There is a sound pouring forth from the throne room.  It's resounding throughout the earth. It's a call with power and authority. It's racing across the nations. The sound breaks across the ocean waves and pulses across the land. It's the sound of the uncreated one. The one who always was and always will be. His voice cannot be mistaken or ignored. Its the sound of  shaking.....an awakening. His voice will shake all that can be shaken. It will break the barren land....and make the dry ground fallow. He's preparing us for the rain. Hear his voice....he is crying out with the power of his Spirit and the authority of His son's blood. Deep calls unto deep.....from the throne of God.....to the throne of your heart....deep calls unto deep....From deep within.....can you hear it....his voice piercing through you...His voice is awakening you.....the heart and spirit will come alive and will prepare the way for the rain.....To saturate....to consume....to heal.....to fill.....can you hear it....its the sound of his voice preparing the way for the latter rain....

Psalms 29: 3-11

3 God thunders across the waters,
   Brilliant, his voice and his face, streaming brightness-
   God, across the flood waters.

 4 God's thunder tympanic,
   God's thunder symphonic.

 5 God's thunder smashes cedars,
   God topples the northern cedars.

 6 The mountain ranges skip like spring colts,
   The high ridges jump like wild kid goats.

 7-8 God's thunder spits fire.
   God thunders, the wilderness quakes;
   He makes the desert of Kadesh shake.

 9 God's thunder sets the oak trees dancing
   A wild dance, whirling; the pelting rain strips their branches.
   We fall to our knees-we call out, "Glory!"

 10 Above the floodwaters is God's throne
      from which his power flows,
      from which he rules the world.

 11 God makes his people strong.
   God gives his people peace.

God is good and he loves you alot!! He will do anything in the whole wide world!!!! That is how much he loves you!!! You should love him too no mtter what comes between you and him!Also when you recieve someething you should be happy with what you have!! When you recieve something God is really giving it to you so be happy with what you have!!I am happy all the time because I have the best dad in the whole world!!!! You should be happy too!!

God we cry out before you- to be a vessel of your kingdom. To be a temple of prayer- not one built with human hands but one who has received your breath of life- life eternal. We desire to to be transfixed on the eternal kingdom where power is activated and sent to this earth to show the glory of your Kingship. Release glory from heaven on a desperate people. Show your love, power, and grace. Move this generation- move with power. Let us be vessels of honor ignited for your glory and kingdom. Let us be the people called out. we are not of this world but of the eternal kingdom. Set us ablaze with power God. Let us burn for you.

You need our hearts God...you need our desires....we no longer want our vision to be lost in wonder of this world...we want to be found in you...because in you is fullness of joy.....in your presence we are complete in peace and found wanting nothing. We give you our heart and all that it searches for- we surrender to you......

The passion in our hearts burn- We long for the eternal God- we are not satisfied and in desperate need for an experience with you. The one who's love we cannot comprehend- It's you God. The search of or soul from the grasp of loneliness brings us to the throne...We long for an embrace...a kiss from our creator...we can sense your presence...we long to meet with you...passion is our hearts cry........

Lord....you are the one we live for...the one we long for the one we love....search all that we are....because we live for you now...take our heart and make it yours....With our lips we adore you now....nothing can express the desire that flows from our heart you yours......

The undescribable transformation that will unfold as we begin to live for what we were created for....he wants us to fall in love with him and know him more and that is what we should desire more than anything in this world.......to love the Lord with all our heart...all our soul....all our mind.....all our strength...and to love others as our self.....no greater peace and no greater joy that will begin to take place in our heart as we choose to make this our desire....our lifestyle. As we lay ourselves down at the altar...a sacrifice to God....we will be able to pick up his desire......passion to love himself and others....no better place to be than in his presence being transformed by fire and molded by desire.......

Lord....your worthy to be praised for the grace you have for us because of your love you paid the price a perfect sacrifice. You died a death that cannot be compromised or understood except for the love that you put in us....your worthy for all that you have done for us....we cannot understand how much love you had to bear our sins for the pain none could understand  when you knew your father's presence would be stripped from you. But we praise you Lord....because you rose again to show the way of truth so we can be heirs with you....for eternity.

As I try and contemplate the complexities of the mysteries of God I am struck with the absolute inadequacy to comprehend the beauty and majesty of this God. I am amazed at the overwhelming love I sense as I sit in his presence. Who can comprehend the love of God? He is inexplicable and his mercies new every morning. I cry out with all that's in me- God show me your glory!!!....show me your face God!!! With a desperate heart and total desire to know the son of man and to feel the Spirit of God. I long to commune with the holy one. To be captured by this grace...to be awakened to a love so divine........

"Today I give you grace- my unmerited favor. My hand is upon you and I have called you for such a time as this to rise up and begin to be the vessel of glory. My grace is enough. It is enough for you to make it through the lonely hours of the night and throught the busy distractions of the day. I am telling you about my grace so that you will finally break the fallow ground and experience victory. I've called you and now is the time for you to answer. I have set you apart for such a time as this. Tear down the hard broken places and I will fill you with mercy- for this is the time that I have established for you to speak truth through words and find that I am here to guide you and direct you- answer me- and I will show you great and mighty things says the Lord"

WHO CAN FATHOM THE ETERNAL DEPTHS OF HIS LOVE?

     I was reading in Psalm 29 and was amazed at all the powerful things the voice of the Lord can do. There is just something about revelation, that knocks you off your feet. Praise God, I love it!

                                        The  Lord is over many waters.

                        (Have you ever considered the size of ocean... it's Big!)

                             The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness.

                             The voice of the Lord splinters the cedars of Lebanon.

    The voice of the Lord is so powerful. I don't think we really understand the magnitude of its strength. In the midst of all these great and mighty things that voice of the Lord can do, I believe that one of the most powerful things is it can speak to our hearts. Somehow it presses pass the anger, hurt, depression, jealousy, unforgiveness, pain, grief, and selfishness. And when His voice finally penitrates our hearts; our very being, He begins to sing in a whisper. 

     Do not, I repeat do not under estimate the whisper! This whisper has brought kings to their knees, murderers to repentance, and comforted the lonely. 

     God not only speaks, He also listens. "Blessed be the Lord, Because He has heard the voice of my supplications!" Psalm 28:6

He hears you. He has a plan. Now, TRUST HIM!!!                             

In Mark 11:22 (amplified) it says to, " have faith in God [constantly]." verse 23 says whoever "...does NOT doubt at all in his heart but believes that wheat he says will take place, it will be done for him."

I think so many times we say we believe God to do something and its almost like the more we say it we're actually trying to convince ourselves we really believe instead of just relying on real faith to believe. Its not something to convince yourself of but just a pure whole hearted trust that you know God's gonna do what he said He would. I know His word is true but do I whole heartedly trust Him? Or am I trying to convince myself that I trust Him? Its  good question and you  know the more time I spend in the Word I can sense the whole realization bubbling up within me. I know God has so much more to teach me but I want to have that total doubt free faith. I have authority through Christ and God has all the power to do whatever and whenever! Obviously He has blessed me so much already so why should I not expect even bigger miracles happening to me and those surrounding me?

