Meditate On Words of Hope Today

Dear Friends, Yesterday I ran to the house of the Lord for prayer. My Pastor prayed with me yesterday. As she was praying, the Lord was giving me the same scriptures before she was saying them. So, I felt important both to record them and to share them with others who made need inspiration today!

Psalm 118:24 (NIV) This is the day the LORD has made;We will rejoice and be glad in it.

Psalm 59:16 (NKV) But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.

John 14:27 (NIV) Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Romans 8:27-29 (NIV) 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. 28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

Nehemiah 8:10 (NIV) 10 Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

John 14:27 (NIV) 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

I am going to mediate on these things today! What about you?

Building An Altar in Faith: When the Rubber Meets the Road!

When the rubber meets the road, I am going to stand strong in Him! What about you? I ask this a lot, but I mean it. Where do you stand? Can people help us grow and change? Why yes, they can! We also need people in our lives who will act as an accountability partner to help us face the challenges that seem to appear for many on a minute-by-minute basis.

Sometimes it’s easier to run and give a bad report. I feel like some days I have been up one side of the mountain and down it several times; I don’t know which end is up, but God does and so do the people of God! I need these people in my life that will help me to build an altar to God despite wherever battle or growth initiative I am in; right?

So when the crap is hitting the fan, we can be reminded who is powering the fan and what tools do we have to fight the fan or face it. On the other hand, sometimes God brings the winds of change across our lives; His handiwork is speaking a word most do not like: growth! Another word we do not naturally enjoy either is change. Yet neither are our enemies but both are often feared! Folks, a flat tire is not the end of the road. This tire can be changed.

I read today in Ezra 3 (NIV 2011) about the rebuilding of the altar and worship being restored in Jerusalem. In verse three, I read about the fear that gripped them, though they built the altar at the beginning of the chapter. A lot of time transpired in this chapter, but in the end, God brings them to utter fulfillment and provision. However, they still built an altar and brought offerings both day and night before the promise or initiative was seen. I also read that due to an ordinance by King David that they sang and worshipped (verse 11). He had those on the front lines praising the initiative through. They led shouts of praise. Within this shout was weeping. Weeping for joy, another type of shout of praise, was happening too, but the unified shout sound of praise was so loud, one could not distinguish between the shouts of praise or the weeping praise! This is also illustrates that everyone responds to the move of God differently; either way they were fervent in it. Also, this shout of praise was not like the one in the Battle of Jericho. It was distinct and had qualaties one can learn from and practice.

Again, one can gleam much from the reported principles in this chapter and our own lives. I am not going to sum up or conclude this entry totally. Please write in and tell me how God is confirming this word to you. Where are you when it comes to the rubber hitting the road? Are you bouncing back or becoming stagnant? Consider praise and worship as one tool that you have in your hand to breakthrough! And remember, you have enough tread left on your tire to make it through!

Build that altar unto God; if you are off the road, get back on!

Mighty God- Martha Munizzi Live!

God is mighty, all powerful, and holy! Without Him, we cannot face our battles victoriously. Ask God to help you wrestle; stand your ground! Take authority in Jesus name! Be encouraged!

Paradigm Switch: A Pebble Becomes a Boulder in Less Than 10 Minutes!

All day yesterday, I could hear the words “I will not be moved” going over and over in my head. I wondered if God was giving me a song, but He only gave me those few words with a simple melody. I wondered if I was humming a song I knew. I was asking God questions like do you want me to find this song? Is it a Hill Song? I was way off track. God was giving me a gift, and I almost missed it!

I began to think about sticky and gloomy situations lurking over my children, the school system, and my own personal battles. I saw myself as a small stone, but by the end of this significant moment, I saw myself as boulder. I began to sing this melody with fervor and strength in my car! For every situation, I was singing out loud: I will not be moved! I also confessed my fear about every situation, but then I inserted: I will not be moved again and again. I felt an in vigorous spiritual strength sweep over me. I was reminded of what I wrestling with: the Devil. So, I said I am not moving, running, or backing down. I WILL NOT BE MOVED! The Lord was in my battle; He met me.

I was reminded in my car and in a span of less than ten minutes that I could war off whatever is coming my way. I remembered reading in John about the spirit of truth. God was bringing truth to me right in my car. Truth is needed in very situation not fear! I am not talking about the fear of the Lord; we need that! I am talking about the fear that makes you run away with your tail between your legs because you think you have been defeated. Instead, God tells us not fret or be angry about things; it only causes harm! Let the light of God’s words dispel your darkness. Let the spirit of truth come! The devil does not fight fairly; it says He lurks around seeking who he may devour. He looks for the weakest and the strongest. He doesn’t care. He wants to destroy your FAITH. Knowing the seriousness of this all, I need to have a well-ordered, disciplined, strictly-controlled, and well-organized in battle. 1 Peter 5:8 tells us "to be sober and vigilant". The good news is that God has already given us the plan for regimented battle! Be cognizant of what is warring around you!

