Power Of Unfolding

Key Scripture: "The unfolding of My Words brings light." Psalms 119:130
Power Point:
     Recently I was thinking about our own personal atmosphere.  I asked the Lord why it was so important.  He showed me a picture of myself waking up in the morning.
Where I am in my bed, is lit up by His light. I sit up and stretch and began my day, as I usually do, talking to Him.  I begin by thanking Him that "this is the day He has made for me and I am going to rejoice and be glad in it."  As I speak out those words, the light around me begins to unfold as the sun does each morning. It begins to flow out of my bed and into my bedroom.  As I continue to speak His words over My day, I can see the light flowing out of my bedroom and down the stairs, throughout the house, until it reaches the borders of my property. By speaking His words I have unfolded His plans and His power into every part of my life. I have literally unfolded the Kingdom of God and brought heaven to earth. As I saw the vision, I heard the word, "unfolded"  When I was led to Psalms 119:130 I was unaware that the word "unfold" was anywhere in the Bible. And I was also unaware that the very next sentence says, that when His words are unfolded in our lives, they "make wise the simple." And before you go there, "simple" doesn't mean "simple-minded in the usual sense. It means OPEN-minded. In other words, you lean past your

understanding and become open to what He says. God is saying that when you unfold His words in your life, they will make you wise. Anyone need a little wisdom?
     Our atmosphere is critical to our success. And I determine my own atmosphere. No one can destroy what I establish because God will move heaven and earth to make sure that they can't.  Your words are either unfolding the Kingdom of God over your life or the Kingdom of Darkness.
When you agree that your problems are too hard, too big, or too impossible, you are agreeing with the king of the kingdom of darkness. When you unfold God's Words, His promises, His character, His Kingdom, you are declaring abundant life. You are loosing heaven to release everything that Jesus died to give you.
     Beloved, don't you think it would be wise to "take thought" about what you are unfolding into your atmosphere?
Are you worried about something? Unfold the Kingdom of God.
Are you frightened about something?  Unfold the Kingdom of God.
     Establish your atmosphere with His words. They will unfold everything you could possibly need or desire. He speaks it. You agree with it. It is created.
Power Thought:

The words that you speak, you also hear. The words that you hear will echo for a long time.  What will you speak today? Whose kingdom will you establish?

Power Of Knowing Him

 Key Scripture: "...with both feet firmly planted on love, you'll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ's love.  Reach out and experience the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God."  Ephesians 3:15-19  The Message

Power Point:

     Whatever we know of God, there’s always more to know isn’t there?  Whatever we think about Him, there’s more to think. Whatever box we have put Him in, He needs more space. He tells us that His love is SO good, and SO big, that it’s unknowable, yet He encourages us to know Him.  He says that knowing Him is the foundation of faith and the key to being able to have peace when I don't understand what's happening. The more we know, the more there is to love. The more we love Him, the more we can trust Him. The more we trust Him, the more we are rewarded with His generosity in giving us freely all things for our enjoyment. The security and safety of His perfect love is beyond our comprehension but not beyond our grasp.

     I’m reading a book by Graham Cooke, called, “Living in Dependency and Wonder.”  In it He tells about a time when he was reliving a really sinful time in his life. It’s as though a video was playing in his mind. Suddenly Jesus freezes the frame and says, “Grae, it wasn’t your disobedience or your rebellion that grieved Me.  Son, I dealt with those issues on the Cross.  What grieved Me is

that you never saw what I wanted to be for you.  You never understood what I wanted to give you. If you had known what I wanted to be for you, this is how the situation would have turned out.”  He turned my attention back to the scene.  The whole dream played out as if I had responded perfectly to God.  In that instant, I saw what could have been.  I woke up, feeling clean and new inside, suddenly very aware of the depths of God’s love for me."

     God is very relational.  He is very intentional about that relationship. Every situation is crafted to bring us into more of an understanding of Who He wants to be for us and what He longs to give us. Each day of our lives can be filled with anticipation and great expectation of the reality and honor and benefit of being His child, His Beloved. 

