What really matters?  Looking good by going to church every week, serving in the body, being at every church event…or being a man/woman after God’s own heart?

What really matters?  Having the appearance of godliness or being Godly?

What really matters?  Saying you love God or living like you do?

What really matters?  Boasting of how many salvations occur in your church, or discipling people to truly walk with God?

What really matters?  Being so concerned with reputation that you won’t allow yourself to be seen with disreputable people?  How do we seek and save the lost, if we can’t deem ourselves to be around them at times?

What really matters?  Making people think you care about them, or truly caring?

What really matters?  One more church program or following Holy Spirit into the deep places?

What really matters?  A smoothly run church service or allowing Holy Spirit to lead, no matter what?

What really matters?  Having kids that look neat and tidy and appear to have it together, or having children who fear the Lord? 

What really matters?  Walking with Jesus in the secret place or making sure others see you?

What really matters?  Filling a seat on Sunday or laying at God’s feet in the throne room of heaven?

What really matters?  Eating the processed “food” of the western church, or feasting on the Word of God and allowing it to separate even bone from marrow?

We find out what kind of people we are, when we are honest about what really matters to us.

Today, I encourage you to evaluate yourself.  Be honest.  Don’t parrot out what you think others would want to hear, be real.  What truly matters to you?  Allow God to show you.  Then ask God to align any parts of you that are wrongly focused, back on Him. 

He is everything.  He alone is worthy.

It’s time for the church (universal) to become re-focused on God.  God Almighty, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit.  The Three in One. 

That’s what really matters.

Praise the Lord!  Let all that I am praise the Lord, I will praise the Lord as long as I live.  I will sing praises to my God with my dying breath.  Don’t put your confidence in powerful people; there is no help for you there.  When they breathe their last, they return to the earth, and all their plans die with them.  But joyful are those who have the God of Israel as their helper, whose hope is in the Lord their God.  He made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them.  He keeps every promise forever.  He gives justice to the oppressed and food to the hungry.  The Lord frees the prisoners.  The Lord opens the eyes of the blind.  The Lord lifts up those who are weighed down.  The Lord loves the godly.  The Lord protects the foreigners among us.  He cares for the orphans and widows, but He frustrates the plans of the wicked.  The Lord will reign forever.  He will be your God, O Jerusalem, throughout the generations.  Praise the Lord!  Psalm 146:1-10

I’ve thought a lot about our earlier married years lately.  Not the time right after marriage, but the time when we were going from a family of 5 to a family of 6. 

I realize that some of you wouldn’t know, but during that time, we moved 2 hours away from family and bought our first home.  Two months after buying our first home Chris received a major promotion and had to move to Pennsylvania.  Since I was about to give birth and had a trusted mid-wife, the kids and I stayed in our Conway home for almost a year before moving.

It’s hard to be a pregnant mom of 3 and suddenly be an “acting” single mom.  Chris was only able to come home every couple of months.  It was difficult, for certain, but it was also the sweetest time with God. 

Those were the days that we strictly guarded our media intake.  Little kids all around us, so the wildest our movie viewing got was Little House on the Prairie, and the like.  I played worship music most of the day from a small CD player in our kitchen. 

I’ll never forget, one day, I was listening to the music and worshiping.  I had my hands raised and eyes closed, then heard the sweet sound of the kids.  Noah whispered, “Do it like this.”  I peeked at them and saw they were standing in front of me with their eyes closed and hands raised too.

The sweetest times ever.

Teaching my children to love Jesus, while I was growing by leaps and bounds.  You can do both at the same time. 

I don’t long to be living in separate places again, but I do long for that sweetness of a constant soaking again.  To be honest, we’ve been moving toward that, and my family doesn’t realize it.  The things I long for most, the things I long to see in my family, I don’t ever force.  I rarely even tell them.  I simply give my request to God and then I just live it in front of my family…and inevitably they catch on.

When you cultivate a lifestyle of living soaked in Him, those around you can’t help but get wet. 

