Tag: God

3 Steps to begin walking out your destiny

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I saw this on the wall last night at a church. It made me catch my breath….. “There are many things in life that will catch your eye, but only a few that will catch your heart…. Pursue those.”

This morning, the verse kept going through my mind in Jeremiah 1:12 ,” The LORD said to me, “You have seen well, for I am [actively] watching over My word to fulfill (perform) it.”

I can’t wait to begin pursuing the things God has placed on my heart. In the 1st chapter of Jeremiah he sees a twig of an almond branch. The almond tree is the first tree to bud around January. God is excited to watch over the words He has spoken to us and can’t wait to see us bud and produce the fruit that He had placed inside of us before we were even born. He knew us before we were in our mothers womb. We were hidden in Christ. He placed a destiny, giftings, and a specific mantel on us that only we will carry.

You are a gift to this world that God is waiting expectantly to see released. Where does it start?

It starts by Full Submission to Him. What does full submission look like?
1) Obedience to His word, read, study, memorize the Bible get it into your heart. Allow it to transform you to where it flows out of you like a river of water. Apply it to your life where you obey what it says. Keep away from evil, sin and anything that does not honor God. Ask God to give you a desire to live a pure and holy life unto Him. Romans 12:1 says, “present your body as a living sacrifice to God, holy and acceptable which is your reasonable service.”

3 Steps to begin walking out your destiny

I have heard some Christians say, you can’t be holy, Jesus was God so he couldn’t sin. At times this is said to justify their own sin and make an excuse as to why they couldn’t stop themselves. But I tell you, Jesus was 100% God and 100% man. He had a choice whether or not he would sin. Otherwise, what was the purpose of Jesus being tempted by the devil in the wilderness? He had just finished fasting 40 days, he was weak and tired and the enemy tried to catch him at his lowest point to tempt him in all the things he needs or would he facing at the cross. Jesus refused and said, man shall not live on bread alone but every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.

Jesus was tempted in all things Yet He did it sin. We are to be Holy as he is holy. 1 Peter 1:14-16 “As obedient children, do not conform to the passions of your former ignorance. 15But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do, 16for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy” It’s not just an Old Testiment statement!

BUT WHERE DOES Holiness START?

1) It starts with a Desire to please the Lord and live for him. We can ask him for that desire and he will give it to us. We can ask for strength to avoid giving into sin. In 1 Corinthians 10:13 Amplified it says,
No temptation [regardless of its source] has overtaken or enticed you that is not common to human experience [nor is any temptation unusual or beyond human resistance]; but God is faithful [to His word—He is compassionate and trustworthy], and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability [to resist], but along with the temptation He [has in the past and is now and] will [always] provide the way out as well, so that you will be able to endure it [without yielding, and will overcome temptation with joy].

2) Seek His Face, not just his hand (what he can do for you). Seeking his presence by allowing ourselves to stop what we are doing and spend time with him. Stop, Wait on him and Listen to his voice. When Elijah went into the cave God didn’t speak in the wind, earthquake or fire, God spoke as a still small voice, a whisper. (1 Kings 19:13)

3) We need to be patient and cultivate that habit of waiting on Him, listening to His voice, then responding to it in Obedience. It doesnt matter if it is a verse he wants you to look up, a person he wants you to pray for, or someone you are to give something to physically or a word of encouragement. The simple act of taking His word to heart, honoring it and obeying it will open your ears even wider to hear the Lord quicker and clearer next time! When we respond to His word, it sharpens our awareness of the Holy Spirit, till it gets stronger and stronger and you doubt less and less that you can hear His voice. That is when you have the confidence to step out in boldness even when you don’t think your are ready or prepared. That’s when the anointing of God that had been poured out in the secret place of seeking His face flows out of you to others.

Here are 2 easy to understand messages about your Destiny and God’s Mantel on your life from Doug Lasit, Senior Pastor of The Pearl Church in Denver, Colorado. He is a man of God I have respected since he was my Youth pastor back in the late 90’s at City Bible Church (now Mannahouse) in Portland, Oregon. I hope these messages bring understanding to why you are alive in this place and time.

Sunday Service March 5, 2023 https://www.youtube.com/live/aVDeUxUWdAY?feature=share

Sunday Service March 12, 2023 https://www.youtube.com/live/jAM84DPvC18?feature=share

Intimacy = Into Me See

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This Sunday as our pastor was sharing a message he kept using the word intimacy. I shared with my teenagers what I had learned about that word.
Another way to look at the word INTIMACY is:
Into Me See.

It’s a place of vulnerability with God where we allow Him to look inside of us and see who we really are. At the same time it’s where we look into God’s heart and see who He really is. We need to be vulnerable with God allowing Him to search us like in
Psalms 139:23-24
“Search me [thoroughly], O God, and know my heart; Test me and know my anxious thoughts and see if there is any wicked or hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way.“

As He looks into me and I look into Him, as our eyes meet, our hearts will get closer to that intimacy we long for.

