion back from King Stomach and seek diligently after teh kingdom of God in this way?

America has greatlysinned against God through abortion, homosexuality, adultery, rampant pornography, and fornication. We have no fear of God, and America is rapidlly becoming a pagan nation. Our only hope is to humble ourselves in fasting and prayer.

Daniel's fast and visitation from the angel is recorded in Daniel 10. Throughout chapter 9, Daniel cries out to the Lord on behalf of all Israel, saying over and over, "We have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and rebelled...we have sinned against you" (vv. 5, 11). Daniel identified with the sin of his nation, though we see no sin that Daniel himself had committed.

We are living in importantly days and in important times. This book contains multiple testimonies of people who have received tremendous personal reward and blessing over just a few years because they teamed up with one church, one ministry here in America that corporately fasts and prays. Thankfully, churches across this country are coming to understand the importance of fasting and humbling ourselves before God.

We can humble ourselves and pray and seek His face and expect Him to hear from heaven and heal our land (2 Chron. 7:14). He heard Daniel on the very first day!

The enemy thinks you are weaker when you fast. He will try to convince you that you are dying without food--but you are not. God is preparing to breathe life into your situation to open a door to His promises.

Continual Prayer

Fasting is not a means to promote yourself. The greatest thing fasting will do for you will be to break down all of the stuff that accumulates from this world that blocks you from clear communion with the Father.

...when you are on a prolonged fast, you are praying continually. You have to make time to get away and pray, whether you feel like it or not. Fasting in and of itself is a continual prayer to God. You are praying 24-hours a day when you are fasting. If you have been fasting all day, you've been fasting all day.

Jesus said, "When you pray...when you fast...when you give..." (Matt. 6). He expects those who follow Him to do these things whether feeling a special leading or not. These things should be part of every believer's life.

When I (Jentezen) first started, I didn't start with 21-days. I just did three days, and then I built up to seven days, and then to 21-days. What I have done recently is a total fast for seven days in January and then a total fast for three days each month from February to December. That is a total of forty days over the course of a year.

As you fast, target your unsaved loved ones in prayer. Create a "hit list" of people you want to see saved. It is good to be very specific in your prayers during a fast. What is the one most critical thing you want God to do in your life? God told Habakkuk to "write the vision and make it plain" (Hab. 2:2). I dare you to write down the names of those you want to see saved, and when you fast and pray, call those names out to God. As we have seen evidenced here at Free Chapel, I believe you too will see breakthroughs like you never dreamed!

If you let it, your flesh will take over and rule your life. That is why times of fasting are so crucial to your walk with God. Fasting helps you establish dominion and authority over your flesh. "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a mand sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart" (Gal. 6:7-9). Keep your armor fit and your bldde sharp!

Chapter 14-For the Little Ones from "Fasting" by J. Franklin

2009-08-12T03:48:00.002-04:00

It's hard to believe we are already on chapter 14 and there's only 17 chapters in the whole book. I actually finished the book last night so that I could begin reading, "Life's Healing Choices."

By now you all know that everything in italics is directly from the book so go ahead and open your Bible to Ps. 48:12-14, the passages are a MUST! ;)

Ezra 8:21-23, KJV

We fast because we need to know the right way for our lives.

We do not need to be confused as to our future or the choices before us. Fast, seek His face, and have faith that He will guide you. It is biblical to fast and seek God for the right direction for your life.

Fasting with prayer just seems to open a different frequency in God's ear!

The Unblushables
I ask you, who is fasting for the protection of our little ones in this age?

Today, fasting has all but disappeared from regular Christian discipline. We have more media availability for preaching that ever before, yet sin and repentance are seldom preached.

Today, our little ones are exposed to every kind of perversion and danger with a click of a button--be it TV, Internet, cell phones, or just a stroll through the local mall.

Jer. 6:15-16, NIV

In an age where gay and lesbian experimentation is considered normal on campuses, when oral sex and every type of perversion imaginable is just winked at (kids call that "technical virginity" now), when sexual affairs before and after marriage are totally acceptable, our little ones are positioned to be an unblushable generation. Already they are becoming so familiar with sin that when they see immodest filth, they giggle when they should instead blush and turn away.

We need to learn to trust the reliability of Scripture when things get crazy.

We have the opportunity to stand up like Ezra, to declare a holy fast for our children (Ezra 8:21), and to seek the Lord for the right way to lead this generation.

God's promises are your "gauges" when teh storm of life rages.

James 4:6-10, NIV

I want you to understand that you are not "twisting God's arm" when you go on a fast. You are not going to make God do anything He does not want to do. What you are actually doing is positioning yourself and preparing your heart for what is to come. If you are willing to seek Him, He will be willing to give.

Any time you fast, it is a hunger strike against hell. Fasting is an extreme in-your-face statement to the devil--that same deceiver who used food to tempt Adam and Ever to sin.

When we fast, we are effectively going on a hunger strike against hell to say, "Loose those who are bound by deception, lies, alcohol, drugs, pornography, false religion, etc!"

It is time for parents to stand up like Ezra and fast, seeking God for His right way and for His protection over this generation. Our little ones are waiting.

Have a great day everyone!

Chapter 13- God's Priorities from "Fasting" by J. Franklin

2009-08-11T05:56:00.002-04:00

Rom. 8:27-28

It seems unnecessary to begin this chapter by pointing out how God's priorities are seldom our priorities.

Isa. 55:9, NIV

How do we free ourselves from our own desires in order to know His will? Well, I can tell you from firsthand experience that fasting causes you to take that sword of God's Word and separate what you "want" from what you "need."

There is no higher authority that to know the heart of God for a situation you are facing.

Heb. 4:11-13

Fasting, praying and feeding on the Word of God puts that sword in your hand and positions you to discern the difference between your thoughts and God's thoughts.

Acts 10:30-31

Cornelius was fasting and praying. He was diligently seeking God when that angel came to tell him that his diligence was about to be greatly rewarded. Fasting puts you in the mainstream of God's priorities.

Exodus 13:11-12

Throughout Scriptures, God makes it clear that the firsts--firstlings of flocks, firstfruits of harvest, firstborn males of families--all belong to Him.

Go Vertical

People want and need to be connected in relationships. That need to be connected is evidenced in the church by home groups and a greater emphasis on community. While that is good, if we're not careful, we can become too horizontally focused and not sufficiently vertically focused. Church right now, for the most part in the Western world, particularly in America, is all about me;" I want my needs met. Bless me; teach me; help me." While those are legitimate needs and desires, we must keep in mind that the cross has two beams: one is horizontal, but the other is vertical.

Fasting turns your priorities more vertical and more in line with God's desires.

Matt. 21:12-13

That doesn't mean that when you fast, you don't have specific needs and desires of your own for which you are seeking God. Indeed, you should fast for a specific purpose. However, I believe that as you continue on a prolonged fast, the true cry of your heart becomes; "More of You, God, and less of me." When you put Him first, all else is added.

1 Thes. 5:23

God's priority is concern for you spirit first, your soul second, and your body third. We get that totally backward, always focusing on our bodies first and our spirits last.

"Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?" (Matt. 6:25)

According to God's principle of "first things," what you put first will order the rest. When you put your spirit first, you serve the things of the Holy Spirit rather than teh desires of the flesh. As a result, your mind, will, emotions, as well as your physical body and health will fall in line according to the Spirit's leading.

Rom. 8:13

Another area that too frequently becomes out of order has to do with reconciliation and public worship.

Matt. 5:23

First be reconciled. God desires our public and corporate worship. However, those public acts of worship do not fix our private acts of strife, contention, and unforgiveness.

Fasting allows the Holy Spirit to come in...He can begin to dig up stuff that needs to come out of your spirit. You have to get out that first offense you stored up years ago, and sometimes, you will have to dig for a long time.

What else does the Lord expect us to keep first?

Matt. 23:25-26

Jesus was teaching the people to obey the laws of God taught by the Pharisees, but He instructed the crowd not to do as the Pharisees did. They had gone overboard into legalism, and in their extremes, had gotten things out of order.

Fasting will cause you to get the crud out, cleaning the inside, which will then make the outside clean.

Matt. 7:1-5

Before you will be ready to perceive wrong in someone else's life, you first need to do a little self-examination of your own life. Hypocrisy is judging somebody else when there is something worse going on in you.

Gal. 6:1-3

Sometimes we need to remember that someone may be out of joint, but they are not out of the body of Christ. When saints get out of joint, they need tender hands. They need trained hands to reset and restore them.

Matt. 6:31-33, NIV

Luke 21:34, KJV

What would your answer be if the Lord asked you, "Do you remember the last time you were lovesick for Me?" When we are so lovesick for our first love, fasting is easy.

So I ask you, do you remember the last time you walked away from a meal because you were so preoccupied with your first love that the food was of no interest? Have you experienced seasons when it felt like the Bridegroom was distant? You just don't sense His presence as close as yo once did. You have no heart for worship and you lack the excitement and childlike enthusiasm you once had for spiritual things. Perhaps it is time to stop the busyness of your everyday life and declare a fast, a season of lovesickness to restore the passion of your first love back to its proper place in your life. When you fast, everything slows down. The days seem longer. The nights seem longer, but in teh quietness of seeking, you will find Him whom your heart desires.

WOW, sure does put things in perspective, huh?

Chapter 12-Fasting, Faith and Patience "Fasting" by Jentezen Franklin

2009-08-08T09:57:00.003-04:00

Sorry for the delay in Chapter 12. I started it yesterday but was unable to finish it before I had to get on with the day. Don't forget to READ THE PASSAGES PROVIDED and if you are just joining in on the blog, everything in italics is coming directly from this book. I decided to do this since everyone doesn't have time to read a whole book and for those who are interested in learning more about fasting.

Col. 1:10-12

The mountains you face seem so big, but you take that tiny seed of faith, plant it into that mountain, and wait. Faith and patience must go together.

I've heard people say they just couldn't make it past a day or so on a fast because they got discouraged. They listened to their flesh instead of continuing in faith and felt worse than when they started. What happened to walking by faith and not by sight?

Matt. 17:20, NIV

I encourage you to meditate on this scritpure for a while and not just pass over it as familiar territory. People facing major obstacles usually believe they need "great faith" to overcome them, but that isn't what Jesus said. He said "nothing" would be impossible to us--not if we had great faith--but if we had faith like the smallest seed.

We need to stop measuring our faith by the size of the problem.

When Pepeter tried to walk on water, he made it only a few steps because he took his eyes off Jesus and fear dragged him down.

Matt. 14:31

Heb. 13:7, NIV

As I asked before, if our Lord fasted, why would we think that we should not fast? There is no record of Jesus ever healing anyone until He returned from the 40 days of fating that launched His earthly ministry...If Jesus did not begin to minister before fasting, how can we?

There may be times when you are fasting and praying and standing in faith, yet you still do not sense that anything is happened. There's no "sprout" showing through the dirt.

Ps. 35:13-14, 27-28 (In this psalm, David had not yet received an answer to his prayer, yet he was able to wait in faith, proclaiming the praises of God.)

The Lord will reward your diligence; His delight is in the prosperity--the wholeness--of His children.

Do not let the enemy drag you down with discouragement. Remember, God gives you the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. Sometimes you will not feel like praying when you are fasting, but pray anyway. You will be amazed how God will show up and it will be like all of heaven has come down and glory has filled your soul.

Heb. 11:1

Remember the faith of Abraham? It was credited to him as righteousness--because He believed God.

When you believe God for something, you are exercising faith, which pleases Him? Are you dreaming the dreams of God for your life and your family? Are you believing Him for those things--those evidences to come to pass?

Chapter 11-Garment of Praise - "Fasting" by J. Franklin

2009-08-06T06:37:00.002-04:00

I wish I could write this whole chapter but time will not permit. He shares some wonderful stories. I'm trying to keep the focus on the principle of fasting, itself. Don't forget if you are just joining the blog...read the passages. They are not up for discussion...it is what it is and says what it means! These are notes taken directly out of Jentezen's book, everything in italics.

Ps. 121:1-4

When you are on a fast, you usually do not feel like celebrating. It is a time to press into God, to seek Him, and forsake the things of the flesh. Within hours of beginning a fast, you may find that food is the first thing on your mind (right before your stomach begins to growl).

Matt. 5:4

Isaiah 61:2-3

Are there "burnt out" experiences in your life--ugly reminders of past hurts and failed dreams? Don't throw away the ashes. God will give you beauty for ashes. He will give you the anointing of His presence, which is the oil of joy for your mourning.

Fasting Breaks the Spirit of Heaviness

The spirit of heaviness has to do with despondency, depression, and oppression. Americans use drinking, smoking, drugs, medications, overeating, and other harmful behaviors to try to lift the spirit of heaviness. Instead of looking for more stuff to put into our bodies to east the pain, we should fast and seek the God who gives us a garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness that afflicts so many.

Heaviness drains worship out of your life. God desires our praise more than our mere church attendance. That is not to say we should forsake assembling together as a corporate body. But our times together, just as our times alone, should be to glorify and praise our aswesome, mighty God. Praise pushes back the enemy!

2 Chron. 20:2-3, 12,14,17, 20-22

Jehoshaphat could have died under the spirit of heaviness. The scriptures says that he "feared," but he only paused a moment there. He immediately set himself and all the people of Judah to seek the Lord through fasting and prayer.

There is power in corporate fasting and power in corporate praise! It is time to exchange ashes for beautiful, mourning for joy, and a garment of heaviness for a garment of praise.

What Eating Accomplishes

A friend called me just as we were about to begin the corporate fast. To my surprise he said, "I feel so sorry for you." He actually felt sorry for me because I was about to lay down food for the joy of seeking the Lord for twenty-one days. I replied, "Don't feel sorry for me. In fact, I feel sorry for you." Then I challenged him: "I'll make a deal with you. God ahead and eat your food for the next twenty-one days. We will compare notes at the end of the year to see if the food you ate accomplished for you what fasting for the next 21-days accomplished for me." As evidenced in Daniel 1:15, eating does not accomplish what fasting does.

No matter what is going on in your life right now, you can set yourself to fasting and praying to seek the God who sees you as having great worth. Don't believe the lies of the enemy. Don't sink further under the spirit of heaviness. God has a garment of praise for you. His yoke is easy, and His burden is light. As you fast, you will begin to see yourself through His eyes.

I want me a garment of praise, don't you?!

Be blessed and have a wonderful day.

Chapter 10-He Pleased God from "Fasting" by J. Franklin

2009-08-04T19:14:00.002-04:00

Heb. 11:39-40

I have found that hungering and thirsting for God brings with it a much greater reward than satisfying the temporary hunger I may be experiencing in my body.

Anna..."a widow of about 84 years (of age), who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day" (Luke 2:37). That just goes to show you that you are never too old to fast. Anna had a hunger for God's Word that was greater than her hunger for food, and her faithfulness in fasting prepared her for what was about to happen.

After Jesus' birth, Joseph and Mary brought their tiny infant to the temple to be dedicated as the firstborn Son...Anna saw Him and instantly gave thanks to God. She then began telling all who looked for the redemption of Israel about the tiny baby who was the long-awaited Messiah (Luke 2:38). Imagine that--a new calling on her life at 84-years old!

