We Blog

Daily

Daily Reads

What's stopping your seek?

I think. I think a lot, I really do. While reading through the bible it has really forced me to question my motives and heart concerning a lot what I desire.

One of the most important aspects of the bible is Israel’s history of the kings. Each King had the exact assignment. However, each King had to decide whom they would seek. Would they seek the Lord or would they seek their own desires and do evil in the site of the Lord?

Let’s take Rehoboam for example. He sought the Lord. However, “when the kingdom of Rehoboam was established and strong, he and all Israel with him forsook the law of the Lord”. 2 Chronicles 12:1

This got me to thinking. At first I was fleshly and self-righteous. “You stupid King!” Was my thought. As though I am not capable of the very same thing.

As humans we praise God and pray most in the tough times. We are very reactive. When things are going great. We let up on our seek however, when things are hard-pressed on each side we want to seek God more fervently. We desire to hear from Him because the pain is unbearable or our hearts hurt and need to be healed.

But what happens after God has answered our prayers? After everything our hearts cry out for is given to us. Do we continue to seek the Lord or do we become like Rehoboam and turn away from the Lord after He has established us?

The answer is seen in 2 Chronicles 12:14 “He did evil because he did not set his heart to seek the Lord”. It is important to continually check y(our) hearts. Is our heart continually set on the Lord. After we get what we have prayed for, that husband/wife, house, job, salvation of our family members or the fulfillment of a prophecy do we still seek the Lord?

In all honesty it is my greatest fear that once I receive the fulfillment of the promises of God that I will I turn away. In order to combat the strength of my flesh I must continually set my heart on the Lord. It’s a daily process. Everything in this world desires to pull us away from “seeking first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness”. The combating principality doesn’t want us to receive “all things being added”. Our confidence as those who seek Jesus Christ is that He will answer those who diligently seek Him with all their heart. Will you seek the Lord? What’s stopping your seek? Leave comments please.

Love you. Be encouraged. This momentarily light affliction can not compare to the future glory!

Never Discourage

You never know who you are discouraging. Always encourage. Sometimes the logical and reasonable thing is the exact thing that is the discouragement. Clap, applaud, love by faith and not by sight! If you have been discouraged lately continue to press, continue to fight. Don’t let anything stop you from what you were created to do. I know that it looks like it won’t happen but God knows and He is standing right there with you giving nuggets of encouragement to keep you moving.

Redefine- "INSIDE OUT"

Over the last year God has really been working on me “INSIDE OUT”. This whole concept of “INSIDE OUT” keeps getting repeated. Everywhere I go, everything I listen to and whatever I look at “INSIDE OUT” keeps screaming at me. Christina, what do you look like on the inside (character)? What do you look like on the outside (appearance/femininity)? I am currently in the process of working on my femininity. A lot of ladies grew up discovering their femininity as a gift. I on the other hand resisted and rebelled against my femininity. I’ve decided to reveal myself “INSIDE OUT”. I will be blogging about my total make over process, getting rid of 85% of my current wardrobe and the rebellion against my insides that scream for me to stay the same and not evolve into God’s view of me! This should be fun! What areas of your life is God challenging? Are you living from the inside out? Please comment.

Note: This is so not comfortable for me. However; I know that other women deal with many of the issues that will come up in this continual conversation. You may not struggle with femininity but you may struggle with low self esteem. So much is going to come out of this journey. Fasten your seat belts its going to be a transparent ride. See beyond the lens!

Blow Your Whistle!

Prayer was so good for me today. I have really been struggling to understand all that has been going on in the world, church and my personal life. It is easy to get discouraged and simply fall into the mundane of this sinful world. God reminded me this morning that “All things are possible” (Mrk 10:27), “That desires of the heart are given with the ability to be completed with His sufficient grace working in us.”(Psalm 37:4), “That He is able to revive us according to His Word”, (Psalm 119:23) and “It is He who is cleaning us from the inside out”. (1 John 3:3)

In the midst of listening to my most played songs in my iTunes library “Blow Your Whistle” by Rhema Soul came on (the only song not worship music). It ignited something in me. It was as if God was telling me to “BLOW MY WHISTLE” stop playing around with the gifting in my life, prayer, the Word and my relationships. Instead, blow my whistle alerting the enemy that it’s time is up and that those I am assigned to have revival coming to them. So I blow my whistle on lack, incarceration, poverty, sexual prevision, wack unedifying music and media and most of alllll I blow my whistle on lack of intense straining to stay in the presence of God!!!!

