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A New Reset

Time spent with Jesus is never wasted. Papa God has been challenging me lately to be intentional about the I spend time with Him.

My time with Papa God used to look like this, reading the Bible for hours, journaling my thoughts and prayers, and then moving on with my day check my religious duty is fulfilled. I can now go on with my own agenda.

A few months ago, Jesus challenged me not to worry about a time frame or even bother with journaling during our time together. He said, “You could spend six hours a day reading novels; why don’t we read My story together and treat it like you have never read it before? Let Me show you the wonder of My love through fresh eyes.” So, that is what I’ve started doing. 

I felt like I was supposed to purchase a Chronological Study Bible, packed with lots of historical, cultural, and archeological gems in the side notes. 

I’m now reading His story, and He’s showing me new facets of His character and beauty every day!                     Has reading the Word and prayer become a chore for you?  

Perhaps it’s time for a reset. 

Ask Jesus what He thinks.

Nicole Boyd    

  The Glorious Mystery

                     One Body with Many Members

For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit, we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.

For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.

The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable, we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. 

1 Corinthians 12:12–27

God designed us to function as one unified whole. Isn’t it exciting that each one of us were created to be a facet of the collective Bride of Christ? 

 Colossians 1:16 says, (paraphrasing) “For in Him all things were created, and in Him, all things are perfectly fitted and held together.” 

That is what God is doing with His beautiful Bride. He is fitting us together in unity because He is the One holding us together. We, as His Bride, are His glorious mystery being revealed. What is this glorious mystery? It is Christ in us, the hope of glory. When the culmination of the ages converge in one moment, we as His Bride will be fitted perfectly together, and we will have the most beautiful gown ever designed or created. It will be from our unified white robes that our gown is being made. Our helmets, which we proudly wore because of the Blood of the Lamb and what Jesus did for us, will now be turned into an exquisite veil. Jesus will lift the veil from our eyes, and we will see who He is face to face. No longer seeing Him or one another with a veiled face, but seeing one another and Him in all Glory because of Him.

2 Corinthians 2:15-17, But thanks be to God, who always leads us in Christ’s triumphal procession and through us spreads the aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. For to God, we are the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To some, we are an aroma of death leading to death, but to others, an aroma of life leading to life. Who is adequate for these things? For we do not market the Word of God for profit like so many. On the contrary, we speak with sincerity in Christ, as from God and before God.

We, the Bride of Christ, are a unified body, so beautifully fit together and held together by God. The anointing we carry and the fruit we cultivate are His very fragrance. We are His Bride, and we are the purpose of His heart for such a time as this!

In closing:

Here are some “Kingdom Keys” to consider as we unite together as the Bride of Christ.

• Unity and “one anothering” is essential.

• Knowing that each one of us is a beautiful facet of Him.

• Cultivating our fruit.

• We can only usher in a harvest by doing it together.

• Have the liberty to move in the gifting God has given you. You are a hand, a foot, an eye, an ear; collectively, we are His Body and His Bride.

• Celebrating one another always!

 As we get closer to the imminent return of our King Jesus, may we, as His Bride, come together in one Spirit and in one accord. May we lock arms on the battlefield as His Bride with Army Boots, and may we in one voice cry out, “Maranatha, “Our Lord has come, and He is coming back again. Selah!

Lord Jesus, come quickly!

Blessings and Maranatha,

Joy Pharo

The other day a lady from my childhood commented on my Facebook post, and she said, 

“Oh, Jenny, I’m so proud of you. I remember you in children’s church; you were such a precious little girl.” 

That comment made me wish I could’ve been her watching my child-self while I worshiped and interacted with Jesus.  Knowing what I know now, I would’ve asked…..

“Do you know how much Jesus loves you? ‘Cause He does!” 

As a little girl, I truly loved Jesus and wanted everyone to know Him.  I held little “Jesus Crusades” in elementary school during recess.  But my burden was that I didn’t understand that when I made mistakes, Jesus still loved me.  I thought I needed to be perfect to be loved.  I had a performance-driven mentality.  I never wanted to disappoint Him.  I just wanted Him to love me and be proud of me.

I obviously made mistakes, and I felt bad about it, but I lived in shame and guilt all the time. I would repent for my sins, but I never felt freedom from guilt or shame.  I still saw myself as a sinner.  I had a great fear of punishment. 

