A Modern Woman's Perspective On The Kingdom of God on Earth


Showing posts with label Blessings of God. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Blessings of God. Show all posts

October 15, 2022

Sermon On The Mount ... From A Different Perspective


I love how the Lord continues to peel back layers of His Word that reveal new understandings of what He is teaching us about His character; about what He has purposed for our lives; and the reality of what the Kingdom really looks like. He allows me to build upon each new revelation -- not discarding the old understanding, but expanding it to include new perspectives, as He moves me to a new position and a fresh frame of reference.

This time it came through my intense study of The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the valiant Lutheran pastor who lived in Germany during the Third Reich, and who took seriously Jesus' call to "take up your cross". Bonhoeffer was fearlessly outspoken against Hitler's Nazi regime and he paid the cost as a martyr for Christ. His book, The Cost of Discipleship, has proven to compliment Scripture in both Truth and Spirit, and caused me to examine familiar Biblical concepts with new eyes and a renewed heart.

For example, the Beatitudes, a portion of Jesus's Sermon on the Mount, have long been a subject of study for me. Ever since 20 years ago, when I sat in a Sunday School class and the teacher [who was also a pastor at the church] admitted that the Beatitudes have long been a struggle for the Church to explain, I was determined that I would make a sincere effort to comprehend their meaning. After all, how could such an important theological standard of the Church be a mystery or enigma?

My first "aha" moment came when I came to believe that the Sermon on the Mount was presented in the context of being the Constitution, if you will, of the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus is speaking to a multitude of people, including His Disciples, telling the crowd that the Ten Commandments serve as the Law on earth, but there is a higher concept of the Torah that portrays all that God expects and provides for those who yield to Him. And when we understand that Jesus is speaking to Jews, who greatly revere the Law and Scriptures, one can only imagine what they are thinking! Jesus is speaking of a new paradigm of faith! Jesus reveals that God offers promises of power to fulfill all that He asks of us. In this important Sermon, Jesus puts the emphasis on the inward transformation of our hearts by the grace of God, rather than the outward duty to obey the Law. Jesus is telling all of us that God's Kingdom is available to those who will learn His ways and offer ourselves to Him in full surrender.

And this is where another layer of the Bible has been revealed to me. In light of the previous blog post regarding Discipleship, I now see that to be a Disciple of Christ involves being separated from the world; giving up all we have in the world as we surrender to His will to follow Him, fully and radically. And now I recognize in a chapter of The Cost of Discipleship, that there is another layer ready to be unveiled. Pastor Bonhoeffer paints this picture of Matthew 5:1-12 ... it includes Jesus on the mountain, the multitudes, and the disciples. As he so eloquently explains, The people see Jesus with His Disciples, a group of men who used to be just like them. The Disciples see the people, from whom they've just come. And now they identify as the elect people of God. BUT Jesus sees His Disciples! 

As was established in the previous post, these men have separated from the world; they are isolated with their Master, the Good Shepherd, who has come for the lost sheep of the house of Israel. They left their homes and families to follow Him, and that's what now makes them different from their fellow Jews. As Bonhoeffer writes, "Now they are living in want, and privation, the poorest of the poor, the sorest afflicted, and the hungriest of the hungry. They have only Him, and with Him they have nothing, literally nothing in the world, but everything with and through God". [NOTE: We Christians in the 21st Century, profess that we live and experience "everything with and through God", yet very few are living in want, poor, afflicted, hungry, or have fully surrendered ALL to Him. Would He recognize us as His Disciples, if He came back today?]

It is from that perspective that I now understand that when Jesus delivers His sermon on the side of that mountain, He is holding up His Disciples to the crowd as men who have rightly answered the call of God. He calls them Blessed in the hearing of every man, woman, and child in attendance that day. That word "Blessed" had profound meaning to the multitudes of Jews who were gathered there that day. In the Jewish culture, blessed means an increase. It's an increase of God's Presence and His Favor. It is the experiential knowledge of God [as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit] moving in His power and strength to destroy our enemies and overcome our human reasoning and insufficiency. And Jesus is about to bestow that recognition on the Twelve, in the midst of the multitude.

