Sunday, June 28, 2009

What Really Matters

Today I had the privilege of attending a housewarming for one of the young women in our church. She has just gotten her first apartment. She actually lived with our pastors for some time helping at their home as well as volunteering in the church, all the while working. I was blessed when she approached me to give me a written invitation.

Naturally I bought a card to give to her with a gift. As I looked at cards I was struck by this one which said: "May your home be filled with all that really matters."
Immediately a conversation ensued. "What really matters? A few things comes to mind Lord... family friends. love, laughter, happiness, good health..."

The Lord reminded me of a few other things as I pondered on this further: Relationship with Him. I could SEE Him standing in the living room beside me- we were in an apartment together-we were talking to each other. He was living there with me... Although the room seemed sparsely furnished in this vision, there was great light in the room and a sense of freedom and openness.

Loving God, intimacy with Him, making Him welcome in your home, Pursuing Him, having a hunger for Truth yes these are the things that matter most!

Some people might have a different list than I did-
This is the scripture the Lord gave to me:

Isaiah 55:2 (Amplified Bible)

Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your earnings for what does not satisfy? Hearken diligently to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness [the profuseness of spiritual joy].

And this is the Blessing He had me write In Yvonne's card:

House Warming Blessing

May your home always be
a place of refuge and safety
where His Spirit can dwell.

A place full of laughter and love
and being well.

A gathering place of family
and friends
Good times and memories that
will never end.

Joy in the morning,
Peace every night
Righteousness, tranquility and
all being right.

His Hand upon you and
His favor surround you.
His Goodness and Mercy to
always astound you.

Blessings upon you as in
this new home you grow.

© NEM 6/28/09

God Bless you Yvonne!
And everyone who makes God their Home and their Home for God.

Friday, June 26, 2009

An Undivided Heart


An undivided heart
may I never, ne'er depart
from serving only You
with a heart that's pure and true.

I want to run into Your arms
from all that distracts and harms
Help me keep my eyes on You
and fan the flames of my love anew...

I have decided-
to be undivided
no more will I share
my heart with things that only snare.

It is Your face I want to see
Your dwelling place I long to be
For Your Presence I long and sigh
Without your touch I shrivel up and die.

My love I come to thee
In many ways that you do not see
I whisper softly to draw you near
Let Me stroke your face and calm your fear.

Expect My Favor and Grace
poured out to you in every place
When your heart is divided you see
you do not receive the Best of Me

Your heart I want to embrace
Come and take your rightful place
Knowing at your side forever I'll be;
Come my Bride and dance with Me!

NEM

© 2009


3. Not directed or given to more than one object; as, undivided attention or affection. --Shak.
Psalm 86:11
Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.

Ezekiel 11:19
I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh.

Monday, June 22, 2009

Desperate Desperation

Desperado
DESPERADO, n. A desperate fellow; a furious man; a madman; a person urged by furious passions; one fearless, or regardless of safety.

The Lord spoke to my Dad during intercession last Sat and asked him, "How desperate are you?" My Dad seeks the Lord steadily, hungrily...so if God is asking him that question... I sit up and take notice!

How desperate are you? How intense about Knowing Him? How Hungry? To what extreme will you go to escape the status quo? Will people say you are a madman, in your pursuit of God? Are you urged on by furious passions of the Spiritual kind? Or are you plagued with passions of the lesser kind? What are you snacking on? A snack takes the edge off...as we all remember as kids wanting a "snack" till dinner! But as Abba's kids, what are we filling up on? Junk and Junk Food? Are we desiring both the sincere milk of the Word and strong meat? Or do we want just the sweet stuff, what is pleasing to our carnal tastes, but no meat and vegetables?

Heidi Baker talks of living a lifestyle of " If you don't show up God, we're all dead." Since she lives in Mozambique in a Moslem Nation,caring for 7000 orphans, I think she has hit on something!

