April 10, 2022
Spring is in the air! There’s a bit of green peeking through and that’s exciting to my heart. This is the time of year we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus. It’s such a hope filled season of new life! When we see new life, we are filled with the glorious hope Jesus brings that He is alive and always with us!
 
Wherever we go it seems like the topic of the condition of the world and our country come up. This is still a time like none of us have ever experienced. We talk, we pray and always concluded that even though everything around us has changed, our heavenly Father hasn’t changed! His promises haven’t changed! His blessings haven’t changed! The Fruit of the Spirit hasn’t changed! His love hasn’t changed and never will! Just let that soak in because it’s the only way we can get through this life victoriously and be a witness to the world for Him.
 
I heard this the other day, “There is no danger of My purposes being lost to the powers of the world. I am victorious!!” He reminded me of His Word. From Genesis to Revelation His promises are true. His mercy is ALWAYS new every morning! His joy – His peace that is in me and you all the time because He is in us. His love never fails.  “Love is a safe place of shelter, for it never stops believing the best for others. Love never takes failure as defeat, for it never gives up.” 1 Corinthians 13: 7 So what I am saying is, no matter what is going on in the world around us we still and always will have Him and we live as victorious as He does!
 
I have been reading through the Gospels about Jesus’s last days on earth. “After they brought the colt to Jesus, they placed their prayer shawls on its back, and Jesus rode it as he descended the Mount of Olives toward Jerusalem. As he rode toward the city, people spontaneously threw their prayer shawls like a carpet on the path in front of him. As soon as he got to the bottom of the Mount of Olives, the crowd of his followers shouted with a loud outburst of ecstatic joy over all the mighty wonders of power they had witnessed. They shouted over and over, “Highest praises to God for the one who comes as King in the name of the Lord! Heaven’s peace and glory from the highest realm now comes to us!” Luke 19:35-38
Imagine how the disciples have must felt. These days we are perplexed and wonder what is next. The disciples were with Jesus watching all the events that must take place for the prophecies to be fulfilled. They were stunned, in unbelief and even denied Him. “Along the way Jesus said to them, “Before the night is over, you will all desert me. This will fulfill the prophecy of the Scripture that says: I will strike down the shepherd and all the sheep will scatter far and wide!  “But after I am risen, I will go ahead of you to Galilee and will meet you there.” Then Peter spoke up and said, “Even if all the rest lose courage and fall away, I will still be beside you, Jesus!”  Are you sure, Peter?” Jesus said. “In fact, before the rooster crows a few hours from now, you will have denied me three times.” Peter replied, “I absolutely will never deny you, even if I have to die with you!” And all the others said the same thing.” Matthew 26:31-35
 
As Jesus shared with the disciples and others what the end times would be like, He gave them a warning. “Be careful that you never allow your hearts to grow cold. Be careful that you are not caught off guard, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and the worries of this life, and that day will come upon you suddenly like a trap. Don’t let me come and find you drunk or living carelessly like everyone else. For that day will come as a shocking surprise to all. Keep a constant watch over your soul, and pray for the courage and grace to prevail over these things that are destined to occur and that you will stand before the presence of the Son of Man.”
Luke 21:34-36 He tells us to be careful that the day will come as a shocking surprise to all. Keep constant watch over heart and pray for courage and grace. If our hearts are not guarded and our focus is not on Him we can become deceived and disillusioned just like the disciples.
 
It was a dark and confusing week. Jesus warned His disciples just as He has warned us. He told them of areas that are going to be tempting just as He has spoken to each of us. He gave them the answers. He has given us the answers! We have even more than the disciples. He lives inside of us. Jesus had taught, warned, shared and prepared for what was coming. He even told them the end of the story, the Resurrection. But when they were in the middle of the reality that Jesus was crucified, killed, they didn’t remember what He had said. They had lost hope. 
 
Sometimes we wonder how could they have missed what Jesus was telling them. How did they not know what He was talking about? Even though the disciples walked with Jesus personally and had every opportunity to know what was coming we have even more. We have Him living in us and we know the VICTORY of that week yet we doubt His words at times, we let the things of this world weight us down. Be careful that you are not caught off guard, or your hearts will be weighed down with the worries of this life. As we are walking through some disillusioning times, we MUST keep our hearts and minds focused on Him and His love. There will NEVER come a day that His love, joy, peace and hope are not ours. “Then he walked a short distance away, and overcome with grief, he threw himself facedown on the ground and prayed, “My Father, if there is any way you can deliver me from this suffering, please take it from me. Yet what I want is not important, for I only desire to fulfill your plan for me.” Then an angel from heaven appeared to strengthen him.” Matthew 26:29 An angel was sent to strengthen Jesus. I love this. He is always here to strengthen us and even through angels “So now wrap your heart tightly around the hope that lives within us, knowing that God always keeps his promises!” Hebrews 10:23 “Against all odds, when it looked hopeless, Abraham believed the promise and expected God to fulfill it.” Romans 4:18
 
Right now, things are crazy in our world but nothing compared to many times in the past. This is one of the greatest times ever to be alive. It’s a time to be a part of the miracles He is doing. It’s not happening one of these days down the road, it’s happening now, today. His purposes are not lost to the powers of this world. He is alive and working all around us. The heavenlies are full and overflowing with His glory. As we celebrate His Resurrection this week ask Him to show you things He is doing. Then praise Him and raise a hallelujah for He is RISEN AND ALIVE!!!
 
