Mourning For His Presence

Matthew 9:14 Then the disciples of John came to Jesus, inquiring, Why is it that we and the Pharisees fast often, [that is, abstain from food and drink as a religious exercise], but Your disciples do not fast? 15 And Jesus replied to them, Can the wedding guests mourn while the bridegroom is still with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. AMPC

John's disciples questioned Jesus as to why His disciples were not fasting.  Jesus being right there in the midst of them was very reason they didn't need to fast either. But, since they didn't believe Jesus was who He said He was, they continued in there religious activities.  

For us Jesus confirms that fasting is wanting to be with Him, and even mourning for His presence.

lovelee<3

Hanging Out With Jesus

Today we are going to talk about fasting and how if we have the revelation of fasting it will be much more pleasurably to fast.  Most often I think we dread fasting because we are so focused on how bad it feels to go without —especially food.   

So here is the revelation of the pleasure of fasting. God was showing me that He longs to have alone time with us -that is His idea of fasting. He said He is jealous of all the things we give our time and attention to, and He wants alone time with us.

We don't make alone time for Him because we don't understand that He needs time with us to do His work in our lives.  He said His point is not to starve us but to feed us.  But because we're so focused on the food, not having it, we miss the point of fasting — which is to be with Him and let Him love us. 

If God is asking you to fast what He is saying is I want alone time with you.  I want to hang out with you, dine with you and fulfill our relationship —to the fullest, to overflowing.Have you ever been around someone who makes you feel good, even special?  Then when you leave from that place you are on top of the world? That is what God wants for you, for you to know your worth with HIm.  He wants to love you and build you up, not make you uncomfortable. He wants you to long to be with Him, not escape from Him.

The thing is when we abstain from food and our overactive life, our focus will be on Him.   If our focus is on Him and His want of our time, we won't even be hungry for physical food.

When I hang out with God and I don't eat much I feel wonderful!  But as soon as I start overfeeding my flesh again, I start feeling down.  Then when I get back to my fast I am good again.

Do I fast everyday? Kind of and most days, yes.  Did I realize what I was doing until today, no. God has taught me to be a light eater so that I can be aware of His presence.  He calls it a fasted life. It is a life where you are just eating things in small portions and not eating things rich in fats. Daniel did a 21 day fast, and he was stronger than the king's men the Bible tells us. We too can be stronger and healthier and closer to God.

God is jealous for us and wants to be with us all the time. Will you be so jealous for Him? Will you will put all aside for Him all the time?

Matthew 9:14Then the disciples of John came to Jesus, inquiring, Why is it that we and the Pharisees fast  often, [that is, abstain from food and drink as a religious exercise], but Your disciples do not fast? 15 And Jesus replied to them, Can the wedding guests mourn while the bridegroom is still with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. 

Mourning For His Presence.

Matthew 9:14 Then the disciples of John came to Jesus, inquiring, Why is it that we and the Pharisees fast often, [that is, abstain from food and drink as a religious exercise], but Your disciples do not fast?15 And Jesus replied to them, Can the wedding guests mourn while the bridegroom is still with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. AMPC

John's disciples questioned Jesus as to why His disciples were not fasting.  Jesus being right there in the midst of them was every reason they didn't need to fast either. But, since they didn't believe Jesus was who He said He was,  they continued in there religious activities.  

For us Jesus confirms that fasting is wanting to be with Him, and even mourning for His presence.

lovelee<3

Fasting And Prayer

MATTHEW 17:21 But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting. AMPC

Jesus said this to His disciples after they asked why they couldn't cast a demon out of a little boy.  Jesus said they couldn't cast out this demon because of their littleness of faith and that—but, this kind goes out only by fasting and prayer.

 Matthew 17:20 He said to them, Because of the littleness of your faith [that is, your lack of firmly relying trust]. For truly I say to you, if you have faith [that is living] like a grain of mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, Move from here to yonder place, and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you. AMPC

Can you see how we are disregarding His command?  Do we fast and pray or do we try to get out of it?  Do we expect that we can cast out a demon or do we shun from that as well? Jesus said on that day if we disregard His command, He will say to us away from Me, I never knew you who disregard My command (Matthew 7:21-23).  

