The Four-letter-word: "O-K-A-Y"

November 2011:

This past week, I was taking a nap, and the Lord gave me a dream. In my dream, I was giving a testimony to the church on Sunday, and I was telling them all about this "four-letter-word: OKAY".
We shouldn't want to be just "okay" with Jesus, and we don't want Him to be just "okay" with us. Because "okay" means that it's just barely passing. It's just barely acceptable. And we are supposed to be hot or cold. Not on the fence, lukewarm, for the Lord!
Just being "okay" brings on a spirit of compromise. And that's where the devil comes in. "Oh. That skirt just barely covers your knees when standing, so it's okay." or "I won't go to church tonight because I'm tired. It's okay. I'll go next time".
This spirit of compromise gives the devil leeway to make excuses in our lives to why we can be just "okay" in our walk with the Lord. And that's not "okay" with me!

Bye-bye, Tattoos!

My daughter is 6, and she knows when something is bad. And she's not afraid to voice it, either! She got on me the other night. I have 3 tattoos. We were laying in bed, and she said, "mommy, you shouldn't let people color on your skin. You need to go wash it off!" I explained to her that I can't wash them off, because they're underneath my skin, and I did that when I was doing dumb stuff and not listening to my mommy.

Well, she proceeded to tell me that she was going to pray that God takes my tattoos off. I asked, "well, how is He going to do that?"

And this is where the innocence and faith of a child just "schooled" me.

She said, "mommy. You believe the Holy Ghost is in you, right? And that is God! Since He's inside you, and He can do anything. He can just walk over to under your skin where the tattoos are, and pull them out!" WOW!!! My jaw just dropped and hit the floor.

And, truth be told, she really did pray for God to remove my tattoos that night. She told God that she wanted them off me because she didn't like them and they are ugly. And that I can't wash them off, but she knows God can reach in and take them off. I actually (secretly) had to check afterwards to see if they were still there!

I am so honored and humbled that my daughter would think to pray for me, her mommy. it really just touched my heart to the core. If my heart had a pocket, I would keep moments like this tucked safely inside so I could hold them close to my heart forever. What a beautiful, simple, earnest prayer she gave as a request for God to intervene for her mommy. Talk about pulling on my heartstrings!

mom, mommy, daughter, tattoo, tattosos, love, God, Jesus, faith, christian, heart, trust, child

Saul and the Thorns

Acts 26:13-15
At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me. [14] And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. [15] And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.

   I prayed and asked God to show me what this "hard for thee to kick amongst the pricks" part means. He showed me in the earlier part, how "they were all fallen to the earth" because of the brightness of the light of the Lord. That all of them, including Saul, the supposed  baddest of the bad, were all completely laid out on the ground when confronted with the presence and glory of the Lord. And while saul was laid out, completely prostrated on the ground, he couldn't do anything, let alone kick at any thorns that might be scratching him on the ground. In the presence of God, the most feared man around was completely helpless!

Maybe that's why later on, God had given Paul a thorn in his side. Not only to keep him in humility. Maybe the thorn was also in his side to remind Paul of this day, when he first encountered the presence of God!

Thank you Lord, for providing this revelation of your Word, and for putting these scriptures for rememberance and instruction. Thank you, JESUS!

The Night I Saw Bro. Stoneking Preach

I saw Bro. Stoneking preach for the first time ever last December. Here's my journal entry for that night. I hope someone out there is sensitive to what the Holy Ghost has been trying to tell them recently.

I went with another sister in my church to Stockton to hear Bro Lee Stoneking preach. I have never gotten to hear him preach before. He's really an annointed man of God. Let me tell you, all day, before I even made plans to go an hour away to hear him preach, God was pretty much on me. I could feel the Holy Ghost just moving all day. It was awesome!

The church was packed. The whole time, I was feeling the Holy Ghost moving, and I was crying and speaking in tongues.
It was so powerful. He preached on a personal testimony he entitled "Make it Happen". He recounted how he went to pray for a man in a wheelchair, put his hand on his head, and his fingers sunk a good three inches into the man's skull. He was full of emotion as he told this.
He asked the man, "what happened to you?" The man told him that he was in a motorcycle accident, and had "left part of his brain lying on the pavement". The man was taken to the hospital. He was paralyzed. He couldn't do anything, and was in an almost vegetative state, but he could hear.
He could hear the doctor tell his wife that he was paralized, vegetative and would never come back to normal. He heard his wife ask for a "mercy divorce".
He said he willed his mouth to call out to them, but it wouldn't open. He tried to tell his arms to reach out for his wife and daughter, but his arms wouldn't move. He tried to tell his legs to get up and run after them as they walked out the door, but they wouldn't budge.
Stoneking said that he's afraid that the church is like this in today's day and age. Jesus is the head of the church, willing us to do things, and the body of the church is filled with sin and is not getting the messages that Jesus is sending.
I was bawling my eyes out. Bro. Stoneking prayed for that paralyzed man, asking God to heal him. Him and another brother picked the paralyzed man up under each arm, walking him around the church, dragging his legs, praying that God take away the paralysis. The man grew heavier and heavier, and they were getting more tired.
Bro Stoneking said he was praying to God, and saying "Lord! You promised! You promised! You promised that we could heal the sick, Lord" He was crying. And then he said that all of a sudden, the man got lighter, that he bore his weight on his own two legs, and took his first steps. Thank you, JESUS!
He saw that man years later, and he was unparalyzed, and attended a conference that Bro Stoneking preached at, with his wife and daughter by his side.

