Friday, July 29, 2011

Revelation of Mark 11 v 23

You have heard me talk about Mark 11 v 23 alot. I have always thought that I had revelation of it until this past week. It seems everywhere I go, everything I listen to on the radio, on TV, everything I read in my Christian reading, it has all been bringing me back this week to Mark 11 v 23.

I always associated this verse with a literal mountain. I mean I know that the mountain in this verse is a representation of our problems, or trials today, but I still just keep seeing a mountain and how hard it would be to say to a mountain, be cast into the sea and it will be done. But then today, FINALLY, I got a revelation of the rest of the verse. Sure I have heard this verse repeated over and over again but like our Pastor says, FAITH COMES BY HEARING NOT BY HEARD. So even if you have heard something a million times, don't disregard what is being said, you never know when revelation of that word is going to hit you.

Mark 11 v 23.....For assuredly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, Be removed and be cast into the sea, and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says........

Some of us hear this verse and think I am not getting what I prayed because I have doubt in my heart and do not believe that this mountain will be moved. Well, maybe we need to look at the other part of the verse. It may not be because we have doubt it may be what we are saying when we do not see our mountain instantly removed. Because when you look at the rest of the verse He says, WHOEVER that would be you and I, WILL HAVE WHATEVER we say, when we believe it.

Let me ask you this. What have you said today? How many things have you caused to come about today because you said it and believed it? Good or Bad?

The Word tells us that life and death are in the tongue and we will eat the fruit thereof.

Prov. 18 v 21....Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.....

Prov 16 v 23....The heart of the wise teaches his mouth, and adds learning to his lips....

Why would the wise teach their mouth? Because the Word tells us that there is power in our tongue. The Word tells us although the tongue is a little member of our body it defiles the entire body. How, by what we say.

Read James chapter 3. It tells us all about the untamable tongue.

Matthew 12 v 36-37.... "But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.".......

This scripture is telling us that if we continue to speak sickness over ourselves with idle words while talking to others saying things like, "I feel awful, I am always tired, I just can't seem to have any energy, I am sick and tired of this or that" well then if you say it and you believe it, then you WILL HAVE it.

You see we find it easy to believe the things we say, but hard to believe what someone else may tell us. Like by His stripes we are healed. Well, maybe we need to say it out loud to ourselves everyday until we get revelation of it, and believe it in our hearts so when we say it and believe it, healing will be ours. Don't wait until you have something wrong and then desperately try to get revelation when all kinds of doubt and reports are coming against you. No, start now confessing that you are healed by His stripes everyday so when something does try to come against you, your FAITH of that Word will already be a revelation in you. AMEN!

Now let's look at the other side. If we confess everyday that we are the righteousness of Christ Jesus and we have all riches according to His glory and get revelation of this into our beings and believe it with all our hearts, then we will quit worrying about gas prices, or food prices and we will begin to see the abundance that He has promised to us. We will begin to prosper in The Blessing that He promised to us.

Now I don't know about you, but I am so excited I am ready to get back into the Word and find out what else is mine according to His Word. I know it is good, because He says He came to give us life and to give it abundantly. And don't forget we want to give out of that abundance so that the Blessing doesn't stop with us, but instead continues to bless others as well. AMEN!

STAY IN THE WORD!

Monday, July 25, 2011

STAY ON TRACK

We have been talking about vacationing with God this month at church. Yesterday Pastor said something that made me think about how many times we just give up and quit because there was a little curve or even maybe a big curve thrown into our plans.

This was his life lesson for yesterday's message. A detour ahead should not cause you to avoid the journey. Pastor explained it like this. He said if you were going on vacation to the beach and you have been driving for 4 hours and then you run into some construction that detours you out of the way about 30 minutes, are you going to say well just forget it, let's go home, I am not taking that detour, I will just drive all the way back home. Of course we would not do that, we have already come this far, let us finish our journey. Now let me show you what this said to me.

Sometimes in life we are thrown detours into our plans. It is how we handle those detours that will determine if we will get to our destination. The word tells us to not grow weary in doing good. When things seem like they just continue to go the wrong way, when it looks like we are just sinking deeper into financial woes, or when the word from the doctor gives us a detour in our health, we have to recognize it for what it is. It is a ploy of the devil to get you off track. He wants you to take his route of woe is me, and sink into a sink hole. DON"T DO IT! Take the detour, and stay on track. Detours lead you back to the route you were taking. They may lead you a little bit out of the way, but a detour brings you back to your route.