Today the message I have been sent with is that we are called as believers to pick up where Jesus left off.  He said I am going to My Father and now whoever believes, they will do those things I was doing and even greater things than these.

John 14:12 I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, if anyone steadfastly believes in Me, he will himself be able to do the things that I do; and he will do even greater things than these, because I go to the Father. AMPC

—Whoever believes, if you believe you qualify: you don't have to go to school to believe.  But, what you have to do is get alone with Him—

I know we think we can't. But we can, and until we fast and pray: until we get alone with God —we will think we can’t.  If we don't fast we are going to keep thinking —I can’t. And—that can’t thinking will keep us in the can’t kind of living.  That unbelief will keep us from doing His commands —from doing His law of love.

If you want to do His law then you can follow what Jesus said, by doing what He said.  And then know that doing what He said is a decision and one that He will empower you do.

Therefore as He said we have to firmly relying on Him.  To rely on Him would be to get to know Him. You can't rely on someone you don't know.  

—Spend some time alone with Him and talk to Him, that is fasting. 

God so longs for us to be with —just Him —so He can love on us and restore us to what He intended us to be, and then to go and share that Love you now know —with others.

Love Him —and then your neighbor!

lovelee<3

How to train your flesh

Romans 8:5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. AMPC

Here is our answer, this is how we train our flesh. To be more concerned with the things of the Spirit than the things of the flesh.  How do we come to that place? Just like with anything else. Whatever you give your attention to you will crave. Therefore if you give God your attention, you will crave Him. You will be addicted to God when you set your mind on Him. 

Even though it is a similar thing, it won't be like when you set your mind on your flesh. Like when your flesh wants a cup of coffee, it will keep wanting more coffee, and if you don't give it coffee you will have a headache.  The coffee as well can affect your blood pressure and that is not a good thing. 

Your flesh can never be satisfied.  Give it coffee and it wants more coffee and then something sugary to go with that coffee. Give it sugar and it wants more sugar.  Kind of the same as Having God and then wanting more of God, but the difference is when you feed your flesh it will always get you in trouble.

Like if you feed your flesh whatever it wants you can go into debt, you can get sick, and you can become depressed.  If you let your flesh run wild you will be offended at every turn, and you will need constant affirmation. Ultimately you will be ruled by chaos, hate, evil running rampant in your life.  Not a good outcome for being fleshy.

Opposed to your flesh —if you tend to the Spirit by feeding on God, if you give yourself doses of God everyday you will be rich in every way.   You will have revelation knowledge, peace, joy and contentment, you will have His presence, health, and all of your needs met according to His riches and glory in Christ Jesus.

In God’s Kingdom, you will have  all you need pressed down shaken together and running over (Luke 6:38). What you need and more will be added to you as you seek Him and His way of doing.  As you seek Jesus you will be completed and cared for.

You will be healed and whole because you have a personal knowledge of Him and His love for you.  You will know what you were created to do and have the pleasure of God’s provision in that knowing.  Sowing to the Spirit and not the flesh is a Kingdom principle that will enable you to have all that God promises to you. 

Sowing to the flesh will keep you bound and imprisoned by the enemy. It seems like giving into your flesh is the best thing, but really it is a ploy to kill, steal, and destroy.  It is a trick to keep you from God's best. Your flesh in agreement with the enemy is a dangerous thing, and will compromise your relationship with Jesus—your eternity with Him.

Thus you want to ditch the flesh and hold tight to Jesus, then you will win, then you will be assured of heaven.  Then you will be healed and whole and walking in your gift, doing the greater thing on the earth. All because you will be in agreement with Jesus!

lovelee<3

A DIVIDING IS HAPPENING

Revelation 22:4 They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. AMPC

God told me to tell you today that He is dividing His people. If you are a believer, (one who obeys Him) —then He is separating you from the one who does not obey Him.

