2022 January
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Listening to the Father’s Heart
Son, do you realize that I am your greatest cheerleader? Sometimes you beat yourself up because you fall short. Hey, no one is perfect. Only my son made the “A” plan. You and the rest of my sons and daughters must realize I make your “B” and “C” plans my “A” plan. Remember, I am
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It’s Time for a Funeral
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. (Gal 2:20). “There’s nothing wrong with you that a good funeral won’t solve,” I said to the woman. “I’ll even send you flowers!” She smiled in response. I was speaking figuratively to the woman who was stressing out about
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Listening to the Father’s Heart
Son, I have been showing you something about my nature few ever come to realize. I am a God of covenant. When I make a covenant, I never break it. I made a covenant with Abraham that was totally dependent on me, not on Abraham. Many of my sons and daughters live based on contract.
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Obedience-Based Decisions Versus Skill and Ability
As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, move out to battle. – 1 Chronicles 14:15a The Philistines were attacking. David wanted to know how to respond. His first inquiry of God revealed that he was to attack the Philistines straightaway and God would give him victory.
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The New Employee
“But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.” (2 Cor 4:7). What would happen if Jesus took your place for a year in your workplace? Let’s consider some hypothetical things that He might do. He would do His work with excellence.
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Move On!
…”Why are you crying out to Me? Tell the Israelites to move on.” – Exodus 14:15 Moses had brought the whole nation of Israel, approximately 600,000, to a dead end in the desert. The only thing between Israel and Pharaoh’s pursuing army was the Red Sea. This was after ten plagues God had inflicted on
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Listening to the Father’s Heart
Son, so many of my children live as tourists on my earth instead of my representatives sent to execute my will. The reason I want you to pray is so that I can fulfill my purposes. Earlier I explained to you that I require a human being to execute my will upon the earth. I
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Big Assignments
“The Israelites journeyed from Rameses to Succoth. There were about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides women and children.” (Ex 12:37-38). How does God prepare someone for big assignments? Consider the mission given to Moses. He was called to deliver an entire nation from slavery. The assignment was to bring six hundred thousand men,
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Finding The Will Of God
I desire to do Your will, O my God; Your law is within my heart. – Psalm 40:8 How would you describe the process by which you find and do God’s will in your life? For some, finding God’s will is like playing bumper cars. We keep going in one direction until we bump into
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Listening to the Father’s Heart
Do you remember the times your mother told you to stop crying when you were a child? “Yes, I remember a few times.” It was more than a few times. It was a lot of times. So much that it actually shut down your words. Son, you are not actually that quiet of a person.
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Living for a Cause Greater than Yourself
“Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”(Ps 82:3-4). God raises up leaders to take on causes that are much greater than themselves. However, these causes are often first birthed as a result of
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Wrestling With God
The sun rose above him as he passed Peniel, and he was limping because of his hip. – Genesis 32:31 Jacob was a man who was a controller. He connived and manipulated his way to get what he wanted. It was a generational stronghold passed down through his mother, who encouraged her son to play
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Listening to the Father’s Heart
It’s hard isn’t it, son? To love those who refuse your love and actually accuse you of the opposite. During your journey you have heard rightly, “Now you have truly felt the pain in my heart.” I have loved and loved and loved my sons and daughters. Yet, so many impugn my name, blaming me
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Secret Places
“I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name .”(Isa 45:3). When God takes you to a depth of soul experience be alert to new truths and new perspectives. During these times
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Knowing and Doing God’s Will
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” (Prov. 3:5-6). George Mueller was a pastor in England during the nineteenth century who knew what it meant to live a life that was focused on knowing
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Obedience
Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has brought trouble upon this people, and You have not rescued Your people at all. – Exodus 5:23 Have you ever felt that the more obedient you are to following God, the more adversity there is? Moses had been instructed to go to
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Listening to the Father’s Heart
Son, by now you know that I have been in a process of healing your heart. You did not know it needed healing until recently. The way that I heal a heart is by forcing you back to the place where your wound originated. For you, this was in childhood. I caused a crisis in
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Listening to the Father’s Heart
Son, it’s hard for you to believe I delight in who you are and all that you are, my son. Whatever shortcomings you may believe you have done does not reduce the extraordinary love I have for you. The evil one has planted thoughts into your head that you simply are unlovable. Nothing could be
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Sudden Ghosts in Life
When the disciples saw Him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. – Matthew 14:26 Have you ever had some unexpected event happen in your life that caused great fear? Sudden calamities can result in great fear unless we know Who is behind the event.
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Your Secular Work Is Ministry
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving (Col 3:23-25). I sat across the table from the well known seminary professor and
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God-Inspired Delays
Yet when He heard that Lazarus was sick, He stayed where He was two more days. – John 11:6 Delays in our life are not always easy to handle or to reconcile in our minds. Often, when God does not answer our prayers in the time that we feel He should, we appoint all sorts
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Listening to the Father’s Heart
Son, I am so pleased you are learning to “be” instead of “do”. It pleases me so much when we simply meet together without an agenda. I enjoy your company. So many of my kids seek my hand only instead of my face, my presence. All my kids have needs, and I am truly concerned
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When Your Sails No Longer Have Wind
He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven (Ps 107:29-30). Imagine for a moment you began an exciting sailing adventure. You’ve been trained to navigate and sail on the ocean and be ready should
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Listening to the Father’s Heart
Son, the afflictions you have suffered are producing an everlasting fruit that will be felt long past your time upon this earth. There is a connection to hardship and glory that you are called to. These have more to do with eternity than the now. I am working in you something so valuable. It is
