Super Heroes

Our sweet grandson, Levi, turns five today.  He is so excited and it's a joy to see what simple things make a child happy.

He has talked about nothing but his upcoming birthday for weeks and was up early this morning, eating his birthday breakfast dressed as Iron Man.  

His room has been decorated in pirates since he was a baby but he has fallen in love with Super Heroes lately and wanted his room to reflect his new love.

His party today is also a Super Hero theme and all the children are coming over in costumes.  This is even more fun as my daughter doesn't celebrate Halloween. (I am going as "GLAMMA!!")  ha!

And I got thinking...

Every little child loves super heroes.  Could it be something in our DNA that draws us to the idea of having super powers?  Could it be that we were supposed to have super powers?

Could it be that we were never supposed to be sick?  Could it be that deep down in our memory is that feeling of being invincible?  Of destroying every evil thing that comes against us?  Could it be that God put a warrior spirit in us at creation when He commanded, "Be fruitful and multiply and take dominion over the earth"?

God created us to live forever.  God intended that Adam and Eve and their descendants would live forever in perfect, intimate fellowship with Him.  And we will live forever - but because of sin, some of us will live eternally separated from our loving God.

I believe in de-evolution.  In other words, I believe that Adam and Eve were created in the image of God and most likely had super powers.  Sin destroys and corrupts and I believe that when the Glory of God left them and they realized they were naked, it was even more than that.  I think that their super powers were gone also.

But I also believe that Jesus restored us to our original intent and being.  I believe that we are truly a 'new creature' in Christ and our super powers have been restored.  I believe that we are to lay hands on the sick and they will be healed.  I believe that we have authority over the demonic through the name of Jesus Christ.  I believe that through the power of the blood of Jesus, we raise the dead.

I believe that "greater is HE that's in me than he that's in the world."  I believe that I'll do even greater things in His Name than He did, because HE said it!  And I know that my faith is the key that opens the door.  I want to be all that He has called me to be and see His Power on the earth!

The other day at breakfast, Levi told his sister, Rhynn, (who's 3) that his foot hurt.  Rhynn asked him if she could pray for it.  My daughter was standing at the sink rinsing dishes and she said she stayed quiet and just listened.  Rhynn prayed for Levi's foot.  Then she paused and asked, "Does it still hurt?"  He said "Yes,"...

and she prayed again.

I think they're both going to be super heroes - in Jesus' Name!

Happy birthday, Levi!!

love and blessings~

Distractions

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a distraction as:

: something that makes it difficult to think or pay   attention

: something that amuses or entertains you so that   you do not think about   problems, work, etc.

: a state in which you are very annoyed or upset

The Lord talked to me about distractions many years ago. We may tend to think of a distraction as a minor thing. But what if we spend our entire life...distracted; distracted from the things of God.

God has set before us a 'things-to-do' list.  Each one of us has a calling on our lives to fulfill.  We each have a role to fill in this war against evil.  

I read a wonderful revelation recently in "The Dancing Hand of God."  I've loaned the book to another one of my prayer partners so I'm going to have to paraphrase.

There is no 'time' with God. God is omnipresent and is not confined to 'time.'  He knows the end of the story and lives in that place even while He's bringing things to that end.  He knows the end of the story even as He is setting things in motion in our lives to bring us to His victory. Our gifts and callings are without repentance and our place in the story is set. God will not change this.  He knew our place in His-story even before He created us. He has created us to fill that place in His-story.

The enemy wants to keep us distracted.  He doesn't want us to pay attention to the important things in life.  He wants to keep us entertained and not let us focus on the important things - the things of God. And the saddest thing is that we can spend our entire lives being distracted.

We are about half way through our 40 day Word fast.  The amazing thing to me is that I did this 40 day Word fast almost 30 years ago  - to the day!  The sad thing to me is...I have wanted to do it again for 30 years...and didn't.

Because it's too hard to turn the television off.