Clarification:  If you don’t obey God, He looks at you as a non-believer.  If you are not a believer you are being separated from those who do believe for the time of judgement (Matthew 25:31-46). 

In my life God has tightened the reins, it seems it is a stronger more knowledgeable hold than ever before.  I believe it is because I have asked to make it. I have asked for the correction; what I need to know to be accepted by Him in His Kingdom for eternity. 

I know that He is preparing us for His return and that is the reason for His, I am going to call it —sternness.  He is showing me there is no time for fooling around, but it is time to get serious in deciding where I am going to spend my eternity.  

IT IS NOT HIS WILL THAT ONE SHOULD PERISH (2 PETER 3:9)!

God is voicing to us today, He gave me this Word.  His Words—  “if we keep trying to get away with stuff we are not going to be ready on that day.”

He went on to say if we are serious about serving Him, then instead of playing the game of trying to get away with something — we will be dogmatic about seeking Him (Matthew 7:7).  We will hunger and thirst for knowledge and correction so we can live with Him.  

We will resist the enemy and the enemy will flee at our resistance (James 4:7). 

The enemy is hanging out with us because we allow him to.  We have chaos because we invite him by our disobedience to God.

EXAMINE YOURSELF—

Is it that you really don’t believe the Word? Is that why you don't take Jesus seriously?  Is it that those temptations are just that, temptations—and...you want what the enemy is offering? Is it that you don’t want to resist him?

God's intent is to bless us but we tie His hands with our disobedience.  If we don't trust Him to take that good path He has for us He can't bless us (Ephesians 2:10). Not only can He not bless us here on the earth, but on that day He will have to say to us —Away from Me I never knew you, you who practice lawlessness Matthew 7:21-23).  If you reject God now, He will have to reject you on that day.  

Matthew 10:33 But whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven. ESV

SUDDENLY IT WILL HAPPEN!

Luke 18:20 Asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He replied to them by saying, The kingdom of God does not come with signs to be observed or with visible display, 21 Nor will people say, Look! Here [it is]! or, See, [it is] there! For behold, the kingdom of God is within you [in your hearts] and among you [surrounding you]. 22 And He said to the disciples, The time is coming when you will long to see [even] one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see [it]. 23 And they will say to you, Look! [He is] there! or, Look! [He is] here! But do not go out or follow [them]. 24 For like the lightning, that flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other, so will the Son of Man be in His [own] day. 25 But first He must suffer many things and be disapproved and repudiated and rejected by this age and generation. 26 And [just] as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the time of the Son of Man. 27 [People] ate, they drank, they married, they were given in marriage, right up to the day when Noah went into the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. 28 So also [it was the same] as it was in the days of Lot. [People] ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; 29 But on the [very] day that Lot went out of Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed [them] all. 30 That is the way it will be on the day that the Son of Man is revealed. 31 On that day let him who is on the housetop, with his belongings in the house, not come down [and go inside] to carry them away; and likewise let him who is in the field not turn back. 32 Remember Lot’s wife! 33 Whoever tries to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will preserve and quicken it. 34 I tell you, in that night there will be two men in one bed; one will be taken and the other will be left. 35 There will be two women grinding together; one will be taken and the other will be left. 36 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other will be left. 37 Then they asked Him, Where, Lord? He said to them, Wherever the dead body is, there will the vultures or eagles be gathered together. AMPC

How can you prepare  N O W for that dividing?  Read His Word, it is Him (John 1:1)! As you take that first step and look at Him, you will begin to know Him.  Next obey Him by living in the Word. Apply it to your life, not just know it but do it! Follow Him, take heed to His voice and you will be one of His sheep. 

John 10:27 The sheep that are My own hear and are listening to My voice; and I know them, and they follow Me. 28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never lose it or perish throughout the ages. [To all eternity they shall never by any means be destroyed.] And no one is able to snatch them out of My hand. AMPC

lovelee<3

Trying To Get Away With Stuff

God is talking to me today about our really sick mentality.  He didn't call it sick but I am calling it sick. As He shows me my sinful nature of being self-willed, He shows me I am trying to get away with doing things my way.

