Union and communion

In Christ-

We are 

Righteous 

Redeemed

Sanctified

In Christ 

We are the body

He is the head

In Christ 

We are in union with one another 

And in communion with the Father and Son

In Christ

We are

Not divided

I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought. Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul? (1 Corinthians 1:10, 13 NIV)

In Christ,

His testimony is confirmed in us. 

In Christ 

We are blessed with all spiritual gifts. 

The gifts are to remain in action until the second coming of Christ. 

Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 1:7, 8 NIV)

In Christ

We receive wisdom. 

In Christ

We receive the power of God. 

But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, 

Christ the power of God,

And the wisdom of God. 

Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 1 Corinthians 1:24-25 KJV

In Christ 

We are 

Righteous 

Redeemed

Sanctified

But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: (1 Corinthians 1:30 KJV)

We are together in Christ 

Bringing heaven to earth. 

So that His will be done on this earth

The same as it is in heaven. 

Come together

 

It's time to stop longing
and
start living.

It's time for
a transformation.

It's time for
a transfiguration.

It's time to
bring heaven to earth.

Oh the glory of being transformed
out of darkness and into the marvelous light,
out of a spirit of division and into one of unity,
out of a spirit of hatred and into a spirit of love and
into the kingdom of His dear Son! 

This is my prayer for this coming New Year, this acceptable year of our Lord;
that we may identify one with another on a level in which we never have before and in this identification may we find unity. 

And in this unity may we continue to
manifest the blessing and
bring heaven to earth,
so that God's will be done on this earth, the same as it is in heaven.
May we have eyes to see and ears to hear what the Spirit of the Lord is saying to us,
The Church.

A few words from the apostle Paul:

Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:1-3 NIV)

Through the Holy Spirit we understand the mysteries and the purpose of this age. And each of us are called according to His purpose for
The climax of the ages,
This Age of fulfillment,
This Age of Transfiguration. 

"He made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring
UNITY
 to all things in heaven and
on earth under Christ. (Ephesians 1:9, 10 NIV)

In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will.. (Ephesians 1:11 NIV)

 

Each of us was designed as delicately as an intricate piece of a puzzle. Each of us were given gifts unique only to our design. Each of us are called to step into our specific gifts which are given only by the Holy Spirit. 

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 

There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 

There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. 

Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. (1 Corinthians 12:1-7 NIV)

To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, 

to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 

to another faith by the same Spirit, 

to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 

to another miraculous powers,

to another prophecy, 

to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and 

to still another the interpretation of tongues.
 

All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines. 

Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. (1 Corinthians 12:8-14 NIV)

It's time to
Identify
and
Unify
the Church so that "the gates of hell cannot prevail against it."

A house divided against itself, cannot stand.

It's time to
Come together.

It's time to become
One body with
One head.

It's time to
Bring heaven to earth.

It's time for
God's will to be done on
this earth, the same as it is in heaven.

It's time for
the acceptable year of our Lord.

It's time for the
Age of Transfiguration.

It's time.


 

A Christmas to remember

It's Christmas day and I have the opportunity to make a delivery just like ol St. Nick.
I really can't think of anything more exciting, other than riding in a sleigh, pulled by reindeers, through the snow. But we've gotta go with what we've got.

My husband and I pack up the car, load the dog food and toys and pie and turkey, and head out to a place we've never been. Looking forward to the adventure, we head out across town and down an old lone highway, take a few more county roads which land us right out in the middle of what seems like nowhere. But just when we round a sharp turn we can make out the remnants of an old town, a dilapidated house here, an old barn over there and a few churches that have been vacant for nigh on 30 years.
Looking hard in hopes of not missing the place, we see a small trailer with a weathered porch and a few dogs wagging their tails in excitement. 

This must be the place.
An older gentleman, with thin and greying hair, whom I had only met once before, greets us with a warm smile and a big hug. He seems brighter today than the first time I met him. Maybe he was looking forward to the company. He welcomes us in for an unusual visit this Christmas day.

This rare meeting could only have been orchestrated by God himself.
Just a few days prior I received a message from a friend who wanted to make a donation. She asked if I knew anyone who might be in need of dog food. I thought for a minute, almost refusing her gift and sending her to another rescue group. But, then I recalled a lesson I have been learning...
The importance of receiving God's blessings..
So I accepted the donation.

It was when I chose to receive her gift, that the blessing came. 

A memory of a man I had helped one day while doing relief work at a certain veterinary clinic appeared suddenly on the forefront of my thoughts. 

This man had rescued many dogs and was discouraged because he had recently been diagnosed with stage four lung cancer. The depression disfigured him. During our time at the clinic, he spoke only about dying. 

