God . . . "in Love"?!

I just have to share this with you today! You are truly loved!!! Did you know that?!! Man - does God ever love you!! :) Believe it!

Here's part of our conversation today:

L - So . . . what’s on your mind? How are you doing today?

G – I’m doing well – actually. I’m in love!

L - :) oh yeah . . . with who?! :) hee,hee.

G – with my Bride! Oh man – have you seen her lately? She is beautiful! So beautiful! I am excited for the day that we get to be together – fully – forever! I can’t wait! I wish it was today – or tomorrow. But it’s not. I know there is more preparation that needs to be done – but I am pleased with what she is doing to get ready for our big day! I am pleased. I love her so much! Yes – there are things that need to be worked on – but today, I am pleased. I love her so much!

L - :) I love hearing you talk about your bride like that! It makes me happy! So many times we hear about all the negative – how she is not ready – how she needs to clean up this, do that, etc. I know that there are times when you have to share those things – because parts of your bride are not doing what is needed. But it’s so nice to hear your joy and see you smile about the rest of the bride that is getting ready.

G – I’m not just in love with the rest that is getting ready – but with ALL of my bride! I love ALL of her so very much! No matter what she does, or where she goes, or if she trips and falls . . . I still love her immensely!! She is everything to me and I don’t want any other bride! Just her! I chose her, I want her, and I love her!! Man – my love just bubbles over and overflows sometimes – I can’t contain it! I won’t contain it for much longer! Pretty soon I just won’t be able to help myself – and I will have to just let it all out – let it gush all out over my bride!! I just have to tell her!! I know she wants to know – and I know that she knows to a degree . . . but boy, oh boy do I ever want to fully show her!!! I can’t wait! I have to restrain myself right now –because I would love to just let it all pour out today if I could! But I can’t. It’s not the right time. Soon, though – soon!!!! Ohhhhh Lori – Just wait!!! Just wait!! Wait and see! Wait and watch and see! You will love it!!

L – I can’t wait! I want to see it now! I want to feel it now too! I want you to be able to display your love and affection – and bring your presence into this preparation room today!! When God? When will you come and visit your preparing bride? When?

G - :) Soon! . . . Literally – I am having to hold myself back. It takes all my willpower to not just rush to her side right now. She is so beautiful. She is so precious and lovely. She is everything to me! I can’t contain my love for her much longer!! I want to smother her with my love – with my kisses – with my hugs of protection and love. I want to smother her! I want her to have NO DOUBTS whatsoever of my love for her! For now – I am sending her roses . . . a sign. . . a sign of my affections for her. I will send her chocolates, flowers, songs . . . lots of signs of my love. But one day soon – I will come! I will show her my love - not just send her signs!! I can’t wait! :)

L - :) God – you are so cute! I love seeing you in love! :) It makes me happy! It makes me feel loved (which I know I am)! Thank you for sharing your heart with me today! I feel loved! Thank you! Can I share any of this with your bride?

G – Why not?! :) I want her to know!! All she hears are the bad things – the rumors that I am mad at her – that I want to punish her. I don’t . I want to love her! I want to really show her that I love her! I want to be close to her! I want HER! So yes – tell her! Tell her how much I love her!! I want her to know!!

Know that God is in LOVE with YOU today!! He's not mad at you . . . but IN LOVE with you!! Accept that love - and go deeper in your relationship with Him today! Don't run away . . . but run TO Him! His arms are open wide. They are not crossed in front of Him in anger. They are opened wide! Run to Him - run into His arms! He's waiting for you!

There is a day coming, where we will feel and see more of His love - more of His presence. It will not just be in Toronto, or Florida, or some other part of the world - but it will be throughout the world! There is a day coming! Are you ready for it? Are you looking forward to it? Are you making "room" in your life (your schedule, your relationship, your heart and mind, etc) for more of God's love to be poured out?! . . . .I know I am!

Love and be loved deeply today!

L :)

Declare War on Compromise!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Are you ready for a journey with me this year?!

I have signed up to be a part of a School of Supernatural Ministry -locally - but through/with the curriculum from Bethel Church in Redding, CA - Bill Johnson's church. If you haven't read any of his books . . . GO GET ONE! They will change your life - they way you think - the way you live! And the proof of what he teaches in in the pudding . . . . his life, his church, and the students at his school are living it out! They are living radical, transformed, supernatural lives for God - and touching the lives of people where ever they go - even in Walmart!!