I will exalt You, my God and King, and praise Your name forever and ever.  I will praise You every day; yes, I will praise You forever.  Great is the Lord!  He is most worthy of praise!  No one can measure His greatness.  Let each generation tell its children of Your mighty acts; let them proclaim our power.  I will meditate on Your majestic, glorious splendor and Your wonderful miracles.  Your awe-inspiring deeds will be on every tongue; I will proclaim Your greatness.  Everyone will share the story of Your wonderful goodness; they will sing with joy about Your righteousness.  The Lord is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.  The Lord is good to everyone.  He showers compassion on all His creation.  All of your works will thank You, Lord, and Your faithful followers will praise You.  They will speak of the glory of Your kingdom; they will give examples of Your power.  They will tell about Your mighty deeds and about the majesty and glory of Your reign.  For Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom.  You rule throughout all generations.  The Lord always keeps His promises; He is gracious in all He does.  The Lord helps the fallen and lifts those bent beneath their loads.  The eyes of all look to You in hope; You give them their food as they need it.  When You open Your hand, You satisfy the hunger and thirst of every living thing.  The Lord is righteous in everything He does; He is filled with kindness.  The Lord is close to all who call on Him, yes, to all who call on Him in truth.  He grants the desires of those who fear Him; He hears their cries for help and rescues them.  The Lord protects all those who love Him, but He destroys the wicked.  I will praise the Lord, and may everyone on earth bless His holy name forever and ever.  Psalm 145:1-21

It’s funny how reputation works.  Some people believe true things about you.  Others believe what they want. 

Yesterday I had an interesting parallel situation occur…let me tell you about it.  I hope it sets you free.  I hope in this story you find the ability to let go and not be bothered by other people’s interpretations of you. 

One of my kids ran into someone that I was friends with once.  This person was a fairly close friend for a season, then she disappeared.  She got a new job and with that came new busyness.  I also left the church we were going to so we didn’t see each other there anymore.  She stopped coming to things I invited her to join.  It was hurtful, a bit, but she drew away.  We’ve all been through this type of thing.  I’ve learned that when someone pulls away, it’s best to let them.  Just release them and move forward. 

When my child saw this person, the person came up and confronted her about if we were actually going to move.  She roughly said that I’d told her we were moving then just went on.  It wasn’t true.  Not at all.  My poor child was hurt by the person’s attitude toward me.  Which, in turn, made it hurtful for me. 

I told my child that people develop their own view of things, especially after time has passed.  It’s been a couple of years, and this person saw things that didn’t exist.  But it’s ok, because sometimes that happens.  It doesn’t change the truth, though.

Then last night I got a message from another friend.  They had run into someone who began recounting a time that I’d been speaking and prophesying at their church.  He told of how God used the word I spoke to really move in his life.  I don’t even remember this instance, but I trust it’s true. 

I felt the nudge of God.  “Listen, to the true report.” 

Isn’t it funny that I did remember the instance of separation with that first dear friend, but I didn’t remember the word from God that I gave that second person?

But God did.

He came in and recounted to me what is my true reputation.  How He sees me.  As one who hears His voice.  As one He speaks to, one who listens. 

I choose to care about God’s report on my life…not someone’s faulty memory.  I choose to care about God’s interpretation of me, more than any person’s. 

I hope that’s how you process life too.  Lean into God and let Him speak truth to your heart.  Let His voice be the one that breaks through the noisiness of life.  Lean into Him.  Learn from Him.  Let Him lead you through your emotions, and into the truth.  He knows you better than anyone.

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage; rather, He made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.  And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death- even death on a cross!  Philippians 2:5-8

I think that many times we imagine that God is playing hide and seek with us.  But what I’ve learned is that we are actually the ones hiding. 

Many of us hide from Him.  Many of us continue to move forward in life while hiding.

He is always seeking.  We just don’t always want to be found.

I’ve heard many lament that they don’t feel God.  In times of trouble, I’ve heard people say, they can’t hear God.  I’ve said some of the same things…but I know He never leaves us.  He’s always communicating with us. 

I believe what actually happens is that sometimes we hide.  We pretend we aren’t, but we are.  Have you ever noticed how dishonest we often are with ourselves?  We lie to ourselves to make ourselves feel better. 

It’s time to be honest.