The word of God says, 

Such love has no fear because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced His perfect love.  1 John 4:8 NLT

Because I didn’t understand His grace or His love, I began to lose hope and the Joy of my Salvation…By the age of 16, I gave up on Christianity, which meant I gave up on the ONE who truly loved me. While there was a BIG buildup of reasons why the biggest reason was my lack of understanding of the grace and love of Jesus!  I knew God hated sin, and since I  was still sinning, somehow I interpreted that as “He hated me.” 

Those around me didn’t understand grace, and they had their own interpretation of love.  Even though we are ALL saved by grace through faith, we don’t fully understand grace. It’s mind-blowing and undeserved.  This makes it hard to explain.   Grace enables us to live a victorious and abundant life. This critical message of grace and love is the biggest game-changer a believer can receive.

I now have three grown men I’ve raised. I struggled with fear off and on raising them. I tried to explain grace through faith, but I feel that’s something that we learn from Him or through our own experience supernaturally.

Who can truly explain grace?  

Those who’ve lived under the law know the struggle. As human beings, we struggle to understand the things of God, and it’s only by His grace through the Spirit that we learn the things of Him. As far as grace goes, until you blow it or someone else you love blows it, you may not have a good picture of what grace looks like.  God will reveal it to you when you need it. 

Have you ever had to extend grace to someone?  It’s easier to have grace for someone when you feel like they deserve it, but when they don’t deserve it, that’s a whole other thing.  

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  Romans 5:8

God’s grace is unmerited: not adequately earned or deserved 

Grace: grace, in Christian theology, is the spontaneous, unmerited gift of the divine favor in the salvation of sinners and the divine influence operating in individuals for their regeneration and sanctification. (Encyclopedia Britannica)

“God’s favor toward the unworthy.”  

We don’t have to be worthy to receive it.  He showers it on the one who reaches out for it.  Grace is the enabling source given to us to be who He transforms us to be and do all that He calls us to do.  It’s He that gets the glory, all the glory.  A person surrendered to a most loving and gracious Father will be loved, and grace will fall like rain! 

If I would have met someone who was deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, they could have helped me begin to scratch the surface of understanding what His Love paid for and what grace meant.  

My words to my child-self would have been chosen carefully. They would have been seasoned well with grace and love, heavy on His faithfulness and His goodness.  I would’ve stressed the importance of trusting Him to complete the work that He began in me and with me.  I would have emphasized that He IS Holy Love and Grace. When He disciplines those He loves, He does it with Holy Love, which will draw you to repentance, and His grace is enough.  We know He’s good, and His mercy endures forever.  Instead of looking at discipline as punishment, look at discipline coming from the One who loves us and draws us through His loving kindness.  We should run to judgment. Judgment from THE ONE WHO knows all, sees all, and loves ALL. He wants the best for us, and He will constantly work for us.  He is so good!

Oh, get wrapped in His perfect love!

Jen Meyers

Sanctioned Love

  Passivity Is Not The Same As Peace

As I have gotten older, I have learned that I can’t “sweat the small stuff” like I used to do. I have not perfected this, but at least I know what this saying means. The many seasons of my life have shown me that I have way less control over what things look like than I ever thought possible. Though I am not completely rounded, many of my square edges have been rubbed off by the natural grindings of life. I realized that I was starting to relax more and, well……care less. This seemed to be a good thing at first. But as days wore on, I began to talk to the Lord more and more about my lack of drive. Why was I feeling so flat? Was it because I had to lay so many things down in my life that I had forgotten how to pick them back up again? What was it? I was sincerely petitioning Jesus. That’s when I heard the Holy Spirit whisper this truth challenge in prayer one day. “Melissa, to be passive is not peace” Ouch! 

Was I giving myself permission to feel less, care less, or contribute less? Was I bumping into a wall or maybe some sort of self-protection? This approach definitely makes things seem easier, but it is most definitely NOT peace. 

Peace is not a passive disconnect; peace requires action! 

Peace takes action words like faith, completeness, harmony, and well-being. All components of our willingness to grow, stretch, and believe. Believe is also a HUGE action word because it requires more than a thought. 

To “believe” is a product of choice, and we all know that choice is most often challenged. 

Peace in our daily lives comes to us as a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22). The peace the Holy Spirit brings is contentment, and wholeness, no matter the circumstances.

Let’s focus on the following verses as they will sum up this entire conversation. They will settle you but not pacify you. These Scriptures are some of the Divine Words that our Savior died for; they are His living Words for us to eat and digest. Words that promote a choice to stir up the action of His supernatural gift of peace.