Haiti: Where was God? A Response to Sin and Suffering

Whenever traumatic earth shattering events occur the human response is always. “Where is God?” “Why did God let this happen?” “How can God love us but let us die?” “Why my family?” “If God is real why did God let this happen?” So many valid questions run through the minds of those searching for answers. We have often separated God from suffering. We imagine that God is standing off on the side simply looking at those who are suffering. As though God is detached from our suffering.
The Israelites endured so much suffering while in Egypt. It was God who initiated the contact with them. He said, “I have surely seen the affliction of My people who are in Egypt, and have given heed to their cry because of their taskmasters, for I am aware of their sufferings”. God is fully aware of our suffering. He sees our suffering and desires to set us free from it. Freedom is not always being removed from the hurt and wounds. God did not create suffering however God uses suffering to deepen our relationship with Him. Where was God when the earthquake hit in Haiti? RIGHT THERE! Hearing the screams of the people. Weeping that so many people died at the hand of nature and poor building structures. Quickening saints around the world to pray. Hurting, angered, desiring to love and hold the people He created. Storing up the tears dropped.

God created a perfect world. However; sinful man broke relationship with a perfect God removing the beauty of that perfect world. Thousands of years later we experience things like droughts, earthquakes and tsunami’s. However, during this time I encourage us all to allow God to use us to help others in their suffering. Encourage the people of Haiti that there is a loving God who was and is with them. That God didn’t make this happen but that God was there while it was happening. That now is not the time to shrink back. (Hebrews 10:34-39). That the things lost can not compare to Christ Jesus. (Phil 3:8) That they are able to rebuild where nature has destroyed. That God is faithful to comfort the afflicted and needy. (2 Cor 1:3-4)

Let the people of Haiti know there is COMFORT in CHRIST JESUS. He is more than all that was lost! He has a response to their/our sin and suffering! We don’t know why what happened happened. But it did. It was not Haiti’s sin that caused this but the sins of humankind when we separated from God. Now is the time to master that sin by showing the love of Christ through helping our fellow citizens of this world. When they ask where is God? Let us say right here helping you over come this tragedy! Provoke change through ACTION (time, talent, treasure, prayer). May God change the hearts of those affected that they may enter the Kingdom of Heaven through this tragedy. (Matthew 5:3-11)

"The Shift" from the desk of John Gray

 width=

“So the Levites and the people did everything just as Jehoiada the priest ordered. The commanders took charge of the men reporting for duty that Sabbath, as well as those who were going off duty. Jehoiada the priest did not let anyone go home after their shift ended. 2 Chronicles 23:8 NLT

“Thou, O LORD, remainest for ever; thy throne from generation to generation. Lamentations 5:19 KJV
This one’s deep. You ready?

Welcome to today. 01/11/10.

Binary code. I know nothing about it. I’m not a computer genius. Yet. But I do know the voice of the Lord. I was on the phone with a phenomenal woman of God who is a prophetic voice in my life and she said, “Tomorrow is 011110.” As soon as she said it, the spirit of the Lord hit me. I got off the phone and knew God had sent a prophetic manna for those whom He has chosen to receive it.
Immediately the Holy Spirit told me to search computer code for the meaning. I knew watching “The Matrix” would one day come in handy. It was either that movie or some combination that and some other things, but I remembered that all computer code is made up of zeros and ones. The order of zeros and ones determines characters and bits and all of the other aspects of computing that we see. But that’s all I knew. Until right now.
All day on Sunday I was in the presence of The Lord in a significant way and I knew that He wanted me to release manna, but I wasn’t sure of the content. I couldn’t sleep that well from Saturday into Sunday, so I knew something was up. Then all day Sunday, I had one prophetic encounter after another. I was literally ripping the wrapping off of my destiny, as it seemed God had ordained every encounter of the entire day. Something had been loosed. Something was different. The air literally seemed new in my lungs. Lights were brighter. I wasn’t hallucinating. It had occurred.