Are you hiding from God?  Are you pretending you can’t hear Him, but when you’re honest, know that He is speaking…it’s just not what you want to hear.  Sometimes we’re like children who are hearing direction they don’t want so they distract themselves with play and other things.  It’s time to pay attention.  It’s time to repent and listen to the things He is saying…not just if you like what you hear, but no matter what. 

Come out of hiding.  Come and be seen.  Come and be known.  Come and listen.  Come and hear. 

Oh, Holy Spirit come and find each one of us.  Take away the things we hide behind so we can see You.  You alone are worthy.  Faithful One.  We love You.  Come and speak, Your children are listening.  Let us listen as ones being taught.  Train our ears to Your voice, Holy Spirit.  Come and fill each one of us, today.  Come and lay our hearts bare that You can show us who we are.  Only You know.  Come and speak.  In Jesus’ name, Amen. 

For the word of God is alive and active.  Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.  Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight.  Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to Whom we must give account.  Hebrews 4:12-13

“You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.  I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity.”  Jeremiah 29:13-14

The saying goes, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.  Meaning we are like our parents…and siblings.

The moment we are saved we become grafted into the family line of God.  God’s family becomes our family.  In that moment our apple holds the seeds of the Spirit.  We have been infused with all the seeds well ever need, we only need to allow them to take root.  To grow.  But first we must allow our original apple to die.

Dying is part of living in God’s kingdom.  Not dying in our earthly way, dying to ourselves.  Dying to our sin nature.  Dying to a life without Him.  We come alive in Christ by dying.

I have noticed that a lot of us feel so tethered to our earthly family line that we lose hope that we can change.  Many believe nobody can truly change.  That’s the worldly sentiment…the demonic sentiment…  it’s so obvious that if Christ desires to change us, the enemy’s greatest trick would be making us think we can never change.  We think that our family has always been a certain way, so we can’t live otherwise.

These are lies.

Bitter lies from the enemy bent on destroying that seed that God Himself placed within us.  But the seed of the Spirit can never die.  So the enemy is also bent on convincing us that our “apple” will never die allowing the seed of the Spirit to take root and form inside of us.

Look deeper.  Look deeper within your spirit.  The place where your spirit converges with Holy Spirit.  What do you see?

When we become saved, our spirit comes into complete alignment with the Spirit of God.  This is the truth.  Look deeper still.  What do you see?  Yes, we are seated in heavenly places…not after death…now.

And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages He might show the incomparable riches of His grace, expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus.  Ephesians 2:6-7

What does this mean?

Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in Me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.  And I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  You may ask me for anything in My name, and I will do it.  John 14:12-14

The greater things.  Dying to our old selves and family lines so we can do greater things and glorify the Father.  Are you willing to die for this?

Take heart lest your spirit be broken.

In this day and hour there is a demonic force upon the earth trying to break our spirit.  Why?  Because the enemy knows better than anyone that strength is from the spirit.  He also knows that our joy is our strength.

There is a constant onslaught of propagated fear and we must stand against it.  How?  You may ask…by refraining from being overly informed.  What began as a novel concept…the internet and media…has become an unhinged weapon.

Our response must be moderation and wisdom.

I remember life without cell phones.  I also remember when “everyone” had an iPhone, and I would look around a room of people and suddenly nobody was interacting anymore.  I admit I’ve always been a technology holdout.  I resist it, by nature.  Now I see it was wisdom’s restraint.

It was wisdom that helped me to the older ways longer than most, but it was the undercurrent of culture that eventually drew me into the deep waters of unbridled internet access.  As the kids grew up and were a part of school and sports teams, having Facebook was a necessity because they only wanted to communicate through Facebook groups at that time.  I was a holdout with texting.  I still don’t like it.  There is too much room for misinterpretation.  But it seems nearly impossible to not do it now.  Every group, friend, family member…all of them want to communicate without voiced words.  We’ve all become dependent.  All of us. 

They know it, so they use it. 

I long for the simplicity of what was, but since that will likely never again be…we must learn how to manage what we have. 

Self-control, that ornery little fruit of the Spirit that I keep bringing up…must be used in this regard too.