Berean Study Bible
Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me, put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:9

Amplified Bible
“HE MUST TURN AWAY FROM WICKEDNESS AND DO WHAT IS RIGHT. HE MUST SEARCH FOR PEACE [with God, with self, with others] AND PURSUE IT EAGERLY [actively—not merely desiring it]. 1Peter 3:11 

New American Standard Bible
And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7 

Amplified Bible
Let the peace of Christ [the inner calm of one who walks daily with Him] be the controlling factor in your hearts [deciding and settling questions that arise]. To this peace indeed, you were called as members in one body [of believers]. And be thankful [to God always]. Colossians 3:15 

New International Version
You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast because they trust in you. Isaiah 26:3 

Amplified Bible
Peace I leave with you; My [perfect] peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be afraid. [Let My perfect peace calm you in every circumstance and give you courage and strength for every challenge.] John 14:27  

New Living Translation
Dear brothers and sisters, I close my letter with these last words: Be joyful. Grow to maturity. Encourage each other. Live in harmony and peace. Then the God of love and peace will be with you. 2 Corinthians 13:11 

May this blog create a more in-depth investigation in your journey for true peace.

Love, from one seeker to another. 

Your sister in Christ,

Melissa Norris

Prayer Is The Foundation For Everything

Prayer is the foundation for everything, and if ever there was a time we needed to know how to pray and see results, it is now!

So, what is prayer?

Prayer is communicating and communing with the Godhead-Father God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit. Getting to know and deepen our relationship with Them. The more one-on-one time we spend in prayer with the Godhead, the more we know the heart of God.

Prayer is also about the condition of your heart. Where is your prayer coming from? What is your heart’s motive for prayer? Love for God or love for yourself? Are you trying to impress others? God is not a genie in a bottle. Nor is prayer trying to twist God’s arm to get Him to do something. 

We often want a deep relationship with the Godhead and the benefits it brings, like being able to pray with power and see things happen. Yet we do not want to put in the time and commitment that it takes. We want the benefits without the sacrifice.

Intimacy is the key—Intimacy with the Godhead.

When prayer comes out of intimacy, we learn to relate to the Godhead-all three of Them. We get to know Their heart. We become more “in tune” with Them in our everyday lives as we learn and grow in intimacy with the Godhead, and out of that, we can pray with and in power-God’s power, not ours.

First, however, we must have a relationship with the Godhead. 

We cannot earn our salvation; we are saved by God’s grace when we put our faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. As stated earlier, what matters to God is the attitude/condition of our heart when we pray to Him. 

Romans 10:9 says, If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

How do we do that? Through a simple heart-felt prayer, like the following, to accept Christ as your Savior:

Dear Father God,

I know I’m a sinner, and I ask for Your forgiveness.

I believe Jesus Christ is Your Son. 

I believe that Jesus died for my sins and that three days later, You were raised to life.  

I want to trust You, Jesus, as my Savior and follow You as my Lord from this day forward. Guide my life and help me to do Your will.

I pray this in the Name of Jesus, Amen.**

Once we have a relationship with the Godhead, we will want to know the Holy Spirit better, for He is our greatest helper, intercessor, and teacher when it comes to prayer. 

Where do we start? We begin with a deep hunger and cry to know and have a deep relationship with the Holy Spirit, which we can do by simply asking in Him in prayer. 

“Holy Spirit, I want to know You and have a deep relationship with You. Give me a deep hunger and thirst to know You. In Jesus Name, Amen” 

And He will!

The Holy Spirit reveals secrets and mysteries to us as we pray. In His wisdom, the Holy Spirit shows us revelations and teaches us how to pray and be trustworthy in our prayers. We must learn to steward the revelations the Holy Spirit shares with us, for we are stewarding the very heart of God. As we do, God will share more secrets with us through the Holy Spirit. 

1 Corinthians 2:9 says, – Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for those who love Him. 

How exciting to be able to know the heart of God Himself!

And it is available to everyone!

What are you waiting for?

By: Lynda Renne

** If you have prayed either one of the prayers above and would like to find out more about salvation, a relationship with Jesus, or are in need of prayer, please contact Sanctioned Love at 541-591-1558. A team member would love to talk with you. 

If you have a prayer request, please contact Sanctioned Love through our website at www.SanctionedLove.com, and a team member will respond to your request ASAP.  

Phone:  541-591-1558

                   www.SanctionedLove.com 

                          P.O. Box 7478, Klamath Falls, OR  97602

Fasting, Whose Idea Was It Anyway?!