Waiting with Hopeful Expectation

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It is one thing to believe in God, it’s another thing to believe that He is a God of His word and that He keeps His Promises. For many of us, we have been waiting in expectation for God to come through in huge areas in our life. It means taking litterally the verse that says “Do not be weary in well doing, you will reap a harvest if you do not lose hope. (Gal 6:9)
This morning I woke up and the phrase of the song Way Maker was going through my mind,” Even when I don’t see it you’re working, even when I don’t feel it you’re working. you never stop you never stop working. Way maker, miracle worker, promise keeper, light in the darkness, my God that is who you are.

It started my day with my eyes fixed on the one who is in charge of it all. Nothing I can do in My Own Strength can make God’s will accomplish faster or be more perfect. He is all knowing, all powerful, always there. He knows my end from the beginning and if I walk with him he will make my path straight. I’m waiting with hopeful expectation that he will fulfill his word.

But as for me, I will look expectantly for the LORD and with confidence in Him I will keep watch; I will wait [with confident expectation] for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me. Micah 7:7 Amplified

What are you believing God for right now? What can we pray for you for?

How do you Measure Faith?

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How do you measure faith? If it takes a mustard seed size faith to move a mountain (Matt 17:20), then how much faith to see someone healed?

Faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen. 

“Now faith is the assurance (title deed, confirmation) of things hoped for (divinely guaranteed), and the evidence of things not seen [the conviction of their reality—faith comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses].” Hebrews 11:1 Amplified

To me, Faith is trusting in the character of God beyond my own understanding.
When I pray for something and it does not happen, even praying with complete faith and trust, if I say this did not happen because I did not have enough faith, I put all the pressure and blame on myself.

That is exactly what the enemy wants to happen! When I don’t get what I pray for the enemy would want me to doubt my faith in God. As a result, the enemy’s goal would be for me to start doubting God is who He says He is and will do what He says He will do.

When I pray for something in faith believing God’s will to be done above my own, something switches from me being responsible for the answer to leaving it in God’s hand and trusting HIM to have the answer in His timing.

When I pray, Father, Your Kingdom Come On Earth as it is in heaven, not my will be done but Yours be done (Matt 6:10). My focus shifts on Him and His kingdom which is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Rom 14:17). If I can have peace and joy while walking in righteousness (right standing in him) before Him, then I am experiencing the kingdom of God.
If I live in that mindset it puts my focus on Him for whatever happens in my life.

By praying this way, I am focusing my attention on the Father, instead of my attention on the problem. If my trust and focus is on Him, not just relying on whatever size of faith I have, it begins to take my focus off of the issue. That begins to remove fear, doubt and disillusionment that can take place when you are surrounded by circumstances outside of your control.

Again, if I pray and think my faith will get me this answer, then my attention focuses on myself. I believe that is the opposite of what God intends for prayer.

I want my focus to be on the immense love of God, that he has me in the palm of his hands and whatever life and people throw at me I can rest in confidence in him. His character never changes his word never changes, his promises never fail.
Happy Monday!

The picture in this post was a gift from God last year. I took it right down the street from my house when Mount Hood had the most incredible lenticular clouds over the top. It’s a treasure.

Mental Victories: Hardest Fought but Greatest Reward

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Today I used the verse below as a weapon to stomp on the enemy’s head. He kept trying to creep up and place degrading thoughts in my mind about myself. Hurtful words that had been spoken to me by another person, now used as a dagger the enemy constantly tries to annihilate me with.

Today I spoke this verse over myself again and again and it fortified a wall of the word of God around me blocking the enemy’s voice. I sat in peace when I normally would have been in turmoil.

Today, declaring this verse put on display the power of the word of God when it is hidden in our hearts and used against the enemy, as the word of Our Testimony.
⚡ I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.⚡

Righteousness means right standing with God. I know the purity of my heart and actions before God. I know my position in Christ. I am a daughter of the King.

Let this verse sink into your heart. Let it become your Battle Cry when the enemy comes to fill your mind with thoughts that tear you down. Knowing who we are in Christ enables us to walk each day filled with his grace and enablement to be able to do everything he has called us to do.

He made Christ who knew no sin to [judicially] be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we would become the righteousness of God [that is, we would be made acceptable to Him and placed in a right relationship with Him by His gracious lovingkindness].
2 Corinthians 5:21 Amplified

Follow & Stay up to date on what God is speaking to me on my Facebook Page. At times I will post shorts only on there. https://www.facebook.com/livelifeoutloudforgod/

Asking the Holy Spirit to Hover Over Your Prayer Targets

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I heard a message years ago from Beni Johnson that talked about praying for our kids that the Holy Spirit would hover over them like the Holy Spirit did over the waters at creation. The testimonies that came in were unbelievable how lives were changed and how the prodigals returned.