Today I challenge you to ask God what it looks like for you to operate in self-control with regards to your cellphone and internet access.  Be honest with yourself about its grasp on your life.  Then ask God to reframe it for you.  Ask Him to show you how to manage this beast that has been thrust upon us.  There is a way to live a more peaceful and steadfast life…but as with all things, we must fight for it.

A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.  Proverbs 17:22

I had a vision this week, and in it I saw all the overwhelming weapons that the enemy has formed against America and her people.  The demonic forces seem strong, although we know God is stronger.  As I was seeing, I cried out to God and heard, “The weapons they have formed against you will turn on them.” 

Yes and amen.

We know scripture says…

“No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn.  This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is from Me.”  says the Lord.  Isaiah 54:17

It’s time to pray this scripture over America. 

God, I pray that You would turn every weapon formed against America and her people would be turned back on the ones who made it.  Let our country become a bulwark of freedom again.  Let godliness and holiness reign.  Restore wisdom.  Restore sanity to our minds.  Remove the heavy burden brought on by deceit.  Remove the weariness brought on by the constant onslaught against our godly values.  Restore America to godliness, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

It’s not too late.

We just cannot give up.  I believe God has planned another great revival to sweep through the earth.  We should all want America to be a part of that. 

I pray that America turns on a dime.

That suddenly she becomes right with God.  That the veil of deceit and deception is lifted in one moment and sanity is restored.  That God would rout out the enemies within our country and that we would be sovereign again.  One nation under God.  Indivisible. 

It may seem impossible, but we serve the God of the impossible…don’t we?

It’s time to allow the immeasurably more than we could ask or imagine, to pertain to America.  God CAN do it. 

Will you believe?

Today I challenge you to spend time with God asking Him what He plans for America.  Ask Him how He would like you to pray for America.  Focus on our country and allow Him to give you His vision for our people.  Then, write it all down and pray without ceasing for it to come to pass.  Surrender to His goodness.  Dare to believe for good things!

The eyes are the window to the soul. 

This is a popular phrase.  I use it all the time.  It really is true.

When I meet someone, I can tell a lot about them immediately by looking into their eyes.  It’s a sort of exchange that happens.  It’s shocking to me how many eyes I look into, even within the church, that appear void.  Dead.  Empty.  Without.

But have you looked into someone’s eyes that dance with the life and joy of Holy Spirit?  That’s a wonderful thing.  I hope that people who look into my eyes see that.

In this same vein I have noticed that you can see faith or lack thereof in a person’s eyes.  Disbelief is worn in the eyes. 

This makes sense because faith is believing without seeing…it’s seeing in a deeper way, in the Spirit.  That kind of sight brings a light to our physical eyes.  It brings life to our eyes.  People can see it.  They will respond to it. 

We see this clearly in Scripture.

While they were at Lystra, Paul and Barnabas came upon a man with crippled feet.  He had been that way from birth, so he had never walked.  He was sitting and listening as Paul preached.  Looking straight at him, Paul realized he had faith to be healed.  So, Paul called to him in a loud voice, “Stand up!”  And the man jumped to his feet and started walking.  Acts 14:9

Did you catch that?  Paul looked straight at him and realized he had faith to be healed.

Wow. 

I can speak from experience that I have prayed for healing in some people and have seen in their eyes that they didn’t really want to be healed.  Let’s face it, some people simply like the attention they receive from asking for healing…they believe they will lose that attention if they actually receive that healing.  It’s a sad truth.  For some others, their sickness or trouble has become their “identity”…thought it really isn’t, they believe that to be so…they may also ask for healing or deliverance, but reject receiving it. 

You can see faith in someone’s eyes if you look.

Does that mean we don’t pray for those who don’t seem to have faith?  No.  What if your prayer is one step closer to them having the faith to believe.  That makes it worth it.  What I am saying is don’t be discouraged.  Just follow Jesus.  He is the God of the outcome.  You are simply His vessel.

The real question is this, are you willing to be used by God no matter what the outcome?

I have noticed that many of us are afraid to ask God for our needs, much less, more…because we don’t want to be selfish or appear greedy.  We want to appear Godly and contrite in spirit, so we live smaller than God intended.