Psalm 24:6
This is the generation [description] of those who seek Him [who inquire of and for Him and of necessity require Him], who seek Your face, [O God of] Jacob. Selah [pause, and think of that]!

Psalm 27:8
You have said, Seek My face [inquire for and require My presence as your vital need]. My heart says to You, Your face (Your presence), Lord, will I seek, inquire for, and require [of necessity and on the authority of Your Word].

Acts 17:28-29 (Darby Translation)

28for in him we live and move and exist; as also some of the poets amongst you have said, For we are also his offspring.

29Being therefore [the] offspring of God, we ought not to think that which is divine to be like gold or silver or stone, [the] graven form of man's art and imagination.

We put limits around out dealings with God. This far and no furhter..like the Israelites in the wilderness:

Exodus 18Now all the people perceived the thunderings and the lightnings and the noise of the trumpet and the smoking mountain, and as [they] looked they trembled with fear and fell back and stood afar off.
19And they said to Moses, You speak to us and we will listen, but let not God speak to us, lest we die.

Deuteronomy 18:16 (Amplified Bible)

16This is what you desired [and asked] of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly when you said, Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God or see this great fire any more, lest I die.

Yet we want God to move on our behalf- just maybe not so dramatically! "Lord, do a miracle, just do it quietly!"

The woman witht he issue of blood was desperate.

Luke 8:42b-44

As [Jesus] went, the people pressed together around Him [almost suffocating Him].43And a woman who had suffered from a flow of blood for twelve years a]">[a]and had spent all her living upon physicians, and could not be healed by anyone, 44Came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His garment, and immediately her flow of blood ceased.

The people were almost suffocating Him- pressing against Him. I had tsomething similiar happen in Ukraine one year as I visited a school to hand out gospel freindship bracelets... the kids mobbed me and the teacher stood by watching as I was pushed over backwards against a desk! I thought I was going to be trampled! And that was in a clasroom that contained 30+ kids. Jesus was in an open area with hundreds mobbing him! Yet that women worked through those crowds to touch the hem of His talit (the fringed prayer shawl) ignoring the extreme risk. Desperation drove her and she got her answer!

Blind Bartimaeus is another example. When he heard Jesus was passing by he cried out over and over: "Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me!" When people began to rebuke him and shush him he shouted all the louder, "Jesus have mercy on me!"

Mark 10:46-52 (Amplified Bible)

46Then they came to Jericho. And as He was leaving Jericho with His disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, a son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. 47And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, saying, Jesus, Son of David, have pity and mercy on me [now]!48And many b]">severely censured and reproved him, telling him to keep still, but he kept on shouting out all the more, You Son of David, have pity and mercy on me [now]! 49And Jesus stopped and said, Call him. And they called the blind man, telling him, Take courage! Get up! He is calling you. 50And throwing off his outer garment, he leaped up and came to Jesus. 51And Jesus said to him, What do you want Me to do for you? And the blind man said to Him, Master, let me receive my sight. 52And Jesus said to him, Go your way; your faith has healed you. And at once he received his sight and accompanied Jesus on the road.

Look at this. He was desperate. He was sitting beside the road begging. When he heard (early version of Twitter) that it was Jesus... he didn't sit passively. He made a ruckus! He was determined to be noticed and have his voice heard.

For some of you- it is time for you to let your voice be heard and be silent no more. Healing only comes when you are willing to throw away your cloak of concealment and let the raw wounds be exposed to the healing wind of fresh air from heaven.

For others, you've wrapped yourself tightly in the cloth of "do it yourself." Constant works, busyness, self promotion, self appraisal measured by keeping up and getting ahead, while getting really nowhere.

Bartimaeus throw off his cloak. His self identification with his disability. Even his name: "Blind Bartimaeus" showed his whole personhood was wrapped up in what he and others perceived him to be. But when Jesus passed by, he had the courage to cast all that off and move towards his answer.

