Hearing God's voice, and knowing that it's Him

Sometimes I have to think about something awhile before I can put into words what I really want to say.  There have been 2 distinct times in my adult life when I've heard satan try to get me to ask him for something that God could very easily give.

The first time was a little over 7 years ago.  I went camping with my best friend and her family.  The motor home that they were driving up to Mackinaw kept over-heating and we had to keep stopping at rest areas.  It made for a VERY long trip.  We were at a rest area about an hour from our destination and I heard a voice say to me "if you just ask, I can get you there." 

John 10:27-29 in the KJV Bible says "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.  My father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand."

I am thankful that I am a sheep, I do know the voice of God, and I knew that was not Him speaking to me.  The devil is always trying to get God's sheep to bow their knee to him.  Would he have been able to get us up north?  Probably, but I decided right then and there that I would rather stay right there at that rest stop all weekend than ask a liar and deciever for anything!  After that, we made it north and I don't think we had to stop again.

The second time I heard satan try to get me to ask him for something was a few weeks ago.  I actually heard it a few times, on a few different days.  It kept saying, "if you ask me, I could give you a baby."  I decided that if God couldn't give us a child then I didn't want kids.  Little did I know that the blessing was already on it's way, as tomorrow I will be 8 weeks pregnant.

Sometimes when you've been waiting for something for a long time it may seem tempting to give up and give in.  DON'T DO IT!!!  IT'S NOT WORTH IT!!!  All he needs is an inch and he'll take a mile.  What would you give in exchange for an eternity in Hell?  What is worth it?  I wonder how many people believe those lies?  Take the bait? Sell out?  It's sad really, that at times people will put more trust in the devil then they will put in God.  God is faithful, he answers prayer, but it's not always in the way or timing that we expect.  But, He is sovergn and as Christians His Word must be the final authority!

"Give Us Clean Hands"

(wow, it's been a long time since I've posted)

My best friend and I will be singing a song at church tonight (Lord willing) and I wanted to share some thoughts on it.  If you've never heard it I highly suggest going to YouTube and looking it up, the words are below.

So often Christians pray for strength, and patience, and purity but in my opinion, that it the wrong way to pray.  In this song it states, "give us clean hands, give us pure hearts, let us not lift our souls to another".  God isn't a sugar-daddy.  I think a more accurate and powerful way to pray would be, "Lord, give us the opportunity and grace to develop the strength and patience to endure the things that are to come.  Father, in Jesus' name, while being a powerful witness for you, help us to maintain our purity and keep our hands clean".  Just some thoughts I've had going through my mind, nothing earth shattering. 

Since I haven't posted in awhile, I'll share a dream that I had a few weeks ago.  In the dream I was around some people from work, we were in a rental unit, apartment type setting and were all looking at a spot on the wall.  In the dream, this one spot on the wall always appeared after a tenent would move out no matter how many times it was painted.  And after the spot would appear I would go inside and see this demonic being hovering (really it was just a ghostly face hovering but I knew it was demonic).  As I would pass by it I would rebuke it in the name of Jesus in my mind, and it never seemed to pay any attention to me. 

Then after about the 3rd time, I rebuked it in the name of Jesus and it looked at me and started accusing me.  It was shouting at me and I kept shouting back that I am a child of the Living God, am washed in the blood of Jesus, that it had no power over me and I would rebuke it in the name of Jesus Christ.  The more I fought back the angrier it got. 

Thankfully I could not hear the accusations that it was hurling at me, I just kept shouting about the God that I serve.  Then I started singing the hymn "Oh the Blood of Jesus......Oh the Blood has Power...."  Boy, that did it....it came after me and as it was flying at me and shouting accusations, right before it got to me I saw a covering of blood come over me and I woke up.  As I woke up I was singing "Oh the Blood of Jesus" in the Spirit.

The more I think about that dream, the more powerful a meaning it takes on for me.  About being covered by the blood of Jesus and being hidden behind the cross.  So many churches today fail to teach that these things are real, and that through them, and the Holy Ghost and the Word of God, is where the protection for the Saints of God is found. 