By this time, I was crying so hard, speaking in tongues. There was a lady in the very back of the church that started speaking in tongues loudly. I knew at that point, I HAD to get to the altar. I practically hopped over three people to get to the aisle, which is no small feat because I'm not a skinny person. :)
I couldn't even make it halfway down the aisle before the Holy Ghost just took over my body. I made it to the front to the altar, loudly speaking in tongues, praising God, worshipping Him, crying out to Him. And then I was on my knees, my face on the steps of the altar, crying out to God. I could hear Bro Stoneking sounding far away, saying that it took that woman coming to the altar to break open the Holy Ghost, and for everyone to start praying and worshipping God. I remember thinking afterwards "wow. Cool! God used me!"
I remember beating my fist on the altar, almost like praying with authority. That's never happened to me before. (I mentioned this to my brother, who said it was funny, because the same thing happened to him that same Sunday, and his pastor had preached on praying with authority!) I have been in the spirit before, but I havent had such a complete touch of God, with the Holy Spirit completely taking over so fully like that in a while. It was absolutely amazing. Praise God!

Lamentations 3:19-59

On my mind, October 25th, 2012:

Lamentations 3:19-59

Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall. [20] My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me. [21] This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. [22] It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. [23] They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. [24] The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. [25] The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. [26] It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord . [27] It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth. [28] He sitteth alone and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it upon him. [29] He putteth his mouth in the dust; if so be there may be hope. [30] He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him: he is filled full with reproach. [31] For the Lord will not cast off for ever: [32] But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies. [33] For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men. [34] To crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth, [35] To turn aside the right of a man before the face of the most High, [36] To subvert a man in his cause, the Lord approveth not. [37] Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not? [38] Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not evil and good? [39] Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins? [40] Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord . [41] Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens. [42] We have transgressed and have rebelled: thou hast not pardoned. [43] Thou hast covered with anger, and persecuted us: thou hast slain, thou hast not pitied. [44] Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, that our prayer should not pass through. [45] Thou hast made us as the offscouring and refuse in the midst of the people. [46] All our enemies have opened their mouths against us. [47] Fear and a snare is come upon us, desolation and destruction. [48] Mine eye runneth down with rivers of water for the destruction of the daughter of my people. [49] Mine eye trickleth down, and ceaseth not, without any intermission, [50] Till the Lord look down, and behold from heaven. [51] Mine eye affecteth mine heart because of all the daughters of my city. [52] Mine enemies chased me sore, like a bird, without cause. [53] They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and cast a stone upon me. [54] Waters flowed over mine head; then I said, I am cut off. [55] I called upon thy name, O Lord , out of the low dungeon. [56] Thou hast heard my voice: hide not thine ear at my breathing, at my cry. [57] Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee: thou saidst, Fear not. [58] O Lord, thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul; thou hast redeemed my life. [59] O Lord , thou hast seen my wrong: judge thou my cause.

A Single Mom's Guide to Apostolic Dating

Some people look at me being a single mom and say "Whoa! Wait! How can she give any advice on apostolic love, dating and marriage?"

Well, let's just say I'm experienced with what one shouldn't do. At least until God got ahold of me! I know how the world perceives dating and marriage. And, having turned back to living for God, I can tell you where the world gets it wrong, and where the Bible gets it right! I just happened to get one really awesome daughter in the process.  :)

APOSTOLIC DATING 101--
how the world gets it wrong:

Dating, as fun as the world makes it sound, is NOT a game and should be taken very seriously. When people casually date, someone always gets hurt in the end when they break up. Then, so they don't feel so left alone, they look for the next person to date, and the cycle repeats itself. This emotional cycling of infactuation, then tearing apart ends up leaving its victims in emotional duress. After a number of times, a person can become desensitized. They will have become emotional "ice cubes", either unwilling or unable to show emotion in an attempt at self preservation. This is not how God wants us to be!

APOSTOLIC DATING 101--
GOD'S WAY:

As an apostolic, the world of dating is way different. People in the church should ONLY DATE as a form of courtship, when both parties are mentally and spiritually ready to discuss the idea of marriage. This is usually where I get the "looks" again. But, it's true. The world makes it look fun, enticing, and claim that they fall "in and out" of love all the time. But that is only the spirits of lust and infactuation.

To love someone, you must first feel and understand God's love for you. And then, when two people fall in love, they don't casually date. They enter into courtship. This is SERIOUS.

