Healing shame...

So today I found myself struggling with shame and rejection - a wound surfacing that was coming up in my heart. It was a tough morning and not really knowing what to do about it.  Wounds and hurts from some childhood stuff.  It was so real and it was affecting how I was seeing myself and others.

I started playing piano this afternoon, singing to Jesus and inviting Him into those deeper places. And then He began to sing over me...

"You are beautiful.  You are beautiful.  Let Me love you in this place.  You don't have to be afraid.  No more shame and no more hiding.  Lift up your head.  I want to kiss your face."

His love can go to those deeper places and I'm learning to let Him be the One to comfort me and heal me more and more.  To be the one who lifts up my head and my countenance.  So that all of me can know who I am - who I really am.  My true identity. Fully loved. His Beloved Daughter. Royalty. Redeemed.

Healing my heart so I can receive more love and be free-er to love You and others more.  Yes, Jesus go to those places and uproot what You need to and plant seeds from Heaven into my heart.  Make my heart more beautiful.. a fully vibrant garden.  Fully alive.  No weeds.  No tares.

Make my heart Your home... every part.

I love you Jesus.  You are the lover of my soul.

Our Most Excellent Weapon - LOVE

As end-time warriors we will move and minister with awesome authority and power, yet from a foundation of genuine love and humility. "But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way" (1 Corinthians 12:31). We must walk the higher way, the way of true, Christ-centered love. We have sought power, yet God longs to release true passion. It is time to discover our most excellent weapon: God's love. During these decisive days, great wisdom will be released by the Spirit of Truth concerning the vast difference between power and God-given authority.

The Greatest Gift

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.

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.

When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.

And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

The Spirit of God is releasing wonderful grace so that we can clearly learn the lessons of LOVE. Nothing is as significant or as genuine as Christ-centered love. All men will know and recognize that we are truly followers of Christ by this: our love for one another (John 13:35). Our prayer should be that we increase and abound in Christ's love.

And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you. 1 Thessalonians 3:12

The Body of Christ is learning to love – this is the key to melting and opening the hardest heart. Remember, "Love never fails." Programs fail and plans of men fail – however, God's love never fails.

This kind of love is not cheap, worldly sentiment; it is costly and precious. True, Christ-like love will cost you everything. God is calling for a passionate people who are willing to lay down their lives and give without expecting to gain any worldly acceptance. This generation will be aglow with the glory of God.

This emerging Kingdom Company will be marching to the rhythm of His heartbeat. His heart will be their hearts' desire. They will resolve to follow the Lamb wherever He goes, even to the ends of the earth. This emerging generation is willing to die for what they believe. Never has the world witnessed such passion. These hearts, set ablaze by God's love, will rush into the harvest fields, resulting in raging fires of revival across the nations. Entire nations can be saved in a single day.

The man, Christ Jesus, is the ultimate example of God dwelling with us.

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14

Notice the phrase "and we beheld His glory." This emerging Kingdom Company will have the same countenance as Jesus – the glory of the Lord will be evident upon them. He is our pattern; He alone is our true example. As Jesus walked the earth He was the perfect demonstration of God's unfathomable love. We must fix our gaze on Him as the perfect model of a life of love (see 2 Corinthians 3:18).

Be Like Jesus

As a follower of Christ Jesus, you are created in the image of God and are of utmost importance to Him. He is calling you to walk in perfect unity with Him – in His likeness and His nature. Remember, GOD IS LOVE (1 John 4:8). Our mission is to be the fragrance of Christ, the beauty of Jesus, the very anointing of Him on earth. As you minister, you minister with Him. As you walk, you walk like Him. Jesus prayed to the Father:

"I pray also for those who will believe in Me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as You are in Me and I am in You. May they also be in Us so that the world may believe that You have sent Me. I have given them the glory that You gave Me, that they may be one as We are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that You sent Me and have loved them even as You have loved Me.

"Father, I want those You have given Me to be with Me where I am, and to see My glory, the glory you have given Me because You loved Me before the creation of the world." John 17:20-24, NIV

It is awesome to see how the Spirit of Truth is changing the attitude of many in the Body of Christ – their motive is to give, not just get. This is the true Christ-like character we must display to a hurting world. Our goal is for our character to be simply the same as that of Christ Jesus:

"Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death – even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in Heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Philippians 2:6-11, NIV).

Our mission and mandate from Heaven is to have the passion and compassion to love God and to love our neighbor. With compassion, Jesus embraced the man with leprosy, held the dying women, and broke the law to sit at the well and talk to a prostitute.

But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest."Matthew 9:36-38

Love is the most excellent way. Love will never fail. Love is God's greatest reflection. Love covers a multitude of sins.