My parents both worked full time when I was a child.  I was raised by babysitters who put me in front of a TV. When I was twelve years old, I refused to go to the babysitter anymore.  I came home alone every day after school. And watched TV.  

The Lord brought to mind yesterday a tree that grows around a pole. It becomes almost impossible to separate the tree from the pole. The only way would be to cut the tree down and hope the roots are strong enough for the tree to grow again.

I was ashamed to confess this weakness to others and I've found that the more I did, the more I found out that others live this way too.

Something in me began to cry out to God. I began to realize that I did not want to die and not fulfill what God has called me to do. And I am getting older and time is running out. And I am living my life distracted.

I called Monday and turned off our cable. We no longer have television in our home. My husband has been fully supportive of this change. We moved the TV out of our bedroom - it's no longer attached to anything. Our TV in our family room will still have Netflix.

And here's the honest truth:

I have these moments of utter joy and such freedom - like I've broken loose of something that has held me down my whole life.  I can see the wonderful light at the end of the tunnel and know I'm on the right track.

And then I have these moments of darkness - thoughts of endless evenings that stretch ahead of me with no entertainment.  Endless days of a silent house while I'm home alone.   

I never knew my house could be so quiet.  The quiet is almost heavy.

And I am sleeping like a baby at night.  My mind is so quiet and peaceful and it's so easy to connect with God the moment I wake up in the morning.  And I lie down at night in the quiet and talk to God.

  

The thoughts that are running through my mind are not replays of the last show I watched but instead I hear worship songs and scripture and most precious of all, God's voice.

When I have the bad moments, I remember the 30 years I couldn't do this.  I remember how a distraction can have such a hold on you that you can waste your whole life.  And I declare to God that I will learn to live the way He wants me to live.  I will learn to be a tree without that pole.  

love and blessings~

We Don't Know What We Don't Know

Over the years, the Lord has led me down an amazing journey of knowledge. My friends chuckle at all the books I've read, but I believe the Lord is leading me to the things He wants me to know. "Without knowledge, the people perish." Hosea 4:6

Our God is infinite. We will be in His Presence for all eternity and still not know all of Him!  The more I study, the more I am compelled to study. One glimpse of knowledge opens another door - a door I didn't even know existed!

I dreamed the other night that I was handed a whole bunch of rusty, ancient keys and in the dream, I put one of the keys into a heavy, wooden door.  Then the dream ended.

I want to open that door.




Recently God lead me to an amazing book called, "The Dancing Hand of God," by James Maloney. This book is an inspiring account of James' life, from poverty and abuse to the 'dancing hand of God.'

James had had some life-changing encounters with God but his life really changed when he was chosen by a group called "The Golden Candlesticks."  Sound a little weird, right?  I thought so too but after reading his account, I was fascinated and ordered the book, "Ladies of Gold."

This book is a compilation of writings by Frances Metcalfe, the leader of The Golden Candlesticks and as I read her writings, I recognized My God.  She has gone to Glory but in her lifetime she  had encounters with Jesus that most of us will never have and she has touched the heart of God in ways that stretch my imagination.

The Golden Candlesticks was a group that varied in number over the years.  There were between 30 and 80 people, mostly women, that met 6 nights a week.  They worshiped and prayed from 6pm until 3am in the morning!  They built a special house to meet in - in James Maloney's home town.

They gave up all opportunities for public ministry to minister nightly to the Lord but they asked one thing of God - that they would be allowed one person to pour all their hopes and anointing into.  That person was James Maloney!

And the miracles and healings and encounters that James has experienced are mind-boggling!  The Lord released him a couple of years ago to share all these things and I am so thankful that I read this book.  Dear Lord, please stretch me to reach for Your Presence, to KNOW You and the power of Your resurrection!

I have spent hours (days) reading these books and asking God to teach me and let me know Him more. And surprisingly (ha!) "Golden Ladies" led me to another book!  God willing, I'll share on that later!

love and blessings~

"Then God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years;" Genesis 1:14