Although fasting doesn't get any easier with age, it does get easier with grace. When the Holy Spirit calls you to fast, He is preparing you for what is ahead. Fasting requires faith. As Jesus said, "Blessed are they who do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled" (Matt. 5:6, KJV)

Believe God

Heb. 11:1, 5-6 (KJV)

Gen. 5:22 says that Enoch "walked with God" for 300 years! Notice that Enoch did not try to please people. In fact, Jude records that Enoch prophesied in a manner that would have made him very unpopular with the party crowd (Jude 14-15). Enoch's primary concern was walking in faith, which is what pleases God. According to Heb. 11:6, it is reasonable to say that Enoch came to God, he believed God, he diligently sough God, and he was rewarded.

If you want to please God, believe God. Take Him at His Word.

"We walk by faith, not by sight" (2 Cor. 5:7). Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego walked by faith and not by sight. The three of them joined Daniel in his initial fast from the king's delicacies. Think about what they saw on their way into that furnace. It had been heated seven times hotter than normal. If they had walked by sight, they would have said, "Today we shall surely be ashes." Instead, by faith, they walked on saying, "Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from teh burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king" (Dan. 3:17). Faith is the evidence of things unseen.

Hunger for the Word

Where does the kind of faith that enables you to look at God and believe His Word no matter how grave your circumstances may appear come from?

"Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God" (Rom. 10:17) See Amp version!

It is by hearing God's Word, by hearing the preaching of the gospel, that faith increases. There is something about getting in a church where the anointing flows and you hear the Word of God preached. Faith comes when you hear a man or woman of God preach the Word without compromise to all who will listen. That is the birthplace of faith.

Too many Christians find that they are malnourished in the Word but well fed on the world, and they live defeated lives as a result. God's Word to Adam and Eve was, "In the day that you eat of it you will surely die" (Gen. 2:17). Yet Eve acted on teh wisdom of the world that was spoken by the serpent instead of walking away in faith that God's Word was true.

Jesus was tempted by the same voice that had so cunningly whispered to Eve. Yet Jesus responded, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God" (Matt. 4:4). What had Jesus heard just before beginning that time of fasting?
Matt. 3:17, KJV

The Word of God sustained Him through 40-days and nights without food.

How I wish the body of Christ today had that same kind of hunger for God's Word. We need to understand Jesus's words when He said, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away" (Mark 13:31)

1 Sam. 17:34-35

Diligence

We must diligently feed on God's Word. Sometimes the best thing we can possibly do is starve our flesh and feed our spirit through a fast. Fasting helps you separate what you want from what you need.

...fasting allows you many opportunities to diligently seek the Lord! You dilgently seek Him when everyone else is going out to teh movies, drinking sodas, and eating popcorn and you choose to stay home to be with teh Lord because you just have to hear from Him.

It comes when you're at work and everyone else is having burgers, fries, and shakes for lunch, but you are having bottled water! Diligence is when you come home from a long, hard day at work, and all you have had all day is water, yet you separate yourself from teh dinner table to feed on the Word.

To be diligent is to be persistent. It means to work hard in doing something and refusing to stop.

Faith is progressive. Faith never gets into a bad situation and says, "I'm just going to sit here and die. It's over." Faith never stands in teh desert, having a pity party with everything drying up around it. You walk by faith. You don't stand still, drowning in your misery.

When you get into battles, you have to keep saying, "I will move forward."

Reward

God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (Heb. 11:6), which means HE has already laid up rewards for you in heaven. The Bible tells us that if we seek, we will find.

He shares many testimonies of those members in his church who began their year out with the 21-day fast.

One year, at the end of the 21-day fast, a couple walked up to me and handed me a bundle of official papers. Puzzled, I opened them up to see the word DISMISSED stamped in bold black letters. After that, I read the words, The Superior Court of Gwinnett County, State of Georgia, Final Judgment and Decree of Divorce." The couple standing before me had been struggling in their marriage for a year, but during that fast, the season of setting everything else aside and diligently seeking God, a miracle happened! Unity replaced division, and the divorce was dismissed. The devil thought he'd racked up another statisticfor Christian divorces--but God is a rewarder!

The enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but Jesus came that we might have life more abundantly (John 10:10). He rewards all who diligently seek Him in faith, because faith is what pleases God.

Are you finding it hard NOT to fast every day that you read an entry?

Section 2-Opening a Door to God's Promises- "Fasting" by J.Franklin

2009-08-04T05:04:00.002-04:00

We are beginning Section 2 today (pg. 109 of 237). Please be sure and read the scriptures that I list. In the passages is where we'll find truth, strength and direction for our lives. Reminder...what is in "italics" is coming directly from this book.

Why Is It So Hard?

It is still amazing to me that food was teh enticement used to cause Adam and Eve to sin, resulting in the fall of mankind. I find it equally interesting that Jesus began His earthly ministry--to redeem us from sin--by abstaining from food.

Matt. 3:16-4:11

The first thing Jesus felt in His earthly ministry for you and me was hunger. The last thing that He felt on this earth was thirst as the Lord of glory hung dying on a cruel cross, according to John 19:28.

Why does the body of Christ have such a hard time with the discipline of fasting?

Matt. 4:3 (KJV)

The enemy tried repeatedly to cause Jesus to focus on the desire for food rather than on the assignment and the purposes of the Father, but Jesus knew that the sanctification is an essential key to opening a door of God's blessings.

I was 18 years old when I went on my first complete 21-day fast. It was one of the most difficult things I had ever done. Fasting is never easy. Jesus understands the difficulty of depriving ourselves of food. In Heb. 4:15 we read, "For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin." He also provides strength for us to overcome temptation in Heb. 4:16. "Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

Before the next paragraph, (I'm paraphrasing here) Jentezen explains why he feels that giving up TV, computer games, Internet, etc. is not really a fast. This may be controversial to some. I'm not trying to start a fight of any kind so I chose to leave it out. He feels if those things are interfering with your prayer life or with your study of God's Word or your ministering to the needs of others, it's good to put them aside but he doesn't feel that it is "fasting."

When you fast, you abstain from food for spiritual purposes. Fasting is doing without food for a period of time, which generally causes you to leave the commotion of normal activity. Part of the sacrifice of fasting, seeking God, and studying His Word is that normal activity fades into the background.

There are wrong reasons to fast. You do not fast to obtain merit with God or to get rid of sin. However, fasting will begin to bring to the surface any areas of compromise in your life and make you more aware of any sin in your own life so you can repent.

Fasting is not a Christian diet. You should not fast to lose weight, although weight loss is a normal side effect. Unless you put prayer with your fasting, there is no need to fast. When you fast, you focus on prayer and on God's Word.

A fast is not an opportunity to show others how deeply spiritual you are, but an opportunity to focus on the needs of others. The world hunger movement has a program called "Let it Growl," a world hunger and awareness fast. During this fast, when participants feel the hunger pangs rise up and their stomachs begin to growl, they remember that one-third of the people in this world go to bed with that same feeling every night because they have no food.

When you enter into a fast at the beginning of the year with the body of Christ, you link up with thousands of people all over the world who also begin the New Year with a fast. One person fasting is powerful, but when a group of people begin to fast, it is multiplied strength! It is multiplied power!

You have been deceived if you believe Christians are not supposed to fast. God expects every one of us to fast--not just some of us. In Matt. 6 HE names 3 things that Christians do: "When you pray..." "When you give..." and "When you fast."

Matt. 6:31-33

You can always find a reason not to fast, so you have to make up your mind that you are going to do it, and everything else will take care of itself. If you will determine to set apart the first days of the year to fast, you will set the course for the entire coming year, and God will add blessings to your life all year long. Just as you set the course of your day by meeting with god in the first hours, the same is true of dedicating the first days of the year to fasting.

Since we don't know who all is participating in these blog entries, will you just stop and pray for yourself and all those who are reading this, asking God to give us wisdom concerning fasting and with the desire to be obedient to fast?

Have a wonderful day!

Chapter 9-Nothing Shall be Impossible---It Works! "Fasting" by J. Franklin

2009-08-03T05:41:00.002-04:00

I hope everyone had a great weekend!

This chapter mostly consisted of stories from the members of the church where Jentezen pastors, who have participated in the 21-day fast and have testified about the miracles in their lives. I did say, "miracles", which is not a word we hear much about today but are obvious in the lives of those I read about this morning. Here are some other things he pointed out.

Ps. 69:30-32

Fasting will bring your life and your ministry to others out of obscurity.

Fasting makes your more sensitive to the timing and voice of the Holy Spirit. Fasting does such a work in your life that the lost are often drawn to you and to what God is doing. It's not that we manipulate God through our words forcing His hand. Fasting simply breaks you and brings your faith to a new level.

...I hope that I have been able to clear up the misconceptions about what fasting is--and what it is not--and why it is a discipline that should not be missing in the life of any believer. It is a vital part of that three-fold cord of normal Christian duties that Jesus outlined in Matt. 6: giving, praying, and fasting. It cleanses your body and promotes health in many practical ways. It brings you into a deeper relationship with teh Lord than can be enjoyed through routine religion. Don't wait for a good time. As God pointed out, there just isn't one. You are not too young or too old. After all, Anna was a prophetess who was in her eighties when she worshiped day and night, fasting and praying (Luke 2:37).

If you are ready to bring supernatural blessings into your life and release the power of God to overcome any situation, begin today making the discipline of fasting a part of your life. You will be greatly rewarded!

My thoughts...

We are getting ready to go into Section 2- "Opening a Door to God's Promises" and for those of you who are reading and following along, should you decide to fast over something, for a certain period of time, etc., please journal and then after your time of fasting...share with others what God has taught you, what you've experienced, etc. I've come to realize that "fasting" isn't an option in the life of a believer. I wonder what would happen in our lives, our homes, our churches, our families if we simply humbled ourselves and fasted for just more of Him. I wonder what we would break free from. I wonder about our senses being heightened which would make us more aware of His presence in our lives. I wonder...

Chapter 8- Rewarded Openly from "Fasting" by J. Franklin

2009-07-31T05:31:00.002-04:00

Gen. 15:1

In the life of a believer, there should always be more private than public ministry to God. When you read about Jesus, you do not see Him praying in public nearly as much as you see Him praying in private....Out of these times in private devotion, public demonstrations of God's power would be poured forth in healings, raising the dead, abundance, and more. Victories are not won in public but in private. That is why fasting, whether corporately or individually, is a private discipline. Where there is little private discipline, there is little public reward.

Matt. 6:1, 2-4

Fasting is a sacrifice born out of expectancy. That is not to imply that fasting is a manipulative tool to get something from God, but a "reasonable service" (Rom. 12:1) that God rewards openly. Job went through a devastating trial and lost everything. Yet he prayed, he fasted, and he remained faithful to private devotion. Job said, "I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food" (Job 23:12, KJV). And God "restored Job's losses" and gave him "twice as much as he had before" (Job 42:10). The Bible also says that He "blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning" (v 42) and even gave him more sons and daughters.

Gen. 41:39-45
1 Kings 3:10-13
Dan. 6:1-4
Isa. 58:8

Fasting humbles you and brings clarity, even allowing you to get unforgiveness and bitterness out of your heart. Some people have tried and tried to truly forgive someone but have never been able to let the matter go. Begin a fast, and trust God to work that in your heart. Fasting helps you "spring clean" in a spiritual sense because it makes you sensitive to teh desires of the Lord. Unforgiveness, bitterness, and the like can all be linked to illnesses, fatigue, stress, and more.

When you fast and pray you should expect miracles to follow.

Fasting will also overcome sexual addictions and demonic powers. It will break great sin off people. In Matt. 17:21, Jesus said of that stubborn demon that "this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting," There's a phenominal story in the book of Judges, chapters 19-20, where fasting made the difference in a major battle against a people overcome with sexual perversion.

God will also target your children who are beng led off and destroyed by the enemy's devices.

Joel 2:28

Many times the rewards of fasting come after teh fast, though from time to time answers can come during the fast. Look at teh story of Hezekiah's son, Manasseh, who became king of Judah (2 Chron. 33:1-13).

Maybe you have rebellious children or sons and daughters whoa re committing fornication, but I'm telling you, fasting and praying will absolutely break those spirits off their lives.

Jentezen shared a story of one of his church members who had been praying for her son for 15 years. After his dad had killed himself he turned his back on God. 15 years later, he and his new wife who was a Budhists came to church right when her fast had ended and Jentezen had extended an altar call at which time, the two of them gave their hearts to Christ.

"Your Father...will Himself reward you openly" (Matt. 6:4). God does not lie. God is no respecter of persons. What He ahs done in our church, in the lives of our members, He will do for you when you set your heart to see Him through fasting.

Have a great weekend everyone!!!

"Come, and you will see."

2009-07-30T08:42:00.003-04:00

This morning while reading John 1:35-42 something pretty exciting occurred to me.

I've been reading how that John is pointing others to Jesus. He isn't spending a lot of time giving history about himself, he simply answers questions very briefly in Chapter 1. He spent more time elaborating on who Jesus is. I shared with a wonderful group of ladies last night that I feel we should always make HIM a part of our introductions when sharing things about ourselves to those who don't know us that well. That's a whole other blog posting.

In vs 35 it says the next day John was there "again"(in Bethany). Being in the right place is as important as doing the right thing. If we're not, we missing out. It was there when John saw the Lord passing by, he pointed his two disciples to Christ, "Look, the Lamb of God."
Bringing their attention to Jesus, they then followed Jesus. Not only did Jesus see them following Him, HE recognized it. He asked them, "What do you want?" I just loved that. I've personally answered this same question just recently when it was brought to my attention in a Bible study. The story goes on to say that they, the two disciples answered HIM with, "Where are you staying?" Jesus replied, "Come, and you will see." Guess what? They did just what He said, they went. In turn, He did what He said He would do, He showed them. They spent the day together. He invites us to come so we CAN see. It's that simple. We just have to take the time to spend with Him. They took a whole day. I had to ask myself, when was the last time I took my day off and just spent it with HIM?

Later in vs 40, Andrew followed John's example, which is something I too should do, and went to find his brother Simon so he could tell him about the Messiah. Andrew brought Simon to Jesus. Of course verse 42 tells us that Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas. No introduction was necessary. Jesus knew who he was, who we are and at that point, Jesus changed Simon's name. Christ always brings about change.

I pray that I will be contagious in telling others about Him. I pray that what I do and say points others to Him. I pray that I will follow Him daily. He said, "Come, and you will see." I don't want to miss out on a thing He wants to show me and I won't if I give Him my time.

Lord, help me to follow YOU, wherever, doing whatever! I want to "come and see!"

Chapter 7-You Shall be Filled- Fasthing by J. Franklin

2009-07-30T06:19:00.002-04:00

I hope you guys are learning a lot from this book. I certainly am. Here are the notes I took directly from J. Franklin's book on Fasting. Don't forget to look up the examples he supplies for us via scripture. That is the most important part of all we read.

Matt. 4:4

In Colbert's book Toxic Relief, he states, "We may be actually starving from a nutritional standpoint, while at the same time becoming grossly obese...Sadly, we really are digging our graves with our forks and knives!"

In that sense, it is easy to see how our physical lives again parallel our spiritual lives. We can become overnourished on a hefty diet of church programs and activities, religious structure, and traditions of men and yet be severely undernourished when it comes to the deeper things of God.

Matt. 5:6

When you begin to develop a hunger for the deeper things of God, He will fill you.

Hungry in Flesh...Hungry in Spirit

Hungry people are desperate people, and they are hungry for more of God than they have ever had. They are breaking out of religious rules, regulations, and traditional thinking and breaking through to more of His presence, more of His power to turn situations around, more of His healing power, and more of His miracle-working power! Only Jesus satisfies that hunger!

