Direction For 2010

At the beginning of this year I decided to take the first 21 days and commit them to seeking the Lord’s direction for the beginning of 2010. I was resting from ministry work and spent more quality time with my family. Of course I also reflected on 2009 and all that our Lord had done in me, through me, and in my friends and family. The past couple of years have been full of change and restructuring in my finances, friendships, and ministry partners. I have seen the Lord making my crooked paths straight and leading me the way that HE WANTS me to go. Every day I realize that I am far from perfection but in the words of the Apostle Paul,

“I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” (Philippians 3:12-14)

In 2009 many of us saw wonderful break throughs and victories but now it is time to keep pressing forward to what lies ahead. We should not be living on the accomplishments and victories of 2009. This is a new year with brand new opportunties to help the helpless, to extend mercy, grace, and forgiveness, to love the unlovable, and to share the Good News that Jesus loves us and died for our sins. There WILL BE be new tests, struggles, and trials that we will have to overcome not by our own might, but by the Spirit of the Lord who will strengthen us, sustain us, and move us according to His will. (Zechariah 4:6, Philippians 4:13)

2010 is a new year full of new hope and expectation. We don’t have to look back or dwell o all the mistakes of 2009. It’s a new season! The old has gone and new things are coming. We should be excited knowing that our Lord has wonderful plans for each of us! We should be excited knowing without a shadow of a doubt that HE IS working everything out for our good! We should be excited as we watch how the Lord brings restoration, deliverance, and expansion of territory in our lives! (Jeremiah 29:11, Romans 8:28)

The Word that the Lord has placed on my heart since the end of 2009 for 2010 is Matthew 6:33

“But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness (His way of doing and being right), and then all these things taken together will be given you besides.”

But truly this is not a Word for 2010. It is a Word for every day of our life. He wants us to seek Him first and His way of doing things, then everything else that we are worried about will be taken care of. He put it simply to me a couple of years ago. The Spirit of the Lord said to me, “Lisa, you take care of My business and I will take care of your business”. He has been faithful to keep His promise to me. I have seen Him constantly working everything out in my life for the good of our family. There is nothing that comes against me that I really need to fear because I KNOW that I am in His hands and He cares for me. All my fear and doubts are no more because I KNOW that HE IS in control. When I truly began to put my focus on seeking Him and what He wanted me to do on a daily basis, instead of doing what I thought was right do in my own eyes, my life was transformed.

Proverbs 14:12 says, “There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death.”

I remember being on that path. That path is the broad road that Jesus said many take which leads to hell. (Matthew 7:13-14) Doing things our own way, being lead by our fickle and selfish emotions, and submitting to our sin-ful desires leads to destruction and turmoil in our lives as well as those around us. Our way is not the right way. If we want to know which way God wants us to go then we must seek the One who is The Way, The Truth, and The Life. Jesus is the Way. His way is found in the Word of God, the Holy Bible. It will be the lamp to our feet and a light for our path in this dark world.

I pray that each of us would committ to seeking God’s way and will for our life everyday of 2010 and for whatever remaining years we have left here before Jesus Christ comes back for His Church.

Blessings to you all in Christ Jesus name,

When One Door Closes Another One Opens

“However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him" 1 Corinthians 2:9

There is no need to freak out when the Lord closes doors in our lives. Whether we’re laid off from work, girlfriend or boyfriend breaks it off suddenly, we weren’t approved for a loan or modification; whatever door has seemingly closed was closed for a reason. We have to immediately rely on the truth that our Lord has good plans for our lives and that He works everything out for our good. We have to accept that maybe this door has closed because it is time to move on. Maybe we even stayed longer than we should have. Only God knows. (Jeremiah 29:11-13, Romans 8:28)

I have seen in my own life that when the Lord allows doors to close it is because He has something new for me some where else. He wants to teach me new things. He’s just taking me to new training ground and this process will increase my faith and dependence on Him. It’s time to grow and expand and that can not longer be done with where I was at. So I don’t reject change. I have learned to trust what the Lord is doing even when I don’t understand it.

“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the LORD. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.” Isaiah 55:8

Sometimes we feel it in our spirit before it happens that God is calling us to move on and step out in faith. He’s given us a clear vision and He has assured us that we are not crazy, it truly is God Almighty saying, “You have heard Me correctly. Yes it is time to step out. Go now! Do not be afraid I AM with you.” But instead of moving immediately we over analyze our state of affairs and his instructions and we sit in our situation longer. Asking for more confirmation. Lol..That’s when our loving heavenly Father pushes us out of our comfortable nest like a mother bird teaching her fledgling to fly. Much like the baby bird we have become so comfortable in our nest that we do not want to leave, not realizing that if we don’t go we will not learn how to use the muscles in our wings. However, our Lord knows that if we don’t get out of the nest we will not learn how to fly. Thus the gentle push out, He knows it’s for our own good.

“Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert.” Isaiah 43:18-19

The closed door is the beginning of something new and fresh that is going to happen in our lives. It’s a time to draw nearer to the Lord and seek His face like never before. When doors close we should thank Him because we know that He is the one who directs our steps and He will not let us fall. We trust Him to guide us and lead us, so then we must also trust that when He closes one door that He will open another one in due time, in His time. You’ll see!

Don’t wait till you see the physical manifestation of the new thing to praise Him. Praise Him now. Let His praises constantly be on your lips and pray without ceasing while you wait for another door to open. Be confident in what you hope for. Be confident in the word that the Lord has spoken in your heart. Have faith that it will actually happen and be assured about it even though you cannot see it yet. (Hebrews 11:1)

Trust me He loves us so much that He has already made a way. He knows our needs and gives us the desires of our hearts. He knows how to give good gifts. So receive the closed door as a good gift because what He has for you now is better than before. (Matthew 7:11)

Be encouraged as you wait and hope in the Lord..

Wisdom & Discipline Go Hand in Hand

On the morning of the fourteenth my nine year old daughter, Iliana said, “Mom I noticed that there are two things the Proverbs are talking a lot about so far. It is talking about discipline or correction and fearing the Lord.” I couldn’t believe that she said that. I knew that it was definitely something that the Holy Spirit wanted us both to see. I know this because before she sat down to read with me that morning I had just read Proverbs chapter fourteen. In my study journal I noted and highlighted the following:

2 Main themes I see so far in Proverbs. Discipline & correction & fearing the Lord. .

I was so happy to see our Lord talking to Iliana and then to see that she was listening brought such joy to my heart. I immediately told her that her revelation was most certainly from the Holy Spirit. I prayed that she would continue to have eyes to see and ears to hear what the Holy Spirit is saying.

I proceeded to look further into both of these themes. I have started with discipline and correction. What I have discovered is that if we want to receive wisdom, grow in knowledge and understanding then we must have a willingness to be taught, receive wise counsel, criticism, correction, and sometimes even rebuke. If this is a problem for us then we need to truly seek God’s help because we are in danger of heading down the wrong path.