Healing Love

I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely, for my anger has turned away from him. Hosea 14:4

Even though you may have fallen away from faith, thank God that He is always ready to offer tender, loving forgiveness. Truly, asProverbs 10:12 states, "Love covers all sins."

Bobby Conner
Eagles View Ministries

ahhh! there's a wasp in my car!

Driving home from Lake Geneva yesterday with the windows down, wind blowing through my hair and me loving every moment.  All of a sudden I look to my driver's door and I see a wasp - not just a bee - a wasp.  I was stung by a bee for the first time last year and let me say - that was painful and not fun at all!  So I see this wasp, I'm driving 55+ miles/hour on a country road and trying to play with the window so it flies out.  I don't want to be stung by this thing and I'm getting a little on edge.  So I pull over into the next gas station and yell at it - "Go! Get out!" and it flies away.  Whew! much better.

Then I felt the Lord say that was prophetic and He began to speak to me about why we as Christians, myself included, are not as vigilant when it comes to sin, temptation, or an evil spirit trying to mess with us. Sin still stings us and others and most importantly grieves the heart of God and keeps our spirits asleep... so why do we let sin drive in our car with us, live in our hearts, or hang out at our house. To have the eyes to see and to have a holy NO and say Go and Get out! I don't want you here - it's so freeing to take authority as we are in Christ.  To see sin and temptation as it really is - it may cloak itself as something pleasurable for the moment but it really is out to destroy us and bring death.  Wasps hanging around in our hearts, in our relationships, in our home, and in those we love - not cool.

May we love God even more and be in awe of Him. May we love others and love ourselves with a love that is from above and may we not let the 'wasps' hang out and think it's no big deal... We are the temple of the Holy Spirit - where God dwells and may we hunger to know God to the fullest and be brought to life more and more. May we be hungry for Your Word, Your Truth and Your Revelation so that we can be free-er and wholly Yours.

Give us undivided hearts to be in AWE of you God and love you with ALL of our heart, soul, mind, and strength.  Wake us up from compromise - We need more of Your light to shine in and through us - Encounter our hearts with your purifying Love.

Fire in His Eyes ~ Pentecost Sunday

The other night I couldn't sleep - it was around 1-3am in the morning.  First, I felt thoughts of fear bombarding me and then I heard songs of worship over me.  I could choose what to focus on - what to turn my heart to in that moment.  It was a struggle, I can't lie.  The enemy trying to hit me while i sleep - not cool.

But I began to sing... and the songs that I was hearing over me were a call from Holy Spirit to go deeper with Him and to set my gaze on Him and worship Him in the midst of the 'battle'.

Here's one of the songs I heard and then joined in singing... yup turning my room into a sanctuary - a place of worship for my King.

"There's fire in His eyes and a sword in His hand.  He is riding on white horse all across the land.  And He's calling out to you and me... will you ride with Me?"

So YES Jesus I will ride with You.  And as I remember today being Pentecost Sunday (Acts 1:8...)- what perfect timing to remember that it is Your Spirit in me - poured out upon Your Church - Your Bride - filling us, cleansing us, and empowering us to live out our destiny in You and ride with You wherever You want us to.  Set apart, bringing Heaven to Earth... Your Kingdom come - Your will be done.  Greater things Jesus.  Greater things!

Traits of a Godly Man

The Traits of a Godly Man
Matthew 26: 36-45

(Written by Bob and Cheryl Moeller)

An Unusual Question
Did you ever stop to ask why did God choose Joseph to be the earthly father of His Son Jesus?

My Unusual Answer
Because Joseph more than anyone else on earth had the all the traits of a godly husband and father.

An Unusual Offer
God is willing to develop all those same traits in you.
Baker's Dictionary
"Godliness is the reverent awareness of God's sovereignty over every aspect of life, and the attendant determination to honor Him in all one's conduct."

Three Things to Remember About the life of Joseph
1.         He wasn't divine rather he was a man just like all of us.
2.         He didn't live a sinless life, just an obedient one.
3.         Every thing we know about him is from what he did, not what he said.

Matthew 1:18
"This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph..."

First Godly Trait
1.         Joseph was willing to make commitments.

The Nature of Commitment
1.         It is based on the conviction that God make promises and keeps all His promises.
2.         It is based on the faith that good will come from keeping our word.
3.         It is a covenant that we choose to enter into with another person.

So how does a godly man learn to make commitments?
1.         It starts by making small promises and keeping them.
2.         It grows by experiencing the consistent faithful love of God in our daily difficulties.
3.         Finally, God may give us the opportunity to enter into a covenantal relationships, the most important called marriage.

Second Godly Trait
2.         Joseph was a man of sexual integrity.