God gives us strength and wants our battles to be regimented battles. He wants us to use the tools He has put in our hands: Prayer, Praise, and the Word of God. his includes putting on the whole Armor of God (Ephesians 6). Also, Psalms 27 reminds us that the Lord is the strength of our life and no matter what trouble arises: we can be confident in Him! Church, He does not want us backing down. The truth is that we do not wrestle against flesh and blood; instead, we are in an intense spiritual and evil battle. So do not think that warring and wrestling is strange or odd, though they can be tiring. Understand that God has given us provision for battle!

He does not want us to take matters into our own hands solving the problem for God or ourselves. Instead, He wants us to rely on Him. He is looking for a people that know their God. He wants us to wait on Him, be of good courage, and to speak to the mountain. But God wants you to understand that he wants you to be regimented with your wrestling matches and that you should wait for Him for Him to move though you intercede. (Psalms 27:14, 33:20, 37:7, 37:9, 37:34, 40:1, 130:5). Did I contradict myself? No. Remember that you use the tools He gives you and the rest you leave to Him to fix! I included Psalm 30 for you to see how David reports that in prosperity he will not be moved (vs. 6 & 7). If you read the entire Psalm, you can see that He has been through the battle! In fact, the book of Psalm records many of David’s battles, but the Lord delivers him from them all. The more battles you win; the stronger you become. The more battles you avoid; the weaker you become. So, I am going to try to look at warfare in a new way. I can embrace the battles because I am going to win them. Even David reports in Psalms 30: 11 that God has turned his mourning into dancing!

You know what? I am going to wrestle with the tools He has entrusted me with, and I am going to fight the good fight! I am going to embrace the battles knowing that I can be confident in God. I am NOT going to be moved unless He moves! I am a boulder and not a pebble! I am strong in the Lord and in the power of His might! What about you?


Psalm 30 (NKJV) from BibleGateway.com
A Psalm. A Song at the dedication of the house of David.
1 I will extol You, O LORD, for You have lifted me up,
And have not let my foes rejoice over me.
2 O LORD my God, I cried out to You,
And You healed me.
3 O LORD, You brought my soul up from the grave;
You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.[a]

4 Sing praise to the LORD, you saints of His,
And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name.[b]
5 For His anger is but for a moment,
His favor is for life;
Weeping may endure for a night,
But joy comes in the morning.

6 Now in my prosperity I said,
“I shall never be moved.”
7 LORD, by Your favor You have made my mountain stand strong;
You hid Your face, and I was troubled.

8 I cried out to You, O LORD;
And to the LORD I made supplication:
9 “What profit is there in my blood,
When I go down to the pit?
Will the dust praise You?
Will it declare Your truth?
10 Hear, O LORD, and have mercy on me;
LORD, be my helper!”

11 You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;
You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness,
12 To the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent.
O LORD my God, I will give thanks to You forever.

Finally, listen to I Will Not Be Moved by Natalie Grant.
I hope it encourages you! Be blessed! Illy

God's Little Cheerleader: That's Me!

Yesterday, I sang the Song No Limits by Martha Manuzzi at Gulf Coast Assembly of God in North Port, Fl. Despite the challenges I had faced in my personal and professional life this past week, I went forward and delivered the song in boldness. I sang and believed the words for myself and the congregation. Thus, I do believe that God is doing amazing things in my life and the Body of Christ. I am looking for these miracles and opportunities with spiritual eyes. I also took the words Valerie Bell delivered to me via the Holy Spirit this past Saturday afternoon. I went forth in boldness. I also felt a new fervor in my prayer life and praise. I have felt it growing over that past few months. If you know me, you have seen it with your own eyes! And, God is so good!

So when I came off the platform after singing, God spoke to me and told me I was one of His cheer leaders. Yes, God has a sense of humor. If you know me well, then you know I always wanted to be a cheerleader. I never made it. This happened for many reasons. One, I did not feel confident enough to parade in those tacky uniforms; I was chunky. Two, I was not bold enough to shout for the team; I was afraid of crowds. Three, there were other things going on my life that inhibited me from making tryouts and practice times; I often had little joy. So, I let the dream go.

I love it: God’s little cheerleader. Thank you Lord. I'd cheer for You any day, and no matter what the weather looks like, I’ll be out there cheering for You! I will also be out there cheering for my blog readers and the congregation that I am blessed to minister to- no matter what!