Let me show you what the Proverbs says about this subject and may the Holy Spirit give you eyes to see and ears to hear how important it is that we truly grasp the importance of these principles.

• Wisdom and discipline go hand in hand.

“These are the proverbs of Solomon, David’s son, king of Israel. Their purpose is to teach people wisdom and discipline..” Proverbs 1: 1-2

“Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.” Proverbs 1:7

• The Lord disciplines and corrects us.

“My child, don’t reject the Lord’s discipline, and don’t be upset when He corrects you. For the Lord corrects those He loves, just as a father corrects a child in whom He delights. Proverbs 3:11-12 (see also Hebrews 12:5-6)

• The wise love and accept correction.

“To learn, you must love discipline; it is stupid to hate correction” Proverbs 12:1

“The wise are glad to be instructed, but babbling fools fall flat on their faces.” Proverbs 10:8

“To one who listens, valid criticism is like a gold earring or other gold jewelry.” Proverbs 25:12

• Those who reject discipline harm themselves and are in danger of going astray.

“People who accept discipline are on the pathway to life, but those who ignore correction will go astray.” Proverbs 10:17

“If you ignore criticism, you will end in poverty and disgrace; if you accept correction, you will be honored.” Proverbs 13:18

“If you reject discipline, you only harm yourself; but if you listen to correction, you grow in understanding. Proverbs 15:32

“Whoever stubbornly refuses to accept criticism will suddenly be destroyed beyond recovery. Proverbs 29:1

• Correction makes wise people even wiser.

“If you punish a mocker, the simpleminded will learn a lesson; if you correct the wise, they will be all the wiser.” Proverbs 19:25, 21:11,

“So don’t bother correcting mockers; they will only hate you. But correct the wise and they will be even wiser. Teach the righteous, and they will learn even more.” Proverbs 9:8-9

“If you listen to constructive criticism, you will be at home among the wise. Proverbs 15:31


Lord your Word is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. Nothing in all creation is hidden from You. Everything is naked and exposed before Your eyes, and You are the One to whom we are accountable. So please show us anything in us that would keep us from receiving your Word and instruction. We want to receive wise counsel, correction, and even rebuke and become all the wiser. Teach us and correct us because we long for Your wisdom. In Jesus name..Amen.

Don't Be Afraid of the Vision!

"The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives." Psalm 37:23

I have spent years reading the Word of God. I was hearer for so long until I realized that it was not enough to just hear the Word but I had to begin to really do what the Word said. As I began to walk in the Word the Lord began to confirm what He had implanted in me many years ago when I first got saved. I had this knowing deep within that I was called to be His servant and hand maiden. I knew that He had a divine purpose for my life that involved being more than just a Sunday and Wednesday Christian. I knew that all that I had gone through in my life would some day bring glory to Him. I have been sitting at His feet learning, growing, and longing to go and fulfill the visions that He has given me. Now the time has come.

Over the past year I have stepped out in faith like never before. I have trusted His Word above all else. This is why I believe that I have seen our Lord do mighty things in my life and in those around me. My ears and eyes have been opened like never before and the visions I have are much clearer. In fact at times I feel overwhelmed and honestly even fearful. I often times feel incapable of fulfilling these great dreams that He has shown me.

Has our Lord given you a great vision? Whether it is to start a business, get of debt, lose weight or start a ministry; whatever it is you can do it because He does not call us to do something that He has not equipped us to do. He will direct out steps and make provisions along the way. Trust Him and don’t be afraid of the vision even if it seems so big.

I want to share with you what He spoke to me last night:

“You were trained for such a time as this. Your growth can only continue through exercising your faith now. The time is near for My return and there are still many souls that need to truly receive a revelation of My love and sacrifice for them. It’s through My obedient and faithful remnant that I will be able to show them that I have always loved them.

You will tell them that they are never alone and without hope, if they put their trust in Me and lay their lives down at My feet. I will empower you with faith and ability to fulfill your destiny and calling. It’s by My strength that you will succeed. You truly have no idea what I can do with your willingness to serve Me. You can not truly imagine the good things that I have planned for you.

Remember My servant Moses. He too was afraid and concerned about his abilities. But I gave him power, authority, and wisdom to lead My people. It was My Spirit that led them day and night. It was My Spirit that spoke to Him on the mountain.

Put your trust in Me not in your own ability. I chose you because I know that I can be glorified through you. Don’t be afraid of the vision! I will be by your side the whole way, guiding and leading you.

I have already gone before you and given you favor. Many will stand in awe of what will happen through your faith in Me and your willingness to obey Me. Generations will be changed. There will be empowerment. There will be salvation. So don’t be afraid of the vision.”

It'll Be Ok!!

“Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7

It’ll be ok I promise. Sometimes we allow ourselves to get so caught up in trying to figure things out; contemplating all the what ifs, that we lose our peace and joy. We begin to meditate on the dilemma so much that we have forgotten to take it to our Lord in prayer. If we get into trying to fix our problems on our own in our own strength we most certainly will complicate things even further. We have to learn to instinctively run to the throne room full of humility and a willingness to listen and obey. Then we can make our supplications known to God, lay down our will at His feet and accept His Wisdom thankfully. Then His peace will most certainly guard our minds and hearts from worry, fear, and anxiety as we meditate and trust in His Word, Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)

James 1:5-8 says “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and He will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask Him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.”

Our Lord is our source of wisdom and direction. Through prayer and reading of the Word the Holy Spirit reveals which way to go. He is always going to be faithful to lead us down the right path when we ask Him for direction. However, we must be willing to accept His divine counsel. It is foolish to seek God’s face and present our problems to Him to only do the exact opposite of what He has shown us to do. Don’t allow fear, doubt, confusion, and especially compromise to deter you from following the Lord’s will and way.

I have learned that sometimes our Lord’s response is far from what I expected and then others time it is confirming and clarifying the vision that He has already given me. However, when His response is totally opposite of what I thought and most certainly not the way the world would handle my situation I remember the words in Isaiah 55:8-9. It says:

“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts, says the Lord. And My ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts higher than your thoughts.”

Let us remember that our Lord is faithful and He always works everything out for our good because He loves us so much. He is our Faithful Father carefully watching over us guiding and protecting because He has promised to. Our hope and faith has to be so devoted to Him that we trust Him at His Word. We have to trust him with all of our hearts, and not depend on our own understanding. If we seek His will in all that we do, He will show us which way to go. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Remember that you do not have to be under the yoke of worry or confusion. Get on your face before God and give your burdens to the Lord, and He will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall. (Psalm 55:22)

Trust Him and it’ll be ok!!!!

From the Archives:Not Now Lord!

The Lord been tugging at my heart trying to get me to come out of my comfort zone and step out in faith. I know I’m not the only one. Each of us has a calling on our lives. Our purpose is for such a time as this. We are being trained and prepared daily for the service that He has called us to. He is helping us restructure, restore, and renew all areas of our lives making us living testimonies bringing glory to Him and the name of Jesus.

