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Click here to read the Spring 2008 Newsletter. Click here to read the 2008 Vision Letter. Click here to read the Winter 2007 Newsletter. ----- May 2008 - “The Chemistry of God” by Tammy Dahl We’ve all heard and seen dating sites such as “Match.com” and “E-Harmony,” etc., matching you with someone based on various levels and dimensions of your personality. By using this as an example, I am not endorsing any of these sites, nor am I against them. This message is not about finding that special someone; it’s about connecting so deeply with God and having a relationship with Him that surpasses all human experience! I have studied married couples for nearly thirteen years now. The first marriage I actually studied was between my former pastor and his wife. There were things that I saw in their marriage that you knew was a supernatural experience, and then there were also those differences between them that made you realize the human experience of coming together and becoming one flesh. I witnessed a level of respect and honor weaved throughout their relationship that required a supernatural authenticity (being who they really are) to experience the best God had for them. Authenticity was an extremely difficult process for me because of a severe root of rejection in my life. I had always been rejected. Years ago I developed a really close friendship with a man; however I operated in our relationship having a deep seated fear of being rejected by him if he really knew who I was. One night, God spoke to me and said “Tammy, if you aren’t authentic in your relationships, then you rob yourself of the best I have for you.” As I have developed my relationship with God and become authentic with Him, I have had the capacity to be authentic in all my relationships, which in turn has attracted incredibly close friendships with men and women alike because of the ability to be me! I was looking up the word “chemistry” because I was just meditating on the miracle of relational connections. As I perused the various definitions I found a few that just brought incredible clarity to my mind. Chemistry: “Miraculous power of transmuting something common into something precious.” When we invite Christ into our lives and into the deepest places of our heart, becoming transparent and vulnerable, the miraculous power of His Love (His chemistry) changes the common areas of our life, into something precious! Behold He makes all things new! This takes time! I’ve said it a thousand times, one just doesn’t invite Christ into their lives and the human experience is perfected. Your spirit man is perfected in the blink of an eye, but we still live in this human body and therefore a process begins to take place of getting what’s now birthed on the inside, operating on the outside. We as Christians on this journey need to tap into the incomparable chemistry that we should have in our relationship with God. Listen, God knows you! In Psalm 139:1-4 AMP the Word says “O Lord, you have searched me (thoroughly) and have known me. You know my downsitting and my uprising; You understand my thought afar off. You sift and search out my path and my lying down, and You are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue (still unuttered), but behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.” There is a wealth of revelation in these few verses. He has searched and known us! In Genesis 4:1 it says that Adam knew his wife Eve and they bore a son. God has searched us and known us! This is a statement of fertility! When God and I connect, something is conceived! We bear the fruit of our intimacy with God. He understands me! He wants to be with me! He knows even the unuttered words of my tongue. I hear so many women complain about how their husbands don’t listen to them or that they don’t have a clue of who they are or what they want out of their lives, etc. Here God sits knowing even the unuttered words of my tongue! NOW THAT’S A MAN! God connects with us on all dimensions (physically, emotionally and spiritually.) So few have really allowed Him into the deepest places of their hearts and been so transparent and vulnerable to Him. I seriously don’t believe that until one connects with God on this multifaceted level can they really connect with another human the way God designed it to be. Another definition of Chemistry is: To make use of, declare, or pronounce, as suitable, fitting, or relative. God declares that over our hearts! He is our suitable help mate!!! He connects with us on every level and we as human beings have the choice to connect back! This is intimacy on a whole other level!!! I’m telling you there is a supernatural connection of chemistry coming to the body of Christ! Men, women and children are going to connect with God as never before! I’ve sensed it for over a year and it’s beginning to happen. ----- April 2008 - “I Will Always Take Care of You” Here is an excerpt from my new book, “What Did He Say About Me?” (Soon to be released) Day 12 Daily Scripture Recently I had to go into the hospital for some testing on a mass I found just beneath my sternum/abdomen area. To be honest, I had some fear issues concerning this mass. On my way there, I called my friend Jill and just asked her to pray for me as she knew the “fear of the unknown” I was experiencing. I had just talked with her the night before at church, about my medical concern. As I walked in the door of the hospital I was greeted with scripture that declares that healing shall spring forth and the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. I don’t get extremely emotional, especially in public, but here I was walking into the hospital with my paperwork and standing in the line to register for this CT scan I was about to undergo and tears began to flow. I tried endlessly to wipe them away without anyone noticing. I tried to just pass it off as “I have something in my eye” to my onlookers. As I waited to go into the financial office where they take all your insurance information, I found a secluded place and called my Aunt Rosemary and asked her to pray for me. My little pager that the hospital gives you while you’re waiting began to light up, so I had to end my conversation with her on the phone. I completed the registering process and was walking to yet another area for blood work. As I walked, I heard the Lord whisper to me “I will always take care of you.” I began to cry again – this time at least with tissue in hand. As the nurse was drawing my blood, the tears began to flow and she just looked at me and said, have faith in Jesus – He knows what’s going on. I just smiled! After she was done, I had to wait 45 minutes for them to get my lab results back to see if they could proceed with the CT scan. They test your creatine levels to be sure your kidneys can handle the contrast they inject you with. So as I waited again, I heard the Lord whisper, “I will always take care of you.” He was melting my heart with His love and great care of me. Then my phone rang. I answered and it was my dear friend Kimberly on the other end. She had no idea what I was going through at that moment. She asked me some advice on something and God confirmed some things to her and then she just began talking about some apples that had fallen off of a tree in her yard and how she saw these beautiful birds eating from them. She said that she was reminded of the scripture about God’s concern for even a sparrow. I had to laugh and then I shared with her about my current circumstance. It was so awesome how God just showed up for both of us confirming some things in both of our lives at the same time! God amazes me! We ended our conversation just as my pager went off again. I headed back for my CT scan. As I prepared, I just said “God, I trust you.” As I was lying on the table and they were preparing to run the IV, I just kept saying under my breath, “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus.” I literally felt Jesus cradle my head in His arms against His chest. It was the most amazing feeling to sense His presence tangibly in that capacity. As I left the hospital, I felt a peace! God had confirmed it greatly during this 4 hour process. Later that day, my daughter and I went to exchange some cat food at a local retail store. As we were coming out I saw this bird laying helplessly right outside the door. It was breathing heavy and was terrified. I handed my purse along with some items we had just purchased, to my daughter. I bent down to pick up this bird. My daughter said, “Mom its wing is broken.” Apparently it must have flown into the window. I went and sat on a bench with this bird in my hand and told Mikayla to call our vet’s office to find out how to splint a broken wing. This poor bird’s wing was just hanging there. She ran to my car to get my cell phone to make the call. As she came back, I lifted this poor bird’s wing and just began to pray. By this time, my daughter had Jennifer, our vet tech, on the phone getting instructions. I wasn’t prepared for what happened next. As I prayed, I literally saw the wing move back into place! My daughter and I had eyes as big as saucers! The bird hopped out of my hands peacefully. It began walking around normally; just checking us out wondering what just happened. It reminded me of our daily scripture, the one that had been a defining scripture just hours before on the phone with Kimberly. God once again confirmed in a tangible way, His great care and concern for me! His promise of healing in His wings!! Only God can give us this promise! During this whole bird ordeal my aunt had called and left a message on my voice mail. In her message she said how she had asked that God just give me a hug. Immediately, I remembered that hug that Jesus gave me while I was getting ready for my CT scan. God did nothing but confirm His promise to me! He did it in huge ways! He has great love, care and concern for every single one of His children. Maybe you are experiencing fear of the unknown, just as I was. Let me just encourage you to trust God! He’s there for you. He demonstrated His great care and concern for even a bird, just as His Word says and at the same time, demonstrated healing to confirm His promise to me! God will always take care of you, if you let Him! ----- December 2007 - “It’s Better To Give, Than Receive” by Kristin Keen –Missionary to India through Word Made Flesh “It’s better to give than receive.” I am sure these words will be heard over and over this holiday season; after all it’s the season of giving. But, I can’t help to think sometimes that Jesus would tell us something different…like it’s just as important to receive as it is to give. I am writing that statement above full aware of how heretical I might sound, but let me explain. As I get to know Jesus more and more, and get a little older; I am keenly aware of my brokenness. I am keenly aware of the places in my life where I try to earn love. I am aware of the place in my life where I believe I am unlovable. These are the places that get me into trouble. These are the places in my life where I can’t receive God’s love. When I read the Bible, it’s pretty clear that God’s love is a gift…He gave His only Son; the gift of God is eternal life; grace is a gift of God –not by works; God first loved us, etc. I feel that my job as a Christian is to accept it, believe it, and make it part of me. My job is to receive love. It sounds so simple, but yet that is my calling. It’s to sit in a place where Jesus can wash my feet to show me the extent of His love. It’s this Christmas season that I need to be open enough to receiving the gift of Jesus. My work is to remember not to feel guilty when I understand that His love is freely given. God wants to give and my job is to receive. It doesn’t make me selfish, it makes me complete. So, my prayer for you all; my amazing supportive, generous, life-giving friends and family is this: that you allow yourselves to receive Jesus this Christmas. To stand in awe that God sent His Son for us. I pray that you and I will be able to receive that proof of love down in the depths of our souls. I have a new blog: jesusripsmyfaceoff.blogspot.com Love in Christ, Kristin Keen Below is a message from Tammy Dahl –Director of “Out of Exile Ministries” Kristin is one of the missionaries that OOE supports! She is an amazing woman that has an incredible heart and passion for God! We would like to encourage you to support her mission work as well. Your money would be well invested in the Kingdom of God and bear much fruit! You can send your support to: Word Made Flesh Please enclose a letter specifying that you would like your funds to go to Kristin Keen. Thank you and have a Merry Christmas!! TDahl ----- November 2007 - “Protecting Our Children’s Hearts” By Tammy Dahl This past week certainly has been an adventure as a parent! My daughter had homecoming this week and included in the normal routines of homecoming, was a dance that she would be attending. Throughout the week of preparations, questions included things like “Mom, how should I wear my hair?” to my insightful advice of “Mikayla, you can’t buy those shoes, they are too high!” During the course of questions – came the big question: “Mom can I dance with boys?” The question hit my brain like a freight train along with several rewinds and playbacks of the question that was just posed to me. It is here I thought to myself – the time is here, sadly, but right on schedule! I came back with a solid “No.” Then she proceeded to tell me how many other parents allow their daughter’s to dance with boys, etc. My answer was still a solid no. My explanation of “Mikayla, you are only twelve” was not acceptable to her. A few days passed and once again the question arose! I told her that it was not open for discussion as my mind was not going to be changed and she had a fit! She began to say “why can’t you just listen to me?” In other words, what she was really trying to say is “why can’t I try to talk you into it?” I explained to her that it was my job as a parent to protect her heart and at twelve years old, there were many years ahead of protection coming, so it wasn’t open for discussion – I wasn’t changing my mind or my heart on this. That night she went to bed angry with me. I didn’t receive my goodnight kiss or hug. No cuddles were even an option in her book. I was the stupidest mom in the whole world according to her mindset that night. My little heart was breaking – yet I knew I needed to stand my ground on this one. In the morning, I had a little girl come crawling into bed with me with her big eyes just looking at me. What a beautiful moment! I looked at her and said, are you still mad? The emotion of anger had subsided within her, yet I knew she had a lack of understanding. Now, was my time to talk with her and give her a solid explanation because her emotions were now decompressed enough to be open to listen. My explanation went something like this: “Mikayla, God gave me a huge responsibility when He gave you to me. He told me to love you and protect you. It is my job to protect your heart until your old enough to know how to protect it yourself. Our hearts are very fragile and they are easily moved with emotion, because we are girls! I want you to someday be able to give your husband, the man that God chooses for you, a great and priceless gift. The gift will be an unwounded heart!!! Someday you will be old enough to make your own decisions, but until that day comes, I need to build a solid foundation in your heart and teach you how to protect your heart, so you know how to make the right decisions, not just know what the right decision is! You are only twelve and it would be irresponsible of me to think that you dancing with a boy would be harmless to your heart. I hope you understand honey – Mommy is only doing what God has instructed me to do. I love you very much.” Mikayla looked at me and said, “Mom I’m really sorry I got so mad at you and I do understand.” We cuddled and hugged and laughed. A priceless moment between a mother and a daughter: simply and awesomely priceless! Moms, Dads – we have a huge responsibility. I know it’s incredibly important to teach your kids about abstinence. There are enough programs out there that scare the heck out of our kids. Fear is not a good tactic as far as I’m concerned. Parents, sex starts in the heart! It’s the little foxes that spoil the vine. If we allow our children’s hearts to be exposed to the little things – the big things will eventually come and they will not know how to deal with it. Teach your son’s HOW to protect the girls in their life and teach your daughter’s HOW to protect their heart. Listen, we cannot change the makeup of a man. He is destined to pursue the princess. God built him that way! We cannot change the makeup of a woman. She is destined to respond to the prince. Yet, we need to teach our boys how to be a prince worthy of response and we need to teach our girls how to identify a prince worthy of her response. Twelve years old is not the time of pursuit and response. It is the time of building a foundation in their hearts so they can become who God destined them to be. Get a revelation here – our children don’t need to know why they are the way they are, they will figure that out. They need to be taught who they are as children of God, as well as the responsibility they have in that identity. We, as responsible parents, need to allow them the time to mature in those areas and not be the ones to rob them of the very things we are trying to teach them. Would you give your twelve year old a car and say you are not old enough to drive, but go ahead and practice and drive yourself to school? NO! There is a time of teaching them to be responsible and how to handle the responsibility. If that is the case for driving, why shouldn’t it be even more so the case for the handling of our hearts? You don’t tell your kids “you are not ready for dating” but then allow them to practice in the meantime. It’s time to teach our kids the how’s in life, not just the why’s! We have a huge responsibility to our children. And you know what, we may do everything right and they still make the wrong decisions when they get older, but at least you know that you invested in the foundation of their heart and made it sure and strong. God can heal the wounds of wrong decisions, but we as parents need to be looking at the big picture, not just the daily moments. It’s the moments that create the big picture. What are we investing? ----- October 2007 - "God: Your Safe Place" by John Paul Jackson Do you ever get that sinking, restless feeling that seems to weigh more than you do, or at least as much? It’s like an alien parasite. It attaches itself to you, often without your awareness, and before you know it, you’re wallowing under its weight, stumbling around as the life is sucked out of you. With God at Your Back, You Cannot Fail Trust God and Not Your Feelings © 2007 John Paul Jackson, Streams Ministries International. All rights reserved. This article may be freely distributed electronically as long as no changes whatsoever are made to the contents. Every copy must contain appropriate attribution that includes the Streams Ministries website, www.streamsministries.com. ----- September 2007 – "The Heart, A Sacred Place by Tammy Dahl Proverbs 4:23 AMP Keep and Guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life. ----- August 2007 - "Abortion: Where is the Church?" by Gena Duran This journey began when a group of women and I began raising abortion-awareness in Lake County Florida; there was a serious need for a crisis pregnancy center. We naturally figured the “churches” would offer the most help. They are full of Christians after all, and ‘healing women who have suffered abortions’ would surely be something the church would prioritize. Well let me enlighten you, dear readers…they did not. To our utter surprise we couldn’t believe how many churches would not respond. We realized that abortion is a huge issue and perceived as the ultimate sin but NO ONE wanted to talk about it. And yet we have no idea how much abortion is affecting our walk with the Lord. I’m not just talking about the act of abortion; I’m talking about the ignoring of it. We keep talking about healing in our land and we don’t even experience healing in our churches. Statistics say that one out of every THREE (it used to be four) women/girls, have had an abortion. Wake up Christians! That number applies to your church too. It is the ultimate best kept secret!!! Guess what? Church-going-women who know the Lord have had or are still having abortions. Abortion carries such guilt and shame, robbing you of having a life of abundance—the life the Lord promises. Why is it that women won’t tell their very own church family that they need healing from an abortion? And let’s not forget the men who have also been hurt by a partner’s abortion. Think about this: if there were an alter call at your church this Sunday and the pastor said, “If you or your partner has ever experienced an abortion, please come down the center isle so I can pray for you.” How many do you think would run to the front? I want to tell you Jesus is calling out right now. He is standing with open arms and a loving, forgiving heart and He wants you to run to him so together you can be healed and set free. ----- December 2006 - “My Baby Jesus” by Beth A. Bennett When I got to work this morning, I noticed that the baby Jesus was missing from our Nativity scene. I became really upset because first and foremost, it was baby Jesus! Second of all, you can’t just go out and purchase a baby Jesus for the Nativity. I walked inside the office feeling angry about the person that took our baby Jesus. I asked the Lord to forgive me. I said "Lord, if they really needed a baby Jesus, then bless them, but if not, Lord, I pray that you convict their heart." Whatever happens, I want my baby Jesus back! What good is the nativity scene without baby Jesus? He is the focus point of the whole scene!!! Well, my boss and I were discussing the matter and he didn't want me to make a police report. He said that we would never get our baby Jesus back and told me to just pack up the rest of the pieces and put them in storage. About that time, the phone rang. He picked it up and it was the police asking him if we were missing a baby Jesus. My boss just sat there with his mouth hanging open and then answered,,, "yes, we are missing a baby Jesus." Well, they said they had 3 of them and we could come and get ours. My boss told me to go pick him up so I could "coddle" him because I was so upset. I don't mean any disrespect about this, however it struck me as quite hilarious - when I got to the police station they said "come on back and identify your baby Jesus!” There they were, 3 baby Jesus’ lined up on the counter!! I picked mine up! I called the police station and asked how they knew we were missing one. Apparently when they found them last night, they had driven around and noticed we were missing ours. They don't have a clue who the other 2 belong to. As I was driving back to the office with my baby Jesus with me, something came up in my spirit. Looking at the Nativity scene without baby Jesus held no meaning to me!!! The focus of the scene, Jesus, was missing!!! Just like in our lives at times. We lose our focus, we take our eyes off of Jesus. We don't mean to, but we put other things before Him! Our families, our jobs, our circumstances and our worries! You get the picture! What I am reminded of is that Jesus never chooses to leave the "scene!!!" We allow Him to be pushed to the sideline. We have to get our priorities in order and regain our focus on Him, our loving Father and Savior. It is my prayer today that we remember what this season is about. May we remember as we wrap our gifts, that the greatest gift of all came wrapped in a manager. I love you all!! Have a very Merry Christmas! Love, Beth Ann **Beth Bennett is the assistant director of Out of Exile Ministries. -----“The Love Factor” - February 2006 I’m reminded of the incredible love that God has for me when Valentine’s day approaches. You see, I have a beautiful little (not so little anymore) girl who will turn eleven years old on Valentine’s. She was God’s arrow of love that hit my heart of stone and melted it eleven years ago. Oh, the incredible fear I had when I was pregnant with her. How was I going to care for a little one, when I could barely care for myself, let alone at that time being an emotional mess. Those 9 months of pregnancy couldn’t even have begun to prepare me for the life I was about to experience. At 3 months of pregnancy, I left the abusive relationship I was in to go and live with a Christian family. I remember it like it was yesterday. I left him at about 10:00 pm, barefoot and pregnant. A pastor had shared with me the scripture Jeremiah 29:11-14 and it came alive in my heart at that very moment, giving me the courage to leave that night. I stayed with a friend that night and the next day, I drove to my new home. I showed up on the doorstep about noon on August 17, 1994. I knocked carefully with huge reservation in my heart, mainly because of the fear of the unknown. The questions ran through my mind like a whirlwind. Will this family like me? Will I get beat up with scripture? Will I be told how awful I am? It was a horrible fear. A fear I was about to be totally released from. The door opened and this gracious woman immediately gave me one of the warmest hugs. I was taken back a little, but the tears began to flow from my eyes. We sat on the couch with a glass of water she had given me, while her husband unloaded my car. My new home was with a family that knew Jesus!! That day began a journey that changed my life forever. The foundation I got from living there was absolutely priceless. I saw people love with their actions rather than their words. Here I sit, nearly eleven and a half years later thanking God once again for His incredible care and the wonderful gift He gave me in my daughter Mikayla. She is so amazing. I always say she has inherited only the good qualities of her dad and I. She has my boldness and confidence with her dad’s charisma and personality. She was the arrow God used in my life to love me when I couldn’t love myself. She pointed me towards God and