The Nature of Sexual Integrity
1.         It grows out of the fear of God.
2.         It is based on a proper understanding of our value and the value of others to God.
3.         It is our honorable response to the trust God has placed in us.

So how does a godly man learn to practice sexual integrity?
1.         It starts as he daily hides God's Word in his heart.
2.         It increases as he realizes a life of purity allows him to know God intimately.
3.         Finally, God gives him the opportunity to give value to others in relationships, often with a particular woman.

Third Godly Trait
3.       Joseph was a man who did what was right.
Matthew 1:19
"Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly."

The Nature of Righteousness
1.         It grows out of a belief that God has established a moral universe with moral laws.
2.         It based on the conviction that God has revealed to us what is right and what is wrong.
3.         It is our decision to treat others as we would have them treat us.

So how does a godly man learn to do what is right?
1.         It dawns on us that we cannot do the right thing and have it turn out wrong, and we
            cannot do the wrong thing and have turn out right (E. Stanley Jones).
2.         It grows as we see the daily benefits of right living - a clear conscience, the trust of others, and the smile of God on our lives.
3.         Finally, God gives us the opportunity to do what is right, regardless of the cost, particularly with the love of a woman.

Fourth Godly Trait
4.        Joseph was a considerate man.
Matthew 1:20
"But after he (Joseph) had considered this..."

The Nature of Consideration
1.         It is based on the conviction that God thinks about what is best for us.
2.         It is stopping to evaluate our actions or words to determine whether they will help or hurt others.
3.         It is our deliberate decision to bless the life of another person to the extent we can.

So how does a godly man learn to be considerate?
1.         He rejoices in the fact that he is always on God's mind.
2.         He grows by intentionally focusing on the needs and desires of others rather than himself.
3.         Finally, God gives him a big opportunity to stop and consider how he can put the welfare
            of someone before his own, particularly that of a woman.

Fifth Godly Trait
5.         Joseph was a spiritual man.

Matthew 1:20-21
"...An angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a Son, and you are to give Him the Name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins."

Matthew 1:22-23
"All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: `The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a Son, and they will call Him Immanuel' - which means, `God with us.'"

The Nature of Spirituality
1.         It is based on the conviction that God is Spirit and that He has revealed Himself to us
            through His divine Word.
2.         It is living in accordance with this divine reality that is far beyond our natural senses.
3.         It is our decision to daily seek, know and obey this God that dwells in the supernatural realm.
So how does a godly man learn to be spiritual?
1.         He believes God's Word that boldly claims God is Spirit and those who worship Him must do so in spirit and in truth.
2.         He begins by placing his faith in Jesus Christ and the finished work of the Cross for his salvation then grows by practicing the daily disciplines of prayer, study of God's Word, and worship.
3.         Finally, God gives him the opportunity to share the fruit of his spiritual walk with others, often a woman he loves.

The Sixth Godly Trait
6.         Joseph was a trustworthy man.

Matthew 1:24-25
"When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a Son. And he gave Him the Name Jesus."
The Nature of Trustworthiness
1.         It is based on the conviction that God will always do what He has promised to do for us.
2.         It is keeping faith with those who have put their possessions, welfare and lives in our hands.
3.         It is our decision to consistently follow-through on our promises and faithfully care for what has been entrusted to us.
So does a godly man learn to become trustworthy?
1.         He believes that one day he will have to give an account to God Himself for the life he  lived.
2.         He grows by taking stock each day of the promises he made and his management of the possessions, opportunities and people put in his care.
3.         Finally, God gives him the opportunity to prove his faithfulness and reliability in truly important matters, such as loving and caring for a woman.                
How important is godliness?
1.         Because Joseph was a godly man both a woman's life and baby's life were saved.
2.         Because Joseph was a godly man God's Old Testament promises of future Savior were fulfilled.
3.         Because Joseph was a godly man Jesus grew up with in a home with a role model to imitate.
4.         Because Joseph was a godly man God could entrust Him with heaven's most precious gift -- His only begotten Son.
5.         Because Joseph was a godly man you and I can now hear and believe the Gospel.

Women, would a godly man catch your interest?
1.         One who makes promises and keeps promises?
2.         One who lives a life of purity each day?
3.         One who always tries do you right as he understands the right?
4.         One who does his best to take your needs into consideration?
5.         One who has a close personal walk with Jesus?
6.         One who you can trust when you're not looking?

Be a Prophetic Voice. Live a Prophetic Life.

I'm driving home this afternoon and the Lord drops into my spirit.  "Be a prophetic voice. Live a prophetic life."  Quickly my mind thinks of Rev. 19:12 - "Worship God. The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."  John 8:12 ~ That if we follow Jesus we won't walk in darkness but we will have the light of life and Romans 8:19-22 ~ How creation groans waiting for the sons of God to be revealed...