Romans 4:19-20 (amplified) Paul talks about Abraham and God's promise to him about having a son with Sarah. verse 20 says, " No unbelief or distrust made him waver (doubtingly question) concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong and was empowered by faith as he gave praise and glory to God. (vs21) Fully satisfied and assured that God was able and mighty to keep His word and to do what He had promised."

What?!! Dude he knew that he knew that he knew God was gonna uphold His promise to Abraham! Here's the catch...Abraham didn't wallow in the fact that by the flesh he and Sarah were far beyond the point of having a child but he GAVE PRAISE and GLORY to GOD!!!! And what was the result of him giving praise and glory to God? He grew strong and was FULLY assured that God was going to hold up His end of the deal! We cannot let our minds and what we see in the flesh let us determine our outcome...be fully satisfied with what God tells you.

Love.......desperate hearts longing for a passion that is a craving in our soul....a God given longing to connect at deeper levels. Deeper than the simple passing friendships that we think are so deeply connecting our hearts....Our hearts are so calloused to the truth of love that we would settle for so much less than what our hearts were meant to enjoy.. True intimacy is what our soul's desire......but to truly find the intimacy our hearts long for we need to get past our soul's desire to what our spirit desires.....yes of course we need to start in the place of our soul...to find this deeper love...we need to connect in the place of our souls....our mind....to choose to love and be loved, our emotions...to get past the fear of the past and  to reach for the future, and our physical senses....to develop love in our human expressions......but there is so much more.....and we need to find it in the connection of our spirits....this may seem strange or weird to some....but God Created us to be first spirits...to be a spirit...to have a soul...to live in a body of flesh.....it is good to experience intimacy in our souls.......but to totally engage in the intimacy that God designed for us we must find ourselves connecting in our spirits.....when our relationships are built on the foundation of a coventant relaionship....where God is the center....and where we pray with one another...and spend time growing in the word one with the other....and where worship is the center of our lives...then God can begin to mold spirit's together....and in that place he brings soul's and heart's closer together than ever before.....and the  greatest joy is to truly find intimacy the way God desires it to be.....true intimacy......between family members....between friends....between loves.....it's our desperate heart's longing and it can be ours............

     Our lives are like a pond. Our actions are the pebbles we choose to skip across it. No matter what the choice, good or bad, it WILL effect others. If a pebble is thrown into the water it WILL make a ripple. It might even be a small pebble, but its ripple may go all the way to the other side of the pond.

     What we do is always seen by someone. Everyday we touch someone. We influence people's lives. Good or bad? that is up to you. One word from your mouth can change a person. Good or bad? That is up to you. One look can change a person. Good or bad? That is up to you. Will you help someone up or will you bring them down?

     How is your fruit? "They are known by their fruit." How are you known? Take a moment right now and evaluate your life. Now, if there is something that you know that needs improvment ask God to help you. You will never be able to get rid of it yourself. God is the only One. "For everyone who asks,receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened." Matthew 7:8 (NLT)

     In conclusion, mabey your deed has seemed small to you, but remember it touches more than you know. Throw in The Rock!

   I have such a desire to go further in God. To continue to press into Him. To become more like Him than I am. Mustn't we all have this desire? Mustn't we all yearn to know Him more, to learn more about our Great Savior who did it all for us? The more we know about Him, the more reason we have to praise Him, and I want to know Him more! How can we do this? What means do we have at our disposal to find out more about this great love with which He loves us, to find out more about the Lover of our souls. He left us His Word - His last will and testament, His own autobiography, that is alive and burns in our hearts as we read more. Praise God that He gave us this means of growing in Him!

In the Matrix, the main Robot addresses Neo as "Mr. Anderson" every time they meet. What he's trying to do is reestablish mental blocks and chains of "this is who you are, therefore, this is what you're limited to".

The enemy does the same thing to us, he calls us by names we used to answer to, but like Neo, we must not respond! Our name is Redeemed. Our name is Beloved. Your name is VICTORIOUS!!!

     I heard this story once and thought it was a great picture of how God gave us His Son.

     There was a couple who had always longed to have children, but never was greeted with success. One sunny morning the wife ran into her husband, and with glass like tear drops trickling down her supple cheek, she said, "We are going to have a baby!"

     The two were overcome by the joy of the news. They went and told everyone. Even the strangers they passed on the street were embraced, as if dearest of friends.

     The time finally arrived when the baby would be born. The parents hearts were dancing with expectation. The child their hearts had so desired, would soon be in their arms. The child did indeed come!!! It was a BOY!!!  And they were even more elated than they had expected.

     He was the love of their lives. He brought a smile to everyone's face. But it was his father that treasured him most. He was the apple of his eye. His father would do anything for him. He would simply look at his son, and his heart would melt, like warm butter.

     The boy grew, and became strong. No longer was he an infant but a "big" boy, about five years of age. He loved to go to work with his father. He worked with the railroad. It filled him with such delight to watch all the locomotives come and go.  

     One day the father had been called on, for an emergancy. a passenger train was on its way, but the bridge was out. The leaver, to switch the track had been jammed. So, with all his might he ran to the bridge.

     He quickly poured oil onto the leaver...but still it would not give. After much force and effort, he realized that the only way to keep it switched was to hold it down until the train passed safely by. It seemed that it was going to work out just fine...until...he looked up. There standing on the tracks was his SON!!! He had followed his daddy. The father had not noticed until that moment. In his loudest, most desparate voice, he called out to his son. But the child could not hear the urgant beckoning of his father, for the train was too loud.

     At that moment the father had a choice to make. He could save his beloved son, which meant death for hundreds upon the train, or sacrifice his only son. In those few seconds which seemed to last for an eternity, he decided.

     With all of his weight and strength he had left in him he bore down on the leaver. With tears flooding his eyes and pain gripping his heart, he looked up at the people, whom he had just saved. There sat a man reading a news paper, an elderly lady sipping on a cup of coffee, a teen talking on their cell phone, children staring out the window. They had not even noticed the extreme sacrifice which had just been given for them. Life, as the knew it... was ten minutes late, due to a "small" glitch with the tracks.

     Do not allow salvation to pass you by, without saying thank you. This story is not true, but in the same since it was not easy for the Father to give up His Son. Jesus was the ultimate Sacrifice!!! And it was His pleasure.