So - I wanted to include you in my journey through this school. Part of our "homework" is to read - 3 chapters of the Bible a day, as well as several books. I wanted to share with you what God is showing me. Bear with me. I'm not sure what this will look like - or how theologically "perfect" I will be - but it will be me . . . and God . . . and you! :) My heart's desire is to love God with all my heart, soul, strength and mind - and then love others as I love myself! I can't love others if I don't love myself - and I can't love myself unless I love God and know His love for me! So, in order to reach people with God's love - I need to know it, experience it myself - firsthand. You do too. And one way in which He shows us His love is through His love letters - His word - the Bible. We get to know more about Him - who He is, what He is like, what He is NOT like, and more.

So journey with me this year - and let's see what God has to say to us - to me - to you! Will you? :) Let me know what you think too - what God is saying to you! Read along with me - 3 chapters a day. I even went to the library to get the audio Bible on CD (dramatized version!) to listen to as I read along in my Bible (or online at Biblegateway.com). And if you want - you can also read the books that I am reading. Currently I am reading Bill Johnson's book - "When Heaven invades Earth".

Here we go!! . . .

Genesis 1-3

1:6 – “When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.”

(Ok – so I have to ask this first . . . though it’s not what I wanted to talk about! Was Adam with her the whole time that Eve and the serpent were having their conversation? Was he just not listening or paying attention? :) Or did he hear it all, but didn’t decide to participate until his wife convinced him? Hmmm . . . . )

I was struck by this verse – mainly because I can see how the enemy still uses this tactic today – in my life and in so many people’s lives.

How many times are we presented with something in our lives that looks good, sounds good, tastes good, seems good for us, etc . . . and yet it goes against what we know God has told us not to do? . . . . And how many times do we “take a bite” after reasoning that it must be good for us . . . just look at it . . .just smell it . . . it will make me smarter . . it will increase my salary to provide for my family (so I can give more to my church too) . . . it will save me money so I don’t have to buy that item – I’ll just copy it . . . it makes me feel good inside when I drink/eat it . . . I feel all happy when I watch/listen to it . . . what could be wrong with that?! Plus – we have something that Eve didn’t have or couldn’t say – “Everyone else is doing it!”

Oh how we are deceived! And oh how sad it is that we don’t realize what we’ve done immediately afterwards like Adam and Eve did. Why not? Why did they? Why did they realize right away that what they had done was wrong? Their “eyes were opened” (vs 7 – “Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made covering for themselves.”). How were their eyes opened? Were they blind before? No, of course not. But they now saw something they had never seen before . . .their sin . . their nakedness. This was something that was new to them. However, in the world we live in . . . we see and experience it everyday - don't we? We've become numb/blind to some of it. So how can we become more aware - how can we become more sensitive to our sin and grieving the Holy Spirit?

Spend time with the Lord, in the presence of God - the Holy Spirit. Get to know Him, His ways, His commands, His love, His power and more. It's like wearing a dirty shirt. When you are in a darkened room, you don't - and can't - really see the dirt or stains on your shirt. It might even feel or smell clean. However, start shining a light on it, or step into a room that has better lighting, and you start to notice the stains, the dirt. You are amazed that you never saw them before! You are embarrassed. How could you have walked around with such a dirty shirt on and never know it. When you start walking with the "light" of this world - you will become more aware of the dirt and stains that had been on your shirt. But when you accept Christ and his forgiveness - He gives you a NEW shirt! :) Stay in the light. If you do - you will quickly see and realize if you accidentally (or intentionally) get your new shirt dirty - and you can deal with it quickly then. If you wander back into the darker room - you won't be as aware (you might feel/smell clean there - but it's a false sense of purity.).

Adam and Eve had a life that we all, deep down – in our spirits, desire. We want to walk and talk with our Lord all throughout the day – to have an intimate and personal relationship with God in a tangible way. They lived with Him, ate with Him, talked and laughed with Him – every day. It was all they knew. They wouldn’t have even thought about the tree in the middle of the garden – the forbidden fruit. Why should they? They had all they needed. It wasn’t even a consideration. But the enemy threw a thought in there . . . he planted a seed in their minds. Once he saw that the seed was definitely planted (when Eve responded to him and told him that God said they couldn’t even “touch it” or they would die – which God never said not to touch it) – then Satan watered that seed. “You will not surely die!” He got Eve thinking about it more – allowing that thought to take root and grow. Look how good that fruit looks. Why would such a good God keep something so good from you? He would want you to have it! And it’s not just good to eat, and good to look at – but it will give you wisdom, so you can be more like God! Don’t you think that if God really loved you that He would want you to be more like Him? Why is He keeping that from you?

Satan got her thinking, doubting, analyzing, being introspective and rationalizing . . . which all sound like good things (God gave us a mind didn’t He? So why not use it?!). However – as good as it all sounded, looked, etc . . . it still went against what God had said. And just THAT fact alone – made it “not good” – made it wrong – made it a sin. It doesn’t matter how “good” something looks, feels, tastes, seems, etc in our own rationalizing mind . . . . if it goes against what God has said – then it is wrong – it is sin – and it leads to death.