     Are you more aware of your shortcomings than of your place as a child of God? Is there a situation in your life today that needs the glorious truths about Your Dad to become real to you? My son, David, has four children. I think he'd agree that fatherhood definitely isn’t for sissies. He says that sometimes parents need to be the Teacher and the disciplinarian, and sometimes they are the Coaches.  I love that, because that’s exactly what God is to us. Sometimes He has to discipline us to get rid of the things that hold us back from intimacy with Him, but the discipline is never forever. It was never meant to be.  It’s not His style.  He wants the relationship between you to grow and flourish, and once the discipline is through, you can move into the joyful place of being coached by God, instructed, and given the right plays, and encouraged to move up into another level with Him, 

     Whatever situation is happening in your life right now, why don’t you take a moment to step aside and ask your Father, “Who do you want to be for me in this place?”  and “What do you want me to see about your love for me here?”

You’ll probably be surprised. In fact, I know you will. He wants to be so much more for you than you could ever imagine.

Power Thought:

To know Him is to love Him. 

Power Of Resurrection

Key Scripture:  “Lazarus, come forth!”  John 11:43

Power Point:

     We often think about Pentecost and the 120 people in the Upper Room who changed the world. Actually it started with one of those 120-Peter. Peter took the lead. Peter had been through a tough time if you think about it. Let's think about Peter for a moment. He had been with The Master for three years. He had participated in miracles, with crowds of people pressing around their group day after day after day; dirty people, poor people, rich people, immoral people and desperate people. Peter had felt the call to be in charge most of that time. He had conquered his fear and released his faith by jumping out of the boat and walking on the water with Jesus. That had to be a very high moment.

   And then came the victory of the Palm Sunday parade into Jerusalem. What a triumph! What power! On the heels of that great victory, he sleeps through his prayer time in the Garden of Gethsemane and suddenly finds himself watching as this man he had believed to be God, is savagely beaten. Not only does he not try to help, he denies that he ever knew him. Not once. Not twice, but three times. Of course we all know what happened next.  He is summoned back to Jesus’ side after the resurrection. Peter, still the old Peter, begins to question Jesus about their assignments. He's still focused on what is on earth.  Then comes that stunning moment when Jesus leaves and tells him to wait for the REAL Power. And he did. Along with the others, he had 40 days to think about everything didn’t he?  He was with people who had been with Jesus and seen everything. They knew his weaknesses. Day after day they waited until finally a fresh breeze and a new ability to speak the language of God exploded in them and around them. Typically, Peter is the first one out the door, and in front of the huge crowd that gathers. What a resurrection!

     Those 120 people, including Peter, burst from that house with an explosion of God. They were all speaking God’s language. But Peter, who was called to preach, was now anointed with the power of the Holy Spirit to tell God's secrets. He was as connected to the power source as Jesus was.  He was not only connected, he was fully charged. And 3000 people were blessed and saved, and filled with the same Spirit.

     A note in my bible says this was the formal beginning of Peter’s leadership.  It seemed that everyone was comfortable with that.  He’d had a lot of practice. He’d been born to the role hadn’t he?  He stood up and spoke out and the Spirit of Resurrection raised all those souls from the deadness of their old lives and propelled them into an anointed, empowered, equipped army of witnesses for Jesus. The world-changing effects of the gospel began that day and Peter started it all. Talk about a resurrection!   

     The thing about the Holy Spirit is that when he moves in, He doesn’t do anything by half measure. He’s a great helper, an extraordinary Teacher, a superb comforter-there’s nothing average about Him is there? Everything that He does is super-natural. It’s above and beyond anything you could dream up on your own.

     Why not give Him a chance, Beloved. Peter did.  Even after a disastrous betrayal which would have flattened any other man, He was resurrected.

He came out of the tomb of self-centeredness and self-righteousness and was baptized with grace.  I find it very interesting that when you read his letters, they are all about grace. What a testimony to the resurrection power of the Holy Spirit.

     How about you?  Are you in the place where you’ve been a little lax about your devotion to Jesus?  Have you been a little hard-headed and hard-hearted?  Would you really just like to do it your own way? Do you need a little resurrection? Don’t we all?  Don’t we all need to be filled with the same Spirit of resurrection power that filled 3120 people that day?  Does your world need a little changing?

