Living the Glory Supernaturally

"Let your glory come down Lord."

It is amazing that God "in us" is also His glory from heaven, that enables the supernatural in not only our lives, but to impact the lives of other as it is perfected and displayed. He chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before Him in love...to the praise of His glorious grace. Ephesians 1:4-6 (NRSV). Grace is but glory begun...and glory is but grace perfected! Psalm 139:14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well. \o/

Isaiah 11 - The Spirit of the Lord will rest upon you and me.

Isaiah 11:2-4 New American Standard Bible (NASB) 2 The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him, The spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of counsel and strength, The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. 3 And He will delight in the fear of the LORD, And He will not judge by what His eyes see, Nor make a decision by what His ears hear; 4 But with righteousness He will judge the poor, And decide with fairness for the afflicted of the earth; And He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, And with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked. “Half the Sky” by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, is an awesome book I reviewed recently while studying for my Master’s degree in Divinity. Amazon.com describes the book like this: “From two of our most fiercely moral voices, a passionate call to arms against our era’s most pervasive human rights violation: the oppression of women and girls in the developing world. With Pulitzer Prize winners Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn as our guides, we undertake an odyssey through Africa and Asia to meet the extraordinary women struggling there, among them a Cambodian teenager sold into sex slavery and an Ethiopian woman who suffered devastating injuries in childbirth. Drawing on the breadth of their combined reporting experience, Kristof and WuDunn depict our world with anger, sadness, clarity, and, ultimately, hope. They show how a little help can transform the lives of women and girls abroad. That Cambodian girl eventually escaped from her brothel and, with assistance from an aid group, built a thriving retail business that supports her family. The Ethiopian woman had her injuries repaired and in time became a surgeon. A Zimbabwean mother of five, counseled to return to school, earned her doctorate and became an expert on AIDS”. This book’s pages are filled with stories of hope. The stories declare victory because of God’s working through real life sisters in Christ as described in Isaiah 11:2-4. Studies have opened my eyes to the plight of sexual trafficking throughout the world, and more surprisingly, to the trafficking right here in the backyard of the United States. As a woman Pastor and the Director of a Women’s Ministry, I question myself in how I am doing preparing to serve the harvest of women to come through the doors of my church in the near future? To be truly like Jesus Christ, with the same spirit of wisdom and understanding requires attention to world events. To be in the Word desiring to have deep within the spirit of counsel and strength requires discipline. Evidencing the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord require days when I know I must tirelessly serve and step up even more requires dedication. When choosing to use Jesus’ standard and delight in the fear of the Lord, it motivates me further. But, in that motivation and desire, will I judge others by what my eyes see, or allow Jesus’ eyes to help me see both in the natural and in the spirit? Will I have the same righteousness to bless the poor rather than judge them? Am I the blessing of fairness and compassion for those afflicted in the earth – such as those women who have been trafficked or sexually abused? Do you ever catch yourself wondering what you can do to help? What can you do individually to make a difference? This is exactly where I find myself right now. And with those questions come the weight of responsibility to make a difference. Because of the Jesus that dwells within, He should be flowing out of me to others. With these questions comes the reflection in the mirror; women in the world calling out to me through the Holy Spirit; women who look so much like me but walk in different shoes – or walk with no shoes at all. And, I have a closet full! I am changing. My values are changing. My wants are changing. I’m beginning to look more outside the gates of my own yard with eyes that are seeing pain and ears that are hearing the cries in my neighborhood, my community, my country and overseas. And , I know that God, since the very beginning, hovered in darkness over the earth and then spoke and gave Voice to light that penetrated. It has made the difference. I want to be like that….making a difference! You and I have a voice, and we have opportunity to also speak into the darkness our sisters around the world suffer in. We just have to find the way…the way to help and give Voice.

Infectious Voice?