Give Us Clean Hands

Chris Tomlin
We bow our hearts
We bend our knees
Oh Spirit come make us humble
We turn our eyes
From evil things
Oh Lord we cast down our idols

So give us clean hands
and give us pure hearts
Let us not lift our souls to another
Oh give us clean hands
and give us pure hearts
Let us not lift our souls to another
Oh God let this be
a generation that seeks
Who seeks Your face, Oh God of Jacob
Oh God let us be
a generation that seeks
Who seeks Your face, Oh God of Jacob

“Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who shall stand in his holy place?

He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.

He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.

This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob.  Selah.

Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.

Who is the King of glory?  The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle.”  Psalm 24:3-8

The weight of the flesh

Sometimes I have the most wonderful spiritually edifying dreams.  I'll have dreams where demons will attack or people will be sick or dying and I'll just shake-off my fleshly nature and step out in the Spirit and start rebuking the devil in the name of Jesus and they HAVE to flee.  Or I'll start laying hands on people and praying for them in the name of Jesus and they will recover.  My favorite is when I start preaching in those dreams.  I have the exact thing to say to bring people to a saving, life changing knowledge of Jesus Christ, Scripture just flows from me like a river.  I absolutely LOVE dreams like that.  It gives me a small glimpse of what it will be like someday, either when Jesus is all we have to be able to exist anymore, or when we are totally free from this carnal prison and in Heaven.

John 1:1-5
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  The same was in the beginning with God.  All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.  In him was life; and the life was the light of men."

That's talking about my Jesus, the Word made flesh.  In the beginning, Jesus was not shackled by a human body.  He took that on to come down to our level, to relate to us, to lead us to a saving God.  We however, God breathed life into our mortal bodies and this flesh is all we have ever known.  This Christmas season I am reflecting on what that really means that Jesus put on flesh for us.  Can you imagine, someone who had only known living in the Spirit to be bound by flesh for a season?  What a sacrifice!  What a gift! 

Some who may be reading this may not have a clue what I'm talking about, maybe the only faith you have is in your religion and tradition, and the "spiritual" laws that man has bound you to.  Let me challenge you today to reach out to the Jesus of the Bible, I promise you He is already reaching back.  Cast off the traditions of men and the fetters of religion and start a relationship with a risen Savior!

(for more information on this Jesus of whom I speak, please e-mail me at snicola1556@charter.net or visit http://www.new-testament-church.org/ for great Biblical teaching!)

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A SPIRITUALLY HEALTHY, WEALTHY, AND WISE NEW YEAR TO YOU AND YOURS!

Life in the Valley

there's a song I like and here are the lyrics:

Life Is Easy, When Your Up On The Mountain
and You've Got Peace Of Mind
like You've Never Known
but Then Things Change And Your Down In The Valley
don't Lose Hope For Your Never Alone


[Chorus]

for The God On The Mountain Is Still God In The Valley
when Things Go Wrong He'll Make Them Right
and The God Of The Good Times, Is Still God Of The Bad Times
and The God Of The Day Is Still God Of The Night

v. 2

you Talk Of Faith When Your Up On The Mountain
oh, But The Talk Comes So Easy
when Life's At Its Best
but Its Down In The Valley Of Trials And Temptations
that's Where Faith Is Really Put To The Test


I feel like I've been in a valley lately and I think sometimes Christians feel like something is wrong with them when they go through valleys.  The Bible says to be content in whatever state you are in, to be content, and to be thankful.  That's hard to do when you're in the valley.  You feel ineffective, you feel like you don't have a testimony to share and what you don't have anything to offer anybody.  But really, it's in the valley that we have the truest measure of where our faith stands.  It's in the valley where we are strengthened, where our faith grows.  Spiritual highs are nice, but they don't keep people.  If I can go through the dry times and keep my faith, then I thank you Lord for this valley!

PRAISE!