     Why not take some time and ask the Holy Spirit to refresh that resurrection power in you? Set your face to seek Him and then don’t stop until you have his answer. In case you’ve forgotten, His answer is always “yes.” And "Amen!"

Power Thought:

Why do we refuse to take what God has offered with all His heart?

Power Of First Aid

Key Scripture:  “For indeed He DOES NOT give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham. Therefore in ALL things, He had to be made like us so that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest to make propitiation for our sins. For in that He Himself has suffered being tempted, He is able to give aid to those who are tempted.”  Hebrews 2:16

Power Point:

So what’s your problem?

      Are you addicted to something, or someone?  Is there something that you are tempted to worship-a person, place, or thing, other than God? He is able to aid you, you know. Do you remember the temptation in the wilderness? Satan tempted Jesus to worship him. Jesus said "No!". He will help YOU say "No!" too.

     Are you tempted to frame your life with doubt and unbelief? Remember in Gethsemane when Jesus said, “If there’s another way, could I take it?” He was tempted to fall back into his flesh. But He didn’t.  He can help you to stand strong too. 
     Are you tempted to be angry? I imagine that Jesus had that opportunity several times a day. Do you remember when He went to the temple and found people buying and selling there with total disrespect for God?  We know that he brought out a whip, but if you think about it, His anger was controlled.  Let’s face it, He could have demolished the whole temple with a word. But He didn’t. When He unleashed his anger it woke people up to what was going on and they had a choice from then on.  Are you tempted to be angry? Jesus can help you be angry and sin not. 
     The problem is not that we have yielded to temptation, the problem is that we have not yielded to the power of Christ within us.  That's the whole lesson we learn from the Temptation of Jesus in the wilderness. He went in, led by the Holy Spirit, and He came out in the power of Holy Spirit.  Jesus could not have defeated temptation on His own power could He? The temptation was the testing place for Him to learn how to be led by and and led out of it by the Holy Spirit with increased power and wisdom. Satan tests us to rob us of that power. God wants to increase it.

     If you have the same Spirit of Power in you that Jesus had, He may lead you into tests so that you can know with greater depth that He is able to keep you, to lead you and to teach you. He will bring resurrection to every thought He's put in you for such a time as this. He will bring a fresh awareness of the power and the authority that is in you.

    Do you find yourself saying "I have no control."  Yes you do. You have the Spirit of God resurrecting self-control in you any time you ask. Do you think at times that you have no peace? Wrong again. If Jesus lives in you, you can resurrect the fullness of the peace of God. Let Him take the lead. 

     In our tests we actually get to test God. Isn't that a great thought? He tells us in Malachi to test Him. He promises that if we do, we'll see such a huge outpouring of His goodness, so much goodness that we won't be able to hold it all. Beloved He wants you to know Who He really wants to be for you and to help you understand that as you are led by Him, you always triumph in your test and come out stronger than before. 

     One of Jesus' biggest tests was that night in Gethsemane wasn't it? He couldn't feel the presence of God but He knew His God.  He could yield to those next hours because He knew who God would be for Him in that situation. Even at that last moment He committed Himself to His Father.  So can you, because you are confident that He will be the First to Aid you in every way possible. Help is on the way! 

Power Thought:

Jesus is a a real Life Preserver!

Power of Crossing Over

Key Scripture:  ‘Let’s go over to the other side.” Mark 4:35

Power Point:

I love this story about faith. I love the fact that the disciples were ambushed  by God on that boat ride across the Galilee. If you look closely, you will see a pattern for our own faith walk.  Jesus tells them from the beginning what is going to happen, and what direction He wants to take them in. That’s all well and good and of course; they’re eager to go anywhere He takes them. They wouldn’t think of staying behind.  Jesus decides to take a nap.  He’d had a long, hard day. The rocking of the boat gently lulled him to sleep, with His head on a pillow. I love that part. I love that it was important enough for Mark to add in his story. But THEN, a great wind arose. I think that’s a definite understatement. The force of that wind has been likened to a hurricane. The disciples are hanging on for dear life and wondering what to do next. Jesus is still asleep. The gentle rocking has become much more forceful, but He sleeps on. Either He was really tired, or He wasn’t worried. 