If God be for me, who can be against me? I am convinced that neither death nor life; neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers; neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate me from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus, My Lord! Romans 8:31, 37-39 Have you ever thought about the word “infectious?” Disease comes to mind; spreading from one person to another. Another thought is in how fear spreads more quickly than even the worst of a fever! And its infection can run rampant if the right prescription is not ingested to counter its attack. How often “birds of feathers flock together” to gossip, tear others down, or try to inspire a rebellious point of view differing from that of authority over us – especially when we are afraid of the new thing or change. I can refuse the spirit of infectious fear in my life in its rule and control. And, I must remember that that spirit of fear never comes upon me from God. For His Word is sure and faithful and it promises that when my heart is wide open to the Spirit of “power and love” then I will receive both a calm and a well-balanced mind. 2 Timothy 1:7 (AV). For my sake, and for the sake of others, I must refuse infectious fear. I have also come to realize that when I succumb to the fever of fear; when I am downhearted, or downcast, moody, weak in faith through the timidity the words that my voice expresses, or the body language I negatively inflect – that the God I serve, the King of Kings, is not to be trusted. What a dishonoring thing! He has never failed me and never will. He has loved me and guarded me throughout my life! He is my rock! He is for me, not against me! Lord, help me never let my fear so infect me that I exempt myself from doing what you are asking me to do! Break any habit of fear that holds me back from complete obedience. May I find courage, cheer and strength as my eyes fix on you to be happy, healthy, whole and holy in the name of Jesus!

Living the Saved Life

Luke 24:14-16 from The Message (MSG):  When it was time, he sat down, all the apostles with him, and said, "You've no idea how much I have looked forward to eating this Passover meal with you before I enter my time of suffering. It's the last one I'll eat until we all eat it together in the kingdom of God." 

I close my eyes and the face of Jesus flashes before me.  Jesus, the God-Man with his own termination date known to Him as he eagerly dines with the disciples.  Jesus, the God-Man who came to save me, to save all captives and set them free from sin; free from self inflicted prisons of fear, guilt, depression, and sadness.   As his disciples quarreled among themselves who was most important, I consider again, with an expiration of less than twelve hours, what did Jesus count as most important?

I consider the Passover scene instituting New Covenant symbolism beginning with the foot washing as Jesus transformed the truest meaning of servant hood...

John 13:12-14:  Jesus said, said, "Do you understand what I have done to you? You address me as 'Teacher' and 'Master,' and rightly so. That is what I am. So if I, the Master and Teacher, washed your feet, you must now wash each other's feet. I've laid down a pattern for you. What I've done, you do. I'm only pointing out the obvious. A servant is not ranked above his master; an employee doesn't give orders to the employer. If you understand what I'm telling you, act like it—and live a blessed life.

Then Jesus gave thanks for the body and blood He was going to sacrifice for us.  He gave thanks!  And he blessed it – to bless me, and all mankind who calls Him Savior, Our Portion and Deliverer! 

1 Corinthians 10:16 (NIV), “Is it not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? 
And is this not the bread that we break, also a participation in the body of Christ we come to His table in remembrance? 

Luke 22:17-18 -Taking the cup, he blessed it, and then said, "Take this and pass it among you.”This cup is the new covenant written in my blood, blood poured out for you.

Thanksgiving – giving thanks in everything – prepares the way that God might show you and I – salvation in Christ – the fullest salvation in Christ.  You and I can experience the fullness of our salvation, in the fullness of thanksgiving every day, every meal and we remember Jesus Christ as elemental to living the saved life.

Communion or Eucharist, Eucharisteo is the meal that prepares the way for God to show us His fullest salvation from all that estranged us from Him.  Christ broke His heart to heal mine and yours.  Christ, the complete accomplishment of salvation.  The miracle of Eucharisteo, the Passover, instituted in the Old Testament and New Testament never ends.  Personal thanksgiving is what precedes the miracle of that salvation being fully worked out in our lives.  Thanksgiving – giving thanks in everything – is what prepares the way for salvation’s whole restoration.  May this season of holiness and remembrance be poignant for the fullness of understanding the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, the Christ. 