His concern for the dogs' lives and well-being far exceeded the care or concern for his own life. He feared for their care after his death. 

This memory had never left me.

This lesson of receiving blessings when they present themselves was one of great importance. It came with my transfiguration. It came when I began learning a new way to live. 

This new life is constructed on sowing and reaping, giving and receiving.
This has proven to be both an exciting and unusual way to live. 

It is quite different than the life I knew before.  It takes preparation of the heart to live this way. It may sound easy to some but for others it can prove very difficult.
I am one of the "others." 

At one time I was very proud of who I had become, I wore my independence like a 1st place ribbon. I never looked to others for help or hand-outs or what some may call charity. While I would give when others were in need, I would not dare ask for anything for myself.
But during my transition, my purging or releasing of MY old ways and ideas, I had to learn to receive, not just for myself but for others.

This kingdom life style calls for us to be as dependent as children, co-dependent really.
God wants us totally dependent on Him.
This life calls for us to be a river of blessings to those around us.
It calls for us to be vessels so that all the goodness of the Lord can flow into us and through us.

Jesus spoke of it this way,
"...If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink....out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." John 7:37,38 KJV

When we practice building our world totally dependent on our self, we tend to forget about the world around us.
BUT,
When we build our world totally dependent on God, we realize that none of it is ours anyway. And when blessings come to us, we can take what we need and pass the rest.

When we become a river, rather than a stagnant pond, we stay in a continuous flow of blessings.
This is truly the blessed life. 

We are blessed to be a blessing. 

This is how we were meant to live, always caring for our neighbor and/or anyone in need. 

"If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?" 1 John 3:17

Receiving this gift, this possession for another, allowed me to spend quite an unusual Christmas day, visiting with a new found friend and sharing in the life they once lived.

As we walked into the tiny abode, we were greeted by the many rescued dogs and even cats. 

As we took our places on the worn out chairs, with Paris Hilton and Benji (see below) we were handed a envelope of old pictures, beautiful pictures. The trailer was empty and quiet. A few things here and there, but most everything else, he had given away. 

He was preparing for the end and laughed when he said, 

"You know, you can't take it with you!"

We laughed and cried as we listened to both the joyful and devastating events of his life. He had lived quite a colorful life and had traveled all over but through the years, life had drained every penny he made and dealt him as he said, " a hard hand." 

The past 10 years had been the hardest with the death of both his wife and his son. Their deaths fell within only a few months of each other, taking quite a toll on the old man's heart. Now, in what he calls the final days of his life, he shares his living space with many rescue dogs and a few cats that he has helped along the way. The dogs were, at all times, in his lap or at his feet.  

We looked through astounding pictures of his mother, a tiger and lion trainer for the Ringling Brother's circus in the 50's and 60's.

I was beginning to see our spiritual connection. 

 

We heard wonderful stories of her career. She stayed on the road and in entertainment. At one time, she even shared a room with Rosemary Clooney, appeared in some short scenes with Humphrey Bogart and landed a show or two with Jackie Gleason.

This man, however, was kept under the wing of his grandmother most of his life, until he was drafted to Vietnam. Here he can be seen working with some of his mom's tigers while on leave from the war.

Leaving this man alone was not so easy, not after hearing about the difficulties of his life. But we knew He was not alone. We knew the Lord had sent us there for many reasons, some of which we may never know. But He was a lost little sheep and His Shepherd wanted him back. He just needed a vessel to flow through.

Driving away I thought about the vastness of our Father's love. His passion to reach the heart of every man on earth. I thought about how it must feel to be distanced or estranged from your own creation, your own child. I thought how our God must feel when the walls of our heart keep Him at bay.
Then I thought about the intricacies of his plan to reach ONE hurting heart. Then I thought about what was needed for that plan to go forth.
It started with a willingness of one person.
Then this person offered a gift.
Then this gift had to be received. 

"What if I had refused my friend's offering?"
Or, "What if this man had refused the gift?"

Blessings can only arrive when we are ready to receive them.
And there are many who miss life's blessings every day.
It may be that they are not recognized.
Or maybe that we are not prepared or in expectation.
Maybe we are just preoccupied, or possibly not even interested.
Or it may be that we are too proud.

"Better to be lowly in spirit and among the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud." Proverbs 16:19

This Blessed life blossoms when we arrive at a place with 

a willingness to receive, 

a place of want, 

a place of dependency. 

It is then that our Shepherd can herd us, it is then that He can reach us, and there can bless us. This blessing can then flow through us, to the world around us. This is how the Christian life was truly meant to be lived.

"Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone.
Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.
Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.
And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." Colossians 3:12-17

God has already offered up the most precious gift, His only Son. It is just us who must take it, us who must receive, then us who must share this gift with others. 

Jesus, the most precious blessing, sent to us, God's children, as a gift of eternal salvation that through Him we may enjoy all the blessings of this life; health, wealth, joy, peace and love.

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6-7

Some will never receive this gift.

Some will turn it away.

Some will only take salvation but leave all the other gifts behind.

Others, the ones who are ready to receive, will take it all: salvation, healing, unconditional love, prosperity, protection, long life, joy, and the peace that surpasses all understanding.

 

This is Kingdom living. A well-spring, a never ending river of blessings, flowing through us and to the world around us, so that ALL the nations of the earth will be blessed.

 

"All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ." Ephesians 1:3

 

 

Carried by You

I found myself being swept out into a huge ocean of love. A billowing wave carried me out of the storm and right into the eye of it. 

The world felt as if it were crumbling around me, everything I once knew was yesterday's news and there was no more solid ground. 

But He swept in, at the most perfect moment, this Spirit of The Lord, and carried me out 

into the waters, 

into the deep, 

into the heart of my God. 

When I was at my weakest point, 

He became my strength. 

When I knew not the words to pray, 

He spoke for me. 

When I thought I was unlovable, 

He loved me most.  

When everyone had turned their back on me, 

He was there. 

When I felt alone and helpless, 

He was my comforter. 

When I knew not which way to turn, 

He guided me.

When the darkness had overtaken me, He came as the light. 

He came as a dove. 

He came as a gift. 

He came as a gentleman. 

When our Messiah left us, 

He did not forsake us, 

He left His Spirit with us,

For times such as this. 

To know Him,

To understand Him,

To love Him,

In a way which is naturally impossible. 

In a world of condemnation 

where the Spirit of The Lord is, 

there is freedom. 

In a world built on lies and deceit, 

He is our Spirit of Truth. 

This is heaven on earth, 

Knowing God, 

Through His Son 

By His Spirit. 

"But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you."

"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."  John 14:26-27

God's Spirit was given to us as a gift after His Son left this earth. 

God's Spirit was given to us as a guide leading us ever so closer to the very heart of God. 

"But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come." 

He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you." John 16:13-14 NIV

Jesus is our High priest, 

our intercessor, 

He is our doorway to the Heavenly Father. 

When He gave up His life on Earth, He did not leave us void, rather He empowered us, all who would receive, 

the gift, the baptism, of the Holy Spirit. 

"All that belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I said, 'The Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me.'" John 16:15 NLT

When we pray in the Spirit we may not know that which we are praying for, but the Spirit knows.

"In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 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."(Romans 8:26, 27 NIV)

When we worship God, we need His Spirit.  He does not want us to honor Him with our lips. He wants us to honor Him with our hearts, our spirit. 

"God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth." John 4:24

When we are baptized in the Spirit we can see the power of God manifested in every situation.

"And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.” (Mark 16:17, 18 NIV)

Why long for heaven when we can experience it right here on earth?!

"But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ down) "or"

'Who will descend into the deep?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 

But what does it say? 

"The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: (Romans 10:6-8 NIV)

It's time to stop wishing and start living. 

My prayer for 2014:

Lord, give them ears to hear and eyes to see that which the Spirit of The Lord is saying to us, your Church. 

The Life contrary to this life

We are living in a time when people everywhere are getting self-contented on the natural lines. There is not that definite cry or prayer within the soul that makes them cease from everything and cry out for God and the coming of the Son. We have become a people who have lost their zeal and passion for God. We think we have everything we need.

But, there is SO much more.

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. (Matthew 7:7-12 NIV)

Life. 

Life is one of those positions in Christ which is absolutely different from death. Life has everything in it to make people long for. 

Death has everything in it that makes people shudder from. 

And this light of the life of the Spirit is an absolute position where God has designed for us to live free from the law of sin and death. 

He that lived to himself should die. He that seeks to live would die, but he that is willing to die will live. - Wigglesworth

Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity. John 12:25

When we become discontented with this life, 

when we know there is something so much greater, 

when we realize there is a life contrary to this one, 

we can lessen our attachment here, on natural lines. Then we can begin to move toward the life that was truly designed for us to live. 

This place where "the blessing of The Lord makes us rich and adds no sorrow with it." Proverbs 10:22

God wants us to see that there is a life contrary to this life. 

Life lived in condemnation brings death. 

But life lived free from condemnation brings Life!

This is life lived in the Spirit. 

The Spirit gives life, Zoe, the abundant life in which nothing is missing and nothing is broken. 

