Loved and Protected

I was just watching Soul Survivor on God TV and the speaker, whose name I don’t know, brought out the contrast between the old and new covenants. He said this: in the Old Testament Moses’ first miracle was turning water to blood, but in the NT Jesus’ first miracle was turning water into wine, for a party! When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the law 3000 died because of their sin, but when Jesus came down in Mt. Zion 3000 were saved. When Moses asked to see God, God said yes, but God said, “You’ll see only my back,” because when we were under the law, God could only walk away, because of sin. When Jesus came, we actually saw God’s face, because Jesus IS God’s face.

You and I are under the new covenant where God’s answers are yea and amen. He wants to be intimately involved in our lives, and because of that covenant that intimacy is now a possibility! Jesus was the promise fulfilled that turns the world–our world upside down! Wow! Praise you, Lord!

We have it all. Do we see that? Do we grasp the depth of what we have? Would to God that we get this, and not waste another moment.

The Old Covenant said, “Go away.” The New Covenant says, “Come near.” Will we draw near to God, spend time in the secret place, basking in His amazing love?

The story of the Prodigal Son brought out something I had never realized before. The Prodigal found himself eating pig food when he realized he would simply get better, kosher food at his father’s table. The son didn’t even return because he realized he had sinned. Rather he went because of a meal ticket. But he had practiced a speech of apology that, in the end, he didn’t even get to finish because his father said, “I don’t even want to know why you came home, I’m just thrilled that you’re here.” And we know the end of the story–the father treated him like a king, poured out love on him, and restored what he had lost. And He does the same thing with you and me. He doesn’t care why we left, He just wants us back, wants to crown us with glory and grace. Will we respond to that kind of love? And will we love others as He loved us?

God is a God of restoration rather than condemnation. So let’s start looking at others the way God looked at us, as those with great potential, those who God loved enough to die for. Grace has a name–Jesus!

Jesus is not just our provider, but our very provision! He is not the giver of peace, but He IS our peace. He doesn’t just give us victory, He IS our victory! He doesn’t just give us healing, He IS our healing! He is everything to us if we allow it.

The Soul Survival speaker said Jesus had a “yes face.” Instead of condemning people, He offered them grace. He told a story of a man who asked President Thomas Jefferson for a ride on the back of his horse to cross a flooded stream. And Thomas Jefferson said yes, took the man across and let him off on dry ground on the other side. At that moment Jefferson’s grandson asked the man, “Do you know who he is?” The man said no. And the grandson said, “Why did you ask him for a ride?” The man said, “Because he had a yes face.” Do you and I have a yes face? Do you see people out of the eyes of love or of condemnation? Will we look at others, no matter who they are and have yes faces that refuse to condemn them? Let’s love others with the same love with which He loved us!

Let’s bless God in all we say and do!

Because of His great love,
Nancy

I’m so excited! God is addressing every need, answering every question, and revealing Himself in ways I’ve never seen before.

As I mentioned earlier I always saw God as an adjunct to my life, someone I needed, but not my everything. But that picture has changed. He is so worth getting excited about.

I marvel to realize that even though He knew we would be weak and sometimes fall, even doing goofy things, making wrong choices, and even purposely sinning, He loved us. Who does that?

Then He provided for us in ways we could never imagine. It’s like a huge adventure, the most incredible adventure ever–to get to watch what comes next–how He’s going to meet a need when we ask, what He’s going to say next, who He’s going to let us meet in one of those precious divine encounters He so beautifully orchestrates!

I see this whole thing as an incredibly beautiful song, a serenade, so to speak, where God is the conductor and we move according to the leading of His baton, and the music is like nothing else in the world, all because He loves us!

And if we live this way, waiting on Him, seeking His face, giving Him adoration and worship, all that we are and have, the glory comes down and touches us, forever changing us, as Scripture so eloquently says it–from glory to glory.

The world may be falling around our ears in so many ways, and circumstances may be difficult, frustrating, and even heartbreaking, but you and I have incredible reasons to rejoice, because Jesus is coming soon. He’s only delayed this long because there are still souls He wants to save before it’s too late.

So it’s up to you and me to take that glory and humbly share Christ with all who have ears to hear. In that way, you and I will hasten His return. And I for one, am ready and waiting with my lamps lit and my spiritual bags already packed, waiting by the door.