I raise a hallelujah, in the presence of my enemies
I raise a hallelujah, louder than the unbelief
I raise a hallelujah, my weapon is a melody
I raise a hallelujah, heaven comes to fight for me
I'm gonna sing, in the middle of the storm
Louder and louder, you're gonna hear my praises roar
Up from the ashes, hope will arise
Death is defeated, the King is alive!
I raise a hallelujah, with everything inside of me
I raise a hallelujah, I will watch the darkness flee
I raise a hallelujah, in the middle of the mystery
I raise a hallelujah, fear you lost your hold on me!
I'm gonna sing, in the middle of the storm
Louder and louder, you're gonna hear my praises roar
Up from the ashes, hope will arise
Death is defeated, the King is alive!

April 3, 2022
This last week we were able to spent a few days in Oklahoma. We went to a conference and worked on the movie with David Hinton. It was a great week of revelation, reassurance, vision and good prayer time. The Lord also showed me how many hurting people there are everywhere and here in our church family. The enemy is so at work to destroy families and get people to believe lies about themselves and get into fear of what’s ahead. 
 
I’ve known the Lord my entire life but when situations and attacks come, I know I must spend time with Him in His presence to see with His eyes. There is nothing that changes our need for sitting in His presence. The last few months I’ve had to trust, believe, hear, and have faith in ways I’ve never had to trust, believe, hear, and have faith before, give in ways I have never given, walk paths I’ve never walked. The Lord continues to speak to me that where I am right now in each day – that is where my ministry is. But sometimes with all the stuff thrown at us we can let it get us down temporarily. There are so many unknowns. I have no words to tell my Mom about her future except one day at a time and He is with us every moment. That doesn’t seem like much of an answer for someone almost 92 who feels lost in what to do next. It’s a walk of faith and hope for sure. I am standing on His promises in every area of our lives and for the hurting people we love. The enemy is working his best BUT the enemy is already defeated and we have the victory.  
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7
 
As I prayed for others this week the Lord was showing me how vital it is for us to help and encourage one another. The world is a place of hurting folks but His promises haven’t ceased. His Word isn’t returning void! He is the same yesterday, today and forever. His promise of hope which is an earnest expectation of good, is still what we have to hold onto. The Word tells us that we need each other. “So now we must cling tightly to the hope that lives within us, knowing that God always keeps His promises! Discover creative ways to encourage others and to motivate them towards acts of compassion, doing beautiful works as expressions of love. This is not the time to pull away and neglect meeting together, as some have formed the habit of doing, because we need each other! In fact, we should come together even more frequently, eager to encourage and urge each other onward as we anticipate that day dawning.” Hebrew 10: 23-25 Passion translation
 
These are powerful verses. Here’s what I picked out as life saving actions.
Cling tightly to the hope that lives within us
Discover creative ways to encourage
This is not the time to pull away and neglect meeting together
We should come together even more frequently
Eager to encourage and urge each other onward
As we anticipate that day dawning, the end times.
 
One of my favorite stories in the Bible is about Moses fighting a battle and losing. It wasn’t looking good. The Lord had told him as long as he raised his hands in praise he would win and when he dropped his hands he would lose. We don’t know how long he had raised hands but they were growing weary. That’s when two great friends came in to help. They held his hands up for him! What an amazing story that is.
 
“But Moses’ hands were heavy and he grew tired. So they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. Then Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side and one on the other side; so it was that his hands were steady until the sun set. So Joshua overwhelmed and defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this in the book as a memorial and recite it to Joshua, that I will utterly wipe out the memory of Amalek and his people from under heaven.” Exodus 17:12-14 Amplified Bible
 
We all have times of growing weary. If we didn’t He wouldn’t have given us words of encouragement during those times.  “Let us not grow weary or become discouraged in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap, if we do not give in.” Galatians 6:9

“And don’t allow yourselves to be weary or disheartened in planting good seeds, for the season of reaping the wonderful harvest you’ve planted is coming!” Galatians 6:9 The Passion Translation
How awesome it is during these times to have friends come in with helping hands. Brings tears to my eyes thinking about it. Good friends. What is a friend? A friend is someone who :“A friend loves at all times.” Proverbs 17:17  
“There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” Proverbs 18:24 
“No one has greater love – no one has stronger affection – than to lay down and give up his own life for his friends.” John 15:13
 
Encourage one another. Pray for one another. Hold up the hands of another. Listen to one another. “So I’m asking you, my friends, that you be joined together in perfect unity—with one heart, one passion, and united in one love. Walk together with one harmonious purpose and you will fill my heart with unbounded joy.” Philippians 2:2
 
I love this verse: “He who sings a song to a heavy heart is like him who lays off a garment is cold weather. A word fitly spoken and in due season is like apples of gold in settings on silver”   
 
“.Admonish, urge, encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today..” Hebrews 3:13
 
“Two are better than one, because they have a good and satisfying reward for their labor. For if they fall; the one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!” Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
 
“This is My commandment; that you love one another just as I have loved you. No one has greater love – no one has stronger affection – than to lay down and give up his own life for his friends. I do not call you servants any longer; for the servant does not know what his master is doing. But I have called you My friends, because I have made known to you everything that I heard from My Father. I have revealed to you everything that I have learned from Him.” John 15:12-15
 
“Rejoice with those that rejoice - sharing others joy and weep with those that weep -sharing others grief.” Romans 12:15

“Sharing words of wisdom is satisfying to your inner being. It encourages you to know that you’ve changed someone else’s life.” Proverbs 18:20  
I know many of you are going through trials and situations right now and we are praying and believing for you. God made us a family to help one another and I am so thankful for each of you and your love and prayers! Take time to know how to pray for others in this church family. Let’s minister one to another and refuse to let the enemy destroy any of us!
“Love empowers us to fulfill the law of the Anointed One as we carry each other’s troubles.” Galatians 6:2