"He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant--not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life." 2 Corinthians 3:6

When Christ was born, 

He became God's Word manifested in the flesh. 

He became a living a epistle so Christians could know that this life is not only possible but that it comes with all the glory of the cross. 

When we partake of this new life IN Christ, we can now partake of His finished work. He died, so that we might live, not just in eternity but so we can live a fulfilled life here. So that we might become the righteousness of God. 

"God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. " 2 Corinthians 5:21

"For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich." 2 Corinthians 8:9

Christ came as the new covenant to break the old covenant of law. The law was given in a time of total chaos in hopes of bringing order to an unruly people. But it produced religion and a life bound to a set of rules that could truly never be obeyed. 

Jesus showed that when He said, if you think it, you have committed it. 

When He came as a sacrifice He came to bring life through the new covenant and to disguard the law. 

For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. (Romans 8:3, 4 NIV)

This new covenant brought life, this contrary life free from fear, condemnation and death. 

This blessed life is one kept IN Christ. 

We must die to our self, our ideas and even our way of thinking and instead arise with new life, the life of Christ within us growing ever closer to the godhead, our Heavenly Father as we are continually transformed into His image. 

 

"Having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. 

Since you died with Christ to the elemental spiritual forces of this world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its rules: "(Colossians 2:12, 14, 18-20 NIV)

 

If we have really died with Christ to the principles of this world, why would we still let rules dictate us, as though we were still living in the world?

 

We don't live by a set of rules, we live by the love of our Father. 

 

"I desire to do your will, my God; your law is within my heart.” (Psalm 40:8 NIV)

By choosing a life contrary to this life we are telling God that although His ways are higher than ours, we choose His and although His words are higher than ours, we choose His! We love Him and therefore we want to seek His plan for our lives and obey Him.
 

"He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." Hebrews 11:6

It's not always easy, but it is a rewarded life. It is not one of drudgery. We are rewarded with spiritual gifts and physical wholeness which we could never have without Him; perfect peace, unconditional love, perfect health, wealth without sorrow, and true joy; His joy, as it becomes our strength. Through this new awakened life we are able to make others see that while we may be in this world, we are NOT of it. 

This contrary life requires sacrifice but again brings much greater rewards. Our offering is brokenness in exchange for His offering of wholeness.
"My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise." Psalm 51:17
 

When we make this decision to sacrifice our hopes and dreams and instead choose His, there are many rewards. Jesus says it plainly here:

"And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.' Matthew 19:29 NIV

When we lay down our desires for His, we are dying to our will, to our plans and instead choosing His. We are dying to self will and choosing God's will. 

In making this decision on a daily basis, we find ourselves becoming more and more God conscious 

not Self conscious. 

This new life is contrary. And when contrary meets ordinary there will be arguments and/or disagreements. Jesus came in the flesh and dwelt among men and was hardly ever recognized as the Son of God. 

The world missed Him.
He came as a baby, born to a virgin and lived as a simple carpenter.
He did not come on clouds of glory, arrayed in white robes and jewels. 

He came as humility. 

"God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong." 

"God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things--and the things that are not--to nullify the things that are,

so that no one may boast before him."

1 Corinthians 1:27-29

God's ways are not our ways, nor His thoughts our thoughts but that doesn't mean we are not meant to strive for His ways and His thoughts. 

We can never arrive at this place of Kingdom thinking without God's Word and revelation from the Holy Spirit. 

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:2 

We must spend time in the Word, we must spend time seeking God, we must spend time in Holy communion with our heavenly Father so that we can understand His Will so that His Kingdom will come and His will be done on this earth as it is in heaven.
This choice must be the spiritual life over the natural one,
the life contrary to this life.

There will always be a war as long as we are choosing a path higher than this natural one.  

Just as Wigglesworth stated over 100 years ago, 

"Pentecost, since it came, has been spoken against, and if there is not someone rising up against you, if there is not a war on, it is a bad job for you.

If you are not making the people mad or glad, there is something amiss with your ministry. 

If you leave people as you found them, God is not speaking by you." 

When we move into this kingdom realm, the life contrary to this life, we can understand, 

That the truth that is hidden in us, is greater than us and this brings forth the manifested power of God. It is not in human nature, but in the power of God. 

God is greater than our hearts, greater than all things, let us rise and give ourselves to God. 

Let us choose a life contrary to this one! 

So that His kingdom will come and His will be done on this earth as it is in heaven. 

What do you have to offer?

When I was going through my transition, I didn't think I had much of anything to offer the Almighty God. 

What could I give this God who had created  everything known to man?

I think this inferiority too often holds us back. 