Sanctioned Love just finished a Pastor’s Wives and Women in Leadership Conference. Our fearless leader, Lynda Renne, heard the Father say, “I want the team to fast during her time with Him. If you are going to ask these women who are coming to the conference to sacrifice, you must go first. Have the team fast for a month prior to the conference. It must be food, and it MUST cost them something.” Each of us was to ask the Godhead individually what we were to fast.

Note key words: sacrifice and cost us.

Have you ever fasted? I mean, really fasted. Like, fasted, fasted. Jesus chose carbs and sugars for me to fast. Those are my two main food groups! So, it definitely was a sacrifice for me.

My fasting did make me more tired and a bit weaker physically. Which, in turn, made my emotions, the ones I keep locked up in a box inside my heart, a bit more “tangible.” You know the ones.

All the times my heart got injured and “I let them go,” or “I got over them,” or I said, “it’s OK,” or “I gave them to Jesus,” yet there was still “residue” left. That little piece that gets triggered when someone gets too close to a hurt.

Now, I personally thought I was doing well, but………

“Out of the overflow of the mouth, the heart speaks.”

                                                                             Matthew 12:34 RRV                                                                           (Rheyma Revised Version)

Yes, I know I quoted it backwards. But that is how my mind works. I hear myself say something that reveals what’s in my heart, and Uh oh, time to check my “heart injury box.” Make sure it is secure and locked tight.

Little did I know my fasting or my obedience or both were thinning the walls of my “heart injury box,” which was a problem. The walls were thinning, and the seams were coming apart, even though it was still locked up tight. “Things”- old injuries, old hurts, deep hurts were starting to leak out of my box, my mouth, and even my eyes. No matter how hard I tried to “shore up” my box, I could not. My usual methods, which I had perfected over the years, weren’t working.

Let me give you a visual:

Have you ever had a toilet overflow? At someone else’s house? You immediately go into “let’s hide-it mode.” You quickly grab the plunger and plunge away. No luck. The toilet is still overflowing. Then you lean over and turn off the water. This does stop the flow coming into the toilet but doesn’t stop the flow coming out. “Liquid” is everywhere! You grab towels and start sopping things up. Then you grab the toilet brush and start frantically “sweeping things” away from the door, but too late, it has already seeped under the bathroom door and is now infiltrating the hall, which has carpet! You think to yourself, maybe no one will notice. Really, Rheyma? Are you being serious right now?                                                                 

I think you got the visual.

That’s what I felt was happening inside me. Nothing I was doing was working. My emotions were leaking out, my hurts were leaking out, and I was reliving them all over again, feelings/emotions and triggers included. Worse yet, my mouth was leaking as well as my eyes. I couldn’t seem to do a thing about it. I felt like a big puddle of emotions – the ones I had “conquered.” And if not conquered, at least successfully hidden. Or at least I  thought so.

NOPE! NOPE!  and  NOPE!

God obviously saw them.

Jesus: “Why don’t you give Me the box Rheyma? The whole box, not just a hurt or two”.

Me: “Why didn’t I think of that?” Well, actually, I did. I even tried once or twice, but that was when I was operating in the flesh and in religion. I allowed the enemy to use my heart injury box to keep me hostage.

Let me repeat that.

I allowed the enemy to use my heart injury box to keep me hostage.

Me, again: “OK Jesus, here is my box. You can have the entire leaky, stinky thing”. I actually handed it to Him prophetically – like “for reals” this time.

So, what did my obedience and fasting do? It gave me freedom. Freedom from “toilet particles” I have kept hidden for years.                                 

As a very dear 80-year-old friend told me, “I find myself living more in the “now” because I don’t have time to carry around yesterday’s baggage.”

Is there a wet towel possibly hiding in the corner? Maybe, but I will kick it over to Jesus so He can deal with it. After all, He knows how to walk on water, you know!

Addendum:

Two days after submitting my blog, my heart was “injured,” pretty deeply. So, now what do I do? How do I walk this out authentically? – Jesus-ly? I have nowhere to hide my hurt now. I feel very vulnerable, very naked, and I don’t know what to do.    Like I think Adam and Eve may have felt after “snacking” on the forbidden fruit and quickly threw on some fig leaves, hoping God wouldn’t notice.