How many times have you compromised in your life . . . this past year . . . this month . . . today? How many times have you said – “It’s not that big a deal. . . . . It will help us out in the long run. . . . It’s just this once. . . . . It won’t affect me. . . “ etc? How many “little” compromises . . . aka – “bites” have you taken?

I challenge you to DECLARE WAR ON COMPROMISE today. Don’t take a bite. In fact – to make it even easier on you (to not take a bite . . . compromise) – don’t even entertain the idea – the thoughts. Stop it before it starts! Kick the enemy out of your “garden” – out of your mind – and life! Don’t’ let him whisper things to you. Yes – they sound and look good . . . but they are not. They lead to death! The thoughts will come – but we need to take them captive – 2 Cor. 10:5 – ^“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”

Colossians 2:8 – ^“See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.”

The enemy has kept us trapped – captive (2 Tim 2:26) – and he starts with our thoughts. Let’s not let him continue to have access and the ability to trap us and keep us captive anymore! DECLARE WAR ON COMPROMISE!

I was asked once –what the difference really was between drinking alcohol to get a buzz – to feel good, relaxed, drunk, happy, etc. . . . and wanting to be “drunk in the Holy Spirit’s presence”? Both of them make you feel good – but you still have to keep going back for more to keep feeling good. So what makes one better than the other? Is there really a difference?

Yes - One leads to life . . . the other leads to death. Plain and simple.

When you are filled with the Holy Spirit and enjoying his presence and power – the feeling is indescribable (actually waaay better than when you are drunk on alcohol!). You are on cloud nine! You are flying high! And it’s not just the nice (drunk) feeling - You are experiencing a love you have never known! It’s beyond anything I could even describe – a love so pure, so holy, so perfect, so safe (which you don’t get from alcohol or drugs). When the experience is over though . . . here’s the difference . . . you don’t wake up with a hangover! You wake up happy (not depressed, lonely, sad, regretful, with a headache) – and feeling totally loved and peaceful!

What does this have to do with compromise? Everything. I’m not saying that if you drink a glass of wine here and there with dinner, or if you go see a movie or listen to “non-christian music” that you are on your way to hell. I’m definitely not anti-wine, anti-media, anit-pleasure. And this isn’t just about drinking – but about all kinds of compromise – financial, work, relationships, physical intimacy, what we watch, listen to, what we say – or don’t say, etc. What I am trying to say is . . . Does what you are doing go against what God has said – to you personally – or through His word – etc? Are you looking to find the real thing – the tree of LIFE – in the alternative – the tree of “death” (sin)? It’s a cheap imitation. It can never be truly the same. It looks, sounds, tastes, smells, seems good and similar . . . but it’s not. It’s the devil’s cheap imitation of the real thing – of what God can give you – of what He has for you. Follow God’s ways – and you will be amazed! His ways are soooo much better! You don’t have to take my word for it . . . listen to God’s . . .

I want to leave you with the words of God spoken to Moses and the Israelites (Deuteronomy 30: 11-20)

The Offer of Life or Death

¹¹ Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. ¹² It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, "Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?" ¹³ Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, "Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?" ¹⁴ No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.

¹⁵ See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. ¹⁶ For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws, then you will live and increase, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.

¹⁷ But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, ¹⁸ I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess.

¹⁹ This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live ²⁰ and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Choose life!

Love (God) . . . Walk (in His ways) . . . Keep (His commands)!

Love (God) . . . Listen (to His voice) . . .Hold fast (to Him)!

THEN you will live and increase!

The Lord IS your LIFE!

No more excuses - DECLARE WAR ON COMPROMISE Today!

Make a decision to go deeper today!

L :)

Prayer for the nation - and LOVE!

Here is a link to the mp3 recording of the national prayer conference call that happened on Thursday, Septemeber 24th, 2009.

Please listen and pray along for our nation! God loves us - and wants us to return to Him - to be the bride He has created us to be. He wants to hold us close - to let us not just "know" that His heart beats for us - to just "know" that He loves us ("Jesus loves me this I know - for the Bible tells me so") . . . . but He wants us to FEEL His love for us - to FEEL His heart beating for us.

Our hearts are the source of our lives. If our heart were to stop beating - we would die. When we die - we are separated from those still left here on earth -from relationships here.

