Finding the Calling in the Brokenness

"From eternity to eternity I am God.

No one can snatch anyone out of my hand.

No one can undo what I have done.

This is what the Lord says-your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:

For your sakes I will send an army against Babylon,

forcing the Babylonians to flee in hose ships they are so proud of.

I am the Lord, your Holy One,

Israel's Creator and King.

I am the Lord, who opened a way through the waters, making a dry path through the sea.

I called forth the mighty army of Egypt

with all it chariots and horses.

I drew them beneath the waves and they drowned,

their lives snuffed out like a smoldering candlewick.

But forgot all that-

it is nothing compared to what I am going to do.

For I am about to do something new.

See I have already begun! Do you not see it?

I will make a pathway through the wilderness.

I ill create rivers in dry wasteland."

Isaiah 43:13-19

This last year I kept asking God: "Where were you when I was growing up". This is a common question that we often find ourselves asking when we have gone through pain. But just like the Lord did in this text for the Israelites, the Lord took me back to all of those places of pain and showed me where he was. He was always there. There where many times when he proved ways of escape or protected me when there was no way. The truth is, when hell had such a strong hold on me... He snatched me out from the grip of the enemy and said: "Not Her". No one can overcome the one who overcame the gave. 

This is nothing compared to what He is going to do! He is always doing something new and His love is constantly being poured out. It is out of that place of complete brokenness that our destiny and calling is released. The fact that He rescued me is amazing yes. But what is even going to be even more amazing to me to watch is how God will use this life that was once shattered to accomplish the work of His Kingdom.  

What Would Happen?

What would happen if we empowered the youth of this world to do the work of the Christ's Kingdom?

What would happen if they gathered every morning before class at their high schools and prayed?

What would happen if we began to pray over our work places?

What would happen if we were no longer afraid to share the name of Jesus amongst unbelievers?

What would happen if each of us had the faith of a mustard seed?

What would happen if we all had the faith to move mountains?

What would happen if we all had the faith to shake a nation?

What would happen if we were no longer afraid?

More Thoughts

I am finding that as my leaving for mexico draws closer the Lord has really impressed upon me to me in continual prayer for the nation and the La Fuente church. I desire so much to see a radical revival sweep through that nation. It's funny. I Lord sure has a way of putting a passion inside of us for the place that we are called. I guess with out that passionate fire burning inside of us we wouldn't have the strength to keep going when things get hard. I think God put that inside of us because he knew that we would need it.

A cry for Mexico

God,

I'm convinced that nothing can separate Mexico from your love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor deamons, neither, their fears for today or their worries about tomorrow-not even the powers of hell can separate them from your love God. No power in the sky above or in the earth below-indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate a Mexico from your love.

More than anything God we desire to see your kingdom advanced in Mexico.  And for the men that lead that country I pray that a fountian of every perfect gift you have empowered all of us with would just be poured out on them. The they would be willing vessels to be filled up and poured out.

So I speak to that tomb were people have been held captive by spiritual death and I say rise once again. Hell no longer has any hold on you because no one can over come the one that overcame the grave. I cry out for freedom for these people God!

I pray that your extravagent love would fill the streets of Mexico. And God we are waiting expectantly for your maraculous truth to sweep though the nation causing an outbeak of repentance and revival!

In Jesus Name AMAN!

Laying it Down and Picking up my Cross.

Recently I was prompted by the Lord to lay somethings down for the sake of my relationship with Him. It defiantly has been painful and has caused some of those that I love to hold bitterness toward me. It is one of the hardest things that I have ever had to do. However, it is totally worth it because I am called to lay everything in my life down for the sake of the cross. Sometimes we have to lay things down... (even loved ones sometimes) so that we are able to relentlessly and passionately follow after Jesus Christ our Lord. As hard and as painful as it may be... I am hidden in Christ and in Him I find rest. In Him I find the strength that I need to get through each day. I serve a God that can command graves to open and the dead to rise.... how much more should I trust him to command the death from my past to rise once again. In Christ sin has lost it's power and death has lost in sting. The enemy can no longer hold me in bondage to the sin of the past generations of my family, because I have been made whole in Christ. When I die I will not be remembered for my families name but for whose name I carry. The name of Christ!

The Heart of a Servant

I was just talking with a friend today about the importance of excellence in everything, and about how even the smallest details matter so much. When we become lazy even in something as small as house work it can be a misrepresentaion of Chirst. We are called to reflect Christ in everthing we do and possesing the heart of a servent is so important. The heart of a true servent will be more than willing to do the small insignificant work that may never be recognized by others. The heart of a servant gives more that %100. They are willing to do above and beyond the call of duty because they care so deaply for those around them.

