Coffee Break
"Forest Fire"
As I have already told you the Lord is reigniting the fire in me. Fires come in all sizes. They can be the size of a birthday candle. They can be the size of a campfire. They can also be the size of a forest fire. I don't know about you, but I want the fire of the Holy Spirit to be the size of a forest fire in my life!
What is the purpose of fire? It is for warmth. It is for light. This fire of the Holy Spirit that I am talking about that we need burning in us is intended to draw people to the warmth of God's love and grace. It will also draw them to the light so that they can come out of spiritual darkness.
When I say that I want the fire the size of a forest fire, it is because the bigger the fire the more people who will warm by it and see light. I have had a prayer about this fire. And this is what it is-- I know you are all familiar with forest fires that have become so big that the firefighters are trying to contain them and put them out. One of the methods they use is a firebreak. A firebreak is an obstacle that is placed to stop the fire from spreading. It can be manmade or natural. Such as a river, green grass plot, or mounded up dirt. If the fire is so large, it can jump across these breaks/obstacles and continue to spread on the other side.
This fire of the Holy Spirit is intended to touch peoples' lives. We need to have the fire of the Spirit burning so intensely in us that it will "jump" across all barriers. That it will jump across the barriers of hurt, shame, guilt, hate, addiction, fear, hard hearts, broken hearts, abused lives, insecurities, anxiety, depression, rejection and all the many other things that are barriers in peoples' lives that keep them away from the Lord. This should be all of our prayer-- let the fire of Your Holy Spirit be so big in me that it jumps every barrier and touches those lives.
Have a great day. Has your fire gone out? If so, ask the Lord to reignite it. If it hasn't, what size is it in you? Is it warming others with God's love? Is it lighting the path for them to come out of darkness? If it is, pray it gets bigger.
Friday, March 6, 2020
Thursday, March 5, 2020
Coffee Break - Cleaning It Out
Coffee Break
"Cleaning It Out"
Yesterday I talked about the difference in being patient when you had no other option but to be patient and when you had a choice to do so or not.
Well, the other day I was at home and all day long I had this desire to clean out drawers, closets and cabinets. It was so overwhelming all day long. It was like I was being pressured to do it. (Of course, I am still limited and can't do it-- no lifting, bending or getting down on the floor.) It was at the point to where it distracted me from doing anything else, and it dominated my thoughts. I keep trying to resist it. I would pray and renew my mind but to no avail... it was still there.
I asked the Lord what was going on because this was like an unnatural obsession. He spoke to me, so I need to share it with you. What He showed me was-- I wanted to clean out draws, closets and cabinets. My focus was on cleaning out areas that are hidden from view. I wasn't compelled to clean out the things you could see, but the things that aren't seen/hidden. There are those of you who need to do some spiritual cleaning. You need to let the Lord work on cleaning out areas in your life that are hidden-- matters of the heart.
What is tucked away in your heart and life from view but you know it isn't pleasing to the Lord? Do you have anger or bitterness resting in a "drawer" in your heart? Do you have unconfessed sin that you have neatly tucked away in a "cabinet"? Do you have "skeletons" of guilt and hatred hanging in your "closet"? Is there adultery, pornography, alcohol or even drugs that are hidden away in your life? Are you living a double life-- on the outside you have a good looking front and have others believing you are something that you aren't, but on the inside you are a totally different person?
It is time to open up those hidden places that are not in view and do some cleaning. Confess those things to God. Repent of them. Let Him get rid of them. And let Him clean them out. Once you do, just as cleaning out in the natural frees up space, you will free up space in your heart and there will be more room for the things that are truly needed in your life-- peace, joy, love, freedom!
Have a great day. It is time to clean out your heart's drawers, cabinets and closets!
"Cleaning It Out"
Yesterday I talked about the difference in being patient when you had no other option but to be patient and when you had a choice to do so or not.
Well, the other day I was at home and all day long I had this desire to clean out drawers, closets and cabinets. It was so overwhelming all day long. It was like I was being pressured to do it. (Of course, I am still limited and can't do it-- no lifting, bending or getting down on the floor.) It was at the point to where it distracted me from doing anything else, and it dominated my thoughts. I keep trying to resist it. I would pray and renew my mind but to no avail... it was still there.
