More than Enough for me

For me, this week has been the most observed and blessed Passover Celebration of my life. This week, the Lord has taken me through a revelatory meditative Passover Celebration. 

Lets recap before we take our plunge. In the OT, Exodus is the story of God delivering the Israelites from slavery. The Lord sent Moses to lead Israel from Egypt into the Promised Land. When confronted by Moses, Pharaoh refused to let God's people go so the Lord sent 9 plagues to the land because of Pharaoh's selfishness and rebellion against the Lord. When Pharaoh continuously refused to let God's people go (b/c he did not KNOW the one true God), the Lord said the firstborn males of every house would die UNLESS the door frame of that house was covered with the blood of a perfect lamb. That night, the Lord "Passed Over" (Protected) the homes with blood on the door frames. The tenth plague brought death to the firstborn sons of Egypt, even taking the life of Pharaoh's own son. Finally, Pharaoh let the children of Israel go. The Lord instructed Israel to celebrate Passover as a lasting ordinance for generations to come, reminding them of God's goodness in bringing them out of slavery from Egypt and into the Promised Land. 

The Lord is faithful - He heard Israel's cry and delivered them from bondage. He provided a way to escape their enemy's hand. That would have been enough for me. But He did not stop there. He also went with them into the dessert and provided a cloud by day (to keep them cool in the dessert) and fire by night (to keep them warm). That would have been enough for me. But He did not stop there. After Pharaoh realized all his workers were gone he rounded up his men in pursuit to capture the Israelites (at least 2 million Jews). Just as Israel reached the Red Sea they saw the Egyptian army approaching. Israel prayed and the Lord answered them again and quick by parting the Red Sea. I wish I could have seen the faces of the Israelites passing through this miracle! Just when all of Israel made it onto dry safe land, the Lord sent angels to destroy the wheels off of the Egyptian carriages. I find it interesting that the wheels popped off and THEN He moved the waters back together! As if that was enough provision! God does not stop there. God continues throughout history to protect and save His children - those who believe Him and His word. 

Thousands years later, Jesus celebrates Passover with 12 of His disciples which happens to be His last Supper. After dinner, Jesus and a couple of His disciples, go out to the Mt of Olives for prayer. Jesus, knowing what lay ahead, asks God the Father to take the cup from Him but nonetheless realizes and trusts God's will over His own life. Jesus is then betrayed by one of His best friends and is captured. Jesus never fought back and in fact continued to walk in love by healing His enemy's ear after being cut off by Peter. Later that night, Jesus was falsely accused, spat upon, ridiculed, stripped naked and beaten till he was unrecognizable. They whipped Him with a cat o 9 tails (a whip made of leather stands with knots of glass and metal on the end of each whip). This whip was designed to torture until death. The first lash dug and ripped off His skin. The second lash ripped into his arteries and veins. The third lash tore and ripped into the muscle. As if that were not enough, they flogged Jesus 39 times. The bible says that "by His stripes we are healed" (Interestingly enough there are 39 known disease categories)...Selah... As if this were not enough, they mockingly shoved a crown of thorns upon His head. These thorns were probably about 2" long and ripped into His scalp. As if this were not enough, the "religious leaders" of the time voted to crucify Him so they threw a cross over his already tattered and torn back and made Him carry his cross through the town. As if that were not enough, they nailed his hands and feet to the cross. Jesus hung on the cross for 6 hours. He could have committed His spirit into God the Father's hand at any point BUT He was faithful to God and perfectly carried out to fulfill the scriptures. Can you imagine the physical, mental and emotional pain? And still...Jesus walking in love, asks God the Father to forgive them. He also ministers to one of the criminals hanging next to him. At 3pm Jesus committed His spirit to God the Father to perfectly fulfill the scriptures (sacrificial lambs were slaughtered at 3pm).

3 days later...Jesus arose from the dead! HE IS STILL ALIVE TODAY!

I hope this truth shed some revelatory insight to the power of the Cross and inspires you to give God ALL of your heart and fully give your life to Him. After all, He gave His life for us. Let's not be lukewarm Christians but ON FIRE for HIM! Rev 3:15-16 says "I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth".

Jesus paid the price for each of us to bring us out of bondage (Egypt) and into Heaven for Eternity (the Promised Land). He is our PassOver Lamb! He did this for everyone. It is our personal decision to walk under His covering and guidance. He will not force Himself on any of us. 