We might not even know it. It is hidden in our subconscious. Our subconscious thoughts absorb our secret fears and insecurities and are often reflective of our current or past situations and based on our past successes or failures. And the most interesting fact, it comprises 95% of our brain's activity. 

This subconscious part of our mind may be the very missing link between missing and living out our destiny. 

Webster defines destiny as  a predetermined course of events often held to be an irresistible power. 

Destiny, as I am defining, is carrying out the exact purpose that you were created for and the purpose that only you can fulfill. This destiny is based on originality, individual uniqueness. Meaning there is no one else on earth who can do what you were called to do. This purpose was designed by the creator solely for you. 

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV)

This is not destiny in the negative sense as described as fate. 

Destiny happens 

Through us

Not to us. 

We are all instruments in this life. Each of us are intricately connected, with our lives weaving in and out of each other like a universal quilt. 

Each of us designed for a very unique purpose. 

Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. (Psalm 139:16 NIV)

Fate believes that everything that happens to you is predestined, that we have no control and can not influence the outcome. 

Destiny is founded on the truth of God's Word that says He formed us and made a perfect plan for us and in this plan we would have a wonderful life. 

Destiny has to be our choice. Destiny comes when we chose God's plan over our plan. 

Destiny does not happen to us. 

Destiny happens through us. 

Our Destiny will not begin until we seek it. And we often don't look for it until our plan A and sometimes B, fails. Most of us don't chose to recognize that there is a more divine plan until our own plan fails. 

It is in this failure and recognition that most call out to the Lord God Almighty, creator of heaven and earth. And our Father knew this, that is why He said. 

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29:13 NIV)

I have read about how the natural earth retains the memory of all life that has existed, like pathways or imprints left upon the earth. 

I feel the spiritual world is very similar. I imagine empty pathways crossing all over the world, but never walked in, empty pathways that were never chosen, destinies unfulfilled. 

Our destiny is not forced upon us, it only arrives through our choice, our free will. 

But what holds us back? 

What hinders us from leaving our ways behind us for a plan that is higher than our own? A plan that promises a future of hope and prosperity? 

Fear. 

Fear is the number one enemy of destiny. And most of the time we are completely unaware of these silent fears that hold us captive. They are residing in the most active but subconscious part of our mind.    

One fear that held me back was thinking I had nothing to offer. 

It seemed in a very short span of time I had completely wrecked my life. 

I claimed that my life was an exercise of futility, one disaster and failure after another. 

Why would the creator of heaven and earth need me?

What could I offer? 

It's not a large offering that our creator wants, in fact He doesn't want an offering at all,

He just wants our hearts. 

But as the scripture says, 

"For where your treasure is there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:21 NIV

So we see that sometimes the very act of giving Him our treasure, which in my case was my true love, my home town, we are offering up our hearts. 

There is a beautiful story of a widow woman who thought she didn't have much to offer, but that didn't stop her from giving what she had. 

As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. 

"Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth;  but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.” Luke 21:1-4 NIV

Jesus was saying, this woman put in what she would miss, while the others put in what they wouldn't miss. A sacrifice comes with a price. It is giving up something we would truly like to keep.  If we only offer up that which we will never miss, we are not offering our whole heart. 

When we offer up our all to our Father we are saying we not only Love Him but that we Trust Him. We are giving up all that we have knowing He will restore us. We are relinquishing control. 

There are many people who miss their destiny because they cannot relinquish this control. They cannot put their Trust in God. They cannot offer up their all. 

The contrast story to the poor widow woman is one of a rich young ruler. 

There was a rich young ruler who approached Jesus asking Him what He needed to do to enter the kingdom of heaven. By kingdom,  He was meaning the spiritual kingdom, His destiny, where He would find joy, peace, hope and love. He had made a fortune for himself but that had not brought him fulfillment, rather it had left his spirit empty. 

Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said.“Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.

Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” Mark 10:21-23

There have been many a sermon that has mis-interpreted this story. Jesus wasn't saying that the rich will not enter into heaven or even that being wealthy is wrong. Rather he is saying that when we build our own lives, create our own destiny and put all our trust in ourselves, it will be nearly impossible to lay down our will for the Father's. 

And when we live out OUR own destiny we are not walking out God's perfect will for our lives. Instead of enjoying a life filled with hope, joy, peace and love, we will instead be subject to all that comes with a sandy foundation and empty spiritual life,  fear, sadness, resentment and the like. 

It is not the size of offering our Father is concerned with, He only wants our hearts. 

However, the bigger the treasure the bigger the sacrifice.

The more time and effort we spend creating our own life, the harder it will be to lay it down. 