"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 12:2  

There was once an old lady who was crying out to see the passion of her life...the only true love she had left on earth....she desired to see Jesus....to have an encounter with him....to see his face....to look into the eyes of love...one day she was by her self at her house as she always was...she heard a small voice inside of her say to go to her room and prepare herself for the King.....she quickly made her way to her room and fell prostrate on the floor and began to cry out to see the King of Kings......she so desired to be lost in beauty of this matchless one.....the son of Man......it seemed like hours passed when she arose from prayer and saw the most magnificent sight.....a rugged man not by any means one who would be thought of as beautiful in the worlds eyes....almost as if at one time he had the measure of the world on his shoulders. Not until he came closer did she notice the most brilliant eyes she had ever seen. Nothing in this world could come close to what she felt when she gazed into the eyes of the Son of man....His eyes like fire.....blue liquid fire.....clear....purity defined.....His holiness pierced through her heart and brought conviction....and mercy at the same time......she stood in front of the one who's love is greater than the grave....and mercy stronger than death......She continued to gaze into beauty and began to get lost in the depth of his eyes.....it seemed to have no end.......love that had no end....mercy that had no end....she could no longer stand in his presence so again she laid before her king....as she found herself lost in the beauty of love.......He finally spoke and said rise up......so she did and he looked into her eyes.....through her eyes.....to her heart and said with the most profound emotion imaginable....I LOVE YOU........remember this day and tell everyone you meet that I came here at your request.....and I did it just so that I can say I LOVE YOU.......tell the world.....everyone you meet......that I came and took upon the weight of the worlds sin on my shoulder's just so I can come and tell them personally if they let me......THAT I LOVE THEM..........then as quickly as she saw him.....he went back to the eternal realm.....to the secret place of her heart.....she with tears running down her face ran out the door to her priest to tell him what she just experienced......with a bit of disbelief the priest spoke and said....if you truly feel you saw Jesus.....ask him next time what sins I confessed......she in quiet fear left the priest.......she immediately went back to her room to seek after the King.....and more quickly than the last time.....Jesus appeared to her once again.....she then asked Jesus what the priest had requested....what sins did he last confess...Jesus with a perplexed look on His face said quickly............ I don't remember..............I truly don't remember......so with that he once again spoke the words that he is.....I LOVE YOU.....then went away once again......then the lady ran to the church and told the priest......I asked Jesus....what sins you confessed and he said he...he..doesn't remember them........with all the hurt and pent up condemnation he placed on himself.....he fell to the ground and said is this true......is this true Jesus.....do you not remember my sins...do you not count them against me.....When he looked up there stood the one he served but secretly feared more than loved....Jesus looked deeply into his soul and  said......I have removed your sins as far as the east is from the west.....and I will remember them no more........then he spoke the words....the priest needed to hear......I HAVE FORGIVEN YOU........ I LOVE YOU.....the priest with the joy of freedom and new found revelation of love said how can I ever repay you.........Jesus said you cannot...I cannot be bought.....my love is free.....but my heart is for all to know me and experience my love personally.....so tell them......that I LOVE THEM........and that I have forgiven them.........time is short.......you must be about my fathers business.......Love will win over every heart.....one at a time......So love the least of these......for in that place you are loving me....and experiencing my love in deeper ways than you can imagine.....with that he spoke once more before he left....I AM COMING QUICKLY.....FOR MY BRIDE....GET READY....MAKE READY THE RETURN OF YOUR KING....FOR IT WILL BE SUDDENLY.. IN THE TWINKLING OF AN EYE.......THEN YOU WILL BE IN FELLOWSHIP WITH ME FOR ETERNITY. PREPARE THE WAY OF MY LOVE..........

Psalm 16 (New International Version)

A miktam of David. ^[a]

 1 Keep me safe, O God,
       for in you I take refuge.

 2 I said to the LORD, "You are my Lord;
       apart from you I have no good thing."

 3 As for the saints who are in the land,
       they are the glorious ones in whom is all my delight. ^[b]

 4 The sorrows of those will increase
       who run after other gods.
       I will not pour out their libations of blood
       or take up their names on my lips.

 5 LORD, you have assigned me my portion and my cup;
       you have made my lot secure.

 6 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
       surely I have a delightful inheritance.

 7 I will praise the LORD, who counsels me;
       even at night my heart instructs me.

 8 I have set the LORD always before me.
       Because he is at my right hand,
       I will not be shaken.

 9 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
       my body also will rest secure,

 10 because you will not abandon me to the grave, ^[c]
       nor will you let your Holy One ^[d] see decay.

 11 You have made ^[e] known to me the path of life;
       you will fill me with joy in your presence,
       with eternal pleasures at your right hand

Psalms 16......thoughts from the scriptures

When you run to his refuge you will find safety in your life, and in your heart and if you are in his presence you will have the good things in your life. You have to be joined with him. Your deepest desire has to be to be with Him . God says if you are in his land then he DELIGHTS in YOU!!! Because he loves you. He has his hand upon your life....he has already fashioned your life....he has made an assurance that your life, your lot, your destiny is secure. He says that the your way of life will be like pleasant places and your inheritance will be delightful...I love the word delightful it means highly pleasing...that sounds pretty good to me. Your inheritance will be highly pleasing...okay I move on....you can praise God because he is your counselor and  even in the night hours he will instruct you...I believe God is going to start pouring out more dreams...and more revelation in the quiet of the night....when our hearts and minds are stilled and quieted....We will not be shaken if if we put the Lord before us...if he is at our right hand....in the place of authority we will stand strong and come out stronger!! This is my favorite part....you should be so glad....you should rejoice loudly....and at the same time you should be at peace in your life because he will not abandon you to the grave!!!! He has made known to you the path of your life.....and you will be filled with joy in his presence.......just as David knew these things....we can know and receive these things and all that God desires for us.....God is not a respector of persons....if he did it for David....he will do it for You and me and if we just believe all that he says....our faith will be strong....and we will begin to walk into the fulfillment of all that is ours....out of the place of knowing him we will experience such beautiful fulfillment in knowing we are walking in his will for our life....so in closing I challenge you to do this.....simply believe what he says...in the place of his presence...and do not be afraid to walk it out...in faith stand....act...do...and know that above everything else...HE DELIGHTS IN YOU

   There is a story of a girl in the Bible that had many many problems. When Jesus saved her, it made a radical change on the inside of her. At the last supper she anointed Jesus with an expensive oil. The people around her were asking why she would do this. They had said that they should sell the oil and give the money to the poor. Jesus said that it was necessary for her to do this. She also washed His feet with her tears and dried them with her hair.

    Well, CeCe Winans sings a song about her. As a young girl I would often dance to this song for church specials. I had long hair, and at a certain point in the song would always bow my head, as if washing Jesus' feet with it.

     There came a point in my life where I had become very rebelious. I was going to visit some of my relitives, when my mother and Nana said to me, "DO NOT TOUCH YOUR HAIR!!! Do not cut it, dye it, or anything else!" Now, they weren't saying this just because of dancing. My mother loved my hair to be long and did want me to touch it. Because I had been dealing with rebelion, she knew what I would do to my hair the first chance I got.

     So, I left. What do you think I did?.... I cut it!!! My hair had been probly to the middle of my back... I cut it to my chin! When I got home I got into trouble. After a while I went to something were I was going to dance. (My hair was still gone.) It was the song I mentioned previously. Well, when the part of the song came when I would normally reach for my hair, came, I realized... IT WAS GONE. At that moment, I felt such shame. I saw how I had acted.