If you do not know the Lord or have known the Lord in the past but have never whole heartedly given your life to Christ. (I am not asking if you were brought up in church...) I am asking if you have ever had a personal relationship with God. If you want to come under His protection and provision, say this little prayer and quickly find a LIFE GIVING church in your area. There are a lot of great churches around! For Birmingham, I recommend Church of the Highlands. If you live close to Anniston, I recommend Word Alive International Outreach! If you live outside of these cities, send me an email or leave a comment and I can direct you. 

By faith, say this Prayer of Repentance audibly: "Father God, forgive me for all my sins. I truly repent and I receive Jesus as my Lord and Savior. Thank you for sending your only son to carry my sin on the cross so that I can spend eternity with you. Save me. Change me. Make me new. Lead my life, I can't do it on my own. Thank you Jesus, come into my heart and lead me out of bondage into your wellspring of life. In Jesus' name, Amen."

Remember, God is our provider! He has "the way out" even when things appear like a dead end! We just have to stay obedient to His word and TRUST HIM so that we remain under His covering, protection and blessings!

Have a Super Blessed Sunday!

Passover Blessing

Do you feel like you are struggling in a certain area of your life? Would you like true freedom and supernatural provision? 

Eph 6:12 says "for our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms". So the bible tells us that we are in a war a spiritual war. 

Do you battle something (maybe even sin) that you have tried to overcome? Do you have a friend or family member you are praying for? Do you need a miracle of healing? Do you want to be delivered from the power of Death, Sin and Slavery into Life, Righteousness, and Freedom? Do you want to be delivered to HIS presence, Protection, and Health? Do you want to be delivered from Poverty, Loss, Hunger, and Thirst?

If you answered "YES" to any of these questions, this is for you!

Cut and paste the following link into your address bar and select enter. Select "Passover-First Fruits" from 4/5/09, select the video icon, download the full video, set aside 1.5 hours and watch/listen! If you want provision in any of these areas, believe BY FAITH what Pastor Kent is declaring into your life, in Jesus name! Your life will NEVER be the same! What a POWERFUL message Pastor Kent delivered for this Passover week! 

http://www.waio.org/templates/System/details.asp?id=25538&PID=306348

Thank you Pastor Kent and Word Alive International Outreach!

Communion

Wow! The power of Communion. There is so much to say on Communion - the greatest inheritance of power and revelation that Jesus left us. However, I will be brief in my point and pray the Holy Spirit Himself will minister to you while reading this... 

First, let's go through the Communion Scriptures in 1 Corin 11:23-29

Institution of the Lord’s Supper

²³ For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; ²⁴ and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” ²⁵ In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” 

²⁶ For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.

Examine Yourself 

²⁷ Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. ²⁸ But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. ²⁹ For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.

There is so much to meditate on in these scriptures.

The first point is the life of the flesh is in the blood - Lev 17:14. We know that blood is the carrier of life. It carries oxygen and nutrients through our capillaries, organs, etc. It keeps the body alive and keeps us immune from invasion of germs and sickness. That is referring to our own blood...how much more powerful is Christ's blood when we partake in Communion? Since God is spiritual, there is spiritual nourishment carried through His blood. Selah...

The BIG point lies in v. 29 "discerning the body". This is not referring to discerning the body of Christ (Christians) but about Jesus' body. On the cross, Jesus bore all the world's sins and sickness. When we receive communion, we need to discern which body we are receiving. Are we receiving Jesus' body full of the world's sin and sickness or are we receiving the RISEN BODY with glorious power, FREE from SIN and SICKNESS? Selah...

I encourage every Christian to celebrate this spiritual discipline on a daily basis and appropriate what Jesus did on the cross.

If you would like more information on Communion, I highly recommend a book called "Eat my flesh, Drink my blood" from Ana Mendez Ferrell. You can purchase this book at the Carpenter Shop in Vestavia in the Pier 1 shopping center off of Hwy 31. Tell Mark or Brandon, Carla sent you! 

The End Times

Aw Lord, I know there are some who are already shaking their heads. Some might be thinking 'She just started her blog and now it's already time to end the world'. Well....don't slam on the brakes just yet! We need to "know" so we are not offended when times get tough(er).