We all desire for our Lord to bring us from glory to glory and victory to victory. We should want to be mature in our faith and constantly be growing in the knowledge and love of Christ. However, this requires commitment to the Word of God. Not to just be hearers but doers of His Word. Therefore our faith must be tested, exercised, and made strong. Our faith has opportunity to grow when we are challenged to rely strictly on the Word of God and His promises denying what we see, feel, fear, and what our critics say.

We pray and ask Him to change us, make us more like Christ, and to use us. Then he asks us to do something, to change, to go, to stay, to write, to help, to surrender, to forgive, and to love but so often times we respond with “Not now Lord.”

“Not now Lord I’m not ready”
“Not now Lord I’m too weak.”
“Not now Lord I’m scared.”
“Not now Lord we don’t have enough money.”
“Not now Lord what if I’m rejected?”
“Not now Lord they don’t deserve my forgiveness.”

What’s up with all the excuses full of selfishness and fear? If we allow fear to have its way it will come in and squat in our hearts and minds claiming ownership refusing to leave? We must serve our flesh and fear an eviction notice today! “Fear this is not your residence! Get out in Jesus name!”

Remember that we are not in this alone. The Lord would never call us to do something that He has not equipped us for and already prepared a way. He will be our strength, comfort, guidance, hope, and provider. His Holy Spirit will give us the courage and wisdom we need to fulfill our calling. We just need to be sold out and obedient to the Word of God. The Lord desires obedience more than sacrifice.

“Obedience is far better than sacrifice. He is much more interested in your listening to him than your offering the fat of rams to him.” (1 Samuel 15:22-23)

“Sacrifice and offering You do not desire, nor have You delight in them; You have given me the capacity to hear and obey [Your law, a more valuable service than] burnt offerings and sin offerings [which] You do not require.” (Psalm 40:5)

Obedience to the Word of God shows that we love and trust Him. We need to leave our excuses for those who have no faith and remember that we serve a Mighty God. Instead of “Not now Lord” we will say “Ok Lord..I trust you to see me through this. I can do this through Christ who strengthens me. Here we go...”

Lord, forgive us for making excuses when you’ve called us to step out on your Word. We trust you and know that you have made a way for us to accomplish all that you have for us. We know we are not alone. Thank you for your Holy Spirit and all of your provisions. In Jesus name. Amen.

Don't Take The Bait

My husband and I had been in prayer and fasting regarding specific decisions that we needed to make for our family. After seeking our Lord’s face we were sure that He would make it clear to us what direction we needed to take. He has always been faithful to guide and lead us down the right path so we trusted Him to give us direction and to show us His will.

It has been several months now and an option has presented it’s self. But is it God or are we being baited and lured by a temporary solution that only ends in bondage? After reviewing the possibilities of the offer presented to us we realized that it was a trap. At first glance it seemed that the proposal would provide freedom and relief. It was appealing and tempting, too good to be true. My father in law said to us, “I always say if it looks too good to be true then it probably is.”

After digging deeper into the substance we were able to find the hidden hooks that would have hindered and kept us restricted from the freedom that we need. Had we of taken the bait and accepted the offer our circumstances would have changed for the better temporarily, however there were consequences and repercussions for accepting this false promise of peace. We thanked God for giving us wisdom, common sense, wise counsel, His Word, and His Holy Spirit to help us properly evaluate the situation. It became clear to us which way to go.

This isn’t the first time that the enemy as tried to divert us from taking the right path. The enemy will come to us all of with His alluring temptations full of false promises of hope and relief. He makes his offers so tempting and sound so good so as even to deceive, if possible, God’s chosen ones. His goal is to get us off tract and distracted from following God’s will for our life. We must be prepared to properly discern every claim, temptation, and offer the enemy presents.

In the past I more easily fell for the enemy’s lies and deceptions because I desired my own way more than God’s way. I did not read the Word of God daily and therefore I was not meditating on it either. My mind was worldly and full of selfish desires. I was easy prey. I was easy to deceive. Not any more! The enemy has to come correct and tactful now.

Don’t foolishly disregard what I am telling you. The enemy desires to blind us with deception, bind us, and keep us from achieving all that God has for us. I am not giving the enemy too much credit. I am just keeping it real with you and reminding you that this is a spiritual battle. Our enemy, satan is real. Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. (1 Peter 5:8-9)



Don’t fall for the enemies tricks. Stay on the right path, the narrow road. Know the Word of God and what it means. This is the sword that you will use to defeat the lies of the enemy. His Word assures us that we are on the right path. It is the light that guides and leads us. We are more then conquerors in Christ Jesus and we have the mind Christ to help us discern truth from deception. Don’t take the bait. (Psalm 119:105, 1 Corinthians 2:16)

Is It Right In God's Eyes or Your Eyes?

My spirit is grieved within me. All day yesterday I kept hearing the Lord saying to me “In the end day’s people will do what they think is right in their own eyes.” I searched the Word until I found Judges 17:6 which says, “For in those days Israel had no king, so everyone did whatever he wanted to-whatever seemed right in his own eyes.”

God’s people did not care about their God and his standards for living. They had an attitude of doing whatever they wanted, not what God wanted for them. They had His laws and His directions but they still wanted to have their own way disregarding His Word. This sounds so familiar to the attitude that infuses our culture today. This mind-set does not just permeate the world but has also leaked into the church.

There are believers doing what they think is best for themselves, compromising God’s Word, ignoring what the Word (Jesus) says and hardening their hearts to the Truth. Have we forgotten that we are to be Christ like desiring God’s will for our life and not our own? Lord please have mercy on us.

We must be careful to not become like the children of Israel who constantly hardened their hearts against God and His will for their life. They did not believe Him, did not trust Him, and complained against Him. That generation of unbelieving, disobedient and rebellious people sealed their own fate and did not enter into the Promised Land.

“But,” God says, “I was very angry with them, for their hearts were always looking somewhere else instead of up to me, and they never found the paths I wanted them to follow.” Hebrews 3:10

“Beware then of your own hearts, dear brothers, lest you find that they, too, are evil and unbelieving and are leading you away from the living God. Speak to each other about these things every day while there is still time, so that none of you will become hardened against God, being blinded by the glamour of sin. For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as we did when we first became Christians, we will share in all that belongs to Christ.

But now is the time. Never forget this warning, “Today if you hear God’s voice speaking to you, do not harden your hearts against him..” Hebrews 3:12-15

The children of Israel had no king but we have the King of Kings, Jesus Christ. He is the Word of God. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He is the standard that we as Christians are to follow. Our conduct and our opinions should be based on the Word of God. We can not allow ourselves to be conformed to this world, society’s attitudes, and ways of doing things. We are children of light and we must let our light shine for all to see by living the Word of God and standing for truth at all times. There is no room for compromise. These are perilous times. Everything we say and do counts.