The cross broke the curse. Women have been set free...

The cross broke the curse. Women have been set free…

WOW – this is the revelation the Lord shared with me over 15 years ago as he began pulling me to be a pastor, anointing me to minister to both men and women, and help set captives free.

The main question I have asked for so many years that Kris Vallottin also speaks to below is, “Why is the fall of man the one sin that the blood of Jesus cannot cover, based within so many religious denominations? Why would the consequences of that one sin remain, that by its fruit, shows division of the genders to this modern day, in spite of the fact there is a new covenant that came with the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ! That all things are made new in Christ Jesus!

Recently Kris Vallottin shared the following on his Facebook site. He and his wife Kathy are on staff at Bethel Church in Redding, California:

“The best statement I have on women in leadership is my wife, Kathy. We have co-lead and co-labored in our marriage for 36 years. Together we have owned 9 business, all of which we co-lead. Kathy is a pastor on our staff and one of 12 senior leaders over our church team of 500+. Kathy travels internationally speaking/teaching in conferences and leadership gatherings. She is also a brilliant administrator, has a great prophetic gift, impeccable character and she can spell! She is one of the most respected leaders in our movement and is beloved by everyone who knows her. Our children love her and go to her for insight and wisdom. She is a peacemaker and literally has no enemies except for haters of God. She is a great lover, my best friend and she believed in me in my darkest hours. She NEVER speaks evil of anyone and has the patience of Job.

Anyone who is opposed to women in leadership in the church has simply not met Kathy or still believes in the tooth fairy. Even the Apostle Paul would have empowered this woman. She rocks and so do millions of other women. I am determined to help set them free from thousands of years of prejudice, oppression and bullying in the name of God. There is no single people group that is more is worthy of honor and has been more mistreated in the history of the world. Although men commit 92% of all violent crimes in the world we are still convinced that women are still the ones who are most deceived. I would contend that in six millenniums, Eve's daughters have learned much more from their mistake then Adam's sons. Sadly, it is religious people from every creed, who have been at forefront of this horrible metaphoric genocide from the foundation of the world. As men, we need to invite women on to the world stage with us, because like Joseph, they have been learning some things in prison that have prepared them to lead us out of this famine. He who finds a wife finds favor with God!!!!”

Reference: https://www.facebook.com/kvministries

I am absolutely amazed by the references Kris makes that 92% of violent crimes are perpetrated by men… (And yet so many are convinced women are still the ones most deceived.) And, more and more in the studies that I have been part of in the past 15 years in my personal journey to minister without gender prejudice, I have come to recognize the absolute determination of the enemy to kill, steal and destroy through the inflicted physical, spiritual and metaphoric genocide that has resided from the foundation of the creation.

It is very true that many women have been learning some extremely personal and very valued lessons from within “prisons” from messages they have endured for generations that they are not fully accepted by the kingdom of God in all service for and by the ordination of the King of Kings to come out of the prison cages of abuse, low self-esteem, and thoughts of being worth less or of having less value, children and women forced into prostitution, raped, sold into sexual trafficking ,slaving in low paying jobs, worrying about poverty, single parenthood, and lack of education. Even if they had the brains to go for education to better themselves, yet they find there is no financing available to do so.

Sometimes we think these are the atrocities visited upon sisters in countries other than the Americas – yet, do not be deceived, these are some of the same atrocities found right here in our own backyards, in our own neighborhoods and churches.

Lots and lots of room for thought, and much room to be seeking God’s revelation where God would shine His light on the subject matter of women in ministry, to be repentant if finding there has been genocide in any form perpetrated against the women within our realms of power and influence; investing in the the renouncing of every evil work that would keep women in the devils plan to kill, steal and destroy the destiny of God for their lives, and then coming into the fullness of blessing every woman for a time such as this, as they magnify the kingdom of God, making His works manifest upon this earth.

