God’s Love Letter to Us!

God’s Love Letters to Us….

I wanted to share something with you, and once I started reading the Bible this way it really helped me. When you are reading most people go to look up Scriptures, to do only this, is a mistake that most people make. You need to get into a different mindset and pattern when you are reading the Bible. Here are my suggestions.

If and when you go to look up a Scripture, you must remember the Bible is written in a logical sequence of chapters, each Scripture before and after what you are referencing interlocks with one another, as a piece of a puzzle. It is very easy to go and look up a Scripture and read only what you are looking up, this is a mistake. In order to get the full grasp of it, you must read what is written before it and after. I recommend that you take the time to read the whole chapter that you are looking up, but if that is impossible due to time constraints, at least read the whole paragraph including what is written before the Scripture you are looking up and after. Doing so will reduce the mistake often made, of putting “our own interpretation” of what we think it means, and it may not be what it truly means as to how God wrote it.

 

When you are reading ask yourself these questions?  What is he talking about? What is the whole passage saying? What are His thoughts? Remember who the Biblical audience he was writing too at the time, you are reading it in the year 2013, not the same time and audience as the original audience. If you are not familiar with how life was during that time frame, do some historical research. Knowing the elements and the history of the time period back then will always give you better understand as to why something may have been written the way that it was.

 

Remember this was often a personal letter written and to real people, in a real place, in a real time .For Example, most of the time the Pauline Letters, were letters written from Paul directed to a church, just like one that your grandma or someone who knew you personally would have written. We may be reading these letters now but they were in fact personal letters written to a specific body, the church back then to share a message or to pass along information, give advice, or to teach. Because the Bible is inspired, full of life, we can read them now in our current year and know that they fit, they are truth that we can build our life and world around. We are the church! The author who was selected to write it wrote the words that he was given to directly from God; this is God’s message to His people, to us…

Discovering the Bible is almost like going into an old attic and finding personal letters in a box from your ancestry, then if you took those letters and took it to a Publishing company they would bind the letters into a book format for easy to read access, but they would still in fact be to you those personal letters in an organized source. If you looked through your book of letters at a later time, you would not just find a verse in the middle of the page, would you. You would start at the top of the letter and read it all for it to make sense of what the author was trying to say.

The same concept, the original Bible were written on scrolls, clay, and other forms and then someone took the translation and put them into a sequence of order, but not taking the content of the letters away. It is still the personal thoughts and word of God‘s heart to us..

What Are Your Priorities?

One of the most important things in my life is my marriage. It is also the one that is most neglected. It is usually when times are bad, that I look at it through clear lenses. Why do I wait until there is a problem, to analyze something that is so important, and should be nurtured every day? Why do I give my best to the world, and the least to my love? Is he not my best friend? Is he not the one given to me in marriage as my soul mate? Often times, I can analyze my “state of marriage”, by looking at my “state of self.”

If one is neglectful of their own self, spiritually, emotionally, and physically, referring to taking care of one’s whole being, then how is it expected that they can nurture others? Can I give to someone else, what I myself am lacking? This is the time that a person must go back to the beginning to see how they were created and what God says in this matter. If I know more about God, then I learn more about myself. The key is not “me” but knowing and understanding Him! Much is learned about the person, environment in which we permeate in, the people around us when we understand what God’s original plans were for man, and the world as a whole.

God knew that there would be times of tribulation and times of trials. It is what we do during the dark, lonely times that if yielded properly to God, can be a time of tremendous growth. I don’t have words to say, I have already said them all. All the things I thought I knew are reflected back to me like the retina of the eye. My words came back empty, void, without meaning, and most importantly without feeling, for the person that I had spoken them to did not reciprocate back to me, what I thought I was trying to convey. Oh, we hear the ugly words, and take them to our heart. The ugliness saturates our pores like a virus. What do you do after the ruin is the key? How do you rebuild the trust, respect for one another after the battle?  You turn to God, the source that should have been on your heart in the beginning. You pick up your broken clay vessels and bring them to God, like a toddler brings to his mother. You look to God for the Promise that only He can give, not the person that you put those unrealistic expectations on in the first place, the ones that were never capable or created, to fulfill in the first place.

Life is a circle, we start in one place at birth naked with fists clenched, going through life, living, learning, and loving, but in the end we go back to the same place we started, naked and with our fists clenched again.  We can also do that with our relationships, we can start at the beginning, revolving with time, hoping to grow, nurture, love, and share life with your soul mate, and in the end know that what we did here on Earth was pleasing to God, and your mate. The second option is to go through life with chaos, madness, strife, alone, and then look back and say “What did I do with my life?” Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results.

Prayers During Spiritual Warfare!

 

 

Prayer and confession of the Word are two of the most powerful weapons we have. You will see a great release of God’s power when they are combined.