“The whole Bible was given to us by inspiration from God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives; it straightens us out and helps us do what is right. It is God’s way of making us well prepared at every point, fully equipped to do good to everyone.” 2 Timothy 3:16

The Word of God must be our standard for living and making all decisions in our lives because His Word stands firm like a great rock, and nothing can shake it. His Word must be our guide not our own selfish desires or our own way of thinking. The Word (Jesus) is the only way. When making decisions we should ask ourselves is this right in God's eyes? Then see if it lines up with the Word of God.

Lord help us to stay on the narrow road. Gives us courage and faith to stand for truth. Let us not follow our own agenda or man’s agenda, but let us follow you. Our faith is in You alone..In Jesus name.. Amen.

"It All Depends On The Christians"

My heart is heavy and my spirit is unsettled about this election. Mostly my heart aches for those believers who are voting opposite the Word of God. Christians voting for a man that goes against everything that we are supposed to stand for.

I wrote to a new friend earlier today about a Word that I keep hearing the Lord saying to me. She responded with her words of encouragement and confessed that she too feels troubled and concerned about this election. She then forwarded me a prophecy that was forwarded to her regarding this election. Read it below and if you have not yet voted please pray and vote the Word of God.

A Prophetic Warning from Pastor Steve Foss Sat, 25 Oct 2008

I am writing to you today an urgent message concerning the coming American election. God has released me to share with you a powerful prophecy He gave me eight years ago. I have shared this prophecy in a number of public meetings, but I have never published it for all our friends and partners.

In January of 2000 God gave me an incredible insight into what was about to happen in the coming elections in America over the next decade.

I am not using this e-mail to tell you, who are citizens of America, who to vote for. However, you need to hear what the Holy Spirit is saying. Never in my 22 years of ministry have I seen such a spirit of delusion released upon our country.

In January of 2000, whil e the Republican nomination for president was far from being decided, God spoke to me that George W. Bush would be the president of the United States.
He told me it would be the hardest fought election in American history. I'm sure we can all remember the incredible battle that took place in Florida. He told me that President Bush would be elected to two terms. He told me that during Bush's term there would be a season of unprecedented economic prosperity.

Now despite what the media has said, the economic wealth created during the last eight years was unprecedented. I know the media and one of the political parties has been trying to paint the last eight years as the worst economic time in American history, but it is absolutely untrue. If you look at the wealth created, there were more millionaires created in the last eight years than any time in history.

Multitudes of people were able to sell real estate before the housing market collapse, and received incredibl e transfers of wealth. I could spend hours showing documentation of the wealth created, but suffice it to say, the evidence is there.

God then said to me, "At the end of President Bush's second term there would be an economic collapse." As everyone in the world knows, we have just faced the greatest economic threat since 1929 and the Great Depression. I will speak a little more about the present economic situation a
little later in this message.

Every detail that God gave me has come to pass exactly as He said. Now there is one more important thing that God spoke to me. This is the purpose and the reason I am writing this e-mail today. God spoke to me that after George W. Bush, America would elect its most ungodly president ever.
I'm going to say that again. God spoke to me that after George W. Bush, America would elect its most ungodly president ever.

As of the writing of this e-mail we are now less than two weeks away from voting for our next president. At this time the polls are strongly showing that the Democratic nominee for president will easily win the White House.

Now in 2006 I began to ask the Lord, "Is that guaranteed to happen in 2008?" He spoke to me very clearly and gave me the key words to what I believe holds this election in the balance right now. He gave me these key words that can forever change what is about to happen in America.

He said, "It depends on the Christians."

I am not going to endorse a candidate, nor am I telling anyone who to vote for. I am simply sharing what God has shown me.

I had a vision earlier this year. I saw Barack Obama in this vision. He was speaking to a large crowd and being broadcast on television. He was speaking incredible words of unity, peace, and bringing all sides together; the words were elegant, the words were comforting, and the words were inspiring.

But while he was speaking I saw al l a powerful spirit of violence coming out of his spirit feeding into the spirits of those that were hearing him. That spirit of violence was directed at anybody who opposed what he was saying. Those who heard his words and received it had the spirit of violence being implanted inside of them. It was a rage like I have not seen before.

It was the rage that would be unleashed against those who oppose and stand in the way of Barack Obama's agenda. We are already seeing the beginnings of this spirit manifested here in America. The vicious attacks against Sarah Palin have been unlike anything we have ever seen before. The sheer hate for this woman from people who knew nothing about her, and who claim to stand up and protect the little people, and women, has been shocking.

We now see it with Joe the plumber. These people who are under the influence of this demon spirit of rage desire to completely destroy this man because he dared to question Barack Obama. In f act it wasn't just the question; it was because Barack Obama revealed his true agenda that Joe the plumber became a threat. So the supporters of Barack Obama who had been fed and affected by the spirit of violence went into full swing to destroy a fellow citizen; the very kind of person that Barack Obama has been speaking about in his eloquent speeches, saying how he is the only candidate fighting for them.

I want to put this deep in your spirit. I am speaking as a prophet. The words I'm about to tell you are "thus saith the Lord". If Barack Obama is elected, the attacks against free speech, against those who believe differently than he does, and the systematic use of the government and laws to silence the voice of fundamental Christians will be unlike anything ever seen in this nation before.

I have talked to many Christians, including pastors, not only here in the United States but around the world, who strongly support Barack Obama. Many of them are ang ry with the Republicans, and understandably so. Others are inspired by the thought of electing America's first African American president, while others believe Barack Obama to be a Christian who is very concerned with the poor and needy. I am not going to address any of the many concerns about Barack Obama and his form of Christianity. I am only speaking the words of thus saith the Lord, and you have to decide what you're going to do with it.

But I want to remind you, every word God has spoken to me over the last eight years and every word which I have prophesied about the American government and the elections has come to pass.

God does not give this prophecy to scare us, but to prepare us.

God said that the 2008 election is in the hands of the Christians. Just like when God spoke to Jonah about the judgment coming to Nineveh, when the Ninevites repented God withheld judgment; the same can happen in this election. Even though God spoke that Am erica would elect its most ungodly president, He has given us the ability to stay this judgment.

Now you may be asking, "Are you saying that Barack Obama, if elected, would be America's most ungodly president ever?" Yes!

Now I'm not telling you who to vote for. Some people want an ungodly president. That's their choice. I have watched throughout the world, Christians support political leaders who are blatantly ungodly. So again, this is the people's choice.

I believe if the Christians will pray, repent, and hear the voice of God, a miracle can happen on Election Day. This nation lies in the hands of the Christians. Will we humble ourselves before God and pray for His kingdom to come and His will to be done? Or will we allow our emotions, our
feelings, our angers, our greed, our race, the opinions of the media, our fears, to dictate to us and affect who we vote for? If you allow these things to affect you, whether you vote for Republic an or Democrat, you are not being led by the Spirit.

