Don't Dig Up Old Offenses

"Lord forgive me!" Because I have been guilty of this activity, reminding someone who they have hurt me in the past.  As I continue to work toward reconciliation in my marriage, I'm guilty.  I want to move past the hurt, and I choose to look forward and not backwards, but I have learned that it is a process that calls for me to lay before the Lord and give it all to Him, so I don't hold any offense or "dig up" offense of others.

Are you prepared if God suddenly calls for an "audit" of your conduct toward your brothers and sisters?  Remember that He doesn't need an audit, because He sees all and knows all.  He holds each of us personally responsible for forgiving others, with no exceptions to the rule.  We were not created or designed to carry bitterness and unforgiveness in our hearts.  It's like tyring to carry acid in a Styrofoam cup; the acid of unforgiveness eats away at every part of our lives.  It's like a fast spreading cancer through our entire system.

Knowing this makes me more mindful to go to God immediately when I'm hurt, when the enemy of my soul continuously replay a hurtful even in my mind.  It's a fight to stay free, and I choose freedom!  I love the Lord more than wallowing in my hurts.  How many times have you forgiven a brother or sister in Christ only to go "dig up" their offense again and place them back into the slave of unforgiveness?

Jesus said His disciples are known by our love for one another.  Love transcends the "scorecard mentality" that keeps track of every wrong done and offense received.  The "God kind of love" described in 1st Corinthians 13 doesn't keep a record or an "account" of wrong suffered.  That is why, when asked, "Why would you stay with him knowing what he did?"  I can answer, "Love suffereth long, and is kind; love envieth not; love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.  Love never faileth".  I choose "LOVE"!  God is love, 1 John 4:8.  Mercy "always" triumphs over judgment, James 2:13.  So I operate in love, to keep myself free.

If you are holding any unforgiveness toward others or yourself, release the power of forgiveness in your life now.  God is saying, "If you show mercy to others, I will show you mercy. 

Be blessed!

The Coming Of The Glory Of The Lord

"Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you" Isaiah 60:1

When life seems hard, even unbearable, where do you find strength to endure?  The promises of God are a haven of refuge and a beacon of hope to those who choose to trust in His Word.  In chapter 59 of Isaiah, it ends with the new covenant promised by God to His Son.  What confidence that brings us as we consider the promises that have gone before and those that will follow!  Isaiah focuses our attention on the promised second coming of the Messiah.

I love the way chapter 60 of Isaiah begins.  It opens with a call to Israel to rise up from discouragement and distress.  They are to shine with the radiance of God's own light that will be with them and in them always.  This was so encouraging to me, especially in the darkest periods of my life.  I'm coming out of my desert season, and the book of Isaiah has been so encouraging to me.  The final chapters of Isaiah are filled with images of richness, newness, and light, as the prophet envisions the completion of God's purposes for His people.  The splendor of these promises is God's commitments to the nation of Israel will be kept. 

God is the God of all nations, and believers from all parts of the earth will be part of His people.  God's plan are resplendent with His glory and light.  If you have trusted in the death of His Son for you, then these promises are His intentions for your life now.   Will you trust Him to bring you this joy, satisfaction, and unity with His people?  How are you "rising up" to show  God's light to those who you have never thought would have any interest in Him?

Be blessed!

Confessions of Faith

Lord Jesus, I come into your house not empty handed, but bringing my tithes and offerings according to Malachi 3:10.

The windows of heaven are opened to me.  Blessings are being poured out that I cannot contain.  The devourer is rebuked for my sake.  This year is a continuation of the Jubilee Blessings.  By faith I have: A better job, promotions, raises, bonuses, benefits.  Business opportunities, increases in sales and commissions.  Inheritances, rebates, settlements and checks in the mail.  I am the head and not the tail according to Deuteronomy 28:13, because I listen to the commands of the Lord and obey them.  I except favor, interest and royalties and scholarships.  Gifts surprises and new found monies.  I am blessed coming in and blessed going out (Deuteronomy 28:6). 