Fasting stirs a hunger in your spirit that goes deeper than the temporary hunger you experience in your flesh. When you hunger for God, He will fill you.

Matt. 8:5-13

In this day, God is saying, "I'm looking for somebody who wants something. I'm looking for somebody who will do more than show up, but they will hunger for that which I want to place in them!"

Matt. 12:1-8

...when you hunger for more, you will receive more. God will break all the religious rules for you. When you hunger for God, He will break the rules of man and cause His favor to come on your life.

Anybody can be normal. Normal is overrated. Someone has to say, "But I want more! Lord, I'm hungry! I'm going to have to push tradition aside! I'm going to have to push religious rules aside! I'm going to have to push all of the rituals aside because I'm starving to death, and I just can't do 'church as usual' any longer." My suggestion is to begin pushing the plate aside. Show God that you are serious. We must get to the place where we are desperate for God again. We must begin to desire Him more than food or drink. Let us be filled with the Bread of Life instead of the refuse of religion. Begin to make fasting a regular discipline, and see how GOd answers your hunger!

Are you hungry for more of Him? Are you desperate for more of Him? Are you at a point in your life where you feel stuck, discouraged, just wandering around from place to place, need some answers to some questions, need some emptiness filled, ETC? If so, why not add fasting to your prayers? Anybody?

Chapter 6-God's Coming to Dinner? "Fasting" by J. Franklin

2009-07-29T07:31:00.002-04:00

For those of you who are following my notes that I've taken directly out of Jentezen Franklin's book on "Fasting", please, please look up the scriptures. I wish I had time to type out the stories he shared but time will not permit. While his stories are good, God's Word is what makes a difference in our lives. I would highly recommend this book.

Ps. 50:12-15

As a believer, you can pray, read your Bible, adm go to church week after week and still be losing sight of your first love. It is not that you don't love teh Lord, but the business of life can bring you to the point of losing your freshness, your enthusiasm, and your sensitivity to His Spirit and what pleases Him.

What if God were hungry and all we have to feed Him is our same dulle religious routines day after day? Just like ending up with meat loaf on the table every night, I can just hear our heavenly Father sighing, "Religion again?"

God does not need our routines. He does not savor heartless activity. He does not want our "leftovers" when He can get "fed" elsewhere. True worship that comes from our hearts feeds Him and satisfies Him; it is something He desires--and deserves. Our religiosity of going through the motions once a week does not please Him as much as our obedience to His Word.

...Fasting is a constant means of renewing yourself spiritually. The discipline of fasting breaks you out of hte world's routine. It is a form of worship--offering your body to God as a living sacrifice is holy and leasing to God (Rom. 12:1). The disciplines of fasting will humble you, remind you of your dependency on God, and bring you back to your first love. It causes the roots of your relationship with Jesus to go deeper.

God desires to move powerfully in your life. His plans for you are always progressing and developing.

There are dimensions of our glorious King that will never be revealed to the casual, disinterested worshiper. There are walls of intercession that will never be scaled by dispassionate religious service. But when you take steps to break out of the orinary and worship Him as He deserves, you will begin to see facets of His being you never knew existed. He will begin to share secrets with you about Himself, His plans, His desires for you. When you worship God as He deserves, He is magnified.

David was a man who fasted often, and not just from food. He knew that to worship God was to magnify God. His invitation to all of us to "magnify the Lord with me" (Ps. 34:3) still stands open today.

When you worship, you magnify God. Your enemies or circumstances may seem to be so large and so powerful that they are all you can see. But when you worship, you not only magnify God, but you also reduce the size and power of everything else around you. David said, "I sought the Lord, and He heard me and delivered me from all my fears" (Ps. 34:4). God will hear you when you set your heart to worship Him. When you magnify the Lord, you shrink the supposed power of your enemy, the devil. The greatest thing you can do in teh midst of a battle is magnify the Lord.

John 4:23, 29, 32, 34

His disciples returned with food, but He told them He was not hungry. He said, "I have food to eat of which you do not know...My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work" (vv. 32, 34) The worship of that woman had so satisified Jesus that He was no longer hungry for natural food. The disciples were busy gathering food, but she took time to worship and feed Him that which He most desired.

What is God saying about you? Is it, "Religions again?" Or does He dine with you, fellowship with you, and share with you deep secrets and plans for the future? If you are in a rut or a routine where your worship just isn't cutting it, if you have not heard God speak to you in a long time, if your circumstances seem to be the biggest obstacle in your life, stop everything and begin a fast. One day, several days, some food, all food--the details are not as important as your heart's desire to satisfy God with your worship and sacrifice.

Chapter 5-Swatting Flies "Fasting" by Jentezen Franklin

2009-07-27T12:27:00.002-04:00

Eph. 5:8-10

Fasting is not just a physical discipline; it can be a spiritual feast. Once you "taste and see that the Lord is good" (Ps. 34:8), your hunger for more of His presence eclipses the limitation of your understanding. God is knows more about what you need that you do. All the fasts in the Bible--whether one day or forty-days--brought reward.

Just as spraying pesticides for a full 40-days wipes out an infestation of flies, when we enter into a season of forty days of fasting and prayer, we can break free of the bondages in our own lives and in the lives of the next generation.

Mark 1:13

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF FORTY
Throughout the Bible, the number 40 represents cleansing and purifying. The flood in Noah's time took 40 days to cleanse the earth of wickedness. Moses's life could be divided up into 3 different seasons of forty: he spent 40 years in Egypt, 40 years in the desert, and 40 years delivering and bringing the people of God to the Promised Land. He also fasted for 40 days on two occasions: the 1st time while receiving the Law of God in the form of the 10 Commandments, and the 2nd time interceding for the sing of the people.

Jonah 3:5, 7-9

Their humility (people of Ninevah) repentance, and worship were seen by God, and they were rewarded with mercy instead of judgment.

Elijah fled to the desert to escape the deadly threats of Jezebel. God sent an angel to feed him and watch over him as he rested. When he had eaten the meal the angel prepared for him, he went the next 40 days without food. During that time, he spoke with God and received new direction. His insecurities and doubts were removed, and the oppression of the enemy was broken. The word Elijah received during that 40-day fast affected even the next generation.

Flies represents demons in the Word, as do other animals.

Matt. 13:4,19
Mark 16:18
Luke 10:19
Ps. 22:12
Eccles. 10:1

Flies hinder teh annointing in your life. Your worship gets polluted by flies of lust and perversion. We are supposed to walk in that pure anointing that pierces hearts, breaks yokes, delivers from bondages, and heals the sick. It's time to get rid of the "flies" in your business, your marriage, your mind, your house. They cannot stand the power of the Holy Ghost and the intimacy of the presence of Jesus that comes from 400 days of bombarding heaven.

Some might say, "But 40 days is a long time!" Is it really? ... all Muslims--old, young, even children--fast from sunrise to sunset for 30 days. It is a form of worship for them, helping them focus on spiritual things instead of eathly needs. Did you know that Islam is the fastest-growing religion in the US?

The scandals and corruption on the front pages of our newspapers and the gross perversion that is prevalent on every level of society tell us how much we need revival in this country. How much more should we, as Christians, devote ourselves to fasting and prayer? God promised, "If my people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land? (2 Chron. 7:14)

Take Daniels' fast as an example. For 3 weeks he said he "ate no pleasant food" (Dan. 10:3). Generally, "pleasant food" is thought to mean more festive foods, such as sweets and the like.

According to Dr. Colbert's research, Americans consume roughtly 11,250 pounds of sugar in a lifetime! If you fasted from just sweets for 40 days, you would rid your body of many toxins and probably shed several pounds. For some of you, it would be a major sacrifice!

God sees the sacrifice. When you go out with people at the office to a steakhouse and you choose to have the garden salad, baked potato (no Bacon bits), and ice water instead of that medium-well, 24-ounce T-bone steak, God takes notice. You're cleansing, you're purifying, and you're destroying flies!

Can you forgo the Snickers bar in the afternoon to be delivered from a recurring sin? To have more of hte presence of Jesus in your life, can you drink water instead of sugary, caffeinated drinks for 40 days? Do you want to do more than just swat at those flies of doubt and confusion that inundate your thoughts?

Like Jesus told the disciples at the well in Samaria, when you open yourself to know the will of the Father and do the will of the Father, no steak or cake compares. Nothing can fill you and satisfy you like that. Get ready for the presence of Jesus like you have never had before.

Makes you think, huh? More food or more God?

Chapter 4-Every Assignment Has a Birthplace- "Fasting"

2009-07-26T20:11:00.003-04:00

Don't forget, read the passages that are listed. I hope this is helpful to all of you who are interested in learning more about fasting. That's why reading the passages are so crucial. Enjoy! For those of you just tuning in...these are my notes taken directly from the book, "Fasting" by Jentezen Franklin

John 10:27-28

If you are a parent reading this book, I want you to know that even children can begin to understand these concepts, and it is important that they learn them at a young age.

...it was during a 3-day fast that God revealed His assignment for my life. I was praying and seeking His will. That is when He called me to preach.

Every assignment, every call of God, every direction from Him starts somewhere. God has specific assignments for your life. But how do you discover them?

The answer can be found in the appeal Paul made to the Romans: "Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service" (Rom. 12:1). Remember the 3 Christian duties I covered in the first chapter? Giving, praying and fasting. That is how you "present" your body to God as a "living" sacrifice. Fasting keeps you sensitive to His Spirit, enabling you to live holy. "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Rom. 12:2)

I am convinced that we will never walk in the perfect will of God until we seek Him through fasting. Paul was fasting when God called him and shared the assignment for his life
(Acts 9:7-9). Peter was fasting on the rooftop when God gave him a new revelation and called him to take the gospel to the Gentiles (Acts 10). Fasting prepares the way for God to give you fresh revelation, fresh vision, and clear purpose.

Joel 2:28

What are we waiting for when we read scriptures like 2 Chronicles 7:14? Can you imagine if believers in America really took hold of this, if they humbled themselves (fasted) and prayed? God would heal our nation and send revival!

Fasting is what prepares you for a new anointing.

But if He is going to pour out new wine, our wineskins will have to change.

Mark 2:22

...if you look at this passage, Jesus had just finished telling the Pharisees that His disciples would fast once He was gone. Fasting is what prepares you for a new anointing (vs 20). If you want new wine, new miracles, new closeness, new intimacy with Him, then it's time to call a fast and shed that old skin for the new.

Fasting is a tremendous weapon and a source of power in the life of a believer...I am not the greatest preacher; I don't have the brilliant mind that some have, but God said He is no respecter of persons. When you honor and worship God by presenting your body as a living sacrifice through fasting, you too will know His assignments for your life.

2 Chron. 20:3-4, 13, 15, 17!!!!!!!!!

Do you want God to tell you what you need to do at this time in your life? Fast, worship, and seek Him. Be still and see the salvation of the Lord! I'm ready for some of those victories where it takes me longer to bring the victory home than it took to fight the battle! Press in like Jehoshaphat in times of great distress--you and your whole family, perhaps even your entire church. God will deliver you and show you His plan!

SATAN HATES WHEN YOU FAST

Satan gets disturbed--and defeated--when you decide to do more than be a Sunday-morning Christian. He has probably tried repeatedly to distract you from reading this chapter already. The devil knows fasting releases God's power.

Have you ever wondered why, of all things, Satan tempted Jesus at the end of His fast by provoking Him to turn stones into bread? ...Jesus came to serve others, not Himself. Further, He was determined to complete the fast God had called Him to finish. Jesus knew that some of the benefits of fasting cannot be released otherwise--and so did the devil! When Jesus returned from that 40-day fast, He immediately began to do mighty miracles, "healing all who were oppressed by the devil" (Acts 10:38). Satan needed to get Jesus focused on His appetite because if he didn't, Jesus was going to receive power from God that would change the world.

John 10:10

Do you think the enemy wants you to believe that nothing is impossible for you? He knows he is defeated, but he doesn't want you to know it or to walk in that realm of God's power. That is why it is so crucial for him to get you distracted. Don't allow the enemies in your life to cause you to focus more on your appetite or circumstances than on the promises of God that are released when you employ the powerful weapon of fasting.

How Much? How Long? How Healthy? Chapter 3-"Fasting"

2009-07-25T07:45:00.002-04:00

Job 23:12

Exod. 34:27-28

It was during a 40 day fast that Moses received the Ten Commandments.

Esther 4-7

When Haman ordered the annihilation and plunder of all Jews, Esther called for all the Jews of her city to join her on a 3-day fast from all food and water. As a result, the Jews were spared...

Hannah, greatly distressed over not being able to bear a child, "wept and did not eat." God heard her plea, and the prophet Samuel was soon born. 1 Sam. 1:7

Judah, Ezra, the people of Nineveh, Nehemiah, David and Anna are also among those whose fasts are noted in the Word. In addition...Joshua fasted 40 days, Daniel partially fasted 21-days, Paul was on at least 2 fasts: one for 3 days, one for 14-days, Peter fasted 3 days, and we know that Jesus fasted 40 days in the wilderness.

There are 3 types of fasts found in Scripture: Absolute fast, normal fast and the partial fast.

Absolute Fast: Extreme & should be done only for very short periods of time. You take in nothing--no food, no water. Depending on your health, this fast should be attempted only with medical consultation and supervision.

Normal Fast: You typically go without food of any kind for a certain number of days. You do drink water and plenty of it! Depending on the length of the normal fast, you may also choose to take clear broth and juices in order to maintain your strength.

Partial Fast: This can be interpreted in many ways. The way it CANNOT be interpreted is to include that time between about 11 PM and 6:00 AM-when you're sleeping! This fast usually involves giving up particular foods and drink for an extended period of time.

The most commonly used example of a partial fast is found in the book of Daniel. He and his 3 companions refused to eat choice meats and sweets, asking instead to have only vegetables and water. In chapter 10, he began another fast, taking no sweets, no meat, and no wine for 3 weeks.

The duration of fasts can vary. There are significant numbers we find in the Bible, which include 3 days, 7 days, 21-days and 40-days. But there are also references to half-day fasts adn 24-hour fasts.

The length of time that you choose to fast should depend on your circumstances, but don't get bogged down in the details.

Don't bite off more than you can handle. There is no need to be heroic and attempt a 40-day fast if you have never fasted a day in your life. Just start. Once you discover the benefits, you'll be on your way to making it a life practice. For most folks, a 3-day fast is very practical. A "Daniel fast," eliminating meat, bread, and sweets for 21-days is a fast just about anyone can handle as well. If it means something to you, it will mean something to God. After all, when was the last time angels were released to speak mysteries to you like the archangel Michael spoke to Daniel?

On longer fasts, I drink water, juice, and even broth when I feel I need a little extra strength. The local Chic-fil-A has grown so accustomed to our annual fasts at Free Chapel that they now readily strain their chicken noodle soup so we can buy just a cup of broth!

TIPS: Whenever you begin a fast, remember, if it doesn't mean anything to you, it won't mean anything to God. Without being combined with prayer and the Word, fasting is little more than dieting. Fasting itself is a continual prayer before God. There may be days when heaven opens and your heart is prompted to deep times of prayer. There may be other days when your energy is sapped and you just cannot seem to focus in prayer at all. Don't condemn yourself. God sees your sacrifice. When you are fasting, it's not the time to sit in front of the TV. Why would you torture yourself with all those food advertisements anyway?

Fasting is like spring cleaning for your body!

When you begin longer fasts, it is not a good idea to gorge yourself the days before. You should actually begin tapering off your food intake in preparation.