The crowd now stands as a witness that these men are to receive the promises of God to Israel because they have obeyed the call of Jesus. And now that same promise is offered to the crowd, as heirs of the promise. Will the crowd understand that He is about to show them the stature of the Disciples before God? Will they believe in Jesus and surrender their all to follow Him? In His Sermon, He shows the crowd how these men, who until recently, had been just like them, now share in a new and distinct way of life... Theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven. In that day, just as today, wealth was measured by your place in society; what you owned, your position of power, your status and influence. But Jesus points to the Twelve, who have no possessions, no homes, no power [either spiritual or material]. They have lost all they ever had, for His sake. Now they are poor in the spirit [of what poverty looks like]; poor in the ways the world defines poor, but they are rich in the promises that they will one day see the glory of the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus calls them blessed. They are what the heirs of the kingdom look like!

Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted. Jesus is now widening the gulf between His Disciples and the rest of the crowd. As the Twelve embrace His call on their lives, they begin to mourn for the world -- they mourn for all that the world idolizes and covets; for its fate, and for the judgment that is coming upon it. And that renders them strangers to the world. Their only comfort -- but what an astounding consolation it is! -- comes from the Comforter, Himself. They are beginning to see that their true home is not the world, but with their crucified Lord, and they look forward to spending eternity with Him!

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. In the ancient world, to be powerless and marginalized was to be weak and defeated. Yet the 12 Disciples would renounce their own rights for the sake of Jesus Christ. They would hold their peace when confronted; endure all hostility and violence; yield ground when men drove them out of the city square. They claim no citizen's rights for themselves. And this goes against all human tendencies or dispositions. Yet, Jesus says, They will inherit the earth. They will take the message of Christ across the globe, and it will spread until Jesus returns, renewing the earth, and the meek [who look like these Disciples] will possess it.

Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. As the Disciples continue on their journey with Jesus and begin to understand what He is teaching them, they are privileged to discern the righteousness that Jesus calls them to, and they can distinguish it from the sin of the world. They actually renounce the thought of their own righteousness because the example of Jesus as perfect righteousness reminds them they are still of the world. But they hunger for the day that He promises; the day when the earth will experience forgiveness of all sin, when both they and the world will be renewed, and the day when the fullness of the Kingdom is experienced as Jesus fulfills the Law and the prophecies. At this time they hunger and thirst for the Messianic Kingdom, even as Jesus offers Himself as their bread of life and living water.

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Before the crowd, Jesus honors His Disciples by calling them merciful. These twelve men, who had not much to begin with, were willing to give up everything else they had to follow Jesus. And as they learn from Him, they are now willing to give up the last of their personal dignity and honor. Like Jesus, they are learning to identify with the downtrodden and the outcasts. They will actually seek them out in order to give them mercy and comfort. They recognize that Jesus chose them out of His own mercy for them; for they were among the wretched sinners of the world when He called them. And because of that awareness, they are now able to offer mercy to others. They believe that one day, in His Mercy, God will clothe them in honor and dignity as His heirs. Yes, blessed are those that are merciful, because they walk in the image of the Merciful One, Jesus Christ.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Jesus makes sure the crowd understands that it is the condition of their hearts that He is interested in. He seeks those whose hearts are pure because they have surrendered to Him. Among the multitudes that are present, only the Disciples fit that description. Because these Twelve left everything and everyone in their lives to follow Jesus in an almost child-like trust, their hearts are open to relying solely on Jesus. They no longer look to the world to fulfill their desires and plans, but are focused solely on Him as their Answer. They stand in stark contrast to everyone else that was present that day. Others sought Jesus for a day as a temporary "fix", but the Disciples were wholly committed to a life focused on becoming more like Him. Their hearts were being purified, and Jesus announces that they will have the privilege of seeing God.

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. This must have been a hard pill to swallow for the Jews in attendance that day; and I imagine a difficult truth to walk out for the Disciples, as well. As Jews, theirs was a history of domination by various empires, and they were now under the thumb of Roman rule. They longed for the fulfillment of the prophecy that God would send the Messiah to overcome and defeat their enemies. Yet here is Jesus, training the Disciples [and telling the crowd] that even in the midst of subjugation they can have peace in Him. And not only that, but they are to seek peace and make peace -- even in the midst of violence against them. Jesus has been teaching His Disciples that He was sent to reconcile men back to a relationship with their God. And God wants to establish His Kingdom on earth through peaceful means. That is in stark contrast to the world and a message that even the Disciples struggle to accept. But they have been called to partner with Jesus in establishing this reconciliation in peace. By that partnership, God will know them as His sons, just as Jesus is the Son of God.

