My life as a house

But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded? I Kings 8:27

King David saw God's heart to have a house to dwell in. But he could not see through the mystery that was hid in God. "Christ IN you, the hope of glory."

Nothing is impossible with God and there are no accidents when you truly endeavor to walk by the Spirit of God and not by your own ways. Not that I am always walking perfectly by any means, but it is no accident that I am here at my parents house working on getting it ready to go on the market.

When my dad bought this house 35 years ago, the basement was unfinished and there was no landscaping. As a family we pulled all the huge rocks out of the yard in order to put in grass. My dad finished the basement himself.

When we started working on the downstairs, every wall was covered in one way or another. There were tables and dressers and coatracks and boxes covering up every wall and most of the floor space. Except for little trails to get to the back wall, you could hardly even walk down there. Every day we went down there and started going through things. But we couldn't just pack up everything and take it out. We had to take the time to sort through things. We had a giveaway box, a trash can, a recycle bin for papers and then another box. The other box we called the 'reprocessing' box for those decisions that were a little less than obvious and needed more time to think on. Later we would go through the reprocessing boxes as well.

At first, after spending 8 to 10 hours a day in that room, it looked like we hadn't done a thing! Just looking at the room, it looked the same: messy. Yet we knew that we had done so much work in there that day. It made you feel like that room was never going to be a nice comfortable room. Yet, now, after a month of work, the family room is amazing. I was looking at the brilliant woodwork that my dad installed in this room when he first finished it:


The Lord showed me that I am like this house. Every day the Lord is working on me, to clean me up and make me a welcoming and inviting place, a place worthy of His Spirit to dwell within me. But to the naked eye, it sometimes appears that nothing is taking place - or even worse, that it is impossible for the Lord to do anything with me, such that I am.

I needed that encouragement. Like I said, there are no accidents, and it was no accident that my van is broke down, because there were times this last month when I would have "pulled a Jonah" and abandoned my assignment, jumped in my van and headed for the hills. There have been moments that have been extremely difficult, and that remind me, that I still have a ways to go before I have conquered the old man nature. I have yet to die completely to self.

Another thing I learned during this fast is that, the Lord could really care less about my weight. Ultimately, what difference would it make if I lost the weight and now weighed 135? None! I was so surprised to learn that lesson. My weight and especially my "ideal" weight, is so worldly. I have thought in times past that it was God's mercy that I have this extra weight on me. If I was skinny and cute (and I'm really cute when I am thin!) then I would just have all this worldly attention from worldly men and it might be more than I could emotionally handle. As it is now, they don't pay any attention to me and I can attend to the things of the Lord without distraction. I began to see that it was NOT the Lord's will for me to lose weight, that was my will. When the Lord wants me to lose weight, it will happen. (Not that I am going to go back to overeating the way I had occasionally before. If I can go without solid food for 21 days, I can go a couple hours past lunch without the need for some cookies and chips to "hold me over" Know what I mean?)

It is important to see spiritual lessons in even the mundane tasks that the Lord sets before us. He is the master builder and the master gardner and He knows the best way to prune us, so that the natural beauty that He created in us can shine through.

Dear Heavenly Father. Wow, You are so amazing and wonderful and merciful to care about the very hairs on our heads and the smallest detail of our daily lives. Thank you so much for never leaving me or forsaking me. I only want to do your Will in my life Lord. In Jesus name. Amen.

Day 21 - Thank you Lord!

Awww. You did it guys! We did it. I have learned so much about the Lord and His provision and about myself. I am truly sorry that I am just so crazy busy at the moment with no time to blog. Hopefully, things should calm down a little and I will be able to post a decent blog post soon.

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Day Twenty - The Journey

You have probably already heard about Katie from The Journey website. But you really have to read it. I cry almost every time I read it. There are times when I have thought that the assignments the Lord has given me were really hard. After I read her website, I thank God that the things He has asked of me are very simple and easy compared to what He has asked of her. I only hope I can be as grown-up and beautiful as she is some day!

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Day Nineteen - Hand of Help Ministries

Michael Boldea's Ministry, Hand of Help, and their Romania orphanage is under attack by the adversary. They have called a week long fast in order to seek the Lord and His supernatural providence. You can read more about it here: Moving Mountains

The fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much, so please pray today for Hand of Help ministries.

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Day 18 - Workhorse

Sorry guys! I'm too busy packing boxes up and down the stairs (and furniture!) to blog at the moment. We are sitting on the couch downstairs amazed. We've never seen the family room before! It was always used for storage and junk. We have almost gotten rid of all the junk and only the nice stuff is left for staging. With a lot less furniture - the space seems much bigger. The house will be ready to show when it goes on the market on Tuesday.

Dear Heavenly Father, You are so awesome! Thanks for the strength to carry me through. Love YOU!! In Jesus name. AMEN!

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Day Seventeen - More Grace

Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?

But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. James 4:5-8

The Lord gives more grace to us, knowing that we are human and will fail. What the Lord assigns us to do in His Will, He also gives us grace to accomplish it. He also brings people into our lives that can be supportive to us, to help us be successful in accomplishing His Will.

I'd like to thank my friends Kimberly and Debbie for their emotional support and their prayers. It has been nice to know that there are people out there praying for me and helping me on this fast.

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Special video from Jentezen Franklin
Fasting to Reclaim the Edge

Day 16 - Fiery Darts

Several years ago, I was at a prayer meeting for a certain ministry. For some reason that I don't remember now, everyone was stressed out. Someone spoke in tongues and then it was interpreted, and in the interpretation they said, "diary farts" instead of fiery darts. Everyone ended up laughing and the stress left the room. I often think of that when I am being attacked by the words of the enemy. The fiery darts of the wicked.

We need to remember that we wrestle not against flesh and blood.

Dear Heavenly Father, you are so amazing and wonderful. Thank you for the armor of Ephesians 6, that we can be armed against the spiritual wickedness in high places. In Jesus name. Amen.

The blog is not up yet at Jentezen Franklin. You can check later at his fasting page: Here.

Day 15 - 2/3rd's down

Two weeks down. One week to go. I have found myself having a bad attitude the last couple days and today I realized that it is exactly what the adversary wants. So today I am just letting go and putting everything in God's hands. There is a wonderful blog from Latter Days Ministry that I think everyone should read:

Maybe it's just me...

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Day 14 - Another busy day

I have another busy day ahead of packing and moving stuff to the storage unit and taking stuff to Goodwill etc. I just want to take a moment to praise the Lord for His many wonderful blessings in our lives.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for how you are so careful with every detail of our lives and how you know our pains and every hair on our heads. Thank you for always being a wonderful caring father that we can go to for any care and worry we may have in our lives. In Jesus name. Amen.

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Day Thirteen - Just checking in

Pretty busy today packing and moving and cleaning out stuff at mom and dad's. Have a nice Friday!

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Day Twelve - words from the Lord

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Day Eleven - Halfway

While cleaning out drawers yesterday my mom found our christening dresses. I'm like, yay! vintage fabric.

Today is the halfway point. Thank God.

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Day 10 - The art of forgiveness

My van is safely parked in my parents driveway. Not sure yet what will happen with it, but I don't have to deal with it for the moment.

As children of God, by what was accomplished by Jesus Christ and his sinless sacrifice, we are given the ability to lead every thought captive. Although it may not be very easy to control our minds and do spiritual warfare against every evil imagination, the Lord has given us that ability.

I know that many of my fellow brethren out there, understand how hard it can be to be in the midst of our unbelieving family and friends and to feel alone. I use to resent the people around me, for not living up to my expectations and not wanting to hear and love God's word. Even professed believers in Christ have betrayed me, and I learned the hard way that it will be the false brethren that will be our enemies.

But now, when I am tempted to be resentful and tempted to be unforgiving for past wrongs, I pray for those people. If I feel I can't forgive them, then I cry out to the Lord to help me love these people and forgive them. Bitterness springs up when you collect old hurts and wronged feelings. The Lord specifically says that those that do not forgive their fellows will be open to the tormentors. Let me tell you as a friend, don't go there. Forgive the people in your life, no matter the hurt they have done you - no matter how horrific. Stephen was at peace and able to forgive those who were biting him and stoning him. That was how Jesus was as well.

If you can't forgive - give even that to the Lord. The Lord is able to do a work in us that we can't even begin to imagine. He has promised that He will also finish the work that He starts in us.

Dear Heavenly Father, you always are so amazing. You speak and create universes from thin air and yet you are a tender loving father who wants us to be strong in His strength. Thank you for always being trustworthy, and for giving us the ability to control our minds in Jesus name. Amen.

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Day 9 - never mind

The Lord is stirring the pond so that all the crap floats to the top. I am glad because I know He will skim it off and I will be better for it in the end. I hope you didn't get any on you.

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Day 8 - The enemy

Yesterday, was a hard day. I was hungry, like I'd never been hungry in my whole life. I thought about people that were actually starving in Africa and South America, and I prayed for them. How horrible to feel that way all the time.

I was originally going to have all the strings replaced on my mother's guitar, but they run about $7-$8 a piece. So instead I bought some picks and a guitar tuner. Yesterday was my first lesson. I found some lessons on You-Tube. I'm going to try to practice for at least an hour a day, Lord willing.

I went to move my van and as I was driving around the block, my van died and I could not restart it. Some neighbors helped me to push it off to the side of the road. It weighs a ton. (LITERALLY!) I was very upset because I hate vehicle problems. I don't know how to work on them, and my dad doesn't know how to work on them, and my cousin, the mechanic lives about 45 minutes away.

When these things happen, I immediately start looking for unconfessed sin in my life. I opened my bible to Isaiah 4 and the Ezekiel 9:11 - the first I felt was encouragement to remember that MY LORD JESUS is coming back soon. The second was to confirm that yes, I have done what the Lord has commanded me. I also read this great post about how the apostles were obeying when they got into the boat and went ahead of the Lord and hit the storm:

He Would Have Passed Them By?

The Lord confirmed that this is an attack from the enemy, but I am beginning to see that what the enemy may have planned for evil, the Lord planned for good. I'm going to go talk to the woman whose house my van died in front of because I am blocking her paper box. Hopefully she will be understanding. Then I will take my mom's car down to visit my cousin. The rest is in the hands of the Lord, so I know without a doubt that the Lord will take care of it and all the details.

Dear Heavenly Father, You always defeat the adversary in every single situation, you are more powerful than him in everything and his attacks are like gnat stings compared to your mighty hand that saves us. thank you for always being with me no matter what, and how you are able to make all the crooked path straight and make the (GRRRRR) vehicle problems taken care of. I love you so much Lord. In Jesus name. Amen.

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Day 7 - A week of Grace

One week down. A week of the Lord's grace in my life because I never could have made it this far without His help. 1/3 of the way is done. Two more weeks left, but the Lord is getting me through minute by minute.

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Day 6 - Doors

The last three days, my dad and I have been working on trying to clean all the hard water spots off of his shower door. We used both CLR and vinegar and scrubbed for the first day with sponges. Thank the Lord, the 2nd day my dad decided to use his rotary sander. Today we finished up and re-installed the shower door back on it's hinges. It looks much better than it did, and saved my dad from having to pay $300 to replace it.

This morning I was reading Rev 3. The church in Philadelphia (Brotherly Love) who Jesus loved, kept the words of Jesus and an open door that no man could shut was set in front of them. Jesus stated that he was the one that opens and no man shutteth, and shutteth and no man opens.

In contrast, the Laodician church, with their luke-warmness, makes Jesus want to hurl. In front of them is a closed door, yet Jesus is still out there knocking, wanting to come in. It was the Laodicians that shut the door, because they don't care enough to open the door and have a relationship with Jesus. They will have to be the ones to open that door.

Strangely, I was thinking about these verses when I checked my email and found this teaching from Zac Poonen:

A GREAT EXAMPLE

Zac Poonen

In Rev. 3:7-13, The Lord describes Himself to the church in Philadelphia as the One who can now open or shut any door. If we are overcomers, we need never stand before a closed door at any time when it is the will of God that we should go through. But the Lord also shuts certain doors before us, so that we don't go into paths that He has not ordained for us - paths that He knows will not be profitable for us. It is really an exciting life to be an overcomer. The Lord Himself decides which doors we should go through, and which doors we should stop knocking at.

Here in Philadelphia, we see the second of the two messengers, and churches that receive no rebuke at all from the Lord. The first was the one at Smyrna. These two examples show us that it is possible to be such a messenger of the Lord and to be such a church as to receive no rebuke at all from the Lord when He examines us. This should be a challenge to all of us. The messenger and the saints here were a weak people ( Rev. 3:8). They had very little human influence and power, but they had obeyed God's Word and confessed the Name of the Lord. These are two primary requirements for the days in which we live - and that is why we find them being repeated again and again in the book of Revelation: OBEDIENCE TO GOD'S WORD AND HOLDING FORTH THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS.

Because of their faithfulness, the Lord says that He has set before them an open door to witness for Him. No one will be able to shut that door (Rev. 3:8). Their witness will naturally be opposed by Satan, but the gates of Hell will not be able to prevail against this church - for this is a triumphant church that Satan himself is afraid of.

The church here was being opposed by a synagogue of Satan - similar to the one that was in Smyrna (Rev. 3:9). Notice that the synagogue of Satan opposed only two of the seven churches in Asia - the very two that the Lord commends unreservedly. Those churches that are most wholehearted for God, are the ones that Satan opposes the most, and Satan's opposition comes mainly through religious people.

Jesus was opposed in the days of His flesh, not by the Romans or the Greeks, but by religious Jews who studied their Bibles daily! It will be the same for the body of Christ. Our main opposition will come from those who claim to be Christians, but who don't preach freedom from sin's power.

The Lord says that He will make the synagogue of Satan recognise in an obvious way that He is with the church at Philadelphia. The agents of Satan will be compelled to bow down before the church (Rev. 3:9). God has destined that Satan should be crushed under the feet of the church (Rom. 16:20). We must never forget this that God is always on our side against Satan. So we need never fear Satan or his agents at any time.

Jesus prayed that the world would know that His disciples were loved by the Father (John 17:23). This prayer was to be answered in Philadelphia. The synagogue of the Jews would be made aware of the fact that the Lord loves the church and that He would stand by them (Rev. 3:9). God has wonderful ways of confounding our enemies and of making them aware that we are the objects of His love and care!

The church in Philadelphia had kept the word of Jesus' perseverance (Rev. 3:10). They had obeyed the word of the Lord and endured to the end in obedience. It is only by enduring faithfully in times of temptation, that we become perfect, lacking in nothing (James 1:4).

The Lord's promise to this church was, "I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world" (Rev. 3:10). Here the Lord warns them in advance of a time of trial that was going to come upon the whole world at that time (at the end of the first century or in the early second century). The church in Philadelphia was promised Divine protection during that time of testing. How did the Lord "keep them from that hour of testing"? It was certainly not by rapturing them out of the world. No. They were KEPT SAFE IN THE MIDST OF THE TRIAL. They experienced the Lord's protecting hand in the midst of their tribulations.

This is a word of encouragement for us too - for the Lord will similarly keep us also safe from evil in the midst of the great tribulation during the time of the Antichrist. He will keep us exactly as He kept the church in Philadelphia in the second century - on earth, safe from evil, even though we may have to suffer for His Name's sake. Jesus has said, "You will be hated by all on account of my Name.....but do not fear those who kill the body.......for the very hairs of your head are all numbered.....Not a hair of your head will perish" (Matt.10:28,30; Lk.21:17-18). Even during the tribulation, not a hair on our head can be touched by anyone without the Lord's permission. So we can be at rest.

These articles are copyrighted. Permission however is granted to copy and distribute it (if not for sale), provided the author's name and the CFC website address are clearly mentioned.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for the doors you have opened in my life. Thank you for being so merciful and bestowing such grace in my life. Thank you for making this fast, easy and peaceful and sweet. In Jesus name, Amen.

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Day 5 - Tainted Food

I had very vivid, strange, multi-part dreams last night. Here is part of my dream:

I was working in a fast food restaurant. All the tables were full of hungry people, jammed into the booths - 6 people to a booth instead of four - and they all had white placemats in front of them. I walked between them until I came to the last table where a woman and her husband and their two children were sitting.

The woman was very upset that there was nothing healthy to eat at that restaurant. I told her I could get her a salad. She said, that would be okay. As I was walking back to her table with the salad, I looked down and noticed that the salad had chocolate chips and pieces of cookies crumbled on top. I knew that it was unfit to serve.

I went back to the woman and told her that we were out of salad. She had a handfull of plastic forks and knives that she banged down on the table and the plastic forks and knives shattered. She took the kids and left the restaurant. I started picking up the pieces of plastic and handing them to her husband and I apologized for upsetting her. He said, "it's not your fault, it's my responsibility."

Later in the dream, I quit that job and went to try to change out of my fast-food uniform. I had a pile of clothes with me that were all sorts of crazy colors and patterns like court jester clothes and some of the leg holes and arm holes were sewn shut, making it impossible to wear. When I finally found something to wear, I looked like a clown. Then the dream went on to something else.

I believe the interpretation of the dream is as follows:

The fast-food restaurant is a mega-church where tons of hungry people gather in hopes of getting fed the Word of God.

The woman represents those in the mega-churches who recognize that there is no real Word being taught in that church and even something that might resemble the truth of the word, is tainted with things that tickle the ears, but gives no real nourishment. She is unwilling to compromise and leaves that church.

The man represents those that hear and recognize that there is nothing of value to eat there (no spiritual food whatsoever), even recognize that it is their responsibility as head for the spiritual nourishment of their families, yet do nothing and stay in the church. The word of God (the true healthy food of life) is not important enough for them to fight for.

I, as the server, represent the pastors of the churches - who actually recognize the fact that there is no food at that church - blaming the corporate nature of the worldly church - when I leave, I set about to establish my own righteousness in an independent way - instead of the calling and righteousness of God. Those ministers who have left the mainstream churchs, recognize that there is no meat of God's word being taught, yet they leave to start their own ministries to further themselves and not the gospel of the Kingdom, not the Church as the Lord wants it done.

I welcome any comments with further interpretations of this dream.

Strangely - my reading this morning was about Samson eating honey out of a dead lion. Just more tainted food. I really want to know more about what that means.

Dear Heavenly Father, we hunger and thirst after your righteousness and seek after the true Bread of life. Thank you for being with us in all things. In Jesus name. Amen.

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Day 4 - The pure in Heart

(I can't help but post this picture of my little grandson, Joshua. Is he not the most precious thing you have ever seen?!)

Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. 1 John 3:1-3

God makes us pure when we become His sons by adoption through the blood of Jesus Christ. We who have the hope of Jesus's soon return within us, also purify ourselves because we want to live for God.

The pure in heart will see God (Matt 5:8). The pure in heart love God with their whole body, soul, mind and strength and the pure in heart love the brethren unfeigned, which means not fakely. Our flesh is at enmity with our desire to have pure hearts before the Lord. We place alot of emphasis on whether we feel love or feel pure, when our feelings mean nothing to the Lord. That is why - the mark of true love for God is obedience, not feeling. If we truly love the Lord with a pure heart, we will obey his word.

If you struggle with this - ask the Lord to give you the love you need to love Him with a pure heart and to love the brethren with a pure heart. Loving with a pure heart means not just saying it with your mouth, but that your thought life is lined up with God's word and that you are leading every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. Again, if you are falling short of this, ask of the Father who will freely give.

Dear wonderful, sweet, merciful Father, Thank you so much for all you do in our lives. How we have warm beds to sleep in, and food on the table and your mercy and grace when we obey your will. Thanks for strength to continue when our lives seem dark, and thank you for letting us be your sons and daughters. In Jesus name. Amen.

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Day Three - Some help

I feel good, and I truly believe the Lord is watching over me during this fast. I know it is just the beginning, so I thought the following videos may help those that may be struggling. May the Lord bless you! In times of temptation, remember the Lord and seek Him and He will make a way for you.





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Day Two - Patience

Patience is a fruit of the spirit. Those of us who wait on the Lord, know the true meaning of the word patience and why it is also called longsuffering. But I have come to realize that impatience is a form of unbelief and self-will.

If we are being impatient with the things going on in our lives and want the future to hurry up and get here, then we are not content with what the Lord has put in front of us. I have struggled with this concept many times on this journey.

Impatience with my circumstances in life and especially the fact that I have, on more than one occasion, had to stay at my parents house longer than I wanted to, has made me understand my own shortcomings in this category. Don't get me wrong, I am very thankful to my parents for their love of me and their open house to me and the support they have given on my journey. I just get antsy when I stay at any one place very long. Thank the Lord, He has given me abundant grace in this category and I am becoming more and more content with whatever circumstance I find myself.

I came across an interesting item this morning while reading James. I know that alot of the people who read this site are also watchmen on the wall. We see the signs in the heavens and satan's plans and know we are in the end times, and wish the Lord would please hurry up and come and take us away from this hellhole. Even in this we need to be patient:

Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and the latter rain.

Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. - James 5:7-8

Dear Mighty Wonderful Heavenly Father, thank you so much for your grace, mercy and longsuffering towards us. Thank you for your hedge of protection around our lives, in Jesus name. Amen.

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Day One - Shaken, Not Stirred

I had very strange dreams last night that I was arguing with the forces of darkness about my ability to do the 21-day fast. I said, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." and "The Lord is able to make me stand." This morning I woke very peaceful and I wasn't even hungry. Someone said, "21 days is so long!" I said, "Yes, but after today, I will only have to do 20." So I am not worried about it.

This morning as I was reading Hebrews, a couple verses really struck me. I can't rewrite all of Hebrews 12 and 13 here so please read them so you can understand the context of what I am talking about.

The context of Hebrews 12 is from back when the glory of God appeared on Mt. Sinai the Isrealites told Moses that they could not bear to hear from the Lord because they could not endure it, and even Moses said that he exceedingly feared and quaked. In contrast we are on Mt Zion, seated in the heavenlies with God and Jesus and the angels. Then it reads:

See that ye refuse not him (Jesus) that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:

Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven

And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.

Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:

For our God is a consuming fire. Hebrews 12:26-29

Jesus warned about shaking in the last days and earthquakes in diverse places, he also said, not to be troubled that those things were just the beginning of sorrows. The shaking of the earth is not to trouble you so much as the shaking of heaven.

Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:

And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. Matthew 24:29-31

His elect will be saved from heaven when the shaking of heaven occurs. Because the Lord has promised a new HEAVEN and a new earth. Those who refuse Jesus Christ and who turn away from Him will NOT be in the elect.

Notice Paul uses the word "we" in this context. The beginning of the book of Hebrews says, "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners SPAKE in time past unto the fathers by the prophets. Hath in these last days SPOKEN unto US by HIS SON, whom he hath appointed heir of all things..." This book is addressed to the believers, so now is the time to make your election sure.

"Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:" 2 Peter 1:10. The things Peter was referring to is listed in 2 Peter 1, but like it said in Hebrews 12, we should have grace to serve God with reverence and fear.

Now is a time to live for God with every fiber of your being. Love God. Appreciate God and His amazing grace and mercy towards us, in giving us life and the free gift of salvation through His son Jesus Christ.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for your mercy, your abundant grace to us, and your amazing voice that shakes the heavens and the earth. I lift up to you all the people doing the 21-day fast, that you reveal yourself to them and strengthen them. In the name of Jesus Christ, the Word of God. Amen.

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The giant in the kitchen

Food. You need it to live. If you go without food long enough, you will starve to death.

Everything TASTES so good! Your mouth wants to keep eating after your tummy is full. Roasted chicken with rosemary and thyme and buttery potatoes with carrots and sushi made just right and blueberry cobbler dripping with vanilla ice cream and Racheal Ray and Bobby Flay and first there was the Food Network and now there is the cooking channel! Every holiday and every family get together is centered around eating and food and everyone chows down until they have to undo the top bottom of their pants and old Aunt Martha says, "would you eat this last piece of pie? Come on you can finish this little bit off for me?"

Eze 16:49 says that the sin of Sodom was that they were proud, had full tummies and too much time on their hands. Sorry to all you patriots out there - but this sounds like America and we are all getting fatter and fatter.

Last year was the first time that I had ever fasted. Before I had fasted for a day, I had never even skipped a meal! The old testament believers fasted all the time and especially fasted in order to hear from the Lord concerning certain things. So the Lord had me do a series of 3-day fasts. Now I always do juice fasts (no solid food but juices and teas are okay) because when I tried to just do a water only fast the headache was so extreme that I would end up breaking the fast.

For awhile I did good with fasting, but then on the third day I spent all day watching the clock and would become fixated on when I could finally eat again - which completely defeated the purpose for the three day fast - which was to seek and hear from the Lord.

So this is why I believe the Lord wants me to participate in this 21-day fast. To break the mental hold I have about food, to have a deeper and more intimate relationship with the Father, and to prepare my heart for victory over surfeiting and gluttony.

The 21-day fast starts tomorrow. I will be following Jentezen Franklin Ministries who are hosting the 21-day fast and I encourage you to join in - even if you only wanted to fast to skip one meal a day or cut out coffee or cookies or something like that. I will be posting about my experience not to boast about it, but in the hopes that it can help a brother or sister out there that also struggles with a giant in the kitchen!

Dear Heavenly Father, You are so amazing and when you speak you bring forth something out of nothing and nothing is impossible for you. I cannot do this without you Lord and without you, I am nothing. Watch over all of us who are doing this corprate fast - that you will draw near to us and be found of us as we seek your face and your will in all things. In Jesus name. Amen.

Some other websites I found for fasting resources are:
Ultimate Daniel Fast
Freedom You

What manner of persons

(My mother made sauteed apples for me when I was sick. 2 apples peeled and sliced, a quarter cup of brown sugar or so, cooked in 3 tablespoons butter with some ground cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream! YUMMMMMM! Thanks mom.)

I have had a really bad cold the last couple days, which I believe is an attack to try to destroy my resolve to participate in the upcoming corporate 21-day fast that you can read about here. I'm not boasting about it, but since I am participating in it, I will be talking about this fast for the next couple weeks. I encourage anyone who wants to participate to check it out.

Besides being sick - the world has apparently gone crazy. There are dead birds falling out of the sky and dead fish and crabs washing up on shore and cameras going up at every street corner. There are men whose hearts are failing them for fear of what is coming on the earth and there is more talk of disclosure and UFOs/Aliens, etc. There are logos that depict 3-strand DNA and 33's and 17's and you can draw a straight line from the walls of Jerusalem to my parents front porch. Doe's it mean anything? Maybe-Maybe not. Don't get me wrong - I enjoy a good memefest as well as the next guy.

The point is, it does not matter what is going on it the world. The word says that evil men and seducers will wax worse and worse, and we know from the scripture that this world will pass away in a ball of fire.

I don't have the space to list all the verses but I urge you to read 2 Peter 3. Our eyes are open to the tricks of the adversary and we are not ignorant of his devices and the judgements of God are also coming since He is sovereign. So, since we see this shouldn't we be the more about our Fathers business knowing that time is short for the people of the world? What manner of persons ought we to be? Our conversation should be holy and full of godliness and we should be praying and interceding for the lost because it is the Will of the Father that they should turn and repent and be saved.

Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know [these things] before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. 2Pe 3:17

Moses was the meekest man on the face of the earth, yet he did not get to enter the promised land. Solomon was the wisest man on the face of the earth, yet he was an idolator in the end, and did not walk perfect before the Lord. We see the dark days in front of us - we need to take it up a notch and fast and pray for our loved ones and seek the Father's will that we are doing His work and not our own. Pray for each other and especially your brothers and sisters in the Lord, that we all might be without spot and wrinkle before the Lord and that none fall by the wayside.

Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. 1Cr 10:12

Dear Heavenly Father, Please help us to know what Your will for us is daily. Help those who are lost that they may be saved and help those who are saved, that they may be found worthy to escape the things coming on this earth. Thanks always for your provision and protection in our lives. In the name of Jesus Christ our Savior! Amen.

King City

Ironically, the town my parents are considering moving to is named: King City. Almost the whole town is a 55 and older community and there are alot of social privledges available through the Home Owners Association. Plus a lot of their friends and people that go to their church already live there.

So I may be pretty busy the rest of the week. I will try to post regularly, but that will just be up to the Lord.

May the Lord bless you all!

My Mothers Guitar

Every morning, at my parents house, when I first get up, I pray before I get out of bed. Then I go in the kitchen and start some coffee and go to the bathroom. Then I make my bed and sit on it to start my morning in the Word. I read from the Old Testament and then I read from the New. After that I pray that the Father would lead me in his will, I write in my journal and I write down a list of things to do.

A couple months back, the Father started to put on my heart that I should learn how to play guitar. So I would write "Learn to play guitar?" on my list. My mother used to play the guitar years ago. I knew that her guitar was downstairs, under the stairs, in a dusty guitar case. But I did not feel peaceful about asking her if I could borrow it to learn on. I prayed about it, to see if that was the Father's will - but I always got a check in my spirit about talking to her, I felt like it might upset her. So I lifted it to the Lord and said, "Lord, if it is your will for me to learn guitar - then please give me a guitar." I stopped writing it on my list, and didn't really think about it anymore.

Yesterday my mother and I spent a good portion of the morning going through the downstairs where my mom has lots of kitchen and decorating stuff stored. We got ALOT of stuff done. We went through stuff and either packed it for moving or threw it away or put it in Goodwill boxes. She came across her dusty guitar. She opened it and it is in really good condition. She said, "give-away." I said, "I'll take it." Then she got really sad.

I told her, "Mom, you don't have to get rid of this. You can keep it." She said, "I just don't see myself playing this again. You can have it. What will you do with it?" I said, "Learn to play it, I guess."

So now I have a guitar. Strangely my dad also gave me some money for all the work I am doing around here, so I have money to get the strings replaced and possibly tuned, if need be. I even went on craigslist to see if there was anyone who could give me lessons. I wrote an email to one potential teacher about the idea of bartering for lessons - but I have not heard back. Now that I have a guitar - I believe that is a confirmation that the Lord wants me to learn how to play it. He will make a way for me to learn as well.

Thank you my wonderful merciful graceful Heavenly Father. I only want to do your will in this life and I will learn guitar if that is Your will. Take care of all the details Lord and all the details for this house-selling and house-buying for my parents. Thank you for all you do in even the tiny details of our lives. In Jesus name. Amen.

The Spirit of Good Will

Please read the above comic. This is an example of how the adversary loves to get our guard down so that he can attack us. There are so many distractions. So much fun to be had. The adversary says, "You want to have fun dontcha? Studying the word and living for God is soooooo boring! Just relax and have some fun. Sin is totally fun."

I woke up this morning thinking about a video game I used to love. It was called Fire Emblem and I had played it on the Nintendo Game Cube, various versions on Game Boy and even recently on the Wii. Vividly in my mind was the characters and the moves and how much FUN I had playing it. I even know where my old Wii is located and could call up an old friend and go play it. Now I understand that the adversary brought that to my mind, to try to trick me into looking back to Babylon.

Studying the Word and Living for God is NOT boring. The "fun" of the world always has a price. Sin has a wage and it is not a living one. The price of sin is death even if you think you are having fun on the way. Drawing near to the Father should be how we want to spend our time and energy.

I think you should read this very insightful article from Joshua over at A Warrior's Heart:

Living Radically For Christ Pt. 5

We are in a battle - a fierce one like the one in the comic above and Satan will try every trick in the book to try to get your defenses down or get you off the narrow way. I'm not saying it is a sin to play video games, but it is SUCH a waste of time and games like Fire Emblem advocate magic and sorcery, witchcraft and spells, etc. I can gaurantee that it is NOT the will of the Father to be playing those games, or spending hours in front of the TV with the programming getting darker and more evil every day.

When I was a child I played childish games and wasted precious time. Now that I am grown, I want to be a mature daughter and only do the things that please the Lord. Right now that is helping my parents move and sell their house. Seek the Lord for your life and what He puts on your heart, do, and the Lord will give you the grace to obey Him. Waiting on the Lord, for confirmations that it is not just your mind talking, to find out what HE really wants you to do is very important. I actually had someone say to me the other day, "You don't have to wait on the Lord - the answer should just pop into your head." Sometimes it does and sometimes the Lord has me wait on the answer. I'd rather wait and be sure I am really hearing from the Lord and not just doing my own will.

Dear Heavenly Father - I lift up this year to you - as a living sacrifice, body, soul, mind and strength. Help me to know your will so that I may do it. Please be with those people who are seeking Your will, that they may have answers in their lives, so that they can do your will as well. In Jesus name. Amen.