The disciples awaken Him and ask Him if He doesn’t care.  They are perishing and they think that the Savior of the world doesn’t care?  Jesus gets up from His soft place, and speaks to the wind and the sea (both are out of control), and says, “Peace, be still!” And they were. The wind stopped blowing, the sea stopped crashing about, and there was a great calm. It was as though the storm had never happened.

THEN He turns to the wide-eyed disciples. This is a teaching moment. If you think about it, this story follows right on the heels of His explanation of the parable of the Sower.  I’m sure you remember it. The Sower sows the word of God and depending on the way in which you receive the word, it will bear fruit in your life, or not. Jesus had sown this seed in their hearts, but the troubles of their circumstances had choked it out. They forgot to remember what He had said.

He turns to them and asks them that important question, ‘Where is YOUR faith?” He wasn’t angry. He wasn’t condemning them.  He was simply following through with this teaching moment. He’s just explained at great length that faith is something that has to grow. The storm was giving their faith a chance to grow. His question allows them to see themselves in reality. Yes it was a good thing that they “called on Jesus”, but in reality, they could have caused peace to come just as easily as He did. He'd already told them they could move mountains.  At the very least, they did not need to be afraid because after all God was with them.

This story is a pattern. Can you see it in your life?

God will always give you a promise. “Let’s go to the other side of this problem.”

A test will arise, because of the promise. Everything will look as though you will not make it to the other side.

You will have a choice to choose to believe the Word or not. You will meet your situation with confidence or fear.

Jesus will ask you, “Where is your faith?” so that you can see clearly what needs to be done.

You will cross over to the other side, and as the disciples were amazed at the Son of God with them, you will be amazed at the power of the Son of God in you.

Power Thought:  

God's promises are all meant to be kept. It's our job to keep them close until He keeps them.
                                                                                                         

Power Of Being Like Jesus

Key Scripture:  “The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.”

Power Point:

     It’s easy to see that God is a good God isn't it?  All we have to do is look at Jesus.

     We tend to look at the Old Testament expressions of God, all the sacrifices, all the blood, all the mighty battles and it’s really a little hard to trust Him to be loving and good isn’t it?  But then He sent Jesus. Because He loved us.

He sent Him to demonstrate that God is full of compassion, that He is loving and kind; that He is a personal miracle-working God who is ready, willing and able to demonstrate that in our lives.

     Jesus said, “I look at my Father, and then I do what I see Him doing. Whatever He does, I just do the same thing.”  It seemed to work for Him didn’t it? 

     The truth is beloved, as much as Jesus is a living manifestation of who God is, so are we.  “As He is, so are we, in this world.”  It seems like a pretty big stretch doesn't it. And He's not saying this will happen when we get to heaven, or when we get everything perfect. But NOW. In this world.

So, what did He do that we can do too?

He went about doing only good things. He delivered people from evil. He healed the sick. He raised the dead. He corrected injustices. He laughed. He was generous. Every step He took was a step of faith. Every thing He did was a good thing. When things weren’t good, He always managed to turn them into a victory. He was a constant companion, a wonderful Teacher about the things of God, and a powerful Presence.  People sought Him out because He was good. They gathered around Him because He was kind. They stuck to Him like glue because they knew He would help them. And He was full of peace, love, joy, goodness, kindness, self-control, faith, gentleness and power to help.

     How is your life becoming more like Jesus, Beloved? Are you doing what you’ve seen Him do? Has He so connected you to the Father that you can easily see what the Father would do in your situation? Is God more real to you, more approachable, more exciting because of what you’ve seen in Jesus?

     It can be. It should be. It will be if you will allow His Holy Spirit to do what He came to do-teach you about the kingdom of heaven, and help you fall more in love with Jesus every day.  If you do that, you will do the things you’ve seen Him do in scripture, and more. If you ask Him, Holy Spirit will show YOU what the Father is doing and you can do it too.

“Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be the light, bringing out the God-colors in the world.  God is not a secret to be kept. SHINE! …By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.”  Matthew 5, The Message

Power Thought:

You, my friend, are an ambassador for the kingdom of heaven. Will people want to know more about heaven and heavenly things because of you? 
Jesus made His Father famous.  We can too.

Power Of The Keys

Key Scripture:  “Behold I give you the keys of the kingdom. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”  Matthew 16:19

Power Point:

    The interesting thing about doors is that they can be opened or shut.  They can be locked and unlocked. Have you ever wondered why Jesus tells us He is giving us KEYS? That’s not one key for heaven but many keys.

     That leads me to wonder if there aren’t many doors in heaven that need to be unlocked. The beautiful truth is that it doesn’t matter how many doors there are, Jesus has given us the key to each and every one. It’s not as though they are locked against us, but locked for our protection and just maybe they are locked because He has a surprise, a blessing behind each one and He will give us the key to open it at the perfect time.   

     If you’ve ever seen a child at Christmas, I think it’s a great picture of this.  There are many gifts in front of him but he can only concentrate on one at a time. As a mom, I want him to leave that one and go on to the next one.  I’ve spent hours, and days and weeks preparing those gifts and I just can’t wait for him to experience each one. You see, I’ve given him things I know he’ll be simply delighted with. I guess if I were really wise, I would just put one gift out at a time and allow him to savor the joy in his own good time.  Last Christmas, our Hannah just got overwhelmed. She had no clue that there were so many presents and that they were all for her. She spent a long time on one gift. 

When we tried to get her to open another one, she refused. She was enjoying where she was. Wisely, David and Kim let her do just that. What happened was that she got to have a whole day full of presents and surprises and she took time to enjoy each one.

     Beloved, God is wise enough not to open all the doors in the kingdom for us at one time. He works in us to grow us to the place where we are ready to open the next door and then He hands us the key-and He makes sure that door stays wide open. It may take us a long time to discover what’s behind that door, but when we’ve opened all the presents there and we’re ready to explore again, He hands us another key.

     He will still be handing us keys to open doors until the day we die.  He enjoys it as much as we do. Then on that final day, He opens the final door into eternity and there are no more closed doors ever.

     In Ecclesiastes the Lord says that one of the gifts He gives us is to ENJOY the gifts that He gives us! We live "busy" don’t we?  We live with a thousand things demanding our attention all the time.  What if we started saying “no!” to all that. What if we decided to STOP right where we are and enjoy the moment. What if we decided to enjoy HIM in that moment and let our hearts be thankful for all the gifts He’s given us and all the ones waiting behind those heavenly doors?

Power Thought:

Kingdom life is all about growing UP! and growing into who we were created to be and destined to become. 

And Jesus has given us the keys.

Power Of A Father

       

Key Scripture:  “And I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the LORD Almighty.”  2 Corinthians 6:18

Power Point:

     God identifies Himself as a father; the perfect Father; the perfectly loving Father; the perfectly kind, generous, patient, and good Father. He identifies every gift He gives us as a GOOD gift. He is amazingly wise- ingenious in fact.

     If they were making a TV series today it wouldn’t be called, "Father Knows Best”, it would be called, “Father Is Stupid”.  As I watch programs today, the father is denigrated, usually looking stupid and inept. (I think we can say inept, unwise, and pretty much powerless and clueless.) Most TV fathers are a gross misrepresentation of what God intends fathers to be.

     OUR Father, represents Himself as caring, blessing, and encouraging. He teaches trains and equips us to become all the wonderful things He has for us to become and to do all the wonderful things He’s prepared for us to do.

     Jesus told us to ask OUR Father, (ours AND His), for our daily supply of necessary things, and our daily supply of extraordinary blessings. He encourages us to ask for deliverance from evil, to help us keep our feet on the right path, and to forever forgive us. He also asked Him to answer our prayers just as if He was praying them. He could ask that because He knew that that was exactly what His Father wanted to do. It’s what all good fathers should do isn’t it?

Beloved, everything our Father gives us, He gives us generously in the hope that we will enjoy them. He loves surprising us and blessing us. Through the things that He promises us, we have everything we will ever need for life and for happiness. He loves our laughter and appreciates our thanks.