I asked the Lord what was going on because this was like an unnatural obsession. He spoke to me, so I need to share it with you. What He showed me was-- I wanted to clean out draws, closets and cabinets. My focus was on cleaning out areas that are hidden from view. I wasn't compelled to clean out the things you could see, but the things that aren't seen/hidden. There are those of you who need to do some spiritual cleaning. You need to let the Lord work on cleaning out areas in your life that are hidden-- matters of the heart.
What is tucked away in your heart and life from view but you know it isn't pleasing to the Lord? Do you have anger or bitterness resting in a "drawer" in your heart? Do you have unconfessed sin that you have neatly tucked away in a "cabinet"? Do you have "skeletons" of guilt and hatred hanging in your "closet"? Is there adultery, pornography, alcohol or even drugs that are hidden away in your life? Are you living a double life-- on the outside you have a good looking front and have others believing you are something that you aren't, but on the inside you are a totally different person?
It is time to open up those hidden places that are not in view and do some cleaning. Confess those things to God. Repent of them. Let Him get rid of them. And let Him clean them out. Once you do, just as cleaning out in the natural frees up space, you will free up space in your heart and there will be more room for the things that are truly needed in your life-- peace, joy, love, freedom!
Have a great day. It is time to clean out your heart's drawers, cabinets and closets!
Wednesday, March 4, 2020
Coffee Break - Choice Of Patience
Coffee Break
"Choice Of Patience"
A couple of weeks ago I talked about how being flat of your back and unable to do anything for yourself will force you to learn patience. But now that I am released from my doctor to go back to normal activities is patience going to continue to prevail? It is one thing to be patient when you know you can't do it (whatever it is) and have no choice but to wait. And it is another thing when you are able to do it because you can.
Let me explain and give you an example. We are planning to do some work to update our kitchen. One of the things I want to do when we start is get rid of a lot of utensils and other items that I never use. This work will probably not start for another month, so I don't need to start pulling things out now. I need to wait a little longer until the remodel actually begins. If I was still unable to do this, patience would be no problem. The situation forced me to be patient. But now that I am able to do it, I am having to fight impatience to do this de-cluttering now. I am so ready to get it done and am more physically able to so I have nothing stopping me.
When I was in a position where I couldn't do anything, I had no problem waiting/being patient. Now that I am in a position to where I can do it and have the freedom to do it, I have to make a choice-- to be patient and wait or not.
Some things give us no choice but some things do give us a choice. My previous situation gave me no choice but to wait. My situation now gives me the freedom to do what I want to do when I want to do it. Choosing to de-clutter now, instead of waiting, would clutter the rest of my house and it would be extra work for me. So, I have to choose-- be patient and wait or impatient and do it.
If you have no choice but to be patient-- is it really patience? Or do we learn and grow in patience when we have a choice and have to choose?
Have a great day. Are you only patient when you have no choice but to be? Or do you truly posses patience when you have a choice and choose to wait?
"Choice Of Patience"
A couple of weeks ago I talked about how being flat of your back and unable to do anything for yourself will force you to learn patience. But now that I am released from my doctor to go back to normal activities is patience going to continue to prevail? It is one thing to be patient when you know you can't do it (whatever it is) and have no choice but to wait. And it is another thing when you are able to do it because you can.
Let me explain and give you an example. We are planning to do some work to update our kitchen. One of the things I want to do when we start is get rid of a lot of utensils and other items that I never use. This work will probably not start for another month, so I don't need to start pulling things out now. I need to wait a little longer until the remodel actually begins. If I was still unable to do this, patience would be no problem. The situation forced me to be patient. But now that I am able to do it, I am having to fight impatience to do this de-cluttering now. I am so ready to get it done and am more physically able to so I have nothing stopping me.
When I was in a position where I couldn't do anything, I had no problem waiting/being patient. Now that I am in a position to where I can do it and have the freedom to do it, I have to make a choice-- to be patient and wait or not.