The reason He shows me my sin is that I ask.  I have asked Him to correct me no matter how shocking it may be to me.  The reason I ask is I know my plans are much less than His. I also know that He is always right, and I am always wrong.  

It is not that I don't want to be wrong, I want to be corrected and God is faithful to correct me. The thing about me, as God tells me—is, I am self willed.  My flesh wants it’s own way and I liked to give in. Past tense, liked, because I surrendered to God, and as He reveals His wisdom to me I can see clearly the thing I want is a temptation and one He empowers me to resist. 

All I have to do is surrender, and He gives me the revelation I need to see as He sees.  Which is His empowerment to resist. Also that the temptation is designed to aid me in going to hell.

You can’t even know you have a self-willed nature unless you are connected to the Vine ready to be pruned (John 15:1-8).

The thing is, is God wants us to want Him. He wants us to want —to live in His Kingdom. But as things are, He said most of us are fighting it by trying to have our own way.

That said, I would like to encourage you today to step forward and give God permission to tell you the truth about yourself, and then get it fixed.   

Get it fixed, decide where you want to live.  We can't live with Him and in the world at the same time. We have to make a choice Him, or you?

James 4:7 So be subject to God. Resist the devil [stand firm against him], and he will flee from you. 8 Come close to God and He will come close to you. [Recognize that you are] sinners, get your soiled hands clean; [realize that you have been disloyal] wavering individuals with divided interests, and purify your hearts [of your spiritual adultery].9 [As you draw near to God] be deeply  penitent and grieve, even weep [over your disloyalty]. Let your laughter be turned to grief and your mirth to dejection and heartfelt shame [for your sins]. AMPC

Somewhere Over The Rainbow Life

Do you know how to live the fullest life ever? Follow Jesus.  If you follow Jesus you will live a life full of zeal! When you follow Jesus, there is ultimately, no sorrow, no pain, no regret, just fun, just enthusiasm, and longing for the adventure of the next day. 

I am not talking about heaven right now, but I am talking about heaven on the earth! Living in the Kingdom of God right here and now!

Jesus completes your happiness as you follow HIm.  I will give you one major hint to this good life, the one that affects your everyday, the one that results in  your provision being easy.  

As you follow Him, He will lead you in His plan for you.  The part of the plan I am talking about, is doing what you were created to do. Getting Up everyday to do what you love to do is what you will find out as you follow Him.

Ephesians 2:10 For we are God’s [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live]. AMPC

I meditated this verse over and over again.  Before I finally got the revelation of it, I struggled with, liking myself, taking care of myself, finding the right job, being able to stay with a job, and so much more. 

Now I am free to just follow Jesus because I know that He is recreating me and has me on the path that leads to the good life!  I get is now, and so will you, just follow Him!

lovelee <3

Unanswered Prayer?

JAMES 2:10 For whosoever keeps the Law [as a] whole but stumbles and offends in one [single instance] has become guilty of [breaking] all of it. AMPC

If you have unanswered prayer, you most definitely missed a command. James is teaching us that if we stumbled and break a law, we have broken all of the law. Breaking the law is sin and sin separates us from God.

We cant live in Gods Kingdom and sin at the same time. Just the same as we can’t be a liar and a thief and live in heaven, we can’t live as such in the Kingdom of Heaven on the earth.

Well what about grace you might say? Yes, we definitely live in a time of grace in which we have time to get it together before we leave, or before Jesus comes —whichever comes first.

What a lot of people don’t understand is that even though we are saved through grace, we still have the responsibility (the work) of believing. If you believe and ask Jesus to live on the inside of you, then you won’t sin —at least not on purpose. You wont want to sin, in fact you will be diligent to keep free from the snares of the devil.