Me:  “Jesus, I’m scared. I’ve never been without “my box,” and I don’t like it.       Oh…….You want to be “my box?” Lean into You? Lean totally into trusting You? Like, take my human reasoning and my human “game-playing” off? Take my hands off the situation and don’t mope around in my pain puddle? I mean, I kind of want to mope. Not a lot, just enough for people to notice, and the one who hurt me to feel bad.”

Jesus:  “You can absolutely do that, Rheyma, but not if you want to grow in your walk with Me or see the beauty I can bring out of this situation and in this relationship.”

Me:  BIG, BIG SIGH

Jesus:  “Rheyma, why don’t you re-read the *devotional you read this morning.

Me:  “OK, Jesus. But You still know my emotions are all tied up in knots, and I don’t know how to walk this out – Right?”

Jesus:  “Yes, Rheyma, I do. Now tell Me, what did you read?”

Me:  “You said, You have established a covenant of love between You and me. You haven’t left me alone even when I don’t perceive/feel Your love. Your love is beyond logic. It cannot be discovered with my mind or by my human reasoning. Your love IS REAL. It is as real as the warmth of a blanket on a cold night. . . Your love won’t fail or diminish even when I mess up.                                                                                            You are my fierce protector. I like that word fierce, by the way. Not just strongly protects me but fiercely protects me. Can I add fiercely protects my heart? I need that right now because my heart is incredibly vulnerable and extremely hurt.                                                                                                                                        

Then You said, Abide in My love. Rest in My love. Expect to see My love demonstrated in your life Rheyma as you lean into Me. Lean hard, lean strong, and lean totally into Me. I AM your fierce protector.”

Me still:  “OK, Jesus, I receive Your love, and I speak that out loud so I can hear it, the enemy can hear it, and my heart can hear it. As I speak it out, I will intentionally lean into You. By the prophetic act of leaning my whole body into You and saying, ‘I am trusting (on-going present tense) You, Jesus, and I receive Your love.’ Then I will intentionally and continually release (on-going present tense) my hands off the situation. How? By running to You the second I start to “feel” afraid; the second I start to “feel” my hands get sweaty as my emotions tie up in knots; the second I start to “feel” like I want to control the situation, or the person; or just plain run, hide and say ‘forget it – too hard.’ I am thankful You didn’t say that in the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus. Thank You.’”

Me again:  “Jesus, did You notice that there were a lot of “feel’s” in what I just said? I’m thinking that “feel” and truth aren’t the same thing. Like maybe I have to stand against my “feelings” when my “feelings” are standing against Your truth.    Which isn’t always so easy. That is why I am going to proclaim Your truth     OUT LOUD! over myself, and my “feelings,” again and again, and again.”

Me some more:  “OK God. OK Jesus. And Holy Spirit, I will need You too. I have never traveled without my “heart injury box” for protection. Now, You three are going to be my protectors, my guides, and my safe harbor on this journey. To be honest, and I mean like really honest, I’ve never traveled this road or this far with You all.

Me: Thinking more, processing more, and chatting more with Jesus:  “Jesus, what if I don’t walk this well? This isn’t easy; I’m afraid; My heart is fearful. What if my heart gets hurt again? I don’t like feeling the hurt. It’s painful, and I want to build a new box!

Jesus: “Walk with Me, Rheyma. Tell Me all that is on your heart. You will be able to release your pain when you release your grip on the hurt.”

Me: OK, Jesus. I will lean into You and on You as strong and fully as I know how, expecting all three of You to show up and do what You do best,

.…….work SUPERNATURALLY………

So, here we go, Jesus, You, me, Holy Spirit, and Father.”

Rheyma Oosterman

*Devotional

HEAR HIS Whisper (Simmons, Rodriguez 2019)

HE will do it

I was reading in Acts the other day, particularly in Chapter 5, and I saw something that seemed to jump right off the page at me. We see how the gospel spread like wildfire through Jerusalem during the previous chapters. But not everyone was “gung-ho” about it. The apostles were beaten and imprisoned by the religious leaders, who ordered them not to preach in the name of Jesus anymore. Of course, they did not listen, saying they had to obey God rather than men.

But here is what got my attention. A Pharisee named Gamaliel stood up in the assembly. All the religious leaders were arguing as they tried to figure out what to do with the apostles.

Then he (Gamaliel) addressed the Sanhedrin: “Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men. Some time ago, Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing. After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He, too, was killed, and all his followers were scattered. Therefore, in the present case, I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But, if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.” Acts 5:35-39

I thought this was so powerful, especially verse 39. Obviously, the apostles’ message was from God because it is still spreading and growing today!