...when you begin, try to drink at least one gallon of purified water throughout the first day. Purified or distilled water flushes the toxins and the poison out of your system...Water is the faster's best friend.

I often get a headache the first day or two...it is likely your body getting rid of the toxins that have built up over a period of time. ...fasting...it gives your whole digestive system a break, and, medically speaking, that is very healthy. If you experience a headache while fasting, it is a sign that you needed to fast.

When you fast for at least 3 days, your digestive system shuts down...some feel sluggish, have headaches, and can't sleep, and, let's face it, you are going to get hungry! If you will keep drinking plenty of water and juice, those toxins that poison your body will get flushed out, and you will find what can only be described as a sweet place in the fast!...you find a deeper place in God where the rest just does not matter.

As you begin a fast, you will notice a sort of coating on your tongue for a few days. It is a sign the fast is helping your body eliminate toxins. Tests have proven that the average American consumes and assimilates four pounds of chemical preservatives each year. These build up in our bodies and cause illness and disease. Periodic fasts are necessary to flush out the poisons.

Don Colbert, MD author of the book, "Toxic Relief " says, "Fasting does not only prevent sickness. If done correctly, fasting holds amazing healing benefits to those of us who suffer illness and disease. From colds and flu to heart disease, fasting is a mighty key to healing the body."

Dr. Oda H.F. Birchinger, who supervised more than 70,000 fasts stated, "Fasting is a royal recovery and regeneration of the body, mind and spirit." "Fasting can heal and help rheumatism in the joints and muscles, diseases of the heart, circulation, blood vessels, stress-related exhaustion, skin diseases--including pimples and complexion problems, irregular menstrual cycles and hot flashes, disease of respiratory organs, alergies such as hay fever and other eye diseases."

Dr. Tanner decided at the age of 50 to fast 43-days without food. He did so under strict medical supervision. At the conclusion of the fast, he was much healthier. At age 60 he fasted 50 days and in the middle of his fast, he said he saw the unspeakable glorief of God. At 77 he fasted 53 days, and among other things that happened, his once thin, gray hair was replaced by new black hair! Dr. Tanner lived to be 93 years old.

Fasting slows your aging process. Moses fasted often, including two 40-day fasts and the Bible says, he was 120 old when he died. (Deut. 34:7)

When you fast drink plenty of water...great flushing agent. One of the signs that these toxins and poisons are being eliminated can be seen by the concentration of toxins in your urine. The urine turns darker because the disease-causing poison and toxins locked in your body because of terrible diets begin to be washed out.

It is also proven that fasting sharpens your mental process and aids and improves your sight, hearing, taste, touch, smell, and all sensory faculties.

Fasting breaks the addiction to junk food. Fasting can break the power of an uncontrollable appetite.

Each year I encourage all the members of Free Chapel to join us in our 21-day fast. If in 21-days you can become a new person, why go the rest of your life feeling sick, weak, overweight, and run down? Why not take a radical step of faith? We have only one life to give to God--let's get control of our bodies and go for God with the best we have!

Now that's some food for thought!

Dethroning King Stomach-Cha. 2, "Fasting"

2009-07-24T12:53:00.003-04:00

I could stop at the title of this chapter and be convicted! LOL!! Don't forget to GRAB your Bible and read the passages provided. It speaks louder than any words I can copy from this book. Whether or not you agree with every statement I've posted...we really haven't a leg to stand on when it comese to disagreeing with God's Word, right? ;)

Luke 4:1-2

...fasting means crucifying what I refer to as "King Stomach." And in case you don't know who King Stomach is, just move this book out of the way, look down, and introduce yourself.

Every year our entire congregation at Free Chapel participates in a twenty-one-day fast... Once you make the decision to fast, even if it's just for a day, God sees the desire of your heart. He will provide you with the grace to endure and see the breakthroughs you need come to pass. However, you will have to choose to dethrone that "dictator within."

Gen. 3:6

They (Adam and Eve) literally ate themselves out of house and home. They ate themselves out of the will of God for their lives. They ate themselves out of God's provision and plan for their lives and out of His magnificent presence.

Ezek. 16:49-50

...it is interesting to note that the inhabitants of those cities were not only guilty of homosexuality, according to the account in Genesis, but as we see here, they were also guilty of gluttony (fullness of food). Along with their other sins, their excessive loyalty to King Stomach carried them right into damnation!

Gen. 25:34

Esau sold his coveted birthright because of his allegiance to King Stomach. God had a plan, a destiny, a will for Esau's life, but his lust for food and instant gratification was more important.

Heb. 12:15-17

Num. 11:4-7, 18-20, 34

God heard their murmuring and complaining...He sent them quail in such a great abundance they stacked it two and a half feet deep! And they ate and ate, and while the meat was in their mouths, thousands of them died and were buried there...(vs 34) that place became known as Kibroth Hattaavah, which means "The Graves of Lusters," as a memorial to those who ate themselves right out of the Promised Land.

Matthew Henry wrote, "Those who are under the power of a carnal mind, will have their lusts fulfilled, though it be to the certain damage and ruin of their precious souls."

I want you to understand that there are some "promised lands" and some "promises" that God has for you...but some of them will never be realized as long as King Stomach rules your appetite and controls your life.

God wants to pour out supernatural blessings in our lives, but they will never be realized if we are not willing to seek Him in fasting and prayer.

God knows there is never a convenient time to fast.

In our busy lives there is always a holiday, birthday, office lunch, or something that creates a bump in the road, so we talk ourselves out of beginning a fast. My advise to you, just jump in and do it, and everything else will take care of itself! If you have never fasted before, just do it for one day and you will see what I mean.

The reason we fast corporately at Free Chapel at the beginning of every year is based on principles that have been adapted from Dr. Bob Rogers's book 101 Reasons to Fast. There are 3 reasons starting the year with a fast is a good practice. First, by doing so, you set the course for the rest of the year. Just as beginning your day with prayer sets the course for the rest of the day and covers anything that may happen, the same is true of beginning the year with a fast. You set the course for the entire year by what you do with those first few days of each New Year. You can carry that even further to give God teh first part of every day, the first day of every week, teh first portion of every dollar, and the first consideration in every decision.

Secondly, "Blessings will happen for you and your family throughout the year because you fasted in January." In fact, it was around Thanksgiving when I got the call to go to the bank. When I arrived, a man and his wife met me and said, "Here is a million dollars for the building program." I had forgotten about the fast we had done ten months prior, but God hadn't....

This third point is so powerful. When you fast at teh beginning of the year and pray, you release teh principle found in Matt. 6:33: "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you" If you seek Him first in the year, get ready for all these "things" to be added to your life throughout the rest of the year!

Have a great day!

Notes from Chapter 1-"Fasting" by Jentezen Franklin

2009-07-24T11:07:00.001-04:00

Ever wonder about fasting? I've always been interested in knowing how or the right way to fast.
I do know from personal experience that the times I have fasted, have been some pretty incredible experiences and the closeness I felt is indescribable.

These are some of the things that I personally found interesting in Chapter 1. If you don't read the passages provided, the words posted will only be words of another human so I strongly suggest, Get out your Bible and READ THE SCRIPTURES!!!! I'd like to get feedback from those of you who might be reading these notes. Everything posted are quotes taken directly from the pages of this book written by J. Franklin.

Every assignment has a birthplace. When God has placed a dream inside you that only He can make possible, you need to fast and pray.

When i find myself growing dry spiritually, when I don't sense that cutting-edge anointing, or when I need a fresh encounter with God, fasting is the secret key that unlocks heaven's door and slams shut the gates of hell.

Since you are reading this book, you are probably not content to go through this year the way you went through last year. you know there's more. You know there is an assignment for your life. You know there are things that God desires to release in your life, and there is a genuine desperation for those things gripping your heart.

Matt. 6:1-18
Suggestion: Highlight, underline and/or circle in this passage these words..."When you give...When you pray...When you fast..."

What is fasting? I first want to clarify what fasting--biblical fasting- is NOT. Fasting is not merely going without food for a period of time. That is dieting--maybe even starving--but fasting IT IS NOT. (EMPHASIS MINE)

...biblical fasting is refraining from food for a spiritual purpose.

Ps. 42:1-3, 7
Fasting brings one into a deeper, more intimate and powerful relationship with the Lord. "Deep calls unto deep". David was fasting. His hunger and thirst for God were greater than his natural desire for food. You will soon realize that fasting is a secret source of power that is overlooked by many.

Ecc. 4:12

When giving, praying and fasting are practiced together in the life of a believer, it creates a type of threefold cord that is not easily broken.

In the Beatitudes, specifically in Matt. 6, Jesus provided the pattern by which each of us is to live as a child of God. That pattern addressed 3 specific duties of a Christian: giving, praying and fasting. Jesus said, "When you give..." and "When you pray..." and "When you fast." HE made it clear that fasting, like giving and praying, was a normal part of Christian life. As much attention should be given to fasting as is given to giving and to praying.

The three duties of every Christian are giving, praying and fasting.

What answers to prayer are not getting through? What bondages are not being broken because we fail to fast?

Matt. 17:20-21 (KJV)
...I think a lot of people stop at the part of this passage where it reads, "and nothing shall be impossible unto you." but Jesus didn't because He knew there was more---much more.

When you faithfully follow the three duties of a Christian, God rewards you openly.

If Jesus could have accomplished all He came to do without fasting, why would He fast? How much more should fasting be a common practice in our lives?

Luke 5:34-35

According to the words of Jesus, it is the duty of every disciple and every believer to fast.

Jesus didn't expect His disciples to do something He hadn't done as well. 1 Pet. 2:21

Luke 6:40

Matt. 6: God delights in giving rewards...He says that when giving, praying and fasting are practiced in your life, He will "reward you openly."

An example of open reward can be found in Daniel...his fasting--ever partial fasting of certain foods--brought about the open reward of God, who blessed Daniel with wisdom beyond that of anyone else in that empire. In chapter 10 of Daniel, he ate no choice breads or meats and drank no wine for three weeks. His fast broke the power of the delayer and released the angels of God so that God's purposes could be revealed and served.

Do you desire to know God's will for your life, whom you should marry, or what you should do in a critical situation? Whether you desire to be closer to God or are in a need of great breakthroughs in your life, remember that nothing shall be impossible to you. Fasting is truly a secret source of power!

That's it for Chapter 1! Stay tuned...

Method of Study

2009-07-23T06:59:00.002-04:00

Good Morning!

I've shared with some of my friends recently the method that Anne Graham Lotz has used while studying her Bible, for years. I implemented these steps in my Bible study time this morning and now I can see why she possesses such wisdom. Hopefully some will rub off on me! ;)

Get out a notebook OR type it on your computer which is what I did. You can always print it off and compile it in a notebook.

Here are the abbreviated steps she uses in case you too would like to try it out for yourself...

Step 1: Read God’s Word; a brief passage of scripture (one paragraph or so 2-8 verses).

Step 2: What does God's Word say? List the facts (no paraphrasing)
Make a verse-by-verse list of the outstanding facts, pinpointing the most obvious facts. Do not paraphrase or put His words into your own words but actually using words from the passage.

Step 3:What does God's Word mean? Learn the lessons.
Review the list of facts you just made and look for a lesson or spiritual principle to learn in each fact. Ask yourself, "What are the people in this passage doing or not doing that I should be or not be doing? Is there a command I should obey? A promise I should claim? A warning I should heed? An example I should follow?

Step 4: What does God's Word mean to me? Listen to His voice.
Take lessons or principles from step 3 and put them in the form of a question you could ask yourself, your spouse, your child, a friend, a neighbor or a coworker. Listen for God to speak to you personally through His Word.

Step 5: How will I respond to God's Word today? Live it out.
Listen to God speak to you personally through the passage. He may not speak to you through every verse, but He WILL speak. When He does, record the verse number, what it is He seems to be saying to you and your response to Him.

You can find her detailed instructions in most of her books but I thought this might help someone to get started.

Have a great day and don't forget to read, list, determine what it means, what is it saying to you personally and live it out!

OUCH!

2009-07-21T23:36:00.002-04:00

Ever complained about anything? Ever complained about something more than once, twice or even a dozen times? How about constantly? Unfortunately, I have. Yes, I’ve confessed it and sought forgiveness and HE has been faithful and just… (1 John 1:9)

As I was going to bed, I thought I would grab one of my Bibles off my shelf, as my everyday Bible was downstairs. I wasn’t looking for a certain one but I remembered talking with some friends earlier in the week about the “fruit of the Spirit” when that particular Bible (NIV Fruit of the Spirit Bible) caught my attention.

I was going to turn and read 1st thru 3rd John as I made reference to it in a conversation I had with a friend of mine over dinner tonight. As I was flipping through, making my way to the back of the Bible, a page caught my attention with this in BIG and bold letters… “JESUS SPEAKS OUT on the Fruit of the Spirit: S E L F – C O N T R O L.” I’ll admit, I lack a lot of this in my eating, lack of exercise (none to be quiet honest), discipline in keeping my opinions to myself sometimes, in the way I respond and/or react in certain situations, in relationships, and I’ll just stop with these as this list could go on for a LONG time, I’m sad to say.

As it captured my attention I focused on some of the verses listed but when I came to a certain one, I tried to remember what I had read in the close of Anne Graham Lotz’ book this morning and the method she has used for years to study scriptures. When I began to slow down and really see what this verse was saying, phrase by phrase, something occurred to me, actually more than one thing and I’d like to share it with you in hopes that if you answered yes to any of the first few questions I asked you at the beginning, it might help put things in perspective. It FLAT WORE ME OUT personally, and I got myself some much-needed correction. "He disciplines those He loves…"(Heb. 12:6)

Mark 14:36 (NIV)
“Abba, Father,” [Jesus] said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup ---PUT ON THE BREAKS. Slow down and read it again. Before I finished reading just this much, knowing where this particular scripture was going as I’m sure you do…I had to STOP and sit a minute when I got to the part, “Take this cup”. Jesus, calling on His Abba, His Daddy, His Father, knowing undoubtedly, that everything is possible for HIM. Here’s what, “Take this cup” said to me…

Take the taste of death, take from me the innocent blood I’m going to shed for people who hate me, who will scorn and mock me, take this cup filled with the unmerciful and undeserving beatings that I’ll receive, take the crown of thorns that will be bent into my scalp, take from me the nails that will be driven through my hands and feet, take from me the sword that will pierce my side, take from me the six hours that I will hang, my body aching with excruciating pain, unclothed, while insults are being hurled at me, and take the pain I’ll feel for having to leave my mother and my friends as I look at them from the cross that I am pinned upon and the sadness I’ll feel as I stare at a lost and dying world who denies YOU.

The verse doesn’t stop there…it goes on to say…”Yet not what I will, but what you will.”

Regardless of all that HE went through and all that HE so willingly gave and did for us, it was HIS Father’s will that Jesus sought to do.

I hardly think I have reason to complain about anything. Unfortunately, I’m sure I will again because of the flesh that I am. I pray that I will remember that I had to spring up from my bed before I could go to sleep and write about this and the fact that Jesus didn’t complain. He simply asked, “take this cup from me” yet surrendered to the will of His Father for me, for you, for all of us. Do we really have anything worth complaining about? If our circumstances were as HIS was at the time HE prayed this, then maybe?