For a year now the Lord has been talking to me and many others concerning the "end times". Many Christians are terrified of this topic (just the other week it was referred to as "Doom and Gloom") but the truth is...these are exciting times! I believe we will experience more supernatural miracles from Heaven during this time. God WILL PROVIDE just like he provided manna to His children Israel. Just like he provided fish and loaves of bread to feed the multitude! Neville Johnson has awesome insight in to what we can expect in those days! Really cool stuff! GOD CHOSE YOU to be here at this hour in history! - Jeremiah 1:5 and Jeremiah 29:11 We have nothing to fear! Remember, the word says "He does not give us a spirit of fear" - Rom 8:15. Fear comes from the evil one. Some do not believe in evil. Well, if you believe the bible remember that Jesus Himself had a deliverance ministry - He cast out demons. 

I personally believe that we have been in the birth pangs of the end times. (Just my opinion....you don't have to accept it) I believe that our generation will see Revelations unfold and soon. I don't think it will happen tomorrow or even next year but I do believe it is coming soon and in our life time. NO ONE KNOWS the day or the hour. BUT our instruction manual (the bible) tells us the seasons.

I believe we just need to be prepared - spiritually, physically, emotionally, financially. "Those who survive are those that are prepared" - Sadhu Sundar Selveraj. The time to prepare is now. Don't wait till tomorrow to mend a broken relationship or to get "right with the Lord" or to get out of debt or whatever your preparation may be. Regardless of one's view about this topic, none of us are promised tomorrow. 

Also, you don't have time to get caught up in "What your friends or family will think" - that's bondage. You are responsible for yourself. Jesus came to set the captives free and that means our attitude (thinking pattern) as well. If you have this "Homecoming Queen syndrome"...Get Over It! That is a form of pride which we just addressed in the post titled "Throwing stones". Let's think about Noah building that huge boat! Scholars calculate the arc being 450 feet long, 75 feet wide and 45 feet deep. 3 stories high, each appox 15 feet tall. Each floor was the size of a football field. He boarded 2 kinds of every animal. Can you imagine his neighbors and family members laughing at him? Well...they did not laugh for long. Is it even possible to laugh while swimming?

Anyway...I want to encourage you to read Revelations for yourself. Pray and ask the Lord to give you revelations regarding the end times. We all need to seek the Lord about this lest we fall away from the offenses that will come. Listen to John Paul Jackson's "The Perfect Storm" at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUuCHUhU9WE As with anything, be careful where you get your information. There are false prophets out there (the bible warns us about them). I believe John Paul Jackson is the real deal and believes he hears from the Lord. 

I will be blogging alot about the "end times" because I want to help people understand what is happening now from a biblical perspective. I also feel a sense of urgency to help people strengthen their Christian walk. In these times, we will not necessarily be exempt to what is coming but if we have a strong personal relationship with God and are living a spirit filled life, we will not be offended when things happen to us or our loved ones. We need to align our heart and mind with God's word and His will. We need to get in gear! Some may ask "Why would God allow bad things to happen to us"? Remember, God is a gentleman and He gave us all a free will. We live in a fallen world and there is another force at work - evil. If we are not walking with the Lord and obeying His commandments, then we are not walking under His covering. The covering is like an umbrella and when we step out into sin we walk out from under His covering. He will NEVER leave us (He promises that) - Deut 31:8 but if we choose to go our own way that's our own choice. It is God's will that we allow Him to cover us but He is not going to force Himself on us. That would take away our freewill and we would all be walking around like robots. 

I believe the economy will recover but only for a short while for Christians to get their finances in order. Get out of debt!! My husband and I have taken extreme measures to get 100% out of debt so that when times get tough, we are prepared. Many people do not believe they can obtain this financial freedom but it is possible! You just have to decide what is important to you. If you do want to be financially free, then you have to sacrifice some things to help you reach your goal. Do you really "need" the biggest cable package? Do you really "need" a big house with 20 rooms? Could you downsize your house? Do you really "need" that "new" SUV? Do you really "need" a new outfit every week? Do you really "need" a home phone and a cell phone? You get my point. There are always areas to cut back. It's NOT easy but it is possible! If  you think those are necessities then maybe financial freedom is just not that important. You have to decide for your self. This is not a heaven or hell issue...it's just wonderful not to worry about finances! "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal." - Matt 6:19-20  So give to the poor and give to good ministries that will advance God's kingdom. 