Some things give us no choice but some things do give us a choice. My previous situation gave me no choice but to wait. My situation now gives me the freedom to do what I want to do when I want to do it. Choosing to de-clutter now, instead of waiting, would clutter the rest of my house and it would be extra work for me. So, I have to choose-- be patient and wait or impatient and do it.
If you have no choice but to be patient-- is it really patience? Or do we learn and grow in patience when we have a choice and have to choose?
Have a great day. Are you only patient when you have no choice but to be? Or do you truly posses patience when you have a choice and choose to wait?
Tuesday, March 3, 2020
Coffee Break - The Destination
Coffee Break
"The Destination"
On the subject of spiritual journeys, I can't help but think about my favorite Bible character--Joseph. When we think about Joseph, we think about all the things he endured. It is easy for us to see that he was on a journey-- a journey from his father's house to the palace in Egypt. But we don't realize that he was really on a spiritual journey. Every spiritual journey is played out through physical journeys.
What Joseph suffered in the natural was producing something spiritual in him. Being betrayed by his bothers would teach him how to love his enemies, bless them that cursed him, do good to them that hated him, and pray for them which despitefully used and persecuted him. It taught him how to leave revenge in God's hands. Being lied on about Potiphar's wife would teach him how to let God fight his battles for him, and that it is better to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. It taught him how to stand firm when temptations came regardless of the outcome. When he was sold into slavery, it taught him that God orders his steps and knows how to orchestrate things in order to get him to where he needed to be. When he was taken from his home into a strange land where he knew no one, he learned how to really trust God because he had no one else. When he was in the prison, he learned that God can give you favor no matter where you are, and that He never leaves you. When he went to the palace, he learned that all things truly do work together for the good. Through all that he suffered, he learned to be at peace and rest in God's presence and plan.
All the things that he went through produced something spiritual in him that he needed in order to fulfill God's purpose for his life. Did he understand it while he was going through it? Probably not-- we usually don't. Did he always like where he was at? most likely not-- I am sure he would have much preferred being with his father and living in comfort and freedom instead of slavery. Like Joseph, through the things we go through in life, they can produce and change things in our hearts that will glorify God and put us at the destination he has called us to.
Have a great day. What you are going through may actually be a spiritual journey in disguise.
"The Destination"
On the subject of spiritual journeys, I can't help but think about my favorite Bible character--Joseph. When we think about Joseph, we think about all the things he endured. It is easy for us to see that he was on a journey-- a journey from his father's house to the palace in Egypt. But we don't realize that he was really on a spiritual journey. Every spiritual journey is played out through physical journeys.
What Joseph suffered in the natural was producing something spiritual in him. Being betrayed by his bothers would teach him how to love his enemies, bless them that cursed him, do good to them that hated him, and pray for them which despitefully used and persecuted him. It taught him how to leave revenge in God's hands. Being lied on about Potiphar's wife would teach him how to let God fight his battles for him, and that it is better to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. It taught him how to stand firm when temptations came regardless of the outcome. When he was sold into slavery, it taught him that God orders his steps and knows how to orchestrate things in order to get him to where he needed to be. When he was taken from his home into a strange land where he knew no one, he learned how to really trust God because he had no one else. When he was in the prison, he learned that God can give you favor no matter where you are, and that He never leaves you. When he went to the palace, he learned that all things truly do work together for the good. Through all that he suffered, he learned to be at peace and rest in God's presence and plan.
All the things that he went through produced something spiritual in him that he needed in order to fulfill God's purpose for his life. Did he understand it while he was going through it? Probably not-- we usually don't. Did he always like where he was at? most likely not-- I am sure he would have much preferred being with his father and living in comfort and freedom instead of slavery. Like Joseph, through the things we go through in life, they can produce and change things in our hearts that will glorify God and put us at the destination he has called us to.
Have a great day. What you are going through may actually be a spiritual journey in disguise.
Monday, March 2, 2020
Coffee Break - Break Every Chain
Coffee Break
"Break Every Chain"
Everyday when I wake up, I wake up hearing a song in my mind. I know the Lord is speaking it me through that song. Yesterday, the moment my eyes opened a song came to mind. I haven't listened to this song in a while so I knew it definitely was from the Lord. What I heard was this-- "Break every chain, break every chain, break every chain." When one of the ladies that is in my church sings it, she sings it declaring what all needs to be broken. So, at the end of "break every chain, break every chain, break every chain", I heard these words--break off lethargy, slothfulness, lukewarmness, laziness.
