Over the last week or so I’ve been asking the Lord what he wants me to do going forward? The answer is always the same talk about his power and demonstrate his power.

In talking about his power I am reaching out to everyone who has been with me in a meeting where the power of God was being manifest. I know each time I talk about the things I saw God do I am filled with faith.

I believe we are to write a book called “He Was Among Us!” I said we because I am asking all of you to co-write this book with me. Can you imagine the impact we  could have by writing what you have seen God do in a meeting with me or even in a private meeting.

I would be “over the moon” if you would take the time to write as much as you want. I only ask that you give me permission to use what you wrote. I am seeing so many faces…

• 1 Corinthians 4:3-5 “I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. 4 And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of [b]human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.”
• 1 Corinthians 4:20 “For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power.”

Please write and together we can glorify God.

Have you discovered by now our thoughts and feelings often contradict the word of God. Then you add to that the continual lies of Satan designed to discourage us, distract us from our purpose/goals and to steal from everyone of us our purpose/destinies. We must declare and what God says above our thought and feelings.

One of the areas we need to take back is how amazingly powerful we are when we pray. Yes, our thoughts and feelings often agree with Satan that our prayers are ineffective and they heaven is closed to us.

Here is the word of the Lord: It’s all a lie… We will replace the lies and distorted thoughts and feelings with truth.

Here is the truth. When we pray our feelings have nothing to do with accomplishing great and mighty things. Here is what James writes:

• James 5:16.(NKJV) “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”

• “When a good man talks to God, big things can be done.” (WE translation)

You say I’m not righteous : Lie! Paul goes to great lengths to declare we are legally righteous because of the sacrifice of Christ. Here is one of many verses;

• Philippians 3:9 (AMPC) “And that I may [actually] be found and known as in Him, not having any [self-achieved] righteousness that can be called my own, based on my obedience to the Law’s demands (ritualistic uprightness and supposed right standing with God thus acquired), but possessing that [genuine righteousness] which comes through faith in Christ (the Anointed One), the [truly] right standing with God, which comes from God by [saving] faith.”

Truth is if you have committed your life to Christ you are righteous and you qualify for James 5:16.(NKJV) “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”

James goes on to say, look at the power available when we (ordinary people who are now extraordinary people now;

• Verse 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. (NKJV)

•  Elijah was a man like us. He asked God not to let it rain. And for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. (WE)

Look what happened when Jesus prayed:

• Luke 3:21” When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened.”

Yes, despite our feelings, thoughts and lies when we pray heaven is open in fact it’s opened now and we have an invitation to enter that open heaven.

• Revelation 4:1 “After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven.”

Truth is when you pray things happen…

This morning as I was rereading what I wrote yesterday I got this thought. At least for me that is one of the ways God speaks to me (oh and the devil uses thoughts too).

I felt prompted that I needed to expand “talent”. I again could see many faces of people I know and don’t know and I could hear them say, “I don’t have any real talent God could use”. I can’t do this I can’t do that. I can’t express myself. I know what I want to say but when the words come out it’s not what I really want to say. I’m not an evangelist, I’m too shy to have the boldness to pray for people whether I know them or no.

Here’s a good word from the Lord. Stop comparing yourself to everyone else. Stop rehashing what you don’t have and focus on what you do have.

• 1 Corinthians 15:10 “But by the grace of God I am what I am”
• Galatians 6:4 (ERV) “Don’t compare yourself with others.”

Is your gift to listen to people? Is your gift mercy? How about compassion just the way to listen and respond to others. How about giving a person a hug or gently touching their hand? How about a phone call to say I’ve been thinking about you? Is your gift to send out short notes of encouragement through the mail or using emails. Send words of encouragement anonymously. Can you sow or sing? Can you say hello. I have in the past spoken about the power of hello (it is powerful). Can you make a meal, bake some cookies? Can you find way to serve in your church community? There is always a need to volunteer in multiple ways - cleaning, ushering, gardening, nursery, teaching, serving extraordinary people in transition (homeless). Can you encourage people just with a few words. That happened to me after church yesterday. Words have power…

There are countless gifts too numerous to list. Perhaps you are a missionary or called to support one. Maybe God gives you burdens for people so you can pray. It could be you are an intercessor or not.

If you want to look at spiritual gifts we have 1 Corinthians 12-14. Then there is :

• Romans 9: 4-5 “For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another”.

Look at the gifts/talents mentioned in  the following verses:

• 6-8 “Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; 7 or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; 8 he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.’

God’s looking for teachers, people who exhort, leads, shows mercy and yes the gift/talent to give themselves, time, money etc.

I also am seeing the Holy Spirit distribute new gifts and talents and having some people put-on hold what they have done for years. It is a time of are beginnings, being stretched and challenged. It’s time to take risks of faith, to trust God in new ways,

LISTEN YOU ARE NEEDED… YOU HAVE A TALENT/TALENTS GIVEN TO GLORIFY GOD AND EXPAND HIS KINGDOM.