Isaiah 64:6 (Amplified Bible)

6For we have all become like one who is unclean [ceremonially, like a leper], and all our righteousness (our best deeds of rightness and justice) is like filthy rags or a polluted garment; we all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away [far from God's favor, hurrying us toward destruction].

Cast off your self reliance, your old deeds and way of doing things! It is time to step into the new! Travel the road with Jesus from now on!

Even in the midst of chaos around you, you can choose press into Him.

Matthew 13:14-16 (Amplified Bible)

14In them indeed is a]">the process of fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah, which says: You shall indeed hear and hear but never grasp and understand; and you shall indeed look and look but never see and perceive.

15For this nation's heart has grown gross (fat and dull), and their ears heavy and difficult of hearing, and their eyes they have tightly closed, lest they see and perceive with their eyes, and hear and comprehend the sense with their ears, and grasp and understand with their heart, and turn and I should heal them.A)">

16But blessed (happy, fortunate, and b]">to be envied) are your eyes because they do see, and your ears because they do hear.

Do things to whet your hunger for Him. Merriam Webster defines whet as this: 1 : to sharpen by rubbing on or with something (as a stone) <whet a knife> 2 : to make keen or more acute : excite, stimulate <whet the appetite> <whetted her curiosity>

Another word for whet is to "hone." Will you allow your desperation to hone you for Him?

I could write a whole lot more, but I am going to close with this:

I recently met another hungry heart. Her name is Vicki. She has written a wonderful article about whetting and honing.
This is Vicki's blog post- I share it with her permission:
~~~~~~~

http://writethevision2.blogspot.com/2009/05/hone.html

All Glory to heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit.
WtV: sharing Holy Spirit received revelation; vision, word, teaching, dream, insight +... Published by v.c. along with pieces by other authors.

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

"Hone"

Some few days past I was hearing The Lord speak to me "hone", "It's time to hone". And I am not able to let this short word and phrase go, nor of course do I want to let this go!

I understood this in part, as a message that it is 'time to sharpen, clean-up the rough edges and smooth-out....' = hone......... and as I looked up this word for further understanding I did discover this example;
hone: As in, 'to sharpen a blade with a whet' ( or whetstone ). Pondering this with Lord the scrip came to me,

"...... the sword of The Spirit which is the Word of God." - Eph. 6:17

Many folks understand the wonderful armor and this magnificent 'sword' brought forth in Ephesians as our written scriptures, our bible -- and I agree with this! However, I also understand this 'Sword / Word' weapon as that Word from God that Holy Spirit may speak to you and I freshly, now, today.


I, we, or whomever this that I write may also speak to (?) ....... presently need to hone. We can clear out the wax from ear canals, as it were; anoint our 'eyes with eyesalve that we may see', place our feet in freshly polished boots upon the royal Way, clean accumulated muck off of our spiritual antanae's (so to speak), plus more and various depending upon our personal need -- honing ourselves on and of The Rock (Jesus, our whetStone) for whatever we have need to be cleaned, smoothed, cleared and sharpened.

Thus we may then stand prepared to receive from HIM with cutting edge clearness. I believe our Lord desires us to hear with smooth clarity sharp-to-the-point messages, in whatever form HIS revelation presents to us -- useful clear prophetic now-today-word from our Lord, for ourselves to wield and for those we are to share with.

There is never a problem on our Lord's end and delivery of HIS' Word,

"For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." - Heb. 4:12

"...and out of His mouth went a sharp twoedged sword;..." - Rev. 1:16

Rather the present problem of possible cloudy or unclear, unspecific receiving is on my / our end.

"...time to hone."

This ability to 'hear and/or relay clear messages from our Lord' is not received because of our in-gifted desire alone, but as I am given to understand this "hone" word delivered; this is our Lord Jesus' desire presently, through us and for HIS purposes.

As I wrote that last paragraph, I'm now getting a small vision of a very well dressed man-servant of long ago (1600's approx.?, large plumed hat etc.). He is bowing low on one knee, removing his hat and crossing his arm and the hat across his chest, in a courtroom before a king sitting high on a splendid throne. Once bowed, with head down the servant is speaking to the king,

'At Your service Your Majesty'


"Every valley shall be exalted And every mountain and hill brought low; The crooked places shall be made straight And the rough places smooth;..." - Is. 40:4, Luke 3:5


- Vicki C.
Write the *Vision - Habbakuk 2:2-3
http://writethevision.org
and WtV Forums: interactive prophetic "Talk"'
ace says:
Sunday, May 17, 2009, 6:45:23 PM
Dear Vicki,

thanks for that word. even as i check up the dictionary reference for 'hone', it also means to focus, to advance toward the goal, to perfect, to make more acute and effective. it also tells me that the origin of the word was a groaning and moaning. of pining and lamenting and a cry of discontent. i imagine the sound of the earth groaning as it longs for the sons of glory to be revealed. the honing is to sharpen the sword of the Spirit, yes, also the refining of the jewels as they are being cut, to remove the impurities for more brilliance in the translucence as we shine the light. another two words that are somewhat related are "honey" and "home". maybe remembering the land of milk and honey that is our inheritance? and this honing of our desires, to only want heaven and nothing else that is on this earth will satisfy. to continue to sharpen our senses to see and hear and smell and taste and touch. like the comic superheroes (I watched the latest X-Men movie recently!) that have super-sensitive sensory powers, which is a mere human's imagination of the greater reality in our inheritance. Praise Jesus!

