Simple Message- Give it All to Jesus

Although Evie Tornquist Karlson's music is from a simpler time,and without all the technical adornment's we find today, the message is timeless and beautiful.

The truth of the matter is, everyday we live and breath, we have a choice- to try to do it all ourselves, or to give God the reins.  Even as Christians too many times we spin our wheels "trying" to help God! Trying to fulfill our dreams, or snared into helping others to the point that we find ourselves frustrated and burned out.

This is not how God meant our lives to be.  To all you good 'church folk" out there: it is not about church functions, it is about functioning in a living, ever expanding, loving relationship with God and our fellow man!  It is not about going to church, it is BEING the church. The one that is made up of lively and precious stones, being built up and fitly joined together to form a living temple fit for HIS habitation.  We are to be living epistles, read of men... our life an example of His Love.

Love can be practiced in so many ways.  Through words and deeds. How about kindness?  How about that cup of cold water given to a parched throat, that helping hand to get back upon your feet, that smile at a stranger that warms their heart to receive more than just the smile? That "word"  that is both encouraging yet reminding the hearer that it came from God's heart through you.

We don't know what tomorrow holds, but we do know who holds tomorrow. It might look like tomorrow and all our futures are held hostage by maniacs bent on destroying life as we know it.  This is certainly true for the nation of Israel.  And really, it is true for many nations, as evil forces gather.

But even as those forces gather, there is also a gathering of God's angels.  God is not with out plans nor is He without power!  Although God put man in charge of the Garden of Eden and we blew it, He has not left us defenseless and rejected.  He sent a Savior.  He sent JESUS.  HE gave His best so that we can be our best - and actually be what HE created us to be.  His sons and daughters!

In a world that has gone so far from what the original intent of it was, and is so marred with sin and all of its by products, He still plants us in the middle of it. But this time instead of us being in a garden, we ARE the Garden. His garden.  And we are to meet Him there and share and gain what is needed for our day to day living.  Daily Manna, from Heaven.  It is still falling on the ground for us to pick up and partake of. Just come into the garden with Him and be refreshed.  And then go out into the world a firebrand, a flame, a torch, a candle that cannot be hidden!

But first give it all to Jesus.  And receive His All into your heart and life.  Amen.

A Vision, and 3 Songs

I received this email today:

November 8, 2012

 I stirred from a vision of a female immersed in water, face up. I believe her eyes were open and there were flakes of some sort floating above her eyes. The first thing that I thought of was when scales fell from Paul’s eyes. This woman did not look like me. Could this be the church? Could it be America?

What do you hear?

First, I will speak of the woman.  As I read this, I saw a fully developed woman, just floating in the water, as if she was waiting or resting.  Immediately I saw a baby inside a womb in the sac of water, totally immersed, awaiting its birth.  When a baby is born, it does not have a say in the place or the setting. For such a time as this that child is brought forth. Who knows how that one will grow to touch nations.  But God does.

Secondly, there were flakes above her eyes.  Distracted by the flakes, that is where her focus was.  The enemy of us all, would have us to get sidetracked and focused on the wrong things, so as to sneak by us.  Also yes,  they are blinders, blocking her vision, blocking the light, from opening her eyes.

3rdly, Is this the church? Is this America? Or is this the American Church? Yes, Yes, Yes!  However, when she becomes immersed in the Spirit (the water) and allows herself to be washed again by the water of the Word, then revelation will come, her eyes will be opened and the scales and blinders will fall off of her.

Upon hearing the election results, an old protest song against the Vietnam war began playing round and round inside of me:  “Where have all the flowers gone?  Long time passing.  Where have all the flowers gone?  Long time ago.  Where have all the flowers gone?  Girls picked them everyone.  When will they ever learn, when will they ever learn?”

When will we learn Lord to put You first in all we do?

Next it shifted into; “I wish we’d all been ready” by Larry Norman.

Life was filled with guns and war
And all of us got trampled on the floor
I wish we'd all been ready

The children died, the days grew cold
A piece of bread could buy a bag of gold
I wish we'd all been ready

There's no time to change your mind
The son has come and you've been left behind

A man and wife asleep in bed
She hears a noise and
Turns her head, he's gone
I wish we'd all been ready
[ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/l/larry_norman/i_wish_wed_all_been_ready.html ]
Two men walking up a hill
One disappears and
One's left standing still
I wish we'd all been ready

There's no time to change your mind
The son has come and you've been left behind

The father spoke, the demons dined
How could you have been so blind?

There's no time to change your mind
The son has come and you've been left behind
There's no time to change your mind
The son has come and you've been left behind

I hope we'll all be ready
You've been left behind
You've been left behind
You've been left behind

This is a reminder and a warning.  Jesus IS coming back! And, if you think it is bad now, the world has yet to witness the depths of darkness, depravity and suffering that will be.  So, we must resolve to preach Christ, no matter the cost and win the lost!

And then it has changed to:

 We have overcome- by the Blood of the Lamb- By the power of His Blood we shall stand.  We have overcome by the Blood of the Lamb- and He will bring the victory!

No more to be defeated.  Our hearts are filled with His praise For through the blood that Jesus shed for you and me We walk in victory every day.

It seemed as though Holy Spirit was taken me on a musical journey of emotions and thoughts and then bringing me back to where lies our power and from whence comes our help.

While looking up these lyrics I came across this video by Desperation Band.  The lyrics cause you to refocus…not that we can or should totally ignore  our surrounding situations,.  Just that they should not dominate us, but rather we should dominate them! 

Notice the last verse: “Power in hand, speaking the Father’s Plan

You’re sending us out, light in this broken land.  All authority, every victory is Yours…

Here am I, send me! Send me! Use my hands, my feet, and my voice.  Let me speak the truth in love!  Let me issue edicts from above.  Let me declare the manifold wisdom of God to the powers and principalities.  Let my voice, our voices, be the voice of change, bringing back the nation from godlessness to Righteousness. From liberality to morality!  From plurality to Theocracy! One nation UNDER GOD.  And when God is running things there is no darkness or shadow of turning, for in Him is Light and Goodness and Justice and Virtue and Wisdom.  

Speak the Fathers Plan. It has not changed!  It is still the same!  He still uses the weak, foolish and base things of the world to confound the wise! 

 

Speak the Father's Heart. Do not lay blame and criticize or play that game. Do your part. Pray for Christ to be formed in our elected officials.  

Pray, "Our Father,  (oh that means we are related and family, so love each other and fight for not with each other!) which art in Heaven (and thus you have a much broader view than we, so help us to see) 

Hallowed be thy Name.  ( Your name is still tops Lord!  There is none greater than you!  And because there was none greater, you swore by your own name and made a covenant with Abraham- and thus with me and you) 

Thy Kingdom come,(with its rule and its way) Thy Will be done,(without balking and reservation) in earth ( I am an earthen vessel, so In this piece of earth Lord!) even as it is done in Heaven... 

Give us this day (following you one day at a time Jesus!) our daily bread.  (You are our bread, our very life and sustenance!  We need your touch upon our lives.) 

Forgive us our debts, (we owe You so much! And we say thank you so little!  We make so many mistakes...and lose our way.  Thank you for coming to Earth to show us the way!) As we forgive our debtors.  (Teach us how to forgive debtors without excusing sin. Loving the person, hating the sin. Help us Lord. Get the religiosity out of us, and bring on the real!)  

Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the Kingdom(authority) and the Power and the Glory! Forever and ever. Amen. So be it.