     After that time I had continued to dance to the song, but when I did it was very sorrowful. I identified with the girl in it. I told myself, "This is who you are. An out cast. Shameful! Disgusting!" I danced to it worshiping God, while hearing all these things in my head at the same time. I had come to the conclusion that I would probly be that way for the rest of my life.

     Now, let me fast forward several years. Lets say... about to January 18, 2009. I was in a meeting that my Nana was preaching at. She asked me to dance. We had decided on the song Alibaster Box (the same song I have been talking about). Before I was going to dance she told me what she always tells me, "Just make sure you worship god, Baby." She gave me a hug and gave me a reasuring smile. At that moment Brooke, my sister, while looking at me tilted her head and very sweetly smiled. With a twinkle in her eye she said, "And...your hair is long." This small statement said a thousand words to me. To me it said, "You are not that person. You are different." I pondered her words. Image after image started flooding my mind of who I had been and who I was now. They weren't even the same person. Opposites, really. With every beat of my heart, thanfulness became stronger. 

     I danced. It was so different. I did not feel weighted down by shame. All I felt was love for the One who set me free. Afterwards my sister came up to me. She said, " I don't know if it was because I haven't seen you do it in such a long time, or what, but it seemed so different!" I looked at her and said, "That's because it was different. Before, I was dancing to get the breakthrough... This time I was on the other side. I Have the breakthrough."

     "Fear not; you will no longer live in shame. Don't be afraid there is no more disgrace for you. You will no longer remember the shame of your youth and the sorrows of widowhood." Isaiah 54:4

To read part of the story of this girl go to Matthew 7:46-50

If you would like to listen to the song, it is posted on the forums under music.

     "Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved." Psaml 55:22

     Cast- 1.)put or send or send forth 2.) deposit 4.)throw forcefully 7.) form by pouring 8.) get rid of 11.) eject the contents of the stomach through the mouth

     God tells us to cast our burdens upon Him. Whatever is weighing us down. It may or may not be sin. It might just be something that has been burdening you. If it in any way steals, kills, or destores; it needs to be CASTED!!! PUT IT AND SEND IT FORTH!!! the great thing about God is that when He takes something, He really takes it! When he planned on getting rid of sin...He sent Jesus. Now He wants your burdens. The question is will you give it to Him? Will you? Or does it bring you to much "comfort"? Have you held onto it so long that you feel as if it is a part of you? Well, I tell you today..."CAST IT!!!"

     When you make a deposit, the item is no longer in your physical possesion. CAST IT! Throw it forcefully away from you! Get mad at the enemy. Because that is just what he is... an enemy. CAST IT! Now, God wants you to pour your heart out to Him. Take your burden and pour it out untill your empty. Then allow God to fill you. A burden is like a solid. You can't see through it. It is thick, dense, and heavy. But God is like a liquid (Living Water :) ). He is crystal clear. He is refreshing. He makes you clean. So, mabey you haven't been able to see that there is even a problem, because you have had a "solid" burden. Let me tell you, pour it out, so that the Living water can fill. CAST IT!

     Get rid of the burden. Now, that seems pretty self-explanatory, but think about something that you rid of for a moment. Lice...mice...and bugs. So, if you have seemed "bugged" by certain things easily or mabey things seem to "PESTer" you... I say... CAST IT!

     Before you say, "Uh, that is gross," to the one about ejecting from the mouth, lets think about it. Our soul is like our stomach. We feed it like our stomach. Sometimes the stuff we "eat" is good... and sometimes it is not. " We need to get the bad "food" out of our stomachs!!! Eject it. Get rid of it. Throw it forcefully away. Give it to God. "...He shall sustain thee..." Mabey you are scared of what will happen to you once you do infact get rid of this. I tell you the truth, God is not a man that He can tell a lie. His promises are true to the ends of the earth. HE SHALL SUSTAIN YOU!!! "HE shall never suffer the righteous to be moved." SO... CAST IT!!!

               As you sit alone emptiness fills the heart.  That place in which all that is felt is the beating of a heart surrendered to loneliness.  It's a place of reflection and contemplation.  Sometimes a life needs to be emptied to find what is really valued.  When the feelings of false hopes and loves are left on the threshing floor- at first seems everything is gone- replaced with empty feelings of hurt and pain.  In that place of loneliness- when you can get past the hurt and pain- you can find the place of humility and a heart empty and surrendered to God- it's a good place- be assured. When your heart is empty- you can be found wanting nothing but God- and God he looks for the heart that is fully committed to him. In the end when there is nothing left in you except desperation and a cry out to God- there's one place to go- it's to the cross- the place of open surrender and sacrifice of your own life for his.  He wants the lonely and the brokenhearted.  He longs for you to give up control so he can fill you and heal you. It's time to end the season of loneliness and be found satisfied at the foot of the cross.  The process of surrender and sacrifice hurts but healing and wholeness is found on the other side of the cross.  Loneliness surrendered to God will lead to resurrection of a hope and a love that no one can take away.  There is a freedom in your surrender.  It's time to come awake again.

                 We are a generation of lonely people yet a lot of  us do not realize what it means. There is great difference between feeling lonely and being alone. You can be in a room full of friends and feel the piercing sting of loneliness or you can be under a blanket of stars all by yourself and not feel lonely. The key is not what is missing surrounding us- it is what is missing within us. There is a struggle in the soul of every man and woman to find needs met from other people. While this is not bad- we were created for one another; the only person we will find the wholeness in to fill our heart is Christ.  No other person can take your heart out of the grasp of loneliness but Him. I pray that you would awaken your heart to the wooing of the one your heart truly longs for. If you are feeling lonely it just may be your heart longing for your creator; to know him more and to be known by him. If you are feeling empty as you read this I hope you realize that you can be filled and be made more alive in him. You don't have to feel lonely anymore he promises to those who know him that he'll never leave or forsake them. I pray your heart is being opened to experience the love of God. No one knows the depth, height, width ,and length of how great his love is...Christ became sin......was rejected by God on the cross........was separated and totally alone......so you don't have to be!! The greatest separation occurred between Christ and his Father God.  Christ became  your loneliness.  Apostle Paul said....I have been crucified with Christ...nevertheless I live but Christ lives in me.....your loneliness was  crucified with Him so you can be found alive and fulfilled by Christ in you!!!!! You can  be free in him. You can find the love your are searching and longing for in Him.....you can find rest in his embrace and grace in his hand. It's time to come awake again

The birth of a baby whose life would portray the love of his father. The moment this baby was conceived in his mothers womb by the sovereign act of God his inescapable destiny began to unfold. Surrendered sacrifice of love was the mandate to which he lived his life.  perfect purity, perfect righteousness, perfect love, and a perfected life. A spotless lamb- lived life perfect for us. How can he love us so? How can he love us so much to be rejected on the cross by his father. To be bruised, beaten, and bloodied. To be the sin sacrifice for us all.  He became sin so we would not have to live in ours. How can he love us so to die so painfully so that he could live and rule and reign in our hearts. How can we repay him? By letting our lives be the aroma of sacrificial worship- to die daily and be birthed in him. For we are called to be crucified with Him so that it is no longer us who live but Him who lives in us. Total abandonment is the cost. The cost is great. The cost is everything-But the reward Is CHRIST IN US the HOPE of GLORY. How can he love us so? Because He is love- and we are the ones he chooses to love- you and I........Oh How He loves Us......

check out the video added to to the forums called Oh how he loves...........

