The Journey: Plan B

Here is a very basic thing that we all need to understand. When the Lord told gives you a promise and shows you something, what He is likely showing you is the outcome. Then our minds take over and we plow full speed ahead on Plan A, all the while assuming this is what God meant. We have His word after all and He showed us some things. Then all of a sudden it goes terribly wrong and we think, did I miss God? Did I do something wrong? What happened?

All the while, what God told us and showed us required a journey of faith, testing and trial, and very possibly many years, in order to reach the outcome He showed to us at the outset. We were not mistaken in what we heard; we were mistaken in how the goal was to be reached, what was required to enter into His promise.

It is just like Joseph, Abraham, Moses and so many other saints over the ages past. They were given a dream to hang onto while they walked a long, difficult journey with the Lord before they would finally receive the prize. And many never fully received all that they were shown because the fullness was meant for generations later. So we should never be discouraged at what appear to be long delays and many obstacles to overcome. He has given us the outcome, now we must walk a journey that tests our faith, endurance and determination. A journey that does not do that is probably not from the hand of the Lord. But all the while He keeps encouraging us to trust Him and to continue holding on to the dream.

He wants overcomers, men and women who have learned how to walk thro’ the trials and testings of life to enter into Victory with Him, to finish the race more than conquerors.

Nettles and Other Weeds

Here is a picture of a nettle, a noxious weed with little redemptive value. Now why am I putting a picture here of something so worthless. Read on.

The world is fond of promoting lies. One of the most common and prevalent ones, that I am sure everyone has heard is this: Experience is the best teacher.

Oh is it really? Think of the time you were excluded from a play group during recess at school. How about all the times you were the last one picked for a sports team? Now remember the times when you saw a parent favor one of your siblings in seeming preference to you. How about going for a job interview, knowing you are highly skilled and more than qualified, yet someone else gets picked time after time? Now how did all of these scenarios and others by the thousands make you feel? They made you feel worthless, rejected, ashamed, afraid, determined not to try again, etc ad infinitum.

Is experience really the best teacher if you are learning to avoid situations and people, having a framework built inside of you that gives you such a low opinion of yourself? This is your emotional skeleton that is being built. It is a framework of lies, subtle manipulations by the whispering, destructive spirits that surround us, feeding from our vital forces while robbing us of health both emotionally and physically. It is all calculated to keep us from becoming the wondrous creation that Almighty God created us to be, the sons and daughters who will destroy the kingdom of darkness. But as long as we are held in bondage to all of these lies we are nothing but slaves of the corrupt spirits manipulating us like so many puppets.

Ah, but there is an answer. His name is Jesus Christ! He came to save us spirit, soul and body. He came to heal all the parts of our being. He came to bring abundant Life in place of the death that has been our mainstay. The soul of man is where all the battles take place. This is the battleground where wars more violent than WWII are being fought daily. And we must be victorious! Victory has already been assured for us if only we will put our hands in the Savior's and trust Him to lead us to that safe place He has already provided. There is a green pasture with quiet waters where He wants to take all of us, a place of rest from the onslaughts of this enemy we cannot even see.

Rise up, mighty warriors of God! It is time to take back the territories that have been stolen from us and our generations. Victory in Jesus!

The Camels Are Coming!

 Hear what the Lord is saying about this New Day we have entered. This is a day of abundance we have hardly had the nerve to dream about. But, as always, the Lord tops the best we can think. Be prepared for Him to lavish us with His goodness in ways only a few have ever received. Mind you, it is not to be consumed upon our lust to promote greed. This is the reward He has promised for so long to those who have pressed in to His Presence and been faithful through thick and thin. The reward is worth the long wait. Check out Isaiah 60. 

“Hear, oh hear the words that I will say to you now.

Come in closer

That you may hear more accurately

Than you have ever heard before.

I have so much more to pour into you.

I want overflowing vessels,

Vessels so full of Me

That you are running over,

Brimming to the full with Me.

Exciting days ahead for you,

Days brimming with Life and Favor.

You will be amazed

At what I have planned for you,

Here at Christ Community.

You thought you had seen a lot heretofore,

But I say ‘No, you have seen nothing’.

The future is bold and brave in Me.

The days ahead filled with unsearchable riches

For you to share with the world around you.

Yes, these are days of exploration,

Days to bring to the full

What has been stored in Me for you.

The days ahead are exciting for you.

Trust Me, unfathomable riches to disperse to the poor.

I say ‘Poor no more!’

More, far more, than you have ever seen,

More far more, than you have ever dreamed.

Pressing in to places heretofore unseen.

You didn’t know the places to go…

But I do!

I will show you  how to proceed with Me,

Guiding you every step of the way.

Be sure, be sure!

Never before

Has the world seen what is coming now.

Astounded and amazed all will be.

My favor I am pouring out now

On the world around you.

They have not known my Goodness before.

But now it is time

To give the world a Sign.

It is time!

It is time! It is time!

Come to Me all you who labor.

Come to Me all you who thirst.

Come to Me the weary, the poor.

I say to you,

And be very sure,

‘Poor no more!’

I promise you wealth and riches untold.

It’s been stolen from you.

It’s been stolen from Me.

Searching, searching for more of Me,

Oh, how close you are!

Come and see just how close you’ve come.

You are on the edge,

The edge of Eternity in Me.

Camels laden with the riches of kings,

Ships of Tarshish coming to your shore.

No more poor, no more poor.

No more potluck dinners.

That is a thing of the past.

Sit down to the banquet I have prepared for you.

Feasting at My table,

Dining with Me, sumptuous fare.