I hope this has shed some light on the subject and has encouraged you not to fear but to prepare and TRUST in the Lord! 

Ps 125:1 - "Those who TRUST in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever"
Prov 3:5 - "TRUST in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding"
Prov 16:20 - "Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is he who TRUSTS in the Lord"

I pray that the Lord will bless you spiritually, revealing Himself to you in a tangible and powerful way! I pray the Lord will bless you, your family, your finances, your relationships and your health! Bless you coming in and going out. I pray that the Holy Spirit will touch you right now as you are reading this, in the Name of Jesus, and that you have a REAL supernatural encounter with our Lord. To God be the Glory forever! Amen!

Throwing Stones

Just the other night we were discussing the ignorance of discrimination back in the day and how our forefathers honestly thought they were “right”. My question was "what are the areas of our thinking where we are ignorant today"? I thought of this…

 First of all, just because someone is a Christian, does not mean they are perfect. No one is perfect. We all agree on this but when a "Christian" fails (especially in leadership) why is it that some Christians jump to judgments and gossip about the situation? Some examples that come to mind are Todd Bentley and Ted Haggard. They are human. I don’t think they ever confessed to be perfect.

 Matt 7:1 reads, “Do not judge, or you too will be judged”. “For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged” - Matt 7:2-5. Why do Christians point to the sawdust in their brothers’ eye all the while having a “plank” in their own eye? Hypocrite. - Matt 7: 3-5. The Lord himself will Judge. Yes, Jesus tells us to judge righteously but He is talking about using the Word to discern the sin. NOT judging the person or their heart.

 People want to talk  (gossip) about Todd and Ted and how bad they failed. They harp on the sin and in their judgments they throw the baby out with the bath water. Yes, what they did was sin. Yes, it was wrong. No one (including themselves) ever said it was OK. I am not condoning their behavior at all. The bible say’s it’s wrong and we (Christians) align our beliefs with God’s word. I just think we (Christians) should extend more grace to people regardless if Christian or not or in leadership or not. Because it's Christ like and that is our goal, right?

 Just for the record, in case you have not heard, both of these men of God have acknowledged their mistake and have repented and have turned away from their sin. The bible says that when we repent, God remembers our sins no more as far as the east is from the west - Ps 103:12. So as far as God is concerned, these men are clean. Jesus’ blood has cleansed them white as snow - Isaiah 1:18. Thank the gracious Lord HE is bringing them through a process of restoration/healing.

 Here is the point I would like to make. Proverbs lists out 7 things that are “DETESTABLE” to the Lord. The word detestable means, “deserving intense dislike”. 

"There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him: Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissention among brothers". – Prov 6:16-19

Did you read anything that resembled Todd or Ted’s situation? Did you read anything that resembled your thinking patterns? 

Instead of judgement and gossip about your brothers and sisters in Christ, try helping them and lifting them up in prayer. Not only when they fall but daily as a preventative measure to protect them from the bait of the enemy. Be part of a solution not part of a problem.

Rapids

We are in a season of movement (rapid movement) both personally and spiritually to different levels and purposes in the Kingdom. Take a look around us. I believe we (believers) need to refer back to the book "Who moved my cheese" as it relates to God's kingdom. Do you feel like you are walking/running forward (only b/c time is never still) but find yourself looking back at what has happened in the past or worrying about the economy or what was shown on late night news or complaining about something? If so, then get back on track! Stop complaining and quit worrying about others or tomorrow and focus on You and God NOW. Put on our "Kingdom mindset" hat and move with God before you get swept away. Here is your raft....

1. When we engage in the bible something supernatural happens to us. For one, you learn who God says you are instead of who you say you are. Read the following out loud and by faith (because you are a Christian) BELIEVE GOD's word! Come on now...speak these out loud and see if you feel different at the end!