My church sang a song today called, "Ever Living God." Look at these lyrics,

"Take the place of all honour, Take the place above all thrones, Take the place of all power"

We were crying out for Jesus to show the world who He truly is. While we were singing this song, God spoke to my heart, "What about you?" I stopped and all of a sudden I saw my heart...

Look at your heart and re-read the lyrics, "Take the place of all honour, Take the place above all thrones, Take the place of all power!"

God is saying this to all of us, "I want you. All of you, period. When you let Me take the place of all honour, above all thrones within your life, and all power of your being, you will see in the spirit realm like you have never seen before. You will experiance the Super-Natural in your life and the life of those who you touch... because no longer will it be you touching them... it will be Me touching them!"

 Jesus Commands us to wait on Him for the promise of the father (Acts 1:4)....Pray in the Spirit till you sense a shifting in the Spirit...till you sense a change.....Encounter with the Holy one = change.....Let God take you into a new dimension.....Become God inside minded....GREATER is he that strengthens you.......you can do all things through Him....Come into the secret place- the secret place called in God\'s presence- where the divine love, passion, joyful, peace of God breaks through human pride and reaches the heart- all hell will break loose off you- and your life will be changed when you realize the secret place is in you....Christ in you the hope of all glory....The Holy Spirit moving in you and through you...this is the called the secret place..........Don\'t ask God what am I going to do? God is already moving on your behalf...in Faith wait on the promise of the father.....by faith we activate the power of God.....faith creates the atmosphere for God to work in, doubt paralyzes the ability for God to act.....in faith know God is at work in you...and in time faith will cause God to act on your word...do not lose heart...in faith believe...we have not been given the time (it is not for you to know the times or seasons that the father has fixed in his own authority-acts 1:7) but we have only been given the command to wait on the promise....and believe that he has the time fixed by his own hand and authority....so.....Wait....Pray in the Spirit....Believe in faith....don\'t worry about when....just know He will do what he said He will do!!!!!!  The promise is fulfilled in you.

Acts 1

The Promise of the Holy Spirit

 1In the first book, O^(A) Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began^(B) to do and teach, 2until the day when^(C) he was taken up, after he^(D) had given commands^(E) through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3^(F) He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.

 4And while staying^[a] with them^(G) he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, \"you heard from me; 5for^(H) John baptized with water,^(I) but you will be baptized with^[b] the Holy Spirit not many days from now.\"

The Ascension

 6So when they had come together, they asked him, \"Lord,^(J) will you at this time^(K) restore the kingdom to Israel?\" 7He said to them, ^(L) \"It is not for you to know^(M) times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8But you will receive^(N) power^(O) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and^(P) you will be^(Q) my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and^(R) Samaria, and^(S) to the end of the earth.\"

     As the deer panteth for the water, so my soulg longs after Him. He truely is the Water, that not only lives, but also brings life to the dead. He refreshes the weary. Makes stong the weak. Brings boldness to the timid. Shows love to the hated. Replaces sorrow with joy. Gives peace to the fearful.

     These descriptions are only but a drop of the Water that my heart rejoices over. He is the I AM!!! Whenever, however, whatever I need Him to be, He is It, in that very moment.

     I love that whenever I start to think about my Beloved,my spirit man overtakes my soul (feelings, thoughts, and emotions). No matter what my soul may feel. I am not a feeling. PRAISE GOD!!! No matter the situation, however big or small, the Living Water can fill you with a spirit of confidence, love, and victory.

     If you feel small and helpless today remember, that the same... the VERY same spirit that rose Jesus Christ from the dead lives in you. It is infused with your spirit man. They can not be separated!!! So be of good cheer. Things may not turn out how You planned... they will be better if you walk in His plan.

what makes the heart dance in rhythm with the call of romance...how love calls out and shakes all that is reasonable and sensible.  Love goes beyond the mind to the source of desire and dreams. Love reaches the heart where all else fades as the call of love begins to ring....As love begins to grow the great paradigm....the great mystery begins to be revealed. Love brings men strength and humility in the same breath. It causes men to fear and to hope and to risk. Love makes hearts dance and soul\'s romance. It brings Kings to their knees and leads nations to peace. Love awakens a heart that had been broken to be open to risk all for hope again. Let it rise in you this love......greater than any earthly law....this love...started....in the hope of heaven.....revealed to man in the cross of Christ...not the ressurection...but the life....not the pain....but the love that drove him there....our heart\'s desire to find romance...to find a love.....but no greater love than this than one who would lay his life down for his friend.....the greatest romance we find is that we are friends of God......Jesus who laid down his life.....at the cross....the beginning of the greatest romance of all.....God.....draw us to yourself through your son.....help us to know you as father.......through your son.........help us know you as Christ knows you....that we would also be willing to lay our lives down for you.....and for those involved in the romance of our lives....Love draws us to find romance at the foot of the cross....where we would lay down ourselves for the ones we love.......drink deep of this love....because from it flows the wellsprings of life.....love without thought of reward......love because He first loved us.........love because of  love.

     Dry....windy....dusty....humid....scorching....imagine a desert-a dry barren land. Dust covers the earth as  wind blows dirt against your face. The scorching heat bearing down. You feel as if the last drop of water is evaporating within you. Your lost alone in this vast wasteland. You have all but lost the drive to live but something tells you to look up In the distance you see  land covered  with trees surrounding a lake sparkling with fresh water. You truly cannot believe it. It has to be a dream....a picture in your minds eye. But you have no other choice. with everything left within You run towards this hope of life.  It's real!  In the midst of a barren land- springs forth life. You jump in safe from deaths grasp.

     Have you felt dry or dirty?..... Alone in a barren land? Broken...scorched by the trials of life or maybe even on the verge of giving up? Have you lost your drive and passion for life?....Jesus wants you to look up!  can you trust him that that there is a better place. Not just a place you have heard others talk about or just read about in the bible. This river of life is for you to experience personally. Jump into his presence  and  truly  know Him.  He desires us to daily walk in His presence. To experience fresh life filled with new levels of joy and peace every day. Can you believe it? Will you believe it? Take the chance and truly believe it and jump in. 

