ROCKING CHAIRS

A few nights ago I had a vision of a circle of rocking chairs.  They were filled with people busily rocking back and forth and conversing with one another. A new person even came in and pulled up their rocking chair and joined in the fun.

I asked God, "Why am I seeing this? What does this mean?".....The response I heard was, "a lot of activity but going nowhere."  I felt that God was saying much of the church is very busy but not moving forward with God into what He has for us individually or corporately.

Oh  Lord, may we be done with the busyness and get on with Your business. May we stay in step with You moving forward with You day by day, step by step, not lagging behind, not running ahead.  May we not just be content to stay where we are because it is comfortable.  May we not fail to go on because we are afraid of the battles ahead, like the children of Israel who failed to go into the Promised Land because the giants looked too big.  May we not get distracted with the things of this world and fail to move on with  You.

Glory of God in Herkimer County

In September of 2013, I was at a series of meetings about intercessory prayer.  At one of the meetings we were encouraged to ask God to show us something.   There are two things that I saw that have really impacted me since then.  The first one was a map of Herkimer County, NY, which is the county in which I live.  It was lit up with the glory of God.  It was pure white light.  The borders of the county looked like they were on fire.  I immediately thought of Zechariah 2:5 "For I, saith the LORD, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her."

When I came home from those meetings I went online to try to find more info about this county, to know better how to pray.  The first website I was directed to was the Herkimer County Chamber of Commerce site. This picture was on the home page.

I was quite surprised to see the county in white with rays emanating from it to the rest of the state and beyond.  The location of the county within the state is very interesting as well.  

Even before seeing this picture I began to think about the fact that the county looks like a "key hole." That is of interest because what I saw after the county was a ring of gold keys that were glowing. God said, "He would give me keys to unlock this county and region."

Since that time I have been praying for God's glory to be manifested in Herkimer County and for God to give us keys to see this county and region unlocked.  

I believe the key ring had five keys on it.  Although at times I have thought perhaps it was only three. As prayed I about this several months ago, I would see 3 keys and then 5 keys and God began to speak to me about praying Isaiah 35 over the county. So we have been praying and declaring Isaiah 35 over Herkimer County.

If you live in this area or even if you don't and choose to join us in praying for this region, please feel free.

As a few of us have joined together to pray our theme song has become:

"And the earth shall be filled
With the knowledge of the glory of the Lord
Just like the water covers the sea

Lifting up the standard for the nations
To demonstrate the purpose of His kingdom
His people unashamed to proclaim His name
And the fullness of the Lord fills all in all"

Herkimer County is part of the earth and it shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord!!!!!!

Your kingdom come Your will be done in Herkimer County as it is in heaven!!

On Time To Manifest God's Glory

Jesus greatly loved Lazarus, Mary, and Martha.  When Jesus received the news that Lazarus was sick He waited two days before going to Bethany.  In spite of His love for them Jesus restrained Himself from going immediately to minister to the needs of His friends.  He waited for the appropriate time, the time appointed by the Father.

When Jesus arrived at Bethany both Martha and Mary thought Jesus was too late.  They both said, that if Jesus would have been there sooner Lazarus would not have died.  But Jesus was right on time.  He was there to do the will of the Father.  Jesus was not there to heal Lazarus.  His mission was to raise Lazarus from the dead.  Sometimes we think God should do things a certain way or at a certain time.  But He does it in just the right way at the right time. 

Jesus waited until the appropriate time, the time ordained by the Father.  Because He did the glory of God was manifested as Jesus gloriously demonstrated that He is the resurrection and the life. 

John 11:21-26, 40-44 Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. 22 But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. 23 Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. 24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. 25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?........40 Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? 41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. 42 And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. 43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. 44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go. 

Blood of Love

The cleansing blood that flowed from Jesus side was blood flowing forth from a heart of love.  Because of the deep, deep love of God for all mankind, He sent forth Jesus into the world to become a man and walk the earth as a man, to experience every temptation that a man faces and He passed the test every time.  Jesus went to the cross as a sinless man to take on Himself the sin of all mankind. The spotless Lamb of God became sin for me and you and died that we might live.  Jesus' love made a way for the object of His love to be redeemed from sin and be reconciled to Him.

It is love that caused Jesus to say "yes" to such a task. Jesus delighted to do the will of the Father in coming to earth as a man. Jesus endured the cross despising its shame for the joy set before Him.  You and I, and the life and liberty that we can walk in, are a portion of the joy that was set before Him.  What amazing love the blood of Jesus has showered upon us!  What an amazing love is ours to partake of and share!  For true love is not something we can keep to ourselves.  Love is something that compels us to share it with others.

Jesus' blood is the sinless blood of God. God is love.  His blood is the blood of love.

1 John 4:8-11 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. 9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. 10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

Psalm 40:7-8 Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, 8 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.

Hebrews 10:4-10 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. 5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: 6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. 
7 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. 8 Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; 9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. 10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Hebrew 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 

Hebrews 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 

Cleansing Blood

Over the past few days as I have thought about the celebration of Jesus death and resurrection, I have been remembering an experience I had a number of years ago during a church service.  As we sang about the cross and the shed blood of Jesus, I saw a "vision" of Jesus hanging on the cross.  He looked down at me with eyes of incredible love.  Then as I stood there by the cross, blood began to gush out of His side and down over me.  It was like I was standing under a shower head from which His blood was flooding over me. As the blood flowed down over me I began to shine with bright white light, like the glory of God glowing forth from me.  I was washed clean by the blood and the glory of God filled me.  

1. 
   
2. NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD
3. by Robert Lowry
4. 
   
5. What can wash away my sin?
   Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
   What can make me whole again?
   Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
   • Refrain:
     Oh! precious is the flow
     That makes me white as snow;
     No other fount I know,
     Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
6. For my pardon, this I see,
   Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
   For my cleansing this my plea,
   Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
7. Nothing can for sin atone,
   Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
   Naught of good that I have done,
   Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
8. This is all my hope and peace,
   Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
   This is all my righteousness,
   Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
9. Now by this I’ll overcome—
   Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
   Now by this I’ll reach my home—
   Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Even In Famine (part 2)

During a time of famine, Isaac was instructed by God not to go to Egypt, as his father had. But Isaac was to  go to the land that God would show him.  In the midst of that instruction God also restated His covenant that had been established with Abraham.  That covenant was established not only with Abraham but with his seed, which included Isaac.  Isaac obeyed God's instructions and stayed in the land.   In a time of famine, when little could be harvested, Isaac planted seed which God blessed and it brought forth one hundred fold.  God's blessing was upon Isaac because of covenant and obedience, even in a time of famine.  

Genesis 26:12 Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the LORD blessed him.

Isaiah 65:13-14 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, my servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry: behold, my servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty: behold, my servants shall rejoice, but ye shall be ashamed: 14 Behold, my servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for vexation of spirit.

Even In Famine

 Psalm 33:18-19 (ESV)    Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, 
      on those who hope in his steadfast love, 19 hat he may deliver their soul from death 
      and keep them alive in famine. 

Today as I read through Psalm 33, verses 18 & 19 caught my attention. I was rejoicing and thanking God that His eye is upon those who fear Him.  And I was asking Him to give me a greater understanding of what it really means to fear Him, so that I may walk in the fear of the Lord.

I was thanking Him for delivering my soul from death. Then I got to the next phrase and it kind of stunned me for a few seconds.  "Keep them alive in famine."    Wait a minute shouldn't He keep me from being in a famine....no that is not what it says. I think too often we think God is supposed to keep us from difficult situations.  But that is not what is promised in Scripture.  What is promised is that He will take care of us in the midst of difficulties.

Psalm 34:19 (ESV) says "Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all."  We are not kept from the affliction, but we are assured that He will deliver us out of them ALL.

Jesus said "I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world." John 16:33 (ESV)

I thank God for His promise of providing for my every need, even in the midst of famine!!!

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Shedding Some Weights

At the beginning of a New Year people often think in terms of losing weight.  Although we are almost two months into the New Year it is certainly still a good time to think in terms of shedding some weights.

Recently during a time of prayer I saw a picture of people trying to walk, but they were held back by the weights they were dragging.  There were heavy weights tied to their legs, which hindered their ability to walk and certainly kept them from running.  I immediately thought of Hebrews 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

Then I saw bird trying to fly.  But it could not get very far off the ground because of weights tied to it that kept it from ascending into the heights.  Immediately I though of Isaiah 40:31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. 

Holy Spirit please reveal to me every weight that is hindering me.  Please show me appropriate strategies for dealing with each one, so that I can be free to ascend to the heights with you, run and not be weary and walk and not faint.

Manifesting His Love

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength and your neighbor as yourself. This is God's command to us.  On this hang all the law and prophets.  That is a pretty good condensation of what the Bible has to say.  When a religious leader asked Jesus who then is my neighbor, Jesus shared the story that we know as "The Good Samaritan."  (Luke 10:25-37)

That story gives a pretty good picture of what it means to love our neighbor and who our neighbor is.  Our neighbor is that person that is before us and is in need.  It may be someone that we wouldn't normally associate with. Reaching out to them may mean humbling ourselves. It may be inconvenient and costly to us.

Coming to this earth and taking on the form of a human being was something Jesus humbled Himself to do.  The beating and humiliation that Jesus went through and dying on the cross was rather inconvenient and costly. Jesus offered Himself as a sacrifice for each human being.  It was His love for you and I that caused Him to do those things.  Jesus delighted to do this.  It wasn't something He did grudgingly.

If we truly want to be like Jesus, that same sacrificial love must be manifest through our lives as well.That kind of love is not something we can find within ourselves.  It is a love that comes from God and is manifest through us as we submit to Him.  Lord make me a vessel of Your love poured out on those I come in contact with today.

Philippians 2:5-8 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Psalm 40:6-8  Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required. 7 Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, 8 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart. 9 I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest. 10 I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation. 

Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Destiny

As we read the Christmas story we read the prophetic words concerning the purpose for which John the Baptist and Jesus were born.

We also read concerning Jeremiah, " Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations."  (Jeremiah 1:4)

We may think that these people were extra special. Jesus was extra special in that He was God come in the flesh.  But John the Baptist and Jeremiah were merely human beings with a sin nature like you and I.  As was the case with these two men, God a had dream in His heart for each one of us when we were conceived.  There is a destiny in Christ that each one of us is called to from before we were conceived and formed in the womb.  This the case whether the conception was the result of a loving covenantal relationship, a one night stand, or even a rape.  God has a purpose for the life of each person. Each one of us has a part to play in the fulfillment of God's eternal plan.

God's purpose for some of the people of the Bible times are written in the book for us to read.  God has written a book about the days of each one of us even before we live them out.  What God has written about each one of us is not in print or on the internet for us to read. But we can tap into God's heart for us and live out our destiny.

Psalm 139:13-16 NKJV
    For You formed my inward parts;
    You covered me in my mother’s womb.
    14      I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    Marvelous are Your works,
    And that my soul knows very well.
    15      My frame was not hidden from You,
    When I was made in secret,
    And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
    16      Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
    And in Your book they all were written,
    The days fashioned for me,
    When as yet there were none of them.

Ephesians 2:10 NKJV
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Ephesians 1:3-6  KJV
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.