We must spend time in deep intercessory prayer and cry out for God's mercy upon America. For all our friends who are not in the United States, if Christianity comes under the assaults that it would under a government controlled by Barack Obama and the Liberal Democrats, it will have horrible negative effects on the Gospel throughout the world.

All truth is parallel. People say when America catches a cold, the world suffers a flu. This present financial crisis is proof of that. When America is moral and bows its knee to God, it has incredible positive spiritual impact around the world. However, we have seen over the last several decades, when America becomes more immoral that too affects the world.

We need all the Christians around the world to pray for revival to come to America, and for God to have mercy and spare us from this judgment.

Finally, a brief word about the financial crisis. This is not the end time financial crisis. It is very serious, and it is shaking the foundations of the world's economic system. But we will come out of this, and there will be a time again of incredible wealth creation. However, the cracks in the financial system will not be healed. The door has been opened and the way is being made for a one world government system to overtake the world's economics.

The world will falsely look at this situation and say that when the governments individually, and with some unified coordination, jumped in to rescue the world, that it prevented a worldwide depression. In the future, when the true end time financial collapse takes place, it will be very easy for the nations of the world and the peoples of those nations to allow a new worldwide governing body to come to the rescue. Understand that everything that is happening has a significant spiritual purpose.

So don't panic by what you see happening today, but tak e this as a spiritual warning from God. Prepare yourself. Get out of debt. Hear the voice of the Holy Spirit in regards to how you handle money. Let God position you to handle the future complete economic collapse and the overtaking of the world's economic system.

Please pray for America. May God have mercy on us all.

Your friend,
Steve Foss



Steve Foss Ministries
P.O. Box 1592
Keller, TX 76244
817-898-0440
www.stevefoss.com

Don't Be Deceived-Obama Is No Joshua!

OBAMA IS NO JOSHUA

By Cal Thomas Tribune Media Services

Barack Obama’s presidential campaign plans to strike at the heart of the Republican base by attempting to woo Evangelical Christians and Roman Catholics to his side.

The Christian Broadcasting Network’s David Brody first broke the story on his blog “The Brody File.” Obama’s campaign for the conservative Christian vote, which has largely gone to the Republican presidential candidate in recent elections, has been dubbed the “Joshua Generation Project.” Joshua, Moses’ successor, led the Israelites into the Promised Land. It wasn’t the group that fled Egypt in the Exodus, though. They died in the wilderness, lacking faith in God’s promise. It was the next generation that Joshua led into Canaan. Apparently, if we have enough faith in Obama, he will lead us all into a new America, but if we vote for John McCain, we will demonstrate a lack of faith (in Obama) and die in the political badlands.

Obama is better at biblical language and imagery than any Democrat in modern times. He certainly beats Howard Dean, now the chairman of the Democratic National Committee, who once offered Job as his favorite New Testament book. This is cynical manipulation of the devout and it is no better when Democrats do it than when Republicans use religious language for partisan advantage.

Obama has declared himself a committed Christian. He can call himself anything he likes, but there are certain markers among the evangelicals he is courting that one must meet in order to qualify for that label.

Some insight into Obama’s “Christianity” comes from an interview he gave in 2004 to Chicago Sun-Times religion editor Cathleen Falsani for her book, “The God Factor: Inside the Spiritual Lives of Public People.”

“I’m rooted in the Christian tradition,” said Obama. He then adds something most Christians will see as universalism: “I believe there are many paths to the same place, and that is a belief that there is a higher power, a belief that we are connected as a people.”

Falsani correctly brings up John 14:6 (and how many journalists would know such a verse, much less ask a question based on it?) in which Jesus says of Himself, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” That sounds exclusive, but Obama says it depends on how this verse is heard. According to Falsani, Obama thinks that “all people of faith — Christians, Jews, Muslims, animists, everyone — know the same God.” (Her words.)

Evangelicals and serious Catholics might ask if this is so, why did Jesus waste His time coming to Earth, suffering pain, rejection and crucifixion? If there are many ways to God, He might have sent down a spiritual version of table manners and avoided the rest.

Here’s Obama telling Falsani, “The difficult thing about any religion, including Christianity, is that at some level there is a call to evangelize and proselytize. There’s the belief, certainly in some quarters, that if people haven’t embraced Jesus Christ as their personal savior, they’re going to hell.” Falsani adds, “Obama doesn’t believe he, or anyone else, will go to hell. But he’s not sure he’ll be going to heaven, either.” Again, that is contrary to what Evangelicals and most Catholics believe.

Here’s Obama again: “I don’t presume to have knowledge of what happens after I die. When I tuck in my daughters at night and I feel like I’ve been a good father to them, and I see that I am transferring values that I got from my mother and that they’re kind people and that they’re honest people, and they’re curious people, that’s a little piece of heaven.”

Any first-year seminary student could deconstruct such “works salvation” and wishful thinking. Obama either hasn’t read the Bible, or if he has, doesn’t believe it if he embraces such thin theological wisps.

Obama can call himself anything he likes, but there is a clear requirement for one to qualify as a Christian and Obama doesn’t meet that requirement. One cannot deny central tenets of the Christian faith, including the deity and uniqueness of Christ as the sole mediator between God and Man and be a Christian. Such people do have a label applied to them in Scripture. They are called “false prophets.”

Repost: Lean Not On Your Own Understanding

Repost from 7/18/08-I know I needed to read this again..

There are many times in my life where I have to make decisions that I am unsure of, or maybe even scared. I pray and ask God to give me wisdom to help me make the right decision. I long with all my heart to do His will, but there are times that I think that I am going to mess everything all up. Then I remember what Proverbs 3:5-6 says and I meditate on these words:

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”

I begin to realize that I do trust Him with all of my heart. How could I not? I look back at my life and see how He has always been there for me. My Heavenly Father picked me up out the mess I made of my life. He turned me around and put me on the path of righteousness. He delivered me from all my fears. He set my feet on The Rock, Jesus Christ. He is constantly renewing my mind and heart with His Word. He has comforted when I needed to be consoled. He has provided faithfully for my family. We have not lacked any good thing. He has been an On Time God! I trust Him with my life and family.