My Love, how vast and free is your love for me. I could search all the words of the world, and not one can completely define You. My heart dances inside of me with just one thought of You. You calm the storms, bring peace in the middle of caios, and You sing over me the whole time. I wonder if you ever laugh at me when I get "flustered". The truth is You are the only true answer to any problem. I love being with You throughout the day. Your, pretty wonderful, ya know. :)

Thank You for all You have given me, and all You have shown me. Who am I, that you are mindful of me? I am not sure why, but You have indeed called me. I shall answer. I will not hesitate or delay at Your beckoning. With running feet I shall rush to hear Your whisper. With a humble heart I will listen...and obey. I am compelled to follow hard after You. I am compelled to run the race and WIN! I am compelled to go the extra mile in Your name... and Your's alone. Use me, Lord.

 Oh, Lord hear the cry of my heart. I shall not sit idle, but I shall live by faith through the Son of God who loves me and gave His Himself for me! Draw me nearer to Your side. May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be pleasing in Your sight. I cast down any motive that is not of You. I am hidden in the cleft of the ROCK!!! Show me Your glory. Let Your name pass before me. Take me to the place where the ground is holy. The place where You reveal Your most intimate secrets. The secrets of eternity. Take me into the deep. 

I will live life, not as if walking on "egg shells" but as walking on water! The just shall live by faith. Creat in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a right spirit within me.

 O, how I long to see You face. To gaze in to the eyes that knew me from the foundations of time. To touch the hands that fashioned me. Be same fire in me that was on the bush. Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart. My Love. My King. My God.

     "I will not boast in anything, no gift, no power, no wisdom, but I will boast in Jesus Christ, His death and Resurrection. Why should I gain from His reward? I can not give an answer, but this I know with all my heart...His wounds have paid my ransome."

     What is there to boast in but The Lord? The maker of All things. His death paid it ALL!!! His Resurrection prooved it ALL!!! What more must we say? What is there to say, except, "WOW". He did it on His own, and didn't need any help from us. Now, there is something to boast about! Thank YOU, LORD!

     Many people often feel unworthy of His unending love... the truth is....we all are. The good thing is He does NOT care. He loves!!! He loves us just the way we are. So, why come to Him as if trying to earn His love? It can not be done. He just loves. He sees YOU for who you are....all of you... and let me tell you, you take His breath away. This love, He has for you so moved Him,that He forsook all the riches of His kingdom. He said, "I have to have them." He paid the ultimate price... for YOU! Through it all He had YOU in His minds eye.

     His love can not be bought or sold. It is a gift, which perplexes me every time I think about it. It is Free, to set You free. Now, let's boast in HIM!

"Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also the Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]. He, for the joy [of obtaining the prize] that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:2 (AMP) 

     I want to cling to You, Lord! There is nothing else that I desire except to see you face. To gaze into You eyes is all my heart longs for. Everything simply fades in Your presence. Oh, how my heart rejoices at the sound of Your voice. There is no cost, because Your worth it. There is nothig more fullfilling than Your love. I will have no other. I cast down the idols that have taken Your place! All shall pass away....but still....You shall remain. The earth will be but a memory; the days but grains of sand in the wind. You shall ever be exalted. My soul magnifies You because my spirit has already rejoiced!!!

     Lion of Judah, ROAR!!! Consume us as a fire. Overtake us as the waters over the seas. May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be pleasing in Your sight. You are truly great!

     You were born with a mission. I had planned you from the beginning of time. I said, "Okey, now, I will need to use them on this day, to influence this person, so, they will need to be born on this day. This and that will have to happen to them to get them there on time."

     I knew from the beginning of time that you would be one of My favorites. I knew that you would trip from time to time, but that you would't let it keep you down, becuase you would have a mission.

     A mission more important than any other thing. A mission that would make you forsake everything else. A mission that was louder than your thoughts, feelings, and desires. A mission from Me. A mission of Love to set them free. A race that would not be lost. A Holy determination. A warrior with righteous indignation. I knew this mission would captivate you and send you forth.

     I knew. So, the next time you ask yourself, "Why am I here?" You can know it is because I PUT YOU HERE FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS!

"And who knows but that you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this and for this very occasion"                                  Esther 4:14 (Amplified Bible)

Thanks be to God for breaking my heart!  You see for monthes I literally have been asking God to break my heart for what breaks HIS!  Doug & I attended Aquire the Fire with several of the youth from FOCUS, most of the other FOCUS leaders, & a few other youth that were new faces to us.  We had the opportunity to witness God touch most of us at several times during the overnight stay.  Before we left for ATF, Robert had asked Doug & I to come share at NEXT on that following Monday Night.  So both Doug & I had spent time with God, seeking HIS direction for us to share.  "COMPASSION"  I heard it so clear.  So Doug & I began to mediate & listen... & listen... & listen.  (I would like to share a bit of wisdom here.  God will do the talking - If you let Him !)  COMPASSION, Lord, that sounds powerful & moving. Wow!  I was excited ...what a noble message, Lord, to plant in my heart.  Oh, how little did I really know.  Saturday morning while we were at the ATF workshop (boys & girls separated) Casey Johnson was talking to us ladies about the importance of PURITY and the effects of sex outside of marriage...that's a whole other posting... and at the end she did an alter call for the girls to make a decision to remain pure and/or to accept forgiveness for any impure involvement (voluntary or involuntary)  & receive purity through Christ...thousands of beautiful young woman poured out their hearts that morning at the foot of the Cross & my heart broke ....as if I were looking at my very own children...I sit here balling now as I type because MY HEART BROKE.  Words are a tool but they can not tell you exactly how much that day has changed me!!  I cried out to God that morning "Lord, it hurts so bad"  & I felt Him comfort me as only He could "I know!" I heard Him say!   I'm not sure if you quite understand but I Know He understands  just HOW MUCH IT HURTS!!  COMPASSION is a feeling of deep sympathy for another's suffering or misfortune ACCOMPANIED by a desire to alleviate the pain or remove its cause.  I received a gift from THE LORD...COMPASSION....but it's not mine to keep it's fuel to burn HIS FIRE! 

     There are times in our lives where you find youself wondering, "What will happen next". I know in my own life, I have caught myself multiple times limiting God. I would put Him in a box called worry. Worrying, I have come to find, does not add a hour to your day. It does not solve problems or make them better. If it does anything at all, it makes things worse.

     The mind is powerful!!! It is in the mind, that battles are won or lost. A good friend of worry is... complaining. I heard someone say that complaing is offensive to God because it attacts His character. When we complain it tells God that we don't like how He is doing things, and that if we were Him, we would do things differently. WOW!!! So... NO MORE COMPLAINING!!!

Take the limits off of GOD!!! He is the same yesturday, today, and forever. Just imagine if Joseph would have put God in a box. Hmmm... Things looked worse before they looked better. He trusted God! By trusting Him, Joseph always rose to the top. God blessed Potiphar for Joseph's sake. Take into consideration that this was before the Holy Spirit could get on the inside of us. So, how much more shall we rise today with the Holy Spirit residing in us? How much higher shall God take us? Is the promise not sure? Is God not faithful?

     God has a plan!!! It shall come to pass!!! Who knows if you have come to the palace for such a time as this?