The Lord taught me the importance of praying the Word to overcome spiritual resistance to the plan of God for my life. The Word of God inspires us to pray. It is through faith and promises we inherit the promises. (Hebrew 6:12)

We are told to pray with all kinds of prayers. (Eph 6:8)

Prayer is one of the ways we release the will of God upon the Earth. We must study the Word of God in order to know the will of God. This is why prayer and the Word must be combined.

We should pray with understanding. ( 1 Cor. 14:15). Understanding the will of God helps us pray correctly. The Word of God is the will of God.

We are not to be unwise, but understanding of what the will of the Lord is. (Eph 5:17).

Prayer also helps us walk perfectly and completely in all the will of God. (Col. 4:12)

Life and death are in the power of the tongue. (Prov 18:21).  Right words are forcible (Job 6; 25)

The words we speak are spirit and life. (John 6:63). We need to articulate the thoughts of God by praying and confessing His Word. (Isa. 55:8).

God’s Word released through our tongue will cause His Power to manifest in our lives.

The thoughts of God are peace and prosperity. (Jer. 29:11)

Jesus taught us that our faith is released through our Words. (Mark 11:23). Our faith filled words can move mountains.

Our faith is a key to seeing miracles and breakthrough on a consistent basis. Whatever we ask in prayer, believing, we will received. (Matt 21:22)

The Word is near us (Rom 10:8). The Word is in our mouth and heart. This is the Word of Faith. The mouth and the heart are connected. We speak from the abundance of the heart. The Word of God in our heart will come through our mouth. Faith in the heart will be released through our mouth. God watches over His Word to perform it. (Jer 1:12)

We are encouraged to call upon the Lord. He has promised to show us great and mighty things. (Jer. 33:3). The Lord delights in our prayers. He delights in answering them. Before we call, He will answer. (Isa 65:24). The Lord’s ears are open upon the prayers of a righteous. (1 Pet 3:12)

The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much (James 5:16). We are told to pray without ceasing. (1 Thes. 5:17)

He is near to all who call upon Him. (Ps. 145:19) God will not turn away your prayer. (Ps. 66:20)

We have been given the keys of the Kingdom. (Matt. 16:19). This gives us authority to bind and loose. Bind means to restrict, stop or hinder.  Loose means to untie, unbind, unlock, liberate, release.

Keys represent the authority to lock (bind) or unlock (loose). Prayer and confession are two of the ways we use this authority.

We can bind the works of darkness. This will help in area of deliverance. Believers must know and operate with authority. Jesus gave His disciples power and authority over all devils. (Matt 10:1). Use by prayer and confession. Jesus promised that nothing would hurt us, (Luke 10:19).

Bind the works of darkness which include sickness, disease, hurt, witchcraft, poverty, death, destruction, confusion, defeat and discouragement.  We can loose others by prayers. Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil. We can loose ourselves and others from  many things by  using our authority through prayer and confession.

Satan has been defeated through the cross. Principalities and powers have been spoiled. (Col 2:15). The saints have possessed the kingdom. (Dan 7:18). This means we have authority with the King to advance the reign of Christ over the nations.

We must take the sword of the Spirit and pray with all prayer. (Eph. 6:12-18)..

Section 4: Destroying the Enemy’s Forces.

Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil. (1 John 3:8)

Satan’s kingdom consists of principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this world, and spiritual wickedness in high places. There are different kinds of demons and different levels of wickedness. We can destroy the wicked early (Ps. 101:8).

We can destroy them that hate us. (Ps. 18:40).

Satan is rendered helpless when his forces are destroyed. We have authority to bind the strongman and strip him of his armour.

Israel was sent into Canaan to destroy different nations, which are pictures of kingdoms that possessed the land. Each kingdom represented a different type of stronghold God wanted His people to destroy.

Demons are represented by different creatures. The diversity in the animal kingdom is a picture of the diversity in the kingdom of darkness. The Bible talks about serpents, scorpions, lions, jackals, bulls, foxes, owls, sea serpents, flies, and dogs. These represent different kinds of evil spirits that operate to destroy mankind. They are invisible to the natural eye.  They are just as real, as natural creatures.

We must remember there are more of us, than of them. The forces of light are far superior to the forces of darkness. Jesus is the Lord of the Armies. The armies of heaven are fighting with the armies of Earth. Releasing the angelic armies of heaven is an important strategy in warfare.

We can destroy and rout the forces of darkness in the heavens, the earth, the sea, and under the earth. These forces can operate through people, governments, economic systems, educational systems, and different structures set up by men. They can operate from different locations and in different territories.

The idols that men worship are made in the image of men, four-footed beasts, birds, and creeping things. Behind these idols are demons. These are evil spirits the manifest in the natural through idols. They are both male and female.  Jezebel is an example.

