Happy Fall everyone!!

Fall is my favorite time of year!  I love long walks in the crisp humid morning air, the brilliant colors, yummy comfort foods, smells, sweaters, holiday celebrations and so much more.  Though we are still in 3 digit heat here in southern Texas, I am anticipating the beauty that fall brings (even if mostly just in my memory and vicariously through my northern friends)!!

It has been a while since my last post…. I have had a number of computer issues that have required my attention….uggh!  Also,  I had hoped to be able to comment on Steve Furtick’s 12 Audacious Faith statements.  Sadly, due to copyright I am unable to comment here, but you should take a look when you get time.

In moving forward, I am excited to post an article written by a ministry that has truly gripped my heart over the years.  It is a 2 part message titled, “Slavery to Sonship:  Exposing the Roots of the Spiritual Orphan”  This message has spoken to me, as so many of their resources have.  It is a wonderful navigation tool of the heart, especially for those who are weary and heavy laden.  The Lord led me back to it again in this season of my life and God continues to speak to me through it.

Just as the seasons change, let this season be a renewal of relationship and love between you and God.  A romance, a true encounter of the heart.  Let those long fall walks still the busyness of your mind and life and reconnect you with a trust in God like never before.   Time to Fall in Love!!

Slavery to Sonship Pt.1

I love pictures!!  I love to look at them, hang them all over my house and show them to people on my phone.  It is something that I love!  Especially pictures of my son!!  I have chronicled every phase of his life digitally!!  It makes me happy!!  I know that at any time I can go back to many nostalgic moments, while sitting at my computer and just reflect!!    That love for snapshots doesn’t just stop with print photography, I also take snapshots of situations!  My “remember when” albums!  Basically, these are albums full of my favorite memories!  But the section of my albums that get most of my attention are my pictures of pain!  I have spent a lot of time there in my life.  I have pictures of people who have hurt me, pictures of people I have hurt, pictures of places I have failed, pictures of people I have failed, pictures of extreme disappointment, pictures of places I have crashed and burned and on and on.  While spending time there, a predictable thing always happens….. I start out really excited to look through them as I feel a sense of justice and judgement rise.  And so I proceed….judging the successes and failures of my entire journey, my life, my friends, my enemies and my God by these snapshots.  It doesn’t take long for my sense of justice to turn to outrage from the deep anger then on to depression and on and on!  You know the place, where you take your photo album of life out and open to your pages of pain, hoping that process will one day hold the key to dulling the pain or ending it altogether.

Typically, we like to photograph with our cameras things that produce good feelings.  But why with our minds and hearts are we so completely different?  Why do we usually snapshot memories that bring up bitter, resentful, hurtful, offended experiences?  I just wonder if we do that because we were programmed for peace and each snapshot continues to remind us of areas that need to be addressed in truth from our Creator and Lover of our souls….

I liken it to getting all of the ingredients out to make a delicious cake and just sitting there and dipping your finger in the baking powder and tasting it over and over again concluding that the cake is just awful!!  Snapshots are this isolated.  And albums of these snapshots have the power to remind us of isolated times and help us bring conclusions.  They are meant to trigger a memory, good or hurtful.  But the snapshot, by itself, can lead you nowhere productive.  It cannot heal or end your pain,  just as the baking powder, can’t be compared to the symphony we call, the cake!!

What if instead of inducing our normal process of remembering the pain, feeling the hurt and then judging the outcome we could learn a new way?  A way we could allow the snapshot to simply do it’s job and nothing more….to remind us.  Then we could learn another new way, take that snapshot to God and ask Him to reveal the truth to us and replace that snapshot with a new one.  One of His goodness, faithfulness, and love to us no matter what the situation was or is.  And so step by step we learn a completely different way of dealing with our pain, we allow God to heal it.  And we learn to combine all of the ingredients to the cake in a bowl and stir them around before we taste and see.

As a child of God we all are always fully engaged in a process from our creator.  In 2 Corinthians 3:13-18 we learn that,  “We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from gazing at it while the radiance was fading away.  But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away.  Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts.  But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. ” 

The time of the veil is really the same thing as the baking powder.  It is only a snapshot of God’s complete process.  If we look at the Old Covenant and choose to stop there, and don’t move forward, in faith in God’s plan, receive Christ and allow His transforming work, we are doing nothing more than tasting the baking powder.  Or if while in His transforming work, we don’t really understand that we are being transformed with EVER-INCREASING glory, we might wrongly judge Him or ourselves and get bogged down in the details.  We might even contemplate jumping ship!  But thanks to God for His faithfulness to us and that He will not allow a snapshot to represent how comprehensive He is!!  How can it?  Why do we think that it can represent us, who are created in His image and being transformed into his likeness?  If baking powder cannot represent a cake then how can a snapshot represent me?