I am using wisdom and self control in my spending.  My bills are decreasing and my income is increasing.  I am a good steward over what God has blessed me with.  I have the anointing for blessings, equipping me to be a giver for the Kingdom of God.  And my God supplies my every need (Philippians 4:19).  For He is my Shepard, so I don't have to want for anything (Psalm 23:1). 

I have power to create wealth.  The favor of the Lord is upon me and everything I put my hands to shall prosper (Deuteronomy 28:8).  I am a cheerful giver, sowing in good ground that is bringing souls into the Kingdom of God.  And my God is supplying all my needs, I have no lack.

Hallelujah!  Hallelujah!  Hallelujah!
What are you confessing?  Who do you believe?  The enemy of this world?  Or a God who is able to do exceedingly abounding above all we think or ask (Ephesians 3:20).

Be blessed!

Crying Out for The Bread!

I'm tired of reading about God's visitations of yesteryear.  I want God to break out somewhere in my lifetime so my children can say, "I was there!"  God has no grandchildren.  Each generation must experience His presence.  Recitation was never meant to take the place of visitation.

We are now reduced to being shallow students of what we hope to experience someday.  I'm constantly reading about revival because I don't have the experience to yet write about it.  The Bread of God's presence must be restored to the Church.  Will you pray with me?  Will you cry out and stand in agreement with me?

Two things happen when the Bread of God's presence is restored.  Naomi was a prodigal who left the house of bread when the table became bare.  But once she heard that God had restored bread to Bethlehem (the house of bread), she quickly returned.  The prodigals will come back to Bethlehem from Moab once they know there is bread in the house, and they will bring others with them.  Naomi came back to the house of bread accompanied by Ruth, who had never been there before.  The never saved will come.  As a result, Ruth became part of the Messianic lineage of Jesus when she married Boaz and bore him a son named Obed, who was the father of Jesse, who was the father of David (See Ruth 4:17).  Future royalty awaits our hunger spurred actions.  I am hungry!  Are you?

What we call revival is nothing more than recycling of saved people through the Church to keep them fired up.  But this next wave of revival will bring waves of unchurched people into the House of Bread.  People who have never stepped foot in the doors of the House of Bread.  When they hear that there is really bread in the house, they will come running through the doors after smelling the fragrance of hot bread from the ovens of Heaven!  I want them to smell it coming off of me, and be compelled to ask "What must I do to be saved?"

We can not beso  full and satisfied with other things that we insist on "getting by" with our crumbs of the past.  We can not just be happy with our music the way it is.  We can not just be happy with "renewal" meetings.  It is time for some radical movement in the Church.  I'm not happy, because I want more!  I'm tired of just reading about a great revival, I want to experience it!  I know that there is far more than anything we have ever seen or hoped for yet, and it has become a holy obsession of mine.  I want God!  I know I sound redundant, but I don't care!  I want more of Him!

Will you join me in the chase?  I'm radical about my pursuit of God, and I'm not asshamed to admit it.  God is an awesome God!  Whatever I got to do, to get to Him, I'm doing!  I need more of God, more of His presence, more of His Spirit, more and more and more!

Be blessed!

Thank You God for Your Anointing, But I Want Your Glory!

"And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory" (Exudos 33:18).  Now this is a bold request Moses asked of God.  The Word of God tells us, "But, He said, you cannot see My face, for no one may see Me and live" (Exudos 33:20).  When you are asking for the glory of God, you better be ready to die to your flesh, because it can not live in the presence of God.

I hear so many people misusing terminology to artificially raise the expectations of people.  They want to entertain man, instead of pleasing God.  I often hear so many people say, "The glory of God is here", but I must question the validity of that comment.  We may promise God's glory, but often at best we give a limited measure of God's anointing.  God's anointing was never meant to satisfy the hunger of our souls.  The anointing and the gifts empowered by it are simply tools to assist, enable, encourage, and point us back to the Source.  Only God can satisfy the hunger He placed within us.  His hand supplies our needs, but it is His face that satisfy our deepest longing. 