Faith comes by hearing (Romans 10:17) therefore it is a daily work to get faith to believe. Being a Christian is definitely a work. It takes effort to take time to renew your mind to be as His. It takes time to be in that relationship with Him. Thus is it a work to believe and if you are serious about your relationship with Him, you will take that the time you need to stay to your commitment.

In your committed relationship with Jesus, if you do sin, the Holy Spirit will convict you. Consequently then if you repent and change, your sin is disregarded and you are forgiven. But if you ignore that thing you know you are being convicted of, you are still in sin. If you give an excuse and go on sinning —then you are sinning on purpose and you are actually resisting Jesus instead of the enemy.

The enemy is out to kill steal and destroy and he does that in part, by getting you to compromise the Word of God. If you compromise the Word and you think it is okay, you are being deceived by the enemy. Also if you continue to sin you are in jeopardy of Jesus saying to you on that day, away form me I never knew you who practice lawlessness (Matthew 7:21-23). As well, you will live here on the earth without the blessing in your life.

Instead of living as God desires you to live, constant chaos will be at your door. There is nothing God can do for you outside of His Kingdom. It is up to you to live in agreement with Him.

All that said, I would like to encourage you to do all the law. Move in with Him and stay there by your obedience to Him. Abide in Him and He will abide in you, then you can ask anything and it will be done for you.

John 15:6 If a person does not dwell in Me, he is thrown out like a [broken-off] branch, and withers; such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you live in Me [abide vitally united to Me] and My words remain in you and you continue to live in your hearts, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you. 8 When you bear (produce) much fruit, My Father is honored and glorified, and you show and prove yourselves to be true followers of Mine.

lovelee <3

—GIVE YOUR GIFT

Ephesians 4:28 Let the thief steal no more, but rather let him be industrious, making an honest living with his own hands, so that he may be able to give to those in need.  AMPC

This verse is talking about our gift —not our job.   In the world when one lives independent, not reliant on God, then yes, one needs a job to survive. Opposed to living independent of God —ultimately in the Kingdom of God, God's design is that we give as our means of provision. His design of life is that we give of our gifts in which our hands create. Then of what we create —we are to give away. Our gift is not ours alone, but ours to give to those in need of our gift. How cool is that?  God has awesome plans for us—for our good.

Our gift is ours for our provision to enjoy. To enjoy because God knows our gift provides not only the things we need in the world, but it provides for our happiness. Our happiness because our gift is what we love to do. Our gift gets us out of bed in the morning because we look forward to doing it. Our gift gives us a zing for life because our gift/talent was designed specifically (personalized) just for us. Not only do we love to do what we were created to do, it also gives us joy to create and to give away what we created. Just like our Father, our happiness explodes as we can give of ourselves.  

God gave us our gifts —to give them away. 

As a part of His quest to save souls, His plan involves you. His plan is that you give in His Kingdom to fulfill His will. Your gift is vital to His plan. You have an important part to portray in His Kingdom because you are important to Him.
His will is that we love and that love action is to give what He has assigned for you to give. And so as you give, as you love —that love then represents the Father. Through your act of giving, you live your life for Him —not yourself. As you live to serve and not be served—you show to be a true follower of His.  

Just like any other command, it is expected that we give our gifts and then as Proverbs tells us our gift will make room for us (Proverbs 18:16). It will be our provision. Just like Jesus said as we give, it will be given unto us, plus (Luke 6:38).

lovelee <3

EAT YOUR WHEATIES

Romans 10:17 So faith comes by hearing [what is told], and what is heard comes by the preaching [of the message that came from the lips] of Christ (the Messiah Himself).

Remember that old commercial, eat your Wheaties so you can be healthy? Well the same is true to be spiritually strong you have to sort of eat your wheaties. But, unlike the natural body our spirit needs the Word to be Strong. God is our Source and we need Him to be strong. Feeding ourselves the Word of God will keep us strong in faith, strong in joy and full of the power of God.

Everyday, all the time —be eating the Word of God, hear it, read it, meditate on it—think it. apply it to your life and you will be that overcomer you are called to be because you will have Jesus (the Overcomer) alive on the inside of You.