through her love I realized what an amazing loving God we serve. I wanted to talk this month about “The Love Factor.” Obviously I’m talking about the love of God. In last month’s message, I shared on “The Fear Factor” and so if you haven’t studied that out you may want to go back as both of these messages go together. You hear so many conflicting messages about the Gospel. Some say God’s gonna get you. Some say if you sow 1,000.00 then God will heal you. Some say God can’t bless you if you do anything wrong. I even hear Christian’s against Christian’s telling them that God will see to it that their taken care of if they do something wrong to another. I see people wanting to believe so they think well that man or woman hears from God because look how blessed they are, so if I do what they say I’ll be blessed. Usually, 9 times out of 10 money is always the factor that is presented to get God to move mightily on your behalf, so the hurting sister or brother gives out of their “emotional” need with no purpose because they were manipulated. I see it happen all the time! God’s people are being deceived. Now don’t get me wrong, I believe in giving. However, I believe that you should know what your sowing your seed into. For example, ask for the budget of the ministry. See where the majority of those funds are going Find out if that ministry is giving to other ministries, etc. You are probably asking yourself, what does this have to do with the love factor? Can I tell you something that is really going to break your heart? Did you know that people have been manipulated for so long that they think honestly have been deceived into thinking that it’s love. Think about it for a moment. Do you honestly think that you have to pay God to bless (love) you? Think about that for a moment. People have been deceived so much that they think things from God are His love, rather than a byproduct of His love. They remain clueless about what God ‘s love really is all about. It’s all about planes, trains and automobile’s, when really in all reality those are just resources. I was once deceived and I guess that’s why it breaks my heart so much. When the “blessings” stop coming then the first thing we are led to believe is that God is disappointed in us and has stopped loving us. Our belief system has been so rooted and grounded in material things as being the love of God that we walk around performing for Him thinking that will keep the abundance of things coming. What a sad state of mind. Imagine this for a moment. You are in the presence of someone that you can totally let all those walls down and be yourself. You can cuss if you want. You can cry if you want. You can laugh if you want. You can just be silent if you choose. Imagine, that someone there with you and you’ve just shared every horrible thing in your life and that person doesn’t say a word, but literally throws their arms around you and gives you the biggest hug you’ve ever had in your whole life. This hug is unlike anything you’ve ever experienced. It makes you feel accepted, treasured and loved unlike anything you’ve ever known of in your life. They know every awful detail of your life and they don’t even bring it up to you. Imagine that. Close your eyes and mentally put yourself there with that person for a few minutes. Come on, just do it. What did it feel like? Write it down….. Did you know that that is what it is like being in the presence of God!!!! We all put on masks for our friends. There are details in our lives that we wouldn’t share with anyone and unfortunately we’ve been lied to about God so we don’t’ run to Him either because we’ve been told that God can’t be in the midst of our sinful nature. If that is the truth, then why would God say that we were justified through Christ. Read it for yourself in Romans 5:1-8. God doesn’t look upon our sin because He can’t see it. It’s in the past!! He just sees Jesus. That’s why God will never bring up your past, He can’t! He doesn’t remember it. When we go to God in the midst of trouble, even if it’s trouble we’ve brought on ourselves, He will run to comfort us and then He will teach us if we let Him. He doesn’t bring up our failures, He brings up our future!!!! I really encourage you to purchase Darin Hufford’s book “The God’s Honest Truth.” That book is the best book I’ve read on the love of God. 2 Corinthians 3:11-18 Jesus fulfilled the law and the veil has been removed by His death, burial and resurrection. Why then are we still captive? Jesus paid a debt we could never repay and that is the beauty of His love and affection for us. God knew what He was getting when He got us. As we come alive to His love for us, we can’t help but love Him back. Yet, even if we don’t love Him, He still loves us. God does not love us to get something from us. He loves us to give us freedom and liberty to be who He created us to be. The “Love Factor” is just being able to be with God as we are so He can change us with His love into who He designed us to be. It’s all in His hands and it flows from His heart of love. Father I ask that you give those that read this such an incredible revelation and understanding of your heart. Your love reaches far and wide and has no end. Father we can never do anything to keep you from loving us because your love is unconditional. God in a world where everything is based on how we perform, I thank you that with you it’s never a performance. I thank you God that you love us and are passionate about us. God if we could only grasp the concept of that love. Give us new eyes to see and feel your heart. Thank you Jesus for your life and love that you freely gave because you knew the prize. We are your treasures! Help us to love others like you love God. I know that it is impossible until we get a hold of the truth of your love in your hearts and minds. We want your love so rooted and grounded in our hearts Father so we can walk in freedom. When you read those Valentine’s cards, think of them from God to you and capture an image in your mind of His awesome love. Happy Valentine’s Day!!! ----- "The Fear Factor" - January 2006 Happy New Year! I believe that 2006 is a year of destiny! I believe that many things will come to pass that many believers have been waiting on for many years. I want to warn my readers that this message may challenge you and you may even experience anger and call me a blasphemer. However, I must be obedient to God. I encourage you to stay with me though by reading the message in it’s entirety as well as studying the Word of God and asking God to reveal His heart to you. Let’s get started. This past October, God began to put some things on my heart for the new year. Spiritually, God has called me to focus on His unconditional love this year, both in my personal life and ministerially. Our actions follow our beliefs and unfortunately in the many circles, not all, but many in the body of Christ, I see and hear FEAR being used as “the” motivating factor to bring unbelievers to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. This saddens and grieves my heart immensely! God never uses fear to bring someone into the Kingdom, but unfortunately humans do! It is actually manipulation in it’s greatest form. As I was standing in front of my bathroom mirror getting ready yesterday, the Lord spoke to me and said “Tammy, what does fear cause someone to do?” That’s easy I said, it causes people to run. September 11th, 2001 was a defining day in our country. The American people were gripped with a paralyzing fear after the World Trade Center and the Pentagon was attacked. Thousands of lives were lost and the fear that paralyzed the United States literally affected everyone. I heard religious people blame God for that atrocity! God was mad at all the sin in this world and He was whirling His anger through terrorism. Anything God does will not produce fear in any way. In fact, He operates in peace! He doesn’t have evil or terrorism in Him! When the prophets began to speak about the New Orleans disaster prior to it happening, I believe God spoke to them, but if one’s belief system is rooted and grounded in gloom and doom, in other words fear, then whoever will prophecy out of that belief system. Thus, God getting blamed for a disaster He couldn’t have caused because He doesn’t have disaster to give! God spoke to give us a heads up to protect us. God was not in that storm and He didn’t control that storm. God gave dominion to man here in this earth (Read Genesis). The earth is bringing forth birthing pangs that will usher in the return of Jesus Christ! The Word says that even the rocks cry out. I have heard people say that they got cancer or some horrible disease because God was trying to teach them a lesson. WHAT? God says by Jesus’ stripes we WERE healed. God doesn’t have sickness to give. Unfortunate things happen in life but we need to cling to the life and promises of God’s Word and get it so rooted and grounded in our heart that our circumstances do not dictate our outcome! Pastor Allen Speegle says that if it ain’t good, it ain’t God! Now God can take those horrible circumstances and He will and turn them around for us and cause good to come out of our troubles. We then become stronger in our faith and trust in the only One we are called to trust! I then began to think about how many have chosen Christ out of fear. Stay with me here. Have you ever been to one of those Halloween productions at various churches. I think one of them is called Heaven’s Gates, Hell’s Flames. They basically walk you through people dying unexpectedly and because they hadn’t asked Jesus to come into their heart’s they were faced with eternal damnation to hell. Did you know that God doesn’t send anyone to hell? STAY WITH ME HERE….KEEP READING! God made the provision through His Son, Jesus Christ so we wouldn’t have to go to hell. I’ve been asked personally, how can a loving God send people to hell? At one time, I couldn’t answer that question, but can I give you a revelation here? People send themselves to hell! The power of that choice is in their own hands, not God’s!! God has given us a free will and the freedom to choose Him! People want to blame God for their own choices that bring destruction, no matter if it is earthly destruction or eternal destruction to hell. So what happens to those people that choose Jesus out of fear, well guess what, they go to heaven, but you know what? Chances are that they will never live the life that God intended them to live here on earth, because they can’t get close to their Creator because they FEAR Him!!! Fear causes them to run away from God, especially if they are not living right! It’s only God that can change a person, but religion teaches us to reject people if they aren’t living right or doing right whereas relationship produces the opposite! Years ago, I believed that you could lose your salvation, but as I studied the Word of God I asked myself if that is the case then wouldn’t God’s love for us be conditional? Wouldn’t it be a love based on PERFORMANCE? What an awful fear to have! People fall away from God because they feel they can’t run to Him in the midst of their failures! Recently, Pastor Thom Cooper at Family Bible Church preached a message that was so incredibly profound to me He preached on Luke 4:18 – The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised. Can I break that scripture down for you? Spirit – The nature and character of God Thom used the illustration of Jesus feeding the 5000 families with the 5 loaves and 2 fishes. Jesus didn’t look at what He had in His hands. No, He looked up. He looked beyond the smoke screen. What is the smoke screen in your life today that is causing you to focus on your circumstances rather than what God says about that circumstance? You know what that smoke screen is? FEAR! Fear will always cause you to lose your peace, worry and fret about earthly circumstances. Yet, we have been given all things for life and godliness through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Look at the meaning of “poor”…Wow, how many people are thoroughly frightened because they fear they don’ measure up? The Word declares that Jesus is our righteousness! So my question to you is who are you gonna believe? Your life circumstances that are subject to change, or the God of the Universe who’s made every provision for you already? But you may say, “Tammy, I’m the one who’s made a mess of things, how can I expect God to help me?” Let me ask you to ponder this. Pastor Allen Speegle used this illustration a few years back. Let’s say you were really upset with your child about something and they were in their room thinking about it, you know how that is. Well, if that child all of a sudden started screaming out for help and was in pain, would you just sit on your big sofa and say to yourself, I can’t run to his or her rescue because they made a mistake? I don’t think so! You would bolt to help that child! Nothing would delay your response. Well, if we would do that, how much more would God, being a perfect parent and one who loves perfectly, run to us? John 17:1-4 Jesus is praying to the Father John 17:23 says…I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the WORLD may know that thou hast sent me, and hast LOVED THEM, as thou hast LOVED ME! WOW!!! Jesus only did what He saw the Father do! Jesus was the true representation of God’s nature and character. I’ve heard the expression that Jesus is up there pleading with God to not be angry with mankind. Let me tell you, God’s wrath and anger was settled in Jesus!! God will never be mad at you again! 2 Corinthians 3:18 declares…But we all, with open face (no obstacles that block our view and perception or view) beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory (our view and opinion of ourselves) to glory (God’s view and opinion of us), even as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Corinthians 5:18-19…But all things are from God, Who through Jesus Christ reconciled (removed all enmity and hostility towards man) us to Himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation (that by word and deed we might aim to bring others into harmony with Him). It was God personally present in Christ, reconciling and restoring the WORLD to favor with Himself, not counting up and holding against men their trespasses (but CANCELLING them), and committing to us the message of reconciliation (of the restoration to favor). GOD RECONCILED THE WORLD TO HIMSELF!! Has religion has raised a smoke screen of fear in your life? Do you think you have to have everything right in your life to go to God. I say to you today, choose to change “The Fear Factor” in your life to “The Relationship Factor!” John 10:10 – The thief comes only but to steal, kill, and destroy, BUT I have come that ye may have life and have it more abundantly till it overflows! Declare that 2006 will be your year of overflow!!! It’s a year of destiny!! ----- December 2005 - "The Glory of God" by Darin Hufford The term “The Glory of God” has been used frequently and rather loosely throughout our generation. It has become a catch phrase or a cliché that we use to describe a moving church service or worship experience. Every Pastor in America fondly recalls specific times where “The Glory of God fell on his congregation and lives were changed.” We hear about it so much, but we rarely contemplate exactly what “The Glory of God” is. What does it look like? How can we recognize it when it comes into the room? Is it something we can actually see while living here on earth? How can each of us experience the Glory of God in our everyday lives and know for sure that it’s there? I would like to submit to you the easiest way to actually see His Glory on a daily basis. Better yet I want to give you a way that others can see “The Glory of God” inside of you wherever you go! This morning my two and a half year old daughter Emma stumbled into our bedroom moments after she awoke and walked right into a title wave of “The Glory of God.” The moment her little fingers pried my eye lids open from a deep sleep and I recognized who it was laying on my chest and breathing on my face; my eyes lit up. When you love someone with all your heart, it causes your eyes to light up when they walk into the room. This “light” is the Glory of God! Remember, God is Love. His glory is only present when love is present. If you truly love, His Glory is inside of you and everyone around you sees it when you look at them. They will be drawn to it like little children. It’s a precious light that most people see from only one or two people in their entire lifetime. Being a “light in the darkness” is so much more than following the rules and setting a moral example to the world. It’s not about refusing to have a drink at a party as a witness to your friends, or insisting that your boss gives you Sundays off so you can go to church. It’s not about taking a stand against trick-or-treating or showing off your Bible in the break room. Being a “light in the darkness” is simply YOU LOVING PEOPLE and them beholding the light of that love in your eyes. There is simply no other way to show off His Glory in this world! ----- November 2005 - "God’s Will vs. God’s Plans" Recently, I have had the pleasure of getting to know Darin Hufford.
Darin has written two books that I highly recommend. In fact, both
of them are in my top 10 list. Those books are "The Relationship
Code" and "The God's Honest Truth." Both of these
books are available for purchase through www.darinhufford.com or www.outofexile.org.
He has a true gift of communicating God's incredible love in such
an understandable way. If you are someone who struggles with the
whole God thing or you are someone who has been messed up by "religion," these
books will challenge you and set you free in many aspects. Always remember that God Loves You Unconditionally~ ----- October 2005 - "The Danger of Dating in Your Mind" by Carolyn McCulley – Author and Speaker Here’s a typical conversation between two single women: “ So how did it go with [insert guy’s name here] the
other night?” It felt like a date. That’s a phrase that should set off all kinds of alarm bells among single women. If it “feels” like a date, then no one has said it’s a date. It’s just two friends hanging out, but one of them wants more. In this scenario, the problem is that while the man may be clear in his own mind about his intentions (“just friends”), the woman is not. She’s hoping for more or “dating him in her mind.” This may seem like a harmless distraction, but it’s really not. I have a friend who once observed that our interactions with men should be like a peanut butter sandwich. No one likes to eat a sandwich where the peanut butter is all clumped up in one corner. We like our peanut butter to be evenly spread around. “So, honey, don’t get all clumped up in one corner, distracted by one guy,” she said. “Spread yourself around! Let him get clumped up around you!” We had a good laugh at that, but there’s much truth in this homespun advice. Because our churches often provide the context to get to know single men as friends, we women can start investing more significance in these interactions than is wise. We get all “clumped up” around one guy -- until he says something or does something to make us realize he’s not going to pursue. Then comes the disappointment. In our defense, I have observed when men go through all the motions of dating without declaring their intentions. I’ve seen men “try on” certain women and then fade away if there wasn’t enough spark to attract them to pursue. I’ve seen men hang out with women for years as extremely good friends, seemingly oblivious to the potential there, while the women struggle to guard their emotions and expectations. While I think we can become wiser about evaluating the men in these situations (which we’ll look at next time), all things start with our own hearts. Because I’ve been “clumped up” far more often than I’d like to admit, I’ve learned to discern the symptoms of this tendency in my life. Here are some questions I ask myself whenever I think I’m starting to “date someone in my mind”: • Do I talk about him a lot to other people? When we get stuck in a man’s orbit like this, typically we’re laying claims and forming attachments that are deadly to our spiritual growth and witness. Because these attachments are one-sided, when the relationship doesn’t occur in the way or time that we want we usually respond sinfully. Paul Tripp, author and biblical counselor, explains the pitfalls of this continuum in this way – desire leads to demand, which re-labels itself as a “need” and leads to expectation of fulfillment, which, when unmet, leads to disappointment, and thus ends in punishment. As he writes, “The objects of most of our desires are not evil. The problem is the way they tend to grow, and the control they come to exercise over our hearts. Desires are a part of human existence, but they must be held with an open hand. … The problem with desire is that in sinners it very quickly morphs into demand (‘I must’). Demand is the closing of my fists over a desire. Even though I may be unaware that I have done it, I have left my proper position of submission to God. I have decided that I must have what I have set my heart on and nothing can stand in the way. I am no longer comforted by God’s desire for me; I am threatened by it, because God’s will potentially stands in the way of my demand. … There is a direct relationship between expectation and disappointment, and much of our disappointment in relationships is not because people have actually wronged us, but because they have failed to meet our expectations.” When I first read that diagnosis (in his book "Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands"), I was stunned. That’s exactly what happens when I “date someone in my mind”! One sentence in particular screamed from the page: “There is a direct relationship between expectation and disappointment, and much of our disappointment in relationships is not because people have actually wronged us, but because they have failed to meet our expectations.” These are self-induced dings to our hearts! Even more seriously, these acts are seeds we are sowing to future conflict in our own marriages. No husband will meet all of our desires, so we should learn to protect our own hearts and minds in Christ Jesus by not indulging this cycle of idolatry. So how do we change? Here’s something I’ve been meditating on over the past year. The secret is in the worth of a woman with noble character. The Bible says she is “more precious than jewels.” Jewels aren’t out on the store’s front counter for every passerby to carelessly handle. Precious jewels are guarded in the vault, and are only brought out for consideration by a buyer who has demonstrated serious intentions and the wherewithal to purchase. Costume jewelry attracts casual inspection – and lots of it – by its cheap presentation. But because it’s not seen as valuable, it’s not treated as such. We don’t have to put our affections and ourselves on display. We can trust our heavenly Father to ward off the casual shoppers and only bring those with serious intentions to consider us. But you need to know that this will mean some “vault time.” While you’re in the dark, wondering when – and if – you will have a chance to sparkle for an appreciative buyer, you’ll be tested. During this time, keep in mind these three reminders: • Prayer: Take your petitions to God, for He’s the
only one who can change a man’s heart, and this brings His
peace to guard our own hearts. Paul Tripp outlined. When you find your fist closing over good desires and making them demands, stop. Open that clenched fist and hold that desire up in prayer (see point one again). We have to be very careful about guarding our own hearts. This is a wisdom issue. More importantly, it’s a worship issue. The real motivation for guarding our hearts is not to be able to hand our husbands a relatively unscathed heart on our wedding day, as important as that is. The real motivation for guarding our hearts is to preserve our trusting dependence on God with a peaceful spirit, whether we get married or not. It’s to keep a Scriptural imperative: “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life” (Proverbs 4:23). Carolyn McCulley handles church and ministry relations for Sovereign Grace Ministries and is a member of Covenant Life Church in Gaithersburg, MD. This column is adapted from her book, "Did I Kiss Marriage Goodbye? Trusting God with a Hope Deferred." (Used by permission of Crossway Books, a division of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, IL 60187, www.gnpcb.org). Carolyn welcomes your comments at info@carolynmcculley.com. Or visit her website (www.carolynmcculley.com) or blog (solofemininity.blogs.com). ----- September 2005 - "Hurricane Katrina" by Pastor Allen Speegle of Family Bible Church Sadly in the midst of the tragedy in the Gulf of Mexico many church leaders across America are already crying out judgment has begun… God has lifted his hand of protection… The sad part is not only is this untrue but it doesn’t offer any comfort and hope. I write this short article today because it is must that we who believe the message of God’s goodness do all we can to help people see that God is a GOOD God. Some common statements that we must combat are; It’s the beginning of judgment, Pray the wrath of God will be diverted, God allowed it, God’s hand of protection is being lifted and God is trying to get our attention. 3 Reasons We Know God Had Nothing to Do With It: 1. God is good and is not the creator of pain and suffering. James 1:16-17 (16) Do not err, my beloved brethren. (17) Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Psa.34:8 O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. Good = beautiful, best, better, bountiful, cheerful, at ease,
favor, fine, glad, good gracious, joyful, kind, loving, merry,
pleasant, pleasure, precious, prosperity, ready, sweet, wealth,
welfare... I have often said if we did what God is accused of we would be
arrested and rightly so. Read and consider what Mat.5:39-44 says
when Jesus said whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek,
turn to him the other also. God gives us this instruction because
He knows that this principal works because He uses it himself.