I want to pray for you.
Lord, right now You know the needs of my precious brothers and sisters. They are treasures, tucked right up beside Your heart, loved more than we can even imagine. Wrap Your arms around each one, Father, and encourage their hearts. To their bodies, minds, emotions, and spirits, we say, “We shatter every hindering spirit of infirmity. Be healed in the mighty name of Jesus!” We stand on Your promises, Lord, that say You will never leave us, and in fact, You have ordained us as priests and kings, to go forth with power and great joy, loving those who need to see Jesus with skin on. Anoint our hearts and order our steps to go where those needy hearts are, and help us plant seed unto eternity. Help us keep our eyes on You, Father, rather than on the storms around us, for You are our only safe place. We give you glory, Lord, and take comfort in the truth–that You are coming soon! Bless and minister to your people, Father, and use them as they listen for Your voice and move in obedience. In Jesus’ most amazing name, amen.

The thought for today is this: You are a one-of-a-kind individual, with fingerprints and DNA of your very own. God loved you enough to send Jesus to take your place on a cross and He’s coming again soon, so saturate yourself in His great love. I promise you’ll never be the same again!

In His great love,
Nancy

When we’re in a hard place, what are we to do? Scripture says we are to encourage ourselves in the Lord! What does that mean?

It means we think back to the ways God has come through for us in the past and take great comfort. The Old Testament saints were told to write those things on the tablets of their hearts and on their foreheads, so they would never forget what God had done.

You and I are going to need to press in to God as never before, before this thing is over. And yet God knows this, and He says He is there for us. He says He is our hiding place, our high tower, our deliverer, our peace, our hope, our bread and water, the sustainer of our lives, and the lifter of our heads. He has given us all that pertains to life and godliness. He said we will do even greater things than Jesus did if we stay attached to the Vine and move in the spirit.

We must remind ourselves of how God looks at us. Rather than getting into self-pity or fear that only give an opportunity for the devil to torment us, we must choose to be strong in the Lord, and as soon as we take action in faith rather than fear, God will move on our behalf.

God says we are His beloved, His treasures. It says He delights to give us the desires of our hearts and He wants to flow through us to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ. He wants us to be empowered by His Holy Spirit to move in the spirit, doing mighty works of the Lord.

You and I have already won the battle, if only we can grasp this concept and refuse to let our imaginations run away with us. If the battle is already won, it’s up to us to choose to believe God rather than to faint, standing in power. For God has said, “I have not given you a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind.”
Scripture goes on to say, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. I am more than a conqueror through Christ who loves me.”

The promises are endless, but it’s up to us to apply them to our own lives, and believe God instead of doubting.

I dare you!

Because of His great love,
Nancy

You may recall last week when I mentioned asking the Lord to let me move in the power of the spirit and prophecy. Well, yesterday was certainly a day to remember in that regard! I had errands to run in both directions, so I headed for the auction house to take things I’d just cleaned out that I needed to get rid of. I stopped at WalMart unsuccessfully seeking a car charger for my old flip phone, though I hadn’t planned to, and ended up buying two turkeys for $.40 a lb, a great buy! Thinking I was going to give them away, I then stopped at a friend’s place, a darling Mennonite couple we met who sell excellent used vans in central Missouri. I learned, to my dismay, that they will shortly be moving to Iowa. I was able to give them a turkey and speak a blessing over their plans.

I forgot to get directions and felt like an idiot when I had to stop at the post office and ask. (This town is small and about forty miles from my home.) I had just exited the building when the Lord told me to turn around and pray for her back. So instead of questioning it, I went inside again and asked, “Do you have back pain? The Lord told me to come and pray for your back.” She said, “Oh, yes. And fibromyalgia–and right now I even have a sty on my left eye.” She went on, “After you left I was feeling sorry for myself, feeling so miserable.”

So I prayed for her back, spoke life to her and found that she’s a believer. We visited for a few moments and hugged before I left. On my way out of town I noticed the second frozen turkey on my front seat floor and said, “Lord, what shall I do with that turkey?” And he said, “Give it to the post office lady. So, feeling like an idiot, I turned my car around and drove the three blocks to the post office and went inside again. This time I grinned and said, “The Lord told me you need a turkey. Do you need a turkey?”

She said, “Yes, I do, as a matter of fact. I was just sitting here thinking my son and his family are coming next week and I have nothing to feed them.” So I left her with the turkey, and felt amazed at how God works, even when we have to turn around and go back three times.

My timing is still a bit off, but I’m going to get this right if it takes the rest of my life. And a question I keep asking is this: What would the world be like if we listened to the Lord and simply followed His instructions instead of second-guessing them? Who could we bless and minister to if we stopped arguing and walking in fear?

It’s really fun to move in the prophetic and in the blessing of the spirit. I’ve always done this to a small degree, but now I want it to be the end all and be all of my life. What a way to live!

What about you? Will you dare to step out and ask to be used?