As we look into His face, we are brought into union with our destiny, and we enjoy the favor of His loving gaze and the intimate kiss of His touch.  There is a huge difference between encountering the anointing of God and encountering His glory.  I thank God for His anointing, it gives me the power to move in the gifts of the Spirit to minister to others, but I want His manifested presence.  The anointing of God in all its various forms has a valid purpose in His plans and and purposes.  The problem is that we have become too addicited to the way the anointing makes us feel.  Becaues it feels good when the anointing of God falls on us.  We've turned our eyes and hearts away from the glory of God's face to get more of the anointing in His hands.  Again, the anointing empowers our flesh, and it makes us feel good.  Enough of feeling good, let's cry out for His glory!

"More of You Lord!  Thank You for Your gifts.  Thank You for Your anointing.  Come Holy Spirit!  Lord, send Your glory now!"  Yes this is a bold request, so get lined up.  I'm crying out daily for His manifested glory.  I'm repenting and choosing to forgive.  I'm asking God to search me and remove whatever is not of  Him.  I don't want anything blocking me from receving the gift of God's manifested presence.  Are you ready?  Are you crying out for God's glory!

Be blessed!

I Joy in God's Faithfulness

True joy comes from the presence of God.  In some of my darkest times, when I was depressed and very unhappy, I learned how to have the joy of the Lord.  I can remember when my grandmother would tell me, "Pamela, you can have the joy of the Lord even in unhappy times".  I would think to myself, "now, that makes no sense to me.  I'm hurting and  unhappy, there's just no joy in that!"  And over the course of the last nine years, God has taken me on this awesome journey, that caused me to grow in Him, and understand that true joy comes from Him alone.

Let me start out by telling you that I have a nine year old, very medically fragile son named Cory.  I was told that he wouldn't live to be a year old.  "Praise God, the Great Physician", who has the finally say.  Cory was born with cerebral palsy, epilepsy, chronic lung disease, fluid on his brain, blindness and a whole lot of other issues that are too overwhelming to list.  When I was  pregnant with Cory, he suffered brain bleeds in the womb.  God has a plan for Cory's life, and I believe in the impossible, because my God specializes in the impossible "For with God nothing shall be impossible" (Luke 1:37). 

I was encouraged by doctors to terminate the pregnancy, because they didn't think he would live, and if he did, it would be a great burden.  Well, life as I knew was over, but what doctors called a great burden, happen to be a great blessing!  Having Cory saved my life, it began breaking selfishness, and pride.  I was learning the true meaning of "Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:" (1 Peter 5:6).  Since the day Cory was born, each year we have spent two to six weeks in the hospital at least four times a year.  Too make a long story short, I had to quite my full time public relations job and put my PhD program on hold.

In the course of the last five years, I've since married and now have a four year old son, Cameron.  Let me just say that being married to a pastor is no cake walk.  I even contemplated divorce.  But every time I got into the presence of the Lord, I  heard; "Be still and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10), or "Wait on the Lord: be of good courage:  (Psalm 27:14).  So in all the struggles with caring for a very sick child, learning balance with a very vibrant and healthy child, and warring for my marriage, God was dealing with Me!  Breaking me, healing me, and teaching me joy in Him despite my circumstances.  Teaching me that it's all in His timing and not mine, and blessing me with balance to prepare to finish my doctoral program.

So even in all the hell, I could have joy.   "I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.  For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore"  (Psalm 16:8-11).  This is one of my testimonies.  I chose to be obedient and wait on the Lord.  At this very point in my life, God is restoring my marriage, and bringing healing into our home.  I believe God is bringing healing and wholeness to my son Cory.  We have been back and forth to the orthopedic doctor, looking at his spinal cord, and at one point we where facing three very serious surgeries that the doctor said he wouldn't survive.  Well, my God is the God of miracles and healings.  Cory's last x-ray showed that his spin was straight!  God performed surgery!  And I believe that this is only the beginning.  I believe that God is healing Cory and raising him up to bring some doctors and a whole lot of other people to the feet of Jesus!