In a nut shell God never instructs us to live a 3. JESUS……………………….!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Jesus came into this world for two reasons, one is whether the religious system of today accepts it or not Jesus became our sin and took our judgment and God is at peace with all mankind. Isa 54:9-10 says; For this is as the waters of Noah unto me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee. For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee. The Message Bible says; For even if the mountains walk away and the hills fall to pieces, My love won't walk away from you, my covenant commitment of peace won't fall apart." The second reason was to show the world what God was like. Heb 1:3 says; The Son reflects God's own glory, and everything about him represents God exactly. The KJV says Jesus is the “express” image of God’s person. Webster defines express as to make known one’s opinions or feelings, a messenger sent to represent another, the reflection of character and mood. When Jesus walked the earth he said I only do and say what I see my Father do and say. He also said if you’ve seen me you’ve seen the Father. So again Jesus came to show us exactly what God the Father is like. If I want to understand how God feels and treats me and others all I have to do is read the gospels and see how Jesus treated people. For greater understanding concerning what I’ve briefly touched on listen to the message on our website at www.fambible.org I ministered on August 28th, 2005 titled "Not Guilty – The Gospel of Peace". Remember if it is not GOOD it can’t be God!!!! Allen ----- August 2005 - "Persistent Faith" Have you ever been so pumped up about something and find you are just bursting at the seams with excitement and anticipation? I have the perfect analogy. For my daughter’s spiritual birthday I decided to give her a cell phone. She has only been asking for a cell phone for 2 years now. Yet, 2 years ago, she would not have been ready to have such a responsibility. As I shared with her my decision to make this purchase she could barely contain herself enough to listen to the responsibilities that will go with her new gift. Yet, as she sat contained in the passenger seat of the car she held herself together (barely) to listen. Barely upon completing my last sentence, she burst forth with a loud SCREAM of excitement and was like “I love you, I love you, I love you.” She was bouncing up and down as much as she could as she was buckled tightly in the car. The seat belt had it’s purpose! The first thing Mikayla did was tell all her friends at church. She even wanted to give out her number and the phone hasn’t even been delivered yet. It was so fun to watch and to be completely honest with you, a little frustrating on my behalf because of her enormous energy that could not be contained. How many times has something so exciting happened in our lives that we go about telling everyone what were going to do, what we are getting or even better yet, what God said or promised us, We are so zealous to tell everyone about the exciting things that are happening. In and of itself there is nothing wrong with that at all. However, there is a flip side to this coin. That flip side is called TIME! In the waiting time, between the promise and the manifestation of the promise, our emotions can go through so many stages. It is during this time that we experience highs and lows. Bursts of excitement when we think we see something on the horizon to our dream coming true, or serious disappointments when what we see deceives us. There are also times of doubt and unbelief. Of course there is the ever so frequent thought that plagues us, “Did God really say?” Then there are those times that we simply give up on what God said and just choose not to believe because it’s just taking too long. I remember when my daughter began asking me for a cell phone. I would never tell her no you can’t get one, I just said, not yet. She would continue asking periodically and sometimes walk away with great disappointment. Yet, she always persisted. Just as we need to be persistent, even in waiting. Have you ever wondered why we give up when we have to wait too long or why we question if we really did hear God? Why is it that we question our beliefs instead of our doubts? Romans 8:32 AMP says...He who did not withhold or spare (even) His own Son but gave Him up for us all, will He not also with Him freely and graciously give us all (other) things? God often times leads us by the desires of our hearts. He has placed passions within us to direct us toward our purpose. Just because we don’t see our desires manifest when we expect or want them to, doesn’t mean that God said NO. Let me pose the question once again. Why is it that we question our beliefs instead of our doubts? Hebrews 11:1 AMP says...Now Faith (This moment) is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things (we) hope for, being the proof of things (we) do not see and the conviction of their reality (faith) perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses.) The next time the thought crosses your mind...”Did you really hear God,” respond back with “The Word of God says that His sheep know His voice.” The bottom line is that in the waiting, we need to continue to persuade our hearts in the truth and knowledge of God. Who He is, What He says and build our beliefs more and more upon His Truth, not our facts. There is a big difference. When it seems your faith is weak, then refocus your faith. It’s not you that makes things come to pass. It is God! This past week I heard my pastor says something that astounded me. I was like...whoa that changes everything. Take a journey with me... Let’s say someone came into your church with no arms and no legs. Could your faith believe for those limbs to grow? I know mine couldn’t. Yet, if Jesus was standing there I could believe that His faith could believe it!! Maybe our confession should be, “God, I don’t have the faith to believe for this, but I know Jesus does and so I put my faith and trust in Him.” Have persistent faith in Jesus! I’ll close with this a brief look at Abraham’s faith. He left us a wonderful example when believing for things, even the impossible! Romans 4:16 AMP says...Therefore, (inheriting) the promise is the outcome of faith and depends (entirely) on faith, in order that it might be given as an act of grace (unmerited favor), to make it stable and valid and guaranteed to all his descendants-not only to the devotees and adherents of the Law, but also to those who share the faith of Abraham, who is (thus) the father of us all. Vs. 20 - No unbelief or distrust made him waver (doubtingly question) concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong and was empowered by faith as he gave praise and glory to God. ----- March 2005 - Behold I Make All Things New - “The Resurrection” Revelation 21:5 – Then, He who sat on the throne said, Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.” When I think about the incredible miracle of the resurrection, it astounds me. When I think about the miracle of Christ all in itself, it is mind blowing. God’s plans absolutely fascinate me. His entire plan for humanity was wrapped up in Christ. Let’s take a look at and excerpt taken from the book “All About God In Christ” by Herbert Lockyer. In Galatians 4:4, Paul declares that “when the fullness of the time was, God set forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law.” Such a phrase describes the perfect humanity of our Lord and gives us His wondrous birth from the human standpoint. But on may ask the question: Why was Christ born of a woman? Well, there are one or two answers to such a question: As a fulfillment of Promise. The great redemption promise of Genesis 3:15 was: “It (the seed of the woman) shall bruise thy (the serpent’s) head.” Woman who was made a sinner by the serpent will produce One who will destroy the serpent’s power. And so in I Timothy 2:15, “She shall be saved through her (or the) child-bearing.” In the Old Testament there was the law of sin and death. Those laws were put into place to protect God’s people until it was time for Jesus to come and fulfill the redemption plan of God, that would literally take back what Satan had stolen in the garden of Eden. God planned the New Covenant from the foundations of the world, because He knew that man would fall and so He prepared the ultimate sacrifice. The shedding of His Son’s blood as an atonement for all. When Jesus came, He walked perfectly on this earth; He died on a cross and literally became the curse. He became our sin, He didn’t just take it upon Himself. He then rose again from the dead. When Jesus died and rose again, He defeated Satan once and for all. 100% irrevocable!!. The law of sin and death was eradicated, thus a new covenant was established that replaced the law of sin and death with grace, God’s unmerited (not earned) favor. In fact, if you study it out, when Jesus died on the cross and descended into hell, He brought freedom to those who believed on Him. - (1 Cor. 15:20 – Now is Christ indeed risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept.” Let’s look at Strong’s Concordance, #386 - The scriptures often speak of Christ’s resurrection with the phrase that is literally “resurrection out from among dead ones.” This is the wording in the first half of 1 Corinthians 15:12 and in other verses (see Acts 17:31; I Peter 1:3). When Scripture speaks of the resurrection in general, commonly the phrase is “a resurrection of dead ones.” This is the wording in the second half of I Corinthians 15:12 (see also 15:13, 42). In Romans 1:4, Christ’s resurrection is spoken of as “a resurrection of dead ones.” The same terminology is used in I Corinthians 15:21, where the Greek text literally reads: “For since through a man death came, so also through a Man came a resurrection of dead persons.” This shows that Christ’s resurrection included the resurrection of believers to eternal life. When He arose, many arose with Him, for they were united with Him in His resurrection (see Romans 6:4, 5; Eph. 2:6; Col. 3:1) The Bible says that God poured out ALL His anger and ALL His wrath out on Jesus and under the New Covenant of grace, He will never get mad at us again. In fact, if you have a religious bone in your body this will put a cramp in it - Did you know that everyone in this world is IN CHRIST? Now, I'm not saying they are saved and on their way to heaven. I mean that when God looks at this messed up world, all He sees is the new covenant by means of what Jesus did. He knows the evil and terrible circumstances down here, but because of the new covenant all He chooses to see is only through what Jesus did. He doesn't get angry at any of us. Now, when we step into asking Jesus to be the Lord of our lives and get saved we fall under a supernatural umbrella of protection if we are obedient. God doesn't call us to obey Him because He's some pompous, egotistical God. No, just as in the old covenant, He wants us to obey so that we have a good life. So we have everything, Jesus died to give us. We are supposed to be healthy and whole, we are supposed to be prosperous in every way, we are supposed to have life abundantly (John 10:10). Everything we need has been done in Jesus. It is so exciting!!!!! If Jesus had not risen from the dead, then the message of the gospel is futile. Jesus’ death on the cross secured our justification. When He was raised from the dead, God put His stamp of approval of Christ’s sacrifice for our sins. If Jesus had not risen from the dead, we would have no forgiveness of sin. When God looks at us, faults and all, He sees the perfection of Jesus Christ. He doesn’t condemn us, He loves us. Jesus suffered in our place! Have you ever questioned your identity? Have you ever questioned your worth? Have you ever wondered, does God love me? Have you ever accepted Christ and decided to exchange your identity with His? He exchanged His identity for us, so that we might have life! The mystery and miracle of Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection is astounding. If you ever question what God thinks of you, not based on anything you do, but based on the obedience of Jesus Christ, just take a look at the exchange - • He was poor, that He might make us rich. Behold, I make all things new!! Jesus made it brand new for all
of us. We have a fresh start through the redemptive blood of Jesus.
What Jesus died to give us is truly a never ending list. Have you made the exchange? He’s waiting with arms open wide. If you would like to make Jesus Christ the Lord of your life, just say this simple prayer. Lord Jesus, I need you! I want to make the exchange. I believe that you died on the cross for my sins and you were raised from the dead. Please come into my heart and be the leader of my life. Thank you God for sending your Son. In Jesus Name, Amen. If you said that prayer, please write to us and let us know. We would love to send you a little gift to help you begin your walk with God. It is the most amazing journey!! Be blessed this Easter season! ----- February 2005 - "A Safe Place to Fall" This month’s message I’m going to talk about something
that I’m becoming more passionate about everyday! I’m
going to talk about parenting. My daughter Mikayla is going to
be turning 10 years old on the 14th and I’m just so excited.
She has taught me so much about the mercy and grace of my Father
God. Her forgiving spirit and new mercy when I have dropped the
ball as a mother has inspired me. Lets look at verse 4 from the Amplified Bible II Timothy 3:15 AMP says TRUST, CONFIDENT, WISDOM AND GOODNESS!!!! Here are some keys – • Communicate with your child. Communication is not a monologue
it’s a dialogue. If you don’t have time to listen to
the little things and offer your input they won’t come to
you with the big things. Remember, children are a gift from the Lord!! Let’s treasure that gift!! ----- January 2005 - "When Jesus, the Savior becomes Jesus, Your Lord" - Part 2 Happy New Year! I can’t believe it’s 2005 already. Usually in the beginning of a new year everyone is making resolutions that eventually they will probably break, because they make decisions foolishly. Now some are really focused and they really do change their lives in some way because they remain committed to their decision. I find that many people want everything now and if they don’t get it, they try other ways and continue to fail rather than trying the right way and allowing Jesus to be the Lord of their decisions. When Jesus is the Lord of your decisions then the grace, His ability, comes alive to walk out the commitment it takes to fulfill the plan. Let’s review some things from last month’s message before we continue. Savior (Deliverer). One who saves, delivers, or preserves from
any evil or danger , whether physical or spiritual, temporal or
eternal; term applied both to people and to God. In the New Testament
however, it is never applied to people, but only to God and Christ.
Savior is preeminently the title of the Son. Let’s review the 7 keys: •Just be real. Tell God when you struggle! Stop trying to “fake
it till you make it.” It doesn’t work like that in
the kingdom of God. So now that we have reviewed, let’s continue. I want to talk about 3 important steps that you will need to take as you move ahead in your relationship with God. First, I want you to take some time and answer this question: Why do I believe what I believe? Is it because that is what you have heard? The answer to your question will reveal a lot to you. If why you believe what you believe, is just simply based on what someone has told you, or what the preacher has taught on Sunday, then this next step is something you will want to take some “discovery” time on. Key 8 • Make your relationship with God personal! He is a personal God!!! Here is an example: I’ve been mentoring a beautiful young lady for about the past year now. She has such awesome questions. They are so real and honest. Well, she recently asked me how to heal. Well it begins with building a trusting relationship with God. Here was “long” clip from part of my response to her. “I always say that someone has to have a starting place
in building a relationship with God. How would you normally build
a relationship with someone? You begin by talking with them and
I'm sure you try to learn about them to find out what they like
and what they don't like, and if you can trust them or not. It's
the same with God. You don't just start out bang, trusting God
like that. It's a process. It takes time. It also takes a decision
on your part to start the process. Many people make decisions for
Christ, but they fail to remain committed to that decision thus
making it really difficult to build a relationship with Him. They
think that they say the sinner's prayer and bang they are healed,
set free, delivered, etc. The truth is, everything they need to
be healed, set free and delivered comes into their lives the moment
they ask Jesus to come into their heart, however it takes time
to grow in the knowledge of what has been buried in the deepest
part of their heart's and it takes time to operate in faith. It's
kind of like a bank account. If you have a bank account with a
hundred dollars in it but you don't have the account number, then
you can withdraw the money. It doesn't mean that you don't have
a bank account with a hundred dollars in it, it just means that
you need more knowledge in how to withdraw it. That's the process
with Christ. If you have a hard time believing God for 2.00 how
are you going to believe Him for a million. See what I mean. It's
hard for you to trust God, because you've never taken the steps
required to see if you can. Your not going to wake up one day and
boom trust God with all your heart, mind, and soul etc. It will
take time! The problem today is that everybody wants everything
now. They even get mad if they have to wait more than 5 minutes
in a McDonalds drive thru and so they get mad if they ask Jesus
into their heart and their not operating in huge faith and trust
24 hours later. It just doesn't work like that. It takes small
steps!!! The biggest thing is "CHOOSING" to remain committed
to Jesus no matter what it "LOOKS" like. For example...If
you are believing God for complete healing but you still hurt,
you must continue to invest in the Word, choose to believe in your
heart that God's Word is true, and most important, you must confess
what you want to see, not what you do see. Now I'm not saying to
ignore your hurts, you can be honest about those to God and someone
like me, that you’ve grown to trust. You just don't want
to confess the mess when your frustrated or in a moment of anger...things
like "this God thing ain't working." You must believe!!!
Keep choosing Christ over your feelings or circumstances and one
day you really will see a manifestation of what you are believing
God for. Now let me tell you what I think foolishness is. Foolishness
is when, let's say, your believing God for good grades in school,
yet you don't study. You say, Tammy, I'm having faith for good
grades. Well, that is not faith, that is foolishness. Faith is,
I'm going to study my work and give 100% of myself to this, but
God I'm going to believe you for good grades. That is faith in
action!!! Another example of foolishness would be to say "God,
I'm believing you for my healing," yet never invest in getting
the promise of healing from the Word of God rooted and grounded
in your heart so that you really can believe for your healing.
See, when you really believe in something, nothing - circumstances
or otherwise, or no one - not anybody on this earth, can or will
talk you out of it!!! That's what it means to believe. I have promises
from God that have been a faith walk in my life for nearly 10 years
and they haven't manifested yet. I'm not giving up though!! I'm
still walking by faith and investing the Word of God in my heart. Now, let's look up scriptures on the power of God. You don't want
to look up scriptures on hurt, you want to look up scriptures about
who God is and His character. So here's a few on that: Now, let's find some healing scriptures: Malachi 4:2 - But to you who fear (reverence/believe) My name
the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings. Ok, now let's put it together in a personal confession: Father God, I may be hurt and broken, but Your Word says that to those of us who believe that the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings. Father my understanding is small in comparison to You. Father Your Word says that you are able to do exceedingly abundantly beyond what we ask or think God. God I thank you that you are healing my wounds. Father my heart is broken, but in the name of Jesus Christ, I put my faith to action and believe just as Your Word says that You heal the brokenhearted and bind up their wounds. Father Your Word heals and I thank you and praise your for healing. God, nothing is too hard for you. With You all things are possible. Thank you Father for healing me. Now, memorize each scripture so you get it rooted and grounded in your heart. Keep it in front of your eyes daily. Write it down and hang it on your bathroom mirror. Confess what you want to see. Talk to God about it. Keep a journal so you can see the progression. Find other Word promises (scriptures) that you can claim for your life. Start building your faith muscle!!! One day, you will experience your healing because as you confess these promises the healing is taking place a step at a time. God is restoring you!!!” Now that was just part of my response to this young lady, however I also want to mention something very important here. Remember I said that when you get saved you are healed, set free, delivered, etc., but it takes time for you to EXPERIENCE IT. That is what I meant by the question I asked earlier. Why do you believe what you believe? Is it because you’ve heard it from someone or you’ve experienced it. See, when you EXPERIENCE God, there is nothing in this world that can ever take that experience away. Why, because your encounter with God was personalized!!! Do you see what I’m trying to convey now? Key 9 • Be diligent. What you invest in yourself today is what you will see in the future. It’s seed planting. What I’m experiencing today is a result of what I’ve invested in the past. Develop a habit of diligence. Key 10 • Frame your world. In Hebrews 11:1-3, it says “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not make of things which are visible.” Your words whether you like it or not, frame your world. They impact your heart. Study Hebrews 11 in it’s entirety to begin to develop your faith muscle. Check out this definition from my Nelson Study Bible. Heb. 11:1 – this verse is not a definition of faith, but a description of what faith does. Substance means “essence” or “reality.” Faith treats things hoped for as reality. Evidence means “proof” or “conviction.” Faith itself proves that what is unseen is real, such as the believer’s rewards at the return of Christ. (see 2 Cor. 4:18) How can you have evidence without experience? What I mean by that is this. If you never invest in yourself and develop your faith muscle and experience the awesome power of God, then Jesus will always be your Savior if you’ve called upon Him to come into your heart. However, you will never experience the freedom of having Jesus as your Lord if you don’t develop your faith muscle. Begin to call those things that are not as though they were in your life by having faith in the Word of God! Don’t give up!!! Faith and patience will give you the victory! Make 2005 your best year yet!! ----- November/December 2004 - "When Jesus, the Savior becomes Jesus, Your Lord" - Part 1 Can you believe that the holiday’s have arrived already? I’m still trying to adjust to the fact that this year is almost behind us, amidst all the holiday rush. I had went shopping for my Thanksgiving dinner almost 3 weeks ago, as I wanted to avoid the long lines of “procrastinators” that are out a few days before the holiday. What do you know though, I had forgotten to buy the ingredients for the ever so traditional green bean casserole, so I had to go to the store yesterday. No, not the long lines!! Sure enough as I walked into the grocery store there were lines, lines, and more lines everywhere. I said to myself, oh great! Well, then I found some hope that I could grab a checkout lane for the 10 items or less, because I would only have a few things. I grabbed my few items and had them piled in my arms (didn’t think about grabbing a little basket) and I walk up to the 10 items or less lane only to view “No Check Please.” NO!!!!!! I always write checks. I never carry cash, and I don’t really like to use my debit card because it seems harder for me to track expenses with receipts that fade to be nearly illegible in just a few short weeks. Well, God was looking out for me in the midst of the mess. He provided me a shorter line so I was able to check out in just 15 minutes. Ask me if I’ll forget the green bean casserole ingredients next year! Well this November/December Message of the month I’m going to focus on the Christmas holiday. We know it’s true meaning! Jesus the Savior was born! What a celebration Christmas should be. It has become such a traditional holiday anymore. Buy your Christmas tree, paint your house with Christmas lights the weekend after Thanksgiving, go shopping for Christmas presents nearly every weekend before Christmas, be sure to make some time to get the fixins’ for a great Christmas feast and there ya go. Wow, that all sounds like a full time job in itself. No wonder everyone stresses out during the holidays. Christmas, by far is so much more than that. We all love the presents and pretty Christmas lights and family gatherings, but yet we all are guilty of not really celebrating the true gift of Jesus. We get so focused on the “TRADITION” of Christmas that it seems to lose it’s meaning and purpose. Now don’t get me wrong, I think tradition in some cases is important. I think it’s important to follow old traditions and also create new ones with your family so they can pass them on and continue them in their own families when they grow up. However, I want to talk about when tradition hinders you. I see so many people that claim that they are Christians and can say the Lord’s prayer by memory. They attend church on Sunday and Wednesday, yet they are so empty. Why? Because they have followed a tradition that says, “well I go to church so that must mean I’m a good person,” or they say “I asked Jesus into my heart and He is my Savior.” Yet their lives are empty and unfulfilled and they haven’t moved past the Jesus as Savior part. I can tell you that when Jesus became my Savior, I knew it! I was so happy and excited and I just knew that something had changed in my life. Yet for many years Jesus was just my Savior. Now I’m not saying that in a derogatory way. I’m just saying that there was so much more that I wasn’t experiencing because Jesus wasn’t my Lord. Let’s take a look at some things I found in my Strong’s Concordance to ensure my point is understood. Savior (Deliverer). One who saves, delivers, or preserves from any evil or danger , whether physical or spiritual, temporal or eternal; term applied both to people and to God. In the New Testament however, it is never applied to people, but only to God and Christ. Savior is preeminently the title of the Son. Lord – A term applied to both men and God, expressing varied degrees of honor, dignity, and majesty; applied also to idols (Ex. 22:8; Jdg 2:11, 13) used of Jesus as Messiah (Ac 2:36; Php 2:9-11; Ro 1:4; 14:8). Lord comes from the Hebrew word Yahweh. Yahweh – (He who is [I am] or He who causes to be). The Hebrew personal name for God, Yahweh, is translated in the KJV and NIV as Lord, and sometimes also in the KJV as God. God revealed his name as “I AM WHO I AM,” his eternal covenant name implying self-existence and saving presence (Ex 3:14-17). The basic meaning for the name Yahweh, is “He who is” or “He who is truly present,” or “I will be to you all that I am.” For Israel, Yahweh is not merely one god among many; he is the Creator and Ruler of heaven and earth, who is worthy of and demands exclusive homage of his people. It is important to understand that this is God’s intensely personal name. The respect with which it was treated bears witness to the national feeling of Israel and also their fear of the God who is among them. This was recognized by the scribes who even avoided pronunciation of the name. They would use alternate names where possible. I have most recently begun this quest in wanting to learn more and more about the places where Jesus walked and what times were like when He was here. There is so much treasure to be found by looking at things through those times and applying the meaning here. For example, have you ever heard the scripture reference that when you pray for your enemies it’s like heaping burning coals on top of their head. I took that for years as something like “I’m gonna get you for hurting me, by praying for you, because then I’ll heap burning coals on top of your head.” If I only had an indication of what that truly meant. See, back in those times fire was a very precious commodity. They didn’t have matches and lighters back then. People would have these clay receptacles and they would share their fire with others so they could cook their meals. One neighbor lets say would go to another neighbor who had fire and they would literally fill up their clay receptacles and give away their commodity. They would carry these receptacles on top of their heads. It was a sign of love and sharing that was so incredibly precious. I don’t about you, but I lost power during the recent hurricanes and we had to live by candlelight for 24 hours. Those candles were a precious commodity to me and it would have been a major sacrifice for me to give my candles away, especially to someone who had hurt me. Think about that and you may have a deeper understanding. When we get saved, Jesus comes into our hearts. His Spirit literally comes to live on the inside of us. We have this incredible treasure that buries itself in the deepest part of our hearts. It’s wonderful!! However, we still have to work through the junk that has shaped our lives for our entire existence. This is the tough part. This means allowing Jesus into the areas of our lives that don’t look so good or we wished weren’t there. This means trusting Him not to hurt us or use it against us. This is a challenge for most of us, especially if we’ve been hurt deeply or abused in some way. When Jesus becomes our Lord we literally are saying “You are the one in control.” Now if you’ve come from a background where you’ve had to be in control, this is a very difficult growing experience. Have you ever ridden in a car with someone and if they are not stopping quick enough or slowing down you press the imaginary brake? What a great analogy, thank you Holy Spirit! Well, so it is when we are following Jesus! We are in the passenger seat. We sometimes are going along and He’s in control and things are wonderful and then we hit a bump or we see a flashing light ahead that signals us to “use caution.” Maybe that flashing light is something from your past that God wants to free you from. You approach the flashing light and instead of pressing the imaginary brake, you jump in the driver’s seat and say move on out of the way Jesus, You are going the wrong way!! See, when Jesus is in the driver’s seat of your life, He is Lord, but when you jump in and start taking the wheel of your life then He is Savior. Sure enough He will be needing to save you too when the consequence of that decision comes rolling into your life. Yet, Jesus is ever so patient and so merciful. He is such a gentleman! He’ll let you take control until you learn that it’s really you going the wrong direction, not Him. So how do we keep Jesus in the drivers seat and keep Him Lord of our lives and not just Savior. • Just be real. Tell God when you struggle! Stop trying