That scripture also reminded me of Revelation 3:7b which says,

These are the words of Him who is holy and true, Who holds the key of David. What He opens no one can shut, and what He shuts no one can open.”

I was thinking about these portions of scripture regarding the promises of God. If God has promised you something, whether it be a prayer you’ve prayed, an opportunity, or your calling – HE will do it.

Matthew Henry writes in his commentary: “He openeth, and no man shutteth; He shutteth, and no man openeth; He works to will and to do, and when He works, none can hinder.”

I have to be honest; I have felt so overwhelmed and stressed lately. The last few months of 2021 were challenging for several reasons. Still, I have literally just realized that it is because I have been striving to make it in my own power. I’ve left my sacred time with Jesus by the wayside (no wonder I’ve been struggling with exhaustion, burn-out, frustration, and a sense of being overwhelmed!) I live so much in the future – what will I do and accomplish – that I forget to live in the moment. What is God calling me to do today?

I have not figured it all out, but I am on my way to healing. I realized that I must come to a place of surrender once more, a place of knowing that what He has called me to do, HE will do it. It’s never been by my own power. HE will see that it is accomplished–in His timing and by His grace.

It’s so simple and yet so profound, isn’t it? If you relate to this in any way, I hope you will pray this with me today.

“Jesus, I confess that I have been trying to accomplish [whatever it is] on my

own. Forgive me for any pride I have allowed in my heart. I humbly submit

myself to You and the high-calling You have placed on my life. I love You.

In Your holy and precious Name, Amen.”

I know that distraction and stress are tools that the enemy uses to get my eyes off Jesus, and it’s a good reminder to always bring my focus back to Him. He will open and shut the doors, and no amount of my own striving will open or close them. Let Him do “His thing,” dear one. He will give

and accomplish – that I forget to live in the moment. What is God calling me to do today?

I have not figured it all out, but I am on my way to healing. I realized that I must come to a place of surrender once more, a place of knowing that what He has called me to do, HE will do it. It’s never been by my own power. HE will see that it is accomplished–in His timing and by His grace.

It’s so simple and yet so profound, isn’t it? If you relate to this in any way, I hope you will pray this with me today.

“Jesus, I confess that I have been trying to accomplish [whatever it is] on my

own. Forgive me for any pride I have allowed in my heart. I humbly submit

myself to You and the high-calling You have placed on my life. I love You.

In Your holy and precious Name, Amen.”

I know that distraction and stress are tools that the enemy uses to get my eyes off Jesus, and it’s a good reminder to always bring my focus back to Him. He will open and shut the doors, and no amount of my own striving will open or close them. Let Him do “His thing,” dear one. He will give you the grace and strength to partner with Holy Spirit.

Nicole Boyd

Sanctioned Love

TIME

The First thing that God created on Earth was TIME.

In the beginning, when He spoke and said, “Let there be light,” time began. It was the start of the timeline of humanity. It was the beginning of time. God, in His mercy, has given us years upon years of time.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 says;

There is a time for everything,

and a season for every activity under the heavens:

a time to be born and a time to die,

a time to plant and a time to uproot,

a time to kill and a time to heal,

a time to tear down and a time to build,

a time to weep and a time to laugh,

a time to mourn and a time to dance,

a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,

a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,

a time to search and a time to give up,

a time to keep and a time to throw away,

a time to tear and a time to mend,

a time to be silent and a time to speak,

a time to love and a time to hate,

a time for war and a time for peace.

John 1:1-4 says,  

In the beginning, was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.  All things were made through Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

God gave John insight about time; it started from the beginning. When John wrote the Gospel of John, God had placed John in the middle of the timeline of “HIStory” (God’s Story). John took us back to the beginning of time so that he could truly prove that our Alpha and Omega is JESUS, the Author of time, the Word that became flesh, and the finisher of our faith!  

John was also given a vision about the end of time and wrote the Book of Revelation, which speaks of the end times. There is undoubtedly a “time” for everything, and there is a time when time is no more. It’s called eternity!

God has given us time to call on His name so that we can be saved. He has given us time to repent and surrender to His love. He has given us time to proclaim His Majesty and to proclaim Him to those who need a Savior. He has given us time to grow in intimacy with Him and to grasp His unconditional love for us! He is giving us time to bring in a harvest of souls before His return…for such a time as this!