I hope this encouraged you. I have learned that there is power in praising God. It lifts you! Get out those spiritual pom-poms! Go to new heights in God! What is stopping you?


http://www.blogger.com/www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3D1Q2pSEv-beI

God, We Need and WANT You Back!

Why is it one of the only times someone hears about God in school is thorough the word moment of silence or in the “Pledge of Allegiance” when they recite the words one nation under God? The answer is simple. Funtrivia.com reports that “The Engel v. Vitale case (was) argued before the Supreme Court on April 3, 1962, and was decided on June 25, 1962.” The Supreme Court declared prayer in school unconstitutional. Their main support and argument for their position is in the 1st Amendment where the words “separation from church and state appear”. Since our founding fathers crafted the Constitution out of a desire to worship God with freedom and to be separate from an unholy union with Britain; the Supreme Court interpreted it to mean that God should not be in school. The current state of our nation and schools is in disarray; we need God back in our schools!

Yes, God is part of American’s history and is mentioned from a historical perspective in history class. But when it comes to celebrating a holiday, one cannot have a manger in schools. Sure you can have a wreath, a tree, candles, etc, but nothing that really represents Christ. While I’m on my soap box, let’s not forget that teachers can talk about any other religion but Christianity in a class discussion unless it is history class or regarding a text. If students bring up Christ, we are not allowed to share our thoughts. My mom is dying of cancer; can we pray for her I have been asked? No, I have to respond.

Teachers see the brokenness of students’ everyday all day long. If they don’t, they are turning their heads. Our hands are tied. We can’t say God loves you, or pray and think about forgiving your friend. Or, I know you heart is broken, but that teen boy or drug you are on is NOT going to you’re your heart: Only God can! God has a plan for you life; suicide is not your option. What about praying for the kids who are suffering from depression? Nope, we can’t do it! My heart is breaking as I see society falling apart. Everyone is too busy to see the symptoms saturated in their own children’s lives.

America’s said, via the voice of the Supreme Court, we don’t want you in our schools; we don’t need you in our schools. Forty years later one can see that this is far from the truth. Look at the mess we are in. Keep in mind that the standardized test movement started in the early seventies. We saw riots and gang violence rising and infiltrating our schools in the eighties. In tandem, society has also taken a turn for the worst. The divorce rate, teen pregnancy, crime, and financial ruin are on the increase at an alarming rate. America has turned away from their first love: God. Many have forgotten what it means to be an American. We live in a country where Muslim extremists can burn a United States flag with police protection, but we cannot talk about God in schools. What is wrong with this picture? Wake up and smell the coffee. Christians are becoming the silenced voice. It’s time to take a stand and get God back in schools and in our lives.

Reflections on Waiting: Six Principles Revealed

In searching out the word: wait today on BibleGateway.com, I found that there are 159 references (wait, waiting, waited). That’s a tremendous amount, and I went digging for truth today, I found some!

While the above picture looks peaceful and positive, there are negative connotations associated with this word. I don’t want to wait to save money to buy an outfit; I don’t wait to wait in the fast food line. Face it, we are accustomed to not waiting for things. We don’t have the patience to wait for things anymore because we have been conditioned in a fast passed society who expects things to be given to them now. On the other hand, we feel that we need to deliver things right away too. The pressure to keep up at times is overwhelming.

There are positive consequences to waiting though difficult to endure. When you seek the Lord for an answer and you wait to move until you get it, you are sure to be walking in safety because you waited. Never mind putting decisions into your own hand; it is better to wait. It is also better to wait because God is in control; He knows what is ahead, and we don’t. So, you want to buy that house, but what you did not know was that there is a clandestine mold problem growing under the tiles in the bathroom shower and hidden up the walls. He wants to save you the time and money for these repairs, which you don’t have. He has something better for you. How would you know that? You wait until He speaks to you to put in an offer on a house. That’s how. We don’t always have the why, but the principle of waiting is crucial in not only understanding but in practicing. Whatever situation you are waiting in right now, rest assured that God is on the throne. Wait on him and be of good courage (PS 27:14). There are six principles in the Word on waiting that I found this morning. I hope they admonish and encourage you.