In the book, “Sun Stand Still” by Pastor Steven Furtick, he writes about 12 Audacious Faith Confessions.  These confessions are the truth of what my blog is ultimately about.  Who our supply is and how to apply Him to our lives.  It is God where we find complete healing, wholeness, and freedom.  It is the word of God that truly sets us free.  The confessions are a great overview of the scripture, but I want to expand them and dive into the meat of the view for myself.  Join me for the next several blogs as we explore the word of God and get a COMPLETE view of His love for us and what He says we can believe and trust upon.  Join me and learn a new way of dealing with your snapshots, so your albums can be a true representation of HIS GLORY!!

People need the LORD!!  Join with me and invite your friends to join us as we embark on this 12 step  journey of wholeness together!!

Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons.  The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.  “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need.  So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs.  He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death!  I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.  I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.’  So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.  “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. ‘  “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.  Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate.  For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.  “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’  “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him.  But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.  But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’  ” ‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.  But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ “ Luke 15:11-32

Whether you find yourself in either role today you have found something more valuable than you can imagine.  I hope that you are aware of what you have found in Jesus, or rather how He has found you!

You see, the young son  learned the true meaning of living and the older son learned the true meaning of dying.  Both needed their unique awareness to further their relationship with their father.  Each had to learn it in their own way….

Whatever unique situation you find yourself in today, you can learn today; You can KNOW that He sees you afar off and is running to meet you with open arms and that He is always with you and given you everything.  You can learn today from wherever you are and choose to celebrate it, maybe even grieve it, and then move on….it all hinges on your perspective.

We are all lost  and where He and how He finds us is just the beginning of the journey.  It is THIS  life-giving relationship that continues to bid, “Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 

Let’s celebrate our journey today, friends!  Look what we have found…..Him!!!!

I find myself just saying the words to this song over and over and over.  “More than the air I breathe, more than the song I sing, more than anything, I need you Lord.”

Even the Psalmist and King, David understood this great longing when he said in Psalm 69, “But I am poor and sorrowful; Let Your salvation, O God, set me up on high…..And you who seek God, your hearts shall live.  For the Lord hears the poor….” 

Oh to celebrate with thanksgiving and longing to be “poor in spirit”!  What a mystery and a transformation that has happened in my soul….

Only the transformation of Christ could ever make me long to be poor in any way.  I don’t know about you but there is something unsettling about celebrating poverty that rises up deep within me and screams, “NO!”  I don’t like the idea of it and in fact, my natural tendency is to run from it.  Perhaps I continue to compare the Biblical ,”poor in spirit” with an impoverishment of life that I have observed and even experienced and never want any part of again?  Perhaps I have seen “poor in spirit” as a sign of weakness and defeat, associated with provision-less living or perhaps just apathetic and weak? Is poor and the impoverishment I have referred to the same thing?

In my studies, I have come to see that impoverishment is a condition of depletion.  It means poor in quality and productiveness; to weaken.

The word “poor” in scripture is defined as:

• reduced to beggary, begging, asking alms
• destitute of wealth, influence, position, honour
  1. lowly, afflicted, destitute of the Christian virtues and eternal riches
  2. helpless, powerless to accomplish an end
  3. poor, needy
• lacking in anything
  1. as respects their spirit
     1. destitute of wealth of learning and intellectual culture which the schools afford (men of this class most readily give themselves up to Christ’s teaching and proved themselves fitted to lay hold of the heavenly treasure)

If everything in God’s kingdom is moving us towards enrichment, advancement, freedom and empowerment by His transformation.  What then does He mean?  Why did God choose to use the word “poor” when talking about our blessed state in Matthew 5:3, “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven“?  Especially when He sent His Beloved Son into our lives to specifically address the poor with the gospel….

When I read the following passage, from Revelation, I begin to see more clearly what God is revealing about poverty.

“Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’–and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked– I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.” Rev. 3:17-18

I believe the truth of it lies in the pursuit.  Poor in spirit is really about acknowledging my need.  It is about humbling myself, acknowledging my need for God, continually, and yielding to His transforming power.  To my surprise, acknowledging my impoverishment or acknowledging my desperate need for Him, produces within the very core of who I am this incredible richness and value and strength.  It brings the kingdom of heaven to me.  It’s my very acknowledgement of my need for Him that brings with it this tremendous wealth.  Wealth of relationship and camaraderie and salvation and hope and understanding and provision and peace.  It brings with it the very life of God.  This enriches my life and then it begins to flow to me and through me with life in every way.  My poverty of spirit in my pursuit yields living product….  My approach in poverty brings Him and that yields anything but impoverishment!

If in my getting

I then have no need

I am just miserable, poor and deceived.

But, if in my getting

I acknowledge my need

I am the richest I ever shall be!

“There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches.” Proverbs 13:7

You may need money, friendship, inspiration, liberty, peace, strategy or maybe even salvation.  Whatever your need, Jesus Christ is your SUPPLY!  Make yourself poor with me and cry out to Him “poor in spirit”, in our great need of our God and His life and transformation in ours.

Oh God, I need you desperately.  I need you more than the air I breathe.  I need you more than the song I sing.  I need you more than anything else in this world.  I need you, I need you, I need you.  Help me to see my need for you today.  Help me to seek you.  Help me to live.  In Jesus Name, Amen.

“Peace to you!”  Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.”  And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”  Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”  And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book;  but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have LIFE in His name.” John 20:27-31

Chaim means “Life” in Hebrew.  BELIEVE that you may have “Chaim” in His name today and always!  He has made a way for you to experience life MORE MORE MORE abundantly.

“All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them.  I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.  The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have LIFE, and that they may have it more abundantly.” John 10:8-10

“….that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man,  that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,  may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height–  to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.  Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,  to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” Ephesians 3:13-21 

Did you know that He put His love glasses on for you?  Now, you can put them on too.  Through the eyes of love you will understand what He means when He says….LIFE more abundantly!

“…he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.  BUT at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, AND the prisoners were listening to them.  Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed.  And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself.  But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, “Do yourself no harm, for we are all here.”  Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas.  And he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.”  Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house.  AND he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized.”

Acts 16:24-33

Listen very carefully….there is no prison that can hold you captive!  Oh, you might very well be in prison.  Either physically, spiritually, or a prison of the soul.  This prison might very well be your own home!  But listen to me again very carefully….THERE IS NO PRISON THAT CAN HOLD YOU CAPTIVE!!  Jesus has made a way for your freedom!!!  As you RELY upon Him through prayer and APPLY Him to your circumstance through praise, He will shake the very foundations of the prison that holds you!  Not only will he open the doors for you, He will remove your chains, the chains of the prisoners in there with you and my favorite…..He will wake up and open the eyes the of the one(s) who are being used to jail you and set them free too!!!  What a mighty God we serve!!  The one who jailed them even washed away their stripes!!! 

Paul and Silas were imprisoned unjustly and instead of taking offense, wallowing in their misfortune, or LISTENING to the SOUND of the voices of victimization, self-pity and misery (that we know loomed in that prison and in every prison).  They chose to RELEASE a SOUND, the sound of Christ the Victor!!!  And look what happened!  The very prison around them became the vehicle of salvation to all who were there.  God led them from that prison just as He will lead you from yours.  In fact, as they left and moved on to their next assignment, it really became the impetus of change in Phillipi….

“…but Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.  Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you WILL hear His voice,  Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, In the day of trial in the wilderness…”  Hebrews 3:6-8

Are you willing to go against the familiar and embrace a new way?  You can release your sound if you are WILLING.  So, release it!!  Release your sound unto victory today as Christ released His on Calvary’s cross just for you…

“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”  Luke 23:54

 “It is finished!” John 19:30

(On a side note, we’ve been in our new city for a week now and enjoying it!  Thanks so much for your prayers and continued support!)

“And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him.  Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:  “Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted.  Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth.  Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.  Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy.  Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.  Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God.  Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.  Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.  “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.  You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”  Matthew 5

Poor in Spirit is Rich in Power because it is Rich in need of Jesus who is The Christ, “The Anointed One”!!  It is the Anointing that breaks the yoke/bondage.  So, cry out to Him today, with me, in our need….He is our power, He is THE greatest treasure, He is our hope today and always!!!!!

My husband and I are relocating to a different state.  This is the 5th cross-country move we have made in the past 6 years.  Suffice it to say I have wondered “Why?” more than once…..  As in the usual fashion of my Father, He often times shows me a scenario that connects me with understanding or reminds me of a specific time where He was faithful to help me through baffling transition.