Blessed are they that have been persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Now, the Jews are no strangers to persecution; it has been their lot for centuries. Jesus is holding up the Twelve before the crowd as examples of those who are blessed and will know the increase of God's Presence and Favor; who will know His power and strength to overcome their Enemies. BUT, this is about persecution for the sake of righteousness. Persecution comes not for God's righteousness, but the suffering they will endure in pursuit of a just cause. Their message and works will offend the world because they deny them their idols. The Disciples' very confession of Jesus's Name is enough to bring oppression and hostility from any and all who stand in opposition to the Kingdom. But Jesus establishes that they will not only be Blessed, but will receive the Kingdom of Heaven... making them equals to the poor in spirit. 

It is not lost on me that the last Blessing Jesus gives His followers is the one of persecution. It points back to Him. It will be their testimony as the poor and suffering, the meek and merciful, the sympathetic and tolerant, that brings them into authentic fellowship with Jesus. Like Jesus, they will appear as strangers to the world. And although Jesus calls them Blessed, the world will call for their removal from the world. But they will follow Jesus all the way to the Cross, and then on to the Kingdom of Heaven! 

This is a perspective that gives me clarity and courage. If I am to be hopeful of walking out my time on earth as a Disciple of Christ, then Jesus has set out a clear path. To receive His blessing of living out eternity in the Presence and Favor of Almighty God in His Kingdom of Heaven, I must live my life as a stranger to this world. But He also makes it clear [in perhaps one of the most famous sermons in history] that I can meet none of His requirements out of my own behavior. It is the call and promise of Jesus alone that makes it possible! 

I would love to know how many of those present on the mountain that day grasped the gravity of His message. How many looked at the Disciples and thought, "They look and sound like me, but there's something different about them. This celebrated teacher, Jesus, is so attractive to me, yet He talks of things these 12 men will endure -- things I don't want to experience. What about Him makes it all worthwhile for them? He offers nothing that this world values, yet promises a future with God in a heavenly kingdom. Do I dare take the chance and give up all I have and know for a promise I can't see"? My friends, that's the same question we are presented with today! 

This perspective on the Beatitudes is sobering and straightforward. But it is just as consequential today as it was 2000 years ago when a multitude of Jewish men, women, and children gathered to hear this Famed Teacher who drew crowds from Galilee and the Decapolis, and from Jerusalem and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan. He had the capacity to change their lives for eternity. How many left that day transformed? How many will allow Him to transform them today? 

#sermononthemount #thebeatitudes #blessedarethepoor #jesusdisciples #thetwelvedisciples

Matthew 19:28    Jesus said to them, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, in the renewal [that is, the Messianic restoration and regeneration of all things] when the Son of Man sits on His glorious throne, you [who have followed Me, becoming My disciples] will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.


September 30, 2022

Shemitah, Jubilee & The Economy


I'm going to bring some information to you today that, as Christians, you may be unfamiliar with. But hang in here with me, and I will try to show you the spiritual relevancy for our economy, our stability, and our future as a nation.

September 28th officially began the Year of Jubilee 2022. It followed the conclusion of seven Sabbath Years [known as Shemitahs], and the explanation of these God-ordained time periods will help us to understand [and endure] what I believe is going to be an unstable time in our nation. You have probably guessed by now that these are Jewish terms and might be wondering what they have to do with us Christians. 

The explanation begins with an understanding that God established seven Feast Days for the Israelites as they came out of bondage in Egypt; they were permanent statutes and appointed times to gather together for a holy convocation. That term meant that God summoned the people of Israel to these specific times as reminders of all He had done to gather them to Himself. But they did not realize at the time that their ultimate purpose was as a rehearsal and foreshadowing of the coming of Jesus, their Messiah. It is important to note that these are The Lord's Feasts NOT The Jewish Feasts. AND they have significance for us Christians, too, since we are grafted into the faith of Abraham. A quick summary of the seven Feasts follows:

The Spring Feasts include Passover, Feast of Unleavened Bread, and Feast of Firstfruits. They were [and are still to this day] reminders and memorials of all God has done for them. For the Israelites, Passover represented the blood of a sacrificed lamb over their doorposts that inaugurated their escape from bondage in Egypt, and then practiced every subsequent year for the forgiveness of personal and national sin. The Unleavened Bread was a reminder that leaven represented sin and God told the Hebrews to leave the leaven behind during their escape to leave Egypt. They celebrated the First Fruits of each Spring Harvest as God provided their sustenance for life. 