As we approach the end of time and usher in the King of kings and Lord of lords may our hearts be fully aware of what time it is. May we be comforted in knowing that God is outside of time. He knows the beginning and the end because He IS the Beginning and the End. He said that He would be with us always, even until the end of the age – until the end of time.

Maranatha

*Joy Pharo

Sanctioned Love

Many believers do not know the Word of God, let alone know how to use it against the enemy.

The enemy is defenseless to the believer who knows the Word of God and knows how to wield his Sword——and does.

Ephesians 6:17

And take the helmet of salvation, and the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.

This morning I got a picture of a believer who was given an actual sword but had no idea how to hold or use it.  It was hard for him to lift because it was so heavy.  The enemy entered the scene and noticed this immediately.  He had his own “weapons of choice” and was very skilled in their use.  The believer took his huge and powerful sword, and swung it awkwardly at the enemy.  It was hard for me to watch.  It was apparent this believer had no idea how to fight, let alone how to use his heavy sword.  It looked like he could’ve bruised the enemy or maybe even cut him a little, but nothing major enough to faze him.  The enemy then countered.  He came at the believer with his weapons, knowing precisely how to hold them and where to hit.  He hit the believer where it hurt most, knocking the sword right out of the believer’s hand.

This is what it’s like when a believer has no idea exactly what the Word of God says, how to use it or the power it has to defeat the enemy.  Sure, they might believe the Bible is God’s Word and that it has power and authority.  They may even pick it up occasionally but haven’t become proficient in it.  They haven’t built their “spiritual muscles” up in it to know how to hold it and/or swing it.  Bottom line: They don’t know how to use their Sword properly.

The believer must read his/her “Sword,” study it, know its power and become skilled in how to use its power.  If the believer doesn’t do this, the enemy can tell immediately and will come and pollute it or steal what he can, taking that believer out.  But Satan knows that if a believer gets the Word of God “down” (knows it and how to use it), rightly dividing the Word, he’s done for!

2 Timothy 2:15

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the Word of Truth.

Hebrews 4:12

For the Word of God is living quick, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Swords are not offensive but defensive weapons.  They are used to cut, thrust, stab, mortally wound, and slice things right down the middle (rightly divide).  They can also be used to block a fatal hit of an opponent’s sword/weapon.

The Word of God is God’s Word-His spoken Word and His authority. He has given to us to use and it is meant to be used mightily and skillfully in the mouths of His believers!

Now, it can work two ways. God’s Word used properly can work for you and against the enemy (positive result, positive impact) or, it can work against you and for the enemy (negative result, very negative impact).  That is why it’s so vital to know how to be a skilled swordsman.

Every other piece of God’s armor (Ephesians 6) is meant to stay close and tight to the body, protecting and enabling you to move forward to take your stance against your enemy.

Of course, you always could always take your shield (your faith) and “whack” the enemy with it.  But then, you wouldn’t be holding it in the correct offensive position-tightly protecting your vital areas from the fiery darts of the enemy!

I googled “What makes a person a skilled swordsman,” and this is what I found.

It’s the ability to be highly proficient in the way of the sword.

The capabilities of a skilled swordsman are:

• They can demonstrate a natural aptitude for the ways of the sword.

• They can wield a sword with incredible expertise in speed, power, and skill. This will allow them to perform feats such as stopping and deflecting bullets, decimating large objects or areas, cutting through a solid material such as steel, and even hold back their strength to deal damage to their foes without killing them.

• The user can operate with little or no effort, deliver skillful strikes to weak points with great precision, and cut only and exactly what they want.

• This ability also allows them to become naturally skilled with multiple swords or any bladed weapon regardless of shape or size to suit their needs in combat.

• Their swift weapon control may allow them to bypass obstacles to cut their intended target.

We must know the Word of our God-our Sword.  We must have it in our hearts and become skilled in using it.  Swords are heavy and must be picked up and held multiple times daily.  It should feel like an extension of our bodies.  Our “spiritual muscles” are developed as we use them often.  We become stronger and more proficient each time we have to lift-read and use-the Word.  The more a person picks up his/her Sword, the more comfortable they become holding and wielding it.

So, use and “wear” your weapons God has given you, correctly and the enemy doesn’t have a chance!  He becomes defenseless against a believer who is a Skilled Swordsman!

Jen Meyers

Sanctioned Love

Staying Hungry

“Stay hungry”

What do you think when you hear those words?

Do you think, “keep an appetite for something yummy,” “don’t overeat,” “some weird diet fad,” or maybe you think, “I am always hungry!” When I say these words, I am not talking about food at all. I do love food, but we will save that for another blog!