~~~~~~~
To which I say Amen Lord Jesus! Holy Spirit, Come refine us. Come whet us. Come hone us for God. Come and take us beyond where we are; trapped in our own desperation. Speak to our hearts until we become so desperate for YOU that NOTHING can stand in our way! Until we desire and crave you even as our bodies crave and require air and water, or else we die. We need the breathe of your Spirit- breathe on us! We need the Water of Your Word to wash us again. We need the streams of the Spirit to revive us again. Come Holy Spirit! Come! Show us what we are "snacking on" that is spoiling our appetite for You. Deal with our cloaks and our pride and our self sufficiency. Take us to those places we haven't wanted to face and help us to open the door so that healing can begin. Envelope us with Yourself Lord. Make us hungry, stir us up! Create a desperation for Yourself with in your Bride Lord! We ask it and receive it by faith. In Jesus Name. Amen.


Saturday, June 20, 2009

Wedding Plans

My son Ola's wedding to Adele fast approaches! We are all abustle with plans and things to get done before the Big Day. Things to do, people to see, arrangements to be made... you get the idea!

In the midst of this, I have just received an invitation to minister while I am in town! I love God's economy. He never wastes anything! I am delighted and blessed to minister in Ola's old church home ( he moved over 89 miles from there...) But the connection came through my son Olu who has also ministered at this man's church! Amazing!

It just goes to show and remind us that Daddy is very busy about Wedding Plans also! There are people to see and things to be settled and marked off... Yes, Daddy is very busy about THE WEDDING. I will definitely be at that one too, will you?

Cloud by Day-Fire by Night-I Need a Resting Place


Still a NOW Word! (A Word God gave me last Oct.- releasing it here to you)

"Cloud By Day -- Fire By Night -- I Need a Resting Place!"

As I read the above words (posted on the Elijah List) I began to weep…
In reality it was an advertisement for new CD’s- but The Lord was speaking to me through those words that He quickened to my heart.