Today especially my heart is heavy and a bit weary I must confess... i guess i'm realizing that our President deciding to be for gay marriage has begun to spiritually grieve me... especially since our President had said at some point that he is a Christian... feeling and seeing the moral decay of our country and how evil is becoming good and good is becoming evil... brings me to my knees in prayer and a cry to God for His Church - His Bride to stand - in love, in truth, and in Christ.

God's view - design of marriage - His heart has been to show the picture of Christ and His Church through an earthly example of a Godly marriage.  His Word that begins with a marriage and ends with a marriage.  His design and gift of sexual intimacy to be for marriage - for oneness (intimacy), joining hearts and bodies, for pleasure, and for having children... is still His idea.  For His character of faithfulness, fidelity, love, sacrifice, intimacy, sharing, giving, creating, etc.. to be part of and demonstrated through that sacred union is still His idea.

In writing this... please know that my heart also believes and understands His mercy, His grace to cover us - the Cross and work of the Holy Spirit to redeem and restore us... that He forgives us when we repent and by His grace and His Spirit gives us a new heart and helps us to cling to what is good and hate what is evil.  We fail as humans - missing and misunderstanding His love for us - taking our lives in our own hands  - living for ourselves and worshipping other 'gods'... yet how He still pursues us and loves us and cleanses us.  Loves us enough to change us from the inside out. Making all things new.

Erwin Lutzer's words are ringing in my head... "If we as the Church no longer call sin - sin - than why did Christ die?"  Sin isn't a 'bad word' - knowledge of our sin - leads us to the cross.  His Kindness that draws us to repentance.

Lord, how do you want us to love? how do you want us to re-present You in these times?  Draw us closer to Your heart - to Your Presence so that you can burn away more of the darkness in our own hearts so that we can shine Your light more and more... Teach us again - what You hate and what You love.  Keep our hearts from compromise.  Keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. Keep our hearts and spirits awake to You.  Help us keep Your Word hidden in our hearts as David in the Psalms prayed.  Keep us set apart.  Teach us how to use the weapon of LOVE to speak life and your heart in the darkness.

Today and all this week - I had the privilege to teach 8th graders about relationships, the Christian and Biblical view of sex and marriage, and their value and worth to God, and the grace of God to enable us to live as Christians in this world - to let Him and His Word renew our mind and to not be 'conformed - or squeezed into the mold' of this world... Psalm 139. Jeremiah 29:11-13. I Corinthians 6:19.  Romans 12:1-2. For this I am more than thankful - to be able to show the Lord's grace in my own life and to share His heart with these precious ones is a gift.  To plant seeds of His truth into the hearts of the next generation is an honor and a way to be a prophetic voice - sharing His heart & His ways - to the culture that we live in.

It's time to shine!  And it's time to pray and press into the heart of God!  Will you join me?

Our Hearts are like a Garden...

Our hearts are like a garden. For there to be long-lasting transformation often times truth needs to get to the core of our hearts –the truth (seeds) needs to be formed their and the lies (weeds) need to be uprooted so that the truth doesn’t get choked out. I think of passages like Jeremiah 1 and the parable of the sower. The core of our being – our hearts could also relate to our inner man – our spirit. The part of us that has been born again and now through the Holy Spirit, His Word, Christ in us, being a part of a body of believers, prayer, silence and solitude and other spiritual disciplines – Christ is formed in us – who He is and our new nature in Him is now at the core of who we are and that core affects what kind of flower, tree, plant etc will grow from our lives – what type of fruit we will produce. And that when our indwelling self is transformed by the Spirit – we will manifest the fruit of the Spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Gal. 5:22-23) and our part in this is not passive – but rather we are in cooperation with God and submit to His working in us.

Dallas Willard cites 2 Peter chapter 1 in his book Renovation of the Heart – where Peter writes, "But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

The words ‘giving all diligence’ – suggests effort on our part – yet it is God who does the work in us. These spiritual disciplines also serve as means of grace in that we are called to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. As we practice the spiritual disciplines – we are sowing in the spirit and cultivating our spirit before the Lord. This results in more life – more eternal life in us and more abundant life to give to others. The spiritual disciplines are not the end – they are rather the means to know Christ more intimately, for us to be strengthened in our inner man, and to become imitators of God – wholly His. We can then look like the man or woman that is described in Psalm 1 – a tree planted by the water that bears much fruit in its season – whose leaves do not wither or fade away. We can allow God’s pruning, purging, cleansing, uprooting, planting, and molding – make us into what He wants us to be and also make us be what Christ has called us to be in the world.