A note that was in this Bible reads like this, “Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did (1 John 2:6). And how did Jesus walk? He gave up every right to walk in his own selfish direction. He walked paths that pleased His Father, paths that led to destinations that made all of heaven rejoice…”

Father, thank You for your sweet discipline, Your gentle ways, Your Word and how it speaks to correct and teach us (2 Tim. 3:16-17). Thank You for taking my place and loving me enough to do so. I love You and I long to do YOUR will. Help me to remember that any discomfort that I may experience along the way, pales in comparison to what You went through because of Your unfailing love for me. In Jesus’ Name!

Graduation Speech

2009-05-29T15:17:00.003-04:00

Hello to anyone who may run across this blog. I think I had a few faithful readers until I stopped blogging but I thought I'd post another one in case someone might run across it.

Mr. Matlock, Mrs. Danko, Honored Guests, Fellow Students Good Evening, What an incredible evening this is for me. I have dreamed of this very opportunity more times than I can even count. Until now, I’ve always felt that this would never happen, but because someone felt the need to make GED classes available both morning and evening, along with a self-less sacrifice to take the time to care, this event would not be a reality. Mrs. Hutchinson, your encouragement and belief in my ability to see this thing through is overwhelming. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Until recently, I have never been a “goal setter.” The reason being, I was too afraid of failing at one. The majority of my life I have always felt inferior to others because of my lack of education. This started very early on due to the fact that I walked away from High School my Junior year. Education was never stressed as very important in my home, nor was it in the homes of my parents. I am the youngest of eight siblings and not one of us completed High School. However, four of us have gone on to get our GED’s. I had been out of school for nearly 2 years when my husband encouraged me to take a Biblical study certification course through Liberty University. For some reason, I was under the impression that you had to have a GED in order to take this 1-2 year program. I later found out that it wasn’t necessary but I had already committed to attaining the GED. Rick told me that he supported me and that however long it took for me to attain it, he would stand by me and do what he could to help me. On September 19, 2008, one day before my sons birthday, I set a goal. It was my goal to achieve my GED by the end of the year, 2008. In exactly 3 months, a few days before my daughter's birthday, Dec. 19, 2008, I had taken the last of my tests. I left the classroom that day thinking that I would have to retake this one in particular and that I would not reach the first goal I had set. Through tears and just assuming, I called Mrs. Hutchinson to tell her I would have to retake it and that I would be bringing my workbook back to her and begin studying for retesting after the first of the year. Shortly afterward, she called to tell me that she had the results and that I had passed my GED. I was done, I had finished, it was over! I went straight to her classroom, threw my arms around her and thanked her repeatedly for helping someone like me. She makes me want to be one of those people who go beyond the call of duty, reach out to the community and be an encouragement to those who feel like I have for so many years, unqualified, unimportant, a failure. E. Joseph Cossman once said, “Obstacles are things a person sees when he takes his eyes off his goal.” I’m so glad that I didn’t let the obstacle of doubt overtake the view of the goal I set for myself. Not only did I attain my GED, I am more confident because I now have options. I no longer have to hold back tears through College commercials because I now qualify. If it were not for the GED program offered at Virginia High School, I would still be living in defeat. If you personally know someone who is too afraid to try, remind them of this quote that I just recently ran across that says, “The only real failure in life is the failure to try.” As I stand before you tonight, robed in cap and gown, you are looking at someone who has always dreamed of wearing this attire and attending her very own graduation ceremony. Here I am today, fulfilling a life-long dream at age 44. This opportunity is one that I cannot keep to myself and I shall never be too proud to speak out to encourage others to pursue their dreams of attaining a GED if and when given the opportunity. With this being a life-long dream of mine, I now have the confidence to pursue other things, since this dream is now a reality. I’m a proven fact that you are never too old. I still don’t know exactly what I want to be when I grow up, but I do want to be an example to my husband, children, grandchildren, and others as well, to never give up on their dreams. I hope my personal story will be one of encouragement to many. To those who are under the sound of my voice that are struggling with the lack of determination to pursue your GED, and as my final quote of the night, remember, “I CAN is 100 times more important than IQ.” I have been extremely blessed with good jobs since the age of 15. I’ve been able to quickly learn what was expected of me in any and every job that God has blessed me with. I’ve even been called an over-achiever more than once but the honor and self-respect that this diploma has afforded me is worth more than I can explain with words. I want to thank God, my husband, children and friends for their love, support and prayers during the time that it took me to accomplish this achievement. Thank you and I love you. Was it difficult? Sure it was. Were there moments I doubted? Certainly. Was it worth it? Absolutely!!! Thank you, and May God bless you. Thursday, May 28, 2009

Pleasant Surprise!

2009-04-08T17:51:00.002-04:00

Today while sitting in my office, trying to remember how to add others to my Bloglines, I had a very pleasant surprise. One of the guys that used to be on staff at HF snuck in on me and it was great to see him AND to actually get to chat for a few. He and his wife are such a beautiful young couple with three small children. He's one of those guys who you are always glad to see and can always bring a smile to your face.

The point of this post...drop in on someone you haven't seen in a while and pick up where you left off, even if you only have a few minutes. You just might make their day, just like Tim did mine!

C-ya,
Kim

Just Remembered

2009-04-07T15:24:00.003-04:00

After reading a friend's blog today, I remembered that I actually have a "blog" somewhere out there. I used to be somewhat faithful in writing but NOT recently. My last post was in 2008 about Job.

Just to catch the two or three of you up that actually read the blog...

I have a new grandson, born 12/24/08-Dawson T. Fields, born to my son David and his wife Jennifer. My oldest grandson is now 4 years old. They both are such a joy! I'm still employed with Highlands. This year's New Year resolution is that I kneel in prayer EVERY day this year. So far, so good. I've also been faithful to keep a "diary/journal" this year, which was last years goal.

I just recently went through, "Lord Teach Me to Study the Bible in 28 Days" Bible study and am THRILLED about the Precept Upon Precept (PUP) study beginning next Monday night called, "The Covenant", both of which are studies written by one of my heroes, Kay Arthur.

I'm looking forward to doing some serious camping this summer and enjoying our family.

I finally finished writing a study called, "Let's Eat" earlier this year, that I began in 2007. It's going in another notebook with the other stuff I've written, on a shelf. Who knows, one day, my kids might come across it when I'm gone and be proud that I wrote it. Writing is an outlet for me but the frustration comes after because I'm always wondering, "Why did you bother doing all this work?" I have a tendency to do the outline, research and even homework assignments. I really don't have that much free time but it seems I can't do one without the other. It's okay, I have fun while compiling all the information and it definitely teaches me stuff I haven't a clue about.

I'm still asking God to change my life, make me more like HIM and seeking for HIS will to be done in my life. I know, HE definitely has HIS work cut out for him but just recently I ran across a verse that was so refreshing and offered such hope. Heb. 10:14- "because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy." Whew! He's working on and with me every day and for that, I'm so thankful!

I hope to be back on here before next year.

Blessings all!
Kim

I'm Reminded

2008-06-12T06:44:00.003-04:00

For some reason this morning I went to the book of Job. I've read the book many times but today I only read Chapter 1. In the last 9 verses (14-22) Job experienced devastation. I had underlined some things previously that once again stuck out to me that I read repeatedly. As I looked up and began to meditate on the events that took place in the same day and time, I went over in my mind that first the Sabeans attacked and carried off Job's oxen and donkeys. They didn't stop there, they killed his servants who tended to these animals and only one messenger escaped to tell him. This particular messenger didn't even get finished speaking before another messenger escaped the fire of God that fell from the sky burning up the sheep and the servants when he was interrupted by the third messenger who came with the news that the Chaldeans formed three raiding parties (tells you about the abundance Job had) who carried off the camels and killed the servants. Then there was the fourth messenger who interrupted with the news that a mighty strong wind from the desert swept through causing the four corners of the house to collapse on all of his children which took their lives.

Okay, I can't even grasp this. At times I think I can because of my own circumstances. Here's what I was reminded of....Job fell to the ground, which to me is a natural response, however, when he fell to the ground he didn't scream why God, why me, how could you let this happen, I can't take this, etc. No, he fell to the ground IN WORSHIP. Major lesson to be learned. I have fallen to the ground in desperation many times, more so than I have fallen IN WORSHIP, unfortunately. God forgive me!

The last verse says, "in all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing." Once again, I'm guilty of this too.

I'm so thankful for the reminder this morning that regardless, good or bad, I need to fall to my knees in worship more often than I do and I should never blame God for the bad things that happen.

I hope that the one reading this is reminded of our brother, Job's response.

Blessings,
Kim

"A Mother's Song"

2008-05-12T20:55:00.003-04:00

I see your mommy when I look at you
The cute things you say, the sweet things you do
I see your mommy when she was too was three
She’d too want a kiss, when she skinned her knees

I see your mommy when I watch you sleep
That beautiful face, my heart skips a beat.
I see your mommy in your innocence
She as a child is still now my princess

Rememberin’ about yesterday my how the years have flown
I can’t believe she has a son, raising him alone
In ways she’s still my little girl, I guess because I’m mom
It’s hard to give my baby wings but she too is now a mom.

I see your mommy when you stare at me
The way that you smile, a treasure I’ll keep
I see your mommy when you fall and cry
You both get back up, give it one more try.

I see your mommy when I comb your hair
You and your mommy, you make quiet a pair.
I see your mommy, when you run to me
I wish your mommy, still lived here with me.

Rememberin’ about yesterday my how the years have flown
I can’t believe she has a son, raising him all alone
In ways she’s still my little girl, I guess because I’m mom
It’s hard to give my baby wings but she too is now a mom.

5/3/08
I wrote this for Lori and gave it to her for part of her Mother's Day gift.

Charlotte, NC

2008-04-28T14:10:00.002-04:00

Well, it's been a while since I've posted anything because life has certainly been full for a long while.

Nine of us went to Charlotte, NC this past weekend to see Priscilla Shirer and Vicki Yohe. Priscilla is expecting with her third child and she's absolutely gorgeous. She is a walking Bible and it's evident that she seeks God wholeheartedly and knows Him intimately. Vicki Yohe is incredibly talented and her personal testimony about her adopting two children was very touching.

Thursday and Friday were two of the most relaxed days I've had since.... well, I can't even remember. On Saturday, I could tell I was headed back home because things began happening on the way back. I was able to take it in strides and with laughter due to my relaxing and non-stressful two days that I once again, am extremely thankful for.

I posted pictures on myspace for those of you who read this and would like to be my friend on myspace.

I hope you have a blessed week and I hope to get back to the weekly blog entries if at all possible.

-Kim

Can We Talk? New study by Priscilla

2008-04-03T15:38:00.002-04:00

Hey girls,

The new study by Priscilla is out!!!! We'll try and plan on doing this study sometime in the near future. You can check it out on Lifeway's site.

Also, be sure and invite a friend to the upcoming conference. Penny found out that there are still a lot of tickets available for the conference at the end of this month in Charlotte, NC. You can purchase these through Lifeway.

Worship Leader for Conference

2008-04-03T15:15:00.002-04:00

This is a video I found dated November 2006. I wanted to post this because some of you have never heard of Vicki Yohe who is going to be leading worship at the conference we're going to at the end of the month. Enjoy.

Conference in Charlotte, NC

2008-04-03T14:59:00.000-04:00

Psalm 71:1-16

2008-03-14T17:35:00.002-04:00

I must confess, today has been a very difficult day for me. I can't really go into it at this point but I thought someone else might be struggling so I wanted to share with you what I found. As I was looking out one of the windows on the back of my house, praying as earnestly as I knew how I happened to look down and found the March issue of "The Daily Bread." Because my eyes were filled with tears at the time, I couldn't focus on what month it said on the front of the cover. As I was staring into the gray sky with such depth, trying to see if I could reach God with my eyes the thought came to mind, "why are you looking so hard into that big sky as if you are searching for God when He's right here."

I finally focused on the "Daily Bread" booklet and thought, this can't be a mistake in my finding this so of course I turned to today, March 14. The passage is Psalm 71:1-16. When I read the first half of verse 1, I knew it was no mishap that I found it.

If you are struggling over a situation that has taken you by storm or caused your faith to waiver, I want to encourage you to turn there and read all 16 verses. It took me a while to get through them because I had to make many of these verses a prayer.

Be encouraged!
Kim

Unfailing Love

2008-02-25T06:53:00.002-05:00

This morning as I was doing my Breaking Free homework I remembered a poem that I had written on 2/27/03 at 9 AM. It was based off of Ps. 143:8. Because our study is teaching us about the unfailing love of God, I wanted to share this with you.

Though mountains may crumble
and hills be removed
His unfailing love remains
When obstacles take us
by storm and surprise
His unfailing love remains.

When death we are facing
Good-bye must be said
His unfailing love remains.
When the cares of this life
are so hard to bear
His unfailing love remains.

In the darkest despair
when our faith is weak
His unfailing love remains.
Though we can't see clearly
just what lies ahead
His unfailing love remains.

In trust and believing
His promise is true
His unfailing love remains.
Accepting position
of being His child
His unfailing love remains.

In searching I find Him
His Word comes to life
His unfailing love remains.
In knowing He loves me
brings gladness and joy
His unfailing love remains.

I accept I'm His child
He made me an heir
His unfailing love remains.
Let me the beloved
now rest in this truth
His unfailing love remains.

Have a blessed day!
Kim

Happy Birthday!

2008-02-19T16:44:00.003-05:00

Michal is 3 years old today! This was a snapshot taken at a park where a friend of mine came to take some professional photos of Michal this past Saturday. I can't wait to see her pics.

Michal has brought so much joy to our lives. I look forward to the weekends so we can spend time with him.

For Sale-Pass it On!

2008-02-11T19:33:00.000-05:00

Okay guys, this is abnormal for me, however, since it's my blog, I thought I'd post it!!! :)

Please post this where it can be seen by a lot of people! Thanks for your help.

2005 FLEETWOOD ALLEGIANCE TENT CAMPER:
Two beds (77"x70"), Portable Dinette Table that makes bed, U shape couch makes bed, Hutch with Refrigerator, Swing Level Galley, Extra Storage, Stepper Door, Converter, Electric Brakes, Furnace, Gas Detector, Inside & Outside Stove, Sleeps 8, Water capacity is 10, 1 Air conditioner, Awning, Leveling jacks and area outdoor rug. $6,200.00

Ps. 77:13-14 (NIV)

2008-02-05T06:32:00.000-05:00

This morning before opening my Bible I wrote in my journal. I asked God about something very specific, once again. Instead of doing my daily assignment in my homework (Breaking Free) I decided just to flip open my Bible and here's the passage that I turned to. It was already highlighted and my eyes went straight to it. The passage was so timely and comforting for me, I thought I'd share it.

Ps. 77:13-14
Your ways, O God, are holy. What god is so great as our God? You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples.

Need I say more?

Isaiah 29:13

2008-01-29T06:53:00.000-05:00

One of the verses from our Bible study really stood out to me. I went to the internet to look it up, study it somewhat, and decided to post some of the different versions for comparison.

Because of our environment in which we work and because of our upbringing in most cases, either brought up in church all of our lives or were subjected to many people who were “churchy” people, it would be very easy for us to fall into “legalism” and/or become “rote.” How to worship has been demonstrated to us in some way or another. We’ve learned how to talk the Christian verbiage and we’ve learned its okay to express our worship outwardly, etc.

Isa. 29:13-

NET © The sovereign master says, “These people say they are loyal to me; they say wonderful things about me, but they are not really loyal to me. Their worship consists of nothing but man-made ritual.

NIV © The Lord says: "These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men.