God always provides a way through any situation. His plans for you are good. His plans are for you to prosper. Don't give up and go backwards. You have come this far believing the Lord for your healing, your prosperity, your peace. Don't let the enemy deceive you into going back.

What did God bring you out of? He brought me out of a life of misery, hurt, poverty, sickness, deceitfulness, drunkeness, I could go on and on, but you get the picture. We trusted God to bring us out of our old lives and into a new life with Him, we trust Him for our salvation, so why can't we trust Him to bring us through a little detour?

Hebrews 13 v 5-6...Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." So we may boldly say: "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?"......

God says, He will never leave us nor forsake us, He is our constant, even when there is a detour, He is right by our side going through the detour with us. He didn't go the other way, He is faithful to stay with us until our journey is complete.

1 Cor. 10 v 13.....No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but; God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.....

God will not hang you out to dry so to speak, He will provide a way out through the detour.

God's plan for our lives is always GOOD. Trust His plan. Look to Him for understanding. Let Him carry you through the detours of life. He is more than able to do so. He is strong enough and more than willing to carry you when you get tired as long as you are still seeking Him for direction and not trying to crayfish backwards.

Jer. 29 v 11-13...For I know the thoughts that I think toward you says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.......

When we seek Him, He shows us the way through.

PS 55 v 22...Cast your burden on the LORD, and He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved....

The Lord will not let the enemy snatch you from His hands. He will give you the strength to endure your trials.

1 Pet 5 v 6-7...Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of GOD, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your cares upon Him, for He cares for you.....

Ok people, I know how we can be stubborn sometimes and not want to ask for directions, but maybe our detour looks like it is never going to end. Stop and get quiet and ask Him, for He will always lead you in the right direction. He does not want you to be troubled by these detours.

Remember it is just a detour, just a sign to try and intimidate you. Remember the enemy can only attack you in your mind. DON"T LET him. You have an adversary in Christ JESUS who will not let the enemy have his way.

John 10 v 27-30...."My sheep hear My voice, and I know them and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand. I and My Father are one.".......

When we know Him, we hear Him and we follow Him. Even if there are detours, His voice will lead us in the right direction, back to our path so that we might finish our race and reach our destination. AMEN!

How do we hear His voice?

STAY IN THE WORD!

Friday, July 22, 2011

The 23rd PSALM

Everyone is probably familiar with PS 23, starts out The Lord is my shepherd... A while back I wrote a tid-bit as to why this PS always scared me instead of giving me comfort the way it was meant to do. Why, you might ask? I wasn't sure really except for the fact I didn't understand what it was saying, but then while watching Joseph Prince yesterday, I got a revelation as to why it scared me so much.

This was a passage of scripture that you mostly only heard at funerals. That's right, I can hear those preachers now, "YEA THOUGH I WALK THROUGH THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW DEATH"...... (and I know you can't hear me but imagine if you will that passage with alot of yelling, shakey, vibrating voice behind it) you know the kind those hell fire preachers preach with.

Well HELLO! What kid wouldn't be afraid? The same thing with our nightly prayer we were taught as a child to say before we went to sleep. "Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep, if I should DIE before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take." OK no wonder I have been scared all my life of the nighttime and bedtime, thinking that I should DIE before I wake. HELLLO! Ok, what kid is going to sleep with sweet dreams now? I mean all they are thinking is I might die before I wake, and exactly how am I going to die?

OK, now let me get to the point of PS 23 what it is really wrote for and meant for you. It is a comforting word. Let me try to break it down, the way I received it this morning while meditating on it.

1. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want..... A shepherd is a protector, a shepherd protects His sheep at all cost, they will give their own life for their sheep. Jesus gave His life on the cross for all of us. Not only did He give His life but He said you shall never want for anything, in other words when you are feeding on His word, you will have no lack in your life, every need shall be met.

2. He makes me lie down in green pastures.... You have heard the saying the grass is greener on the other side. Well, if you are living for Jesus it is. Once you make Him your Lord and Savior, you will have green pastures. He will lead you to the place where you won't be looking at the Jones' so to say, you will be content with your green pasture, you will have more than enough.
He leads me beside the still waters..... He gives you peace, when you are in a relationship with Him you feel His peace. You feel calm and still, not troubled. You learn to let go and let Him take your burdens away.

3. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousnes for His name's sake.... Once you make Him Lord of your life, He will cleanse you, He will give you peace and understanding in your mind. He will place you in the right place at the right time for His favor to shine on you. His righteousness will abide within you, and you will obtain all His benefits and power. You will have the favor of God on your life.

4.Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me..... As we live on this earth we will be faced with the evils and wiles of the enemy,but we do not have to fear because He has conquered the enemy and we have victory over our enemy. His WORD is our sword, we are given His word to protect us. When we know who we are in Christ Jesus and we know what His word says, we then have what we need to get us through those valleys. He says, He did not give us a spirit of fear. AMEN!

5.You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You annoint my head with oil; My cup runs over....God knows before we do what the enemy is going to try to use against us, and He prepares us beforehand with a WORD that will cancel out the enemy's seed. He annoints us with His power, the same power He gave Jesus, He gives to us. We are annointed with the power of healing, the power of prosperity in our lives, the power of a sound mind and peace over our enemies attacks. We have more than enough in every area of our lives.

6. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever....With Jesus in your life, goodness will over rule the evil and mercy and forgiveness is yours when you mess up, There will be no end for when Jesus is your savior, you will have eternal life with Him and the Father all the days of your life here on this earth and then for all eternity after this life.

So you see PS 23 is a message full of good news, of comfort, of peace. This Psalm was never meant to be spoken at a funeral for someone who is dead, this Psalm was written to give us HOPE and an understanding of just who JESUS really is to us. He is our Savior who saved us from death by His forgiveness of our sins, but he is also a Shepherd, someone to protect us at all costs, and to give us those green pastures, still waters and mercy and forgiveness. Oh how He loves us. AMEN!

When you teach your children this Psalm, don't just have them memorize this scripture and not understand what it is saying. Teach them the good news. Teach them the love of Jesus. Show them who Jesus really is to them. Help them to see Him as their Shepherd. ( and leave out the prayers of death at bedtime please)

STAY IN THE WORD!

Thursday, July 21, 2011

FEELINGS

Feelings.....oh oh oh ......feelings......Ok maybe that is not how the song goes. I won't try that again. But today I wanted to talk about feelings. We all experience different types of feelings throughout our lives. Some are things like, I feel so tired, or I am feeling sad, or this feeling of guilt is eating me up, or my feelings are hurt. Did you notice something that all those particular feelings have in common? They are all negative feelings. Where do these feelings come from? They are attacks from the enemy.

Now don't get me wrong, you may have worked all day and you really are physically tired in your body, that is different. But just saying you are tired when you really haven't physically done anything could be an attack from the enemy.

How do we overcome these negative feelings? We get our joy from the Lord and the joy of the Lord is our strength. We go to Him and feed on His word and when we rejoice in Him, this delights Him and His joy then gives us our strength. AMEN!

Neh. 8 v 10b....Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.....

Our Pastor said something like this Sunday and it kind of stuck with me and made me think about all types of feelings. He said, "Happy is a feeling based on happenings. But Joy comes from the Lord."

I started thinking, I get that. Something good happens to you and you get happy. Something bad happens to you and you get upset. When that happens we are letting our flesh control us and not our Spirit man. What we have to learn to do, is never let God's joy leave us. That is where our strength is. We have to learn to let the Holy Spirit guide us and not our flesh. If we are guided by our flesh we will give in to anger, sadness, the blues, jealousy, all those negative feelings. Why because that is what our wordly flesh wants to feel. That is what the enemy is telling us, that we are entitled to feel this way.

But God says rejoice in Him always. Not just when something good is happening to you but always. When we learn to trust in Him we can then experience Joy even when things are not so good in our lives. Why? Because we know He has our back. He will bring us through to the other side.

Phil 4 v 4....Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice......

Phil 4 v 6-7....Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus......

That verse says it all, with thanksgiving go to God, let Him give you His peace and His understanding. Don't try to rely on your own understanding but let Him guard your heart and your mind from the enemy with His peace that He will freely give to you when you come to Him with thanksgiving, not begging for something to manifest but just come thanking Him for what you do not yet see. AMEN!