For us Christians, the Spring Feasts point to the First Coming of our Savior.  Jesus was crucified and died on Passover, as the sacrificial lamb. He was buried on the Feast of Unleavened Bread, becoming our Bread of Life, and our sins were buried with Him. He was resurrected on the Feast of Fruitfruits as the First Fruit of the Harvest of Souls that will happen when He returns for the saints. In other words, He hit the target on each of those Feast Days at His First Coming! Which brings us to ....

The Fall Feasts are a foreshadowing and indication of His Second Coming. The Jews celebrate the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles in the Fall on specific days as specified by God. They are reminders and memorials that they are summoned to celebrate God's creation of the world and begin ten days of repentance before God for their sins, as well as remembering the temporary shelters they lived in after escaping Egypt. 

As far as Christians are concerned, since the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus happened on the specific Spring Feasts during His First Coming, we can expect Him to hit the Fall Feasts just as precisely on His Second Coming. We will celebrate the "Day of the Lord" and return of our King; participate in the Bema Seat Judgment before King Jesus; and celebrate that He will tabernacle with us on the Earth, as He ushers in the Millennial Kingdom, setting up His Throne and gathering the faithful to rule and reign with Him!

But that is in the future, and we don't know what year it will take place. Until then, God has given us other important milestones to be considered. And that is where the Shemitah and Year of Jubilee intersect with our economy and national affairs.  

 

What is the Shemitah?  Every seventh day was the Sabbath Day; a day of rest. But every seventh year was a Sabbath Year – called the Shemitah. During the Shemitah, all sowing and reaping came to a standstill.  It was an economic Sabbath [rest] for an entire year. And it was a financial Sabbath, as well – at the end of the Shemitah, the nation’s financial accounts were wiped clean, all debt and credit were wiped away.  The Shemitah reminded the nation that all their blessings came from God.  And when Israel turned away from God, the Shemitah came back at them, not as a blessing, but as a sign of judgment.

 

Here's where it gets real interesting ... The latest Shemitah years have been September 2000 to September 2001; September 2007 to September 2008; September 2014 to September 2015; and the latest September 2021 to September 2022. I'm sure you recognize the significant historical events that took place at the end of each of those Shemitah years: the Towers came down; the economic collapse due to the sub-prime mortgage crisis; the emergence of Donald Trump on the political scene; and our current economic crisis and the world on the brink of war. In a Shemitah year, debt and credit were to be wiped away. But just the opposite has happened… we have amassed more debt as a nation, and citizens have lived on credit!!! What do you think that portends for our future???


That brings us to the Year of Jubilee and its significance for Christians living in the United States. So, God has established that every seventh year is the Shemitah. But every seventh Shemitah, or 49th year, ushers in a super Shemitah we know as the Jubilee. If September 27, 2022 is the end of the Shemitah year, then on September 28th we have entered into the year of the Jubilee (which is the 50th year). During the Jubilee, there was a Sabbath [rest] of the land, slaves were set free, and everyone who lost their land or their ancestral possession was restored.  The Jubilee was established as the year of restoration. 

 

Jubilee years have marked the time parameters of some of the most important events of modern times and end-time prophecy.  It not only marked the greatest shaking in world history up to that time, the First World War, but the restoration of the land of Israel to the Jewish people.  Then, it marked the Six Day War in which the Jewish people were restored to their ancient city of Jerusalem. 

 

Jubilee years have marked the time parameters of some of the most important events of modern times and end-time prophecy.  It not only marked the greatest shaking in world history up to that time, the First World War, but the restoration of the land of Israel to the Jewish people.  Then, it marked the Six Day War in which the Jewish people were restored to their ancient city of Jerusalem. 

 

The Jubilee year is, in a sense, a second Shemitah (rest), extending its effects for another year. So September 2022 – September 2023 is going to be very consequential! BUT, the Jubilee year can cut both ways … The Shemitah was a blessing for Israel when they followed God, but a judgment when they did not. Would it surprise you to know that the last Shemitah which ended in September 1972, and saw the Jubilee year begin from September 1972 to September 1973 in which the following occurred in our nation ...  48% of the U.S. Stock market value was wiped out; Global recession crippled the world's economies; U.S. voted to kill its unborn children (Abortion legalized); and the U.S. lost its first war [in Vietnam].

 

By now I hope you can discern that both the Shemitah and Jubilee give evidence of the Sovereignty of God over His creation and every part of life on earth. Can you see that He is the true source of all blessings AND consequences?  And for nations in the world, depending on whether they are acting righteously or not, it can mean a shaking. For those who are in the will of God, all of this can be a blessing – a time of freedom, release, and restoration. It's a time to be restored to what one has lost, to enter into one’s possession, one’s inheritance of God – a time of God’s favor.