It’s time for more,

So much more of Me!

Sweet treats, goodies galore

All coming to you from the Heavenly store.

Come in, come in,

One and all.

The doors are open.

Magnificence and wealth untold,

I have it all here with Me

For you to behold.

Come and partake.

Borders of blessing

Surrounding you now.

The culprit’s been caught.”

Time to Set the Captive Free

And the Spirit of the Lord says,

It’s time.

It’s time to cut loose,

To set free those that are bound.

It’s time, it’s time, it’s time.

So go out with My Word

And set the captives free.

Go out, go out, go out.

Today is the day for release of all things.

It’s time, it’s time, it’s time.

Go out and set them free,

Set them free for Me.

The Red Sea

Do you remember when the Israelites passed through the midst of the Red Sea as Pharaoh and his army were kept at bay in their effort to come in and slaughter the former slaves? It is the most amazing thing that God did to show His power to the world. But it is even more amazing than that. We have missed the full impact of what was done that day.

Israel had a covenant with Almighty God. They had suffered for generations at the hands of the Egyptians, but finally it was time for their deliverance. The enemy was judged by the 10 plagues while Israel all the time remained secure and protected in the land of Goshen.

Finally the last plague, death of the firstborn. Again the Israelites were protected but this time they had to participate with God to employ the protection He had for them. They had to kill a lamb and apply its blood on the doorways. They needed a blood covering over their homes. They remained safe while all the firstborn of Egypt died. This was the Passover.

When they left Egypt with all the plunder of Egypt they had one more encounter with the Egyptians. They came to the Red Sea which was impassable under ordinary circumstances. But again, God had already made provision for their safekeeping and safe passage. He opened a path on dry ground before them through the midst of the Red Sea.

The thing I believe we have missed is that  the passage through the Red Sea was another confirmation to them of the ceremony they had just undertaken in the Passover. The Red Sea typifies the blood covering. It became another sign of the blood of Jesus Christ that purchased a new way for us, a sign of the New Covenant that would not be instituted for another 1500 years. The Egyptians, who had no covenant with Almighty God and had no blood covering, were annihilated when they attempted to follow suit.  


Do you remember when the Israelites passed through the midst of the Red Sea as Pharaoh and his army were kept at bay in their effort to come in and slaughter the former slaves? It is the most amazing thing that God did to show His power to the world. But it is even more amazing than that. We have missed the full impact of what was done that day.

Israel had a covenant with Almighty God. They had suffered for generations at the hands of the Egyptians, but finally it was time for their deliverance. The enemy was judged by the 10 plagues while Israel all the time remained secure and protected in the land of Goshen.

Finally the last plague, death of the firstborn. Again the Israelites were protected but this time they had to participate with God to employ the protection He had for them. They had to kill a lamb and apply its blood on the doorways. They needed a blood covering over their homes. They remained safe while all the firstborn of Egypt died. This was the Passover.

When they left Egypt with all the plunder of Egypt they had one more encounter with the Egyptians. They came to the Red Sea which was impassable under ordinary circumstances. But again, God had already made provision for their safekeeping and safe passage. He opened a path on dry ground before them through the midst of the Red Sea.

The thing I believe we have missed is that  the passage through the Red Sea was another confirmation to them of the ceremony they had just undertaken in the Passover. The Red Sea typifies the blood covering. It became another sign of the blood of Jesus Christ that purchased a new way for us, a sign of the New Covenant that would not be instituted for another 1500 years. The Egyptians, who had no covenant with Almighty God and had no blood covering, were annihilated when they attempted to follow suit.  

What protects us will bring destruction upon our enemies.

The Money Changers

You know, there is more to Jesus driving the money changers out of the Temple than one can see at first glance. Where is His temple now? His holy habitation is within us. We are the place He chooses to dwell! What an awesome privilege, to carry the presence of Almighty God!

But Jesus has to go inside each one of us and take that whip and drive out the moneychangers. Satan has set up strongholds within each one of us. God builds temples but the enemy comes in to the place meant to be the Temple of the Living God and builds his houses of worship that we call strongholds. The devil’s purpose has always been to be worshiped. That is the real agenda behind establishing strongholds within people. They are perverted temples where we worship at the feet of fear.

This is a powerful, life-changing revelation. Now there is more reason than ever to drive that worm out of our souls. We have been worshiping him. We didn’t know what we were doing, but that is exactly what was happening.

Every time there is a problem in our lives that looks so overwhelming, there is a place in us that whispers fear of every circumstance; we have been bowing down in that place and worshiping the one who hates us and seeks our lives in vengeance against the God Who created him. That vile, contemptible worm.

God is not willing to share His Temple. It is to be a holy habitation fit only for the Lord and no other. No squatters allowed here!

Ps 135:4 says that God chose Jacob. It is just like when He said that Jacob was the one He had loved while Esau was the one He hated. Esau did not get the right hand of blessing of the Lord because he esteemed it of little value. He took it for granted whereas the one who had no right to inherit the blessing coveted it with all his heart. He esteemed it to be of great worth. He was far more honorable than Esau, no matter what Jacob’s name and his actions suggested. He was called “Supplanter” I believe by the design of the Lord. God knew the heart He put within Jacob and He knew Jacob was the true heir. He was the one chosen by God from eternity’s past. Jacob was willing to put his life on the line, if necessary, to have that blessing.

We can’t want something good that much without the Lord hearkening to the cry of our hearts. He draws near to the one who is earnestly pleading and seeking The Presence. He turns His face to shine upon that one. Oh, to look upon the face of The Lord Most High! Oh to be one of His chosen ones! I am!!