This makes me think of someone who is going through a battle with cancer and they are taking treatments. They are standing on the truth believing God that they are healed, but then they may experience hair loss, or nausea, or any other negative FEELING the enemy is using against them to make them doubt. The enemy can and does use every kind of FEELING to get your mind off the TRUTH that is in His WORD and make you start looking at some facts the world is giving you and cause doubt. He can only attack you in your mind so that is how he does it. He uses FEELINGS.

When we received our salvation from the Lord we did that on FAITH in what His word says. We obviously weren't around to see with our own eyes what He did on the cross for us, but we stand on FAITH in His word that Jesus did die on the cross for us so that we might have eternal life with Him and the Father one day. We believe that with all our hearts, and no one is going to talk us out of that.

So why then do we have a hard time believing that we were healed by His stripes like His word says? It is the same Word that tells us we have salvation and we have not yet seen our salvation come to pass, (otherwise we would be in heaven and not here reading this) so why then do we have such a hard time believing?

IS 53 v 5....But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed......

It is because of our FEELINGS. We let our FEELINGS guide us and talk us into what we have instead of believing what GOD SAYS WE HAVE. That is the enemy controlling you with your FEELINGS. Recognize him for who he is. He is nothing, he has no power over us except for what we give him through our minds.

Jesus has already defeated him in every area, sickness, disease, poverty. There is no area of your life that Jesus did not die on the cross for. But we all do have free will to choose to believe what we will. So the choice is yours, to let the enemy use FEELINGS to distract you from the truth or to choose to believe what He says in His WORD, that we are healed, we are free from poverty, we are the RIGHTEOUSNESS of Christ. We are joint heirs with Him to the Father. We are the head and not the tail. We do have the POWER of JESUS working in us. We are the VICTORS.

PS 16 v 11....You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore......

PS 18 v 1-3....I will love You O Lord, my strength, the Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies.....

How are you FEELING today? Experience His Joy through His Word and you will come out with a peace and joy that abides in you and not just a FEELING that can easily slip away by the next happening in your life.

2 Tim 1 v 7....For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind......

God did not give us feelings, He gave us FAITH through Jesus His Son, and with our FAITH we can overcome our fleshly feelings.

STAY IN THE WORD!

Monday, July 11, 2011

What Are Your Words Doing For You

Are we destroying ourselves with our words? Some of us are. The Lord has really been dealing with me lately about how I talk, how I use my words. I bought this little book years ago written by Charles Capps, and not only did I buy myself one, but I bought my husband one, and then through the years I have probably bought 20 or more and given away as gifts to people who I felt needed to read this. People who I felt like they were not using their words to their advantage. Well, it turns out here lately, I have not been using my words to my advantage but to my disadvantage. I want to give you a glimpse of a truth that is in one little part of this book that I believe will set some people free today. I know it did me.

Book......God's Creative Power Gift Collection.... Author.....Charles Capps....pages 120-122......

You Can Have What You Say..
(just a note..same goes with health or any other area of your life, this one just happens to be in the finance part of the book, but it is also in the part over your health, get the book you won't be sorry)


Most Christians who are defeated in their finances are defeated because they believe and confess the wrong things. They have spoken the words of the enemy, and those words hold them in bondage. Jesus said in Matthew 17:20..."for verily I say unto you, if ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove: and nothing shall be impossible unto you."

And in Mark 11:23, "For verily I say unto you, that whosoever shall say unto this mountain, be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith."

In these passages of Scripture, Jesus tells us that what we believe and speak affects the natural world, including our finances. God has given us His Word so that we can understand these scriptural laws that govern the universe. There are spiritual laws just as there are natural laws, such as gravity and the law of lift. When you work with these laws, they work for you. When you work against God's spiritual laws, they work against you.

When you speak negatively about your financial situation, you have what you say and believe.

Here is a very important spiritual law; You can have what you say.

With your words, you can choose life or death, poverty or riches, sickness or health. you may tithe (give 10 percent to the church), work hard, and pray for prosperity every day, but if your words are negative and contrary to God's Word, you could stay mired in debt, struggling to make ends meet.

Words are powerful, but God's Word is full of creative power. When you agree with what God has said about you and speak His Word, your circumstances will begin to change and line up with His will for your life.

