Month: January 2018

8 And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the Lord hath made with you concerning all these words.  9 Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel:  10 And they saw the God of Israel:  and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness.  11 And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand:  also they saw God, and did eat and drink.  12 And the Lord said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there:  and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them.
Exodus 24:8-12

Ann and I were talking about God’s Presence this morning and how incredible and supernatural it is – it’s unlike anything this earthly life can provide.  God’s Presence is the most wonderful thing we’ve ever encountered.  It permeates our whole being when He lets us experience Him in that way.

Then, we remembered how in Exodus 24, the Bible talks about the 70 elders of Israel, Moses Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu going up the mountain (Sinai) to meet with God.  Wow, that must have been something.

As Marty Nystrom’s song, More of You, says, “All I want is more of You, Lord.  I’m thirsty for more of You, Lord.  Earthly things have we left me dry, only You can satisfy.”  I want to come closer and closer to You, Lord.

We went outside to watch this morning’s eclipse, saw shooting stars, and a satellite.  Our neighbors came out to see the sight as well and we talked about how incredible it is that the moon just hangs out there in the sky.

Only You can satisfy, Lord.  It’s no wonder that all I want is more of You…Wonder-filled, You.

God bless,

Mark

Dismayed:  Broken, dread, fear, crushed, afraid, terrify, sudden fright, became afraid, faint, out of life

The Lord wants to teach us to so trust Him that we would never think of being dismayed.  What a blessing.  Faith that has no shadow of turning…

8 And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee:  fear not, neither be dismayed.
Deuteronomy 31:8

God bless,

Mark

3 The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love:  therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.
Jeremiah 31:3

Like all of us, I was getting ready for the week this Monday morning when the Holy Spirit stopped me in my thoughts.  He wanted me to pause and know that He loves me right now, just the way I am.  It was really special.

God loves you right now, this very moment, folks – Just the way you are…☺

Happy Monday!

God bless,

Mark

Triumphant – having won a battle or contest; victorious, successful, winning, conquering, all-conquering; more undefeated, unbeaten, feeling or expressing jubilation after having won a victory or mastered a difficulty; exultant, elated, rejoicing, joyful, joyous, delighted, gleeful.

God doesn’t want us to run from, or merely/barely survive, storms.  No, He wants us to be triumphant in them.  He wants to teach everyone of us how to triumph in storms.  That’s amazing.

I want to share something really exciting with you.  While I’m still not an expert at it, Jesus is making me into a storm chaser.  Really.  And, where I used to panic, become frantic, and take on great anxiety and fear when storms appeared, Jesus is beginning to show me how fun storm chasing can be (discerning the spirit behind thoughts, listening to the Holy Spirit about what the real issue is, realizing that when things come to a head, that’s a good thing cause now they can be dealt with in Christ, and Romans 8:28 has a lot to do with it)…

Boy, it just blows me away how Jesus can take our weaknesses and turn them into strengths so we can enjoy and even have fun with them as He teaches us how to have victory over them.

How do I handle enemy darts (storms), those times when an avalanche of fear-bearing thoughts try to take control of my mind, emotions and body?  Do I want to run and hide hoping they’ll go away?  Do I get stressed out and angry?  Or, with Christ’s help, am I learning how to correctly dispel them by taking them captive to the obedience of Christ?

There are over 400 verses in the Bible where God is telling us to fear not because He knows what fear does to us and desires for us to be free from any and all fear.

Be still, and know that I am God – It’s so important to still yourself at the first sign of a storm.  It gives you an opportunity to gain God’s perspective of things.
Psalm 46:10a

Dr. Neil Anderson – Fear is never the right way to respond to satan’s attacks.

Messianic Rabbi Jonathan Cahn – The Apostle Paul was victorious not because he avoided trials and tribulation (storms), but because he triumphed in them.

Trials (Storms like the one in the Bible when Jesus calmed the storm with the disciples in the boat) are not meant for defeat, but for triumph!  This side of the fall, satan has taught man to fear trials and tribulations, times of trauma and seeming despair.  But, in Jesus, when we handle storms through Jesus, we become storm chasers and that’s why the devil will fight, with all his might, to keep us from becoming storm chasers.