The shift.

In binary code, there are character values and numerical values. The numerical value of 011110 is 30. The number 30 denotes the perfection of Divine order, as marking the right moment. Jesus was 30 when He began His ministry according to Luke 3:23. Joseph was 30 when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt according to Genesis 41:46. And David was 30 when he began to reign according to 2 Samuel 5:4.
What is the significance of all this? How does this apply to you? The binary code numeric value of 011110 is 30. The computer value, or character that corresponds to that number is the less-than sign. This sign Joseph was set up by God to be an influencer of world systems and structures to employ stealth kingdom wisdom and tactics to supply the people of God with food and sustenance in the time of a worldwide famine. Joseph was God’s man for that generation. He was a corporate leader who served God with all he had in an ungodly regime and distributed the wealth of the wicked to the righteous. But as great as he was, he was less than.
David was God’s man. He was the forgotten son, the scorned shepherd, the reviled little brother and scoffed-at warrior. He became a legend. Bear and lion killer. Giant slayer. Songwriter. Wealth accumulator. Wartime tactician. Man after God’s own heart. He was the prophetic forerunner of what a king and priest would one day look like. He was a great leader and example to his generation and many to follow. But even he was less than.
For there is One who embodied all that the Father desired to see manifest in the form of perfect obedience and willful relinquishing of His birthright as Son in Heaven in order to become Son of man in the earth. He is the great connector of all the generations. All things find their fullness in Him. He is the fulfillment of the Divine order. Glory to You Lord! He was 30 when it went public. Before then, in the worlds eyes and even amongst His family, he was less than. But then it shifted. Overnight, it shifted. Today is that day for you! God shifts your mind, your spirit and your unique calling into ‘hyperdrive’ where all can see it! And even if they choose not to follow you or believe you, they won’t be able to deny you!
You can’t get the less-than symbol unless you press the ‘shift’ button on your computer. Technology, as the language of our day, has dictated it as such. God has embedded within the fabric of today’s world a message for you: everyone and everything that has come before you was great, but it will all equal less than by the time God gets finished using you! The contributions of those that have come before us were great and some of us were intimidated to try to do something new because what came before us seemed so great. Microsoft. IBM. Coca-Cola. Proctor & Gamble. Amazing companies. With the ideas and anointing that God has released today, this very day, all those companies together will be less than once God unleashed what’s inside of you for the world!

PRAISE BREAK!

Bless God right now! This is a new decade. Not only that, but there’s also been a generational shift. Statistics say that this generation is the first one in the history of the country that won’t outdo their parents. The world has declared less than. But we are MORE THAN conquerors through Him that loved us! God shifts us beyond less than into the MORE THAN anointing right now. I know you think it’s crazy to try that idea. God knows it’s crazy. I know you think you don’t have enough money or resources or people to help. God knows you don’t. But that’s the beauty of the shift. Jehoiada was God’s man in the story up top. Do you know what his name means? Jehovah Knows! But since it was Jehovah God who gave you the idea, it is He who shall work in your generation to bring it to pass. Each generation outdoes the next. We’re next!
This word is for you. Maybe 20 people will grab this and run. Please email me and let me know who you are. Your idea will change the world. The entire world. You’ll be like Bill Gates, but you’ll be filled Gates, Holy Ghost filled. That’s you! Like Coke, but with glory smoke! Shekinah Cola! Hola! Worldwide is your calling. Ideas are falling. Stop stalling. Destiny is calling. It’s a gift, a spiritual uplift. Called to repair the rift, embrace the shift. Brighter than a star, you shall create worlds like Mars, blessed with spouses, houses and cars, your skies are clear blue like Avatars!
Go. Be great. Create. Don’t wait. It’s time to elevate. Anointed woman. Blessed Man. GO forth. You’re no longer less than. You are that generation. The shift has begun today.
Oh yeah, The Lord told me that you have to declare it as soon as you read this or your lack of faith mixed with the word will cause this unlimited time offer in the spirit to self destruct.