God's Will Is For You To Prosper

Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health even as thy soul prospereth..3 John 2...

That is just a little taste of what this book has to offer us in helping us to choose our words wisely. Helping us to see where we miss the mark because of what we are confessing with our mouths. You do not want to miss out on all this little book has to offer. It may be a small book but it has an enormous impact on people's lives. The scriptures are listed in the book so that you can match it up with God's Word.

We believe that when we confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord that we are saved. Why do we have a hard time believing the rest of His Word? His Word tells us in Mark 11:23 that we will have what we say and believe. While the best part of His Word is that we are loved and we can have eternal life with Him though Jesus, there is sooooo much more that we can have now here on this earth while we are waiting for His return. He does not want us struggling to get by or living in poor health while we are waiting on Him to come again. His Word says He came to give us life and to give it more abundantly. He wants us to enjoy our lives.

We find it easy to use the devils words against ourselves and repeat and believe the bad reports. Why can't we believe God's Words over ouselves instead. Next time you get ready to repeat something the devil has told you (that would be anything that is not good) instead stop and use God's Words and believe and say what He says about your situation.

Now can you see why it is so important to STAY IN THE WORD? You need to know what God says, and quit listening to the devil. I encourage you to go out and get this book and use it as a starting place to turn your words around. Use it as a reference as where to look in God's Word to find out what He says you can have, who He says you are, and how He says to use your words. AMEN!

STAY IN THE WORD!

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Recognize A Blessing When It Comes

Can you recognize your blessings? How many times do we stop our blessings from coming to us because of pride or just plain old stubborness? When someone pays you a compliment do you readily accept that compliment and thank them, or do you say, " nah, really its nothing, I'm not all that...." Well let me just say now, STOP and take your compliment, you obviously deserve it or they would not be telling you so.

Here is a scenario that happened recently to someone I know.

There was a man who had invested in some product. His product increased in value substantially and he made a good profit. Well, it seem like afterwards all these things kept coming across his path that he wanted. A new boat, a new tractor, a new 4-wheeler, etc. etc. you get the picture. Everytime, he would get ready to make the purchase with his profit he had made, the Holy Spirit would speak to him and say wait. So each time he would wait. Finally the Lord told him that this money was going to be used for a need and not a want. Well, now that right there could make some nervous and cause them to start worrying about what is going to happen that they would be going to need to use their money. But not this man of God. He just kept listening to the Holy Spirit and trusting in the Lord to lead him to what he was suppose to spend this money on.

Then he and his wife took a trip to visit a relative. While visiting these relatives, they both noticed certain needs that these people had in their lives. After a few days, the man heard from the Holy Spirit what he was suppose to do with the money. He gave it some thought and recoginized that this was indeed God speaking to him. So he was going to approach his wife about the matter, but before he could, she told him that God had told her what they were suppose to buy for this couple. Well, he was so excited because it was confirmation on what the Holy Spirit had told him as well.

So they prayed about it, not because they needed any more confirmation, but because they knew how hard headed this person could be and they were afraid that they would not let them make this purchase for them. So they prayed about how to approach the subject. Well, to their surprise this person had changed their way of thinking because their pastor had taught them how to recognize their blessings when someone wants to bless them and the law of how the blessing works. When you turn down a blessing from someone you not only stop your blessing but theirs as well, and all the blessings that will come after.?

So needless to say, they were blessed. Both parties were so thankful and felt so blessed. As they said their goodbyes at the end of the visit, they once again thanked each other for blessing and for receiving the blessing.

How many know that now the enemy is just waiting for a chance to steal that blessing? Well he tried.

When the couple returned home and the young man returned to his business, someone had broke in and stolen practically everything he had. They had ramsacked his office, took his computers with all his vital information, took his tools of his trade, just cleaned him out. He called the police to make a report.

In the meantime the relative had called to make sure they had made it home, and to thank him once again for the blessing. After he shared with them what had happened. Immediately the enemy tried to make them feel guilty, that he should have saved his money for this emergency. Just as they were about to hang up the phone and call and cancel the delivery of the purchase so that the account could be credited back. The Holy Spirit spoke up and said wait.