Setting the Stage for a Mirical

I sat down to watch the news for a bit the other night and once again they were going on about the recession. As I was sitting there listening to this vomit of depressing information it almost made me want to cry. Not because of the drastic decline our economy is in, but because it was almost like God was giving me a little taste of what He feels for us. We are in a season right now were everything we cling to for comfort is being stripped from us and we have nothing else to fill this vacant space within us. He longs so much to be our everything. Can you imagine how much His Holy Spirit must be grieving right now? To look down and see those who He longs so much to be in relationship with searching for something to fill the emptiness they feel inside, to hide that fear of the unknown. We are in a place right now where people are desperately searching for something secure, something they can hang onto. What they do not realize is that their soul is really longing of its creator. The rock that cannot be shaken. The one thing in this life in which our hope is secure! It's not hard to see hopelessness. I am sure you encounter it everyday. Here is a thought... What do you think would happen if you spoke the Hope that Christ can bring into those impossibly hopeless situationas? What would happen if you brought the presence and the peace of Christ to those places?
If there was ever a perfect time to be sharing the gospel... It's now! People are so hungry for security. They don't even realize that Christ is the one thing that even their innermost being has been longing for. We need to be pointing people to the cross, because it's only in the cross that we find hope.
Hope creates an atmosphere for change to happen! My pastor said something that has really stuck with me. He said: "Hope can become the loudest voice in a persons life, even if it was just a whisper!"
In closing I have one last thought. Picture this with me. You live on a busy street. Everyday one your way to work you walk past a guy that is literally starving. You have plenty of food. More than enough in fact. One day you walk by and he is not there. About a week later you hear that the man died of starvation. Yet you walked by him every single day and did nothing about it. There are spiritually starving people all around you everyday and yet so many times we pass them by and let them starve. One day you'll wake up and hear that they died without ever receiving the bread of life because you where to afraid to share Jesus with that person. Whether we like it or not... this is the circumstances that we find ourselves in everyday! Don't pass people by just because you just want to exist and never be seen.

God moves in our lack.

I was listening to Garris preach on Sunday morning and something that he said has really stuck with me. He said: "Hell will always send a voice to mock the place of our greatest lack." As I was thinking about that statement I remembered a verse in Corinthians. It says something to the effect of, " In our weakness he is made strong". It makes so much sense why the enemy would want to attack that place in our life that we are the most insecure about because that is the very place that we will begin to see God birth amazing things out of! This is something that always keeps me humble and it reminds me that its not about me. I cannot do any of this on my own, but it is only by the the power of Gods Holy Spirit at work in and through my life!

Thoughts

Jesus,

I pray for a supernatural release of your pressence upon my town God. I pray for hearts to be turned back to you and for the lost and broken hearted to find rest in your arms! God breathe into us a passionate love for the things of your kingdom. God I pray that even now... walls would be broken down... bondeges would be broken... and and footholds of the enemy would be shatterd! Humble us oh God! When the world looks at us... let us be a reflection of who you are. Help us see in the supernatural even more than in the natural. Lord, open our eyes to the oppertunities you provide us with everyday to show you to people. And break our hearts for what breaks yours. Let everything that we are be directed for you and you alone!

Amen!!

Why?

As believers we are constantly asked one question: "Why". This is such a simple question but there can be so many answers. The question is simply asking, "what is the motive for your actions?". Why do we go out of our way at work to make sure that we go the extra mile even though we may never be thanked for it? Why? The world looks at the things that we do and scratches theirs heads because the concept of a servant goes against anything that they are normally taught to believe. Christs love should be the very thing that drives everything that we do. So when someone asks why. Just simply reply: "Because the love of Christ compels me to."

No Matter What...

"I praise the Lord, who is my rock.

He trains my hands for war
and he gives my fingers skill for battle.
He is my loving ally and my rescuer.
He is my shield, and I take refuge in him.
He makes the nations submit to me.
Open the heavens Lord and come down.
Touch the mountains so they smoke."

Pslam 144:1-2 & 5

"For you kingdom is an everlasting kingdom.
You rule throughout all generations.
The Lord always keeps his promises.
He is gracious in all he does. The Lord helps the fallen
and lifts those bent beneath their loads."

Psalm 145:13-14

"He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds.
He counts the stars
and calls them by name.
How great is our Lord! His power is absolute!
He understanding is beyond comprehension!"