Because of His great love,
Nancy

Last night I saw Cindy Jacobs on God TV, and she said some remarkable things. She said that in the last days you and I are supposed to be so connected to the Holy Spirit that our lives are literally not our own, but rather we move as the spirit moves, in signs and wonders and miracles, not taking any credit for it, but using it to show the power of our wonderful Lord Jesus. We are to be dead to self and pride and control, and simply let the Holy Spirit move through us then step back and let God have the glory He so rightly deserves.

Wow! Wouldn’t that be amazing to be used like that! She confirmed what the Lord has already shown me, that the prophetic and miraculous are tools God uses to prove He’s alive and well and moving on Planet Earth. To prove He cares about people on a personal level. And isn’t that the most important thing after all is said and done?

We live on a planet with millions of others, a speck of dust on a revolving ball, if we believe what the world says. And it’s hard to feel important to anyone. Where in the world does a person find significance, the sense that they matter to someone, if not to those who love Jesus? You and I must see and treat each person, no matter who or what they are, with love, respect and gentle deference.

This was especially confirmed when I watched another program called “Love Won Out.” The subject matter was the homosexual lifestyle, and it truly was an eye-opening presentation. How often have we heard Christians railing against homosexuals when it’s the sin rather than the sinner we are supposed to hate?

A woman whose name I didn’t get spoke about her early teen years when she got into the gay lifestyle and lived as a lesbian while working for a Christian man. She said she had to question her assumptions about Christians when he treated her with respect and love. And in the end, the Lord slowly revealed Himself to her, showing her who she is in Jesus. It was a beautiful love story of compassion and gentle wooing by a God who never gave up on her.

I’m ashamed to say I grew up in a church that judged sinners harshly. Haven’t we all been where they are? Well, then the question begs: Did Jesus win us with harshness and condemnation, even while we were in sin? Absolutely not, which leads me to believe that we as the body of Christ, must examine ourselves and choose to love and respect even those who misunderstand and hate Christ and His message, because over time they, too, wil be challenged to consider the love they see extended through us.

What an amazing opportunity we have, to live and move among those who don’t know Christ but can see Him in us if we let it happen. Let’s choose to get out of His way, to love like He loves, and be used in the prophetic. Let’s not let another day go by where we judge others critically and hinder the work of God.

Lord, forgive us for getting in your way rather than ministering by the power of your Spirit. Help us to bask in your presence, steeped in the truth of your Word, so You can flow in love through us. Amen and amen.

Because of His great love,
Nancy

Do you know that the glory of God is waiting to be released from inside us? I can’t help but marvel at the thought–God actually wants His glory to be released to flow from our bellies, the deepest part of us, so that we move as if on assignment from heaven.

Do you live that way? Me either, but I want to. I want the “self” part of me that is selfish and controlling to die so that the love of Jesus can be manifest from the deep well of my heart.

How does that happen? It comes when we realize that the things our flesh wants are what will send us to hell if we get them. In reality, the devil wants to give us exactly what we want just to help us on our way to hell. Nothing, in fact, could make him happier. In contrast, God knows that once we give up the things we “think” we want, He actually gives us what we really need–things that help us flourish and grow. reflecting the life and light of Jesus Christ.

It’s up to us, however, to seek God and to meditate on His Word, to understand the distinctions between the two, for even as believers, our logic, without the Word and God’s Spirit, will make us yearn after those old things that will, in the end, lead to our destruction.

So what does it look like when the glory flows out like a river from deep inside us? It looks like love, unadulterated, pure, selfless love that seeks not its own, but rather seeks God and the good of others.

What’s not to like? I want it!

Because of His great love,
Nancy

Last night I was in the secret place and I marveled once again at how God could love me. And yet He does. He sort of swept me up into His arms and loved on me, in ways no one else can, filling that empty bucket.

Does your bucket ever get empty? Has anyone ever told you that you weren’t going to amount to anything? Have they looked at you with disdain and disgust, believing you’d never amount to anything?

So many of us carry around the scars of our childhood. Often those scars resulted from the opinion of only person, and yet that person’s words or actions made indelible marks on our character and our very being.

Yet God is showing me that the only opinion that counts is His, and He is for us, not against us. He wants us to let the glory out–the glory that He placed in us when we were saved, set free, spirit-filled and empowered to live like those who know God Himself!

Let’s not wait a moment longer to go to Him for healing, for filling, for encouragement, for love, for forgiveness, for passion that will change the world.
The question is–how much do we want it?