Section 5: Experiencing Deliverance and Release

Israel experienced much deliverance in its history. The nation of Israel began with a mighty deliverance, David the king who called upon the Lord received many deliverances. He called upon the Lord and was heard. (Ps. 34:4)

God answers the cries of his people. God’s deliverance is always a sign of his Grace and Mercy.

One of the greatest revelations is the revelations of is the revelation of self-deliverance. We can loose ourselves from any control in darkness. (Isa. 52:2).

We can exercise power and authority for our own lives. Jesus told us to cast out the beam from our own eye. (Luke 6:42). The term cast out is the same word used in reference to casting out demons. (ekballo).

Confess the Word over your life. Pray strong prayers that rout the enemy. Do not allow self pity to hold you back. Stir yourself up in prayer. This is the key to overcoming life.

Those who experienced deliverance either came or were brought to Jesus. Someone had to take the initiative. It begins with a decision. You must open your mouth. Your deliverance is as close as your mouth.

Deliverance is the children’s bread. Every child of God has a right to enjoy the benefits of deliverance. Deliverance brings freedom and joy. Thousands have been set free from demons through authoritative prayer. Deliverance is a miracle ministry. You will see multiplied miracles through warfare prayer.

Your words and prayers have tremendous power to destroy the works of darkness.

You have the authority to bind and loose (Matt 18:18).

The works of darkness encompass sin, iniquity, perversion, sickness, death, destruction, curses, witchcraft, sorcery, divination, poverty, lack, strife, lust, pride, rebellion, fear, torment, and confusion.  We have legal authority to put a stop to these things in our lives, and in the lives of those we minister too.

People need to  be loosed from curses, evil inheritance, familiar spirits, sin, guilt, shame, condemnation, control, domination, manipulation, intimidation, mind control, religious control, sickness, disease, deception, false teaching , sin, habits, worldliness, carnality, demons, tradition, ungodly soul ties, ungodly pledges, ungodly vows, spoken words, hexes, vexes, jinxes, trauma, and cults. WE have the legal authority in the name of Jesus to loose ourselves and others to whom we minister from these destroying influences.

 

Excellent Bible Study Software that is Free!

 

There is nothing like turning and touching the pages of the Bible as you study Scripture! The feel of the pages, the highlighting of the words, brings you that much closer to God. There are times during intense Bible Study that you want to quickly look up Scripture after Scripture, without having to flip through page after page during an intense study, so here are a few very good recommendations for great software!

E-Sword

 I absolutely love E-Sword, a Bible Software written by Rick Meyers. The layout is very easy to follow, there are several Bible Editions that you can download at no cost, and if you prefer to use NIV or HCSB for example, you can purchase those for a minimal charge; I think I paid 9.99 for the HCSB version, a onetime fee. Excellent! E-Sword also has Commentaries that you pick and download and several versions of Bible Dictionaries as well. It has a selection of books that you may choose from as well as other reference books as well! My favourite part is the section that you can use to write your own study notes, you can save your finished notes either under the date, subject, or as a daily journal. The software even has several colors of highlighters to use to highlight important scripture as well. If you a hand’s on person like me, that is a plus!!! It also has a version for you iphone and the Ipad as well. The link to this is http://www.e-sword.net.

Prayer Journal X5

I love my prayer journal software! It is free software written by Hall Miller Ministries. http://www.hallee.org/PrayerJournal.htm . It is somewhat of data entry software, and it is very easy to use. It also has a downloadable instruction manual, so be sure to include that in your download. I can actually enter individual names and it will keep a log of the date and information I entered is saved, then the next time I go back in, I add my additional notes as well. You can either keep your prayers for them on-going, or once a prayer has been answered, there is a place for you to enter the answer as well! I absolutely love this software, for you can make it as easy or as advanced as you like, it is all up to you! This software is great for serious prayer warriors who want to add details and Scripture when praying for a person!

Penzu

I am a person that when I pray I prefer to write them down. I find that I easily get distracted when I am praying silently, and my mind tends to wander so this software is perfect for me. It is an online journal, which can be password protected, and tracked by date. The actual title of your log for that particular date is saved so when you see your menu it will show you the date and the title of your entry. Very cool! You can buy the updated version, for a yearly minimal fee, which I believe is 19.00 a year that includes very cool stationary, and fonts to use, it is your choice, the free version has been perfect thus far. The website for this software is http://penzu.com.

 

ITunes University

ITunes has a great part of their program, it’s the ITunes University. If you go to the ITunes store in the iTunes university section you can find hundreds of study videos from selected universities that are used in their actual classes!  This is a great way to utilize free additional resources to enhance your learning environment. I recommend Liberty University, but I am partial to them for that is my Alumni!  http://www.apple.com/itunes.