to “fake it till you make it.” It doesn’t work
like that in the kingdom of God. Have a blessed and safe holiday season!! We’ll continue with part 2 of this message in January 2005! ----- October, 2004 - “When Trusting God Seems Next To Impossible” The prosperity preacher comes on television and says you are prosperous because Jesus has given you prosperity. The healing preacher says you are healed because Jesus has given you healing. Everything is done in Jesus. Praise the Lord!! Whoohooooo. You turn the television off with a spark of hope and emotional excitement. Praise the Lord – if God be for me who can be against me! Thank you Jesus!! You set your alarm for 6:00 AM and you awake to the blaring annoying buzz in your ear. You arise from your bed and stub your toe on all the self help books you’ve been reading and you stumble to the bathroom in the dark. You flick the light on to this “I don’t know” reflection and think to yourself, “Dear God, what happened to you.” You turn the shower on in hopes that it will awaken you and refresh that so called reflection you just scared yourself to death with. In the shower, you cut yourself shaving and blood pours down your leg, your full bottle of shampoo falls to the bottom of the tub with a loud boom. After you pick up the mess and actually get to wash your hair from the remains of the shampoo that has poured out on the bottom of the tub; you rinse and grab the bottle of conditioner and what do you know, not one drop left. I guess the kids used it all up. You make due and grab the leftover conditioner from the box of hair color you just used the night before to color your locks, in effort to beautify the reflection in the mirror, which inadvertently just scared you moments before. You step out of the shower and realize you have some leftover shampoo on the bottoms of your feet and you slip and slide across the floor. You manage to save the crash, but the reflection of your backside in the mirror is even more depressing than what you saw when you first gazed into the mirror. EEK’s!!! The phone rings and it’s so and so who wants you to pray with them for peace, when just moments before you completely lost all your peace because of the rough start of your day……which in all reality hasn’t even started yet. You comply with the norm prayer not really caring that your friend is distressed. You hang up, get an attack of guilt for being so self absorbed and then you begin to confess what an idiot you are and that you are so selfish and not worthy of the selfless love that God gives you daily. You then get your breakfast as you run out the door and on your way to the office – the daily hum drum yuk place anyway. Everyone around you has found things to complain about so you join in. The day is way average and rather depressing. You come home to cook dinner and what do you know, your out of salad dressing for the salad. In fact, you’ve been so busy that grocery shopping was the last thing to do on your list and so all you’ve got is salad for dinner and now no salad dressing. Great……….what else can go wrong?, you confess!! This ain’t prosperity you think!!! Then to top it off you are totally PMS-ing so everything is magnified emotionally. You throw yourself on your bed in a tantrum and confess “God my life sucks!!!!!!!” I’m an emotional wreck and I’m not experiencing this so called abundant life you talk about in Your word. Whatever, I’ll never amount to anything, this faith walk it too tough, and on and on and on and on you go!!!!!!! You tuck yourself into bed with tears rolling down your face and flick the television on to hear another preacher tell you about the abundant life. You turn the TV off, throw down the remote, and roll over with a huge sigh of hopelessness. What the heck happened? We operate out of the abundance of our heart. The Bible says “As a man thinks, so is he.” In studying for this months message I had to examine areas and belief systems of my own life that are still in need of renewing and refining. The process, though difficult, must be completed if we want to be all that God destined us to become. I’ll give you an example from my own life. Part of my ministerial calling is to teach others based on my own experiences (AKA – Evangelist). When God called me into ministry back in 1997, I didn’t realize it was for a future season. I quickly jumped out in ministry and was zealous to make a difference. Yes, I made an impact, yet I kept myself from experiencing the healing process that it would take to really be in ministry! I got so involved in the doing that I forgot about the being. To expound even more, I forgot about the “becoming” process of my walk. Because of my hurriedness I found myself in constant frustration because things weren’t growing. After a period of time I realized the ministry wasn’t growing because I hadn’t grown inwardly. I was looking for an outward manifestation without inward growth. See, one can minister out of their weakness or one can minister out of their strength…either way it will make an impact. The only problem is when one minister’s out of their weakness, they themselves haven’t truly experienced the victory. Leaders lead by example and people will follow a true leader, however that leader can take their followers down destructive paths because they themselves haven’t truly experienced their own personal victory, and they fall away discouraged, frustrated, and defeated. Jesse Duplantis says it like this: “never minister on what your going through because you don’t yet know how it will turn out.” What a profound statement!!! So with an incredible healing process that I allowed God to take me through in the summer of 2001, as difficult as it was, I became a victor over many areas of unbelief in my life. As I continue my journey with God there are still processes of healing and restoration as I come from a major background of abuse and sexual abuse, yet as I stay and embrace what God wants to do in me, it is there that I become victorious so that God can work through me. So I share with you this message on trusting God when it seems next to impossible. I want to look at 3 reasons why we struggle with unbelief. However let’s first look at some scriptures which I will base these reasons on. John 14:17-21 AMP The world bases it’s belief on what it sees. We are to base our beliefs on what we’ve received (Jesus). Keeping God’s commands should be second nature to us as we come alive to God’s love that has been deposited in us. John 6:27-30 AMP I see over and over and over in the body of Christ, people so busy “doing” the Father’s business that they have overlooked being in the Father’s presence. We are all naturally inclined to work endlessly to “SEE” the result of something we desire rather than just believe that a result is taking place simply by following the instruction we receive that results from our time spent with the Father. I see churches and ministries change their programs over and over again because they don’t SEE a quick result. What once was “God” instructing them, quickly turns to disappointment and defeat because the result wasn’t as they expected. So then in turn what was once God was written off as “I missed God” and another program is started to promote growth. The same goes in our lives as individuals. We tend to try and avoid pain at all costs and seek the pleasure in things. When in most cases it’s the pain that causes us to either seek the Father for the “real” answer or run away and continue down the same destructive path because we don’t want to get real with ourselves. In studying for this message trust is really faith, faith is really believing and taking God at His Word. I also have come away with this profound fact. Trust cannot be learned through man, it can only be taught by God, the Father through an intimate and personal one on one relationship with Him. There are 3 root causes that I believe steal your trust in God? • Pride (not realizing your full need of God) Proverbs 16:18 – Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. That to me is a very scary verse. We all battle pride to some degree. Some personality types more than others. I’m one of those High D – Choleric personalities so I have a real struggle with being “independent.” The “I can do it on my own” attitude has to be put in check on a consistent basis. I cannot do anything on my own if I want God to be the Lord of my life. Lord means Master over something. I am no longer my own, but I am God’s. I don’t own my life. Now because God knows my weaknesses God has blessed me with friendships beyond what I ever thought possible, and it just so happens that “trusting God when it seems next to impossible” happens to be their strength. I can “be real” with my friends and tell them my innermost struggles and they get on their face before God and intercede for me. They also hold me accountable!! God has chosen to surround me with a safety net of individuals that are always cheering me on and watching out for me. This is very important for everyone to have in their life. You are influenced most by those who you associate with. • Lack of Commitment Ruth 2:12 – The Lord recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings thou art COME to trust. *Notice the process - “thou art come to trust.” Now Ruth back in those days made a commitment to her Mother-in-Law and the world thought she was crazy. The commitment she made in the world’s eyes would bring her destruction. She would be sure never to be married if she chose to stay with her Mother-in-Law and go back to a foreign land. In fact if you study those times it was almost a guarantee that she would never marry again. However, Ruth found favor with God because she stayed committed out of a selfless act of love. She didn’t count her loss as her sister-in-law did. She committed to care for Naomi. Because of her faithfulness, God blessed her and Naomi. • Focusing on those things we see and not the unseen. If Ruth would have focused on what the world saw, rather than what she knew in her heart to do, God could not have brought her such blessing because she wouldn’t have been there to receive the plan He had for her. When things are not going our way in the natural we tend to focus on what is happening in the natural leading us further away from our desire in our hearts. We then tend to question God, we question ourselves…”did I really hear you God or was it my emotions or some bad pizza I ate the night before.” As we focus on our negative circumstances we can’t focus on the promises of God. Then the result turns into letting go of the promise because we haven’t been fully persuaded in our belief in what God says. We allow our circumstances to have the victory rather than standing firm on the promises of God. So how do we win the victory? We must choose to put our trust in God daily no matter what!! Webster’s defines Put as this: to place, set, lay, deposit, bring, or cause to be in any position, place or situation. To bring to or place in any state or condition. To oblige, to force, to constrain, to push to action. My favorite definition is this: To lay down, to give up, to surrender. Wave your white flag of surrender and lay it at the feet of the Father. Give everything up to Him!!! Trust defined is this: Confidence, a reliance or resting of the mind on the integrity, veracity, justice, friendship, or other sound principle of another person or thing. Confident expectation, hope, anticipation. To allow something without fear or consequences. To allow to be exposed. We must expose ourselves to God!!! He knows us, but He wants us to trust Him with everything. Read what a dear friend of mine wrote: “I don't think we can ever regret fully believing something. Okay, so we can get hurt. But I'd rather get hurt than to hold back in fully believing something, especially when we know how He works, we know His economy, His laws. I would rather live my life giving every fiber of my being to fully believing something, than to hold even a little bit back. I am nothing and have nothing but Him, and I don't want anything unless He is the source. So I will pour myself out even if it ends in disappointment, because that is what I am called to do. I give up my rights, I give up my feelings, and I just exhaust myself believing. I know what my God is capable of doing, and who better to put my faith in? Definitely not myself! Only Him. Always!” God is our Father and He loves us and wants to lavish His love on us. Maybe that is a totally foreign concept to you because maybe your own father wasn’t trustworthy and maybe he was abusive or emotionally distant. Truth be known, it is much harder to trust God the Father when we’ve been hurt deeply by our own earthly fathers. Though hard, it is not impossible!! Trusting God can only be developed through your relationship with Him. Bring to Him your failures, your successes, your defeats, your hurts, you victories, your lack of trust in Him, your anger with Him, everything………lay it at His feet. We have access!!! Jesus provided that for us. When I spend time with God I envision myself with Him personally. There are times that I crawl up on His lap. There are times that I cry on His shoulder. There are times when I don’t say a word to Him, but I’m there in His presence. There are times when I’m so frustrated with Him, yet His patience and understanding far outweigh my frustration. There are times when He just listens to my temper tantrums in His throne room. I write Him letters, He writes me letters. Yet, I still must make time to spend with Him. If I’m too busy then He’s not first. If He’s not first, then I will not know Him in an intimate way. As I was looking up Faith in Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance it amazed me. This is what it said: Faith has both an active and passive sense in the Bible. The former meaning relates to one’s loyalty to a person or fidelity to a promise; the latter, confidence in the word or assurance of another. Faith is not merely what a person believes, i.e., accurate doctrine or creed, but also and more importantly, that the object of his faith is valid. A man’s life is governed by his thoughts. He will ultimately become that which he dwells upon most in his mind. This is the reason for Paul’s instruction to the Romans, “Do not be conformed any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Romans 12:2. The purpose of faith (TRUST) • To gain understanding and grow in truth. The effect of faith. (TRUST) • Produces good works. The trials of faith (TRUST) • Proves depth What profound truth!!! You know, God does not test us to prove something to Him. He tests us to reveal to us our true selves. We can sometimes get to a place where we think we are much more than we are and I believe that we tend to overlook our weaknesses when we become prideful. God reveals those things and brings truth to those areas so we can be free. Strong’s continues with this: The value of faith (TRUST) Faith is necessary to please God. False Faith (TRUST): • When we believe in ourselves, more so than God. Romans
12:16 Faith (TRUST) works from the inside out!!! The Greek word for faith is Pistis. It is defined as belief, trust, with an implication that actions based on that trust may follow. Trust is a choice!!! You may have to choose second by second, minute by minute, hour by hour, day by day………but choose!!!!!!!! ----- September, 2004 - "SIN - What It Really Is" This message has been on my heart for months now! I have always heard sin defined by what we do. It wasn’t until Pastor Thom Cooper decided to do a series entitled “Clarifying Christian Concepts,” and preached a message on what sin really is, that my heart and my mind experienced this supernatural light bulb moment. I believe we should experience these revelatory moments and I’ve had some really incredibly revelation throughout the years, however this was unlike anything I had ever experienced before. After Pastor Thom preached on the subject of sin and what it really was, I literally walked out of the church that night with this incredible freedom. It was like someone literally handed me the keys to the kingdom and I saw God in one of the purest and simplest ways, unlike anything I had ever experienced in my Christian walk. So, over the course of the months that followed that message, I have meditated on this incredible truth. My entire life I have been taught that sin is an action. If someone is an alcoholic, their in sin; if someone is having premarital sex, then their in sin; if someone isn’t tithing then their in sin and the list goes on and on and on. Well, let me tell you that that is not the case! Ok, so you ask then, what is sin? If we go back to the original Hebrew and Greek definitions of sin, you will find that it is defined as unbelief. You will also find that in the original translation of the Bible, that the word “sin” was never a plural word (sins), it was singular (sin). So with that said, let’s look at a few scriptures. 2 Corinthians 5:18-21 (Amp) Now let’s look at 2 Corinthians 5:7 (Amp) Romans 3:23 says, for all have sinned and come short of the glory (God’s view and opinion) of God. Really what this says is “For all have walked in unbelief or chosen not to believe God, and fall short of God’s view and opinion of themselves. God reconciled the world to Himself when Jesus died on the cross. He looks at this entire world through His Son!!! Everything has been done!! It is our choice whether or not to believe it and accept it. So what are you saying Tammy??? Are you saying I don’t have to accept Jesus and I’ll go to heaven because everything has been done in Jesus? No, what I am saying though is that God poured all of His anger and wrath out on Jesus at Calvary and Jesus became our sin…He literally became our unbelief. Now, it is our choice to receive what has already been done for us. If we choose not to receive it, then God respect’s that choice, even though it hurts Him deeply. If we die and haven’t chosen Him, then open wide the gates of hell. So if sin is really defined as unbelief, then what would you define premarital sex, alcoholism, homosexuality, or pornography as? Well, I would define it as a symptom of unbelief. It is an action that corresponds with an area of your heart that has not yet come to believe what God says. For example, if I’m choosing to participate in premarital sex, then I’m trying to fulfill an area of my life with something other than what God intended. Why? Because I haven’t yet come to the believe that God is more than enough in that area of my life. As we journey with God we are supposed to come more and more alive to His love. As we come alive to His love, we realize how unconditional His love really is towards us. It is only as we come alive to His love for us, that we begin trusting Him more and more, especially in those areas where we have previously trusted in other things to bring us fulfillment. As we grow to trust Him more and more, learning about His character and knowing He really has a great plan for us and He’s not withholding anything from us, we begin yielding to His instructions because we know, based on experience, that they bring us life. Another point I would like to make is that if sin really was something
that we did…then wouldn’t God’s love and salvation
be based on our performance? God’s love doesn’t change
for us, whether we serve Him or not, so that says right there that
it’s not a performance issue. God would be an Indian giver
if He based salvation on our performance. We would need to repent
a million times a day if that was the case. As we build a relationship
with the Father, He brings to light those areas of unbelief in
us that need to be renewed by His view and opinion. We then must
choose to develop a belief in what He says about those areas in
our lives that need restoration. • Begin to evaluate yourself – look at yourself and
get honest – just be real!!. God is more than enough!!! His love is fulfilling and worth the pursuit!!! ----- August, 2004 - "Guarding Your Heart & Renewing Your Mind" - Part 2 Proverbs 4:23 AMP - Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance (watchfulness) and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life. We've got a lot of ground to cover in this month's message, however if you apply the things you learn you will be on your way to experiencing an abundant life. We know that Satan's primary goal is to steal the truth through deception. He is the father of lies and he will do what it takes to make the Word of God of no effect in our lives. That is why it is so important to get God's Word so rooted and grounded in your belief system that when circumstances of life are thrown like arrows they cannot penetrate your belief system. We also know that it is our inner life that shapes our outer life, be it good or bad. This can be positive or negative, depending upon what is influencing your heart. In other words, what has shaped your belief system in the past and what you are allowing to shape your belief system now. How do you guard the truth? Well first, what is your truth? Is your truth what you say about you or what others say about you? Or, is your truth what God says about you? If you make a mistake in your walk with God do you beat yourself up with your words or do you believe what God says about you? Well, I can assure you that God doesn't beat you with His words. People might and you might, but God doesn't, not ever!!! Did you know that even if you are dead wrong in a situation that God doesn't beat you up with His Word? Let's look at some of the things that God says about you. Colossians 1:21:23
2 Corinthians 5:18,19 Now this may get some religious minds in a knot, but there is no where in the Word that is says that God reconciled Christians to Himself. It says He reconciled the world. Everything for life and godliness has been done in Jesus. I cannot tell you how much it angers me when Christians accuse God of being angry with them and causing bad things to happen because someone isn't serving Him. Excuse me, but my Bible says that God poured out ALL His wrath upon Jesus!!! God is not mad at you!!! Yes, you still have to choose Christ to be the Lord of your life to have the abundant life Jesus died to give you, but He's not mad at you. Satan is looking to condemn you for any wrong that you commit. He will use Christians, he will use your best friends sometimes, or he will come against your mind and throw those fiery darts of condemnation and guilt, and if your not practicing application of the Word of God in your life, guess what…you walk around feeling condemned and worthless because you have allowed the enemy to come in an steal the truth. Not your truth, but God's truth!! God's truth has to be more real in your life than your truth which are usually assumed by the circumstances in your life. You must guard what God says at all costs. Now to guard that truth you must be in agreement with God whether you feel it or not. Let me give you an example from my own life. In 1994 I re-committed my life to Christ. In 1997 I fell into a sexually immoral relationship. Now when I chose to have sexual relations with this man, I chose something outside of God's best for me. I was dead wrong in making this choice, however God still looked at me and said, "Tammy is Holy and Blameless, she is reconciled to Me and when I look at her, I see Jesus." Now boy oh boy some religious people's minds are in knots right now, yet if you read the Word you'll see it for yourself. Did God approve of my actions…No He did not, but He still called me righteous. Why? Because it is impossible for God to look at this world any differently. He reconciled the World to himself through Jesus' death. See God calls those things that are not as though they were and it is our responsibility to agree with that as believers. The Word says "how can two walk together if they don't agree." As we come alive to the reality of God's unconditional love and acceptance of us, we come alive to His grace (His ability) to walk in obedience. As you come more and more alive to His love and acceptance of you, you will realize it is not based on your actions or what you do. When I fell into that sexual relationship I went through a period of time that I felt so condemned and that I would never be able to walk the Christian life. I wanted to give up. I thought I was just too far gone and just created huge messes in my life and that I would never be right. However, as I renewed my mind with the Word and I realized that God's view and opinion of me had not changed because of my actions, I then saw that God's heart for me in that He only wanted my heart to come alive with His love so that I wouldn't try to find completion in a sexual relationship. I experienced God's immeasurable love and acceptance of me, which in turn changed my heart to only want the things He had for me. I knew that He really loved me and wanted only the best for me. He wasn't trying to keep me from having a good time, He just didn't want me to have a good time at the expense of my heart. He was just looking out for me!! He wasn't angry with me, He was loving towards me. That is the power of the good news!!! Then enemy though, worked overtime in trying to steal that truth. It was only by consistently applying the truth of God's Word that eventually changed my heart and mouth to line up with what He says at all costs!!! In order for your mind to be renewed with what God says, you must come alive to His love. You must realize that the only view and opinion that counts is God's. Truth be known, it is only the view and opinion of God that is reality. II Corinthians 3:18 KJV says, But we all (that's everyone) with open face (no obstacles that block our perception or view) beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory (our view and opinion of us) to glory (God's view and opinion of us), even as by the Spirit of the Lord. Let's look at the AMP version. And all of us, as with unveiled face (because we) continued to behold (in the Word of God) as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another; (for this comes) from the Lord (Who is) the Spirit. Isn't that the coolest thing ever? So find the truth and apply it. For every problem that we have, God has an instruction. That instruction, if followed, will bring us into our best life!!! If you are struggling in an area, well lets just say you are struggling with anger, don't go to the Word and look up all the scriptures on anger because you are still focusing on the problem. Go to the Word and look up all the scriptures on peace and then apply them!! Pastor Thom Cooper recently preached a message on the love of God and he gave these points in how you apply scripture to your life. 1. Become a student of the gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John).