Praise God, everything is turned right-side up in Christ.  Trials are triumphs, weakness is strength, anxiety is turned into rest, peace, and trust, sadness and sorrow is turned into joy, etc.  Wow, this is so powerful. Death, where is your sting (1 Corinthians 15:55)?  With Jesus, even death is turned into the final victory.

But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:57

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
Romans 8:37

Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour (and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere) of his knowledge by us in every place.
2 Corinthians 2:14

The whole world is trying to avoid storms at all costs and attempting to relieve themselves, even if for a moment, through drugs, entertainment, drinking, etc…and, sadly, many Christians are doing the same.  Anxiety is the number one mental health disorder in the world.

More than conquerors…That’s when we have the most fun in Jesus.

Keep seeking Jesus with your whole heart and become a storm chaser.  He’ll teach us how to calm every storm.

God bless,

Mark

I hope what I’m about to share blesses you.  It’s simply a testimony to how wonderful our God is, and how much more wonderful life in Him is and gets as we live from day to day.

There’s no time with God, only timely blessings.  And as we wait for God to answer our prayers, He’s building our faith and all the other fruit of the Spirit in us.  He’s building an appetite in us for Him.  He’s encouraging us to seek Him with our whole heart – the biggest blessing in the entire universe.  We have such an amazing God.

Here’s the answer the Holy Spirit gave me regarding a very old prayer where I asked Him, “Why did I have to have the parents I had?”

*******

With all the trials I’ve had (including my health and work challenges), and because I had the parents I had, I was forced to get close to Jesus, to learn how to rely on Him solely.  Wow, I can really be thankful for my mom and dad driving me to Jesus. I mean it.  That’s wonderful beyond words, and a tremendous breakthrough for me.  Without my mom and dad being the way they are/were with their damaging and paralyzing strongholds of worry, unforgiveness, bitterness, the fear of man and many others, I might never have found intimacy with God.  (I know that sounds backwards, but it’s not in the hands of the Lord of Lords.)  That’s powerful!  So Merlin Carothers (Author of Prison To Praise and Power In Praise) was right.  It doesn’t matter what kind of situation, or series of circumstances, motivates you to want to get closer to God, the important thing is that you do get closer to God so you can be free, indeed, so you can get on the road that heads back to Eden.  Only Jesus, and His faithfulness, can take us there.

*******

Truly, God is so awesome and so faithful.  Thank you, Jesus, for this incredibly liberating answer to my prayer.

He loves each of us so dearly, precious people…☺

God bless,

Mark

I had a weird migraine last weekend and it’s still impacting my mind and body.  It causes me to be dizziness, confusion, memory loss, and a loss of control over life and even my body at times.  The headaches can leave me tired, weak and out of breath.  As long as I fight for control over this situation (with his lies, satan can tempt me with not trusting God by saying things like, “Hath God surely said you can trust in Him with your whole heart?”), I can become frustrated and even question God’s love and plan for me and my life.  To stay in the shadow of the Most High, I receive God’s love and what He’s speaking to me.

Ann and I were having our devotions this morning and God just kept speaking to me through them.  He was telling me He loves me, He’s got my life in His hands and is simply asking me to acknowledge that He’s, not me, in control and that that’s okay, enough and the way life should be.

3 The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love:  therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.
Jeremiah 31:3

28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Matthew 11:28

Out of His love for us, God draws us to His rest.

God bless,

Mark

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man:  but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
1 Corinthians 10:13

19 God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it?  or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?
Numbers 23:19

We’ve all heard people say, “I didn’t sign up for this.”  I’m sure glad that when I asked Jesus into my heart that God made a covenant with me He’ll keep.  He signed up for everything.

13 if we are faithless, he (God) remains faithful—for he cannot deny himself.
2 Timothy 2:13

I wanted to share something I heard the other day that really spoke to me regarding trials and tribulations Christians face on earth.  If you’ve had the opportunity to learn to rely solely on God, you’ll understand the following.

Most Christians will not become intimate with God (statistically, only 15% ever will in this life) until they experience a crisis they can’t handle on their own and find they must totally rely on God to cope.  This type of statement scares most of us, but it doesn’t need to.