Lean not on my own understanding? I have learned and I am still learning daily that His ways are not our ways so I can not rely on my own understanding of the things that go on around me. (Isaiah 55:8-9) I can’t figure everything out and I don’t have to. I just know that there is nothing that happens in our lives that God can not use to mold us and make us stronger witnesses for Him. I know that these trials that we go through are testing our faith and developing perseverance. We need to learn perseverance so that we can be mature and complete, prepared so that He can use us to help others. (James 1:2-4)

I believe the trials that we go through are also meant to keep us close to our Heavenly Father. If we did not have troubles in this life how else would we know that He is there to help us and comfort us, unless we needed it? “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1) “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence, the Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. (Hebrews 13:5-6)

In all your ways acknowledge Him..I acknowledge Him in everything I do. I know that apart from Him I can do nothing. (John 15:5) So I seek His counsel and think about Him constantly because I want to honor and glorify Him with every word and every deed. I pray and ask Him to give me wisdom, courage, and strength to make wise decisions. For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. (2 Chronicles 16:9) So when I have to make a decision I am sure that my Heavenly Father will instruct me and guide me along the best pathway for my life. He will advise me and watch my progress. (Psalm 32:8)

Trust the Lord with all your decisions. Pray about everything, even the ‘small’ things. He will guide us down the right path every time. The best part of it all is that even if we make a mistake and go the wrong way he has made our steps firm so even if we stumble we will not fall flat on our face, for the Lord upholds us with his hand. (Psalm 37:23-24) Begin seeking God in all areas of your life and he will make all the crooked paths straight! (Isaiah 45:2)

Trusting God the Gardener

I love gardening. I find it so relaxing. I enjoy planting seedlings in small pots and watching them grow under the sunlight. As they grow, their roots start filling up their pots… they to need more room to grow so I upgrade them to a bigger pot, more suitable for their needs. Sometimes they immediately accept their new habitat really well. It appears that they stand taller with their branches spread out even more looking happy and confident. I believe they’ve determined right away to allow themselves to grow, reproduce and fill this new container, looking forward to the day that they can move on to the next glorious pot. They’ve learned to trust me and my hands with their lives.

Then I have more temperamental plants that don’t do so well when I transfer them to their new pot. It seems to be that they are putting up a fight and rejecting where I have planted them. They don’t care that I’m trying to allow them to expand and bloom. It’s depressing to be around them because their leaves and branches droop looking sad and wilted, angry that I messed with their roots. They refuse to accept that their time in that old pot is up and it’s time to move on to bigger and better things. I wish they would understand that I know what’s best for them.

So here they are in this bigger pot, mad as ever. I guess they were accustomed to their old pot and became complacent and content there. However, I can’t have that in my garden. If my plants refuse to fulfill their purpose to reproduce and help beautify my home then I really don’t have a need for them. Although I get a little frustrated, I patiently and lovingly nurse the plant back to health. Eventually some accept my will and care, adjust to the new pot, and go one to become beautiful plants. The stubborn ones just give up, reject me completely, and die.

I believe that we are part of God’s garden where he loves, nurtures and waters us with His Word and the Holy Spirit. He prunes us of those dead and useless habits and strongholds that hinder our growth and ability to produce good fruit. He plants us where we are currently so that we can beautify our surroundings and bear much fruit, the fruit of the Spirit, for others to see. Jesus said, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit”. (John 15:16)

We have to trust our omniscient God and His direction for our lives. Where ever he has chosen to plant us we should willingly and confidently accept knowing that it is only a temporary place where we are to grow and produce good fruit. Once we have out grown this place then the Lord will take us to a new and better place where we can continue to grow even more. Let us remember that the Lord knows where we can grow best.

If instead we become temperamental and reject where God wants us to be then we will begin to resent His will and His way for our lives. Our countenance will eventually reveal our discontentment, anger, and resentment. It becomes apparent that we are no longer abiding in Jesus and His words. Our God the Gardener is left with no choice and must cast us out as a branch and we will wither. Then we will be gathered with all the other useless branches and be thrown in the fire and burned.

Trusting in God’s will and His Word is vital to our spiritual growth. Let’s never become complacent or too comfortable with where God currently has us, instead let’s be ready and willing at all times to go and grow in whatever new pot He plants us. (John 15:1-8).

Surrender Daily

When we ask Jesus to come into our lives it should be because we acknowledged that we have sinned against God and disobeyed His laws. We go to Him broken with a contrite spirit, humbly sorry for our sins. Asking Him to forgive us, restore us, transform us and create in us a clean heart. It has become apparent to us that we need Him to help us because our ways of doing things in our lives have lead us down the wrong path. Heart ache and pain are the result of our own selfish and rebellious nature. Tired of this way of life we turn to Him and ask Him to take the wheel. We want him to be our Lord and Savior so we surrender to Him and confess our sins, repent, and ask Him to come into our hearts to live and rule.

This attitude of complete surrender that we have when we realize that we are sinners and hopeless without Him is one that we need to have on a daily basis. The definition of surrender is to give oneself up to another’s power or control. In order to be effective, victorious, powerful Christians then we must choose to surrender daily to the Lord’s will, His Spirit, and His Word.

Our Lord gave Joshua specific instructions when he was promoted as the new ruler of Israel after the death of his mentor Moses. His directives were to 1) be strong and courageous because the task ahead would not be easy, 2) obey God’s Word, 3) always remind the people of God’s Word, and 4) daily read, study, and meditate on God’s Word. Joshua followed our Lord’s instructions and he conquered his enemies and successfully ruled God’s people. This advice is still good today. We can apply these instructions to our Christian walk so that we can be mighty conquerors just like Joshua was. (Joshua 1:6-8)

The writer of Psalm 119 also understood that it was vital to know God’s Word and to submit to it.

“Blessed Lord, teach me your rules. I have recited your laws, and rejoiced in them more than in riches. I will meditate upon them and give them my full respect. I will delight in them and not forget them.” Psalm 119:12-16

“Keep me far from every wrong; help me, undeserving as I am, to obey your laws, for I have chosen to do right. I cling to your commands and follow them as closely as I can. Lord, don’t let me make a mess of things. If you will only help me to want your will, then I will follow your laws even more closely.” Psalm 119:29-32

“May I never forget your words; for they are my only hope.” Psalm 119:43

If we will choose to meditate on and surrender to God’s Word daily we will desire His will and His way of doing things for our lives. His Word will rise up in our hearts and minds and then flow out our mouth producing life. We will be changed and empowered to live victorious Christian lives.

Thank you Lord for your Word that gives us power and courage to produce fruitful Christian living. We will daily surrender our will and lay it at your feet. Your way is what we desire most. Thank you for your power and wisdom. In Jesus name. Amen.

Not Now Lord!

The Lord been tugging at my heart trying to get me to come out of my comfort zone and step out in faith. I know I’m not the only one. Each of us has a calling on our lives. Our purpose is for such a time as this. We are being trained and prepared daily for the service that He has called us to. He is helping us restructure, restore, and renew all areas of our lives making us living testimonies bringing glory to Him and the name of Jesus.

We all desire for our Lord to bring us from glory to glory and victory to victory. We should want to be mature in our faith and constantly be growing in the knowledge and love of Christ. However, this requires commitment to the Word of God. Not to just be hearers but doers of His Word. Therefore our faith must be tested, exercised, and made strong. Our faith has opportunity to grow when we are challenged to rely strictly on the Word of God and His promises denying what we see, feel, fear, and what our critics say.

We pray and ask Him to change us, make us more like Christ, and to use us. Then he asks us to do something, to change, to go, to stay, to write, to help, to surrender, to forgive, and to love but so often times we respond with “Not now Lord.”