Read and re-read them. The love of God needs to come alive in you. *Remember, the only view and opinion that is reality is God's!!! Proverbs 4:24 says put away from you false and dishonest speech, and willful and contrary talk put far from you. False speech can also be defined as saying something about yourself that God would never say!!! God does not look at your performance and choose whether or not He will accept you. Everything was done at the cross, therefore we are the ones that choose whether or not to receive God's acceptance of us. Everything has been given to us in Jesus. It's our choice to believe in Him! God's love will never change for you whether you believe in Him or not. His love has never changed for you. He has just given you the choice to receive Him or to live your life without Him. It's your choice!! He loves and respect us that much!! This month's message is lengthy so I will continue with the message on sin next month. We will look at what sin really is! It will blow your mind!!! ----- July, 2004 - "Guarding Your Heart and Renewing Your Mind" - Part 1 Proverbs 4:23 NKJV - Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life. Proverbs 4:23 AMP - Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life. Proverbs 4:23 - The Open Bible - Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. Proverbs 4:23 - The Jerusalem Bible - More than all else, keep watch over your heart, since here are the wellsprings of life. Proverbs 4:23 NIV- Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. Proverbs 4:23 NLT- Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects everything you do. Well-spring defined in Websters is: In this month's message I am going to drive this point home. I want you to come away with a "knowing" and "understanding" of this scripture, as well as the keys to put into action what it takes to guard your heart. I talk a lot about what I refer to as a belief system. Well, your heart is the core of your belief system. What we believe is a result of what we've put into our hearts or in some cases what has been put there for us. For example, if you come from a background of abuse, be it verbal, emotional, physical or sexual; this has played a role in shaping your belief system. This message has been strong on my heart for the past few months. The women and youth that I have the honor of mentoring always come to a crossroad in their journey of putting into practice what the Word of God says. This is very difficult in a lot of cases because we do this by faith. That means that the Word of God has to become more real than every word or deed that has shaped our lives. In our humanness we learn things in our lives by means of an external source. Parents or guardians play the most influential role in teaching children about life issues, from cooking and cleaning to etiquette and manners, and in many cases about religion. In a Christian home we teach our children about Jesus, yet our children learn about Him from the outside in. There is only one that speaks to us from the inside out and that is God. When my friends encourage me, they can only encourage me from the outside in. They don't have the power to speak to me from the inside out. Think about that for a minute! Anyone can make you feel better about your life or your circumstances momentarily when they are building you up, but it's what happens on the inside of you that is really the most profound and influential source in your life. Have you ever been one to run to your friends when your afflicted and hurt? God is always the last person you speak to because you are used to the "human" approach or world's approach to problem solving. We want to HEAR someone identifying with our pain. We literally depend on one of our five senses to make us feel better. What do you mean by that, Tammy? What I mean is we seek comfort by using the gifts we have inherited in the flesh. When we can see, touch, taste, smell, or hear something, to us it becomes real!! In God's kingdom, we must walk by faith and not by sight or I'll add, our five senses. However we can only have true, real, believing, no doubting no matter what, kind of faith, at the level we know, understand, experience and operate in the truth of how much God loves us and how much we really understand His heart for us. We can only come to an understanding of God's heart when our heart becomes one with His. How can I have that doubtless faith when my circumstances (what I've experienced with my 5 senses) are screaming at me the total opposite of what I am believing God for? My friend this is the most important part of your journey with God!! This is where our belief system, our heart, comes into the picture. Everything we do is a result of what we or someone else have put into our hearts. Our heart is the center of our being! When the Bible speaks of our heart, it is speaking of our thoughts, our feelings, and our wants. What we think in our minds is a result of what we've learned or experienced, be it good or bad. When we have a thought, it creates a feeling which in turn drives our desires, be it good or bad. So when you take someone who has been abused sexually let's say, then their thoughts are a result of what they've experienced. They've literally had their innocence and trust ripped from their very core. They no longer know what it means to have childlike faith because someone took advantage of that childlike trust. So a renewing must take place for them to have their minds changed, and to become that person who once again can trust with childlike faith. The incredible pain one must experience to get back to their original design is so difficult. Many give up because it is so painful to be confronted with the remembrances, and even the thought of trusting someone again and opening themselves up is so overwhelming. Many are guarded with anger and unforgiveness because this has been their survival tool. It was mine for years, however because I went through the process of renewing my mind, God's thoughts became my thoughts and as a result I am free. This was not an overnight process at all!!! People couldn't fix my mind, God was the only one who could. During this time of intense healing that took place back in 2001, God kept placing Proverbs 4:23 in front of me on a consistent basis. I even used this scripture to protect me from getting involved in relationships with others because I took it out of context and said to myself, well people have hurt me in the past so I'm guarding my heart. God with His enduring patience and incredible gentleness, taught me what it really meant to guard my heart. It took nearly a year of meditating on that scripture before it really came alive in my heart and life. I would always try to find excuses and explain to God that people hurt you they don't help you. God taught me through that time that it is only His thoughts about me that mattered. However the process of renewing my mind as difficult as it was, simply meant changing my mind to agree with His!! When I magnified His Word over the words and actions of others, it was then that I began stepping into a freedom that was unbelievable. When it came alive and was in operation because it really was what I believed then I became free. I no longer was a victim of my circumstances, but a victor over them!!! I was no longer affected in a negative way by what others thoughts of me were. I now had God's mind and we were in agreement with each other and because of that, God was now authorized to move and operate in my life to a greater degree. Because God won't override my will because of His deep love and respect for me, I am the one who gives God authority to move in my life. As I renewed my mind with the Word of God I came alive to God's love for me!! I understood that when God looks at me, even if I am dead wrong in a situation, He sees me as perfect, holy, and blameless. Jesus did that for me and He did that for every other person in this world as well. Some just choose not to believe it. When we are in the Word of God for ourselves and choose to believe what He says, versus what others may say, we then are choosing to guard our hearts!! We guard our hearts with His Word. His Word is not a bunch of do's and don'ts, it's simply His instructions so that we live our best lives and experience the joy that Jesus died to give us. In our humanity our perceptions and judgments can be so off because of our life experiences, but praise God as we choose to see ourselves and others through God's redeeming love and grace we then experience that abundant life that Jesus was talking about in John 10:10 - For the thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but I have come so they may have life and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows). We however must guard that truth and that is what it means to guard your heart!!! The truth that comes alive inside of us needs to be guarded, because the devil, others (even other Christians), religion, or in a lot of cases our own negative thoughts try to steal, kill, and destroy it. Here are some practical keys to guarding your heart as you renew your mind: 1. Meditate on the Word of God. This means spending time in the
Word in one area to get it fully rooted and grounded in your belief
system so when challenged you will know your enemy's tactics (even
if your enemy is your own mind). Next month in Guarding Your Heart and Renewing Your Mind- Part 2, we will focus on what sin really is and how guarding your heart with God's truth will bring a deeper revelation of what sin is not. Be blessed and choose life by guarding your heart!!! ----- June 2004 - "God's Plan for Experiencing the Transformed Life" A Teaching by Pastor's Thom and Penny Cooper 1. Renewing the Mind 3. Framing our World 4. The Power of the Tongue 5. The Importance of the Heart 6. Establishing the Heart A. The three "P's" of the Bible confession - C. Cultivate an attitude of worship 6. Do it! Do it! Do it! 7. Settle the most essential issues first: Assignment: Read through the Book of Ephesians and make a list
of every verse, which says something about your identity in Christ.
Create a confession with that Truth. Example: "I am holy and
blameless in the sight of God. Thank you, Father, for choosing me
from the foundation of the world to be holy and without blame in
Your sight." PRAYER FOR CONQUERING THE THOUGHT LIFE In the name of Jesus, I take authority over my thought life. Even
though I walk (live) in the flesh, I am not carrying on my warfare
according to the flesh and using mere human weapons. For the weapons
of my warfare are not physical (weapons of flesh and blood), but
they are might before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds.
I refute arguments and theories and reasoning's and every proud
and lofty thing that sets itself up against the (true) knowledge
of God; and I lead every thought and purpose away captive into the
obedience of Christ, the Messiah, the Anointed One. Whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is any-thing worthy of praise, I will think on and weigh and take account of these things- I will fix my mind on them. The carnal mind is no longer operative for I have the mind of Christ, the Messiah, and do hold the thoughts (feelings and purposes) of His heart. In the name of Jesus, I will practice what I have learned and received and heard and seen in Christ, and model my way of living on it, and the God of peace - of untroubled, un-disturbed well being - will be with me. In Jesus name, Amen. Scripture References AMP (Prayer is from "Prayers That Avail Much" by Germaine Copeland) THE TRUTH TO RENEW YOUR MIND BY The goodness of God leads me to repentance (change of mind). I cannot be justified (made righteous) by the law. I am justified (made righteous) freely by God's grace. Justified by faith, I have peace with God through Jesus. I have access by faith into the grace of God. The love of God is poured out in my heart by the Holy Spirit. I will reign in life because I have received an abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness through the One Jesus Christ. God's grace (His ability working in me to do those things I cannot do in my ability) is always available to me because grace "reigns through righteousness." I was buried with Christ and was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father to walk in newness of life. Sin does not have dominion over me because I am not under the law, but under grace. I have been set free from sin. There is now no condemnation in Christ and I am IN Christ. The law of the Spirit of Life has set me free from the law of sin and death. The Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead dwells in me and gives life to my mortal body. The Holy Spirit confirms who I am - a child and heir of God, a joint heir with Jesus. The Holy Spirit prays for me when I don't know how or what to pray. I am more than a conqueror through Christ. Nothing can separate me from the love of God. If I confess with my mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in my heart that God raised Him from the dead, I will be saved. ------ May 2004 - "Angels In Your Outfield" Well, the message of the month is back! Again we apologize for the delays in not having them posted, however if you read our mission statement you'll understand! God is so good and things are moving in such an incredible direction for Out of Exile Ministries. It is very exciting!! We are seeing the fruit of our labors!! This month we are going to discuss a very hot topic in the world today - Angels. Some people perceive these spiritual beings as very feminine, usually with a large pair of wings or even chubby cherub types with wings. None of which are wrong. Study the different types of angels and you will find it's fascinating! Most of us have a fond recollection of the biblical story of the angel Gabriel who visited Mary to announce that she was going to bear THE SON, and she would call Him Jesus. Whatever your perception may be of angels, I believe this message will give you incredible revelation and insight into their purpose!! So, get your Bible's and let's go… All flesh is not the same…there are…heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies…a natural body…a spiritual body. (I Corinthians 15:39-40, 44) The Bible does not present a specific doctrine of angels, at least not as independent and autonomous subjects as are God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, and human beings. Always and everywhere in Scripture angels appear only in relation to God and humanity, in the role of servants. Their function as well as their glory is that of service. In both the Old and New Testaments the root word for angel means "messenger." The Hebrew word Mal'akh in the Old Testament and the Greek word angelos in the New Testament mean simply "messenger," whether human or divine. When these two words refer to messengers from God, as they frequently do, they are translated into English as "angel." Angels are hence the elect (I Timothy 5:21) ambassadors or emissaries of God. The importance of both the Hebrew Mal'akh and Greek angelos for the study of angels is that both terms describe the function or duty of angels rather than their nature. .In general, angels simply do God's bidding, whatever that may be. They appear as helpers and protectors to people in need, as proclaimers of news or mediators of revelations form God as guides and guardians. Excerpt taken from "All The Angels In The Bible" - Herbert Lockyer Ok, so that gives you a little info about angels and their function. Psalm 148:2, 5 Now this is when it gets really interesting. Ok, in the garden when God created Adam and Eve, He transferred dominion to them to care for the earth. We all know that Adam and Eve sinned, however God had a perfect sacrifice in Jesus to supercede the Abrahamic covenant and fulfill the new covenant. Now, before the new covenant was fulfilled by Jesus' death and resurrection, the Holy Spirit had not yet come. Jesus had to leave this earth for the Holy Spirit to descend from heaven. When that happened, also known as Pentecost, we inherited an incredible gift. We now have the Holy Spirit, which gives us access to the throne through Jesus Christ! This is when it gets fun. Ok, now we have access to the throne, we have direct access to God, through the power of the Holy Spirit, and because of the finished work of Jesus on the cross, we are now seen as righteous and holy before God, and we now have the same power that Jesus had. So in other words, we have the power to command our angels and they respond to our words, because all of our words are spirit. Read my Message of the Month entitled "The Power of Words." That will really bring you revelation. Psalm 8 WOW!!! That is incredible. That shows you right there that we as human beings have dominion, and now because of Jesus we have inherited the power to command our angels! Now, they listen to our words because we walk in the authority of Jesus Christ Himself. This is why it is very important that we watch our confessions because our words carry power and authority into the spiritual realm!! Now lets just say the confession of my mouth is not lining up with the Word. The angels hear and obey us and they serve us. One minute we command them to go before us, beside us and all the way around us to protect us, but in the same breath we're confessing junk in our lives…such as…I'm so depressed, or I hope I don't get in a wreck today, or one of my family members is dying. What you are literally doing is keeping your angels from completing their task you've assigned them to. Let me expound! If you've just commanded your angels to protect you, and then you utter doubt and fear by allowing your circumstances to dictate your words, rather than standing in faith to move those negative circumstances in your life away, then your angels are literally slowed down in moving on your behalf. Make sense? That is why it is so important to confess what God say's about you. Find an alternative to every circumstance that lines up with the Word of God. We know that the Word of God, the Bible, is His will. Let me give you some examples: You are considering applying for a job but your nervous that you will not be able to do it. So rather than standing on the what the Word says in Phil. 4:13 - I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me, you confess your doubt and fear that you won't be able to accomplish what you would like to do. So the alternative to this situation is to reverse your confession. The Word supercedes the circumstance, instead of the circumstance superceding the Word. When this takes place this will allow your angels to go to work on your behalf. Always remember that God cannot and will not override your will, so if your confessions aren't lining up with what His will is (His Word) then He will not be able to move on your behalf because you have not come into agreement with what He says!!!!! This is so important!! Have you ever watched a baseball game? It doesn't take long to realize that there are tools of the trade. You need a ball; a bat; a batting helmet; a batting glove; a fielding glove; and cleats. You wouldn't get out there to play pro-ball without these tools. You would be crazy to even attempt it. Well the same goes in the kingdom of God. Many Christians are in the spiritual outfield and they don't have all the tools to play the game. Many of them are out there with a whole lot of what they've heard about the spiritual game, but never been through the training to play the game, so they wing it. I mean, seriously have you ever thought about this. Someone attends church on Sunday. They get enough strength to get them through…well Sunday. Then life slaps them around a little and by Tuesday they are confessing that their life sucks and they hate this or they hate that, and they will never amount to anything, and the list goes on and on and on. Their circumstances are now eating up any potential faith that they may have had and they can't line up their life with the truth of God's Word and come into agreement with Him because they only got enough fuel on Sunday to get through Sunday. We need to be in the Word daily, and be in conversation with God daily. We need to have enough of Him in our daily lives so that when we are up to bat and we've got someone or something wanting to strike us out, we can instead hit a homerun in our faith journey because we have enough Word in us that we know that our circumstances are subject to change and we live our lives by that TRUTH. Truth is not in our circumstances, Truth is what God say's about those circumstances. It says 453 times in the Bible, that it came to pass. You have angels in your outfield! Don't hold them up with your doubt and unbelief!! . Batter up!!!! ----- January 2004 - "The Seed" This month’s message I believe will bring revelation to not only new believers, but also to those who have been walking the Christian journey for years. Growing up on a farm gave me a lot of insight to this message as God prepared me to deliver it. It was so amazing how it came together in my mind’s eye. The more and more I’m in the Word of God; I find it to be so simple. I sometimes wonder how it can be distorted by religion because of its simplicity. I think the only way someone can misunderstand the Bible is if they don’t read it for themselves. Now when I was growing up my family attended a “hell, fire, and brimstone” preaching church. My perceptions and beliefs about God were so messed up. I thought God would do something bad to me if I sinned. I thought that if I could not be perfect for Him then I was bound for hell, fire, and damnation. I developed the mindset of “why try” I’m gonna burn anyway. Instead of running to God in the midst of my confusion, I ran away from Him because my beliefs were that in order to talk to God you had to confess every sin that you knew of and pray to God that there was nothing else in your life that was wrong or you would surely be condemned to hell for even trying to communicate with Him. It was horrible!! Well my life was crazy from the time I came into this world. From being molested and raped as a young girl to living dangerously by being sexually promiscuous in my teens and early twenties. Like I said, I had developed a mindset that I was going to burn anyway, so why try. I was going to live it up and have fun. Needless to say, the fun was always short lived because deep down I was a miserable mess trying to fill that emptiness inside of me by things that eventually brought emotional and physical destruction to my life. Then I would turn around and blame God for how miserable my life was. I hated God back in 1993. I remember screaming out to Him after my best friend committed suicide about how much I hated Him and would burn in hell so I wouldn’t have to be with Him. Why would I want to live with someone that makes your life miserable? Well, can I say that I was so incredibly wrong about God!! I didn’t find that out in a day or even in a year or two. It’s been a journey!! See, Jesus took every wrong I will ever commit and bore it on the cross for me! He became my sin so that I could be spotless before God. There is nothing I could ever do to change that or change His love for me. My actions do not have to be perfect (and believe me they are far from it). God does not love me based on my do; He loves me based on my who!! It’s WHO I am, not what I do. You know the “church” (not all churches) have missed the mark in many cases. They can be very judgmental. However, just as the Word of God says, man/woman will look at the outward appearance but God looks at the heart. It’s the heart of a man/woman that will make his/her life abundant or destructive, because everything we do in action is based on what we believe in our heart. I’ve seen many churches tell people to change their behavior, but few tell them that they are loved and accepted in Jesus. I see them condemn someone’s actions before they invest in their heart. You know when I first started out in ministry I would go into adult entertainment clubs and tell them what Jesus did for me. I would tell them that Jesus saves and I'm out of the industry and look at me. It was all about me!! It wasn’t about them!! As I have grown and matured in Jesus, I have come back to that message but it’s different now. It is not about me, as much as I want it to be at times, but it’s about them!!! It’s about investing myself and stepping up to the plate and believing in them, just as someone believed in me. One of my dearest friends on the face of the earth that God placed in my life nearly 6 years ago did just that. Let me tell you I put that man through the ringer with my words and actions at times. Yet still, he just believed in me and continued to invest in me. He inspires me to live my life beyond “ME.” He could have walked away when my actions disappointed him or because I didn’t meet his expectation in my walk with God, just as many of us have done to others. All of that to say…it is not the church’s job to change someone’s behavior, it the church’s job to teach the gospel, the good news, that will change someone’s belief about themselves and they will see themselves as Jesus sees them – accepted, loved and adored. Once belief in themselves through Jesus, comes alive in the inside of them then you will see their behaviors change because it’s impossible for someone who really believes they are valued and prized to continue settling for less than they deserve. Now, with you having read this, I believe that this message will hit you deeply. One of the names of Jesus Christ is “The Seed.” In Isaiah 53 we see the prophecy of the coming of Jesus. Vs 10 says, Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When you make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand. Jesus was The Seed!!! The Seed that continues to bring forth a harvest. I heard a quote one time that is so true! It takes broken soil to grow a flower. When we become a Christian, God loosens the soil of our heart and plants His Seed (Jesus). Once the Seed (Jesus) is planted, our hearts and the power of the Holy Spirit places a demand on that seed to produce what it is supposed to and become what it was created to be. Christian translated, simply means “Little Jesus.” Now that Jesus (the Seed) has come to live on the inside of us, “The Seed” must produce and become what it was created to be. Our flesh (mind, will, and emotions) is the soil that needs to be worked and tilled and loosened for “The Seed” to produce. That is why it is such a battle, because our flesh has things like insecurities, pride, anger, bitterness, resentment, selfishness, low self esteem issues, depression, etc., but “THE SEED” knows what it was created to be and places a demand on our soil (flesh) to produce. It works from the inside out, just as a seed that is planted in the ground! Luke 8:11-15 NKJV says this: There is so much insight to that scripture. Let me break it down for you. I’ve numbered it above to correlate with my definitions. 1. Those by the wayside: Before I committed my life to Christ
when I would feel that tugging on my heart to give my life to the
Lord, the devil sure would take it away because he didn’t