NASB © Then the Lord said, "Because this people draw near with their words And honor Me with their lip service, But they remove their hearts far from Me, And their reverence for Me consists of tradition learned by rote,

NLT © And so the Lord says, "These people say they are mine. They honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far away. And their worship of me amounts to nothing more than human laws learned by rote.

MSG © The Master said: "These people make a big show of saying the right thing, but their hearts aren't in it. Because they act like they're worshiping me but don't mean it,

BBE © And the Lord said, because this people come near to me with their mouths, and give honor to me with their lips, but their heart is far from me, and their fear of me is false, a rule given them by the teaching of men;

NRSV © The Lord said: Because these people draw near with their mouths and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their worship of me is a human commandment learned by rote;

NKJV © Therefore the Lord said: "Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths And honor Me with their lips, But have removed their hearts far from Me, And their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men,

Look at these definitions:

Legalism-strict adherence to a literal interpretation of a law, rule or religious or moral code; the belief that good deeds are required for entrance into Heaven

Rote- mechanical repetition of something so that it is remembered, often without real understanding of its meaning or significance.

Our challenge as leaders, as Christians is not to fall into becoming rote, mechanical, but leading others into worship out of a very much alive relationship with Christ. It’s more than us meeting Him at our new birth but knowing Him daily, intimately, and being taught by Him through our personal time with Him. When we become mechanical, we’re the losers. We’ve missed out and so do others who we wish to direct towards knowing Christ more intimately. I pray that our worship and our personal relationships grow from the intimacy that Christ desires to have with each of His children and that His God-ness falls fresh upon us, and that His word penetrates our hearts to a new and fresh place which causes us to become different people because we’ve had an encounter with Him.

Oatmeal Raisin

2008-01-18T15:40:00.000-05:00

Since it was too cold to go outside, even though the sun is shining, Michal and I decided to make our first batch of Oatmeal Raisin cookies. We had our first experience with cookies over the Holiday's but we didn't make this kind. We thought we would share the recipe with you. I looked on the internet for "easy oatmeal raisin cookies" and chose the first one that came up. I'm not sure this was the easiest but if you have a recipe for Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, please share.

Easy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

INGREDIENTS

* 1 cup raisins
* 1/2 cup hot water
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 2 cups quick cooking oats
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 1 cup packed brown sugar
* 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
* 2 eggs
* 3/4 cup vegetable oil
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Soak raisins in hot water and set aside.
2. In large bowl, sift flour with soda, salt and spices. Blend in rolled oats, sugar and nuts. In a separate bowl, beat eggs with fork and add oil, vanilla, and raisins and water mixture. Pour into dry ingredients, stirring until well mixed. Drop by teaspoonfuls about two inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake 10 to 13 minutes in the preheated oven, until the edges are golden.

Name Game

2008-01-17T07:02:00.000-05:00

Years ago I heard a teacher say, can't remember if it was in Sunday school or actually a Bible study, "whenever you see the name "Israel" in the Bible, put your name in it's place." It may have been for a certain passage but for some reason that kept coming to mind this morning when I was reading Isaiah 44: 6-23. After reading it I completed my homework for the day but I kept thinking about this comment for some reason and I kept going back to verses 21 & 22. Try it with me. Wherever you see "Israel", put your first name in its place. It will read like this...

"Remember these things, O Jacob, for you are my servant, O Israel (Kim). I have made you, you are my servant; O Israel (Kim), I will not forget you. I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me for I have redeemed you."

Did you catch verse 22? What a way to start the day!!! He has swept away my offenses (many, I might add) like a cloud (gone, they are out of here), my sins (too numerous to count) like the morning mist (fully absorbed) and to top it off, I'M REDEEMED!!!! So are you!

By the way, Good Morning!

Excited!

2008-01-14T16:19:00.000-05:00

I'm so excited about beginning our study on, "Breaking Free" tonight and getting together with the girls. I know some of you wanted to join us and because of circumstances, it's not working out, but I'd like to ask those of you who can't join us, to please pray for us. This is a serious study and we want to be some changed women when we come out of this journey.

I hope you girls got caught up on your homework and I can't wait to hear, as well as share all, that God is revealing! Did I tell you that I'm SO excited?

We've got to tough it out, stay the course and hang on for the ride of our lives. Just think when it's over, we'll be singing a new song of "freedom"!!! Woooo hooooo!

Excited,
Kim

Created

2008-01-11T08:40:00.000-05:00

After completing two of my homework assignments for today from "Breaking Free", here are some thoughts that came to mind (Week 2/Days 2 & 3).

Created

He’s the Filling of my hunger
The Quencher of my thirst
My soul’s satisfaction
When I put Him first

Chorus:
Created for His glory,
A temple where He dwells
Given chances to surrender
To all that HE entails

Is He recognizable,
In all I do and say?
Is it obvious to all,
I let Him have His way

He satisfies my longings,
Fulfills all that I need
How can I thank Him for
Everything He’s done for me?

Chorus:
Created for His glory,
A temple where He dwells
Given chances to surrender
To all that HE entails

Tag: Created for His glory for all that He entails

Blessings,
Kim

24 Hours

2008-01-10T06:48:00.001-05:00

WOW! I wish I had time this morning to write about all that God has confirmed in my life within the last 24 hours. My vocabulary is limited to begin with and it's all so fresh, I think I'm still somewhat in shock. On my way home from the gym this morning I thought about it and I have to tell the girls in Bible study of the whole account first because it goes with our lesson. Maybe after I share it on Monday, I'll be able to put in words, make it somewhat brief and be able to word it so that God's glory will be revealed in the whole thing.

Meanwhile, let me just remind you, God is BELIEVABLE!!! We talk it, we share it but do we really BELIEVE it? Do we live like we BELIEVE it? I haven't. I can hang in there with the best of them and talk the talk, I've been in church all my life and know the right things to say but how differently life would be if we literally, took Him at His Word.

I'll confess, I've doubted His faithfulness, His timing, His decision to be silent, His reasoning, etc. But once again I'm reminded that just because I can't see activity in my current situation, doesn't mean He's not working in it, through it and on it!

Go ahead, I dare you to BELIEVE Him for YOU, your situation, your crisis, and your decisions. I know you believe Him on behalf of everyone else that you encourage but in reality, YOU are His child too. He doesn't play favorites. He hears the cries of His beloved children.
BELIEVE HIM!!!!!

I can't help but think about the old, old song I grew up hearing. "Trust and obey for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey." Sound familiar? Is there happiness in doubting and unbelief? I haven't found it to be very happy, in fact, it's rather miserable. I'm changing my route, will you join me?

Believing!
Kim

Being thankful!

2008-01-08T06:40:00.000-05:00

Part 1:

This morning while doing my Bible study, I ran across a verse that I haven't seen for a while. It spoke volumes to me so I thought I would share it to those of you who might need a reminder as well. Many of you know what situation I'm in at the present time and this passage spoke volumes to me. Be blessed!

Psalms 102:17-18 says, "He will respond to the prayer of the destitute; He will not despise their plea. Let this be written for a future generation, that a people not yet created may praise the Lord."

I wonder, anyone besides me ever felt "destitute", deserted, denied, delusional, etc.? I'm glad He won't "despise our plea" and that regardless of how we feel, it's NOT how it will remain. It is for this reason that I'm thankful!

Part 2:

Those of you who are participating in our study have already seen the next passage several times but I thought I'd post this as a reminder to those who may have not read it in a while. First, read this quote from Beth Moore about the following passage. "For every captive, God sent a Deliverer. God's liberating words in Isaiah 61:1-4 concerning the One who was sent to proclaim freedom for the captives apply just as surely to us as they did to the Israelites as they faced Babylonian captivity. They will continue to apply as long as God looks down from the height of His sanctuary, views the earth, and hears the groaning of the prisoner." Did you get that, "it applies just as surely to us as they did to the Israelites..." whooo hooooo! Now read it and see the other reasons I'm thankful!

Isaiah 61:1-4

1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,

2 to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,

3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the LORD
for the display of his splendor.

4 They will rebuild the ancient ruins
and restore the places long devastated;
they will renew the ruined cities
that have been devastated for generations.

Oh to be a planting of the Lord for the display of HIS splendor!!! I want to be, do you?

Happy New Year!

2008-01-03T18:26:00.000-05:00

I know, I know, it's been a while since my last post but I'm sure you've enjoyed the break.

This is it, 2008, can you believe it? I'm wondering what each of you have made as your New Years resolution. I'm still working on mine. One definite thing for me is to be more consistent in my journaling. I have journaled for years, just not consistently so that is a major priority for me this year. It's a very freeing and intimate experience that offers sweet relief and release for me. Maybe you should try it.

I only have a minute before choir rehearsal. A dear friend who has helped me more than she'll ever know wanted me to read a book of hers. I can't help it, I'll have to make the purchase. I thought I'd share it with those of you who may have not heard of it. It's called, "When I Lay My Isaac Down: Unshakable Faith in Unthinkable Circumstances." I'm only half-way through chapter two and it's a must have. I found that you can order it on www.christianbookcom. The author is Carol Kent. I'm serious, you have to have it, if not for yourself, as a gift. It doesn't have to be Christmas before you can give to someone you love and care about. She has other books listed but this one I know for sure is a must have!

I hope to blog more this year and I'm sure I'll have a lot to share from our upcoming Bible study, "Breaking Free." Day 1 of Week 1 has already got my wheels spinning. This is my second go around on this. I first took this study back in Sept. of 99 and then read the book two years later. WOW is all I can say about how the book helped me to begin a new chapter in my own life.

Well, it's almost time for the choir members to show up so I must go for now but I'll seriously try and make more entries.

Happy New Year!!! Make it count!

Blessings,

Testimony

2007-11-26T16:36:00.000-05:00

Hey guys/girls,

Thanks to Tim Lemons who put my very abbreviated testimony on "you tube" and sent the link to me last night. I wanted to share it with those of you who have asked me about it. If the link doesn't take you directly to the site, copy and paste the address. Thanks Tim!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=kV3AHk4ukrw

Caramel Apple Cider (like Starbucks)

2007-11-16T07:37:00.000-05:00

Hey guys, thought you might enjoy this. It sounds wonderful!

Ingredients:
1 gallon apple cider
1 large bottle Caramel syrup(found in coffe aisle--Torani is one brand, DaVinci another)
1 bottle Smuckers caramel ice cream topping
cinnamon to taste

Directions:
Put all in a crockpot and warm. Top with whipping cream and a pinch of cinnamon if desired

Harriet's Pretzel Salad

2007-11-15T15:53:00.000-05:00

First Layer:
2 cups broken pretzels
1 1/2 sticks margarine
3 Tbsp. sugar

Spray 9x13 pan with Pam. Melt margarine. Add sugar to margarine, mix, and pour over the pretzels. Spread pretzel mixture into the pan and bake for 8 minutes at 400 degrees. Cool before adding second layer.

Second Layer:
8 oz cream cheese
1 cup sugar
1 carton (8 oz) cool whip

Mix cream cheese and sugar. Add cool whip and spread over the cooled pretzel mixture.

Third Layer:
2 small wild strawberry jello
1 chopped apple
1 cup chopped pecans
1 small can crushed pineapple (well-drained)

Mix jello according to package directions and let partially gel. (Do this first and let it thicken as you do the other layers). When jello is partially thickened, add apple, pecans, and pineapple. Pour over the cream cheese mixture and refrigerate.

Harriet Ellis brought this to our Thanksgiving Dinner for our Life Group. I wanted to post the recipe for you girls since we had the other recipes there. Enjoy! Thanks Harriet!

Jesus replied...

2007-11-14T05:13:00.000-05:00

"You do not realize now what I'm doing, but later you will understand." John 13:7

Pay close attention to the word, "now" in that passage. I just about came unglued when I read it. Let me explain...I'm not sure about you but this verse couldn't have come at a better time. I was awakened at 3 this morning and having what I call a N.O.W. night. I'm not talking about a Night of Worship but a Night of Wonder, I might even go as far as saying it was a Night of Worry. I tried fighting the urge to get up but worry and concern kept me from laying there tossing and turning until 5 AM when my alarm usually goes off. I was so overwhelmed I hardly knew what to do. Thank God for the strength to get out the Bible study a friend of mine and I are doing together. We're studying the Psalms of Ascent. I did two days out of my workbook and I can't get over how timely and fitting they both were.

Before I knew it I had written the word, "now" three times just in the first homework assignment. That's how I came up with Night of Wonder as I was wondering about my present circumstances. I thought for a few minutes about others who have had these kind of nights where worry gets the best of you and robs you of sleep. I say, "rob" because there have been times I should have gotten up and searched scriptures instead of laying there not sleeping while wondering, worrying and wrestling over different situations.

There were very probing questions in both of the homework assignments. There were also a lot of liberating verses that reminded me of how much God loves me as His child. Our passage was from Ps. 124: 1-8 and at the end of the 2nd assignment, we had to turn it into a prayer. However, when she asked us to write down the verse that I began with, John 13:7, I started weeping because it was as if God Himself made me get out of the bed to tell me that He knows I don't understand what He is or isn't doing in my circumstances right now but that one day I will. Shew, that's good stuff ya'll. It gets even better than that, hang on! Praise you Father!! There were other verses that reminded me where I might or could have been had I not turned over my life to Him many years ago which caused me to kneel before Him in praise and gratitude. I don't even have the time or space to tell it all as far as how or where I could have ended up. I was thrilled to be reminded, "If the Lord had not been on my side."

The study then took me to a list of promises from Romans 8:28-39 in which I had to place my name in the first slot so that I could take each promise from these passages and apply them. Near the end of the homework I read about a prostitute who had walked into a group in Cape Town, South Africa where some women had gotten together to do a Bible study called, "Breaking Free". She told the women in that group that she "could never go back to her old life." I about had me a fit because this is the exact study that our Life Group just agreed on doing this past Monday night. Now out of all the studies we could have chosen, it was the same exact one which that was mentioned in today's lesson which for me was just another confirmation. It's pretty funny too because I have done this particular study years ago and I would have never thought about doing it again so that's why it wasn't laid on my heart beforehand because I would have argued with God about it. At this point in the lesson my N.O.W. night turned into a W.O.W. morning because I went from a Night of Wonder to a Woman of Worship over the passages I was directed to and because of the confirmation of our study of choice!!

At the end of the last day of homework for the week we had to close in our own prayer from
Ps. 124:1-8. During my prayer that I wrote based off these scriptures, I couldn't help but think about God being my "very present help in the time of need."

So to recap, He met me in my Night of Wonder and lifted a T.O.N. off me in my Time of Need and turned me into a Woman of Worship because He confirmed His love for me through His Word!

Okay, I know, the guys who might be reading this are probably thinking she is weird, she's lost it, she's corny, etc. but I'll tell you what I told the ladies at our Just for the Girls event, "me and Jesus got our own thing goin'." I know the women reading this can relate, it's a woman thang!!!

Be encouraged today, you may not understand what He's doing right now but one day you will!!! He said it, not me.

Have a blessed day!

Celebrating Linda

2007-11-06T12:35:00.001-05:00

Rick's older brother, Larry, held a shower for their sister at his church who recently reunited with our family. I took tons of pictures but I'll only post a couple of them. This is the sister that I wrote earlier about called, "Victory."

This is Linda, Sandra and their mother.

This is Rick with his two sisters. Linda, Rick and Sandra.

Festival of Life at Highlands

2007-11-01T08:51:00.002-04:00

Okay, so I'm a proud "Mimi". Last night was Michal's first, "Festival of Life" and I couldn't help but take tons of pictures. I thought I would share a few.