“Not now Lord I’m not ready”
“Not now Lord I’m too weak.”
“Not now Lord I’m scared.”
“Not now Lord we don’t have enough money.”
“Not now Lord what if I’m rejected?”
“Not now Lord they don’t deserve my forgiveness.”

What’s up with all the excuses full of selfishness and fear? If we allow fear to have its way it will come in and squat in our hearts and minds claiming ownership refusing to leave? We must serve our flesh and fear an eviction notice today! “Fear this is not your residence! Get out in Jesus name!”

Remember that we are not in this alone. The Lord would never call us to do something that He has not equipped us for and already prepared a way. He will be our strength, comfort, guidance, hope, and provider. His Holy Spirit will give us the courage and wisdom we need to fulfill our calling. We just need to be sold out and obedient to the Word of God. The Lord desires obedience more than sacrifice.

“Obedience is far better than sacrifice. He is much more interested in your listening to him than your offering the fat of rams to him.” (1 Samuel 15:22-23)

“Sacrifice and offering You do not desire, nor have You delight in them; You have given me the capacity to hear and obey [Your law, a more valuable service than] burnt offerings and sin offerings [which] You do not require.” (Psalm 40:5)

Obedience to the Word of God shows that we love and trust Him. We need to leave our excuses for those who have no faith and remember that we serve a Mighty God. Instead of “Not now Lord” we will say “Ok Lord..I trust you to see me through this. I can do this through Christ who strengthens me. Here we go...”

Lord, forgive us for making excuses when you’ve called us to step out on your Word. We trust you and know that you have made a way for us to accomplish all that you have for us. We know we are not alone. Thank you for your Holy Spirit and all of your provisions. In Jesus name. Amen.

Pray Without Ceasing

The Lord has laid it on my heart to study and teach on prayer. This is the first of a series of postings on prayer. May Our Lord teach us what we need to help us with where we’re at on our journey. In Jesus name...Amen!

Prayer is a vital part of our Christian lives. Prayer is simply talking with God. He wants nothing more than for us to spend time talking and listening to Him just like we do with anyone we love. The more time we spend talking with God the more we will learn to know Him, love Him, and recognize His voice. Our faith, confidence, and trust in Him will grow as we see our prayers being answered. Just knowing that He hears our prayers and cares about every detail of our lives should cause us to want to spend more time talking with Him.

“But certainly God has heard me; He has given heed to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, Who has not rejected my prayer nor removed His mercy and loving –kindness from being [as it always is] with me.” Psalm 66:19-20

We are to be in a constant state of prayer; praying without ceasing. (1 Thessalonians 5:17) I don’t mean walking around looking like a crazy person. I mean we need to be aware that we are not ever alone. His Holy Spirit is with us all the time. The Lord has given us His Spirit to guide and leads us all the days of our lives. He is there when we wake up, when we are driving to work or school, while we are going through our day, and when we come home. He is always with us not only protecting us and watching over us; He is there wanting to be the first one we call if we just want to talk or are going through something.

Psalm 139:7 “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?”

Joshua 1:5, 9 The Lord said, “I will not leave you nor forsake you.” “The Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Almighty God is our Heavenly Father who cares about everything that goes on with us. He wants to provide for ALL our needs. That’s why He says, “Do NOT fret or have any anxiety about ANYTHING, but in EVERY circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God.” (Philippians 4:6) This scripture should give us confidence that we can talk to Him about everything and anything. We can talk to Him about our jobs, our bosses, our enemies, our friends, our spouses, and children. We can ask Him to give us more patience, understanding, wisdom, and compassion. We can request direction and guidance for our lives. There is nothing that we can not talk to our loving God about.

Prayer keeps us dependant on Him. He doesn’t want us to fret, worry, or have anxiety. He wants us to cast all of our cares on Him through prayer, trusting Him to care for our needs. Prayer is our stress relief because once we have prayed and spent time in his presence the peace of God which surpasses all understand will guard our minds and our hearts as we trust Him. Then we can begin to mediate on the fact that He has always been faithful to answer our prayers in the past and we can rejoice and praise Him for His faithfulness and mercy. (Philippians 4:7)

Lord, you are an Awesome God that loves us so much that you long to talk to us and spend time with us through prayer. Remind us that you are always there ready to listen and answer our prayers. Thank you for your Son who as given us full access to your throne room. In Jesus name..Amen

More Than Conquerors

I have tried in the past to live to please myself and gratify the desires of my flesh in so many different ways. I felt like I always had to do things my way, even if I heard the Lord speaking to me. I allowed my circumstances and problems to consume my mind. I used to be full of stress, anxiety and worry. I am not speaking of the old unsaved Lisa. This was the “Christian” me.

What happened? What changed me? I decided to have childlike faith on the Word of God. If His Word says it, I believe it!

 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13
 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” Philippians 4:6-7

No matter what my circumstances were. I knew His Word is Truth. I began to spend more time in the Word. I would ask God for understanding before I would sit down to read. I truly began to meditate on the Word and allowed the Holy Spirit to teach me.

“But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” John 14:26

I began to speak God’s Word over my circumstances instead of accepting what I saw in the physical realm. The Holy Spirit has been faithful to remind me of what the Word has said about my life. I knew by faith that God was always in control. I have learned that I am more than a conqueror in all things because I have Jesus who loves me.

“We are more than conquerors because we have Christ Jesus. No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us” Romans 8:37

We can be more than conquerors when we truly understand that Jesus loves us and is on our side. He stands next to God interceding on our behalf. We can not allow our circumstances, problems, finances, jobs, tests, and trials to overcome us. We must allow them to refine us and make us stronger so that we can help others who are going through the same problems. We can give them hope by sharing our testimony of how God gave us strength and courage to go through the fire or storm. They need to know that we are more than conquerors over our situations because we have Jesus, the Word of God.

Lord, thank you for your Word that gives us hope and power. We are more than conquerors because we have your Holy Spirit in us teaching and reminding us of your Words. Thank you for always working everything out for our good. In Jesus name..Amen.

Seek Wise Counsel

It is important when making major decisions in our lives and ministries to pray and seek God’s will. It is also wise to seek counsel from mature Christians such has your pastor, leaders, mentors, and especially from those who know you well. These people will be able to give you valuable insight and counsel in love and based on the Word of God.

Proverbs 1:5 “A wise man will hear and increase in learning, and a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel.”

Proverbs 24:6 “So don’t go to war without wise guidance; victory depends on having many advisers.”

Here are some things that I have learned about seeking wise counsel.

1. Be sure to use the Word of God to evaluate the advice given. Proverbs 2:6-10 For the Lord grants wisdom! His every word is a treasure of knowledge and understanding. He grants good sense to the godly-his saints. He is their shield, protecting them and guarding their pathway. He shows how to distinguish right from wrong, how to find the right decision every time. For wisdom and truth will enter the very center of your being, filling your life with joy.