I knew the Lord was saying that He was breaking these particular chains off my life. He is doing it through this journey that I am on. But the main reason I shared this is because I felt like the Lord was not only doing this for me, but He wanted you to know that those chains that have had you bound are being broken off of you! He is breaking the chains that have had you bound.
You have had some chains wrapped around your mind. These chains are chains of deception-- they have tried to make you believe something that isn't real. They have tried to make you feel guilty for something that wasn't your fault. They also try to make you feel like you will never measure up and you will always be in this bondage-- that there is no freedom or peace for you.
These chains are also chains of regret-- they have tried to make you keep focusing on the past, on things you have done, things you didn't do, or things you should have done. They try to keep you bound through constantly wishing you had done things differently. They keep you busy trying to explain and justify your actions to others. They want to make you think you have to have the approval of those you should have done differently towards.
They are chains of bitterness-- they have tried to keep you bound by keeping you focused on things that others did to you. You were lied to, abused, used, manipulated, tossed aside and treated unfairly and with disrespect. You tried to make things different but to no avail. So, now bitterness has bound your mind to the point where all you can think about is how wrong you were done. As a result, bitterness has taken over not only your mind but your whole attitude. You have lost your compassion. You have gotten hard hearted and cynical. You have put up a wall to keep others from getting to close and to keep you from being hurt again. God is breaking those chains.
There is power in the name of Jesus to break every chain!! I believe the Lord is speaking specifically to some people about these chains above being broken off their lives, setting them free indeed. But if you have chains in your life and you can identify them, He wants to break them as well. Call upon the Lord. Confess them to Him. Ask Him to deliver you. And He will. He is the Chain Breaker!
Have a great day. The Lord is breaking every chain that has you bound.
"Break Every Chain"
Everyday when I wake up, I wake up hearing a song in my mind. I know the Lord is speaking it me through that song. Yesterday, the moment my eyes opened a song came to mind. I haven't listened to this song in a while so I knew it definitely was from the Lord. What I heard was this-- "Break every chain, break every chain, break every chain." When one of the ladies that is in my church sings it, she sings it declaring what all needs to be broken. So, at the end of "break every chain, break every chain, break every chain", I heard these words--break off lethargy, slothfulness, lukewarmness, laziness.
I knew the Lord was saying that He was breaking these particular chains off my life. He is doing it through this journey that I am on. But the main reason I shared this is because I felt like the Lord was not only doing this for me, but He wanted you to know that those chains that have had you bound are being broken off of you! He is breaking the chains that have had you bound.
You have had some chains wrapped around your mind. These chains are chains of deception-- they have tried to make you believe something that isn't real. They have tried to make you feel guilty for something that wasn't your fault. They also try to make you feel like you will never measure up and you will always be in this bondage-- that there is no freedom or peace for you.
These chains are also chains of regret-- they have tried to make you keep focusing on the past, on things you have done, things you didn't do, or things you should have done. They try to keep you bound through constantly wishing you had done things differently. They keep you busy trying to explain and justify your actions to others. They want to make you think you have to have the approval of those you should have done differently towards.
They are chains of bitterness-- they have tried to keep you bound by keeping you focused on things that others did to you. You were lied to, abused, used, manipulated, tossed aside and treated unfairly and with disrespect. You tried to make things different but to no avail. So, now bitterness has bound your mind to the point where all you can think about is how wrong you were done. As a result, bitterness has taken over not only your mind but your whole attitude. You have lost your compassion. You have gotten hard hearted and cynical. You have put up a wall to keep others from getting to close and to keep you from being hurt again. God is breaking those chains.
There is power in the name of Jesus to break every chain!! I believe the Lord is speaking specifically to some people about these chains above being broken off their lives, setting them free indeed. But if you have chains in your life and you can identify them, He wants to break them as well. Call upon the Lord. Confess them to Him. Ask Him to deliver you. And He will. He is the Chain Breaker!
Have a great day. The Lord is breaking every chain that has you bound.
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