1. I am God's child - John 1:12

2. As a disciple, I am a friend of Jesus Christ - John 15:15 (Yes, a "friend")

3. I am united with the Lord, and I am one with Him in spirit - 1 Corin 6:17

4. I have been justified - Romans 5:1 (So relax!)

5. I have been bought with a price, and I belong to God - 1 Corin 6:19-20

6. I am a member of Christ's body - 1 Corin 12:27

7. I have been CHOSEN BY GOD and ADOPTED as HIS child - Eph 1:3-8

8. I have been redeemed AND FORGIVEN of ALL my sins! - Col 1:13-14

9. I am COMPLETE in CHRIST! - Col 2:9-10

10. I AM COMPLETE in CHRIST! - Col 2:9-10 - Someone needed to read that again!

11. I have DIRECT access to the throne of grace through Jesus Christ - Heb 4:14-16 (Hello??  GOD SAYS "YOU already have Direct Access to the HIM through Jesus Christ! I know some of you are being set free just reading this one! Go ahead - Jump up out of your seat and do the high holy shuffle!)

12. I am FREE from condemnation - Rom 8:1-2

13. I am assured that God works for my good in "ALL" circumstances - Rom 8:28

14. I am FREE from ANY condemnation brought against me, and I cannot be separated from the love of God - Rom 8:31-39

15. I have been established, anointed, and sealed by God - 2 Corin 1:21-22

16. I am HIDDEN with CHRIST in GOD - Col 3:1-4

17. I am confident that God will complete the good work HE started in me - Phil 1:6

18. I AM A CITIZEN of HEAVEN!! - Phil 3:20

19. I have NOT been given the spirit of fear but of POWER, LOVE, and a SOUND MIND - 2 Tim 1:7

20. I am born of God, and the evil one cannot touch me - 1 John 5:18

21. I am the branch of Jesus Christ, the true vine, and a channel of His life - John 15:5

22. I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit - John 15:16

23. I am God's temple - 1 Corin 3:16

24. I am a minister of reconciliation for God - 2 Corin 5:17-21

25. I am seated with Jesus Christ in the heavenly realm - Eph 2:6

26. I am God's workmanship - Eph 2:10

27. I may approach God with FREEDOM and CONFIDENCE - Eph 3:12

28. I CAN DO ALL THINGS through CHRIST, who strengthens me - Phil 4:13

The more  you reaffirm WHO YOU ARE IN CHRIST, the more your behavior will begin to reflect your true identity! 

2. Achieve Spiritual Momentum and encounter the supernatural! You want MORE of God?!

1. Give to the poor - Jesus is moved by the poor. He never sought after the rich. He sought after the poor! The rich sought after Him. He who lends to the poor, lends to God Himself.

2. Prayer - Go into your prayer closet. Pastor Kent suggests writing down your prayers then saying them aloud. When we pray, we should:

1. First adore Him, Praise Him, Exalt His name (Why do you adore Him today?)

2. Confess your sins. He WILL forgive our sins. Jesus died for ALL of our sins. 

3. Thanksgiving (What are you thankful for?)

4. Supplication (Who and what are you praying for)

3. Fasting - Isaiah 58: 6-9 Don't shout it out but do this in secret and the Lord will reward you openly! Acts 30 - Read the Story about Cornelius. You too can have supernatural encounters and provision with the Lord!

I hope you got something out of this post! I am pumped up! Whooo-Hooo! GOD IS AMAZING! Next time we will talk about "The End Times". Mwua-a-a-a-h-a-ha... :) Exciting stuff!

For a more in depth teaching on Engaging in the bible. Check this out! http://www.waio.org/templates/System/details.asp?id=25538&PID=306348

once you get to the site, select the sermon titled "Engaging the Bible" by Kent Maddox 3/8/09. You have to let it fully download then view the entire service. Be Blessed! 

Intermission - Soaking

I chose this picture for the blog b/c it reminds me of my first personal encounters with God. My childhood friend, Paige, had a go cart and we would drive that thing all around her wooded backyard (we made a trail through the trees ourselves) all day long for many summers. Many times, I would stop the cart in the middle of a sun ray, close my eyes and lift my head up to bask my face in God's Glory. At such a young age, I knew it was God Himself taking a moment out of His busy day to show His awesome love for me! Truth is, He is here with us everyday and everywhere. He is right here with us right now. He is omnipresent. Sometimes we just need to take an intermission from all the busyness. Stop, be still and soak in His presence. If you are interested in soaking in His presence, I highly recommend Kimberly and Alberto Rivera. Get it on iTunes or simply click here http://www.rainingpresence.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=21