Psalm 147:3-5

Yesterday I got a disturbing phone call from a family member. He informed me of the hopeless situation he is in and as I sat there... this rush of emotion came over me. I tried my best to hold myself together, to be strong long enough to get through the phone call. As I hung up the phone... tears came streaming down my face uncontrollably. I just sat there weeping and asking God what I was supposed to do. It was getting late to I went home took a shower and got a good nights sleep.
This morning as I was spending some time in the word. I was reading through these portions of scripture. As I was reading this I could not help but remember the verse: "I am the same yesterday, today and forever." Because the fact of the matter is, he never changes. We do. When things get hard... generally... we change in effort to protect ourselves. But God, he never changes. God is not so limited that he would be blown over my the first storm that comes along.
It is so important that no matter what happens we remember that Jesus is good regardless of what we are going through. That in itself is reason enough to rejoice. It is reason enough to praise him because his love never fails!
So what am I supposed to do now? I don't know, but in this most trying time when the winds of life blow up against me harder and harder... I can lean on him. He is the rock that cannot be shaken and our helper in our time of need.

Fan the Flames

"This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you. For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and
self-discipline."
2 Timothy 1:6-7

I was reading in this text this morning and Paul is writing a letter of encouragement to Timothy from his prison cell. This one question came to me when I read this: "What does it mean to live in power?"
To often do I find myself living in a way that just skates through. Never engaging, and never speaking into the lives of others. I find myself asking God to strengthen my gifts, yet I do nothing to partner with Him in that. If we really desire for those things to truly be raised up strong in us... don't you think it is time to start engaging? I want my life to be evidence of Jesus and the authority he has given me over hell. Can you imagine what would happen if ever follower of Chirst walked in that authority in everyday life? What if we all walked everyday with a constant mentality of eternity?
So what does it mean to live in power? I think that 1 Cor. 13 sums it up. In everything that we do... let love be the motive. Let the love of Christ be the very thing that is compelling us in everything that we do.
Picture with me a woman that is harassed by her boss everyday. One day she walks into his office and lets him know that he is appreciated and then hands him a Starbucks. Instantly the atmosphere changes.

Love changes things.

So my challange to you is to put this to the test. Try it. One week of truly walking in love and authority in Christ in everything you do. You might be peasently suprised with what will happen.

Watching in Silence

"The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to to comfort the broken-hearted and to announce that the captives will be released and prisoners will be freed. He has sent me to tell all those who mourn that the time of the Lord's favor has come, and with it, the day of God's anger against their enemies. To all who mourn in Israel, he will give beauty for ashes, joy instead of mourning, praise instead of despair. For the Lord has planted them like strong and graceful oaks for his own glory."

Isiah 61:1-3

I think out of all of the prophets in the Bible, Isiah is my favorite. He recognizes the strong calling that God had on his life to bring the words of God Himself to the people of Israel. He saw over and over the Love and greatness of the God he served, yet recognized that He could not stay silent. He new God had commissioned him to share these revelations with the people of Israel. Isiah held inside of him, truth, which he spoke out and watched as is pierced through the lies of the enemy.

Its interesting how we neglect to remember who's name we carry. We forget the life it can bring and the Authority it has. We hold inside of us the bread of life. All around us everyday there are spiritually starving people and we do nothing. Death is all around us... We are just often to blind spiritually to see it. Good thing for us that Jesus can bring life where death resides!

What kind of a world do you think we would live in if all of us made a choice to speak hope, life and peace prophetically into broken lives?

The name we carry... The name of Christ Jesus our Lord... Has the power to walk into the very pits of Hell and take back the keys of death! And since He has such authority over Saten himself, don't you think he has the power to start a revival at your work? In the grocery store? At the bank? God has already given us the words... It's called the Bible. All we have to do is walk in obedience, open our mouths... and watch as the power of the Holy spirit falls and begins to transform the lives around us... One life at a time.

The Purpose of Old Wounds

One night the Lord showed me a picture of myself walking around with a knife in my chest. I walked around everyday like this and I would get asked: "Are you okay? I mean, do you want me to pull that out?" I would reply: "No, I am not sure what you mean I'm fine." How often do we walk around carrying the wounds of the past and pretend that it does not hurt? When the Lord showed me this picture I realized that the only way for that wound to heal was to allow Christ to pull the knife from my chest. It is never a pleasant thing when we allow Christ to begin to pull out the knife. It will always be painful when we allow him to begin to heal the wounds of the past. I have to consider however, that the scares I bare from it are evidence of healing. They are proof that Jesus is faithful.
I don't regret the things I have had to endure over the years because I know the greater the trials we go through... the greater our testimony will be for Christ! Our old wounds and our scares can help others overcome theirs if we will let Jesus begin to pull out the knife.