Change in mindset

I think I need a change of mindset.  I’ve been seeking vision and revelation with the wrong focus.  We can’t get the fullness of God without the fullness of the Holy Spirit and we can’t get the fullness of the Holy Spirit without having a Kingdom mindset.

What if we lived our lives with Jesus as our primary reward?  What if we received our identity based on Jesus not on what we did for him or how we lived for him, but just on Jesus alone?  What if we lived fascinated by the revelation of His beauty, of His majesty?  What would happen to our circumstances or to our greatest desires?

“He delivered me because He delighted in me” Psalm 18:19

Because Jesus DELIGHTED in me HE delivered me.

I’ve changed my mindset.  Not what areas of my life can Jesus deliver me but a complete focus on the whole reason HE delivered me. He delivered me and He delivered you because He delighted in us!  Knowing that the King of Kings loves me makes all other things insignificant.  There needs to be a change of focus from what needs to be fixed or made new, to a complete satisfaction in knowing ‘Jesus Loves Me’.

We sing that song, over and over, growing up and here it turns out to be the only Truth we really need to plant in the core of our being.  Jesus loves me this I know. The primary dream of our heart must be related to our relationship with Jesus not the measure of blessing on our circumstances.

My life’s goal is now not what I can do for Jesus, what can my ministry be, but my life’s goal is to grow in the revelation of the Secret’s of Jesus Heart!  To understand  more and more how much he really love’s me.  To grasp the depth of “I am my Beloved’s and my Beloved is mine” Song 6:3

Lord, release the revelation of your Love into my heart. Let it be my only desire to know you!

 

Simple Prayer Furnace

Furnace: An intensely HOT place

Prayer: A reverent petition made to God

Simple: not complicated, easy

So what’s a simple prayer furnace?  Its a place where two or more are gathered offering non complicated petitions to God, the Holy Spirit brings the Heat!

A group of us in Bend, Oregon are going to begin a simple time of prayer on a regular basis.  We will be using the up/out/in model of prayer and worship. 

Its kinda cool actually. 

You start with worship, lead into prayer UP-that is focused on adoration of God, speaking forth the knowledge of who God is. 

Then more worship, followed by prayer OUT-Outward prayer of intercession for others, cities, nations, etc.

More worship…IN-inward prayer for individual needs and for strength in our Christian walk.

More worship….Soaking in the presence of the Holy Spirit.

Wanna Join? All are welcome….let me know.

Tracy

 

Sacred Charge

11/11 IHOPU(International House of Prayer University) in Kansas City, the Holy Spirit moved in the midst of the students with physical healings, deliverance and the spirit of joy. The class continued for over 15 hours.  The awakening continues, you can watch it on  live stream at WWW.IHOP.ORG. 

Over the past year, the Lord has brought me to a place of intercession and worship unlike ever before.  It seems to be a movement of the Holy Spirit in the lives of many these days. 

Acts 2:17 –19 & 21“And it shall be in the Last days”, God says, “That I will pour forth My Spirit upon all mankind and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; even upon my servants, both men and women, I will in those days pour forth of My Spirit and they shall prophesy. and I will grant wonders in the sky above and signs on the earth beneath….and it shall be that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

The day is  here!  I have decided  to join the Sacred Charge.  Click the words to be linked to the website that will tell you all about it.  It is connected to the Luke 18 Project which seeks to partner with the Holy Spirit as HE raises up a prayer movement across the globe in preparation of the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  There are 7 charges given to those who dare to step out boldly and partner with the Holy Spirit in this prayer movement.

1. Pray daily
2. Fast weekly
3. Speak boldly
4. Do justly
5. Give extravagantly
6. Live holy
7. Lead diligently

I invite you to join the Sacred Charge with me!  This movement is a corporate movement that takes fellowship and unity.  Be sure to tell me if you’re ALL IN with me;)

In addition to taking up the Sacred Charge, we are starting a “Simple Prayer Furnace” here in Bend. I’ll share with you all about that tomorrow, until then, pray with me as we await the Holy Spirit to fall afresh in Bend, Oregon! 

Tracy

p.s.  check out IHOP.org!  The webcasts are really amazing, they have testimonies and worship.  It has blessed me and I trust it will be a blessing to you as well:)

“…men always ought to pray and not lose heart.” Luke 18:1

 

 

Armistice

~A state of peace agreed to, a cease fire, a truce, an end to hostility.

Today used to be know as Armistice Day, or Day of Remembrance, it is now Veteran’s day.

November 11th   (11/11)

Back in 1918, in the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, a stop to hostilities was declared, ending World War I.  An armistice was signed to cease the fighting.