2. Bad counsel will lead to your ruin. 2 Chronicles 22:3-4 Ahaziah also followed the evil example of King Ahab’s family, for his mother encouraged him in doing wrong. He did what was evil in the LORD’s sight, just as Ahab’s family had done. They even became his advisers after the death of his father, and they led him to ruin.

3. Do not seek advice from people that are just going to tell you what you want to hear. 2 Timothy 4:3-4 “For the time is coming when [people] will not tolerate (endure) sound and wholesome instruction, but, having ears itching [for something pleasing and gratifying], they will gather to themselves one teacher after another to a considerable number, chosen to satisfy their own liking and to foster the errors they hold, And will turn aside from hearing the truth and wander off into myths and man-made fictions.

4. Repeatedly ignoring God’s Word and wise counsel only leads to death and destruction. King Ahab was an evil king that never wanted to listen to God’s prophet Micaiah. He hated him because he always prophesied trouble for him. He would not accept the Word and repent of his ways. Instead he would ignore Micaiah’s counsel and would consult with heathen prophets who would tell him what he wanted to hear. Until there counsel lead him to a battle that ended his life. (2 Chronicles 18)

Lord, we thank you for your Word which gives us wisdom and helps us to make wise decisions. We also thank you for the faithful wise counselors that you have given us that help us in our daily Christian walk. In Jesus name..Amen.

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Lean Not On Your Own Understanding

There are many times in my life where I have to make decisions that I am unsure of, or maybe even scared. I pray and ask God to give me wisdom to help me make the right decision. I long with all my heart to do His will, but there are times that I think that I am going to mess everything all up. Then I remember what Proverbs 3:5-6 says and I meditate on these words:

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”

I begin to realize that I do trust Him with all of my heart. How could I not? I look back at my life and see how He has always been there for me. My Heavenly Father picked me up out the mess I made of my life. He turned me around and put me on the path of righteousness. He delivered me from all my fears. He set my feet on The Rock, Jesus Christ. He is constantly renewing my mind and heart with His Word. He has comforted when I needed to be consoled. He has provided faithfully for my family. We have not lacked any good thing. He has been an On Time God! I trust Him with my life and family.

Lean not on my own understanding? I have learned and I am still learning daily that His ways are not our ways so I can not rely on my own understanding of the things that go on around me. (Isaiah 55:8-9) I can’t figure everything out and I don’t have to. I just know that there is nothing that happens in our lives that God can not use to mold us and make us stronger witnesses for Him. I know that these trials that we go through are testing our faith and developing perseverance. We need to learn perseverance so that we can be mature and complete, prepared so that He can use us to help others. (James 1:2-4)

I believe the trials that we go through are also meant to keep us close to our Heavenly Father. If we did not have troubles in this life how else would we know that He is there to help us and comfort us, unless we needed it? “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1) “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence, the Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. (Hebrews 13:5-6)

In all your ways acknowledge Him..I acknowledge Him in everything I do. I know that apart from Him I can do nothing. (John 15:5) So I seek His counsel and think about Him constantly because I want to honor and glorify Him with every word and every deed. I pray and ask Him to give me wisdom, courage, and strength to make wise decisions. For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. (2 Chronicles 16:9) So when I have to make a decision I am sure that my Heavenly Father will instruct me and guide me along the best pathway for my life. He will advise me and watch my progress. (Psalm 32:8)

Trust the Lord with all your decisions. Pray about everything, even the ‘small’ things. He will guide us down the right path every time. The best part of it all is that even if we make a mistake and go the wrong way he has made our steps firm so even if we stumble we will not fall flat on our face, for the Lord upholds us with his hand. (Psalm 37:23-24) Begin seeking God in all areas of your life and he will make all the crooked paths straight! (Isaiah 45:2)

Walking By Faith While He Holds My Hand

The enemy comes in like a flood trying to distract us with drama, fear, and confusion. He wants us to think that our God has forgotten us. He puts thoughts in our minds to make us doubt God’s faithfulness. I don’t know about you but the enemy tries to tell me, “If God loves you so much why are going through this. You go to church, you serve Him, and you tithe. So why is He doing this to you?” What a lying snake! I will not be deceived because I know that God’s word is True! I know that He has not forgotten me and that I am safe in His care! No matter what happens in my life I KNOW that God loves me and that all of these things are only temporary. Like gold these fires will only purify me. I will walk by faith knowing that He is holding my hand all the way. Thank you Jesus!

I know that I am not the only one who is under attack. I know that there are others right now that need to know that God hears you. I promise you..He has not left your side. Sometimes we have to keep going even if we don’t know what to do. Stay focused! Don’t let the stress and problems that come your way divert your plans to serve Him. Don’t isolate yourself and meditate on your situations! You are setting yourself up for more attacks. Don’t stray away from the rest of the sheep..stay in the fold. You are safe with The Shepard and his sheep.

We know that God is for us no matter what the enemy says. Remember when Peter walked out on the water to meet Jesus? He stepped out in faith and then when he saw how crazy the winds of the storm got he started sinking, BUT God in his loving kindness lifted him up before he sank! Don’t you see! He will not let you sink! Keep your eyes on Him. Keep walking in faith and praise Him thru the storm! Trust me we all get tired but our strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord. (Matthew 14:22-33, Isaiah 40:31)

The Lord said that when we go thru the deep waters and great trouble, that he will be with us. When we go thru rivers of difficulty we will not drown! When we walk thru the fire of oppression will not be burned up-the flames will not consume us; because He is the Lord our God and Savior! Amen!! (Isaiah 43:1-3)

You are always in my prayers..

Our Steps Are Ordered By the Lord

The Psalm 37:23-24 says,

The Lord directs the steps of the godly.
He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand.

Tonight as I read this scripture I feel so encouraged because these verses remind me that God IS guiding my steps. I don’t have to have fear or wonder whether I am making the right or wrong decision. I just need to continue to pray and seek His Word for everything and trust his Holy Spirit to guide and lead me.

I am also assured with these verses that even if I stumble I will not fall because He is there holding my hand. Thank you Jesus for this because I have and will make mistakes. God sees the intent of our hearts though. I thank God that those mistakes will not ruin me because He is and has always been merciful.

Recently my husband and I were given a test by the Lord that we did not quite pass. We got the basic principle of what He was trying to teach us, but we did not do our part by following thru. Therefore we complicated our own way. The Holy Spirit showed us where we went wrong and assured us that this mistake would not ruin us. Our All Knowing God had a back up plan all along. He saw that we would make that mistake and he has already prepared our deliverance. Amen! We will have another chance to pass that test. I am trusting God to direct our steps and I will make the right decision this time, in Jesus name.

His loving kindness endures forever. Trust him with all your heart and acknowledge Him in every area of your life. Seek him out in everything and He will be faithful to make your way straight.

Proverbs 3:5-6, Psalm 40:1-3

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