1. Be still. I know it’s hard but that’s what you have to do. Wait for Him to act! Psalm 37:7 (NLT) says to “be still in the presence of the LORD, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes.” Thus, He also tells us not to worry. We can trust Him!
2. The Lord is waiting for you to come to Him. It says in Isaiah 30:18 (NLT) that “the LORD must wait for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion. For the LORD is a faithful God. Blessed are those who wait for his help.
3. There is a blessing that comes to those who wait (IS 30:18)!
4. Wait for an answer! Psalm 38:15 (NLT) says, “For I am waiting for you, O LORD. You must answer for me, O Lord my God.
5. Waiting can be exhausting! There are signs that you are waiting, but it doesn’t mean you won’t make it because of them. Hang in there and wait! Psalm 69:3 (NLT) says, “I am exhausted from crying for help; my throat is parched. My eyes are swollen with weeping, waiting for my God to help me.
6. God will strengthen you as you wait; the rescue party may not have been sent yet, but remember He is in control! It says in Psalm 59:9 (NLT) that “You are my strength; I wait for you to rescue me, for you, O God, are my fortress.” Even the seas wait for God’s instruction (IS 42:4 NLT).

Whatever you are going through, it is better to wait. He will answer eventually. Tell yourself right now: I am waiting for You to move on my behalf. I am going to trust you!

References:
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+27:14&version=NLT

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+37:7&version=NLT

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+30:18&version=NLT

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+38:15&version=NLT

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+69:3&version=NLT

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+59:9&version=NLT

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+42:4&version=NLT

Lord I Believe, But Help My Unbelief!

"I Have to Believe" by Rita Springer reminds me of God's faithfulness. That I can look to the hills and heaven where my help comes from! This is one of my favorite scriptures. Psalms 123: 1-3 says "(1) I will lift up my eyes to the hills— From whence comes my help? (2) My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth. (3) He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber." I have to be strong and not slumber! I have to trust! I have to remind myself of the following things:

For one, He can move my mountain and your mountain too. Even when it seems like the sun will NEVER shine and that gosh darn situation will not move; by faith and in Jesus name it will! You know what I am talking about: those dark days.

Two, I am reminded that I can put on my garments of praise and sing Him a song no matter how dark or sad that it is. This takes me right into His presence. He meets both me and you.

Three, there is nothing too hard for the Lord. When I walk in the valley of despair and it looks grave, it's never too hard for Him. He created us, the heaven, and the Earth. What is one of our situations in comparison to the above? When we look at it that way, our situations seem much smaller but not insignificant to God.

Four, He wants us to rely on Him. That means I can depend on Him to be there- no matter what! I am NEVER alone and neither are you!

Yep, I have to believe that He is here and willing to bring me up right out of these ashes. So, what about you? There is no doubt in mind that He heals, saves, rescues, loves, blesses, sets me free, watches over me, knows my heart, and understands me! This is just the tip of the iceberg! How about you? Think about it! Don't you have to believe too?

If your not inspired yet, click on Rita Springer's song "I Have to Believe", sit back, close your eyes, and let Him touch you!

Thorns, Thistles, Prostitution, & Assignments: An Unexpected Journey

After writing the poem below, I am still reminded of God message through Hosea, which was one of repentance, encouragement, and love. Also, despite the thistle and thorn bushes amongst us, we need to be concerned about the soil of our heart. What is it receiving, and how is it reacting to the trials and things that surround us and or attack us?

Remember to "Sow righteousness for yourselves, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the LORD, until He comes and showers His righteousness on you."(Hosea 10:12 NLT).I don't want bitterness rooted in me, and yet, some wounds from people reoccur. It seems almost to test the decisions I make. Will I let the cares of this life corrupt my heart, or will I be a tool for Christ? Will I let Him use me? Will I walk the unexpected road: Thorns, Thistles, and Assignments? I will, and I will pray for rain until it comes! Jesus, make it rain! In Jesus name! He is with you in your journey!

Enjoy the song: "Rain Down" by Rita Springer. This is my prayer today! Rain in my heart Lord and shine through the thorns and thistles that nag at my soul as if to capture it and separate me from Your love. Let Your rain shower on me, Lord! It's supper time; I can taste it! Can you? Press in!

Thorns, Thistles, Prostitution, & Assignments: A Poem
Sometimes things are difficult traveling an unexpected highway.
Hosea married Gomer, a prostitute, and named their children:
God-plants, not-loved, and not-my-people.
God used his life to show Israel the pain their actions caused.
Hosea did not deserve this request and charge;
Yet, he accepted the thistle & thorn bushes making him a tool in God’s hands.

Sometimes life is thorny, and we walk an inconceivable & tedious road.
Jesus puts in the heart of every little girl grand hopes and dreams.
To marry, be loved, have children, grow old, just to name a few!
If one focuses on life’s stings, they could miss the significance of their journey.
He planted us in peoples’ lives to be Christ to His people.
Our fragrance is His love that we bring to everyone’s lives around us.
Like Hosea, we can be God's tool amidst the barbwire and pickers!