Today, I wonder what do you need to sign an armistice with?  What do you need to stop fighting?  What hostilities need to be declared out of commission?

Today, I declare an armistice a state of peace.  I think we each have something that could use a little(or a big) armistice.  So, won’t you join me!?  Make a declaration to stop hostilities and begin peace talks.  Call down God’s Glory and EXPECT Him to show up.

As I started this day, I had no idea that it would be a day God would make himself known with such grandeur.  I’ll admit I haven’t started many days recently in expectation that God would do anything out of the ordinary.  Sad isn’t it?  When you take a moment and think about how our UNexpectant hearts are leading us to perhaps miss the Glory of God.

I will not share with you the details of the GLORY, however, I will share with you the advice to take heart and open your eyes expectantly when you awake each day.  It is to precious to miss and to important to remain unaware.  Be open to God’s goodness and to the blessing he wants to share. 

I want to be present WITH God so that I don’t miss the opportunities to make declarations that will change the future, declarations that will bring the Kingdom of God, declarations that feed and nourish my spirit, declarations that make a difference in my life and  in the lives of others.  Declarations that bring peace.

Lord, may my heart outgrow my head and may your presence fill me up! 

11/11…The day hostilities were ceased and peace was declared.

 

New journals

New journals are hard for me to start writing in!  I don’t know why….I’m sure my therapist could walk me through some psychological reason why, like I don’t want to screw up the first thing I put down on the pages, or embarking on new things causes anxiety for me, or I just like things to not be messy and I know what I write in journals gets messy sometimes.  But regardless of all the odd reasons why I get hung up STARTING to write in my new journal, I did it. 

This is what I wrote:

“In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets many times and in many different ways.  But now in these last days God has spoken to us through his Son.”  Hebrews 1:1-2

The Bible is the clearest, most trustworthy revelation and measure of God’s character.  However, this is not all of God’s heart for you.  He wants and intimate close relationship and fellowship with you.  He doesn’t want you to agree with a statement of belief or be content with your own understanding, He wants His heart to be your heart.

I just read this commentary and it said “Right belief does not change the world.  Correct doctrine does not usher in the Kingdom of God.  Your destiny hinges upon a passionate and personal relationship-which is the whole purpose of God’s word.”  Such a bold statement for the church today.  As we all seek out the ‘right’ church for us to worship in, the right set of doctrinal beliefs, aren’t we really missing the point.  Regardless of where we worship or what our church doctrine professes, we need to become passionate believers who, when they read God’s word, they hear his voice booming personally to them.  We need to learn to listen intently to His voice and then walk it out in trusting obedience.  This comes with reading, hearing, waiting and obeying. 

David Wallace said “The Word of God is like a mirror in that it shows us who we really are.  It is like a map because it shows us where we need to go.  It is like a portrait for it paints for us a picture of who God is.”

George Muller said “If the reader understands very little of the word of God, he ought to read it very much; for the Spirit explains the word by the word….The frequent reading of the Scriptures creates a delight in them, so that the more we read them, the more we desire to do so.”

Isaiah 55:11 recorded “The same thing is true of words I speak.  They will not return to me empty.  They make the things happen that I want to happen, and they succeed in doing what I send them to do.”

Jesus came to speak with His words and with His life, about the Kingdom-about the King, about the culture of heaven, and about your place in that Kingdom.  God’s word is alive and active.  I want it to be alive and active IN me.  I want the Holy Spirit to explain the Word of God to me BY the WORD!  For that to happen I need to be in the Word, reading…..Listening for God, hearing…..Resting in His presence, waiting……walking it out, obeying.

Let it be.

 

I’ve got questions

I will start this post with a disclaimer…I am just beginning my journey into seeking out the answers.  I do not pretend to know everything or even enough little things to make any sense, but I do have lots of questions.

First, I will tell you that I am not doubting God or Salvation or HIS great love for you and me!  I believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God: true, immutable, steadfast, and unchangeable.  However, I still have questions and conflicts and this feeling of being taffy pulled over issues that have been debated over the years but mostly swept into the corners that are found within our Theological walls.

In the past I’ve been one to go with the flow on these issues, repeat what I’ve been taught, not question much or really wrestle with theological concepts.  However, recently, due to circumstances you really don’t want details about, I have been most fascinatingly swept onto this path for God’s Truth on some tough questions that aren’t really ‘cut and dry, easy shmizy, got it all wrapped up in a great little answer’ type of questions.  These questions that I’ve asked have more of an answer like, ‘yea well there’s lots of grey area and the ‘church’ doesn’t really have a specific stance on the issue for ALL situations’ or ‘There are many interpretations of scripture on that but more importantly is what is God saying to you’ or actually kind of more disturbing are the answers that are strictly Black/White, cut and dry, ‘this is the way that it is’ type of answers that actually create more questions for me that are unanswerable by others.