want me to believe and receive what Christ did for me. We live in an “I want it now” society. It’s all around us. Have it your way!! 0 to 100 in 2.5 seconds, and the list goes on. The world has appealed to our senses and literally programmed us to get it now. That’s why so many are in debt because hey, let’s buy it on credit and pay later! Gone are the days of earning the money to buy what you want!! God does not change and His ways are best. He will work the soil of hearts and take His time to nurture and care for us. He will be sure that things are rooted and grounded in us before elevating us to another level. Now our own wills can elevate us, and God will stand back because we are not resting in His care. However, I can assure you that we will pick up where we left off with God every single time. There is not starting at the top of the corporate ladder with God. You are promoted fairly and squarely. God loves us too much to put us in a place that we are not ready or equipped to handle. Praise Him for that too!! Let’s go to Mark 4 and read yet another explanation Mark 4:13-20 NKJV I want to expound on an area here. When the scripture say’s “when tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they stumble. This does not just mean persecution by others for your belief. I believe this is referring to the fact that when you don’t see a manifestation of what you believe in. For example, the word say’s by Jesus’ stripes we “WERE” healed, so when we become sick we question the word of God!!! That is what this is referring to. In other words we question the truth of God’s word when our human eyes don’t see what we think we believe. When you believe something nothing can deter you from that belief no matter what it looks like and no matter what your circumstances may be!!!! Mark 4:3-8 NKJV In studying for this message I found out this profound truth. Did you know that a seed when planted in the ground has to die before it will produce what it is supposed to? Jesus, "The Seed" had to die to produce what He was supposed to!!! That is so powerful!! So that is what the journey with God is all about, we receive "The Seed" when we accept Christ. "The Seed" places a demand on our flesh (soil) and we have a choice to rest and let that seed grow, or struggle and continue to dig that seed up to see what it is producing or even if it is producing. If you dig up a seed that you've planted in the ground it will not grow. I believe when we struggle and fight the very thing that will bring us freedom we are too anxious. And we experience delays in our walk with God because our flesh struggles with yielding to the seed (the character of Christ). God leads us "THROUGH" the valley, He doesn't build a bridge!! As you begin to see who you are in Christ through a daily journey with God, and by the way it’s a lifetime experience so have patience, you begin to experience the abundant life that Jesus promised in John 10:10. I believe that is why it's satan's biggest fear for God's people to find out and experience who they are in Christ, because once they know their identity in Christ, it is impossible for satan to torment them with their past, be it a past of our own choices that hurt us or a past that is filled with horrible memories of what someone else did to us, and suppress the abundant life that Jesus promised!!! God is god of complete restoration and what’s really great is that He believes in you even if you feel no one else does!!! He is everything you need and the only thing you need to make your life worth living!!!!!! Rest and grow!!!!!! In His Grip, Grace, and Strength, Tammy Dahl ----- November/December 2003 - "Beyond the Mask, Part II" This is Part 2 of the October Message of the Month. This will cover November and December. Last month I told you to begin journaling areas of your life in need of healing. I also stated that this month you would have homework! That will be assigned at the end of this message. I pray that throughout this past month that you've really been digging deep and have some clarity as to why you feel you need to where a mask and what type of mask you wear. Your journaling was a way to an honest approach of where you really are as well as creating a tool of reflection to see your growth. I cannot tell you how important it is to keep a journal. I have reflected so much to my past journal entries and have seen the immense growth in my life in all areas. I believe that journaling is a vital key to healing. I believe that I'm an expert on the subject of "wearing a mask," as I shared last month, I used to wear them and change them like socks and shoes! Whatever the occasion called for, was the mask I wore. For those of you who haven't read October's Message of the Month, please go into the message archives and read it before continuing. You may also want to refresh your memory! The messages that are posted are meant for you to study, not just read. You need to get these messages rooted and grounded in your belief system to effectuate change in your life! Never take messages that anybody preaches, at face value, because God may show you something deeper when you study things for yourself. God wants you in the Word for yourself. You cannot just go to church on Sunday and then not be in the Word any other time throughout the week. Take the sermons your pastor preaches and study them, take notes during the service and then take them home and meditate on the Word your pastor delivers. It is so important!! Take these messages and do the same!! Ok, lets get started! I'm taking some excerpts from a book that really helped me in the area of removing my masks! I encourage you to pick this book up, as it is a Bible study guide. The book is "Dropping Your Guard," The Value of Open Relationships, by Charles R Swindoll. You can order a tape series that contains 12 messages and corresponds to the study guide I just referred to, through: Insight For Living This is an excerpt from Chapter 1, titled "Loosening the Mask: How It All Began. Read Acts 2, 4; Ecclesiastes 4 Full self-disclosure is something we tend to avoid at all costs. In fact, we are prone to keep people out of our private worlds by wearing masks - not physical masks, but psychological ones. Some of us wear an "I'm tough" mask so that others won't see how weak and frightened we are. Many of us display an "I'm holy" mask, which hides our struggle with temptation and sin. The "I can handle anything" mask is another one that we commonly put on. Behind it, we may feel bewildered and hurt, but this mask makes these emotions practically undetectable by others. Are these cover-up games worth playing? Certainly not. How could a life characterized by phoniness, loneliness, and slavery to a lie ever compare to one marked by honesty, companionship, and freedom to live the truth? The latter lifestyle is the one God wants us to have; it is the one that will bring us the greatest joy. So let's commit ourselves to putting away our masks as we learn the challenges of relating to others in an unguarded way. That is a priceless picture of what we do and why we do it! Again, I encourage you to get this little book. I wish I could tell you that you would never be hurt again. I wish I could say that Christians never screw up. However, I would be telling a huge lie and leading you down a very false path. The fact is that no one is perfect. No one does everything just right and we all at one time, or another have hurt someone and will again hurt someone. When we drop our masks it seems we become even more vulnerable to be hurt by someone. The problem with that perception is that when we wear our masks to protect us from hurt, we still "really" get hurt but we don't deal with that hurt. By wearing the mask, we stay in denial of that hurt and therefore we don't heal. In order to heal from a wound that someone causes we must face that hurt, admit that hurt, deal with that hurt, and finally heal from that hurt. We cannot even start the process of healing though until we come face to face with the truth of that hurt!! When I dedicated my life to the Lord in 1994 I thought, great a new start, I'm a Christian and bless God it's a new day! Well, praise the Lord it was a new day, however little did I realize that I still carried my baggage from years of abuse and hurt. One of the visuals I conduct in my "Survive Alive" emotional healing workshop is by having an individual confess Christ as their Savior while having material wrapped around their entire body from shoulders to ankles and then try to function normally. It's absolutely impossible! What happens when we become Christians we accept Christ and the work begins from the inside out. It doesn't happen from outside in!! Most believers try to build on the faulty foundation. In other words they begin building on the material (baggage) wrapped around them rather then realizing that God has to undo all the junk (unwrap the material) to build His purposed foundation in your life. You can't build on the junk!! I tried and failed miserably. I would wonder why I could never get free and why I returned to the same old patterns. I was a new creation in Christ, why wasn't I free, I would think to myself. It was so frustrating because the cycle was absolutely vicious and emotionally paralyzing. I believe that is why many people who become believers walk away from God because #1, no one teaches them this stuff and #2, it is so overwhelming to have to sift through the baggage and you can't do it alone and #3, your perceptions of God are so distorted that you have to have someone lead you in truth, yet you don't trust anyone because no one in your life has been trustworthy! So as the enemy would have it, you become overwhelmed, think you're a hopeless case, and say, "This God thing is crap." Can you tell that I've been there or what???? Or maybe this is your scenario, you actually get yourself to step out and trust someone and in the meantime in the back of your mind you are saying, "when is this person going to hurt me?" or maybe it sounds like this "What does this person want from me?" So you set yourself up, (it's called self sabotage) you get hurt and the first thing you do is say "See, I told you so." See God, I trusted you and you stepped on my heart!! Can you tell I've been there as well???? The enemy knows you so well, so he can set you up for failure and then you walk away with your head down and say "I can't do this God thing," and your miserable, but that's the way you've been programmed for life, so believe it or not it's your comfort zone!!! I would always sabotage any type of relationship I had, just so I could say, "See God, I told you so." Then I would withdraw into my comfort zone and then I could justify my behavior because once again I was a victim!!! The largest mask we wear is the mask of self-preservation!!! Until, your willing to remove that mask you will continue in the same self-defeating patterns. I'm here to tell you that there is hope if you're willing to get honest about yourself to break free!!! There is freedom!! I can tell you it's not going to be easy to drop your mask though, but you must to be free! Let me tell you that there is so much freedom and the incredible relationships you obtain in that freedom is priceless. Now you're going to get your homework assignment!!! I'm going to give you "action oriented" steps to begin your process of healing. The first assignment is to look up every scripture telling you about who you are in Christ. If you haven't yet made a commitment to Christ…now is a perfect time. Begin with this prayer: Father, I need you! I need you to be the leader in my life and to teach me your ways. I believe in your Son, Jesus Christ. I know that He died and rose again to give me life! I accept Him as my Lord and Savior! Thank you for loving me and I thank you for healing my emotions. Please help me Jesus to overcome my fears and insecurities of getting hurt. Help me to break free from this cycle of self-destruction. In Jesus Name, Amen. If you prayed that prayer, please write to me and we'll send you a little packet of information along with a little book that will help you understand the grace and love of God. This will get you started on your journey! Ok, now for the homework!!! Assignment 1 - Look up all the scriptures you can find on "love." The Word says that God IS love, so this will begin to show you the true character of God. This will help you begin building trust in Him because by reading the Word you get to know His character. Assignment 2 - I want you to write a letter to God and tell Him how you truly feel. Even if you've been mad at God because you've misunderstood His character. Assignment 3 - I want you to write a letter/letters (DO NOT SEND IT TO THE PERSON/PEOPLE) to those who have hurt you in the past. I want you to tell them how you feel. Express your emotions in these letters. Assignment 4 - I want you to write a letter to yourself from those
people that have hurt you and tell yourself what you want or have
wanted to hear from them, about yourself for years. Assignment 5 - I want you to write a letter back forgiving that person and then releasing it. Now you might say, Tammy, I am so not ready to forgive. I ask you then, what good is it doing you? By not forgiving someone you continue to hold onto the baggage. By forgiving someone it is not giving them a license to hurt you again, you can create healthy boundaries. You must forgive. You may have to forgive them daily until it actually takes root in your belief system and it doesn't hurt anymore and you don't become angry when you think or talk about what they did to you in the past. Read the message titled "Embracing Your Afflictions To Discover Your Freedom" in the message archives. Study those scriptures. Assignment 6 - Find a mentor. Observe someone for a time and study his or her actions with others. Are they good listeners? Are they caring and compassionate in their body language? Hang out with someone that has character traits you want to see come to fruition in your own life. When you find that someone ask them to help you go through your healing. You must take a step in that direction. God will have the perfect someone to walk you through hard areas!! That I can guarantee!! He did it for me and He'll do it for you! If you want me to mentor you I will be more than happy to step into that role, however I really encourage you to find someone you can spend time with to assume that role. Now if you live in the Orlando area I can certainly arrange some time with you!! Be encouraged!! It's worth every fighting step you take. It's worth the vulnerability!!! You can do this and I believe in you!!! In His Grip, Grace and Strength, ----- October 2003 - "Beyond The Mask" PART I I apologize for not having the messages of the month posted in a timely manner throughout the summer. This summer has been a crazy one, but as I say it is all good, cause it's all God!! This month I want to talk about something that I think everyone of us either have done or are currently doing. That something is "wearing a mask." No I'm not talking about masks one would wear on Halloween. I'm talking about a different kind of mask.
There was a time years ago that I wore every one of those masks my friend. Until Jesus nurtured my belief system about myself, about Him, and who I am in Him, I would reach the shelf within myself and place a mask on for whatever the occasion called for. It was such bondage to me, and because I've been there, I know that it is a bondage to everyone else who lives with this same issue. I had a lot of fear in giving up those masks. It didn't happen overnight, but it happened. Now, I live beyond those masks and each time I feel as if I need to pick one of them up, God gently reminds me that there is no one else like me so why would I want to be someone else. We pick up these masks based on our own insecurities. Insecurities can be traced back to our overall emotional health. We must get to the root of our insecurity to properly deal with the symptoms of what is being produced in our life. So let's first begin with our emotions. Let's take a look at Webster's definition of Emotion. Emotion: Our emotions have everything to do with living beyond the mask or choosing to wear a mask. Uncontrolled emotions affect every area of our lives. They can hold us captive in fear, they can cause us to make life-altering decisions, and they can paralyze us. They can also be a source of freedom when we allow God to control them. God is the healer of our emotions. He sets us free from dangerous emotions such as anger, bitterness, resentment, unforgiveness, etc., through a journey of healing. He replaces those destructive emotions with His very nature…LOVE. He is LOVE. He doesn't just feel love, He is love!!! He gives us peace (calm emotions) in our souls when we allow Him to control our emotions. To live in peace is the greatest achievement in our lives. However it involves and element of trust! We must trust God! The greater we trust Him and His plans for our lives, the greater peace we will walk in. In order to trust God though we must get to KNOW HIS CHARACTER!!! The journey of knowing God is life long. How can you trust someone you don't know? How can I stand up and place my belief in someone unless I know him or her? Let me give you an example: I have been blessed with incredible friendships. Friendships that literally blow my mind!! I could never have had those friendships had I not removed the masks I wore for years. If someone accused one of my friends of lying, I would look at them as if they were from another planet, and I can assure you that I would say NO WAY, my friend would not do that. They could try and convince me otherwise and it just wouldn't happen. Why??? Because I KNOW my friend!! I know that person's character, I know that person's heart. Now, if someone made the same accusation about a person I didn't know I wouldn't be able to passionately stand up for him or her. Why??? Because I have never invested my time or energy in getting to know them. The same is true with God. If I don't invest my time and energy in His Word and in talking with Him and listening to Him, I could be deceived by strange doctrines and teachings (the Word of God warns us of that). I would be like a ship tossed to and fro, because my emotions would not be stable. See, with my friendships my emotions are stable because I've spent time with my friends to KNOW them, therefore nothing would be able to steer me away from that belief I have concerning them. I know that my friends would not intentionally hurt me. I know that they look out for my best interests and are honest with me about areas of my life that need to be changed (that's a true friend). Now people are imperfect, so at times we may get hurt by our friends, but not maliciously. However, because of maybe the relationships we had with our parents, or some religious teaching that had guilt and condemnation as the motivating emotions then we tend to not want what God has to offer us. Many people have these horrible perceptions of God and who He is, based on what they've been taught. In fact, recently while we were in church someone had placed a tract on all of the cars in the parking lot. It was titled "Holiness or Hell." It was a false teaching because it was based on guilt and condemnation!!! That is not from God! How can guilt and condemnation come from God when His very nature is LOVE? If I didn't know God I could have been led astray with that false teaching. Besides that, the Word of God says that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ. When we are not in Christ, meaning we have not chosen Him to be the Lord and Leader of our life the enemy uses guilt, condemnation, anger, bitterness, fear, rejection, etc., to keep us from making that choice to get to KNOW God. I heard a pastor say one time that the devil is not after your stuff; he's after your faith. When you have faith in something, you have a belief in something. When you have a belief in something, you will have a peace in regards to that something. Am I making sense? Think about that!!! When we choose God and we begin to know Him and His character, we will eventually see who we are, through Christ, His Son. That I believe is the biggest fear of the devil - he does not want you to find out who you are in Christ, because once you know that…there is no way that he can torment you any longer. And let me say, the devil is a sore loser!!! The devil will play on your emotions, and he will do that by appealing to one of your 5 senses in some way. Stop him in His tracks and confess the Word of God right back to him. Jesus did!!!! The Word is the final authority and we have to allow the Word of God to speak to our emotions. When God speaks to us, He speaks to us through one or more of our 5 senses. Our 5 senses trigger our emotions. Just think about that for a moment. That is why it is so important to watch what you put in your life. You could watch (sense of sight) a movie that has pre-marital sex and adulterous affairs, and usually those types of movies show a man leaving his wife for a younger better version or vise-versa, and it affects your emotions. Maybe you get angry, yet something deeper happens. You've opened your eye gate and let something into your heart that could later set the course for you to struggle with trust in your relationship to your spouse. Does that make sense? I cannot stand to watch filth on television because what we see will eventually be written on the tablets of our hearts. Proverbs 4:23 says, Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life. Vigilant defined in Webster's is simply this - Alert to danger!!! I want to live a victorious life! I want everything Jesus died to give me. He set me free from the curse, because He became the curse. Because people are not perfect we have to rise above a lot of what "other's have said" about us. We have to know what God says about us. You can't believe what God says until you make a commitment to learn what He says. The Word of God is alive!!!!!!!!!!!! It will change your life!!!! God is perfect!!! He is worthy of our trust and full reliance on Him. Proverbs 16:3 says to Roll your works upon the Lord (commit and trust them wholly to Him; He will cause your thoughts to become agreeable to His will, and) so shall your plans be established and succeed. If you have a thought that is well, not good, then it does not line up with what God's Word says. So, flip your Bible open and find a scripture that deals with what you're struggling with. You can get Bible programs for your computer, however I like having something I can carry with me, like a book. There is a great book that covers literally everything. It's called "Where To Find It In The Bible," by Ken Anderson. Let's say you are struggling with anger - go to the book and look up the word anger and it will point you to all sorts of scriptures that refer to anger. It's awesome! You don't have to be a Bible scholar to be free! Live beyond your mask and remember:
Next month I'm going to continue this message and give you some "homework." In the meantime I want you to journal areas in your life that are in need of healing. Remember God is the healer of our emotions! I love you, and most of all God loves you!! You are a treasure to Him!! ----- August 2003 - "The Bride" As most of us well know, summertime is the most popular season for weddings. I, myself, being a resident of Florida, personally would prefer a Fall or even Winter wedding, but statistically across the world, Summer is the most preferred time to wed. I chose "The Bride" as my topic for August's message of the month as this is something that is very near and dear to my heart. I have believed for my husband for nearly 7 years. Now, 7 years ago I was far from ready to be a wife, however that was and still is my heart's desire as I have prepared over the years. I have not seen the desire to be a wife manifest in the natural realm, as of yet, however my faith has increased. In this month's message I really want you to identify and gain knowledge in a spiritual perspective of becoming "The Bride." To become something, one must practice. Webster defines "become"
as this: I really enjoyed seeing these particular definitions: Notice in those definitions that it involves a process. It is not instamatic!! When we first come to know Christ and accept Him as our Lord and Savior, we begin the process of becoming "The Bride of Christ." Now the Word says that Jesus is returning for a bride without spot, blemish, or wrinkle. What exactly does that mean? Does that mean He's coming for a bride that looks perfect? Does that mean that He's coming for a bride that does everything right? The answer to those questions is simply, No! I believe that there is a deeper revelation to the bride He's returning for. Have you ever witnessed what a bride does to prepare for her wedding? She usually is exercising to shed her body of a few pounds and tone up before the big day. She is very careful as to what she is eating. She is busy with ordering invitations, choosing her bridesmaids, shopping for her dress and having it fitted. She is planning the details from the time of day the wedding is to take place, to the choosing the food for the reception. The details of planning for a wedding are exhausting, but she is preparing joyfully without tiring, for the approaching day. The Lord spoke to me several months ago and told me to begin preparing and planning my wedding. I have been obedient to His instruction even though I see no evidence of my bridegroom. Now some of you may be thinking…this woman is crazy! I disagree and say no, that's faith!! God is moved by our faith!! When God spoke to Abraham and told him that he would be the Father of many nations, in the natural there was no way it could take place, as Abraham was impotent and Sarah, his wife, had gone through her change of life. Now, Abraham had a choice either to believe or be passive. He chose to believe and have faith in the Word that God had spoken to him. However faith without works, as the Bible tells us, is dead. We know that Sarah did not have Immaculate Conception, just miracle conception! Abraham had to act upon his faith by attempting to impregnate his wife. Now the Bible doesn't tell us how many times Abraham attempted this, however I would have to say that it was probably a lot more than once. Abraham's ACTION upon the prophetic word that had come from God was the liaison between the prophetic word and the manifestation of the promise of Isaac, Abraham's son. In other words, we must act upon the Word of God to see the promises of the Word become rhema - the Word made flesh or become manifest in the natural realm. We walk by faith and not by sight!! If you study the miracles in the Bible you will see that there is always something in the natural used as a liaison to produce the supernatural. Take the 5 loaves and 2 fish that fed the five thousand, it was the faith that multiplied what was seen in the natural. Jesus' first miracle was turning water into wine. The water was the liaison between the natural realm and the supernatural miracle that took place. When faith (the preparation) was applied in action, the miracle took place. We as the body of Christ are to be preparing for Jesus' return, in faith. We must not be sitting around and waiting, but we must be preparing ourselves and being an instrument to help others prepare as well. Revelation 21:2 That word adorned means to deck or decorate; to add to the beauty of, by dress; to deck with external ornaments; as, a bride adorns herself for the altar. To set off to advantage; to add beauty, splendor, honor, or distinction to; to embellish by anything external or adventitious; as to adorn sentiments with elegance of language. I believe that the adorning that God is referring to is His character on the inside of us that should become manifest on the outside (our flesh). When we accept Jesus, the Holy Spirit comes to live on the inside of us to instruct us in all things. We don't immediately resemble the character and attributes of God, because it is a process of "preparing" and "becoming." We prepare as the bride of Christ by getting into His Word and getting to know His character. We spend time with Him in communication (prayer). We listen to Him and obey Him. As we spend time with Him, we will begin to emulate His character, not only so others begin to recognize Him in us and are drawn to His character, but to also become complete in Christ and see ourselves as righteous through Jesus and know who we are in Him. Others will naturally be attracted to that quality of character in us, because everyone has been created with a God shaped hole in them that can only be filled by Jesus. Many people tire of the preparing time when it comes to their relationship with God. Maybe things happen in their lives that cause them to doubt and not believe in the Word and promises of God. When you have doubt and unbelief, it really is just another area in your life that is still in need of preparation. It's an area that has not been renewed in your own belief system about God's character. People leave God because of their own belief system. Once you truly get a hold of the knowledge that God is for you and that He loves you unconditionally, you can't leave. It's that preparation time though that renews your mind and cultivates your belief system. Surely if a woman is desiring to marry and the groom to be has popped the question she is not going to sit back and wait for the wedding to happen, she must prepare for it and plan. She must invest her time and energy in the preparation. The same is true when you choose Christ. You can't say a simple sinners prayer and then not invest in what you've just committed to. If you do that, you will never walk in the full potential of your God given destiny and purpose. You will just exist and judge the Word of God as unfulfilled promises. When you accept Jesus, you are choosing to be His bride. His bride must prepare for Him!! Even after you marry, you cannot coast in your relationship with your spouse because your relationship will not grow. It will not survive! Let's say your struggling in an area of immorality (sex, addictions, pornography, etc); you are simply not renewing your mind daily with the life giving water of the Word. It is impossible to be diligent in the Word of God and your behaviors not be changed!!! IMPOSSIBLE!! The key is your diligence and your obedience!! If you sin, it's because you want to sin. There is no other reason. In Matthew 9:15-17 Jesus says: "Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast (prepare). No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse. Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved." What this is saying to me is we need to be preparing and growing and becoming more and more like Christ each and every day through His Word. We need to submit to God and obey Him. It is His responsibility to change us. It is our responsibility to allow Him to. The sad result of not preparing and just coasting in our relationship with God is what we miss out on. Sometimes the loss is great as you read in the following scripture. Matthew 25:1-13 NKJV Walking with God is a narrow path, but the freedom we experience as we walk this journey is indescribable. Marriage calls us to holiness!! It changes us!! Allow God to change you! As you submit to Him, no matter how uncomfortable the journey is at times, you become His bride without spot or blemish or wrinkle!! Be blessed and be encouraged! Tammy ----- May 2003 - "Affirming Love" I chose this topic because this is my heart. People ask me from time to time Tammy, what is your passion? What is your purpose? What is your strongest conviction? Well, its loving and being loved unconditionally! Love is a verb - it requires action! Love is the strongest power in the universe. It has the ability to change the course of a life….I'm living proof. August 17, 1994 Love changed my life! How did this occur you ask…well God uses people, just like you and me. I re-dedicated my life to God and He called a family to open their doors to me to live. I can tell you the kind of love I received from God through that family was Affirming Love. It is the love that changes things. In I Corinthians 13 Paul used 15 action verbs to show what love is. Love is not a feeling; it is something that you do. When love becomes a verb, it is the most powerful force in the universe. The word love is used so often and in so many contexts that it's meaning is diffused. Let me give you some examples of love:
These two kinds of love are needed in life, however I want to talk about love that changes the course of someone's life. This love is known as agape love!
