All of Creation is God’s place. There is nowhere that God doesn’t belong. Anywhere that there is life, there is God. Discovering prayer is discovering God. Discovering God is discovering prayer. Our prayer must expand to make room for us to live. Our lives must expand to make room for our prayer. Together we are a dwelling place for God. God is a dwelling place for all of us together. Prayer is you hearing God’s voice. Prayer is God hearing your voice. Prayer is where we are shaped. Prayer is us shaping things. There is no life outside of prayer. There is no prayer outside of life. Your life is meant to be a prayer. So God make our lives a prayer and make prayer our life. Through Christ Jesus Our Lord. – AMEN
Tag: on earth as it is in heaven
Be Yourself
“Be yourself, not your idea of what you think somebody else’s idea of yourself should be.” – Henry David Thoreau
This quote from Thoreau inspires something deep inside of me. I am more than I imagine myself to be. I move through each day governed by motivations that I experience consciously as an after thought. They are real and powerful… these motives.
Like the world around me, I am always interacting with forces around me. As a human being, I have the unique skill of self-awareness. God has blessed me with the capacity to make choices.
Like you, I have a love-hate relationship with my God-designed function of choosing how I will work on my life today. The vineyard awaits me every day. Our father instructs me to work in his vineyard today and every day. Yesterday’s work may or may not feel the same as today’s. But it will be unique because this is always a new day… a day of renewal.
Thoreau’s coaching tip to be myself, not my idea of someone else’s idea… intrigues me. It does inspire me to humble myself in the presence of God (who actually is present with us), and place “myself” under his mighty hand. He promises to lift me up in the right way and the right time.
Prayer: God, being myself is so core to my sense of well-being. It is too much for me to leave to an afterthought. Help me to get better at surrendering every day to your amazing invitation to work creatively in your vineyard. This is your world and you have a concept of me in the midst of its pulsating life of renewal. You see me as more than any human’s idea including any of my own. Why wouldn’t I trust you? Inform my being today with your thoughts about me. Through Christ Jesus our Lord, Amen.
Bless the Wilderness
God is inviting those who will listen to begin blessing the wilderness of 2020. Here in the eleventh hour of this year, we can rise up in faith and declare that King Jesus has been drawing us into deeper intimacy with him through all of its challenges. In Song of Songs 8:5 there is a prophetic question, “Who is this coming up from the wilderness leaning on her beloved?”
May God open our eyes to see the past year through his eyes. May he heal the eyes of our heart so that we will have wisdom and revelation. Our Bridegroom King has drawn us into the wilderness out of his deep desire for us. As we lean upon him with all of our hearts, we can trust that he is blessing us as his Bride and will provide more than we could think or imagine.
Hosea 2:14-23 contains God’s promise to his Bride (the people of God);“Therefore I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the wilderness and speak tenderly to her.There I will give her back her vineyards, and will make the Valley of Achor a door of hope.There she will respond as in the days of her youth, as in the day she came up out of Egypt.“In that day,” declares the Lord, “you will call me ‘my husband’; you will no longer call me ‘my master.’I will remove the names of the Baals from her lips; no longer will their names be invoked.In that day I will make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, the birds in the sky and the creatures that move along the ground.Bow and sword and battle I will abolish from the land, so that all may lie down in safety.I will betroth you to me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion. I will betroth you in faithfulness, and you will acknowledge the Lord.“In that day I will respond,” declares the Lord—“I will respond to the skies, and they will respond to the earth;and the earth will respond to the grain, the new wine and the olive oil, and they will respond to Jezreel.I will plant her for myself in the land; I will show my love to the one I called ‘Not my loved one.’I will say to those called ‘Not my people,’ ‘You are my people’; and they will say, ‘You are my God.’”
There is a profound glory being poured out from heaven to those who will rise up in bold, courageous faith through Christ and bless the wilderness of 2020. Our Beloved, our bridegroom King Jesus has never let us down. May we have ears to hear and eyes to see how he has led us in 2020. He is good and his extravagant love is about to be displayed as never before upon his Bride. The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come, King Jesus.”
Craving Wisely
My cravings are set on fire by my hunger and thirst. The pressures of life push and pull me to an empty place. Once I get there, my soul demands to be filled. I cannot deny or escape it.
To be alive is to crave more life. I am always hungry and thirsty because I have been created for renewal. As long as I am breathing I will be craving.
For some reason, I find myself journaling this… “Coming to terms with the primal source of life…the kingdom of God… the Spirit of God. It is the presence of God that provides power, stability, breath, life, and more.”
I began to think about prayer. It is bringing my hunger and thirst to the bread of life and the living water… King Jesus. Wisdom tells me that my cravings drive what I do. The reason I pray is to not be a fool when it comes to my heart intentions… what I am REALLY trying to get.