Luke 8:21a, says, “God blesses you who are hungry now, for you will be satisfied.”

Being hungry for Jesus is so important. Sometimes, however, sometimes when we experience “spiritual highs” we forget to keep pursuing Jesus full force.

These “spiritual highs” can come in many forms. We can experience them after an amazing conference or a word we received that was so “spot on” we knew Jesus saw us and the things we were going through. It could be a simple, yet powerful, encounter with Jesus, or it could even be a quiet whisper from Him during your prayer time. There are so many ways a “spiritual high” can come. There is nothing wrong with having a “spiritual high” and feeling “spiritually full,” but we cannot stay there. We should never feel like we “have arrived” and are good where we are in our walk with Jesus.

Something you may have experienced, I know I have, is when you have found yourself in a “season of war” where you are fighting, contending for breakthrough and revelation, but once you receive it, you need a break. We are, after all, human. Our flesh gets physically tired from the spiritual fighting. We can have “spiritual highs” and “spiritual lows,” but we must always be pursuing the Father’s heart for our lives and for others. 

We are taught to stop eating when we are full or on the verge of being full. As Christians, we are supposed to be full of God’s Word at all times! “Switching brains” can be the biggest challenge with staying hungry while also staying full. As I keep trying to grow in this department-I’m talking spiritually, not food-I have learned a few things that I would like to share with you.                                                                                           

As a friend of Jesus, I don’t like doing things because the Bible says so or people tell me I must. I want to understand the why. If we do not understand the heartbeat and the why we usually end up “doing” just because, which then can become religious. I try to stay so far away from anything that even smells religious. I want to learn and understand how to stay full and stay hungry all at the same time. 

In the physical you can be hungry and not know what you are hungry for or what even sounds good. In the Spirit, however, your hunger is for more of Jesus. When you have tasted and seen His goodness in your life, you want more. You then begin to trust Him with bigger and deeper things in your life. As you continue to see Him be more faithful in your life, you know that He sees you, and your hunger to know Him more begins to grow and grow.

When we have struggles, our hunger can also grow. When you are hungry, even when you are full, you know you have experienced life with Jesus. You know He is good and faithful. You know He loves you, will provide and take care of you. You know He sees you, chooses you, and has placed you where you are for a purpose. You wake up in the morning, and the first thing you want to do is spend time with Jesus. You want to hear what He wants to say about your day, about you, about a friend or loved one, about your job, or your family. You want to hear whatever He has to say to you.

But if you find yourself not being the person I described above, know that there is no shame what-so-ever. Jesus never shames us. We all have seasons where “life happens” and things come up, but we cannot stay there. 

When you feel your blood sugar dropping, you might eat a small power bar to get some quick nutrition because if you don’t, your blood sugar will crash soon. It is kind of the same with our relationships with Jesus. God cares about the intentions of our hearts and the actions we take. He always has grace and mercy towards us, but it does take effort and persistence on our part to make sure we get that spiritual power bar every day! Jesus is our power bar! He sustains us in the storms. He provides when we are lacking. He gives us strength when we are weak. His love covers everything! Why would we not want more of Him? 

I believe that there are two crowds of people that this blog mainly pertains to. Those who have been to the table of God, have tasted and seen that He is good, and those who have not been to God’s table, haven’t tasted or seen that He is good yet have a yearning to taste something fulfilling and lasting. Jesus is the answer for it all.

If you have tasted and seen the goodness of Jesus, get back up to the table and see what else He has for you. He may want to show you a new dream, a new passion, a new friend, or a new person who needs to know Him, possibly a family member or co-worker. He may want to lead you into a new career. He may want to share something with you that’s especially for this day and age and why you exist in this time. He wants to speak to you! Come to the table! Come with a hungry palette!

To those that have not tasted and seen, He has chosen you for such a time as this. He desires for you to know Him like He knows you. He knows what makes you cry and what makes you smile. He knows what you want for life and your family. He knows your deepest heart desires. He wants a relationship with you! 

People need to know Jesus, not just know of Him. Knowing of Him is not enough. We must be hungry for Him and His ways. Get to know Him and stay hungry for Him, continually yearning for more. God is not a genie in a bottle. He wants to have a relationship with us. He wants to share with us and, in return, wants us to share with Him.

Let us come to the table.

Come hungry, stay full.

Come hungry again.

Megan Stockwell

Sanctioned Love