      Sometimes, He has to discipline us so that we can be free of the things that are holding us back, but even that is meant to result in joy. Like any good earthly father, He is diligent about that because I guess He knows that what you DON’T know can hurt you.

     Maybe you did not or do not have a perfect earthly father. The good news is that your heavenly Father will do everything for you that needs to be done. You can trust Him. He is good, He’s on your side, and He loves you SO much.

    
     If my son, David,  saw one of his children in danger he would leap tall buildings in a single bound to help them.  He would not be stopped from rescuing them and making them safe. Neither would your heavenly Father.

    If one of his children became ill, he would do everything within his power to make them well.  So would our Father God.

    When he sees one of them going in the wrong direction, he redirects them so that they don’t miss their mark.  So does our Father God.

      If he notices that there is something that they really like to do, he makes sure that they get to do it. So does our Father God.

     When they make mistakes, (rarely, of course), he offers them discipline, but he also offers them grace.   So does God.

     How can you not love a dad like that?  I love that Jesus called His Father, “ABBA”, the Hebrew equivalent of “Daddy”. I loved my dad. I miss him still. He didn’t exhibit all the characteristics of my heavenly Father but he loved me. I knew that, and it made me know that a perfect heavenly Father was probably a great idea. I thought that a good, kind, loving, blessing, and forgiving heavenly Father would be wonderful. And He is. 
Do you have a need or a question today?  Do what Jesus said, "Go ask your Father!" And remember to tell Him, Happy Father's Day!

Power Thought:

"My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person, he believed in me."  Jim Valvano

So does your heavenly Father.

Power Of Iron Sharpening Iron

Power Of Iron Sharpening Iron

Key Scripture:  “As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.” Romans 27:17And

Power Point:

     Recently I’ve been thinking about this verse. The Lord has given me a different perspective on it. I’ve seen people, and I’ve been the person who gets down in the pit with their friends and points out all the bad available in their situation.  In all actuality, we are to point people to a whole different path. We’re to point them away from anger, bitterness, and unforgiveness and pave the way for them to respond in the spiritual power that Jesus died to give them.We're to point the way to faith.

     We are to not to offer sympathy, but compassion. Sympathy helps them stay where they are, and compassion brings them out.  We’re to offer comfort in the middle of a confrontation with Truth that will set them free, not keep them in their pit.

     Beloved, the only way we can do that is to believe that Truth. We have to believe that God is on our side and that He loves us, and them. We have to believe that the principle of Love works, and that as we sharpen our perception of it, it will bring the rewards of faith in our lives.

     There have been periods of great hurt in my life.  A lot of people told me to respond in a way that would not have brought healing.  In fact, if I had followed their advice, I would have been “getting even”. It would have satisfied my soul, but my spirit would have dried up.  Scripture teaches us that God is the One who will avenge you. He is the one who will repay. He says, “Don’t repay anyone evil for evil.  Have regard for good things in the sight of all men.  If it is possible, as much as it depends on you, live peaceably with all men.” There’s a reason for that. It means that at some “point”, you humble yourself and God can work IN you, what He wants to work THROUGH you. The principles He pointed me to during that time have become a foundation for my faith, and brought an extraordinary transformation of my mind. He has taught me that it is my job to love them and God’s job to change them! And He’s definitely up to the job.

     In all actuality, when we offer counsel to our friends, it should always point them to Higher Thoughts.  They should leave us with their sword sharpened to fight the Enemy of their souls. They should leave us, with more faith in the goodness of God, with more Godly wisdom lighting their thoughts, and more hope for the future.
A friend, a godly friend, will sharpen the countenance of his friend. In other words, you will help them to connect to their heavenly Father, who is, after all, the God of all comfort and the God who will love Him perfectly through this trial.  When or she is in YOUR presence, they should be in the presence of higher thoughts that will bring hope and a future.

In the Greek, this verse actually encourages us to “provide good things”. The word “provide” means to think ahead. In other words, we are to figure out beforehand what the good thing is and point your thoughts and their thoughts in that direction. “Think ahead” to how you will see good in this. Prepare yourself to think good, excellent, useful thoughts for yourself and offer that counsel to your friend. Refuse to dwell on the “what is” and point the way to what God promises “will be”. Declare the end, not the middle.