Jesus said, “Blessings on people who hunger and thirst for God’s justice! You’re going to be satisfied” (Matthew 5:6 – The Bible for Everyone) or “How enriched you are when you crave righteousness! For you will be surrounded with fruitfulness.” (The Passion Translation)
We are right now under pressure from adjusting to the COVID-19 pandemic. All of us are careening toward a confrontation with our heart motives… what we REALLY crave.
I hear the anchoring voice of the Spirit urging me to come to him every day to eat the bread of life and drink the living water that only comes from King Jesus. Only a fool would ignore Him.
God, lead me in heaven’s wisdom. – Amen
Prayer to Banish the Fearful Spirit
King Jesus, love the world through me. Banish the fearful spirit and cast it far away from me. It is no match for your power, love, and stealth wisdom. And, because you live in me, the fearful spirit is an evil intruder.
Expose all of the disguises it has supplied for me to wear. Bring them all into the light so that I can throw them out with the garbage.
Provoke me to Life in all that I do. Teach me the art of complete love. You have broken the chains and set me free. Animate my day with your living presence and fill it with the agenda of your kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. – Amen
“After all, the spirit given to us by God isn’t a fearful spirit; it’s a spirit of power, love, and prudence.” 2 Timothy 1:7 “The Bible for Everyone”
Jesus’ Word to You When Dread Approaches
I love the living, active, grace (ability) that comes from the Holy Spirit to prophesy to each other. 1 Corinthians 14:3 reads, “But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort.” For me, it’s all about building up, stirring up, and cheering up.
There is a dread creeping in on the world due to COVID-19. But, there was and is a MASSIVE network of people and communities united and connected in Jesus across that same space. We are one in the Spirit and we are united in Christ’s glory and love (John 17:20-26).
Today, I declare Jesus’ prophetic word to stir us up again. He still shows up when the thick clouds of dread creep in on our communities. He says, “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. (Matthew 5:14-15)
We have a powerful advantage of hope with which we can bless people who come into our place and space today. We don’t need to hoard it. It actually increases the more we share it. That advantage is the living word of the Lord. The light that will drive away dread is actually the living presence of God released in us and through us as we choose a grateful, thankful attitude.
No matter what threats arise (real or just hype), Jesus’ word over us is, “You are the light of the world.” Be bold in love, genuinely encourage people, and trust Jesus to shine more and more through you.
In Christ, you are a blessing!
God’s Vindication Assumes God’s Government
I have learned that God’s agenda for me is freedom. Legit freedom that breaks every restricting chain of control away from me. There are weapons forged against me. But, in Christ, those weapons are not effective. My defense is the vindication that Jesus provides by his presence in me and with me. Vindication is the action of clearing someone of blame or suspicion. The prophet, Isaiah wrote, “no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and this is their vindication from me,” declares the Lord. (Isaiah 54:17) In Christ, I am cleared of blame and suspicion.
Jesus is present in me according to his promise to come in, stay with me and to do life with me. (Revelation 3:20) His presence with me governs me. I have been captured by the goodness of his kingship over me.
He trains me day by day to freely surrender to his ways. There are days when I cooperate well with the training and others when I tend to resist. Jesus disciplines me and calls me higher on those days. A good day is not always a fun day with Jesus. But, he reminds me endlessly that in him I am vindicated (cleared of blame and suspicion).
I am learning to trust his vindication of me more every day. He is showing me the ways I foolishly take that vindication and use it to get what I want. Freedom doesn’t work that way. The more I let him govern me from the inside-out, the more I experience his release from fears of blame and suspicion. The more I trust his vindication of me and not my own, the more courage I find to live in true freedom.
I pray the same for you in Jesus’ name.
In Christ, you are a blessing!
The Fear of the Lord Releases the Unprecedented
Over the past few years, I have been creating a prophetic word. It is in response to the journey I have taken with God. First I need to say that I am convinced we are living in an unprecedented move of God around the world. If you have eyes to see it and ears to hear it, you would be wise to make the most of it in your life.
The Lord is moving in unprecedented ways and bringing people into His family at an unprecedented rate. And he is doing it in and through the church, his family. It seems that the “new wine” of God’s renewal is being carried by his “new wineskins”… his children in Christ. The word that I have been crafting has to do with the ability or grace that God is pouring out to the church. It is the grace to release the Unprecedented move of God in all nations and generations.
I believe that mothers and fathers have been rising up that will not only carry this grace but will also effectively train their sons and daughters on how to carry it as well. The Lord of the harvest has been intentionally calling these leaders and preparing them for this moment.
So, by God’s grace, I see in the spirit, thousands if not millions of us around the world who right now are carrying the grace to release the Unprecedented move of God. It is time for us to own that gift in Jesus’ name and lay down our lives in releasing it. God will be with us and will help us take every step on the mission.
The past few days one more piece has been added to this prophetic word. It comes from Isaiah 33:6, “He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure.” It is the fear of the Lord.
The Amplified Bible defines the fear of the Lord as “worshiping Him and regarding Him as truly awesome”. My working definition is “placing God’s stance and word on everything higher than anyone else’s opinion including my own and surrendering to it”.