 "And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus CHrist [right up to the time of His return], developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you." Philipians 1:6 

If you missed FOCUS last night let me just fill you in on what God is doing.  Doug did a message on the POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.  We have been witness to the growing desire of these beautiful teenagers to have a more personal relationship with OUR LORD JESUS.  Two weeks ago the atmosphere exploded in the gifts of the Spirit.  We praised and worshipped and praised and worshipped and prophesied and were healed and obviously GOD showed up.  Ya wanna know why....?  Because we asked HIM to!  Last week, Master's Commission showed up with dynamic skits and a powerful message of being a TRUE WITNESS of CHRIST.  And last night,  all I can say is "YOU GO, GOD!!"  I am completely biased to the vessel that was being used but let me assure you-Doug was the vessel.  To see all these young people crying out and praying for each other is truly a delight to my heart.  If ever I had a dream of my own it has now vanished....to see the POWER of My Jesus becoming so real to others....to see HIS LOVE PREVAIL...to see young people RUN toward VICTORY.....NOTHING ELSE WILL DO!!  Only HIS WILL ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN.  All the Glory to God but it's our choice to be in position and for me and my house WE SHALL SERVE THE LORD!!  HALLEJUAH!   

    Lightning

      I was praying with someone, and kept on seeing lightning striking water. I saw this image over and over again. I asked God what the meaning was, but was unable to get complete clarity. I finally said to my prayer partner, "I am going to need some help on this one. I have no idea what it means." I described the image to her. We then began to pray in the Spirit. I said,"Okey, what do we know about lightning? Lighting is a form of electricity, and charges things. It is attracted to water. It puts nitrogen into the soil."

     All of a sudden revelation hit me! LIGHTNING!!! It is attracted to water... we have the Living Water within us! The power of God strikes us and charges us. Reguvinates us. Electrifies us. When lightning hits the ground it puts nitrogen into the soil...which helps the harvest! "...I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest." John 4:35 About that time my prayer partner said, "Oh, and when you see lightning you can know...the rain is coming!" Rain on us, Lord!!!

     When lightnig strikes a forest that has been dry...it catches on fire!!! If you have been dry, get ready, get ready. When the power of the Lord hits you, the only thing that can happen, is to be set ablaze. Also, lightning is a form of LIGHT. He is the LIGHT!!! Light BE!!! The easiest time to see the LIGHTning is during the darkest hour of the evening. Let your light shine!

"The voice of thy thunder was in the heaven: the lightnings lighted the world: the earth trembled and shook." Psalm 77:18

"His lightnings enlightened the world: the earth saw and trembled." Psalm 97:4

When the light shines...they will see...see Him for who He is. 

Matthew 1:23 "'Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,' which is translated, 'God with us.'" God is no longer separated from us, Praise God! He is ever with us. The vail has been rent! He is Immanuel!

Matthew 2:23 "And he came and dwellt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, 'He shall be called a Nazarene.'" John 1:45 says, "Philip found Nathanael and said to him, 'We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote- Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.' And Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?' Philip said to him, 'Come and see.'" I say to You, "Come and see!"

Matthew 13:55 "Is this not the carpenter's son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas?" At this moment Jesus was being doubted, for who He was. They were saying, "Hey, we know you. I saw you run around as a child." They did not realize that the carpenter's son would be the Master Carpenter. A carpenter fixes things, makes things new, gives them a purpose. He IS.

     He made the way... where there was no way. He reconciled us to the Father. When He said, "It is finished." He wasn't joking! It is FINISHED! Nazareth seemed to be an aweful place. Dry. Miserable. And the list goes on. So, if you are wondering what could come from your bad situation... I say, "Come and see what comes from Nazareth."

     If you feel as if you have been broken, cracked, or even, damaged go to the Master Carpenter. He Makes ALL THings New!!!

     I once had a vision that I went to heaven. I found myself walking down the streets of gold. But more beautiful than the streets and the surroundings was the face that I saw.

     Jesus!!! He came runing towards me!!! Like you do when you have been away from someone that you love dearly. He wrapped His arms around me. Giving me what one might call a "bear hug". :) At that moment He began to sob on my shoulder. Being overwhelmed by my Love's tears, I too began to cry.

     After a while of this, He lifted His head, and with watery eyes, He said to me, "Oh, I just couldn't wait for you to come!!! I have longed for you. I have missed you. I have waited for this day!" He began once again to hug and cry.

     I was so overwhelmed by this. I had often thought about seeing Him in person for the first time. I had always imagined being the one doing what He had just done to me. The truth is His love for us is so strong. He longs for us. He desires us in such a passionate way!!! "How precious and weighty also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them!" Psalm 139:17

     He really does care for us. If we could even slightly comprehend this love we would never be able to be the same! We are never the same. His love has no end.

     Everything on the human life has an end. The day. The night. The hour. the minute. The second. Breathing. His love is eternal. Never ending. Never fading. Never ceasing nor decreasing. Matchless. Unfathomable. All of this is for us. We have captured His heart. And in His great love He has captured ours.

capture- a taking or being taken by force, suprise, or skill; that which is thus taken or seized

     When you go into a jewlry store you are likely to see gold, silver, diamonds, rubbies, and many other beautiful things. You may even see some pearls. You are not likely to see a clam. You know, the thing that produces the pearl!!!

     A clam is made up of shell and flesh. The shell is to protect the flesh, so that it doesn't get hurt. Can you see where I am going with this? There are so many times that we build "shells" or walls around us so that WE won't get hurt. We keep ourselves locked up tight so that  no one will know what is on the inside. Infact, sometimes we keep ourselves shut in such a way that all anyone sees is a hard shell, rather than something of great value.

     Now, let's get down to the flesh.  It is the part that feels, eats, and moves.  If it feels something it doesn't like it quickly retreats back into its shell. Need I say more? It searches for food. Our hearts are always looking for something to "eat". Are you feeding your flesh? Do not be moved by your flesh! It will take you to places you didn't want to go and keep you longer than you wanted to stay. If your flesh is driving, prepare because a collision is in the future.

     Sometimes a grain of sand gets past the impenetrable clam, and makes its home. This does not pleas the flesh of the clam. Nothing was suppose to get passed it! The shell was suppose to be too thick; to hard!

     Well, now that this grain of sand is in there, the clam produces something called nacre, to help protect itself. It fights it. The grain of sand actually becomes imbeded into the flesh, making itself like a splinter. Now, the flesh is really irritated!!! The deeper the sand, the more the flesh fights.

     What it doesn't know is that this fight will be to the death. You see, as it became irritated and produced the nacre it makes a pearl. It was holding to the fact that if it fought, the sand would leave. The sand did not! In this fight a pearl was made. Can you believe that? A pearl made out of stess. 

     One day the clam will be cracked open, revealing a beautiful pearl. At this time the flesh dies. the hard shell no more. all that is praised is the pearl. When a pearl is bought in a store no one asks about the fight for its exsistance, all they see is something of great worth.

