the living word of the Lord

Speak, Lord, for Your Servant (church) is Listening (1 Samuel 3:10)

This has been a historic era when we have been trying to have all of the benefits of the kingdom of heaven on earth without the King. The nations of the world have bought into the lie that says even if there is a God, He is distant from us and uninvolved on earth.

Most, even in the church can relate to 1 Samuel 3:1, “In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions.” Eli’s house was corrupt and he himself was allowing unethical and immoral things to happen. God was about to judge his household.

In the middle of the mess, the Spirit of God broke through and caused the boy Samuel, to hear from heaven. That encounter under the coaching of Eli (even though he was coming under God’s judgment) launched Samuel into an unprecedented prophetic ministry.

We have come to such a moment right now. I submit to you that the Coronavirus Pandemic has become a moment when what we hear has awesome potential to launch the restored prophetic voice of the Church for the glory of King Jesus.

This is a moment when I am choosing by the grace of God to be intentional about how I respond to what I hear. I am joining with young Samuel and praying, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening”. The Church in all nations is going to shine powerfully in 2020 and beyond in an unprecedented way. Our service to God, today, is to listen only to Him.

In Christ, You are a blessing!

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!

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!

Heaven’s message… “Humble Yourself”!

I am captivated by the way Jesus always sided with the one who longed to communicate with God… to connect with heaven on earth. Have you noticed that throughout the story recorded in the Bible, the highest value is placed on our being quick to respond when God reaches out to us?

I love the prophetic because it is all about receiving and sharing the living word of God. God’s messages have power because they originate with him. When he sends a message, things change.

The deeper I trust and believe that God is always sending heaven’s message into earth, the better I will receive it. The whole point of the word becoming flesh in Jesus Christ was to make communion between God and humanity accessible. God’s plan is for the kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven in partnership with us.

There is a clear call to humble ourselves before God so that he can then lift us up in his time and his way. To all of us who long to see Jesus honored and worshipped in all nations and generations, heaven’s message is, “humble yourself”! If we will, I believe we will stand in awe of how loudly God is speaking into our world.

Prophetic voices are beginning to declare across the church that there is a coming together of the prophetic with people returning to Jesus as Lord around the world. We can be part of that movement! It begins with asking God to open us up once again to his voice and his living word.

It is incredible to imagine what could happen if we believe that God is pouring out his Spirit on all humanity in order for us to know him deeply. How would your day change if you knew God is sending a message of love to every person you meet? I believe he is doing just that.

The dream that God has put in my heart is that the Church will live overwhelmed by the living word of the Lord. There was a day that Jesus literally shouted out for everyone to hear, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” (John 7:37-39) He is still making it loud and clear. How amazing that we get to partner with him through the prophetic!

May God help us to humble ourselves and rediscover his heart for every person to know his voice and experience his life. He is still writing the same story. He is still siding with the ones who long to communicate with him… to connect with heaven on earth in Jesus’ name.

You are a blessing!

Stand Up! The world is waiting for you.

I heard a word from the Lord in a dream last night. It was, “Stand up! The world is waiting for you.” There were many of us gathered in a retreat type of event. The speaker was challenging us with those words. There was a profound sense that it was a moment of commissioning and sending.

Many of us need to open our spiritual perception to hear the Lord stirring us, awakening us to realize that while we “wait” for a special invitation or affirmation from an earthly source to step forward, the world is actually waiting for us to stand up and release our voice.

The Lord is putting His word in our mouths. It is time for us to hear his word from Jeremiah 1:17, “Get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified by them, or I will terrify you before them.” Often you will find that the terrifying ones will be the spirits who try to control and manipulate you with their approval or disapproval. You will encounter these spirits both outside and within the faith community. Walk in heaven’s wisdom! The Lord has promised us boldness, courage, power, and authority when we stand. The world is waiting for us.

You are a blessing!

Surrendering The Engine of Desire

We understand what love is because Jesus laid down his life for us (1 John 3:16) Experiencing eternal life comes only by knowing God. The overwhelming gospel is that God has invited us into the closest of all intimate relationships with him through faith in Jesus.

Being prophetic or growing in the prophetic is all about going deeper with Jesus and allowing him to go deeper with you. There is a beautiful moment where we see Jesus and the disciples during what is known as the Last Supper. It is the moment when Jesus reminds them of the nearness of the Spirit.

In John 14:16-17, Jesus teaches that the Holy Spirit will be with us and in us. Receiving and declaring the living word of the Lord is where I come alive. The Lord has taught me over many decades that I will find him only when I seek him with my whole heart.