Re-Calculating

I was recently navigating many twists and turns in an unfamiliar neighborhood, both exiting and entering my search of a home address, with the use of my friendly GPS. As I was in traffic, and there was no quick clear evidence of the street name in my view, I went past my intended right hand turn. Quickly, I heard the words"re-calculating." As I waited to hear further instructions, it dawned on me there were some attributes of the re-calculating, that are much like listening to the Holy Spirit.

Psalm 78:1-4
Listen, dear friends, to God's truth, bend your ears to what I tell you.

If I but listen, my ears will hear. Simplistic, but yet so deep. How often am I in a hurry, and in the hurry, I adapt an independent streak that leads me down a path of not asking, not seeking and not listening to anything but the harried places in my own mind. If I but seek and ask the Lord to "re-calculate" my steps and redeem my time, He is sure to straighten my paths.

John 3:34-36
"The One that God sent speaks God's words. And don't think he rations out the Spirit in bits and pieces. The Father loves the Son extravagantly.

When I listen and am "re-calculated" by the Holy Spirit, I find extravagant assurance and peace that I am walking in the will of the Father FULLY - without any doubt - and that He is extravagant with his complete guidance in every circumstance and situation.

John 16:12-15
"I still have many things to tell you, but you can't handle them now. But when the Friend comes, the Spirit of the Truth, he will take you by the hand and guide you into all the truth there is. He won't draw attention to himself, but will make sense out of what is about to happen and, indeed, out of all that I have done and said.

What assurance we can have in trusting the One who "will take us by the hand and guide" into all truth. Even when I am lost in physical traffic, I can call out to him and He often leads me to taking the right turn, or help me to get my own bearings in my mind. In the spiritual, taking my hand and leading me to the secret place where He lavishes His love and guidance upon me, so that I may walk and navigate the relationship He so desires of me - and not be lost - but completely found in Him. This is truly "re-calculating" in the power of the ministration of the Holy Spirit.

Ears to Hear

I had a conversation with a Pastor last night who mentioned a prophetic word dealing with the ears to hear the voice of God in the context of his 3 children who had double ear infections, and the generation of which they are part of the Kingdom of God now and in the future. As I have been pressing into what it means to have voice via the WORD, my spirit quickened when I heard "ears to hear"...

My thought was, the attack of the enemy would like nothing better than to to distort, twist, destroy and/or pervert what is being heard by our children from the cartoons they watch, the video games they play, and the subtle but outright books that promote what some Christians believe are"harmless" witchcraft; but also to cause damage or muddle what they are hearing through trying to attack the very development of their hearing with the infliction of multiple ear infections that could ultimately cause physical damage to hearing.

In the spirit - I wonder how many who suffer from not having voice, have also experienced multiple attacks upon their hearing - and really are in total silence... This can happen through victimization and abuse that threaten the physical body to be silent and not tell; and it can happen through the physical blows by hands that are not holy clapping onto the sides of faces from angry individuals trying to manipulate through violence. However, in the spiritual - is this not the same case that the enemy tries to manipulate us with...our fear or disbelief that we could actually "hear" from the WORD, and that as He speaks to us, we can speak WORD into those who cross our path. For it is in this action, hearing and speaking WORD, that we break the cycle of enforced silence, physically and spiritually and open up to the heavenly hearing and speaking through the power of the Holy Spirit. And, as we learn this - we come into authority and position to teach it.

Lord, I declare physical and spiritual healing for those who are being attacked and in prayer I ask that you would cause the ears to open and heal, and the eyes that are infected to become wide open and focused on YOU - the WORD. I declare there is a breaking and shifting in the heavenlies that your will be done in the miraculous and that healing is released and appropriated on this earth - and that those who claim to know you begin to praise, worship and speak through the VOICE that is within us, and who positions us as having all authority and power because we are seated in the heavenlies. Give us belief to be in your charge to tear down principalities who would harm your creation - the people you love. We declare the miraculous of health aligning to every God purpose you intended from the very beginning, and by the authority of the One in whose Blood we cover over the body of Jesus Christ. In Jesus Name. Let it be so - Amen.