 

You-Version Bible

This is great software to use on your computer, Ipad, or phone. I absolutely love the fact that it will read the Bible aloud to you and offers so many Bible translations, including the HCSB, which is my favourite. https://www.bible.com

 

Pastor Study

This is an absolute must have for small ministries, churches, or even a Bible Study teacher. It has an area for contacts, journaling, lesson planning, pray requests, library for all your books, and so much more!  You can find this online at RCL Software http://www.rclsoftware.com

 

 

 

 

Hope this helps you along in your studies!

Blessings,

Traci

 

Ethnic Cleansing? Really?

It makes me so angry to read about how ignorant some people can be. This world is a very ugly place to live in, full of mean and hateful people. I am talking about a group of losers who I will not even mention their terrorist group because they do not even deserve negative notoriety in any shape or form! To claim that they are cleansing the world of the Christian religion by beheading people, including a good majority of children, doesn’t even make sense? I don’t even want to know about the god you say you serve. Seriously, if your making a point, put down your machete’s and take off your masks and come out and play with the big boys, our soldier’s are looking and waiting for you?!  The news world needs to not report their stories, hence, giving them the attention they desire. Your not religious, your a cult of ignorant bastards seeking a name for yourself! My God is greater than all of the evil in the world, the devil has already been defeated!

Touched By Sadness of Suicide and PTSD , Again!

Our family has once again been touched by the pain of suicide.  My husband just found out that a man he so admired had committed suicide about a year prior.  A lifelong soldier, a true hero, who served in several tours to Iraq suffered the brutality of the mind, PTSD. It completely set my husband back to the point of mental and physical exhaustion. War is ugly, I can not even imagine some of the horrors that this man saw while over there, that would lead this man to take such graphic measures.

How can we send our soldier on a mission and not give them the proper tools to deal with horrors of loss of life, desperation, and  often profound poverty in third world countries, and then expect him to come home to his world as he left it prior to deployment is just not, reality. it is not realistic because time never stops! The family at home in the pressures of life has to keep moving, jobs met, and bills paid. The images and horror that the soldier experiences have devastating effects in the psyche of the mind. Although the military has gotten better at acknowledging that PTSD is not considered a weakness, not something to merely hide and dismiss; we still have a long way to go in the medical treatment and plan for the soldier. Often a soldier that returns home must endure the journey alone under the oath and security that he or she took to protect our freedoms and country. I pray for our soldiers and their families, and hope that you do too.

Trusting God In the Hard Times

I am learning that God is very good at giving us opportunities to put our ‘faith applications” in place. What I mean is, we often go around in our daily lives saying cliques like “I have faith” and “God is in control”. What is really interesting is when we get life lessons and whether or not the things that we say, and believe line up with our life experiences. This week I had my annual mammogram, the one that I usually dread and put off until the last possible moment. This year was no different. After my appointment last Monday, I received a call from the Radiologist’s Assistant asking me to come back in this week for additional diagnostic testing.  She stated that it appeared the new mammogram showed something “new” that was not on the last few that they used in comparison.  The reason for the uneasiness is that my mother had Breast Cancer at the age of thirty.

Can I be real with you?   Cancer scares me to death! This is the one thing in my life that makes me so uneasy! I have seen the tragic and horrible destruction that it has left on my loved ones!  It has been very upsetting wondering what my life would be like if I was not in good health. I believe the hardest part for me is not knowing the outcome.

I also know that God is in control of every aspect of my life, and all those around me. I must believe, even when I don’t feel like it. It takes more courage to trust in God, and I truly mean trusting in Him when the outcome is not always favorable/ I am reading again Kay Warren’s book, “Choose Joy”

Fast forward to the morning of my diagnostic test; I had been up since about 430 am. No matter how hard I tried to get into a deep sleep, it seemed God has something important to tell me. In my dream his message was clear today, “no matter what the circumstances are today, and no matter how it appears to look regarding test results, that I must trust him on this. It is a deeper movement into trusting him, and allowing him to work out all the details for his good. He has a higher purpose in all of this, and no matter what He is in control always. As I sit here on my porch rocking, I am reminded through the cloud of his power and presence. It appears as if today it is getting ready to rain, but through the clouds just a minute ago, a burst of sunlight just appeared, warming the side of my face. I had never felt the sun’s presence so bright at eight o’ clock in the morning. It is funny sometimes God uses opportunities like we go through to help others as well. This may be nothing on my end medically, but to someone who is reading this, or another person that I will talk too, a medical message for them or a small reminder for them to take care of themselves.

I do not know the outcome, not really going to worry about it today, all I know is that I have a God who loves me, will never leave me nor forsake me, and always takes the opportunity to turn something negative into something positive.

Blessings,