Are you following me? or am I making you question now?  Good if I am, you need to be set a little off balance, it does a spirit good!

The questions I’ve been asking fall into the ‘sticky situation’ category, like Homosexuality(DNA or choice?), Baptism(child or adult?), Speaking in Tongues(for NOW or THEN?)  These are not the one’s I’ve been grappling with but mine fall into the same “sticky” category.  The one that the Church debates about, the ones that EVERYONE has an opinion about, the ones that God’s word isn’t ‘clear on the surface’ or may look clear but if you look closer, its really not. 

The questions I  have, have driven me deep into God’s word for answers.  Deeper than what you read in scripture, deep enough to get to the bottom and discover there is no bottom.  Deep enough that I’m not satisfied and want education and direction and will not stop until I have an answer that suffices. 

Oh my, this post is really getting us nowhere, you are probably thinking that I’ve clearly lost it, I must be having a crisis of faith and you may even be calling the crisis team to send help my way.

Let me assure you, just the opposite has happened.  I’ve taken up WAITING in the presence of God.  Some of you may call this ‘wasting time’ but according to Sue Monk Kidd “While the Heart Waits”, there are untold transformations that happen in the WAITING, even if you don’t see immediate results..(get the book).  I have a greater appreciation for those that seek to provide truth in their messages to the masses. It takes time and determination to uncover the hidden mysteries of the Word of God.  And “this time” has brought me to a place where I know I can not stop.  I am looking into online Master Degree programs that will give me the education necessary to ‘properly’(according to my own core value) interpret and dissect the Word of God.  You see, I can’t just stop and accept what others are telling me, I have to know in my very core what is truth and what is God’s heart for my situation.  I will find it, I will persevere, I will uncover the answers.  I trust God to bring them and lead me to the place he has called me to be, to uncover the mysteries that need to be uncovered and to perhaps share them with people like myself.

What do you question?

 

From Fear to Freedom

“What I always feared has happened to me. What I dreaded has come true.” Job 3:25, Tracy 8/11/09.

It is true, I  had some fears.  Fear used to be an active participant in my life.  I welcomed it years ago as just who I was.  Things made me scared. I accepted it as an obstacle I was destined to live with forever.  I just figured with each part of good comes an equal part of bad and fear was that part which was sewn into the hem of my life.  Something that couldn’t really be removed.  It didn’t have to make me debilitated but I figured it would always be there, a thorn in my side.

I don’t know if you’ve been watching Biggest Loser this season. I catch bits and pieces of it but was mesmerized by it the other night.  One of the participants was totally, physically capable of jumping up onto a step, but she could not overcome the obstacle.  She tried and tried, always coming up short and unable to jump and land with both feet  on top.  Much of the episode focused on her attempt after failed attempt to jump!  Her mind was stopping her from doing something so simple.  I’ll admit I watched with judgment at first.  Just jump on the darn step!  Honestly, it was rather short, not very daunting and ANYONE should be able to jump up on it!  I’m sure my children could, my parents, even the old lady that lived in the shoe could have jumped up onto the thing!  But then my judgment turned to UNDERSTANDING!  Fear, dread of the ‘what-ifs’, obstacles that were keeping me captive….ALL IN MY MIND…holding me back from doing what I was totally capable of doing.  Being free from undercurrents of fear.  It’s not the obstacles that keep us unable to overcome, it is our minds that stop us. 

Which brings me back to Job.  Job’s life sucked.  ‘Have you considered my servant Job’.  God knew Job’s heart, He knew his  mind, He knew that Job would be a survivor, he would come through no matter what the task, and ALL glory would be to God.  That is indeed the truth about Job, however, Job started his journey with a revelation that what he had always feared, what he had dreaded had come true.

I, too, have come to a similar revelation.  There has been death to a dream, grief of what could be. I shared with Job this understanding in August.  But alas, it was also the END to fear!  With the death of my hearts hope, came life to my spirit!  Freedom to live the life God had scripted from the beginning of time. 

I had a change in my understanding.  I no longer saw fear as an obstacle but as a stepping stone!  No longer did my life have to have fear sown into its hem and weigh me down, but I had been created to be a conqueror, a woman of beauty, freedom and modesty, founded in Christ Alone! 