Most of us have experienced a tinge of love for the unlovely. It's the kind of love that doesn't get fluttered by emotions and heart palpitations. It's the love we must make a conscious decision to do. There's that action again…do. Notice it has nothing to do with feelings. How many mistakes I have made winging it on feelings. How many people in my life have been hurt just winging it on feelings. Our feelings change as often as our clothes. The real answer is that our basic need for love encompasses all of the kinds of love I've just described:
All these levels of love, mean touching others, or making contact with one another, and of sensing our destiny as human creatures. Agape love is Affirming Love - It is an act that recognizes another person. Affirmation conveys to others our awareness and recognition of their presence and worth. Affirmation in all its forms is love in action. It's God Love! Read Psalm 139:13-16 God was affirming you and me in the very act of creation. But He didn't stop there. The measure of God's love can be found in Romans 5:8. God's love is unconditional. He wants us to grow, to become more than we are. That is why He sent His Son. As we get caught up in God's love for us our human love becomes more complete, which empowers us to give that love back to someone who needs it. The unlovely! I am not claiming perfection in this area, but I'm seeking to become more and more like Jesus. God uses human life to touch others. He is depending on us to touch the brokenness of this world. Affirming Love doesn't dole out alms with clean hands; it gets dirty hands by helping others help themselves. The goal of affirming love is to help others stand on their own feet, discover their potential, and develop healthy self-acceptance. We are what we are because of how someone else affirmed us, or maybe for many of you have not affirmed you. Love is learned by those around us, from birth all throughout our lives. I have a love for those who don't have love and have never been given love in God's way. I lived a life of rejection and cut downs, never believing in myself, always wanting to give up - I still deal with these areas at times - and God somehow and someway uses someone to touch me and give me words of affirmation to keep going. A word of Affirmation can change someone's day, someone's life. The last thing I want to touch on is "The Church." This is a difficult subject because the church has gotten so off track of its intended purpose. The church means "The Called Out Ones." The church has great potential in the arena of affirming people. One of the prime purposes of the church is "fellowship." This carries a deep meaning - it is a oneness of spirit in which there is acceptance and encouragement. The church is the unique arena of affirmation, because there one receives from God ultimate affirmation as a person - redemption and salvation. I like this description of the church - A core of fellow strugglers who know their need and are working together, helping each other grow and become what they were designed to be. In many of our churches we have lost this sense of intimacy. Someone once described a group of Christians as "God's Frozen People." Since the basis of church membership is acceptance by God, the church is called to be that one place on earth where individuals can experience unconditional acceptance and affirmation. I have experienced in my travels of sharing my testimony churches that have been unhappy with the discomfort they experienced as they learned of my history. I'm not even in the lifestyle I once was anymore and in some churches I'm just not accepted. 1 John 4:7 Experience teaches us the best way we can respond to God and become free persons in the context of a fellowship. In fact, we can love God only in a response to His love for us. But our own sin has blinded us to God's love that we must first experience it through others, as they love us. A loving, affirming group can become the mirror in which we see reflected in God's love. I challenge you to open up your Bible and study the passages of scriptures I've noted in this message. Be blessed~ Tammy -----
April 2003 - "Who's Jesus Are You Living On?" We'll be studying a few verses out of John 6. I encourage and challenge you to study the entire book of John as it really teaches us the importance of a relationship with the Father. John 6 speaks of Jesus feeding the five thousand with the miracle of the loaves and fishes. He then speaks of being the Bread of Life. So with that said, get your Bibles and turn to John 6:26-30 Vs. 26 - 30 Amp. Vs. 26 Jesus answered them, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, you have been searching for Me, not because you saw miracles and signs but because you were fed with the loaves and were filled and satisfied. Vs. 27 Stop toiling and doing and producing for the food perishes and decomposes (in the using), but strive and work and produce rather for the (lasting) food which endures (continually) unto life eternal; the Son of Man will give (furnish) you that, for God the Father has authorized and certified Him and put His seal of endorsement upon Him. Vs. 28 They then said, What are we to do, that we may (habitually) be working the works of God? (What are we to do to carry out what God requires?) Vs. 29 Jesus replied, This is the work (service) that God asks of you; that you believe in the One whom He has sent (that you cleave to, trust, rely on, and have faith in His Messenger). Vs. 30 Therefore they said to Him, What sign (miracle, wonderwork) will You perform then, so that we may see it and believe and rely on and adhere to You? What (supernatural) work have You (to show what You can do)? In vs. 30 - they still don't get it. They are looking for some miraculous sign when they need to be seeking His heart.
Vs. 39 - 43 AMP Vs. 39 And this is the will of Him who sent me, that I should not lose any of all that He has given Me, but that I should give new life and raise (them all) up at the last day. Vs. 40 For this is My Father's will and His purpose, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in and cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up (from the dead) on the last day. Vs. 41 Now the Jews murmured and found fault with and grumbled about Jesus because He said, I am (Myself) the Bread that came down from heaven. Vs. 42 They kept asking, Is not this Jesus, the Son of Joseph, Whose father and mother we know? How then can He say, I have come down from heaven? Vs. 43 So Jesus answered them, stop grumbling and saying things against Me to one another. Jesus came to teach relationship, not religion!!! How many of us get uncomfortable when hearing of things that are not within our comfort zone? We begin to grumble and complain and judge because we have God in our own little box of conformity. A religious spirit hinders the plan God has for your life. A religious spirit hinders your own spiritual growth. Here are some things that will help you identify if you are struggling with a religious spirit: " You ask yourself - What will other people think? Now Let's read Vs. 47 I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, he who believes in Me (who adheres to, trusts in, relies on, and has faith in Me) has (now possesses) eternal life. Vs. 48 I am the Bread of Life (that gives life - the Living Bread). Vs. 52 Then the Jews angrily contended with one another, saying How is He able to give us His flesh to eat? Vs. 53 And Jesus said to them, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, you cannot have any life in you unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood (unless you appropriate His life and the saving merit of His blood). Vs. 57 Just as the living Father sent Me and I live by (through, because of) the Father, even so whoever continues to feed on Me (whoever takes Me for his food and is nourished by Me) shall (in his turn) live through and because of Me. See how they questioned His word? John 6:60 AMP Vs. 60 When His disciples heard this, many of them said, This is a hard and difficult and strange saying (an offensive and unbearable message). Who can stand to hear it? (Who can be expected to listen to such teaching?) They let their human flesh (mind; will; and emotions) separate
them from God. Vs. 61 But Jesus, knowing within Himself that His disciples were complaining and protesting and grumbling about it, said to them; Is this a stumbling block and an offense to you? (Does this upset and displease and shock and scandalize you?) Vs. 62 What then (will be your reaction) if you should see the Son of Man ascending to (the place) where He was before? Vs. 63 It is the Spirit Who gives life (He is the Life-giver); the flesh conveys no benefit whatever (there is no profit in it). The words (truths) that I have been speaking to you are spirit and life. So many of us allow our human minds and our human perceptions identify our relationships. We must submit to the Father, our minds, our wills, and our emotions (our flesh) because our human minds will never understand the Father. This is what it means to be Spirit led. Vs. 64 But (still) some of you fail to believe and trust and have faith. For Jesus knew from the first who did not believe and had no faith and who would betray Him and be false to Him. Vs. 65 And He said, this is why I told you that no one can come to Me unless it is granted him (unless he is enabled to do so) by the Father. God will not compete with our flesh. This is the importance of submission to His truth. Once we die to our human ideas and perceptions of who He is and what He does, the Father can draw us by means of His Spirit. Vs. 66 After this, many of His disciples drew back (returned to their old associations) and no longer accompanied Him. Many will not submit as we saw here in verse 66. Vs. 67 Jesus said to the Twelve, Will you also go away? (and do you desire to leave Me?) Vs. 68 Simon Peter answered, Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words (the message) of eternal life. Vs. 69 And we have learned to believe and trust, and (more) we have come to know (surely) that You are the Holy One of God, the Christ, (the Anointed One), the Son of the living God. **Vs. 69 - we have learned to believe and trust Webster's defines learn as this: To gain knowledge of; to acquire information concerning, as by instruction, study, observation, experience, etc.; to acquire a skill in. To fix in mind; to memorize To acquire as a habit or attitude Learned: Characterized by, resulting from, or requiring study and learning. Many times we rely on our Pastors and Sunday School Teachers to teach us what they have learned. Instead of holding them accountable to the Word of God, as we should, we become spiritual pigs trying to gain the nutrition of the Word through their words, rather than the Word being made flesh (we have come to know) in our own lives. We get stuck in the cycle of religion and not relationship. Let me tell you what religion is, Terry Crist, author of "The Image Maker" defines it as this - Religion is man's attempt to gain divine favor based on man's terms rather than God's terms. At the root of all religion is man's search for significance. Religion is man's acceptance of God, but Christianity is God's acceptance of man. In order for us to live on our own Jesus, we must commit to the development and cultivation of a personal relationship with Him. Here are some helpful ideas and tips for you to grow and come to know Him more: " Commit yourself daily to walk with God and be open to what He has for you, not what you see He has for you. " Be diligent in spending time with Him (not religiously, but relationally). Nothing but vain works is birthed out of religion. In having a personal relationship with your Creator, you allow Him to use your vessel any way He chooses - even if you look foolish. " Be willing to step out of the boat and walk on water. I can assure you that you will have to leave those that still want to stay in the boat. Any many will stay in the boat thinking you have lost your mind. In all truth - you have lost your mind, because your being led by the Spirit of God, and when that happens, your mind needs to sit out on the bench. " You may walk this alone for a while and it will hurt in many ways, but as I read in an article this weekend, God never wastes a hurt! I'll leave you with this final thought God will remove you from your box, so you can remove Him from His. ----- March 2003 - "Becoming God's Woman" by Tammy Dahl As I've been seeking the Lord about March's Message of the Month, He impressed upon my heart to teach and instruct women directly. Men, I challenge you to read and study February's Message of the Month, "Becoming God's Man", by William Haltom. Recently, I've had the distinct honor of spending time with William. He is a man after God's own heart. The time that we spent together in prayer and worship truly blessed my life. During our visit together he could not express enough to me about how strong I was. Thinking and meditating on his words provoked my thoughts to nothing else but Proverbs 31. This is ultimately one of my favorite scriptures in the Word of God. It has been a focus and goal of mine for quite sometime. There is so much wisdom in this chapter about becoming the woman God intended and created you to be. Let's look at Proverbs 31, beginning with verse 10 (Amplified) A capable, intelligent, and virtuous woman, who is he who can find
her? She is far more precious than jewels and her value is far above
rubies or pearls. Vs. 27 Wow this woman rocks!!! What is really awesome is that we in Christ can become this woman. How you ask? Does this happen overnight? Not exactly! It's been an intense journey for me, just as it will be an intense journey for you. However, it is possible to attain over the course of your life as a woman. When a man notices the strength of my character, it tells me that I am becoming this woman of noble character. This woman grows from the inside out. There is no woman who can attain this character from the outside in!!! It begins with having a relationship with God and learning His character. As you grow in your relationship with the Father, His character is formed and fashioned within you and you begin to emulate Him in your daily life. Those that see you cannot help but recognize the glory of God being made manifest in the physical realm. You will not find this character in human flesh. As we commune with God, His nature is imparted into our Spirit man. This becomes manifest in our flesh through our consistent obedience to God out of our reverent and worshipful fear of Him.
- Reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord. (vs. 30) Her obedience (reverence and worship) to God brought forth the manifest Wisdom of God that enabled her to be the woman she was and to accomplish all that she did.
She is all about keeping God first. This is important in any and all relationships you have - Family, friends, etc. God must be the foundation for successful relationships. - Her private life was consistent with her public life. (vs. 1) This is huge!!! We need to live beyond the mask. We need to live consistent, disciplined lives. She was capable, intelligent, and virtuous - this was her character. Character is who you are when no one is watching!!! - She was servant-minded and servant-hearted. (vs. 20) She served her husband, her family, and others. She always considered what was best for them. She was not selfish or self motivated. What are your motives in your relationships - are you a giver? Or do you always give out of expectancy to receive? Our human nature is selfish and self-centered. What's in it for me? - The life within her flows from the very heart of God, therefore enabling and equipping her to be an edifying source (life giver) to her husband (vs. 12) I challenge you to study Proverbs 31!!! Seek the Father concerning His heart for you as a woman. He has placed a blueprint for you here. You can only attain it by seeking the face of God and learning His character that eventually you will begin to mirror!!! Be blessed mighty woman of God!!! ----- February 2003 - "Becoming God's Man" a message by William Haltom Before we compare the Israelites coming out of Egypt to today's men coming out of what binds us, it is important to understand what Egypt represents and why we need to leave it behind. So the Egyptians made the Israelites their slaves and put brutal slave drivers over them, hoping to wear them down under heavy burdens. They forced them to build the cities of Pithom and Rameses as supply centers for the king. (Exodus 1:11) We must realize that satan doesn't just keep us in bondage to destroy
us and rob us of our God-given destiny. He aspires to use us to
build his kingdom on earth. He can use a pornographer to
not only destroy himself and the women he exploits, but to take
the images/idols he has created of them and disciple a generation
of pornographers. Satan can take a person gifted in music, seduce
them into lasciviousness and all kinds of perversion, and turn them
into a "star" whose every action is literally worshiped
and mimicked by countless young people. In today's information age,
the devil is working harder than ever to put "brutal slave
drivers" over men -- demonic forces that turn natural human
desire into spiritual strongholds -- and use these men to build
"supply centers" that will help expand the kingdom of
darkness. Coming Out of Sin They cried out for help, and their pleas for deliverance rose up to God. (Ex 2:23b) God desires for us to be free from sin, but He created us with
a free will and therefore will not force salvation upon us. We must
seek Him for deliverance. This was the case with the Israelites.
God appeared to Moses only after His people began to cry out to
Him. Certainly he had Moses in mind from the beginning to be a savior
for Israel, and He prepared Moses for that task in Midian. But He
waited for the people to make the first move of asking for deliverance
before He began instructing Moses. It is the same with us today.
Jesus instructed us to "knock, seek, and ask" for what
we need (Matt 7:7). Each of us must be brave or desperate enough
to come to Jesus and ask for our healing (Matt 8:2, 6). We must
be like blind Bartimaeus who would not let others silence his pleas
for sight (Mark 10:46-48), or the woman with the issue of blood
who pressed through the crowd in faith that if she could just touch
his robe she would be healed (Luke 8:43). Like these heroes who
acted in faith, we must cry out to be free from addiction, anger,
depression, or anything else that keeps us away from a life of freedom. Load them down with more work. Make them sweat! That will teach them to listen to these liars! (Exodus 5:9) When Pharoah began oppressing Israel even more for what Moses said
to him, many of God's people actually resented Moses for coming
to save them! They were willing to stay in the slavery they had
gotten accustomed to rather than endure even more persecution for
seeking freedom. Similarly, many men today find the temptation to
sin or the struggle to walk a "straight path" to be too
much. They lose heart and give up the fight...retreating back into
the "familiar comfort" of their pet bondage. We must never
lose heart in doing what is right! God is faithful to do what He
said, and we must act on that belief no matter what our circumstances
are "saying" to us. The Wilderness: Getting Rid of the Slave Mentality. Israel was delivered externally, but then began the process of internal deliverance. To quote Dr. A.R. Bernard: "A man who has no vision for his future will always return to his past." Israel had to leave their old thoughts behind, and the key to doing this was communion. Starting with the eating of lamb at Passover and continuing throughout the desert with manna God provided, they had to learn to trust in and abide with God continually, accepting that His ways were not their ways. They had to capture the vision of God's promised land for them, and allow the passion of that vision to drive them onward through the tough times in the desert. It was a long, grueling journey, not due to physical distance, but to the distance many of their hearts were from God. Just like Israel, we must abide with God daily in order to leave our "slave" or "victim" mentality behind. Taking communion is our reminder that we are saved by His strength, and we walk in His grace, not our own. As we commune with God he reveals to us things that need to change in our lives. The same sins that kept Israel out of the Promised Land can potentially rob us of our destiny as well, but as we abide with God he reveals them to us so we can forsake them and stay in the race. Entering in and Finishing Strong. "We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them." (Numbers 13:33b) They said to Joshua: "The LORD has surely given the whole land into our hands; all the people are melting in fear because of us." (Joshua 2:24) These two verses represent blatantly different perspectives that Israel had during their journey. They could have entered the Promised Land almost immediately, but their hearts were still full of fear and doubt. They didn't trust God enough to bring them in despite His faithful provision for them along the way. Israel's slave mentality actually made them desire Egypt rather than God's promise! A modern example of this is given in the book The Relationship Code, by Darin Hufford. In it he relates the story of a young woman who had previously been in an abusive relationship with a man, but then began dating a wonderful Christian man. Sadly, she couldn't handle the unconditional love the Christian man gave her, so she left him and eventually married another abusive man. As the book notes: "...after having her emotions dictated by violence for such a long time, it is difficult to function in a "milk and honey" environment. Sometimes it is easier to be in bondage than it is to be free (p 28)." We will never enter God's promised land for us as "our old
selves." We must know we are new creations in Christ, and live
accordingly. Only then will we have the strength and courage needed
to leave the familiarity of where we have been in order to venture
the unknown land that hides our destiny. We must view our obstacles
as David viewed Goliath: through the eyes of a covenant. David was
not a "grasshopper in his own eyes," even if he was in
Goliath's. Goliath saw David in the natural, but David knew that
in the supernatural he was in fact standing with God, and God was
there to see justice get done. ----- January 2003 - “Making the Word Work” In the “Power of Words” teaching (October Message of the Month) we saw that the spoken word brought forth a manifestation. We’ve examined how words have affected who we are. Now we need to begin to reverse any damage that has been done to us or by us through the spoken word. How do we do this? Well let’s reflect – God spoke creation into existence. You will speak what is inside of you. So if you have been dealing with a “death” word, you will need to begin speaking a “life” word. However, in order to speak life, you must have life infused inside of you. Matthew 12:34 – You offspring of vipers! How can you speak good things when you are evil (wicked)? For out of the fullness (the overflow, the superabundance) of the heart the mouth speaks. Now – the first part of that scripture is scary. How can you speak good things when you are evil (wicked) – let me bring some revelation to you – Wicked defined in Hebrew simply means condemned. So let’s look at the scripture with this insight - You offspring of vipers! How can you speak good things when you are condemned? For out of the fullness (the overflow, the superabundance of the heart the mouth speaks. Let’s break the scripture down even more – You offspring of vipers! Now when I think of a Viper, I think of something that has the power to hurt me – with its MOUTH. I think of fangs and seeping poison that can be injected into my flesh and kill me. How many of us are here a product of a viper? Many of us are infected, not affected but infected by someone who has spoken or done horrible things to wound us and paralyze us physically, spiritually, and emotionally. So let’s look at this scripture again- You offspring of vipers! How can you speak good things when you are condemned? For out of the fullness (the overflow, the superabundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The Word of God is the anti-venom. It is the only anti-venom that will work. You know I was channel surfing some time ago and I saw this cleaning product that promises to “Restore” and not just “Clean.” I immediately witnessed in my spirit that God “RESTORES” us. He doesn’t just give us a bath and a pretty outfit and make us look clean; He restores us wholly and completely. However, we have a part. We have to receive this. You cannot receive something that you don’t believe you are worthy of. Pastor Allen Speegle say’s it like this – “anything you walk around feeling condemned or unworthy about, you cannot overcome.” Proverbs 16:6 – By mercy and love, truth and fidelity (to God and man – not by sacrificial offerings), iniquity is purged out of the heart, and by the reverent, worshipful fear of the Lord, men depart from and avoid evil.