OBEDIENCE IS FAITH

John 14:21 The person who has My commands and keeps them is the one who [really] loves Me; and whoever [really] loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I [too] will love him and will show (reveal, manifest) Myself to him. [I will let Myself be clearly seen by him and make Myself real to him.] AMPC

Jesus is clearly telling us that if we obey Him, He will manifest Himself to us. The opposite is true as well, if we don't obey Him He won't show Himself to us. The reason is, is that if we don't obey Him —we have rejected Him. If we don't obey Him —we separate ourselves from Him. If we don't obey Him, we deny Him and if we deny Him —He will deny us (Luke 9:26). 

That certainly is not what He wants, but we have a choice, We can choose life or death it is up to us (Deuteronomy 30:19).  

We can choose Jesus by obeying Him —or we can choose death by rejecting Him. If you choose not to obey Jesus you are rejecting Him. If you reject Him then all those prayers you are asking for to be answered are really silly right? How can you ask something of Someone you are ashamed of, Someone you are rejecting?

I realize you might not have know this; that you may lack knowledge. I realize this may be new to you, or you just didn't think about what you were doing. But now that you know you can fix it! Now is the time to get right with Him before He comes; or before you stand before Him.

Realize when you reject Him (by disobeying Him) you are not only missing out on your prayers being answered but, you may also be giving up your eternity with Him. Jesus said on that day, if you disregarded His commands —He is going to say away from Me I never knew you, you who practice lawlessness (Mathew 7:21-23).

Hosea tells us —My people perish for a lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6). Why do we lack knowledge? Are we too lazy or don't we know He is His Word (John 1:1), and to know Him we have to know His Word? We actually have to take the time to know Him. He is a real Person and being a Christian is having a real relationship with Jesus. A relationship takes time, therefore you have to take the time to know Him, no one else can know Him for you, you have to know Him.

Knowing His Word alone isn't enough but we have to be doers of the word (James 1:22). Romans 10:17 tells us faith comes from hearing the Word. Hearing the Word then is what is going to bring us to the place where we can know Jesus and have faith in Him to obey Him.

You have a part in your faith and that is to hear the Word, hear Jesus, and then obey Him. Then you can say you love Him, then He will manifest Himself to you, then you will see those prayers answered!

lovelee<3

YOU CAN BELIEVE GOD FOR ANYTHING

I know it sounds too good to be true to think you can believe God for anything, but it is true.  Jesus said it, He said all things are possible to him who believes. If you can believe it, it is possible. 

Mark 9:23  Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”NKJV  

Jesus is encouraging us today with these Words.  If you can believe it, it can happen. All things are possible for you if you believe! Whatever you need from Him today He wants you to know that you can believe it, to make it possible!

If you have ever wondered if it is the will of God for you to believe to receive a certain something from Him, this Word from Jesus covers that question. The Word of God is the will of God and in the Word Jesus said,” If you can believe it, it is possible!”

In context, when Jesus said —If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes, Jesus was responding to a father. This man's son was being controlled by a demon; he asked Jesus, if you can do anything?  Jesus responded with these awesome words, ”If you can believe all things are possible.” Of course when the Father heard Jesus he heard Faith (Romans 10:17).   But still he doubted —until he asked Jesus to help him with his unbelief. Jesus apparently helped him because Jesus then rebuked the unclean spirit and the boy was restored (Mark 9:24-25).

I know what that feels like —to be helped by Jesus to believe.  I don't know how He does it; but He enables us to believe. If you don't ask for help the Word tells us we don't get help (James 4:2) so be sure and ask.  Why do we have to ask you might be wondering? Because asking is faith. Wanting help is faith, wanting Jesus to help is having faith in Him, and He is pleased when you trust Him (Hebrews 11:6).

All that said —I would love to be the one to encourage you today to go beyond your normal expectancy and let that Supernatural Being that lives in you make all things possible in your life.  Go to Him and ask Him to make all things possible for you. He'd love to!