Hear the cry of the Lord, Church !
In the Wilderness I moved as a Cloud by Day and Fire by Night and I led my people and
protected them. I gave them rest. But now says the Lord, I Need a Resting Place .
I need containers that will hold my Glory.
Lord what can possibly hold your Glory?
I am looking for a resting place where I can dwell. It is time for my people to
come out of the wilderness. It is time for them to stop running to and fro. I need a place where I can dwell. Will you make room for my Glory?
I want to come and pour it out once more
Will you get ready for what is in store?
I need a place to call my own… I want you to be my temple, my home.
I’m tired of the status quo- it is time for my people to know
I am Your God and my Glory I want to show
I need a resting Place where I can bless
Through which my River can flow
I am tired of religious show
tired of those who will not go
the way of My Spirit when He flows
Will you be a vessel clean,
through which my Glory can be seen?
Open wide now your heart- yes open the door
cry out to me saying I want More!
When you cry out for more you see
You release chambers within the heart of ME
For my heart has longed , yes yearned and burned
to be set free among those who will abandon themselves to Me.
I’ve longed to see the Passion of My Bride
declaring her love and inviting me deeper inside.
As you cry out, I will be One with you
my signs and wonders to flow thru
A place where my Glory can dwell
that City that is set upon a Hill
for it is my Bridal Chamber you see
emblazoned in flames of Love and Glory.

Word of the Lord
10-15-08
Nancy Minor

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Loveship

I was speaking with one of our intercessors from the team at church. We were talking about relationship with the Lord. My heart was so full of HIS Goodness to me. I was commenting on how I can look back over my life and point to manifested scriptures that I have hung onto and now they are reality in my life.

When you have overflow because of all the Goodness and Blessings of God in your life with people, circumstances, relationships, provision, and life- it is natural to want others to have what you have, to know what you know and to experience Father God's Unfailing Love for themselves. Even just talking about it sometimes brings me to tears. He is so wonderful! Supernatural and yet HE cares for us-His creation with a fierce Love!

As I expressed this desire for people to KNOW GOD, have intimacy and experience His overwhelming Love and Joy... the person I was talking to made this statement to sum up what I was saying: "Relationship, Fellowship, Loveship."

That is so rich! When the Headship issue is settled and JESUS is your LORD and Saviour, then you have Relationship, Fellowship and LOVESHIP.

This word Loveship has arrested me!

Even as was spoken in Song of Solomon: Song 4:9 "You have ravished my heart and given me courage, my sister, my [promised] bride; you have ravished my heart and given me courage with one look from your eyes..." Our Bridegroom says HE is ravished by us His Bride?!!

Rulership is the authority of one who rules,. Lordship- is the domain of a lord. Fellowship is the condition or relation of being a fellow- a community, a companion, a peer, a partner, belonging to the same class or group, united by the same things.

What then is "Loveship?" It is a state of union of hearts and spirits bound by love. It is our acquiescing, our willing yieldedness, to our Bridgegroom out of Love not out of Rule, rank or force.

This is the kind of love we are talking about—not that we once upon a time loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to clear away our sins and the damage they've done to our relationship with God.
MSG 1John4:10

Romans 5:8 (Amplified Bible) But God shows and clearly proves His [own] love for us by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) died for us.

Oh perfect Love- sweet surrender! Take me I am yours!

Monday, June 15, 2009

Draw Me Lord

Draw Me Lord
Draw me from the distractions of the day
Draw me from the busyness
Draw me from the clamour
Draw me to that Secret Place
Draw to that quiet Pool to drink deeply of YOU.

Draw me Lord!
I am a foolish sheep who does not always come when she should
Draw me! Woo me with the pleading of your eyes
with the passion of your heart, with the timbre of your voice.

Draw me to Yourself. Draw me away from myself- my thoughts, my pursuits
my pleasures. Even my friends and my loved ones... for I need time with You.
I need You. You are my very life.

Draw me and I will run after you. I stand poised ready to fly to your side-
the depths of my heart cry out "Draw Me!" Even as the pail is lowered into the well and brought up, so I long to be brought up to you... draw me out of the darkness - the place of concealment. Expose me to your bright light. Wash away all that is unlike You.
Draw Me Lord...ever closer to You.