I want to share with you the two scenarios He shared with me about my move.  Hope they speak to you in some way in your life as they have in mine.

Scenario #1:

I needed a tool the other day to remove a hook from the wall of my house.  I realized that If I used anything else but a medium allen wrench, I would damage the wall and create a big headache for myself.  The small allen wrench just spun around and around with no grip at all.  The large one wouldn’t even fit inside the hole.  I needed precisely the medium one.  Yes, I could have used a hammer to pry it out but it would have damaged the surface of the wall or I could have used pliers to rip it out, but it would have taken way too much energy and still created excessive damage.  With the medium allen wrench, however, it glided the screw effortlessly out of its home to complete the job with zero damage.  Hence, precisely the correct tool is essential to get the job done with no damage and very minimal effort.  A small allen wrench would have proved useless and a large allen wrench useless for this specific task.  All other tools may have worked, but not without some unwanted baggage to deal with.

Truth #1 I learned:

God is precise.  He is into precision. 

He can be trusted to lead you to the place that provides the correct tool for that specific time in your life.  Whatever God is trying to do in your life or unlock in your life, you can rest assured that if He is expending the energy to create something or prevent something it has something to do with moving the correct tools into place for you and your good.

Scenario #2:

My son and I were having a talk about the Joplinians suffering from the massive tornado and we decided to let our moving sale turn into a sale to aid in the recovery.  At the time, I viewed it as a training time for him in understanding how to really love people in their need, but we know how quickly it turned into a lesson for me…. It all started when I began to be drained by the move and decided that I would just donate the items to Joplin instead of having this big 2-day sale.  Jackson and I were having a conversation in the car after a trip to the bank that culminated in a sucker for him.  He didn’t want the sucker, so he said that he wanted to donate it to the Joplin victims.  I began to help him understand that the sucker for him was not a sacrifice for him at all, that it was something he didn’t want.  I began to give him scenarios to help him see if it would meet their needs:

Naked?  How about a sucker?

Starving?  How about a sucker?

Jobless?  How about a sucker?

Homeless?  How about a sucker?

Well, you get the picture…..   I began to help him see that his gift really didn’t match the need.  Then, I began to see that my responses and my gifts must match the need or I am insulting, not really helping too….

Naked?  How about a toaster?

Starving?  How about a weight bench?

Jobless?  How about some vases?

Homeless?  How about a freezer?

Needless to say, I was convicted, renewed in vision for the garage sale and thrilled by its outcome.  Praise God that we were able to raise, through the sale and donations, the exact amount of money I asked God for and were able to donate it directly to my grandpa’s church where 82 families lost their homes, cars, and belongings.  And where 15 members of their church lost their lives.  Jackson and I drove there ourselves yesterday and together we put it in their hands after both learning such valuable lessons.

Truth #2 I learned:

The gift must match the need.

God sets the example for us in that His greatest gift to us, His son Jesus, matched our greatest need….salvation from our sin.  And whatever God sees as the immediate needs in our lives, He continues to meet them….

I am confident that whatever God is allowing into my life, it is exactly what I need and will unlock and open exactly what I need.  He is precise and His gifts always match my need.  So, I can do whatever is demanded of me in any situation because He continues to reaffirm to me that He is my supply, His name is great and He is greatly to be praised!!  Bless you on your journey my friends!

“We love him, because he first loved us.”

1 John 4:19

“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!

And that is what we are!“

1 John 3:1

For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry,

“”Abba,” Father.”

(Abba translates to Father, but with the added tone of intimacy similar to calling one Daddy)

Happy Father’s Day Daddy!!!

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.  Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God,  who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began,  but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,  to which I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.”  2 Tim 1:8-12

Not all suffering is purposeless and unproductive.  The above passage reveals suffering that is indeed quite purposeful…. suffering for the gospel. Knowing these purposes is perhaps what makes suffering more tolerable and brings new understanding that will open the eyes of ones soul to see what Jesus truly died to give them…..this has been my hope and I hope that it is yours too.