God's heart (His love) is the source of life for each and every one of us. It is the source of His relationship with us. If His heart (love) stopped beating . . . . the relationship would die. Many people have thought they felt this (to a degree). They do not "feel" or have not "felt" God's heart beating for them. They have all the head knowledge about God - about His love for them - about what He has done for them . . . . but they've never ventured close enough to let God (their heavenly Daddy) HOLD them close . . .hold them close to His chest to FEEL His love for them - to hear and feel His heart beating . . . . just for them. However - His heart has never stopped beating for them. Not yet.

God doesn't need to have a heart to live. He is eternal. He is all-powerful. He doesn't need a heart to live . . . . but He chose to have a heart . . . He chose to love . . . . He chose to let His Son (Jesus) experience what it is like to have a human heart . . . and then to let that human heart die through the choice of sacrificing himself on the cross. Jesus' heart stopped beating. He died. For us. He endured the physical and spiritual separation that comes with death - that comes when a heart stops beating. He did that for us . . . . because He doesn't want us to have to endure it for eternity ourselves! . . . . . and then in His marvelous power . . . He came back to life! He overcame death . . . for us! Once and for all!!

There will come a day when people will no longer have the option of being able to feel God's heart beating for them. There will come a day when His arms will no longer be open - inviting anyone and everyone to come close - to be held by Him - to experience His love - His transforming love. That day is coming soon. God wants you to know - that day is coming soon. For some of you - it's sooner than for others. But for the whole world - it is still coming soon.

His heart's cry is for everyone to know that He is here . . . waiting . . . waiting to hold you and love you - to let you hear and feel His heart beating - to feel His transforming love that will forever change your life . . . if you let Him . . . if you let Him hold you . . . If you choose to stay close to Him - aware of Him - in relationship with Him. . . . .Not just to know "about Him".

I could know all about my husband - where he grew up, what he likes, dislikes, if he's a Republican or Democrat, if he is a morning or night person, how he treats others, etc. But unless I CHOOSE to enter into a relationship with him - a personal, close, intimate, hear-and-feel-his-heart kind of relationship . . . .I will never fully KNOW (through experience) his love - especially his love for me!

THAT is what God wants for everyone. To show them His love - experientially! He's shown it in so many ways . . . and yet we keep asking for more "proof". There comes a point when you just have to make a decision - when you have to choose. . . .

Choose to believe. Choose to get closer to our perfect heavenly Daddy today. His arms are still open . . . . wide open! It doesn't matter what you've done lately (or in the past). He's not afraid of getting dirty! :) The messier the better! :) He just loves holding His kids and loving on them!

As the Beatles put it - "All we need is Love, Love. . . . Love is ALL we need!" :)

Go closer (and deeper) today!

Lori :)

In over your head

God had showed me a vision on Sunday during worship.

We were like the Israelites - we have been set free (from Egypt/bondage/saved from that which enslaved us) - and we are on our way in life. . . but we have come up against the Red Sea - an impossible situation. We feel trapped - our enemies are on our back and it seems that there is no way to go - no way out of this. What use was our salvation/freedom if this is what is going to happen?!!

When this happened to the Israelites- they wanted to just go back to Egypt - where at least they would have food, shelter and wouldn't die like this. Yes, they would be in slavery/bondage - but that would be better than being in this situation - stuck in the dessert with enemies on your back and no where to go!! It would be more comfortable (as it is all they had known for a long time).

But there was a solution. God had a solution - He had a plan! God LOVES to redeem us from impossible situations! It's His specialty! I don't think this impossible situation was an accident! God wanted to show His glory - to show His love to the Israelites - to rescue them and give them a tangible experience (experiential knowledge) of His love for them! So God told Moses to raise his staff (his hand(s)) - and let God do the work!

Exodus 14:13& 14 - "Moses answered the people, 'Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.'"

This Sunday - God was saying just that . . . we need to raise our hands (in praise! . . . and in giving our control - everything - over to Him - AND BE STILL!) - and let God do the work! He WILL provide a way . . . on dry ground. You will still see the water - high on each side - kind of scary - but you do not need to be afraid! You are on dry ground and God is in control! Praise the Lord and let God do the work to rescue you! He is the God of the impossible!!! PTL for that! :) I'm glad he is not just the God of the possible!

I pray you will go deeper with God today . . . in over your head!! :) When you feel out of control in life - that's the BEST time to let God be in control!! THAT's where revival will come! You can trust Him - His character, His plan for your life, and His power!

Please listen to this sermon podcast from my pastor - Dan Backens - at New Life Providence Church. It's all about going/being "In over our heads"!! You will be encouraged - and will want to go deeper! Don't let the enemy stop you in the middle of this journey you are on in life (the middle of the novel as Pastor Dan says . . . ). Keep going - because the best "chapter" is ALWAYS the last chapter!! God has GREAT plans for you!! Keep going!

Dive a little deeper today - and let God be in control!

Lori :)