Friday, June 5, 2009

Dancing Through the Darkness on the Feet of Faith

My friend's sister coined a Holy Ghost phrase.... ( if she got it from somewhere earthly - I do not know where.)

"Dancing through the Darkness of this World on the Feet of Faith. "

She is in Heaven now dancing with her Bridegroom. But The Lord brought her phrase back to me this week. So, T.B. if you happen to be watching from Heaven- you are still touching hearts and lives Girl!

Dancing takes a rhythm and flow. Some have more rhythm than others. (As a kid I had beautiful rhythm riding bareback on a horse- we were one fluid movement. But on the ground I was a klutz! Thank goodness Nancy means Full of Grace and also Graceful One- and I have become both!)

Faith Dances to the tune of; "God is not a man that He should lie. Has he not spoken and shall He not do it?" Faith dances to the melody of ; "All the promises in Christ Jesus are Yea and Amen." Faith dances holding in it's arms, Hope- the two doing a minuet with graceful certainty as they glide across the terrain of the dance floor of life. Grace and Trust join in the repertoire of dance steps, completing the ensemble.

The scenery may change. The music tempo may quicken or wane. But as long as we hold on to our dance partner, (The Holy Spirit) He will guide us into all truth and keep us from the snare of the enemy who wishes to trip us up and cause us to stumble.


The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It's our handle on what we can't see. (Heb. 11:1-2a MSG)

I think of the moth that dances through the night, drawn to the light. And the fireflies dancing languidly through the night leaving a trail of light to outline their path. One is drawn to the light, the other emits a glow everywhere they go.

Be drawn to the Light of God's Word and Light the way for fellow dancers to follow you as you Dance through the darkness on feet of Faith, your pathway lit with Light from Above and your heart radiating the soft glow of Love for others to follow.

Maestro- Music Please!

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Self Religion

I was helping someone fill out an online form today and as I was reading it I came to the part that asked for the relationship of the other people ont he acct to the first person. But when I looked at it this is what I saw: Religion: Self. That has set me to thinking all day. How many have made self their religion? The pursuit of self, self desires, self realization, self gratification, self aggrandizement, self exaltation, self, self, self! We call a person who selks their own "selfish."

I looked "ish" up in the American college Dictionary. this is what is says: "Belonging to," "after the manner of," "having the characteristics of," "like," "addicted to," "inclined or tending to."

Hmm, this opens up a lot of questions one should ask! Who do I belong to? Myself or God? Who am I after the manner of? The likeness of Christ? The person of the Holy Spirit? The old man? Hmm, whose character do I emulate? Or am I just a character, that needs a dose of Jesus?!! Like Whom, or what? Myself, my environment, the world? Or the Word and God? Addicted to...sugar! Chocolate! Hugs! Family! Love! Other things? Soap operas? Romance novels? Reality shows? The only reality is Jesus Christ. The best Romance is the one that started in God's heart as He contemplated creating man! Day to day life an be a soap opera without Jesus! Even family and chocolate can't do what Only God can!

We need to be inclined and tending to prayer, Worship, serving and loving God and each other, if we are going to be useful and make it in this world. There is no other way but THE WAY.

Isn't it interesting that Communist China has a Govt approved religion called "The Three Self Church "A parody of the Trinity? Self-governance, self-support (i.e., financial independence from foreigners) and self-propagation is it's mantra. By comparison the Christian is called to be governed by the Holy Spirit, and the Word of God and excercise slef control over our passions and reactions. We are to be dependant on God, but to work and make a living. Self propagation- is putting forth our ideas, our desires, our plans. What is your agenda? What are you planning and THEN asking God to bless?

What is your religion? If Jesus were to write a personal ad- here's what it would look like: My Name is Jesus. I am a God/Man seeking relationship with aGod Created Man/Woman kind!

If you never have before, won't you answer that personal request? You and your life will never be the same! For the rest of us, a closer look at killing off the religion of self is in order. Not my will but THY WILL O LORD! Amen.