• Suffering for the gospel understands that it is only according to the power of God. You have a holy calling according to the purposes and grace of God.  This calling will never ask of you what His grace cannot help you to accomplish.   His grace is sufficient for you no matter what He has called you to do.  Never give up on that!!  It is His power that accomplishes it, not yours.
  “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” 1 Cor. 1:18
• Suffering for the gospel understands that some victimization can be eased by understanding one’s gifting.  It is imperative that you know what your calling and gifting is from Christ.  To truly understand your gift is liberty and helps you NOT to fall prey to misunderstanding.  Misunderstanding opens you up to victimization or control rather than Divine insight.  Each call and gift has the propensity to suffer differently and there is legitimate suffering that occurs from each.  Some suffering comes as a by-product as you the vessel are being prepared for your gift.  Other, comes as backlash as a result of expressing your gift.  This backlash comes from Satan and other misunderstanding people.   Knowing these truths opens you up to God’s heart of love to you rather than you feeling like you are flawed or being punished.  You are created in His image and your gifting is your reflection of HIM!!!  Satan hates Him and you by association and creation.  Rom. 12; 1Cor. 14; Eph. 4
• Suffering for the gospel understands that every gift has its ability to see spiritual life in a unique way and celebrates this diversity.  Every gift reveals the glory of God according to His own purpose and grace.  However, there are usually earthly “growing pains”  you  and others might experience as each becomes aware of gifting and learns to operate by it.  You might know your gifting, but being able to interpret correctly comes with time and consistency.  Knowing these growing pains should help you understand God’s love for you  and others and how He celebrates you for exactly who you are and them for exactly who they are!!  Some of your frustration with others could be that they don’t understand their gifting either.   Individuals operating opposite their gifting can be frustrating for all involved. For example, depending on your specific gifting, see if any of these speak to you.  Ever suffer from what you’ve believed to be tormenting dreams or visions which actually have been confused with prophetic insight and direction?  Have these visions caused you to feel crazy at times?  Do you feel like you see dead people?  Don’t be afraid of it anymore; this is a powerful way that God speaks to His saints  and gives understanding into other’s fights!!  This is not psychic (which is inferior and fueled by the demonic and flesh; This is PROPHETIC!!!!  It is from God Almighty, fueled by The Holy Spirit and Superior!!  To be used for His Glory….ask Him for eyes to see, ears to hear, and His mind to understand!  Have feelings of isolation been a pattern of your life because you’ve read motives so clearly and have been too afraid to get close to people?  Has this driven you to reject people because you didn’t understand your gift of Discerning of Spirits meant to help you speak accurately into that individual’s life and reveal to them the way of freedom?  Or perhaps you’ve dealt with lots of rejection because your mouth is always getting you in trouble?   Have you considered that your mouth is your instrument and you could be used as God’s Teaching or Preaching voice for the freedom of many?!!!  Maybe you’ve had scores of sleepless nights because of the burden you have been asked to carry to the Lord and you’ve mistaken Intercession for worry and never really able to fully release this burden before the King of Kings?  I am here to tell you that once you learn what He is trying to teach you, you will sleep again with greater purpose than ever!!      Ever known a fact about someone the minute you laid eyes on them?  How’d you know that?  You might have a Gift of Knowledgethat allows you to understand why that individual is why they are and help them to their next place of freedom…..
  “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Eph. 2:10
• Suffering for the gospel understands that He suffered first and that relationship with Christ is the key to lifelong freedom!  He has given His life for us.  Are you fully persuaded that He is able to keep what you have committed to Him?  What have you committed to Him?  Your life?  Your comfort?  Your kingdoms?  Relationship with Him, not running from Him, is the answer to complete understanding, peace, freedom and joy!!
  “Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus,”  Heb 3:1
• Suffering for the gospel is fueled by purpose yet anchored by love.  Don’t suffer in silence any longer.  You are deeply loved and purposely pursued!  You are vital to His kingdom and important to His plan!  You are unique and special and you are the body of Christ.  His special body, when unified with other believers you provide a place for Him to rest His head!!  His love has motivated us towards all things and we must have the same motive or our gifting is annoyingly ineffective.  “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.  And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.  And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.” 1 Cor. 13:1-3
• Suffering for the gospel sees life with spiritual eyes of blessing!! Just as this song declares, what if trials of this life, are really His blessings in disguise? You must ask God to help you see by His Spirit for true and lasting understanding.
  “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” John 14:26                                                                                                                            “But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.” 1 John 2:27

We are blessed beyond measure my friends by Our Savior!  We can move forward in complete trust of His love and goodness…..together!

God, help us understand, interpret, and release what it is You have entrusted to us.  We commit it to You and believe for it to be ever-increasing in measure and used for Your Glory.  Where we have operated incorrectly, outside of Your will, or opposite to Your love we ask You to purge us now with Your redeeming work and set us apart as vessels of Your complete will.  We praise You for Your grace and power to perform it.  We surrender ALL to Your complete work and Your suffering, for Your gospel in Jesus Name!