Michal is going to greet his Papa. He's such a sweet little dragon.

Michal is having a ghost painted on his face right here. When she was finished, he turned and pointed to the other side of his face but we gave someone else a turn.

Oh my, what a sweet face!

He's being all shy right here.

How Many Has Your Name?

2007-10-30T21:35:00.000-04:00

HowManyOfMe.com

There are
971
people with my name
in the U.S.A.

How many have your name?

Car Signs

2007-10-21T16:45:00.000-04:00

Okay, I read bumper stickers too. Some make me feel violated, others make me laugh and some make me aggravated. Just today after leaving Wal-Mart, I ended up in an awkward place in the parking lot. Cars kept piling up at the stop sign and no one was kind enough to let me pull out to get in line for the stop sign. As I'm sitting there I kept watching car after car go by. I finally see this nice van in view and noticed that he had a license plate on the front that said, "Jesus". It was in bold and italics, something like "Jesus" on a silver plate, all shiny and stuff. I couldn't help it, I thought this guy was gonna let me out 'cause he's a Christian and all. I mean he even had on his Sunday go to meeting clothes!!!! Before I knew it he passed me right by and I couldn't help but shout out loud in my car, windows were up of course, "Well Jesus would have let me out!!!" I said it before I knew it. I know, mild case of road rage. A couple cars after the Jesus van went by a young guy, dressed casual and polite too, let me pull out. He didn't have a sign on his car but he sure was acting like Jesus would and that was putting others before himself.

I couldn't help but think how many of us profess we are Christians and wear the name of Jesus yet fail to follow in His footsteps by putting others before ourselves. I could go on and on because this lesson would teach but I'll spare you my thoughts on this. I do hope it gives you some food for thought like it has me. Ouch!

I hope you are enjoying your Sunday afternoon.

Belief vs Hope

2007-10-21T05:26:00.000-04:00

It's funny that when a prayer is answered some of the first things that come out of our mouths are, "Can you believe this" or "I just can't believe this is real", etc. I began thinking about this since Rick's sister has returned home to her family.

We pray for years for something in particular and then when it happens, we're actually shocked and completely surprised. I wonder if we prayed believing instead of praying and hoping how many requests would actually come to fruition? Things might even happen a little sooner.

It makes me think of something I read in Beth Moore's, "Believing God." She stated something to the effect that, "Instead of wishing and whining that we need to start believing and receiving." The point is to actually believe that God is believable!

Another Victory!!!

2007-10-18T06:07:00.000-04:00

Years ago my friend and I did a brief study of numbers and their meanings according to the Bible. She and I have shared stares and giggles when things would happen because we would relate the event or the happening to the numbers. For example, we learned that the #17 is the number for Victory! Don't panic, we didn't go overboard and it's actually something that she and I have shared and laughed over for a very long time. It's kind of one of those "private joke" things that friends have, somewhat difficult to explain. Yesterday, Oct. 17, 2007 a reunion took place and yes I noticed that it was on the 17th!! If she's reading this, she's laughing.

Last Friday we received a call that a "long-lost" family member was found living in Kingsport. It stirred many emotions within the family and the phone hardly stopped ringing with ideas and plans of how she could be approached. On Monday morning as Rick was leaving for work he shared with me how excited, yet concerned, that he was and how much he wanted reconciliation. He began to cry when sharing his memories of what used to be. I wrapped my arms around him and began praying that God would bring reconciliation and restoration to this situation because I myself have been in the very same shoes. I left for work and requested prayer at our Staff meeting later that morning for my husband's family. On Tuesday at the close of our Life Group meeting, I did the same. When I got home from work late that night Rick read to me a letter that he wrote to this loved one and told me that this coming Friday he was going to find her and place it in her hands himself. I continued to whisper silent prayers and had asked a friend of mine at work to join me in praying about it. I knew that the situation had to be handled carefully and told him not to do anything until he had complete peace about it.

On Wednesday, Oct. 17th Rick and I sat across from one another discussing the calls he had gotten about this loved one. As our dinner was served his phone rang. His brother Larry said, "Rick, I'm here at the Salvation Army and I have found someone and she wants to talk to you." I could definitely tell something major had occurred and then I heard him say her name, "Linda". He began crying and said, "I've waited so long to hear your voice, can I please come and see you?" She too was crying and then I heard him say, "I love you and I'm on my way." We grabbed our waitress, paid our bill and left so quickly it's a blur. I drove him to Kingsport as he offered up many, many shouts of praise, "Thank You God, Praise You Lord!" He called everyone he knew that had been praying and he shook uncontrollably.

After 22 years of not seeing or talking with his sister, the one that he was the closest with due to their love and passion for music, he was finally on his way. He had band practice tonight but had called one of the band members and said, "I'm 5 minutes away from seeing my sister for the first time after 22 years so I won't be at rehearsal." As we pulled up I wasn't sure if he was going to let me stop the car before he jumped out. She wasn't there! His brother and sister-in-law were and they were waiting for the car to arrive with her in it and then she came. Talkin' about a perfect picture of Luke 15, "The Prodigal". She invited us in to her very small apartment and after many hugs, stares, and tears she pulled out the portable keyboard. Rick was glued to her and they couldn't talk fast enough about their days together putting chords together and changing words to certain songs. She said that she had been working on an old song called, "Daystar Shine Down on Me". Rick and I had just sung that song two weeks ago at church in our Gospel venue. God was preparing us then to break out in harmony with his sister who returned home. We sat there in amazement as we stared at one another, watching and listening as Linda played. I had only heard of her talent and now I was singing alto with the one and only. Tears fell down our faces as we tried to sing the best we could. After that song we began singing, "The Holy Hills of Heaven Call Me" and "I Won't Have to Worry Anymore". Can you imagine?!!!

Larry and Jeannie left us and said they would return in about 30 minutes. We continued to sing, talk and laugh together and then the knock came to the door. Rick's mother who is now 85 years old, walked in on what she's waited many years for. Larry had gone to get her to reunite her with her daughter, her "sweet Linda". I stand amazed at this miracle!!

The night lasted quiet a while and we all had gone over to Larry's house where other family members came to see and the phone never stopped ringing. For years we have prayed and for years we'll rejoice that our God prevailed!!

Another lesson in perseverance that paid off!

"Two Inches Deep"

2007-09-18T06:27:00.001-04:00

This morning as I was reading a chapter out of the book, "And We Are Changed" by Priscilla Shirer (excellent by the way), she shared an interesting story that obviously has captured my attention. She writes, "Chuck Swindoll once told a story of a young man who was taking a journey on foot. During his journey, he came to an enormous body of water. Standing on the shore, he saw nothing but water in front of him. The water loudly rushing across the rocks intimidated him as he contemplated his options. He finally decided that the only way to get to his destination was to try to go right through the middle of it. He took a step into the water, and right at the shoreline it was only two inches deep. He took another step, and the water was only two inches deep. In fact, he continued all the way across this rushing body of water, and it never got any deeper than two inches.
Some of our lives are like that body of water. We make so much spiritual clamor that we are very intimidating, but when people take a step into our lives, they find out that we are only two inches deep. What a tragedy it would be for us to look the part but not have the spiritual depth to match!"
Earlier in this same chapter she wrote, "I want to please the Lord... by living a lifestyle that validates my message."
I know, this is an incredibly strong cup of coffee this morning, however, it's one that will hopefully open our spiritual eyes and help us to stay focused. It's more than knowing the right (spiritual) thing to say, it's being able to live it when no one else is around to see if our talk matches our walk. These thoughts will definitely give me something to pray about.
Have you ever been around someone that you thought was so deep in their walk with Christ, then, once you really got to know them, they were somewhat different? Are you that person? Am I that person? How disappointing it can be. Thank God there's hope for us all because He knows, He hears, He sees and most importantly He loves, forgives, and restores.

The Vision of His Glory

2007-08-28T16:28:00.000-04:00

Hey girls,

Lynn Buckner wanted to share that another great book is, "The Vision of His Glory" by Anne Graham Lotz. I took this study on Revelation years ago, excellent study! Enjoy! It's either a six or eight week study, it's been so long I've forgotten.

Blessings!

New Book & Site

2007-08-28T13:58:00.001-04:00

Girls,

One of the books by Priscilla that I ordered came in today. The title of it, "And We Are Changed", Encounters with a Transforming God. Of course I haven't started reading it yet because I'm afraid I'll get side-tracked from writing and I want to complete that. Please be in prayer for me.

Also, the new site that I told you about last night is
http://net.bible.org/home.php

The other books that I recommended last night are:

"In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day" by Mark Batterson
"God's Secret to Greatness" by Tommy Tenney & David Cape
"Believing God" by Beth Moore
"Just Give me Jesus" by Anne Graham Lotz
"Beautiful Offering" by Angela Thomas
"Waking the Dead" by John Eldridge

Please send your personal recommendations so that I can post the benefit of us all.

Blessings,
Kim

Butterscotch Cake

2007-08-28T13:54:00.001-04:00

Thanks to Lynn Buckner who shared her wonderful pound cake recipe with us. Enjoy!

l box Duncan Hines Yellow cake Mix
4 lg. eggs
l/2 cup oil
l/2 cup water
l small instant vanilla pudding mix
l 8 0z. carton sour cream
l lg. pkg. butterscotch morsels (you can substitute butterscotch morsels for chocolate
or whatever)
l cup pecan pieces

Spray bundt pan with Pam. Mix cake, eggs, oil and water. Add pudding mix, sour cream and butterscotch morsels. Add pecans. Bake at 350 for about l hour, depending on your oven.

So Long for Now

2007-08-28T13:48:00.000-04:00

Hey girls,

What a fabulous study and what a blessing to learn how we can Discern the Voice of our God together. It has been an honor to study and learn along side of you all. This can't be the end of time together so we'll just call it our "break".

Be sure and register with someone at the church for Jimmie's new study, "Search for Significance". It's my understanding that the class is seven weeks long, afterwards, maybe we can hook up again. Be in prayer.

I thought it would be neat since we had so much wonderful food last night to post the recipes if you don't mind sharing. If you do, the rest of us will be praying for you!! Just teasin'. As soon as you get them to me, I'll post them.

Love you all and looking forward to our next time together. So long for now!

Kim

Phil. 2:13-Be Energized!

2007-08-22T11:26:00.000-04:00

"It is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure."

This is the verse for today. Before coming to work this morning I wrote this verse over and over again in my notebook as a way of trying to memorize scripture in hopes that it will take root in me and be available whenever God puts me in the path of someone who just might need to be reminded of His Word for their situation.

I want to try and understand the best that I can so that I can apply it to my life. When looking a little closer at the original word for "work" which is "energeo (en-erg-eh'-o). Looking at the original word we see the word "energy". One of the definitions is, "put forth power". The word, "will" comes from the original word, "thelo" (thel'-o) which means, "to have in mind, intend." The original word for "pleasure" is "eudokia (yoo-dok-ee'ah) which means, "will, choice 2) delight, pleasure, satisfaction 3) desire; 3a) for delight in any absent thing easily produces longing for it." I loved this part of the definition.

So, making it personal and applicable, It is God who is putting forth His power in you and me because He intentionally chooses to use us to bring Himself delight. Just think, God of all gets satisfaction and delights in us, His chosen and all along He's the energy behind it all. Talkin' about coming full circle!

The Message puts it like this... "Be energetic in your life of salvation, reverent and sensitive before God. That energy is God's energy, an energy deep within you, God himself willing and working at what will give him the most pleasure."

I get energized just thinking about the Energizer who is at work in me!!!

Blessings,
Kim

Week Six-"Responding to God's Voice"

2007-08-21T15:15:00.000-04:00

Can you believe that we are at the end of this outstanding study? It has been an amazing journey, one that I pray we will never forget.

I will continue to post on my blog so I hope you'll stick around for awhile.

Speaking of "hope", don't forget, Hold On Past the Evidence! It's not about what is evident, it's Who we hold on to past the evidence! He's a sure thing!

Notes from Priscilla's commentary:

Week Six-“Responding to God’s Voice”

2 Kings 5:11
Naaman was furious and went away and said, “Behold, I thought, (we do too much thinking and have too many preconceived ideas) He will surely come out to me (PRIDE) and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper.”

Notes from Priscilla’s commentary:

God does not speak simply to be heard BUT obeyed.

What do I do with the responsibility of doing what I’m told? Naaman felt like there were better rivers to bathe in than that of the Jordon.

Am I committed to obedience?

We think we know how God will communicate to us. We present ourselves to God as if we deserve different than what He chooses for us.

Boxes limit our awareness of God. They don’t limit God—they do, however, confine us. Am I so full of pride that I can’t be filled with the Spirit?

You won’t always get goose bumps—instead you might be upset by what you hear from God. Sometimes we miss out on God because we’re expecting signs and wonders more than we anticipate His words. Am I more enticed by the wonders of God than the Word of God?

Delayed obedience: Delays God’s power and supernatural results. Obedience will yield supernatural results.

She made reference to 1 Kings 19.

Still, Small Voice

2007-08-16T15:40:00.000-04:00

Lora Fuller gave me this and I wanted to post it as it relates so much to Discerning the Voice of God. Thanks Lora for sharing!

"God speaks in all sorts of ways. Sometimes He reveals His will to us by an impression. Sometimes He speaks by an inner voice. Sometimes we can hear Him speaking through the voice of a stranger, a friend, the words of a song, a thought from a book, a verse of Scripture.
Rushed urgings are usually of the enemy. God's Spirit may "hound" you by softly and repeatedly bringing something to mind, but be suspicious of anything that makes you feel driven or in any way obsessed. The voice of the Good Shepherd is gentle, familiar sounding and loving. It leaves you with a sense of spiritual uplift and rejoicing, never fright (John 10:3-5, 14-16, 27-28)."

God's Voice:
Stills you
Leads you
Reassures you
Enlightens you
Encourages you
Comforts you
Calms you
Convicts you

Satan's Voice:
Rushes you
Pushes you
Frightens you
Confuses you
Discourages you
Worries you
Obsesses you
Condemns you

Excerpted from Choosing God's Best by Don Raunikar

From LPM

2007-08-15T13:11:00.000-04:00

Atlanta - Women of Faith

By Amanda

Here's the Atlanta commissioning for all you Georgia Peaches.

My Dear Sister,
The Maker of Heaven and Earth
Has His hand on you.
Don't trade what He has for you
For the comforts of this world.
Let the love of Christ compel you
And infuse you with courage.
God, even God, who created the heavens
Is the One who comforts you.
Hey girls, I thought you would enjoy this. I subscribe to the Living Proof Ministries blog/Beth Moore and I wanted to share this with you. Enjoy!

Whatever you do,
Don't refuse it!
His grace will guard you from bitterness
And Christ will turn your pain
Into Holy Passion.
Pour your life lavishly into others.
Humble yourself and share your hardships
That others may also share your comfort.
Live till you die!
Then live like there's no tomorrow!
For the King enthroned in Heaven
Is worthy of your all.
Now, go, Girl!
For the Father of Mercies
And the God of all comfort
Goes with you.
Bless be God
And bless be you!

Week 5- "God's Voice Reveals His Plan"

2007-08-12T16:03:00.000-04:00

Week Five-“God’s Voice Reveals His Plan”

Ephesians 2:10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Notes from Priscilla’s commentary:

When I hear the voice of God it is because He’s inviting me to join in with His purposes for this generation. Hearing God’s voice is about listening for His invitation.

God meets us at our level. The God of the Universe knows me. (Exo. 3:1-7,10).