I don't mean to be so long winded today, but joy is a characteristic of God's love from His Holy Spirit.  I have learned and continue to grow in the Spirit, and walk by faith, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law"  (Galatians 5:22-23).  And even now, at times when nothing makes sense to me, I trust God, and stand on His Word.  In the midst of storms, I speak life, I worship to charge the atmosphere and take authority over the enemy of my soul.  Because of Whose I am, I have that authority.  Jesus is all the world to me, my strength, my source, my everything.  "...the joy of the Lord is my strength" (Nehemiah 8:10).

When I started blogging, I told several of my friends, but I wasn't getting any responses.  I prayed, "Lord, I want to be a blessing to others.  If no one is going to read my blog, what's the point?"  And the week before I decided to stop blogging, I started receiving comments from readers.  God sends you encouragement when you need it!  I am so blessed and thankful for all of you who have responded to my blogs.  I pray that you are blessed, encouraged and empowered by the Word of God.  I want to thank each of you for encouraging me, and showing your love.  God bless each of you for we are all part of God's family.  And for those who don't know Jesus, today is your day!  He is real and He died for all sinners. 

So I leave you with this; "Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost"  (Romans 15:13).  I joy in God's faithfulness.  I know that regardless of what is going on in my life, as long as I walk in obedience, and keep my face before the Lord, everything will be alright.  "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).

Be blessed!

Watch Your Mouth

Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof (Proverbs 18:21).  Those who love to talk, shall reap the consequences.  There are just some times in life where you just need to shut up and listen.  Be quite and be still, observe the surrounds around you.  Learn to discern who and what is in motion.

Some one who is always talking, love the center of attention, love to know and share information; you must be very careful of this person.  The Word of God says, "From the fruit of his lips a man enjoys good things, but the unfaithful have a craving for violence" (Proverbs 13:2).  I am always mindful of those I see who love to talk.  No good thing comes from a "motor mouth" who likes to spueling garbage.  " When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise" (Proverbs 10:19).

I have learned to ask God to "bridle my tongue daily".  I don't want to speak word curses out of my mouth.  I only want to speak things that will edify and build up, not tier down.  I want to speak blessings.  "He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity" (Proverbs 21:23).  There is power in the tongue.  What we say has the ability to create situations, emotions, and thoughts in others. A kind word helps people, negative words hurt, sometimes for a very long time.

Even when I speak about myself, I've learned to stop saying "I can't" or "Why did I do that, I'm crazy".
The words that we use and the conversations we have with our self and others create things within. They can create positive things or negative things. It is our choice. The tongue has the power of life and death. This is why it is so important to be diligent in using the power of the tongue to create a positive force in our lives and in the lives of others.

I am called to be God's mouthpiece, so it is vital that I watch my words, and speak only when the Holy Spirit releases me.  I make it a priority to lay before the Lord daily, sometimes several times a day; to receive more of God and less of me.  I don't want to allow my emotions to get in the way of being about my Father's business, so I press in, and when I am offended I immediately surrender it to God, so I don't move outside His will, allowing my mouth to get my into trouble. 

It is very heard sometime to let go of offense, especially when people say hurtful things to you, and your first reaction is to sound off back at them.  But think about it.  It's not worth the time and energy to retaliate, because what good does it do in the end.  Because I now know who I am, and Whose I am, I choose to respond differently to offensive words and actions toward me.  "Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world" (1 John 4:4).  I have a great power living on the inside of me, and I don't want to grieve the Holy Spirit, so I am more conscience now of my words, and how I speak and respond to others, even in an offensive situation.  And it is hard, but I love My God more than getting back at others.  The bottom line is; I belong to God, He is for me, and He will take care of me, and work all things out for my good as long as I stay lined up with Him.

Learn to watch your mouth and be mindful of the words you speak.  Do they tier down, or do they edify and build up?

Be blessed!