Today I can see and know in my heart that the missing piece is being added to my crafted word. The Lord has been showing me that the fear of the Lord is actually THE grace that the church is carrying at this moment… and it is increasing rapidly.
I feel like it has finally come together in me. God is giving it as a prayer call, mantle, and burden of love to carry. This is what I have been hearing in my spirit: The fear of the Lord is the grace we carry to release the Unprecedented move of God in all nations and generations.
If you hear that same call in your heart, don’t lose heart or give up in weariness. Let’s agree together and thank God for building us together in Christ as new wineskins who carry the new wine of the reverent fear of the Lord.
In Christ, you are a blessing!
The prize must be won
Do you think you have arrived? I dreamed last night of playing in a soccer match. As the left-winger, I was watching myself play. It seemed like I kept missing passes. My timing was off and worst of all, I could not seem to summon the burst of energy at that crucial moment to finish the play and ultimately put the ball in the net. Do you think you have arrived? I dreamed last night of playing in a soccer match. As the left-winger, I was watching myself play. It seemed like I kept missing passes. My timing was off and worst of all, I could not seem to summon the burst of energy at that crucial moment to finish the play and ultimately put the ball in the net.
Finally, after staying in the game and fighting through the disappointment in my own performance and my stubborn lack of drive to finish strong, I was able to scrape together a score. To my amazement, my coach flipped out with excitement over me and my ability to be in the right place and the right time and to FINISH the play.
So, today, I want to give a shout out to the ones who are staring down your day feeling the weight of disappointment and the dread of wringing out a few more drops of power to fight to the end. Heaven is filled with anticipation of celebrating you and the prize you are about to win. The Father and all who serve him know that the Spirit of Jesus is in you. They know that whatever giant stands in your way will not be able to withstand the mighty power that is going to outlast and put you in the perfect position to strike that giant down today.
This is your day because Jesus is with you and in you. The prize won’t be handed to you, you will have to win it. You have to show up. But, why wouldn’t you? You were made to not only have the prize but to seize it, to take the enemy out in order to get it, to WIN! THAT is who you are.
“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:12-14)
In Jesus, you are a blessing!
The Tidal Wave is Upon Us (A word from the Lord)
I had a dream last night. I was with a group of Christian leaders in a small boat. A friend of ours (also a leader of a church) was taking us on a quick excursion out on the ocean. We were without life jackets but were unconcerned. We had traveled about one mile away from shore with plans to go out farther. Those of us who were guests had no idea where our friend was taking us. Our small boat was sailing parallel to the shore.
I began to notice a towering tidal wave out on the horizon. It grew quickly and soon consumed the view. The others began to take note as well. My anxiety level increased and my mind began to race. The conversation on the boat was buzzing about whether or not we could survive if we stayed at our current location.
As the discussion continued, I began to hear the sound of the crashing water and I felt the spray on my face from the impending wave. We all knew the tidal wave would soon be right on top of us.
The driver of the boat decided to turn and head for shore. The wave was gaining on us and closing the gap between it and our boat. So, we accelerated and seemed to outrun it.
After we arrived on shore, we began to move through the village warning the inhabitants of the imminent danger and the impending tidal wave. The reactions of the people were mixed. Some began to make preparations and others smugly and foolishly took the liberty to stand and discuss at length whether or not this was actually a tidal wave or if they really needed to be in a hurry to adjust accordingly.
Many in Atlantic Canada have been interceding for an unprecedented move of God to arise. Several words have come over the past few years concerning waves of revival, healing, renewal, and deliverance. Including two powerful visions in my local church where I saw a massive tidal wave of grace hitting our worship center and one of our prophetic team members saw a season of waves of various sizes also striking our worship gatherings.
The Lord has been moving in me with the message that these waves are now upon us and it is crucial for the Church to invite his waves of grace. It is true that the waves will not always look inviting or pleasant. But, if we will trust God’s heart and his transforming power, we can bless the tidal wave no matter how it appears. This is a call to turn and repent of anything on earth that the word of the Lord identifies as out of alignment with heaven. Much like our boat turned and accelerated toward the shore, we must turn from false ideas and teachings and accelerate toward the safe harbor of Jesus who is the Truth.
The Lord was stirring the following word in my spirit: “God’s Grace Tidal Wave is upon us. It is imminent. Many have seen it in the spirit. Now we will begin to hear it and feel the spray in the atmosphere. We need to bless this consuming tidal wave though to many it won’t seem like a blessing. It is going to deal with us and assess (judge) us. There will be no time for us to assess the wave. IT is going to deal with US.”
We are in the beginning stages of an unprecedented move of God which will see a larger harvest of righteousness than the world has ever seen. It was prophesied years ago that a billion people will come into God’s family in Christ as a result. I urge you to wake up to the moment we are in, repent of anything in your life that is out of alignment with the word of the Lord, and be ready to bless the tidal wave as it makes landfall.
It’s time!