When I think of coming into intimacy with God, I’m reminded of verses that tell me God will never leave me nor forsake me, that He’ll work all things together for my good, that He’ll supply all my needs according to His riches in glory, etc.

19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:19

No, we never need to fear circumstances that ultimately cause us to trust in God more, and that He often uses such situations to teach us to be anxious for nothing, etc.  We serve a loving God who will always provide a way of escape, precious people.

Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh.
Proverbs 3:25

6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.  7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7

9 And he (God) said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.  Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
2 Corinthians 12:9

Let your manner of living be without covetousness, and be content with such things as ye have.  For He hath said, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee”;
Hebrews 13:5

God is good all the time, and, all the time, God is good.  He’s promised it in His Word and love for us.

I will rest in Your love and put my trust in Your goodness…

Rest In Your Love – Marty Nystrom

God bless,

Mark

God’s taking me “out of control,” and I can only imagine how great it’s going to be.

32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free (Free is a real thing in the Lord and it’s so enjoyable).
John 8:32

I was a heavyweight champion when it came to “care.”  Really.  God just continues to take more and more “care” from me and it’s sensational – I didn’t know it could be so much fun to relinquish a heavyweight title.  Thank you, Jesus!

The above picture is pretty much how I’m feeling this morning as God surprises me with more of His transforming, renewing truth and joy.  Yipee!

I saw a license plate this morning that was really special.  It said something like “Hve joy ♥ Gd.”  Boy, is that ever true in my life.  I never had true joy until I started to find out about how God wanted to work in my life to bring me to His peace, rest and joy.

My wife and I are watching some Christian material that’s new to us.  It’s by Dr. Neil T. Anderson.  What a blessing some of his statements are to us.  It just never ceases to amaze me how Jesus keeps bringing us along and affirming us in Him, and Dr. Anderson’s life and messages are such a blessing to us at this time.

I’m a control freak.  No, really.  And God can prove it.

I wanted so badly to have the pride of being self-sufficient.  That I’m controlled by wanting to control really surprised me as it dawned on me this morning.  The Holy Spirit is so faithful to continue to set us free as His children.  I’ve been so deceived by “control.”  It’s caused me (and those around me) so much pain (Unforgiveness, bitterness, resentment, shame, etc.).  And, control has so many wretched tentacles that I’m sitting here listening to the Holy Spirit as He begins to show me how far-reaching controlling goes.

For one thing, it’s very hard to “wait” on God when I’m in controlling mode.  To the degree that I want control, to that same degree I’m not trusting in the Lord.  I begin to get uptight and yield to all kinds of harmful, deceptive thoughts and actions.  Control has W-E-I-G-H-T, and restlessness.  God wants to lighten my load by showing me I can trust Him all the time.  Boy, this is really interesting, folks.

To be continued…☺

5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart (that’s got to be a really wonderful place); and lean not unto thine own understanding.  6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Proverbs 3:5-6

It’s so wonderful when you think you’ve arrived at trusting God with all your heart and the joy you’ve been given there only to find out that trusting God goes deeper all the time and that He brings you more joy as He shows you how you can give Him even more of you (like control) so He can give you more of Him (His deeper, lighthearted joy).

God bless,

Mark

Wow, so much is happening as the Lord continues to show us His life-changing faithfulness.

Another week to live for Jesus and to let Him set us more and more free indeed.  What an incredible blessing we’ve been given to follow our precious Jesus into more of the amazing liberty He died to make available to us.

It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.
Galatians 5:1

For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
Galatians 5:13

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
2 Corinthians 3:17

promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved.
2 Peter 2:19

“So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.
John 8:36

To open blind eyes, To bring out prisoners from the dungeon And those who dwell in darkness from the prison.
Isaiah 42:7

The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me (Jesus), Because the LORD has anointed me To bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to captives And freedom to prisoners;
Isaiah 61:1

God bless all of us today as we learn to love Jesus even more than last week.

Mark

Self-sufficiency is such a powerful, deceptive distraction that can keep us from living in God’s will and bound.

I really thought (my weak flesh thought so) the road to the end of self-sufficiency (such pride that kept me from God) was all uphill with no turnouts and no let up in sight.  What I’m discovering is that when I begin to experience Christ replacing my self-sufficiency with His provision that life is downhill from that point.  I’ve lived with so much shame (mainly of not being able to live up to everyone’s expectations nor being able to provide financially for my family) and last night, God told me that my shame was the result of my desperately wanting to hold onto self-sufficiency.  Wow, that was a revelation.