When we find acceptance we will discover the truth about God and ourselves When we discover the truth we will begin to change from the inside out When we change we become faithful to God and His ways When we are faithful to God we come to a full understanding that we are the righteousness of God through Christ Jesus. Love=acceptance Acceptance=truth Truth=change Change=fidelity Fidelity=righteousness It’s a process. It’s involves an element of time. The secret to making the Word work is by building a deep relationship with God. By doing this we begin to understand WHO He is and not just what He can do. Once we begin to learn that we can trust God with our hurts and our failures and He won’t use them against us, it is then we begin to revere Him with a respect and love beyond our human compass. We begin to worship Him and praise Him for true freedom. The Word of God establishes our thoughts and trains us to think like the Father. Write the Word of God on your hearts, and begin to confess it with your mouth. Remember, out of the abundance of your heart the mouth speaks. We must fill our minds with the nutrition of the Word so that it fills every corner of our heart, so we begin to confess “life” and not “death”, Blessing not cursing. You are not condemned because of the work of Jesus Christ, so stop thinking you are unworthy. What your really saying is “God, your Son wasn’t good enough.” Think about that the next time you begin confessing junk that doesn’t line up with the Word. 2 Corinthians 10:5 (In as much as we) refute arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the (true) knowledge of God: and we lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed one). So let’s reflect – Infuse your mind with the Word – put the anti-venom to work ----- December 2002 - "Journey to Zion Part II" In order for you to get this message in it's entirety please study November's Message of the month - Journey to Zion Part I. Thank you~ First, let's pray~ Let us enter in~ Last month I made 6 points in Journey to Zion - Part 1. I want to dig deeper into those points in the latter part of the message, but first I want to give you revelation into this subject of Zion through a practical foundation divinely inspired by God. Again, I implore you to read and study through Journey to Zion - Part 1 for a complete understanding. We briefly discussed in part 1 that very few Christians ever enter into their full potential in Christ because they grow weary and faint. Well, Galatians 6:9 says "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Zion: God's warriors. God's chosen vessels gather in Zion to be released back out to take back what satan has stolen. In order to enter into Zion we must be endure a time of testing. The Valley of Baca is the place of testing. The Valley of Baca interpreted means valley of tears and mourning. This valley I believe is used to crush the habit of living out of our emotions and feelings and get us to the place of standing on the Word no matter what our circumstances are screaming. We are strengthened for battle in this valley. Some may ask, how can one be strengthened when it appears that when you're in this valley it is when we are our weakest? Well, I believe that is the key. The Word says that when we decrease, He increases. It is in His strength that we are made perfect! You have heard of military boot camp or as it is sometimes referred to as "Basic Training." Basic Training is a grueling 12-Week period of time in which you become disciplined; physically conditioned; and mostly a time when you learn about authority and the fact that you have none. In fact, if you even think about questioning your authorities or speaking your mind about how you feel about certain things, you will be in for a rude awakening. Probably an awakening unlike anything else you've ever experienced. I'm sure you also know that not everyone makes it through basic training. Some don't even last the first day. Can you imagine if just anyone could walk off the street and say "I want to be in the military!" That is a scary thought! I sure can tell you this much, we would have a weak, disorganized, undisciplined, and rebellious military force and we as a nation would be so exposed to destruction that America could not stand as the free country that she is. We would continually walk in the fear (intimidation) of being overtaken at any time. So in essence, there is a sifting, testing, and trial period one must endure to become a member of the military. I will even add the fact, that as you continue to make rank in the military, the testing goes on. Well so it is with the Kingdom of God. Zion is the place for "God's Special Forces" team. Special Forces in the military are used to secure the perimeter prior to troops arriving. These individuals that make up the Special Forces teams have made it through various skill tests, endurance training, and mock military exercises enabling them to gain the experience for the real thing. They didn't just waltz into those positions; they had a season of testing and a season of having to prove themselves worthy of being part of a special operations team. Their job is to be the forerunners. The meaningful name "forerunner" signifies one who goes in advance to make observations or act as a scout, especially in military matters, or one sent before a king to see that the way is prepared (Is. 40:3; Matt 11:10) As I said, Zion is the place for God's warriors. These are the people who are appointed by God to be part of His Special Forces unit. They are His pioneers, the file-leaders who go before His people to prepare the way. Jesus was our forerunner. Christ is the heavenly Joseph who went before to prepare a home and provisions for His brethren. Just as John the Baptist was Christ's forerunner on earth, so Christ is ours in heaven. We are the forerunners to usher in these last days and raise up the Bride of Christ. However to be part of God's Special Forces team, we must be trained and experienced in the things of God. We must know the Word and know the Kingdom principles, lest we fall. Take a fighter pilot for example. He has to fly hours and hours and hours in a flight simulator before actually taking flight. Then when he takes flight, he again has to put hours and hours and hours of actual flight time in. Once he's completed his flight hours they begin flying training missions. In these mock training simulations they must maintain a nearly perfect hit/hit record of target destruction. They are also put through the rigorous stress of being a target, (by computer simulation only) which enables them to perfect their aviation skills. They must do all of this before becoming a fighter pilot. So it is when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. We don't automatically become "forerunners," we need to earn that rank by traveling through the valley of testing and trial. Remember, the Valley of Baca. God won't promote just anyone to His Special Forces team. Why? Because God loves you so much that He won't put you in harms way. He won't put you in a place that you aren't skilled through experience for. He must test you to strengthen you for His purpose that He will use you for. You must be strengthened for battle! So lets go over the points from part I in greater detail: 1. Your heart must be fixed on God. 2. Your strength is in God, not in yourself. Not any part of your
own self can make it through this valley without falling away. 3. Realize you are passing through and not remaining. Focus your
hope on the thing to come. You will be dwelling in the secret place
of the most High. 4. Your passion must be for God and not what He can do for you. 5. You are the one who chooses to line your circumstances up with
the Word and what it says. 6. Don't live your life based on your circumstances surrounding
you; live it as if you have already reached your destination. All in all the choice is yours! Do you want to know God, I mean really know Him? Or do you just want to experience some signs and wonders and some spiritual fru fru as I refer to it. Yes the fru fru is awesome too, but what about getting before God and He says….depart from me I never knew you. What will you say….Lord, Lord, we prophesied in your name, we cast out demons in your name…………and all He says through the lump that has lodged itself in His throat and amidst the tears streaming down His face…….."depart from me I never knew you." At the end of my life I want to stand before the Creator of the Heavens and Earth, my Father and see Him smile. I want to know that I made a difference in His life. I was more than just something that rented space here on earth. I want to know that by my obedience and submission to Him and His authority, I was able to be a witness and testimony for Him here, and bring souls into the Kingdom. I want to know that at least I was able to ease some of His pain that He experiences by being separated from His creation. I want Him to be proud that I am His daughter and He is my Father. Can you feel His heart? Can you hear His heartbeat? Are you willing to lay down your life for Him if it means you can make Him smile? Are you willing to be an instrument of His glory and not your own? Look at Cassie Bernall's life. She is a martyr. She is still bringing glory to her heavenly Father simply by her obedience in an evil situation. God asked her, "Cassie, will you make a statement for me?" "Cassie, will you make a difference for me?" "Cassie, it will cost you your life?" Yes Lord, she replied, for you Father anything. Either way those who are called of God are called to give up their life or their called to give up their life. No I didn't just repeat myself. It's 100% truth. When God chooses you and you say Yes Lord, you are saying I give my life to you Lord. I am no longer my own. If you need me Lord, even if you need the life held within my body through your breath Father, it is well with my soul. Happy Trails - See you in Zion!! ----- November 2002 - "Journey to Zion" This month's message is deep! In fact, I have literally been prepared for 3 years to deliver this message. For those who have been walking with God for some time, you may see things like never before, that apply to you, right now in this stage of your journey. I hope this message brings you to another level of understanding and deeper revelation of God and the greatness He has called you to. You have heard the word Saint used many times throughout the Bible. Saint defined means Holy one. In first person I say that I am holy, set apart, and sacred to be used for His purposes only. Once you study the message your about to receive, you will see that this is God's divine purpose for your life. To be set apart for HIS PURPOSES ONLY! Praise you Father! There is a lot of dying to self that is involved to be fully consecrated to God and know that you are set apart. It's a high calling that many will never reach, unfortunately. I'm not saying you won't make it to heaven, I'm simply saying that you will not reach your full potential in Christ. Let me share with you my journal entry, the beginning of the call of God asking for my life to be totally consecrated to Him. June 9th, 2000 Dear God, June 10th, 2000 I came back to my bed and sobbed. I wept until it hurt. I then felt literally as if God himself was lying beneath me and I was laying my head on His chest. I felt so safe, secure, and loved. LOVED!!! I then fell asleep in His arms for a while. In the physical realm this is one of my favorite things. There is nothing like being wrapped up in the arms of someone with your ear to their chest hearing the rhythm of a heartbeat and falling asleep. After I rested some, God awoke me and started speaking to me. I saw a vision of my heart with daisies popping up all over the place. I had to laugh and cry too. I then saw this beautiful home with horses and barns and daisies at the entrance just blowing in the wind. Then I saw a blanket of snow and saw myself riding horse in this snow. When I was little and had my horse Judy, I used to love the sound that her hooves made walking in the snow. Then I saw a heart hanging at the gate entrance to this plush horse ranch and it said "My Valentine" with a painted daisy on it. Then the Lord spoke to me and said I was His Valentine and this vision I was having was my future home. He was building it for me. He said that my home would be filled with so much love, acceptance, and respect for each other. He said my home would be a haven of unconditional love. Then God prompted me to read I Corinthians 13. I saw it in a way I had never seen before. I felt God pouring out His heart and love to and for me. Then the Spirit welled up in me and I wept more as to why God would do this for me. The answer….Because He loves me. I then looked up and straight ahead of me were 4 pictures of 4 different kinds of horses on the wall. I laughed. I looked closer and saw that each one of them was in a stall. I had to laugh again. I then saw on the wall a notice posted which read: This room has been designated as a severe weather shelter. Should any severe weather threaten, a siren will sound. This room will be opened as a shelter for residents and guests. I then read Zephaniah 3:14-20 Sing, O Daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice, be in high
spirits and glory with all your heart, O Daughter of Jerusalem (in
that day). It all came together in this package. I saw how awesome God's plan for my life was. I have a heart to help the hurting and give them hope. That is the desire of my heart. It is my desire to show the captives the way to freedom. These were my journal entries from that time and looking back now I realize that God was showing me the end result of this particular destination. However, to take part in God's plan, we must become fully consecrated to Him. God was showing me a vision of destiny. However, before your reach your destination you must travel. This is where the message begins - So again I will speak - I am a holy one, set apart, and sacred to be used for His purposes only. Let's turn to Psalm 84 to begin our journey to Zion First, God is a jealous God. You will not be able to enter Zion with any selfish or fleshly motive contained within you. You must die to yourself. You must be fully submitted to God to enter into Zion. What is Zion? Zion - God's warriors. God's chosen vessels gather in Zion to be released back out to take back what satan has stolen. Not everyone will enter into Zion because a season of testing and training must take place for the warrior to be prepared. Many fall away in the place of trial and testing. God will not set them in Zion because they would be destroyed and God loves them too much to allow that. The place of testing is the Valley of Baca Valley of Baca interpreted means valley of tears and mourning. Before reaching Zion we must travel through the valley of Baca. It is here where we are strengthened for battle. God must train us so we are not destroyed. Many don't make it through the valley of tears and mourning before turning their backs on God. This is a heart issue! Psalm 84 How lovely are your tabernacles, O Lord of hosts! When I had the experience that I've shared with you out of my journals, I entered the Valley of Baca. I have been traveling through the valley for the past two years and it has been difficult, but spiritually I'm strong in Christ and I know who I am in Him. The power of His love that has laid hold of me has pulled me through the Valley of Baca and now I am able to teach you about this Valley with a new revelation. Lets look at some traveling tips: 1. Your heart must be fixed on God. 2. Your strength is in God, not in yourself. Not any part of your own self can make it through this valley without falling away. 3. Realize you are passing through and not remaining. Focus your hope on the thing to come. You will be dwelling in the secret place of the most High. 4. Your passion must be for God and not what He can do for you. 5. You are the one who chooses to line your circumstances up with the Word and what it says. 6. Don't live your life based on your circumstances surrounding you; live it as if you have already reached your destination. Recently, I have come to realize that I don't care about heaven and all its beauty. I just cannot fathom being eternally separated from God. Many people get saved because their motive is to avoid hell. Many of us began our walk with God in this way. I know I did. I now know that I would live in a shack as long as I knew I would be with Jesus. I don't care about the pearly gates and the gold streets and all the jewels and crowns. I just don't ever want to be apart from the love of my life - Jesus Christ! Psalm 2:6 - Yet have I anointed (installed and placed) My King
(firmly) on My holy hill of Zion. PART TWO - in December 2002! ----- October 2002 - "The Power of Words" Let's go back to the basics - You need your Bible for this one! I want you to read it for yourself and see for yourself the TRUTH. Read - Spirit of God hovered; moved Words are spirit of light or spirit of darkness. Life or death, either way words create. Created - prepared; formed; fashioned Genesis 1:26 - The creation of man Because God has given man creation ability and creation is birthed of spirit, all words are spirit. God thought and then spoke creation into existence. Proverbs 18:20-21 Proverbs 16:1-3 Your thoughts precede your actions. Be diligent in seeking God in order that your thoughts are established in Him. Thoughts if not challenged with God's word, will lead to mistakes, because we'll begin to confess what we truly believe. You will never experience the Word until you develop a belief in it. Out of the abundance of our hearts our mouth speaks, so when we fly off at the mouth and confess junk, it creates images in our minds and then that image is written upon the tablet of our hearts, just reinforcing a viscous, unhealthy cycle of emotional bondage. Once we begin to change the way we think and speak by getting the Word of God rooted and grounded in our belief system, our emotions will become healthy and we will become whole in Christ. Once we are whole in Christ we will pursue our dreams and visions. We will no longer allow satan to hinder us, because we will truly KNOW and BELIEVE that God is for us and not against us. Those of us who experienced a lot of hurt in our past and are still held captive by words that have been spoken over us will have true victory once we believe. Example of a belief system: - Starting your car You know the key is going to work, you don't stress wondering if
it really will. Why? It's the same with the Word. Once you develop a deeper relationship with God by spending time in His Word and truly believe what you read, your life will be infused with such direction and purpose, simply because you know you are loved and the word of God is life. So start paying attention~ Listen to your confessions, change them if you need to. Pay attention to your thought life (is it negative or positive) Line your thought life up with the Word. Confess the WORD and what GOD says!!!! ----- September 2002 - "Embracing Our Afflictions To Discover Our Freedom" Genesis 37 - Joseph's Dream How often do we prematurely step out and share our deepest thoughts and feelings with someone? Genesis 37:10-11 " Voice of reason How much we desire for someone to ponder our deepest thoughts and feelings and react with a deep respect. If that desire is not fulfilled we will search out that affirmation and approval no matter what affliction it brings to us, just to fill the deep longing in our hearts to be accepted and loved. How often do we set ourselves up to be afflicted? (Not that we deserve it) * See Joseph's brothers - Note: Joseph seemed to always tell the one's that afflicted him before he went to the father. Many of us do the same thing. Those of us who have been hurt emotionally by someone close to us seem to always want to gain their acceptance and approval. Sometimes it is our driving force. When we open up to those that have afflicted us and we don't get the reaction we so desire and need, it causes an even deeper emotional brokenness, because our belief system hasn't changed about ourselves. We are still being motivated to gain approval. Here are some causes of deep emotional wounds: " Rejection (someone not believing in us) How much pain could be avoided if we went to God the Father FIRST? He is that one our soul (mind; will; and emotions) desires. He will listen with His heart and respect us deeply and give us balance and clarity to all of life's questions and hardships. When we establish a relationship with the Father, we begin to see ourselves as He sees us, therefore changing our belief system. Changing our belief system will change the course of our life. We will no longer seek to please others, we will seek God in all aspects and concerns of our life. We will no longer need to be something or somebody that everyone will approve. We will know that we are special in the eyes of God and are loved deeply, and that God already approves. That emotional void will no longer be present because we will be made whole and complete through our relationship with God, because our beliefs will change about ourselves and it will change about Him. How do we handle those that afflict us? Genesis 42:7-8 describes Joseph's actions when his brothers came to Egypt. He was: " Cautious (not revealing too much) Watch what God does when we ALLOW Him to be our vindicator: The key is allowing Him. Genesis 41:51 Genesis 41:52 Genesis 42:21 Genesis 42:28 - God will get the credit and glory He will cause reverence, respect, and honor to come about through those that have hurt you. (If you don't take matters into your own hands) Genesis 45:4-11 How many of us are holding our pain inside and not trusting it to God? How many of us want to walk in complete freedom of forgiving those who have hurt us? You can!! I challenge you to make that choice of forgiving those whom have hurt you. You will walk in such freedom. The freedom to be who God designed you to be!! It is only through changing our belief system and really knowing what God says about you, that we will truly discover how free we really are!! Embrace your afflictions so you can discover your freedom! Prayer: Father God, thank you for loving me. Thank you for bringing balance to my life and healing me emotionally. Renew me oh God. Help me see you as you really are and who I really am in you. Father, help me change my belief system about myself and others. Help me to walk in forgiveness so I can be free from the bondages of anger, bitterness, and resentment. You are my vindicator God and my life is in your hands. I submit to you and allow you to be in control. Help me Father to trust you. In Jesus name, Amen. ----- August 2002 - "Out Of The Mouth, The Heart Speaks"
I believe one of the biggest areas that the body of Christ needs to be transformed in is the area of their heart. For years I had a lack of revelation concerning the scripture in Proverbs 4:23 (Amp) - Keep and Guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life. I took that scripture to an extreme in the essence of hedging myself in and protecting myself from wrong relationships. Of course, during that time I would have found any excuse, and if I could make it appear biblical that was even better, to keep myself from relationships period. However, through much patience and healing from Jesus I can look back and say "Thank you Lord" for healthy emotions. So I want to share with you some spiritual insight and revelation concerning this area, and I'm sure you will experience what I call a "light bulb" moment. Before continuing, I want to extend my thanks to Pastor Allen Speegle of Family Bible Church for allowing me to use the points from his recently titled sermon "The Winners Edge." I agree wholly with him in the aspect that we don't hear messages about the heart coming from the pulpit that often. It is the center of one's whole person, therefore I will take it a step further and say it should be the most talked about subject in the church today. In Proverbs 14:14 (Amp) - The backslider in heart (from God and from fearing God) shall be filled with (the fruit of) his own ways, and a good man shall be satisfied with (the fruit of) his ways (with holy thoughts and actions which his heart prompts and in which he delights). Proverbs 17:3 (Amp) - The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, but the Lord tries the hearts. You are today, a result of what you put in your heart. What is in your heart is what you believe and it comes forth. You can put on the best mask and act like the best person, but if you begin to listen to the confession of your mouth you will truly see what you really believe. I want to go a step further and ask what are you putting into your heart from the music you listen to; the TV programs you watch; etc. Everything you do is a result of what you believe and if everything you believe is a result of what's in your heart….what does your life look like? I'm about to give you a little test that Pastor Allen gave his congregation. I took this little test and failed miserably, however now I have the spiritual insight and revelation to begin confessing God's truth and not my own. Four Questions that will reveal your heart - Question #1 - Do I generally expect good or bad things to happen? Question #2 - What are the strongest emotions I feel in my heart? Question #3 - What kind of things do I think on? (Do I think WIN or LOSE) Question #4 - What kind of questions do I ask myself? Questions you ask yourself in times of trouble reflect the true condition of your heart. It's a mirror. In II Chronicles 12:14 (Amp) And he did evil because he did not set his heart to seek (inquire of, yearn for) the Lord with all of his desire. You need to prepare your heart, and prepare means to fix; frame; and to put in order. Other scriptures for you: Matthew 5:8-9 (Amp) Hebrews 13:9 (Amp) Do not be carried about by different and varied and alien teachings; for it is good for the heart to be established and ennobled and strengthened by means of grace (God's favor and spiritual blessing) and not (to be devoted to) foods (rules of diet and ritualistic meals), which bring no (spiritual) benefit or profit to those who observe them. Let's Pray - Father in Jesus name, begin to renew our minds and transform our hearts. Father let us be on guard continually in the area of our hearts. Father, search our hearts and make us whole. In Jesus name~ Amen |