     Mabey you feel as if you have been holding your heart hostage by a hard shell or mabey your flesh has been making all the choices... mabey you feel as if you are in the fight of your life. Let God be that grain of sand. Let Him in. When you do, the product is always worth putting on display.

     Pray this prayer: Dear Lord Jesus,

                           Please come and consume me now. I know you see the outcome even though I may not. I trust You now. I lay my wants and fleshly desires down, so that You may live. Live in me, Lord.

In Jesus' name I pray, AMEN.  

     I am like a pearl, concealed by a clam. No one knows I am here except my Master Maker. Infact, He placed me here. I once was a grain of sand, wondering in the dark ocean. One day the Master picked me up, called me by name, and held me in His hand. He told me that He had a plan for me. I said I would do whatever it would take.

     I watched as He gently opened a clam. He then placed me inside. For that moment I felt safe, secure, and happy to know that I was in the Master's care.

     After a while my surroundings didn't seem to satisfy me any more. I began to wonder if I should go back to the ocean, after all, I could at least be with my friends. I was becoming aggravated. I seemed to be alone, not to mention I was getting very squooshed. I would complain to the Master. He would always reply, "Trust Me. I have a plan." I wasn't too sure how this "plan" could involve me being uncomfortable.

     What I didn't realize is that the more uncomfortable I felt, the closer I was to fullfilling His plan. You see, when a clam is irritated it produces a substance called nacre. This is the stuff that creates pearls.

     Time would go on, and I would be content for a while, but some how I always would come back around to a place of grummbling and complaining. Could this really be His plan? I would pleed with Him to get me out. Surely this was just an attack of the enemy. The Master didn't really want me here. Did He?

     After I realized that my grumbling and complaining didn't really get me any where... except into more grumbling and complaining, I decided to agree with the Master. He could see from all the angles. Mabey I was uncomfertable, but my Master loved me. Did He not save me from the ocean? Couldn't I trust that He could see more than I?

                         "Trust and obey, for there is no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to    trust and obey."

     It didn't happen over night nor the night after that, infact, it didn't even happen that month. But there came a day when my Master cracked that clam shell open. No longer was there a grain of sand, but a pearl of great price. He did have a plan!!! Not just any plan, but a plan for, and concerning me.

     When he picked me up as a grain of sand, He did not see sand, but a pearl. He saw the end in the beginning.

     So, mabey right now seems a little (or really) uncomfortable, but remeber He has a PLAN!!! He sees what you do not see. He understands what you do not. He sees the pearl rather than the sand. He has a plan.

Jeremiah 29:11 (AMP) "For I know the thoughts and plans I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome."

     My heart longs and desires You, my Beloved. My soul thirsts for You. You searched for me and found me. The greatest treasure could not compare to You. You are like no other. Your whispers are like melodies to my soul. I could never do anything to deserve You great love. You freely give it to me, expecting nothing in return. But because of this overwhelming love, I can't help but respond.

     Your love is matchless. Your forgiveness is severe. Your power is endless. You Are!!!

     My Beloved, the thought of You, makes my heart pound. Your beauty takes my breath away. I have not the words to describe You. My Love, You have taken my ashes and traided it for beauty. You have given me forgiveness to wear like a crown. You have won my heart.

 -Forever Yours. 

 Matthew 5:6 "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled."

     Have you ever been hungery? I mean really hungery? Have you noticed that when you are, it seems that no matter how hard you try to ignor it, it refuses to be forgotten! If you do not give in, it then proceeds to make itself known in other ways. It GROWLS!!! If you continue on without feeding the "beast" it then will start to cause you pain. Some even get sick. If one goes to long without eating, they starve and die.

     We should all be hungery for more of God, to the point of desperation. The great thing is that if we hunger for Him, He will fill  us. It is a promise. But just because you ate today doesn't mean that you won't be hungery tomorrow. So mabey you recieved a good Word from the Lord today, but don't stop at that!

     The Word is a buffet. There is always something there for you. So, fill up you plate and "dig in", because let me tell you, the "Food" is hot!!! 

Matthew 1:18-25 (Darby Translation) 18Now the birth of Jesus Christ was thus: His mother, Mary, that is, having been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found to be with child of [the] Holy Spirit. 19But Joseph, her husband, being [a] righteous [man], and unwilling to expose her publicly, purposed to have put her away secretly; 20but while he pondered on these things, behold, an angel of [the] Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, Joseph, son of David, fear not to take to [thee] Mary, thy wife, for that which is begotten in her is of [the] Holy Spirit. 21And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus, for *he* shall save his people from their sins. 22Now all this came to pass that that might be fulfilled which was spoken by [the] Lord, through the prophet, saying, 23Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which is, being interpreted, 'God with us.' 24But Joseph, having awoke up from his sleep, did as the angel of [the] Lord had enjoined him, and took to [him] his wife, 25and knew her not until she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name Jesus.

As we celebrate with family and friends this Christmas I pray we all remember the purpose of this day. To remember the birth of the savior of the world. He was born and was called Jesus-Immanuel- God with us. He was born from the beginning of the beginning to be God with us. I think so many times we look past this. This is the greatest reflection of the passion of our God. The angel of the Lord spoke his name Immanuel...God with us. God knew in order to be with us he had to send a way for us to be with Him in his presence. There cannot be entry without remission of sin and there cannot be remission of sin without a sacrifice. There cannot be sacrifice apart from death. Born the lion of the tribe he became the lamb upon the cross. The cross embraced the King and death was it's reward. But the focus today is not the cross but the one who was our way of passage to the heart of God. Christ made a way for us to be made right with God and it started with the birth of the God-man who would become Love manifested in death to let us know how much he Desires us to be with Him....and in Resurrection so we can know He has the power to lead us to the place of peace with Him. How can we begin to even thank Him enough to come from eternity past to eternity present so he can guarantee us that we will be with Him in eternity forever..................Father God we so humbly come before you to say we thank you for sending your son to the most lowly places from the feeding trough in a barn to the humility and pain of the cross of calvary.......you knew from the beginning that this was the only way to draw man to yourself....words cannot describe how grateful we are for the price you paid to send your only son.....perfect. spotless.  To become our ransom and our reward....our way to you. You called Him Immanuel- God with Us......and now we are...and will be forever with you.....................Jesus..our Immanuel. Our God with us. Thank you for willingly coming to this earth to those who would hate you and beguile you. Even those who take your name as Christians...how we so easily stray from your heart.....but no matter what...you are God with us...you are our Immanuel and you love us still.....our hearts are overwhelmed with thanksgiving and we are so so grateful from the time you rested your head in a manger.....to the humiliation and sin that you willingly took upon yourself on the cross.......Jesus you didn't have to do it but you chose to so we can be with you......your name is truth....your name is ours.....you are Immanuel God with us........we are now and will forever be with you. We are Speechless in your presence now....so all we can do this Christmas is remember you and thank you......and rest in your presence....because that's why you did it all......so you can be with us and we can be with you.......our Immanuel- our God with us.