If I come to Christ, I must be willing to die to self.  What is Mark’s self?  Selfishness, bitterness, unforgiveness, fear of man (nearly paralyzed by what others think of me), jealousy, coveting, strife, the love of money (mammon), wanting my way (I won’t be free in Christ if I cling to wanting my way), not loving my wife the way I should (never a good thing), fear, worry, anxiety, the weight and illusion of self-sufficiency (so deceptive and binding), and my one of my favorites, self-pity.

These are what Jesus is asking me to die to.  Pretty ugly list, right?  And SO spiritually H-E-A-V-Y.

Thank you, Jesus, for asking me, and for showing me how to die to self, how to relieve me of “self.”  It’s so wonderful to be able to unload self (my ways), and to exchange them for Your light beauty.

I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me (for my liberty and salvation from self to live in/with Christ).
Galatians 2:20

Jesus is SO amazing.  And, this life in Him just keeps getting more joyful all the time.

God bless,

Mark

He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
1 John 4:8

God’s love is all-conquering, just, discerning, merciful, and full of grace.  It draws those who have ears to hear (Matthew 11:15) to the narrow gate, and safe way (Matthew 7:13-14).  His love demands justice and truth, and it commands the universe.  From cover to cover, the Bible contains and describes God’s love and all He will do to preserve it.

How powerful is God’s love?  Well, it’s so powerful that, when placed in God’s almighty hands, in His time, it can bring victory, peace, rest, contentment and great joy out of any circumstance or situation…Any.

How’s God going to work all things together for good?  Honestly, I don’t know. But, He does, and He has the power to do it.  That’s one reason that life with God is the adventure of a lifetime.  He loves to show us His plans and surprises in His perfect timing with His ongoing love story for each of us.

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus…Truly, there’s just something about that Name.  After all, Jesus is the Name that is ABOVE every other name.

17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what [is] the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.
Ephesians 3:17-19

God bless,

Mark

If you’ve ever had an emotionally up and down life like I’ve had, you find that it’s such a marvelous thing to meet someone who appears to have the joy of the Lord and Christ’s peace living in them.  All questioning and fretting seems to be gone from their life.  You just want to stay with them and absorb their Heavenly character, their ability to rest in and trust Jesus.

I’m finding that it’s much more important who I am than what I do for a living.  While God leads us into our life’s work, He wants to develop His liberating character in us because He knows that’s what will make us truly happy and secure.  When we have Jesus living on the inside of us, we’re at peace and have all of the other fruit of the Spirit alive in us.  We soon learn that it’s so much more rewarding to have Christ than anything else.

Jesus loves us so much and desires that we live in His peace all the time.  He helps us by giving us the Holy Spirit to plant and grow the fruit of the Spirit in our lives.  The more we trust Jesus, the more of each of the fruit of the Spirit we’ll have operating in our lives.  Isn’t that wonderful?

5 Trust in the Lord with all (All of Him and none of me.  All sounds so restful.) thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Proverbs 3:5-6

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance:  against such there is no law.
Galatians 5:22-23

God bless,

Mark

I told you how we’ve been getting attacked spiritually for the last few weeks.   Well, it all began just before Christmas and has kept up since then.  The Lord woke Ann up in the middle of the night about a week ago and had her write down some things.

This morning, I woke up with more attacks and began praising God in bed.  After we got up, the Holy Spirit put a song on my heart and wanted me to listen to it.  Funny thing is, I couldn’t remember the song’s name so I kind of shrugged it off.  Ann and I were talking about the new ideas God’s giving us and sure enough, I was reminded of the song’s lyric and found it on youtube.  I played it for Ann and we were both lifted up by the Holy Spirit.  I couldn’t even talk as my eyes filled up with tears of the joy of the Lord.  It was like He was telling us to keep on trucking in Him and that He would always be faithful to bring us through storms and spiritual attacks.  Ann’s been sick with a cold and could hardly make a noise when she tried to speak this morning but that didn’t keep her from talking about a new web page and all that God wants to do.  I just love my incredible wife.