From Matthew Henry’s Commentary:

“Nothing will make trouble easy so much as the testimony of our consciences for us, that, in some measure, we did our duty in a day of prosperity; and an expectation of trouble will make it sit the lighter when it comes. The less it is a surprise the less it is a terror.”

I don’t fear because I now understand that trouble will come, so I await the bumps, I anticipate the let downs, I know they will come, but the difference is that my mind is ready, my body is willing and my spirit is prepared.  Fear turned to freedom. 

 

My new best friend

Every so often I like to switch it up with the Word of God!  I like to get a new version or a new cover or one with different commentary.  Today I got this:

It actually looks like this:

I know, no sparkles or color, just plain black.  But the moment you open it, LIFE springs forth!!  It has only been my best friend for 4 hours but I’ve spent 1hour and 20 minutes pouring over it and the rest of the 4 hours holding it close to me!  It was love at first sight! 

When I really want to dig into scripture I  have my best friend: The Word Of God, a concordance, a Greek/Hebrew dictionary, and a commentary or 2 or 3.  Then I just tear it up….digging and flipping pages, following rabbit trails that lead me to treasures that no eye has seen!  I love it.  But it is so cumbersome to lug these tools with me to Starbucks, or Thump, or even to my prayer room.  Honestly, this dilemma of so many amazing bible help sources has kept me, dare I say it, from taking adequate time to study.  Yes its true, I am an all or nothing kinda gal at times, I don’t like loose end and, ‘perseverance’ and I haven’t gotten along without struggle over the years.  So, when it comes to really getting into the word, if I don’t have time and resources to go deep, often times I’ll just let it go by the side.

So…..you can imagine my amazement and complete utter joy and satisfaction when I found this amazing reference filled Bible.  Each scripture has KEY WORDS highlighted and coded with the strong’s reference number.  Then in the back is conveniently located a dictionary and concordance!!! 

Lordy BE!!  I think I have found the joy of 2009!

 

Reasons why I love tomorrow!

ROUTINE< ROUTINE< ROUTINE<

That’s basically it.

I love that with the first day of school comes routine:)  It starts tonight.  We’ll have a really healthy meal (cause I like to make sure my kids have at least one healthy meal a week!), we’ll talk about what we are packing in our sack lunches tomorrow, what uniform pairing we’ll pick for the first day of school, we’ll talk about friends we can’t wait to see and how we hope there is no homework for the first week of school.  The kids will go to bed early….actually, not really, I don’t change their sleep pattern just because it is summer.  We basically stay the same sleep wise unless there is a ‘special occasion’ like camping or a sleepover.  Otherwise, kids always go to bed ‘early’ or on time.  But I’ll even go to bed early. Ok, I go to bed early all year round compared to most of you.  So let’s skip the sleep conversation, it will probably not change.  BUT it will seem like it’s changed because after the kids go to bed, I’ll light candles, I’ll spend some time praying for them and their first day of school.  I’ll be sure all the necessities are in place for a great first morning!!

We will arise EARLY and prepare for the first day.  Worship music will be playing in the background, no tv to distract us, kids will look cute in their newly pressed uniforms, their hair will be clean and brushed(unlike most summer days), teeth will be shiny clean and they will make their own lunches, with mom giving the final ‘thumbs up’ on lunch choices!  Then off to school we go  20 minutes there, walk into new classes, get settled in new desks, give hugs(unless the 5th grader decides this is the year no hug from mom) and off I go……….Kids learn, I work!

6 hours later I prepare for their return.  They come home, we do homework.  They play, we eat dinner, they go to bed.  And it starts over again!  I love it!

AND….I got a new journal.  Being a mom with kids in school, my year goes from September to September.  Not January to January.  So my year begins tomorrow. New journal, new bible translation, new underwear(seriously), new new new. I’m ready for new and routine and new!

 

The Bridge

Life brings with it many choices, turns, changes, challenges…

She said to me, “You are crossing a bridge but you are afraid that what you are leaving behind will follow you.  God says do  not fear, I have cleared the way and I will be your rear guard.  You do not need to fear that what you are leaving behind will follow you.

It is true, I’m on the bridge walking across it but as I look back I see things that I don’t want to follow me.  Things I want to leave behind forever, things that I know God would not have for me.  As a matter of fact, I believe God has walked before me on this very bridge and has prepared for me great things on the other side.  I believe goodness and mercy will follow me and I will forever dwell in the house of my Great King.(I stole that last sentence from a song).

I see glimmers of what is on the other side and the excitement of getting there is more powerful than the fear that holds me back. 

I pray as the winds of fall breeze through and change the season, that the wind of the Holy Spirit will continue to guide me, to direct me, to beckon me and to blow away all fear.