And it is a fact that if we build it on our own foundation, it will at some point come crumbling down. 

I know I had to find out on my own but I am here to tell you when the building began to crumble it came fast and hard. 

Don't wait like I did, begin seeking the Father's plan now. 

And if you aren't already, soon you will be walking in a perfect pathway that was created just for YOU. 

As Wigglesworth says, This divine life is worth dying a thousand deaths. It is far greater than we can ever know but we must make the choice. 

Remember,

Destiny does not happen to you, 

Destiny happens through you. 

The offering

 

What was I willing to give? 

Was I willing to offer up the last of what I thought gave me happiness, that which brought fulfillment in my life? 

Was I willing to let go of the only place I had ever called home? 

When one is called by the Almighty God, He is careful to never take anything. 

All God's choice positions are out of an offering- because Jesus offered Himself for us, God gave Him a Name above every Name.

When we are called God asks. 

He doesn't command. 

It is our obedience or lack thereof that determines our destiny. 

Could I trust in a God I knew with my whole heart but had never seen? 

Could I have faith that what I would offer up to Him would be restored? 

This wasn't my birthed child, and I wasn't Abraham standing before the alter, preparing to sacrifice my promised son, 

But, this was the life I had always dreamed of. 

My desires to live in such a place and in such a way were planted there by my creator. 

Could I have the faith of Abraham knowing that if God put these desires within me, and I gave them back, it would only be so that He could restore them greater than before? 

Could I understand that maybe I had lived out a path in my life before its time? Or perhaps because I had lived out a dream God created for me absent of His Presence, He would want to live it all again, only this time WITH me? 

We must remember, Jehovah is a Father first, creator second. He wants to walk and talk with us in that manner. 

A Father hates to miss out on his child's life, their fondest and most joyful memories. 

Sure my life was a complete mess at the time, but I would be lying if I didn't say I had fun. Granted without my Father's protection, I would have perished long before it all, I knew this for a fact.  

Could it be, that if I could trust in His love for me and relinquish it all to Him, I would live it again? 

Would I get to live the life I had always dreamed of, only in a way of grandeur, without the loneliness and heartaches and disappointments, without the depression and anger and resentments? 

Our Father never wants to see us endure that which we do, but 

when we go our way, 

making our own decisions and 

choosing our own path,

We leave our Father out of it.  

We render Him powerless. 

He may still protect us, but He cannot override our SELF will. 

He cannot make our decisions for us. 

And He will never take anything from us. 

It is us who must make the offering. 

But even after all He had done for me, all the different ways He had mercy on me and rescued me from situation after situation, I wasn't ready...

I thought I was. 

But I wasn't. 

I was too selfish. 

Can you only imagine if Christ had decided the same? 

If He decided to chose His own life over ours?

The decision caused him to sweat until he ruptured capillaries in his skin and bled through. 

He's choice was made of His own will. 

He laid it down and said, 

Father, not my will but yours be done!"

I wouldn't even be here writing this today if he had not laid His own will down at the cross. 

When we chose to make a sacrifice no matter how great or how small, we must sacrifice the one that will always hold us back. 

Our SELF. 

There is no sacrifice that was ever made out of a state of selfishness. 

We must come to a true understanding of martyrdom. 

It is not physically dying. 

True martyrdom is emotionally and spiritually dying to our self. 

It is choosing to lay self at the cross. 

It is giving up our ideals, plans and desires for the ones of our Father. 

It is choosing to give up the life we created for the one that was created for us. 

It is choosing to love others more than we love our self. 

A seed has to die first before it can bring forth new life.

We must do the same. 

If we want to see different results in our life, we can't keep doing what we've always done. 

If our life hasn't yielded all that we dreamed it would, then we are not living to our full potential. 

And while none of us will have to sacrifice what Jesus did, we are each called to a specific purpose that ONLY we were created for. 

We can never fulfill it without an offering. 

A needed more time. 

But winter was setting in. We'd just had our first snow of the season and I needed shelter. 

I needed just a little more time. 

I felt as if I was holding a lifeless corpse in my arms. It was being pulled from me, ready for burial but I just couldn't let go. 

Not yet. 

I wasn't ready. 

That's when I received a phone call, just in time. 

Transition Town

"For everything you have missed, you have gained something else, and for everything you have gained, you lose something else." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Have you ever been in love? 

Being in Love is a most glorious event. In fact, I can't think of anything greater. 

And sadly, I can't think of anything worse than seeing true love come to an end. 

But, that's when I found myself. 

When all good things in my life came to the end, then and only then, could I come to the end of MY Self and MY world. 