• Ephesians 4:16 “from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.”

Paul writes and says, USE what God has given you. Or we should listen to the question God asks Moses.

• Exodus 4:2 “So the Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A rod.” 

Moses changed the corse of history by using what he had not what he didn’t have. You too can change lives by using what God has given you…

This morning around 6:15 I sat to be with the Lord. I didn’t come with my agenda or my to do list. I just wanted to be with him. Within moments I heard the sound of a trumpet. I remembered a verse in Revelation.

• Revelation 1:10 says, “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet.”

Then this morning as Ps Tom was opening the service he actually read this verse among others to the church. When that happens it makes me pause and reflect on how much our Father enjoys speaking with us.

I continued to hear the trumpet and I became very excited and then I heard another verse come crashing into my head”

• Isaiah 58:1 “Cry aloud, spare not; Lift up your voice like a trumpet” I immediately asked myself and then the Lord. What is it you want be declare like a trumpet.

Then I heard, tell them that, ‘THEY HAVE TALENT.“ He began showing me a sea of faces and how these amazing sons and daughters of God were listening to lies. I literally saw the devil whispering into people’s ears and vast majority of people began to nod their head in agreement with the lies. I saw the Lord weep and he said they are allowing their gifts, talents and callings to be stolen.

I heard him say, “Tell them, “THEY HAVE TALENT.” So I am climbing to the roof of my home and I am declaring you have talent that your Father gave you to honor and glorify him. Your talent/talents were given that we would find purpose and fulfillment.

Paul had to write Timothy to remind him to use his gift/talent. I kind of feel God is reminding us as well. 

• Timothy 4:14-15  “Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership. 15 Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all.”

I believe our Father is going to bring greater clarity and understanding what we are to do Get ready to hear how He wants to use you in your gifting. Don’t listen to familiar spirits.

You’ve GOT TALENT - LETS USE IT FOR HIS GLORY…

Yesterday while working outside my home Donna came to me and said “I know its hard for you not being able to travel and minister.” I can’t begin to tell you what that meant to me.

I had my entire year planned accept for one month. In January I was in the Dominican Republic. Then I was suppose to go to Romania in February but the Holy Spirit said “don’t go.” There was no explanation. Just “don’t go.” I had to contact the pastors and tell them I wasn’t coming and could only say that I was trying to be obedient.

Then the why came three weeks later. My father (94 years young) was in Florida and it was time to bring him to live here in Massachusetts. I had to make many arrangements and I then flew to Florida spent a week getting his affairs in order spent days cleaning out his trailer and then we flew home. The next day I was on a plane to India.

The trip was 10 days long a change from the original plan of 14 days. Praise God I heard to change how long I was to stay. My flight was the last flight to United States because they shutdown the airport in India. If I had not changed my flight I would have been stuck in India,

Anyway, this morning I was telling the Lord (he already knew) that I was unable to travel. To be honest I probably was venting…Then in the middle of a sentence I heard “you can’t go but I can.” It was like getting a dope slap (being gently tapped on the side of my head).

As I began to pray asking the Lord to visit every city, town, village and to personally visit every person I had ever met I suddenly saw a wind blowing. It was a gentle warm breeze that was coming from the throne of God. I became very excited thinking why didn’t I do this earlier. Yes, I can’t go but he can and He did. Even as I write this i can see angels going into the remote villages in Haiti, India, Dominican Republic, Moldova and all the places I have been in Romania.

I hear the Spirit say to me, “pray and fan the flames.” I am reminded of Psalm 107 where it says”

• Psalm 107:20 “He sent His word and healed them, And delivered them from their destructions.
  
  I could see the Lord point to these very large angels ( one definition for angels are messengers). Then multiple angels too numerous to count left singing declaring God’s word over people. The following verse speaks about how angels minister on God’s behalf.
  
  Hebrews 1:14 (TPT) “What role then, do the angels have? The angels are spirit-messengers sent by God to serve those who are going to be saved”

So we can’t go but God can.

It’s almost 8:30pm and I’ve come to my office to muse and talk to the Lord. I began saying to the Lord  “you have to do something.” Our only answer is a mighty move of God. I love God’s response to Habakkuk we cried out in verse 2

1:2 “O Lord, how long must I call for help before you will listen? I shout to you in vain; there is no answer”

God’s answer to Habakkuk and to us

1:5 The Lord replied: “Look, and be amazed! You will be astounded at what I am about” to do! For I am going to do something in your own lifetime that you will have to see to believe.” 

Father, our eyes are upon you. Show us what to do and what to say. Help us to comprehend who we are and stop listening to who we are not. Remember God has always worked through imperfect people.