 

So, based on past history, I hope you can see that just as every seventh day has been declared a day of rest by our God, so has every seventh year... the land lies fallow, and debts are forgiven. This year finds us at the end of 7 Shemitahs ( 7 x 7 years) and beginning the Jubilee which is another year of rest for the land and the freeing of slaves and restoration of what was taken from you. And whether we experience this Jubilee year as blessings or judgment from God depends on what our accounting sheet shows. So how do you think our nation will fare? Do we deserve His blessings or will we receive His shaking?

 

Whatever happens, if we have remained faithful to God's will as individuals I believe we can weather whatever befalls our nation. We are told to persevere and become overcomers, occupying the land until Jesus returns. He may not come during the Fall Feasts this year, but I honestly believe He is close to mounting for His ride. Stay focused on Him. Be prepared for tough times. And always ... always ... remain faithful, for this I know for sure ... If you will be faithful to Him, He will remain faithful to you! Trust in the Lord, rest in His provision, and reap the consequences of your righteousness!

 

#shemitah #yearofjubilee #sowingandreaping #blessingsandjudgment

 

Galatians 6:7    Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.  

 



 

 

 

 

March 14, 2021

Release the Artificial Dam and Let the Blessings Flow!

This post is going to fall into the category of personal, but I believe it is meant to bring freedom to so many other people. This is my story alone, but I have no doubt that many of you will identify with it. For some time now, I have been crying out and seeking for more intimacy with my Father in Heaven. And to be honest, I couldn't quite describe what I was lacking, I just discerned my relationship with Him wasn't all I wanted or needed it to be. Something was missing and it was coming from me, not Him.

I thought I was in a real relationship with Him -- I was able to talk to Abba Father about all He was doing in mine and Mark's ministry and praise Him for allowing us to work with Him to help others. And I had no problem praying for others, or asking for blessings in their lives, or for resources they needed to move into the greater purpose of who they were created to be. I was able to partner with Jesus to see them receive a level of intimacy with their Savior that they had never experienced before, and I often found myself in tears of joy and awe as I watched it transform their lives. 

I did know a level of intimacy that was way more than before I asked Jesus to be my Savior. Yet, why couldn't I experience the full measure of intimacy that I knew was just out of reach? God began to unravel my confusion in a series of "reveals" that began as I took part in a study on the portions of our spirit (see email link at the end of this post to embark on your own "Spirit Bootcamp"). My spirit recognized and was in harmony with the portions Prophet, Servant, Exhorter, and Teacher. But when we got to Giver, I struggled with understanding how it related to the others and to God. When I learned it is the portion of my spirit that grants access to God, I knew I was going to need to deal with this question of intimacy. After all, if there was something hindering access to Father, how could I expect to experience intimacy? Then I also discovered that it also is involved in releasing the Father's blessings on others while receiving the blessings and resources He has for us. Ouch! That hit a tender spot in my spirit. But why?

I then embarked on some deep conversations with my spirit, requiring it to be vulnerable and honest with how I relate to my Heavenly Father. Of course, that took me to a place where I had to open the spiritual vaults to my relationship with my earthly father, which was more complicated than I wanted to admit. As a little girl, I remember a warm and loving daddy, who was nurturing, supportive, affectionate, had no problem saying he loved me, and championed all my activities in school. He was strict but never abusive. As the oldest and a girl, I realized as I grew older, that my brothers garnered more of his time and enjoyed more freedom. He was protective of his daughters as was usual for that time growing up in the 60's and 70's. But our relationship changed as I went off to college and became my own person, with my own ideas and dreams, which didn't always meet with the support I had known as a little girl. He still easily told me he loved me, but my spirit began to acknowledge the times I expressed my dreams and goals and was met with a dismissal or disapproval ... girls couldn't possibly travel the world like Hemingway and be a writer; how would you pay your bills? You need to get "a real job". All I wanted was acknowledgment that he approved of my passion to write, and believed in me as a writer. Subsequently, it would be 36 years before I gave myself permission to write just for the joy of it. I don't want to list a litany of the wounds that my spirit shared with me because I don't want to dishonor the memory of my father. But this was my spirit sharing memories from its perspective, so that gave them some credibility. 