This is an attack of the enemy, don't let him steal your blessing and cheat your relative out of his blessing as well. So they asked him did he recognize this as an attack from the enemy? He said yes, and it is not going to work. I have already went on my trip, had a great time, and he can't not take that away from me. He can not steal my joy.

Do you see why it is so important to recoginze your blessing? The law of the blessing is this. Someone blesses you out of their abundance, now you have an abundance that you are able to bless someone, else, now they have extra, that they are able to bless another and it just keeps going and going.

So when you stop the blessing by refusing to accept it, you are stopping the flow of the blessing for all others that would come after.

The WORD tells us to not grow weary of doing good. The enemy will try to attack and throw obstacles in the path along the way, but don't give in to him, don't grow weary, keep blessing others and doing good, and your blessings will abound. AMEN!

GAL. 6 v 9-10...And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith......

How do we recognize our blessings?

STAY IN THE WORD!

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Vacationing With God

We have been learning how to rest in God this month on Wed. nights at church. Learning how to take a vacation with God so to say. We all need a vacation, but some of us will think we do not have time, or we can't afford to take off work, or things will just fall apart if we are not right there all the time. Those are lies of the enemy trying to keep you in bondage and keep you from entering into God's rest.

You see we do not have to physically go anywhere, we can take a vacation right at home. Take a vacation from the TV, radio, computer, telephone. We were given a free will to make choices. One of the best choices we could make is to take a vacation from these things daily and rest in Him. Spend time with Him in His word and let His peace envelope us.

We need to make sure when we take a vacation whether it be at home, turning all these things off, or if we actually do go somewhere that we take all of our parts with us. You may ask what parts? Well, our Spirit, our soul and our body. You see we are made up of three parts. First we are made in God's image, we are a Spirit, living in an earthly suit, our body, and then we have a soul, this is where we find our mind, will and emotion. I know people who go on vacation in their earthly bodies but they forget to let their soul go as well. Their mind stays on their work, their unfinished chores, their family members, etc. etc. They have not let their wholeselves take a vacation so then when they return they are still tired, and run down.

My brother and sister in law just took a vacation and came to visit us. I have to say I was concerned that my little brother would be like our father was and would not be able to have fun worrying about his business, or my sister in law worrying about her new grandbaby, but I am happy to report I was wrong. They seemed to have had a great time. (I just hope I did not wear them out too much) HA! They are learning to rest in the Lord as well.

They take little short camping trips close to home periodically just to get away and relax. This is a great idea, we could all take a page out of this book. We do not have to travel hundreds of miles and spend lots of money to go on vacation. Rob and I will sometimes take our canvases and paints and just go find a quiet place to have a picnic and paint and relax. When you paint you sort of empty your mind of everything else and focus on what you are trying to capture on canvas. (We are not artists, we do this as an exercise to relax.) That is the whole point, taking a rest.

If we would allow ourselves the luxury, we could actually take a mini vacation everyday and put aside some time to relax and rest in the Lord's arms. Find a quiet alone spot, get into His word and let His peace fill you up so that you are totally at peace and rest. We can all afford this vacation, there are no excuses except the ones the enemy gives you as to why you can not do this. Quit letting the enemy steal your vacation time. Make a decision today to take a mini vacation each and everyday and spend it with God. You won't regret it, I promise. And you will be surprised how much your time seems to grow to do the other things that you thought you didn't have time to accomplish if you took off a few moments from every day living for just you and God. You see when you put Him first in all things, then all other things will be added unto you.

Matt. 6 v 33...But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you...

Time is one of all these things.

The Lord tells us to come to Him to rest in Him to lay down our burdens and rest. He wants you to be at peace and rested. Let's all make that choice today. Let's all go to Him, lay down our burdens, get into His word and just chill out. Let's defeat the enemy today by giving our time to God and not to the enemy. Be FOREWARNED, the enemy will bring up excuses and use every trick in the book to make you think you do not have the time. But remember, HE IS A LIAR. We do have the time, we just have to choose to take it.

Matthew 11 v 28-30...."Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly (humble) in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."......

I know alot of people are planning vacations, be sure to let your souls rest as well. Make it a point not to take your cares on your vacations with you. Don't leave them at home, leave them with the Lord. And when you go on vacation don't forget to take Jesus with you. He is where you will find your rest. Take His word with you and

STAY IN THE WORD!