I encourage you to listen to this song and where it says “Rest on Us” replace the US with the name of the person you are praying for. It is soo powerful to combine worship with prayer as it releases faith inside of us and joins our hearts and spirit with Papa God.

This song was playing right when I turned my car on this morning on Air1, I’m so thankful!
Now I’m so excited to hear testimonies from you!

Worship Song, Rest On Us from Maverick City Music.
https://youtu.be/8qryRCbNYro

Rip off those Grave Clothes, Hope to the Hopeless

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Have you ever had one of those long seasons where fear, anger, grief and loss seem to drown out hope and make the promises of God seem like a mirage?
It may be in those seasons like the only thing to do is block out the world around you as much as you can and go on autopilot.
Then when you finally get to a place where you can relax and have peace you realize that all the relaxing in the world does not take the place of Jesus!

When decisions are made that are totally out of your control and you think that the promises God made will never come to pass. That is when we need to recognize the source of those thoughts, from the pit of hell. It is our responsibility to keep praying, keep trusting God, keep declaring His promises over you and your family. Over your children, their spouses, your grandchildren. Never stop crying out to God for His purposes to be done for His will to be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.

It’s time to shake off those grave clothes! I will never forget a sermon I heard years ago that talked about the grave clothes we walk around in. When Jesus called Lazarus out of the tomb, he told him to Take off those Grave clothes he was wearing. We can walk around with the heaviness that the enemy wants us to stay in but Jesus makes us free, whole and restored. We can asknowledge that the King of Kings and the Lord of Lord’s is still on the throne. He hasn’t stopped believing his promises so we can’t either.

Time to see that Jesus sits on the throne and he has given us the keys of sin and death. He has given us Authority to trample on the enemy. It’s time to get our fight back. It’s time to realize who is the head and who is the tail. We are MORE Than CONQUERORS through Him who loves us and has called us according to His purposes.

Even if we can’t change the choices that we can’t control around us, we can change our thoughts, heart, attitude and response to it. God give us all the strength and courage to see beyond the surface of the problems. Help us to remember that, you take what the enemy meant for evil and turn it for good. Give us your eyes to see with hope that we will see a victory. We will pray with faith and hold on to hope not fear. We align our faith with the word of God. We will silence the lies of the enemy by speaking the word of God to every twisted idea. Turn on the Worship misic and worship your heart out! We will declare the promises of God every day.

~Sometimes I’m a Princess and
Sometimes I’m a Warrior~

https://youtu.be/q5m09rqOoxE

The Mental Battle is Real – So is its Victory

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It’s time to no longer allow the enemy to take bits of truth and turn it into a twisted daggar.

This last year has been mentally challenging for many of us. But! We with the power of the Holy Spirit working through us can break through those strongholds that are twisting our mind into a frenzie!

Those areas that take a piece of truth and mix it with an assumption, add in some hurt, dissapointment, anger and resentment and you get a fortress in your mind the enemy has built walls around.

Keeping that fortress may allow you a time of self pity, which can feel justified at first, but it will always hurt more. Self pity is the lock and chain around the fortress. We must be willing to acknowledge self pity is wrong and that it is justifying our sinful response instead of acknowledging God’s ability to set us free.

The weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood]. Our weapons are divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.We are destroying sophisticated arguments and every exalted and proud thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought and purpose captive to the obedience of Christ,being ready to punish every act of disobedience, when your own obedience [as a church] is complete. – 2 Corinthians 10:4-6 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2Corinthians10:4-6&version=AMP

The only things that can break that is the truth of the word of God, the power of the Holy Spirit, repenting of holding on to those lying thoughts as truth and a determination to stop mulling over those painful thoughts after we receive forgiveness.

The next step is putting into action a plan for a new course. Finally seeing it through. You can get help all you want after that. But if the first steps are not taken it won’t do a lick of good. Conquer the battle in the mind first.

This is my testimony this week. I pray it helps you on your own journey of freedom.

National Day Of Prayer for COVID-19 Coronavirus

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Today I join with our President and millions of Christians around the USA on this #NationalDayOfPrayer.

I declare #Psalms91 over us. Jesus you said, If I will be lifted up, I will draw all men unto me.” Jesus, I lift you up over the United States, I lift you up over the world. Draw all men and women and children unto you. Stretch out your hand and eliminate #covid19 the #coronavirus. We declare healing for all infected.