The smoke signal of His greatness often appears when things are not what you would like them to be. When things get bad-don’t look at the circumstances—look up!

It often takes our uncomfortable spot that we’re praying to get out of for God to get our attention. The key to seeing God’s plan while I’m in the desert season in my life is for me to take my eyes off the season and refocus my attention on His activity in this season. (Exo. 3:3) Redirect my attention on the bushes that are burning. Bushes don’t burn in the desert. Am I so consumed with the circumstances that I forget He is there?

Right now I am gaining the necessary tools for me to accomplish the task that God has in mind for me. (Exo. 3:1)

While Moses was pasturing and leading the flock, this wasn’t the career of his dreams. He was learning dedication to lead people who didn’t want to be led at times. Focus on what He’s given me now—He will lead me to what I can’t yet see. Moses led the sheep, west-toward God. He led them to the mountain of God. This mountain was where he received the 10 commandments, where the presence of God came down on him like a thick cloud, the mountain where he would be equipped and prepared.

When God makes a normal thing abnormal—ask Him to open your eyes to notice when He’s in something—giving you an awareness when He is showing up in the normal stuff of your life. Then, JUST WORSHIP! What is it about us that we have to explain everything away? Don’t try to explain it! Why can’t it just be that the angel of the Lord was in it? Supernaturally! Join Him in it!

Intimate fellowship is His desire for me. Exo. 34:14 (NLT), Ps. 25-“I hear you…” Zep. 3:17; James-“Draw near to me…” Hear the passion in His heart?

Buckle your seat belt (Exo. 3:10)—your plans will change!

God’s plan for my life is tucked under His plan for the Universe! When He speaks He is inviting me to join Him.

Passages used outside of those given in outline:

Exodus: 3:1-7, 10 (NIV)
Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. 3 So Moses thought, "I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up." 4 When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, "Moses! Moses!"
And Moses said, "Here I am." 5 "Do not come any closer," God said. "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground." 6 Then he said, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob." At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God. 7 The LORD said, "I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. 10 So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt."

Exodus 34:14 (NIV) Do not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.

Zeph. 3:17 (NIV)
The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
he will quiet you with his love,
he will rejoice over you with singing."

John 4, the story of the woman at the well.

Acts 9, the story of Saul.

Week Four-"God's Voice Reveals His Character"

2007-08-03T09:33:00.000-04:00

Hey girls, I'll miss you this week but as you know my daughter is having surgery and I'm sure you understand that my place is with her. Please keep her in your prayers. I normally don't post these notes until after the video but I wanted to go ahead and make sure these were posted for you. I know some of you want the words that she'll be using to describe each book of the Bible. Love and Blessings to you! Enjoy!

Week Four-“God’s Voice Reveals His Character”
Notes from Priscilla’s commentary:

When we read the Word of God—don't read it as a duty, but as if He has our face cupped in His hands, looking at us squarely in our eyes and saying, “Would you trust me? I will do everything that I say I will. I am Who I say I am!”

Get your priorities straight—Press into Him—get close to Him. Ask yourself, Am I using God for what I want Him to give me? We’ve gone looking for what He will provide.

Priscilla made reference to a book called, “The Practice of the Presence of God” by Bro. Lawrence (I think this was his name)

Press into God! He will speak so clearly you will not doubt that you are hearing from Him!

We’re not hiding anything from Him. Any path He asks you to take—you are better off in that spot you feel uncomfortable in with Him than you would be if you stayed out of it because He’s good and love.

The words that she used describing each book of the Bible came from a song entitled, “He Is”. I found the lyrics and posted them for your convenience.

HE IS

In Genesis He's the Breath of Life
In Exodus the Passover Lamb
In Leviticus He's our high Priest
Numbers the fire by night
Deuteronomy He's Israel’s Guide
In Joshua He is Salvation's choice
Judges Israel’s Guard
In Ruth the Kinsmen Redeemer
First and Second Samuel
Our trusted Prophet
In Kings and Chronicles
He's Sovereign
Ezra a True and Faithful Scribe
Nehemiah He's the Rebuilder
Of broken walls and lives
In Esther He is our courage
In Job the timeless Redeemer
In Psalms He is our Morning Song
In Proverbs Wisdom's cry
Ecclesiastes the Time and Season
In the Song of Solomon
He is the Lover's dream
In Isaiah He is Prince of Peace
Jeremiah the weeping Prophet
Lamentations the cry for Israel
Ezekiel He's the call from sin
In Daniel the Stranger in the fire
In Hosea He is forever Faithful
In Joel He's the Spirit's power
In Amos the strong arms that carry us
In Obadiah He's the Lord our Savior

Verse 2
In Jonah He's the great Missionary
In Micah the Promise of Peace
In Nahum He is our Strength
And our Shield
In Habakkuk and Zephaniah
He brings revival
In Haggai He restores that which is lost
In Zechariah our Fountain
In Malachi
He's the Son of righteousness
Rising with healing in His wings

Verse 3
In Matthew Mark Luke and John
He is God Man Messiah
In the book of Acts He is
The fire from heaven
In Romans He's the grace of God
In Corinthians the power of love
In Galatians He is freedom
From the curse of sin
Ephesians our glorious Treasure
Philippians the Servant's heart
In Colossians
He's the Godhead Trinity
Thessalonians our coming King
In Timothy Titus and Philemon
He's our Mediator
And our faithful Pastor
In Hebrews
The everlasting Covenant
In James
The One who heals the sick
In First and Second Peter
He is our faithful Shepherd
In John and in Jude
He's the lover coming
For His bride
In the Revelation
He is King of kings
And Lord of lords

He is He is He is
The Prince of peace
The Son of man
The Lamb of God the Great I Am
He's the Alpha and Omega
Our God and our Savior
He is Jesus Christ the Lord
And when time is no more
He is He is

Passages used outside of those given in outline:

2 Cor. 11:14- And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.

Ps. 119:10, 18 (Amp) – With my whole heart have I sought You, inquiring for and of You and yearning for You; Oh, let me not wander or step aside [either in ignorance or willfully] from Your commandments. 18- Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of Your law.

2 Chron. 15:15- All Judah rejoiced about the oath because they had sworn it wholeheartedly. They sought God eagerly, and he was found by them. So the LORD gave them rest on every side.

Deut. 4:29- But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul.

Phil. 3:8— What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ

Prov. 3:5-6- Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

Phil. 3:15- All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you.

Phil. 2:13- for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.

Ps. 34:14- Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.

"Just for the Girls"

2007-08-01T10:31:00.001-04:00

Hey girls, mark your calendars for an exciting two hour event that will be held at Highlands Fellowship in the Cafe on Saturday, August 25 from 10:00-12:00. Please register on line at www.highlandsfellowship.com. T-shirts will also be available beforehand so be sure and get your order in. We're thinking the cost of the white T-shirt will be between $10-11 each but will be confirming that in the next day or so. I'd love for all of our small group to come wearing one that morning and then we can continue to wear them for our weekly time together.

We will be having a light breakfast, Praise and Worship and sharing about how you can participate in an upcoming church-wide event. Grab a girl, anyone who is in your small group, someone you know who isn't participating in a group, a sister, neighbor, friend, mother, grandmother, and/or aunt and invite them to come with you. Be sure and register them as well.

See you there!

Link

2007-07-31T08:57:00.001-04:00

Hey girls, in my first post earlier today I meant to add this link that I was telling you about last night. I use several but when I'm researching something by topic/word I usually go here to get the original meaning. http://bible.lifeway.com/crossmain.asp. Biblegateway.com is also another site that I use. Hope this helps!

Have a blessed day,
Kim

P.S. If you are looking for a good book to read and you are struggling with family and work colliding, "Choosing to Cheat" by Andy Stanley is what I'm reading now that discusses the collision in detail. Also, please post a comment to me about a good book that you may be reading.

Week Three-"The Voice of the Holy Spirit"

2007-07-31T06:55:00.000-04:00

Last night was wonderful! We had 17 in attendance which is great! Thank you all for your participation in our "big/small group." This makes each week exciting, not to mention it builds our faith up because of what God is doing in your personal quiet time.

Here are the notes I took from the DVD. Hey, if you don't mind, leave me a comment so I can know you are visiting the blog.

Week Three-“The Voice of the Holy Spirit”
Notes from Priscilla’s commentary:

What I need is a Guide- One who sticks with you for the ride!

“Obedience to His freely given truth opens the door for Him to disclose more truth in my life.”

Stronghold = Any idea or any thought process that is contrary to God’s thoughts in my life. Any thought that has taken a priority over the thoughts of God. These holds always lead to an outer manifestation in us. The only way to combat a stronghold is to destroy them.

You can only fight spiritual problems with spiritual weaponry.

The Word of God can destroy strongholds in my life when the strongholds are destroyed you will ear the voice of God.

Don’t be frustrated because you don’t have everything, be grateful that God has given us exactly what you need for the season of life you’re in today and make a commitment to the process. The Holy Spirit has my best interest in mind. We want to know everything up front but if He hasn’t spoken it to you yet-you don’t need to know it right now because you don’t need it for now. We want to pull out of God what He isn’t ready to share with us. Will I take what He’s given me now and be obedient to it?

We have to know what His voice sounds like. One of the ways that I will know the voice of God in my life is that I will receive a revelation that is nothing that I could have come up with on my own.

I know it is God when I have to step out in faith to accomplish it; there’s no way I would have compelled myself to do something like that. You know its God when it takes an extra level of faith to pull that off. The enemy always wants me to operate in my own power so I never have to tap into God.

A question to ask…Am I sold out to serving God?

Passages used outside of those given in outline:

1 Cor. 2:11- For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.

Phil. 4:13- I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.

Jer. 31:3- The Lord appeared to us in the past saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.”

Deut. 32:10- The Lord’s anger was aroused that day and He swore this oath: “because they have not followed me wholeheartedly, not one of the men twenty years old or more who came up out of Egypt will see the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—

2 Tim. 1:7 (NIV)- For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. (KJV) For God did not give us a spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind.

2 Cor. 3:5- Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.

Heb. 9:14- How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!

Mark 4:24- Consider carefully what you hear, he continued. “with the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more.

2 Cor. 10:3-5- For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

Week Two-"The Holy Spirit"

2007-07-23T16:33:00.000-04:00

WOW! I can't wait for you to review this session. The following notes will mean a lot more to you once you reviewed the DVD. For those of you who are signing on to this blog just for the notes, I pray these passages will speak volumes in your life. Also, for you HF people, remember you can check out these DVD's to review Priscilla's recording.

Week Two-“The Holy Spirit”
Notes from Priscilla’s commentary:

You’ve got to believe in the Holy Spirit, practically. He’s my seal and protector in my life.

I’m sealed and pledged by the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is a person, third person of the Trinity.

He may not have all of me but I have all of the Holy Spirit I’m going to get. You can’t give a little bit of a person.

Filled with the Holy Spirit = yield.

The red flag of conviction is His way of saying, “STOP.”
The green light of ease and peace is His way of saying, “GO.”
The yellow light of doubt means, “WAIT.”

Steve McNeal says, “When we become a Christian we’re not changed but exchanged.”

The Five M’s of Correctly Hearing God:

1. Look for the MESSAGE of the Spirit (Listen closely.)
2. Live in the MODE of prayer (Submit what I think I’m hearing back to Him).
3. Search out the MODEL of Scripture (what does it say about it).
4. Submit to the MINISTRY of Eli (1 Sam. 3).
5. Expect the MERCY of confirmation (ask God to confirm what I think He’s leading me to do).

Hear from God and then obey Him in order to continue hearing His voice!!

Passages she mentioned outside of the ones listed on the viewers guide:

Col. 3:3- For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.

John 16:13 (Amp)- But when He, the Spirit of Truth (the Truth-giving Spirit) comes, He will guide you into all the Truth (the whole, full Truth). For He will not speak His own message [on His own authority]; but He will tell whatever He hears [from the Father; He will give the message that has been given to Him], and He will announce and declare to you the things that are to come [that will happen in the future].

2 Cor. 5:17- Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

1 John 2:27- As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him.

2 Pet. 1:13- I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body,

Eph. 1:16- I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.

1 Cor. 2:10-12- but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us.

Deut. 30:11-14- Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. 12 It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, "Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?" 13 Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, "Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?" 14 No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.

John 12:29- Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and will glorify it again." The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.

Heb. 9:14- How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!

2 Thes. 2:13- But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you[a] to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.

Rom. 12:1- Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual[a] act of worship.

Rom. 9:1- I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it in the Holy Spirit—

Acts 23:1- Paul looked straight at the Sanhedrin and said, "My brothers, I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience to this day."

2 Tim. 1:3- I thank God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers.

James 4:17- Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.

John 17:17- Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.

I'm already looking forward to next week.

Blessings,
Kim

P.S. Remember, we are changing locations after next week's study in Abingdon.

Proverbs 19:21

2007-07-23T10:26:00.000-04:00

Some friends and I have committed to read the whole Bible this year which will actually be a first for me but it's something I've always wanted to do. We are keeping one another accountable and so far, it's working.

From time to time while reading the selections, a verse will stand out to me and this past week, one struck me so heavily I began to write it down repeatedly so that I could memorize it. I asked one of the other girls if she noticed it and she said, "yes, I read it about three times." I've shared this particular verse a lot over the past several days and I'm praying this verse because of all the plans that I make for me and my life on a daily basis.

Prov. 19:21 says,
"Many are the plans in a man's heart but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails."

I'm sure I've read this before but never has it stood out to me like it did this particular time. Think about it... how many plans do all of us make on a daily basis? It's okay to plan but this is a great reminder that in the end, we who are the children of God, should seek to do what God has planned and purposed us to do, after all, "...it is the Lord's purpose that prevails."

This is definitely a verse to remember so that we'll stay focused on the purposes of God.

Have a great day and remember, Jer. 33:3
Call unto me and I will answer you...

Blessings,
Kim

Week One-"Anticipating the Voice of God"

2007-07-20T11:00:00.000-04:00

Hey girls,

This is all new for me so be patient with me.

I am loving our study, "Discerning the Voice of God" by Priscilla. It is wonderful and I don't want to miss a thing. I thought it might be helpful to post notes that I take from her commentary and pass them along to you after we view her DVD sessions. When I review the DVD beforehand, it's easy for me to stop the DVD, write my notes, and then continue watching the session. When we view it in our time together we can't very well stop it each time so I'll post my notes here in case she said something in the DVD that you couldn't catch during our session. Each week after our time together I'll post them here on my new blog.

Week One-“Anticipating the Voice of God”
Notes from Priscilla’s commentary:

If you don’t anticipate that God will talk to you, you will never spend time listening.

If you want to hear the voice of God, you’ve got to be one of His sheep.

Do I expect God to speak? Do I seriously anticipate He’ll speak?

Get close to HIM!

The good Shepherd I serve has something to say that I cannot wait to hear!

Passages she mentioned outside of the ones listed on the viewers guide:

Matthew 17:5
While he was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, a voice of the cloud said, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased: listen to Him!”

Rev. 1:20
As for the mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches

1 Cor. 2:14
But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised?.

Eph. 2:19 (Amp)
Therefore you are no longer outsiders (exiles, migrants, and aliens, excluded from the rights of citizens), but you now share citizenship with the saints (God's own people, consecrated and set apart for Himself); and you belong to God's [own] household.

Exo. 34:14
--For you shall not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God—

Jer. 29:11
“For I now the plans that I have for you” declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.

Eph. 3:20
Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us.