Let me expand your thoughts even further by this…in our smallness we could live so much more richly, even.  Living in abundance doesn’t only mean living in a mansion.  It can mean having more than enough to have an established family home and life.  We don’t honor God by being in debt or living miserly.  He is greater than that.

God is the One Who reminds us through Scripture…

I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.  For this reason, I kneel before the Father, from Whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name.  I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.  And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge- that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.  Now to Him Who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!  Amen.  Ephesians 3:13-21

In this scripture we are implored not to be discouraged by Paul’s sufferings…but to look to the One Who is able to do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine…

Immeasurably more than we could even think…

That’s a lot, isn’t it?

Do you believe it’s true?

He truly is greater than we’ll ever know. 

Today I encourage you to ask God what more than enough is for your life.  What would that look like?  What does God want to do in your life that is immeasurably more than you could ask or imagine?

I hear a troubling narrative in media, growing louder by the moment.  It’s shocking and disturbing when I see a version of this same narrative in God’s people.

Population control is a buzz word.  I don’t know if you’ve heard, but the elite leftists of our country want to eliminate a large portion of people for what they say is climate control. 

Can you even imagine?

The fallacy of climate change is pervasive.  It’s been taught so heavily in schools that our kids are growing up just believing it.  We as parents, must teach truth preemptively.  We can’t just wait until a topic comes up.  We should be ahead of everything. 

Sex?  We should talk about it with our kids way before others have that opportunity.

Marriage?  We must let talking about healthy marriage and commitment long before our kids begin to be interested in the opposite sex.

Finances?  We must ingrain healthy financial practices in our children long before any college or credit card comes to tempt them.

God?  We must raise our children up deliberately.  Teaching them Who God really is and what He’s like way before their woke youth leader or school teacher begins to mold them.

Children?  We should be proud to have big families.  Whatever family size you choose, we must begin to celebrate family again.  Our children should feel like they are a blessing to our lives, not an inconvenience.

God is more than enough.  At all times and in all things.  When I was first married and began to have kids, I would worry about having enough when we had more kids.  Voices around us said that you can’t have many kids because it’s too expensive.  Or it’s irresponsible. 

Those are lies.

God loves family, and what I really learned was that each time our family grew God would expand everything else.  Our heart’s capacity to love.  Our finances to support that baby.  Our homes to hold our family.  Everything else grew in accordance with our family growing.  Isn’t that wonderful?!

It’s the same type of lie I was told when in a job during college.  Some of the people at the hotel where I was night auditor would tell me they didn’t want a raise because that might put them in a different tax bracket and they were afraid it would lead to them making less.  I knew that was a lie.  I remember thinking, “If that’s the case then how is anyone wealthy?”  It was then that I decided I wouldn’t allow myself to be afraid of financial increase.  It’s the same with family increase.  The world mocks us for having a “larger” family, which is insane to me because we only have four kids. 

It’s time for God’s people to fall in love with family again.  Sure, there are sacrifices, but life with those sacrifices is much more rewarding than trying to buffer from them in our selfishness.  Character is developed largely within our family dynamics. 

I want to have life in my years on earth…and having spent it fully, then walk into God’s arms in heaven satisfied and grateful…don’t you?

Remember the woman from 2 Kings.  She was the widow of a member of the group of prophets.  Creditors has been threatening to take her two sons as slaves because of unpaid debt…that is, until the God of more than enough showed up. 

God of the increase.  He most often shows up when we think there is no more increase to be found, not before.  He comes when there is a need. 

“What can I do to help you?” Elisah asked.  “Tell me, what do you have in the house?”  “Nothing at all, except a flask of olive oil,” she replied .  And Elisha said, “Borrow as many empty jars as you can from your friends and neighbors.  Then go into your house with your sons and shut the door behind you.  Pour olive oil from your flask into the jars, setting each one aside when it is filled.”  So, she did as she was told.  Her sons kept bringing jars to her, and she filled one after another.  Soon every container was full to the brim!  “Bring me another jar,” she said to one of her sons.  “There aren’t any more!” he told her.  And then the olive oil stopped flowing.  When she told the man of God what had happened, he said to her, “Now sell the olive oil and pay your debts, and you and your sons can live on what is left over.  2 Kings 4:2-7