The Bible says it is by your stripes Jesus that we have been healed! We declare healing over those who are sick today. Let your people arise with faith and begin to lay hands on the sick and see them recover. This goes for every sickness and every disease. Let us see miracles break out across the country as your people rise in faith for the impossible. The same Holy Spirit that was poured out in Acts NEVER LOST His Power! The Blood of Jesus Never lost its power. The same blood of Jesus that washes away our sins, heals our bodies. Thank you #Jesus for your sacrifice on the cross for us. We declare health and wholeness for every body!

We will not bow to the spirit of fear! We reject fear and receive faith! For the Lord has not given us a spirit of fear but of Power Love and a Sound Mind! Father release a sound mind over every #government official. Let them lead with wisdom. I pray for our President Donald #Trump and First Lady Melania, their family, Vice President Mike Pence and his wife and family. Protect them, give them wisdom and guide them in truth and love. Father your will be done, your kingdom come on earth as it is in Heaven. Provide, protect and heal our nation and the nations of the world. For yours is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory Forever Amen!

Psalms 91 produced by our friend Steve Carpenter and his kids with Hwy 19 Media Productions. https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10220228226269444&id=1041094279

When someone’s Destiny is cut short – Runing the race for someone else.

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What are we supposed to think when someone has received a word from the Lord of something they will do or be a part of someday and they died before the fulfilment takes place? Do we stop believing in the prophetic or hearing the voice of God? How is this linked to faith?

Hebrews 11:1 says, Now faith is the substance (confident, assurance) of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Faith is believing in something God has said that we cannot see, with confidence that it will come to pass. So what happens when we feel God has said something to us but it does not come to pass in our lifetime or in the lifetime of our loved ones?

Many know Hebrews 11 as The Heroes of Faith chapter. But as I was reading it today, I was struck 2 times where it said they did not see the promises come to pass in their lifetime.

Hebrews 11:13, 16

“All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. 16 Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.”

We applaud them for their faith, not realizing they were human as well, and wrestled with probably the same thoughts we have. They did not see the promises fulfilled in their lifetime. They had to have confidence in God that he would fulfill his word and keep obeying and moving forward, if they saw it with their own eyes or not.

I can’t imagine what that would have been like… Actually, yes I can. I’ve already seen it in my own life. My grandma Johnson about a year or two before she died, went through prophetic assembly at our church. I remember listening to what they were saying and wondering how God was going to fulfill those things in her life. When she died suddenly before doing any of the things they spoke over her, I wrestled with the words they said. After her death, I remember reading through Hebrews 11 and felt like I was reading the last verse for the first time.

Hebrews 11:39-40 NIV

39 These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, 40 since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.

Hebrews 11:39-40 Nkjv

39 And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, 40 God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.

Did you catch that? That they should not be made perfect apart from US! And in the NIV version it said since God had planned something better for US so that only together with US- They would be made Perfect.

To me that means the people who came after those Heroes of Faith were the ones who walked out the promises God had given them. If that happened when the Bible was written, it still happens today!

Who went before you that was given a promise from God they never saw fulfilled? What are the things that YOU who have the Baton will be carrying out to perfect their promise? What a sobering thought no wonder it says in chapter 12 verse 1

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the [a]author and [b]finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

When the Bible was written it was not written in chapters. It was usually a continual thought that flowed from one chapter to another. Unfortunately, many times we don’t read the word of God in context and keep reading before or after the verses that we are focusing on. I’m so glad my awesome College professors at Portland Bible College pounded that into us. Right after it was talking about the Heroes of Faith not seeing the promise that we are supposed to carry on, it goes on to tell US to run the race before us with endurance.

What an incredible revelation! Not only does it answer the probing question of why God can speak something and it not come to pass in our lifetime; it gives us the direction of how to take on the mandates God has spoken over those in the past and run our race with endurance.

The question then comes, what is our race?

How do I know the race that God has set for me?

The answer is simple.

You live each day dedicated to God 100%. Having ears that are open to hear his voice and living in obedience to him. Spending time reading, studying and applying the word of God. Planting yourself in a Bible based local church who is your spiritual covering/authority (wives as well as your husband who is your first level of covering).

You run your race by obeying the things that God has set in front of you to do each day. Trusting Him 100% that as you listen to him, receive counsel and wisdom from your spiritual leaders when needed you will be guided on your race. If your wisdom is lead in purity and peace your path will be made straight and you fill fulfill the race set before you.

James 3:13-18

13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter envy and [h]self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. 16 For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.

17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. 18 Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Ever decision should be made with the wisdom of God and first pure then with peace. That is another discussion for another day.

My favorite life verse is:

Prov 3:5-6

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,

And lean not on your own understanding;

6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,

And He shall [b]direct your paths.

Let’s keep running, don’t give up if you don’t see someone elses words not fulfilled. If God asks you to, pick up their baton and run like your life depends on it. Because a fulfilled life WILL depend on it.