So, as I wept before the Lord that I had been unaware that my spirit had been hurting from the words and actions of my earthly father, I forgave my dad again because I knew he didn't deliberately cause me pain. And I asked my Heavenly Father to forgive me for transferring my image of my earthly father onto Him. After all, I was well aware that this is a common deception that the devil whispers to us humans (both men and women alike), and I intellectually rejected that possibility for myself -- I knew the love of the Father and didn't compare it to my dad's ... or did I? And then I remembered what I had learned about the Giver portion of my spirit ... it is responsible for granting access to Father God and receiving the blessings and resources that He has destined for me! Here I was fervently praying for intimacy and all the resources I knew were mine and asking God to reveal what was blocking them so I could partner with Him in the Spirit to see them released --- and it was looking like I was the one blocking access! 

When my dad could not [or would not; for whatever reason] give me his blessings that I longed for, I was subconsciously applying that denial to Father God. My hopes and desires for blessings and resources had been dammed up by my dad's refusal and I couldn't separate that from my Father's heart. I didn't need to do anything to win His approval or change what I was asking for (feeling as if maybe I wasn't somehow worthy); I just needed to open myself to receive what He has had predestined for me from the foundations of the world and that are written in my Book of Life! That dam holding back access and blessings had been erected over years in my childhood and young adulthood, and I had failed to recognize that it didn't exist in my Father's heavenly realm. It was an unnatural, artificial spiritual dam that I had allowed to exist, keeping me from accepting and receiving all that Father God wanted to give me! The problem was, I had been asking with the wrong heart and eventually hesitated to even ask, feeling somehow guilty for asking. After all, didn't the Bible tell me I was supposed to be content in whatever situation I found myself? It was now time to deal with this once and for all. So, I submitted everything to my Abba Father, and allowed Him to heal me.

I experienced such a profound emotional connection between my spirit and my Heavenly Father, casting off the rejection my spirit had been feeling [and I was unaware of]. I knew the blessings and resources were real and they could now be released in the spiritual realms and manifest in the natural! They are real and they are mine and they are on their way! I hadn't realized that my spirit was keeping me distanced from the love, affection and intimacy with Father God because it was afraid of being disappointed. But now I know that it is His heart to give His children all that is good... Do you know of any parent who would give his hungry child, who asked for food, a plate of rocks instead? Or when asked for a piece of fish, what parent would offer his child a snake instead?  If you, imperfect as you are, know how to lovingly take care of your children and give them what’s best, how much more ready is your heavenly Father to give wonderful gifts to those who ask Him?” (Matthew 7:9-11).

I now am able to give myself what I have partnered with Jesus to give to others. I no longer dwell on past experiences or allow the Enemy to start building another spiritual dam to stop the flow of blessings and resources. I am no longer tentative about approaching Father with my joys, my sorrows, my desires or disappointments. I know He desires me to be all He made me to be; never holding back His blessings, or denying me the resources that He has stored up for me in Heaven. As I've told so many who have come to our table for ministry... this journey to wholeness is a process. And I'm not too proud to admit that I'm still in the midst of my own sanctifying process. I am thankful for the letting go, and I rejoice in the receiving.  I rush into my Abba's arms, sharing my dreams and goals and needs and He listens! If what I ask for does not align with His will, He makes my spirit aware that He has something better in mind; there's no judgment or condemnation... and nothing hurts. 

So, here's the good news ... because I am confident in my intimacy with Him, I have been able to share my healing with other women, who are reporting that they are dealing with this same issue and He is healing us all! As one good friend related, the Lord told her, "You know me as God, but I've been hindered as [your] Father". How many of us --  whether men or women -- have subconsciously colored our vision of Abba with our memories of our fathers [even though we know better]? How many of us have allowed Satan to hand us the bricks that we've then used to build our own dam to hold back intimacy and blessings? Join with me and let's tear those obstructions down! And then let's run into the arms of Father God who delights in us and our dreams and desires! He is removing all obstacles as He prepares to take us into a demanding, arduous [yet fruitful] season of defending the Kingdom. We thank you, Father, for your faithfulness to perfect us in Your image. And we bless You, the One from whom all blessings flow! Amen!

Contact Sharonvanhorn@gmail.com to receive information about the next opportunity to partake in a "Spirit Bootcamp". 

1 John 5:14-15   This is the [remarkable degree of] confidence which we [as believers are entitled to] have before Him: that if we ask anything according to His will, [that is, consistent with His plan and purpose] He hears us. And if we know [for a fact, as indeed we do] that He hears and listens to us in whatever we ask, we [also] know [with settled and absolute knowledge] that we have [granted to us] the requests which we have asked from Him.