I sat on the lonely river bank, shivering in the cold with all my fur kids nestled beside me, 5 dogs and 2 cats. 

In my mind, I was with my family. These were my 4-legged children who had  been with me through thick and thin for most of my adult life.  

These sweet creatures had traveled all over the great green earth with me, it was only natural that they should be with me at the biggest crossroads of my life. The decision I was soon to make would change their world as they had always known it. 

"Please God!!!" 

"Please God!!! I will give you ANYTHING! Just don't make it be this?"

Looking back, it is easy to laugh at myself. I mean what kind of false sacrificial prayer is that? 

"I will give you anything, just not this..

Or this.. 

Or this.."

Sort of like when I was a kid and my parents would ask me to pick a few toys to give to different charity organizations. 

"Oh sure.. Hmmm.. Let me see.. Not this one or this one.. Well I really like this one. And I will probably love that one...

I can't give up that one?"

What?

I mean, I can only imagine how God sees us sometimes? 

Yes, us, the selfish human beings? 

There is a quote that comes to mind:

"I asked God for all things that I might enjoy life. He gave me life, that I might enjoy all things." 

Here I was sitting next to one of the most beautiful rivers that I had been so blessed to enjoy and it was one of the only things God was asking me to give Him and I couldn't? 

I didn't know the value in that gift at the time, but I was being selfish. 

I was right where I wanted to be! 

Well aside from being homeless, career-less, single and broke, my world was  everything I had ever dreamed of. 

This was all the life I wanted. 

I just wanted Freedom!!!

And, oh the Freedom!!!! 

Big open skies, endless blue waterways, all four seasons, snow-capped mountains, fresh cool air, 360 days of sunshine year round and enough snow  that you could actually enjoy it!

There was just no way I could relinquish the idea that long days of hiking, biking and skiing would one day be only memories. 

But at the time, I wasn't thinking about life as a vapor, and us, humans, as only blades of grass, here one day and gone the next. 

I wasn't thinking about my legacy or imprint upon this world. 

I was thinking about ME. 

My physical world was perfect, oh yeah, well other than the fact I was now homeless. But again, in the west, housing really isn't all that necessary, well at least not until the snow sets in. 

I really only needed a place to lay my head at night. The daylight hours were far too precious to waste lying around watching television or sitting at a desk glued to a computer screen. 

Rather I liked it or not, God was moving me into a TRANSITION. 

It was up to me to accept or decline. I had to make a choice. 

I think I was just a bit shocked at the timing of it all. Couldn't He just wait until after snowboarding season? 

I had grown accustomed to having things MY way. 

I was very independent and was rather used to controlling my own world. 

Couldn't we have agreed on a time?

But in those prayers of deliverance, I was asking to be moved into another world, another kingdom, a sphere, a realm far from the reach of all that I had once known. 

So, to my surprise, I had to understand this wasn't MY world anymore. 

I was transitioning into another. 

And the time was not my own, nor was my life. 

What would be my sacrifice? 

ME.

My world, My life, My self must be given so that I could gain so much more. 

I had a choice. 

Martyrdom with eternal freedom or

My world, my rules,  my consequences and a natural freedom that, in reality, doesn't exist. 

Could I truly stop worrying about what I had to lose and instead look at what I had to gain? 

Or would the fear of the unknown, the "what ifs" of the road ahead hold me back? 

I must remember it was I who had prayed many many times for this transition. 

At the time, I didn't know the price. 

Would that have changed things? 

Would that have changed my prayers of desperation? 

If I had known that I would have to give up what I loved most, would I have prayed the same prayer?

In this modern day life we have been so accustomed to convenience, that most passions in our life don't "weigh" much. 

Meaning, 

We don't want to have to give to get. 

We don't want to lose to gain.

We EXPECT something for nothing. 

But that's a false sense of reality and when your prayer involves huge paradigm shifts of thought, you have to reassess the situation and ask:

" How bad do I really want this?" 

"Is this worth a sacrifice?"

"What am I willing to give up to see this vision come to pass?"

How quickly we forget.

Just a few weeks earlier I had been graciously pushed out of a house I had rented for over 2 years. I say graciously, because I had been begging God to move me out for quite some time. 

My landlord was a bipolar stalker, who when he grew weary of driving other people bat s$&t crazy, he would turn to me. 

I had just about had enough. My prayer for deliverance became a daily routine. 

Not knowing my prayer would be answered so (un)timely, I took my "last" rent check to the bank for the usual deposit. Paying rent this way, prevented me from having to deal with "you know who" in person. I'll never forget the day, it was 10-01-11. I was a sucker for numbers. 11-11-11 was just right around the corner and I had anxiously awaited it's arrival. 