Marriage, in the eyes of God, is two joining as one. And it is for life. Only when you are ready to make that commitment should you think about "dating". If you can't handle the thought of getting married just yet, then you shouldn't date just yet either!

APOSTOLIC DATING 101--
PROTOCOLS:

There are some good ideas or standards applied to dating in order to keep your eyes on God and not falling into traps set by satan.

1. Group dates are great! It alleviates the need (in most cases) for chaperones, and allows you to relax and have fun instead of focusing on how the date is going.

2. Chaperones: and I heard some groans... Chaperones are responsible adults whose job is to let you go on a more intimate date and learn about each other-- without the pressures of caving in to fleshly desires.

3. Limited use of texts and calling: Limiting texting and calling serves several purposes.

First, some couples practically live for each other on the phone via texting and calling. This really elevates their relationship to becoming almost idolatrous. We're supposed to spend time talking with God, too! If you're on the phone constantly, talking, texting, or waiting for the other person to call or text, you're wasting your time. You are taking time away from your family, daily activities, and most importantly, GOD.
What time are you really devoting to nurture your relationship with God? Does He still come first? Is He still the one you think of when waking up and going to sleep?

Secondly, no one's talking dirty! Remember, we are supposed to abstain from "filthy communication".
"But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth." Col. 3:8

Thirdly, it sets boundaries. Making  "me" time separate from "us" time is important. Laying out a timeframe makes sure you have time for God, family, friends, work, etc.

4. A great way to communicate is through email. Or even better yet, through regular mail. It is a way to learn about someone, give them your undivided attention, and "romance" them.  ;)  It also ensures that you put thought into what you say before you say it.

5. Limit physical touching. A hug will be fine, holding hands, but otherwise, don't do it! You do Not want one thing leading to another!

APOSTOLIC DATING 101--
PREPARATION FOR DATING:

***First and foremost, we need to be committed and totally "souled out" to JESUS. if you aren't, it's time to take a step back and get your priorities straight! Only those that are baptized in JESUS Name, Holy Ghost - filled, speaking in tongues, and a prayer warrior seeking God at the altar need apply! If they can't be devoted to God, they sure can't be devoted to you!***

Just as in any relationship, God wants full commitment from each of us, not a "weekend warrior". We need to be strong in faith, be passionate about God, and have a desire to please Him more than anyone else.

We cannot and should not entrust our salvation to anyone but God. If a man or woman becomes your excuse to miss church, then you better ditch them quick and focus on your spiritual walk with God!

APOSTOLIC DATING 101--
WATCH FOR FALLING ROCKS!:

The devil knows how each of us thinks and operates, and he will throw any stumbling block he can to stop you working for God, including dangling promises of love and commitment in front of you. As nice as it is to feel "loved", if a man or woman is a distraction, either physically or spiritually, chances are they aren't a gift from God but a trap from the devil.

APOSTOLIC DATING 101--
WHAT SINGLE WOMEN SHOULD LOOK FOR:

As a woman, we need a spouse/helpmate that compliments us, that is strong where we are weak. He, himself, needs to have an exceptionally close and strong relationship with God as well. We need men that are stronger than us, spiritually, because they are the head of the woman and of the household.
The woman must be under submission of the man, so long as he is following God. If a man is NOT under the submission of his pastor, then I can pretty much guarantee that he's not under the submission of God.

Make sure he has the means to support you and any potential future kids. A daddy that is in his kid's life is awesome. But if he's around with the pretense of not wanting to get a job, not cute. Time to raise your hand up high and yell "Check please!"

If his faith is not as strong as it needs to be, and his walk with God is not as close as it needs to be, how can they be a leader of their own house, let alone lead us into a closer walk with God? Ditch that dude, quick! A man that is not passionate and on fire for God is not only not of marriage material to us. He's not marriage material to God either.

APOSTOLIC DATING 101--
WHAT SINGLE MEN SHOULD LOOK FOR:

Guys, the same applies to you. You need a wife that compliments your spiritual walk, not hinders it. From Adam's rib came Eve. Not to be a hinderance, but to help Adam.
The Bible also says for men to love your wives as your own flesh. Perhaps, this is because when a couple is married and joined as one, the man's "rib" has rejoined him to complete his body.

If a woman is a distraction, physically or spiritually, run! A woman in church should be clothed in modesty and holiness. Her dress shouldn't be hugging more curves than a racecar driver at the Daytona-500. If you can't take your eyes off of her, and it's all for the wrong reasons, stay away!

Samson, the strongest man to ever live, was no match to lusts of the flesh, so don't think you'd be any different. Living for God doesn't mean you're impervious to lusts of the flesh.

A good woman should love God and put Him first before all else, family included. She will have put her heart in the hands of God. She is His daughter.  A man needs to meet with GOD, and petition Him for her hand in marriage. The Father won't let just anyone marry His daughter. The potential suitor needs to be approved in order for God to give His blessing. Anything else is not living within the will of God.