At the central part of me is my core engine of desire. Something bigger than life is activated when by the grace of God, that engine of desire is surrendered to intimacy with the Holy Spirit.

I do love receiving and sharing messages from God. I do love the prophetic. But, my true passion as God’s child is being close enough with Jesus that we are able to hear each other’s voice.

Hearing our Shepherd’s voice and following Him is more precious to us than what he says and where he is going. The point of being prophetic is experiencing the One who will never leave us and will empowers us to stay with him.

You are a blessing!

The Veil is Lifted

What happens in your inner territory when all you have left to go on is your agreement with God? The Spirit loves to lead you to that place because God’s joy over that territory is all that truly matters. You in Christ and Christ in you… life-union with Jesus… receive his joy over you.

I believe we are in a season right now when unprecedented demonstrations of God’s kingdom are breaking out into the open on earth. If we will continue to humble ourselves, He will lift us up in his way and his time.

The following message rose up in me today and I want to encourage you with it… The Veil is Removed: The compassionate works of the Holy Spirit are overflowing with glory. There is nothing as amazing as God’s glory. The veil is removed because of Jesus. He removes whatever hinders our seeing and hearing as well as our speaking and revealing his glory in us, around us, and through us. (A word from the Lord this morning as I was meditating on 2 Cor 3:12-18)

You are a blessing!

Not easily threatened

How much are we limited and held back because of fear? When we feel threatened we tend to react in some way. The “fight or flight” instinct activates and what follows is not usually pretty or helpful. I have found that giving in to threatened feelings shuts down my spiritual perception.

I jumped in on a twenty-one day fast hosted by my church. We are giving God the first part of 2019 as a reminder that we will see his goodness break in on us throughout the whole year. The idea is to give up something good that you enjoy in order to receive the best thing, a deeper relationship with God.

The breakthrough I have been asking God for in my life, home, and church is in the realm of the miraculous. I want to partner with the Holy Spirit in the name of Jesus in doing miracles, signs, and wonders. I also want those around me to do the same.

During my fast, the Lord has been making me more aware of the freedom I possess because I am in Christ. There is a reason that Jesus shared his freedom with me. Because I am free, I can live unafraid. I don’t need to act or react to anything locked up in fear. (Galatians 5:1)

Jesus lived in total freedom because he was fully aware that he was free 100% of the time. Whatever he did, he was in charge. Wherever he went, he was intentional and fully present. He lived on earth by the power and authority of heaven.

He could see and hear in the realm of the spirit because it was no threat to him. Because he was not threatened, he was willing to perceive all things in the seen and unseen realm. Now, because I am in life-union with him, I can begin to perceive what he sees and hears in complete freedom.

You and I will grow in our ability to receive and declare the living word of the Lord as we trust his presence in us. We are going to see more of his power displayed in 2019! Take courage in these words of Jesus, “And everything I’ve taught you is so that the peace which is in me will be in you and will give you great confidence as you rest in me. For in this unbelieving world you will experience trouble and sorrows, but you must be courageous, for I have conquered the world!”

You are a blessing!

Taken into 2019

The living word of the Lord changes everything. Everything about God speaks. His word is like a fire. It is also like a hammer. (Jeremiah 23:29) He speaks and a new creation comes into being… YOU come into being.

The most elemental truth concerning you is identifying as God’s creation… craftsmanship… artistry… design. Through life-union with Jesus, the dead imposter you used to be is buried and your true self is breaking out as you are pulled into the future by grace. With every new day in Christ, you are becoming more of who really are. God has promised never to abandon you.

Surrender to the Holy Spirit’s current that longs to take you through that open door in front of you into the New Year. His desire is to change things through you this year. His creative power belongs to you in Christ. You have the authority in the name of Jesus to declare new things with your life and your voice. Because you are in life-union with Jesus and He is in you, your life speaks. (John 15:1-8 TPT)

In 2019, may you embrace your calling to declare the amazing news of God’s new creation. No one can share it like you. You have been designed with a unique voice to declare his glory. You matter because of Christ in you. His choice to be in life-union with you and me constantly lifts us to reign with him in this world to see His glory on earth as it is in heaven. Here’s to the best year ever in 2019!

You are a blessing!

God chooses not to control…

God has chosen not to control things. Instead, he made humans to rule Creation in partnership with him for the glory of King Jesus. What begins to shake and shift in you in light of knowing God is not controlling things today, but instead is exercising dominion in Jesus’ name through his family on earth as it is in heaven?