I loved my little mountain town, we could always conduct business in uncrowded spaces and we knew very little traffic.  And on this particular day, I pushed through the big heavy doors and right up to the teller and handed, what I didn't know, would be my very last rent check ever. 

I'm glad I noticed it.... Handing the check over I glanced at the upper right hand corner and realized the number was #1111. 

I paused for a minute, asking quietly, "Lord, please, please, let this be the last rent check I ever have to pay!!!"

I had moved around a lot, and being single, renting had become a way of life for me. 

I had only known one great landlord. All the others had been horrible, despicable and unpredictable. This one didn't take the cake, but was a close second. 

The teller looked at the name and said, "oh, you rent from him. What a d$&!!"

I nodded my head in agreement. 

"Yes, I pray I never have to pay him another penny!" 

"Yeah, Good luck with that!" 

He said a few other choice words that made me laugh before I stepped back into the glorious fall day. 

Winter was in the air! And my cares dissipated into it as usual! 

"Oh, I'm so ready for the snow! I just can't wait til it's crunching softly beneath my feet! I can't wait! I can't wait!" 

WAIT!!!! 

I must warn you!!!!

Be careful what you wish for....

Or rather,what you pray for...

It just might come true!!

The next day I was working around the house, when I heard a knock at the door. Hoping, it wasn't "you know who," I open the door, only to find "a notice to vacate the property in 30 days" posted to my door. 

Was this a joke? I was an excellent tenant. I had always paid my rent, I even worked to help renovate a 100 yr old home to make MY living situation more enjoyable. I never complained and always hired repairmen to fix problems without ever having to call upon "you know who!" I mean I couldn't stand the guy but that doesn't mean I wanted to screw him over. 

At first, I was angry,  but then I leaped  for joy and danced around realizing I would soon be on my way. 

Not even understanding, I had NO way and NO where else to go! 

Not to mention I had a roommate! 

It was stressful news to relay but when my roommate arrived home, I tried to  carefully explain the months of prayers I had offered up to God to move me further in life and to rescue me from my current landlord. I couldn't help but giggle at the usual facial expression of my roommate when he once again realized  that he lived with a fruitcake or let's be gentle here and just call me, "a free spirit".  

I had always been called that and had never really understood it's meaning. I just knew I enjoyed freedom!! I was never one who liked being tied down. That would include, no signing of contracts, leases, binding words in relationships, or anything of the matter. 

I liked MY space. 

And MY world was just as I had created it. 

My roommate, well he was quite the opposite. 

"Where are we going to live?"

"Who knows? 

"Hey, If nothing else works out, we can just camp on my ex-boyfriend's property?" (Not a good idea!) 

He walked into his room and stared at the floor. I'm sure he was regretting the day he met me, but this move would catapult him into his next season of growth. 

Knowing that NO good thing can grow in a garden of fear, I told him it was best we rejoice about it all and be thankful we never have to deal with "you know who" again. 

This was common ground for agreement. Let's put it behind us and look forward to the transition that was just around the corner. 

So, my prayers were answered. I had been delivered out of Egypt!!  Might I add, for the 3rd time in 2 years!!! 

Yet how quickly we forget the marvelous works of The Lord. 

It's easy to look at the Old Testament and shake our heads at the Israelites, God's own people, who were delivered time and time again from bondage, starvation and even death, only to forget their wonderful deliverer shortly there after. As soon as they broke free from the oppression they would so easily forget their gift of deliverance. 

Yes. I had scoffed at their ignorant and selfish behavior and now here I was sitting on a river bank, which might as well have been the Jordan River or the Red Sea, weighing what I was willing to give God? 

This is what God promised the Israelites:

I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians.

And I will bring you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession. I am the LORD.'" Exodus 6:7-8 NIV

This was their response:

So Moses told the people of Israel what the LORD had said, but they refused to listen anymore. They had become too discouraged by the brutality of their slavery. Exodus 6:9 NLT

History likes to repeat itself and while I had made plenty of my own mistakes, I thought this would be a good time to learn from someone else's and not my own. 

I was in LOVE with a place, a town, a life, a world I had created.

but I was in LOVE with a God who was so much more!!!

It was one of the hardest decisions to make, so much so, that I didn't even make it that day... 

As selfish as the times when I and others like me carefully picked through our toys, while orphaned children eagerly awaited a new toy, the orphans of this world wait in like manner, for a gift far greater than anything they've ever known, a gift they don't even know is theirs? 

What was I willing to give up so that I might be able to bring hope to a hopeless world? 

What was I willing to sacrifice to bring a freedom that very few people in this natural world even know exists? 

What would you?