Because of His great love,
Nancy

What does it mean to worship with wreckless abandon? Well, if we look back at the life of King David, it says he was so into worshiping God that he shed the heavily layered, royal garments that hindered him, and, dressed only in his undergarments (which were not revealing), danced and worshiped, twirling and jumping in worship.

Now that’s wreckless abandon. Do you ever feel like the trappings of religion keep you from true worship? I do. Religion so often stifles the very newness of life we should experience, smothering the joy that we feel when that’s the last thing we want.

Just like King David, I want to dump tradition and religion and just get down to adoration and true worship–in fact it’s what I long for. I’m desperate to touch the face of God to feel His touch on mine, and to know what He’s feeling inside. I want to be so close I can hear His heartbeat and feel His breath on my face, even close enough to wipe tears from His cheeks.

So why don’t we dump tradition and religion? Perry Stone said it was the demonic religious spirits (straight from the pit of hell) of Jesus’ day that persecuted and crucified Him, and those same demonic spirits hinder our worship today–so why do we continue to live in dead tradition instead of being abundantly and miraculously alive the way God intends?

From now on let’s examine the things we do, the way we worship, and cast off the old, dead things that don’t get us closer to God, and just worship with wreckless abandon, the way David did. Let’s press in and get answers, praying without ceasing, and loving our God with all that is within us. Only then will we be the people God designed for us to be. Only then will we have something worth offering to unbelievers.

Because of His great love,
Nancy

I was listening to Ryan Wyatt on God TV and heard him say something remarkable. He said you and I actually control whether God’s plan is able to come forth in our lives. If we have bitterness, unforgiveness, rebellion in our hearts, or live in worry or distraction, we are not welcoming the destiny had has in mind for us.

He said the birthing comes with spending time in the secret place where God will impart all He has in mind for us. In fact the more time we spend there the more we will be transformed, and the more we will line up with God’s plan, filled to overflowing and letting loose of every hindrance to our destiny.

To birth the impossible, he says we must get into that secret place and actually decree and confess and declare and envision the dreams and promises God gives us. And over time we will produce what we’ve seen in our spirits. He used the example of Jacob when he worked for his father-in-law, Laban. During that time he decreed and declared and dreamed that the speckled flocks would increase and flourish, and because he believed it in the deepest part of his spirit, God honored that vision and made it happen.

It’s up to you and me to get into that secret place and let the Lord pour into us His visions and dreams for us. He wants to use us to heal, and prophesy and minister with compassion to the needs of others. He’s just waiting to impart His power and move through us to minister to needy hearts.

On another note: You may have noticed I used the words “Wreckless abandon” in one of my blogs the other day. I actually do know how to spell “reckless”, but the Lord had me spell it “wrong” for a reason. Often when we let ourselves worship with reckless abandon, we fear that we may lose control and be shamed or humiliated. But when we give ourselves to Him in “wreckless” abandon, we need not fear that we will come to a bad or shameful end, because in Him all things are glorious. In fact actually made me laugh to realize what He had done. I just write what He tells me, folks.

Isn’t God amazing!

Because of His great love,
Nancy

What exactly is holiness? Well, first let’s list what it isn’t. It isn’t trying our hardest to do our best to avoid sin. It isn’t staying inside a little box where we aren’t exposed to the outside world, though some would have us believe otherwise. Neither is it trying to be perfect, pulling ourselves up by our own bootstraps.

If it isn’t those things–what is it? In truth, holiness is something we humans cannot attain, without the power of God in action inside us. One look at Old Testament Scripture proves that since the beginning of time men could not keep the law–could not attain to holiness.

Jesus actually came to bring true and lasting holiness. Falling in love with Him hook, line and sinker is the only way to be holy. Casting our cares upon Him and staying in close communication, both through meditating on the Word and fervent prayer, produces holiness in a way nothing else can. And once we have lost ourselves in His wonderful love, He reaches out and touches us, building us up, reminding us that, though we are but dust, we are irresistable and precious to God. Useful to the very kingdom of God.

I personally went the route of the perfectionist, and guess what? I ended up suicidal, realizing I would never measure up. The thing is, we weren’t meant to do it by ourselves. It’s not possible in our meager human strength. But with God, it’s not only possible, it’s guaranteed, but only if we lay down our own agendas and pick up the one God designed for each of us.

Only as we agree with God and get in line with His plan will the old things lose their attraction. Only then will we love what God loves and hate what He hates. Only then will we see with the eyes of heaven exactly what He wants us to accomplish. The cool thing is, however, that even what’s on our “to do” list isn’t up to us to do alone. He, in us, will make them happen. Isn’t that an amazing thought?

Let’s let go of the old, dead things that keep us on the ground and let God take us higher!

Because of His great love,
Nancy