Wow! That’s surprising. I hear the sound of a generation rising!

Keep shifting,
John Gray

Am I A Friend?

We often reference that verse when we are thinking of how other people don’t/do love us. What about how we love others? I am being so challenged right now about my love towards others. It is easy to love people when everything is peachy. Male or female. But what about when you are on the verge of letting go? What about when you never want to talk to them again? What about when your feelings have been hurt? My flesh says, “Forget them”. But my heart says no love again like GOD loves (1 Peter 3:11). Don’t let go (Gal 6:9). Don’t do like you used to (2 Cor 5:17). Don’t shut down (1 Corinthians 13:7). Love at all times (James 3:15-17). When it hurts and when it feels good (1 Corinthians 13:5). Love isn’t contingent upon your emotional state (2 Corinthians 6:3-6). Love is intentional (1 John 4:18). Instead, I am choosing to trust (Ephesians 4:3) that God will heal me from whatever wounds I inflict and longsuffer with those that are my friends because A Friend Loves At All Times (Proverbs 17:17).

How you treat others exposes your view of God.The higher you view God, the more respect you show TO EVERYONE! 1 Pet.2:17- @RickWarren

What about you?

Cultural Masterbation…N.T. Wright On Managing Technology

Recently at our Austin Q gathering, I asked the participants to consider limiting their real-time tweets or live-blogging during sessions. Our hope was for each person to break away from the usual noise and take advantage of an opportunity to be fully present, engaged and reflective. Instead of “recording” the moment, we asked them to consider what this exposure to innovative ideas and new relationships might mean for them. Not their followers or readers—simply them.

My point wasn’t to suggest that these technology mediums were bad, but rather, to make a clear statement about the kind of gathering experience we are trying to create with Q. We were up front and honest about how certain technologies are prone to distract us from fully engaging. Instead of promoting it, we cautioned against it. This was our way of emphasizing how much we value embodiment…fully aware, in the moment, reflecting and responding to our surroundings.

Consider N.T. Wright’s recent thoughts that underscore the unintended consequences of social media.

NT Wright on Blogging/Social Media from Bill Kinnon on Vimeo.

As our team at Q maintains, the issue isn’t the technologies themselves, but how we manage them that’s critical. It seems to me, this is an area in which the church can offer something of great depth to a society struggling for authentic relationships and significance. Instead of blindly following the trends, what if we changed the conversation? What if we promoted the values of being fully present, fully human, and fully embodied? Not in word, but in the simplicity of actually showing up. Where technology helps us to do that better, we manage it. Where it doesn’t—tread carefully.

(Via http://www.qideas.org/blog/managing-technology.aspx)

This is a very interesting assessment of social media. I will say that I agree completely in more than a few areas.

Learning about love with roommates

One of the greatest lessons of love as a single person can be learned through roommates. My roommate and I often urk each other. In this season of my life she and a few others know the true in’s and out’s of me. She sees me cry when everyone else thinks things are going great. She endures with my little habits. She gets under my skin like no one else. However; I am learning so much about love through her. The bad things are outweighed by the lessons of not holding anything against her that she did yesterday. The lesson of serving without excepting anything in return but God being glorified. The lesson of being strong in areas that she is weak. I learn about love with my roommate by continually confessing 1 Corthinians 13 over our relationship and trying to apply it daily. How are you learning about love? Love starts with your own process of giving it not receiving it.

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous, it does not brag, and it is not proud. Love is not rude, is not selfish, and does not get upset with others. Love does not count up wrongs that have been done. Love takes no pleasure in evil but rejoices over the truth. Love patiently accepts all things. It always trusts, always hopes, and always endures. Love never ends. There are gifts of prophecy, but they will be ended. There are gifts of speaking in different languages, but those gifts will stop. There is the gift of knowledge, but it will come to an end. – 1 Cor 13:5-9 (NET)

']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })();