A Freedom Prayer

In Galatians 5:1, we are exhorted:

“Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.”

If you have ever wondered how to make this scripture a reality...pray this prayer*, but also "do" what the declarations claim... and be diligent as everything worthwhile takes time to implement...

Gracious heavenly Father, I come to You in the name of Jesus, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named. I come to You in praise for who you are. You are Holy. You are God Almighty. You are the One who Was, and Is, and Is to Come. You are worthy to receive glory, honor, and power. You created all things.

It is by your will that I was created and that I exist. You created me for good works before I was born so that I should walk in them. You desire that others will see my good works and glorify You. But Father, something is standing in the way of fulfilling Your will in my life.

You said that I have the right to come boldly to your throne of grace, where I may obtain mercy and find grace to help time of need. So I am coming boldly to you, Father, as Your child. I need Your help.

Your enemy wants to destroy me. He hates me because I love you. He hates me because I stand for righteousness and he wants wickedness to reign. He wants me to be in bondage to the cares of this world and the desires of my own flesh. Open up my Spiritual eyes today so that I can see his evil plans for me and those I love. Lead me not into temptation and deliver me from his evil plans.

I want your plans, Father because I know your plans are to prosper me and not to harm me. Your plans are to give me hope and a future

Help me to know the authority I have in You to cancel any hold that your enemy has on me. He has no right to anything in my life. He has no authority over my mind, my body, my will, nor my emotions. With the authority you have given me in the name of Jesus, I cancel any foothold or stronghold that I have given him permission to create in my life.

I ask in the name of Jesus for forgiveness of any sins I’ve committed or those of my family that have opened the door for unclean spirits to wreck havoc in our lives. In the name of Jesus, I revoke all invitations, cast them out and nail the door shut!

Father, you said that a curse without a cause shall not alight; because Jesus has redeemed me from the curse of the law, then all current and generational curses are cancelled. My sin debt has been paid by the blood of the Lamb. Therefore the Blood covers my family, my finances, and my relationships. I am blessed!

Father, you said in Romans 8:14 that for as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. As your child, lead me with your Holy Spirit everyday so that I can grow in wisdom and power. Through your word, I receive riches, strength, honor, glory, and blessing so that I can fulfill your will in the family business.

Each day I take time to retreat, meditating on your goodness, grace, and mercy in my mind and heart. I know that you inhabit the praise of your children so I will bless you at all times and your praise shall be in my mouth continually.

In your presence is fullness of joy and at your right hand pleasures forevermore. Now I go forth in joy and freedom, in awareness of my authority and identity in You. Thank you Father. In Jesus’ name,   Amen.

 * Prayer by Kimberly Taylor, http://www.takebackyourtemple.com/

"You are beautiful - perfect for your purpose - a vessel for divine glory..."

“I long so much to make beautiful things.

But beautiful things require effort—

and disappointment and perseverance.”

~ Vincent van Gogh

Image credit

 
I go through this in my art making! I'm glad van Gogh shared his creative thoughts...

Lately I've been thinking about the beauty that God has woven into creation...and the other evening, at a meeting with other moms, the conversation turned to the beauty of this earth, and this is the fallen world, the one groaning for redemption as we all hurtle through time together...

...so much beauty...

...and then the Lord reminds me of the list of "beauty" scriptures I have been thinking about 

and making graphics with...

...and He reminds me that van Gogh's quote is about our work to develop skill, 

the repetition, 

the beginning,

the middle,

the beginning again...

learning to silence the inner critic...

crying out to Him in agony

wondering if we really heard Him 

in pursuing creative endeavors...

the reassurance,

the beginning again and again...

until the habits 

of creativity are formed...

and we see the primitive beginnings 

as an avenue to get to our present skill..

...and God said...

that even though He always blesses

our practice...

He didn't have to practice

when He created 

each one of His daughters...

He created each of us perfectly -

no "do-overs"...

...we are beautiful...

...and what we might consider a "mar"...

...is only because we aren't looking only to Him...

"You ARE beautiful,

perfect for your purpose -

a vessel for divine glory..."

He says...

{...and what can my response be, except to worship in awe...}

 

A little quiet time reflection and thoughts I wanted to share with you.

Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; 

give thanks to Him and praise His name. 

Psalm 100:4 

How beautiful to go to the temple of the Lord, and minister to Him.  To see the visible place of His dwelling surely caused the praise and thanksgiving to rise up spontaneously in each worshipper. In Old Testament times, the priests even lived in the temple, the closest place to Him on earth. What joy to be counted among those who were set apart for this service! And we have this kind of access to Him 24/7 because His temple is our heart, He live in us!  In considering how this verse applies to our present reality, I was brought to this thought: to "enter His gates" today means to pause, consider, and acknowledge that

 1) He is in His temple 

 2) we are that place and

 3) "entering in" means to be present to this truth and 

act in awareness of His constant presence with us! 

During this season, I am praying to be daily more aware of this incredible truth that the Living God, the Creator of the Universe has made His home in my heart...and the implications of this. 

His promise - perfect for Tabernacles

To Bless...

Look for someone to bless today -
a co-worker
a child
your spouse
your parents

It can be just a word of love or encouragement...be Jesus' hands, feet, voice, and heart!

Peace! Be Still! What Does God's Peace Look Like? It might not be what you think....

 Peace!  Be Still!  It was the command the Jesus gave to the elements when His disciples became afraid of the gale surrounding them...

He asked them what they were afraid of...
He asked if they still had no faith...

Is your faith in Him?

Or in your "faith" (thoughts, beliefs) about Him?

If your faith is in your "faith", you can only grow to the point that your own thoughts and beliefs can take you.

But if your faith is in HIM - He can take you beyond your wildest imaginations!

I am here to say, that after this experience, their faith in Him grew!

They became convinced:
  - of His love for them,
  - of His heart of compassion for all of mankind,
  - of His desire to do His Father's will
  - of their ultimate good always being His motivation for action 

  - of a purpose and calling from Him
  - of guaranteed uncertainty
  - of a life full of opportunities as they pursued all these things...


        ...of His steady, loving presence no matter where this adventure took them all...

And that is where the true peace of God begins...

...Faith in His loving presence that is working all things out for our good...

God calls you...unique

13For you created my inmost being;

you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

14I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

your works are wonderful,

I know that full well.

15My frame was not hidden from you

when I was made in the secret place,

when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.

16Your eyes saw my unformed body;

all the days ordained for me were written in your book

before one of them came to be.

The Soldier's Prayer

I've posted this prayer on a similar background before, but I redid it, and this warrior call just keeps reverberating in me...so hope it blesses you...fires you up this weekend!

Blessings,
Cindy

The Joy of the Lord = Strength...strength series #12

What is the strength we are talking about? What is it that we need to hang on to when life's storms have hit hard, when we are afraid, when the breaking has left us weak and grasping...when we need amnesty from our own choices?  It is a strength beyond our own...and joy isn't even on our radar.  In fact joy seems to be reserved for lighter times - for the delight in watching children grow, or two lives being joined in marriage, or celebrating blessings.  In a storm, we need toughness, determination, ingenuity, sweat and tears to make it through...we may need more help, armor to put over our vulnerabilities, a champion, a protector.  We need:

 

Strength

A strong or fortified place, a defense, a fortress;

a place or means of safety, protection, refuge, harbour, stronghold.

This "Joy of the Lord" is a unique joy...it is His joy, something we can only have through Him. It is beyond human achievement; above even the sweetest life events.

The following is a repost from something I wrote in January of last year {you can read it here}.  This use of joy is only in three verses of Scripture - Nehemiah 8:10, I Chronicles 16:27 and Ezra 6:16.  Each of these passages has to do with a dedication of the house of God.  Joy is found in the house of God, where His Presence is...and while this was an actual physical place in Old Testament times, it is our very own heart that is now, the house of the Lord, where He dwells...incredible!

Joy.

  spelled in Hebrew - chedvah: 

  (with very brief definitions):

 cheit - a (protecting) fence, an inner room

dalet - door

vav - a nail, peg (that holds or anchors)

hey - behold, breath of God 

 And so I now have my own definition of joy;

the joy that equals strength:

So, simply said, true joy comes by first, life - new life, God's life (cheit), protected by God's presence... then comes the door (dalet), the entrance to that life, through Jesus... And it is when our earthly life is "hooked" or nailed together with God (vav), that our lives are made solid and secure... and our lives are infused with His breath (hey), His Presence within our hearts. 

My heart and my life can become the fragrance of His breath to others. 

True joy is when I become the temple of God.  The joy of the Lord is when I become His temple, His Spirit residing within...and that is the source of my strength as well...His Presence in me...

Strength and dignity are her clothing...strength series #11

All the striations of strength:

splendor

majesty

honor 

glory

might

power

protection

refuge

All the facets of dignity:

ornament

splendor

majesty

honor

glory

adorning

decoration

holy ornaments 

These are the garments that clothe 

the woman who has made her home, her resting place, 

in the arms of the Almighty.

The very words used to describe the Lord

have become her clothing as well...

and not just a single layer

but a double portion!

This is the woman whose identity has become "hidden" in the Lord,

who has allowed the fiery trials to bring forth character purified as gold...

who has been squeezed and pressed until the image of her Creator is clearly visible...

and who radiates His attributes as jewels reflect light... 

We are hidden, yet He reveals us to the world in glorious splendor...

May this be YOUR testimony today! 

{no wonder she smiles at her future!!}

3 rings of growth God begins in us in times of testing..strengthen series #10

Psalm 84 has long been a favorite for me. The image of the swallow building her nest at His altar invokes peace and trust - but there is more in this power packed group of verses...

No one knows for sure who the author of the psalm is, or the exact time it was written, but many scholars believe as Spurgeon:

...it exhales to us a Davidic perfume, it smells of the mountain heather and the lone places of the wilderness, where King David must have often lodged.

 In verse 6, the psalmist refers to a place called "the valley of Baca".  By using this word, "baca", the author is actually engaging in a little word play.  It means weeping, and is also a reference to a type of balsam or mulberry tree which creates the essence of tears as the sap drips from the trunk and solidifies  into a tear shape.  There are several possible literal locations for this valley.   As a poetic reference however, it could refer to any (or all) of the times when David was faced with incredible events and hardship, including the events from here!   And who of us have not travelled through our own "valleys of Baca"? 

Three verses in Psalm 84 reflect the "rings of growth" that are accomplished in "the valley of Baca", the times of testing.  Let's look at them:

5 How blessed is the man whose strength is in You,
            In whose heart are the highways to Zion!

      6 Passing through the valley of Baca they make it a spring;
            The early rain also covers it with blessings.

      7 They go from strength to strength,
            Every one of them appears before God in Zion.

Zion refers to the act of worship (scroll to the bottom for a little documentation about this).  It can be both literal or figurative, and in either case, the use of the word refers to a heart attitude...that of worship.  So the place that worship holds in our heart is directly related to how we face a test/trial! {click to tweet}.

These are the "rings of growth":

 from strength to strength

Psalm 84:7

 

from faith to faith

Psalm 84:6; Romans 1:17

 

from glory to glory

Psalms 84:5; 2 Corinthians 3:17-18

In my last post we explored the receiving of strength, so I won't expound anymore here.

When we step out after receiving strength, and see His work on our behalf, our valley of weeping does transform into life giving springs of water.  That is when our faith grows stronger, and we are moved "from faith to faith".  And as faith grows, we lean in closer to Him.

As the transformation continues, through strength, through faith...our inward being develops "paths to Zion"...a pathway* towards Him, created as we continue to choose to "tie ourselves to Him" and behold Him through worship!   And that is the place of being transformed from glory to glory!  Like Moses' face that shone after spending time in the Lord's Presence, our hearts, our words, our actions and our motives absorb and reflect more and more of Him and His ways.  In this, the reflecting of His glory, others can be sparked to hope in their trials as they observe His comfort in yours.

(Remember too, that Hebrew thought is circular - it spirals...it isn't a direct progression strength, then faith, then glory...all are connected, all will grow simultaneously, but you will notice one or another more at any given time...)

May the sureness of His hand forming 

strength, faith, and glory

sustain you this day...  

 

Documentation about Zion 
The City of Zion and Mount Zion are really synonymous.  It is a reference to the literal location of the Tabernacle when King David brought it to Jerusalem.  The area where it was placed and where the people of Israel came into the Presence of God was on Mount Moriah, the eventual home of Solomon's Temple.  Since worship is the central activity of the Tabernacle and Temple, Zion has come to be a reference to a place of worship.  In the New Testament, the writer of Hebrews uses the term to make a point about the difference between law and grace.  Of course, David always knew it was the heart of worship that mattered - the location of worship was always, ever, wherever he was...and so it is for us as well!

*  Even a neural pathway develops as certain actions are repeated! Research here, here and here.

Anatomy of a crisis - 8 things you can do when disaster finds where you live...strength series #9

I love the hope contained in this part of Scripture...faced with an incredible blow, David and his warriors have just wept until they had no strength left (imagine - the mightiest army that you can think of, one that God is showing Himself mighty and that He is with them as they fight - being overcome with such intense emotion...).

Loss and brokenness abounds in a fallen world.  One can move from awesome victory to an emotional blow that sends us to our knees in despair in a matter of hours; minutes; even seconds...consider:

- The families of the commuter jet just shot down this past week...
- The couple mourning their baby who lived only a couple of hours, and the only photos they have to
   remember her by show a constellation of tubes and medical equipment...
- Children neglected by addicted parents...
- Teenagers running away from abuse, only to find more...
- Older people on a fixed income unable to rally in a faltering economy....
- Men and women trying to live and carve a life of blessing when their own past would have
   determined a life full of curses....
- And even if our lives have been relatively good, blessed, redeemed - we have been touched with the
   pain that has wracked others, and if we are walking with our Savior (who has been touched with all
   the pain that humans have experienced) we share the burden with our brothers and sisters around
   the world.

And when the emotional tidal wave is spent - we need help to know what to do next.

David shows us what is the only reasonable next step:

before he was king, 

before he had brought the ark of the Presence of God to the city of Zion,

before the nation of Israel knew he was a hero...
while he was an outcast,
while he was living in the "in between" place,

but while he was developing the character that resulted in God declaring
he was "a man after My own heart" - 

 he strengthens himself in the Lord.

The word "strengthen" here means "to become strong".  It isn't that the person was already strong, and flexed those great muscles.  We know David was in a place of great weakness...and he became strong again because he did something that no one else in camp was doing...he tied himself fast, bound himself strongly to Jehovah Elohim.   

When he was tied in knots with emotion, 

he tied himself to the Creator of the universe.  

David was persistent, held fast, earnest, constant, confirmed, established, and recovered his strength as he girded himself with what he knew of God.  Did this exchange take place in an instant, or over a period of hours, even a day?  We do not know.  But we do know that Elohim is the name of God in its plural form, so we know David focused on attributes and aspects of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit until his soul was settled, until he could rest in the provision of God that would meet his present need, until He knew God was still with him.  He reminded himself of all the promises, all the power, all the plans that he knew was true from his relationship with God, and as God's strength flowed into him, he recovered his senses, finally regaining the ability to inquire and to hear Him on what his next action might be...(verses 7-8).  The rest of the story shows God's intervention in bringing back his family and the families of all the men.  {Truly in the ranks of a really great action-adventure + a little romance novel}.

So how does this tying to God happen in our own lives?

1.  We must have a relationship with Him, and

2.  Recognize that He deeply desires a relationship with us.  When we believe this, we begin to view Him through a filter of His unconditional love, which can eradicate false images that might keep us at a distance from Him and His help for us.

3.  It helps to know some of the general promises of God.  Here are a few to get you started:
     - Jeremiah 29:11
     - Romans 8:1, 31-39
     - Deuteronomy 31:6
     - Jeremiah 31:3
     - Zephaniah 3:17
     - 1 Corinthians 10:13
     - John 14:15-18

4.  Remind yourself of personal prayers He has answered, or the answered prayers of people you
    know or fellow church members (if applicable).  Meditate on James 5:17.

5.  Remind yourself of stories in the Bible in which God showed Himself strong for His people...

6.  Sing/listen to songs of praise and worship - David was a worshipper from before the time he was anointed to be king.  I believe it is safe to say that he had a habit of worship.  The music you need may or may not be what is playing on contemporary Christian radio stations, but the qualitites that mark the worship that is warfare usually a) focuses on God and His character,b) is based on Scripture, and c) contains a message of hope.  Gateway Worship and Hillsong are two church/music ministries that are current and always fall into this category.

7.  Practice listening prayer.  Don't just pour your heart out (though that may need to be the first portion of your prayer!) but quiet your soul and listen for the voice of the Spirit.  Meditate on Psalm 131, it is only 3, yet powerful, verses long...write down what you hear...

8.  Finally, and perhaps the most difficult, is take action on what He tells you to do...whatever it is.  This will most certainly stretch and grow your faith.  It will give you a testimony to share His faithfulness with others.  It will assure you of His love for you as you walk with Him to address what has happened.

Have you been strengthened in the Lord before?

Are you in an experience requiring that you strengthen yourself in the Lord currently?

Leave a comment, let me know - I would love to help in praying for you...

Be My Strength and My Song...strength series #8

I am really liking how all the colors pop and blend together + I found this wonderful music brush (get a similar free one here) in my collection that placed notes riotously over the page...

This series about the Lord giving us His strength and resulting threads of connection have revealed some interesting relationships:

...His strength is connected to our joy...

...relying on our own strength results in bondage to the flesh and wilderness experiences...

...admitting weaknesses, examining vulnerabilities (not denying them) - takes true courage...

...Humility leads us to His strength...

I look forward to sharing these discoveries at the end of this series!

Wait on Him...Strength Series #7

This verse is a foundational verse for my husband and I...I love how the eagle's wings look!

The Strength of His People - He is enough...#6 in the strength series

From Psalm 28:8 - it made me ask, "Who are you trusting for strength?"

Does He ask me to develop my strength, or to rest in His?  Perhaps both?

But perhaps developing MY strength doesn't mean doing some sort of spiritual workout (I've tried that - it is a hopeless place!)  The internal "task masters" are never satisfied; yet I must find a way to "master", to overcome, them.  A person's true strength grows in direct proportion to his reliance on the Lord.  I need to continually decrease my trust in the "arm of the flesh" in order that there is more space for the "arm of the Lord" in my life!

Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?  Isaiah 53:1

In every situation, Jesus is enough. I can agree with the task masters, I am never enough...but He is!

When I gain His perspective, I trust that His way, His power, His nature - is enough.

And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." 

Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, 

so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.

2 Corinthians 12:9

His grace is freely given, available to all...it is really a matter of receiving it and learning to walk in it daily...that is how He becomes the strength of His people!

Strength and Joy are Found in His Dwelling Place...strength series #5

This statement really does cause a "Selah" moment!

Warrior Heart....#4 in the "strength" series

The Lord is My Strength...#1, #2 and #3 in the strength series

 A little work I did this weekend...
I've been doing a study on the strength of the Lord and all its facets...I am loving what I am finding!
The art work is really on pure white backgrounds - (Blogger must have some automatic feature that changes the color ever so slightly so that it doesn't blend into the background... )

Harvest of Blessing...

Thirsty...

I loved the look of the morning waters on the leaves of the patch of vinca in my garden the other morning...and when I looked at the photos, the word that came to mind was:  THIRSTY.

I am thirsty for Him, for His Spirit...

For I will pour out water on the thirsty land And streams on the dry ground; I will pour out My Spirit on your offspring And My blessing on your descendants...

Isaiah 44:3 NASB

 

To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life...

Revelation 21:6

Processing: I used Kim Klassen's new texture "August End - Appreciate" at soft light blend mode; it gave the image the perfect lightening to adjust the exposure of the image.  I made a new layer and blurred it, then masked a square to let the lower layer peak through.