Anyway, here’s the song God gave me this morning – while it’s kind of a comical video, the song has a powerful message, and one I needed to hear today.  It truly reminded me in the Holy Spirit to “Keep on telling people about Jesus, and that that’s enough for me.”  God is answering so many prayers and His answers are coming on the heels of some pretty heavy spiritual attacks.

Just want to encourage you, again, to keep running after Jesus with all you’ve got.  You’ll never regret it.

Gaither Vocal Band, Jake Hess – I’m Gonna Keep On [Live]

We love you all.

God bless,
Mark

Our flesh is prideful, arrogant, lazy, fearful and wimpy.  It wants its way and often resists the change and growth Jesus has for His disciples.

Like you, we’re still growing in the Lord (and will be until we reach Heaven) and want all that He has for us on earth.  He died to set mankind free and we really desire to walk away from the flesh and into all of His Heavenly provision.

11 Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist:  notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.  12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force (With the Holy Spirit’s help, we need to stay strong and courageous to take out the enemy of the Kingdom).
Matthew 11:11-12

12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart (like self-pity, discouragement, depression, etc., at any given moment).
Hebrews 4:12

19 Behold, I will do a new thing,
Now it shall spring forth;
Shall you not know it?
I will even make a road in the wilderness (He’ll deal with our wilderness and bring you out if we’re willing)
And rivers in the desert (living apart from His liberating ways).
20 The beast of the field will honor Me,
The jackals and the ostriches,
Because I give waters (He makes His ways known to us) in the wilderness
And rivers (of living water found and discovered in His Word) in the desert,
To give drink to My people, My chosen.
21 This people I have formed for Myself;
They shall declare My praise.
Isaiah 43:19-21

I hope the following lifts you and is clear enough to say what’s on our hearts.  We hope it’s helpful.

Lately, Ann’s been getting a new vision for “Choosing Jesus Every Day.”  Seems as if God’s telling her we need to find a way to reach those without hope and who are discouraged and depressed with no apparent resolve.

We’ve been talking and praying about this and this morning, Ann, started talking about it some more…

Ann was telling me about how violent the Bible is in parts.  She told me she thinks we’re too complacent in our Christianity and how the Kingdom suffereth violence and how the violent take it by force.  She agreed that we always need to be led by the Holy Spirit in all situations but thinks we’re being determined enough when it comes to renewing our minds or that we don’t realize the precious gift and opportunity we’ve been given when it comes to renewing our minds to God’s Word.  The Word is so powerful if we’ll use it.  It’s such GOOD NEWS.

I was in a little bit of a spiritual fog this morning (Ann could tell I was entering a desert or wilderness).  I didn’t know it, but my wife saw it.  She asked me what I was thinking.  When I told her, she told me self-pity was trying to control me and that I needed to stir myself up in the Lord.  She was right.

Misery loves company and keeps many of us from the strength and liberty the Lord has for each of our lives.  Honestly, the love and familiarity of and with misery often keeps us from renewing our minds in the Lord.  We get so used to woe and self-pity (and any other harmful strongholds and damaging thought patterns that have taken root in our lives over the years for various reasons) that we don’t really know how to grow beyond them or entirely exterminate them from our being.

On the other hand, when we stir ourselves up in the Lord, when we take Him at His Word, when He shows us something that’s harming us and how to overcome it, others will want to stir themselves up in the Lord as well.

We can’t be passive when renewing our mind.  It takes Holy Spirit inspired, deliberate action.  That’s why we must learn the Word.

Like David, we need to stir up the gift of salvation the Lord’s made available to us.  When the Lord points out the fact that our discouragement is not from Him, but is rather an enemy attack, no matter how subtle it is and no matter how it’s framed, we can stir ourselves up in the Lord and the power of His might.  We don’t have to live with discouraging and depressing thoughts.  We don’t need to have those types of thoughts harming and limiting our strength in Jesus.

2 And be not conformed to this world:  but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Romans 12:2

31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
John 8:31-32

Boy, I just love how the Word is alive and active helping us discern spiritual matters and setting us free indeed.  It’s simply amazing.  And all we have to do to be set free indeed is to be willing to keep following Jesus.

God bless,

Mark