Now that’s good advice with a really good point isn’t it?

Power Thought:

We need to get really good at pointing people to truth that will sharpen their faith don’t we?

Power Of Plumbing The Depths

Key Scripture:  "This is what He showed me; Behold the Lord was standing beside a wall built with a plumb line, with a plumb line in His hand." Amos 7:7
Power Point:
     A plumb line is a construction term that refers to being straight up and down.  It's a string with a weight on one end. The weight will make the line hang straight. I can remember many years ago when my husband was hanging wallpaper in our home. He didn't begin with a plumb line and the result was very crooked wallpaper. It only took a short time before he realized his mistake.  He hung a lot of wallpaper after that and it was always perfectly straight because he paid attention to the plumb line.
     The Lord is telling Amos that He is going to set a plumb line in Israel. He is going to begin to measure their alignment with His Words. As Christians we often think that asking Jesus into our hearts and allowing Him to forgive us and place us into a relationship with our heavenly Father is all that there is. Not true!
The TRUTH is that the Father wants to restore our foundations so that we can live as His children and experience an abundance we can't even imagine.
    What if you held a plumb line up against the walls of your life?  What would you find? Would it those walls be straight and strong because they are aligned with God's word? Or are they possibly tilted away from a firm foundation?
Is it time to ask God to reveal His plumb line for you?  Are you ready to allow Him to take a look and see how those foundations measure up?
 How much of your life is lived connected to God's plans and purposes?
How often are you allowing God to do a heavenly EKG-to be sure that heart is beating in the rhythms of grace?
Have you checked your blood pressure lately? Is the pressure perfectly in tune with the blood of Jesus? 
     You might want to go down to the local hardware store and buy a plumb line.  Hang it somewhere where you will see it often and be reminded that God does have a plumb line for your life. He has a plan. He's got some wallpaper to hang on your walls. And He wants them to hang perfectly straight so that everyone who sees them will know how much He loves you. And them.

Power Thought:

Are you standing firm? Are your walls straight? Are you building your life on the Rock of Ages?

Power Of Underestimating God

Key Scripture:

Power Point:

     The other day I was having a little heart-to-heart chat with the Lord.

I must admit I had allowed a TINY little bit of worry to creep in to my thoughts. As I unrolled my worry plans before me I heard Him say very clearly:

"When you underestimate yourself, you underestimate Me.

When you underestimate someone else, you underestimate Me.

You underestimate:

My power,

My promises,

My solutions.

When you underestimate Me, you underestimate

My plans for you,

My love for you,

My desire to always help you,

My healing for you.

I don’t have to screw up My courage to love you.  I don’t have to re-think Who I intend to be for you based on what you did yesterday or what you lack, or how disobedient you are. I never have to decide whether I will love you or help you. It never occurs to Me to NOT love and NOT be full of Grace and mercy, to NOT help. It’s just Who I AM."

God has given us so many wonder-full promises. He says that if we believe, if we grow in faith and love, if we really understand His love for us, nothing will hold us back.

We will live long and prosper

We will enjoy unbroken intimacy with Him.

He will strengthen us and encourage us.

No weapon formed against us will prosper.
He will be our Keeper and our Defender.
Our lives will be filled with His abundance.

So Beloved, would you take a good look around your life today?  Are you perhaps underestimating God? Are you convinced that you have to fail to succeed? Are you quite sure that all those promises were probably intended for somebody else? Are you stuck in a "giant" dread?

Get over it. And get on with Believing Him and resting in His goodness.  Every time you allow negative, fearful thoughts in your mind, you are inviting your own defeat.

You are underestimating the God who created heaven and earth, for you.

You’re not too much of a challenge Beloved. And neither is the enemy. God's not finished yet. He’s still on the job, bringing goodness and mercy to every part of your life.

Don’t overestimate the enemy and stop underestimating Your God.

Power Thought:

In my humble and accurate opinion, my God is an AWESOME God!

How about yours?