I love days when I can't help but praise Jesus!!  Yesterday and today have been like that.  Not that I'm not always thankful for what He's done for me, but some days it's just easier to express my gratitude.  I love Jesus!!  He redeemed my life from the pit.  I was going nowhere fast and once I turned to Him, He set my feet on a firm foundation, started building my faith, gave me a purpose.  He is my strengh and my shield.  He is my defense.  When the accuser of the brethren shoots his firey darts, my God is my defender and my refuge.  He is my wisdom when I have one.  He is my redemtion from an eternity in hell.  He is my strength, my song, and my salvation.  He is all the good that is in me, and all the victories that I have and will ever win are through Him.  When I don't know which way to turn He is the light unto my path, He is my guide and He is my comfort.  He is my source of joy, and peace, and anticipation.  When I am confused, and hurt, and feel defeated He is my rock, my support, and my companion.  He is my health and my healer.  He is my rest.  His name is sweet on my lips, He quenches my parched soul.  Before I have a thought or emotion He knows it.  He is Jesus!!  I am His, and He is mine.

I'm angry today, God is angry with the wicked every day!

I don't know if it's anger so much as disappointment.  I am so disappointed with the church in general today.  Not only that but with some people in the church I attend.  As far as churches go, I go to one of the best, if not THE best church.  We have an awesome pastor, and his wife is a rare jewel.  They will speak truth and faith to you and would be there in an instant to help anybody.  Our church has been so blessed with a revelation of the true Word of God.  We have faith in our body, we have substance, we have people who are willing to take a stand for truth.  Which is in part why I am troubled today, well, the past couple days.  You see, it's not surprising to see mainstream denominational churches bow to the world and celebrate halloween, that doesn't shock me.  The mainstream churches seem to care more about keeping people happy than pleasing God.  How can you blame them, their money is coming from the people because they don't trust God to supply for them.  I'm talking today about "Harvest Parties".  HELLO PEOPLE, IF IT LOOKS LIKE A SKUNK, SMELLS LIKE A SKUNK AND ACTS LIKE A SKUNK - IT'S A SKUNK!!  So, these churches embrace halloween in the form of a harvest party, they still dress up, they still have it at halloween time, but somehow it's supposed to be ok?  Well, if that how it works, how about this:
Before I met Jesus I drank, smoked and swore.  So, all I have to do is change the name of beer and it would be acceptable in the eyes of the Lord?  I'll call it "harvest brew".  It's not beer, it's harvest brew, it still smells like beer, looks like beer, tastes like beer but it's not, it's harvest brew.  Well, it's still sin and sin still leads to death and ultimately hell.

No wonder the world mocks the Christian church.  The church is weak because they haven't resisted enough to be strong.  They bow their knee to anything that calls itself religious.  If people can't withstand one day a year how will they withstand the anti-christ?  My Bible says to abstain from the appearance of evil, in my eyes that includes halloween and anything that resembles it.  What does your Bible say?

I want to take this time to share a dream I had a few weeks ago.  In this dream I was with a bunch of other people in some sort of a stadium.  There was a speaker talking about some changes that were going to be taking place.  They were going to be monitoring all phone activity, money was changing, people wouldn't be able to travel anymore.  It happened so quickly that all these changes were made before we even made it home.  I knew that it was ushering in the time of the anti-christ and great tribulation for true followers of Jesus.  I had a plan though, I was going to make some contacts and skip the country with a couple other people.  So, we did.  We went to another country, but it was happening there too.  There was no escaping it.  In the dream, officers were coming into houses and taking away people to a sort of concentration camp.  We (the 2 people I was with and myself) decided that we would all commit suicide by taking pills.  We prayed before taking them that the Lord would see our hearts and forgive what we were about to do and still allow us to go to heaven, then we took the pills.  In the dream I stirred awake just as the officers were coming in, the other two had already died.  I quickly went to take more pills but then woke up.  As I woke up this kept coming into my mind: "These things needs be but the end is not yet". 

That went through my mind all day "These things needs be but the end is not yet".  Hard times are coming.  Not only physically, but mentally and spiritually also.  There is no escaping it.  Now is not the time to draw back in fear but to press on, to do the things that you know you need to do to strengthen your inner being.  Pray, fast, read the Word of God.  We don't have the strength we need but we know who can strenghten us.  Don't draw back from suffering, in the end is strength.  In the end is victory, if you stay true.

What are you putting on?

Well, here goes my first post.  I created this blog so that I would know when my Mom had updated her blog without checking it several times a day, or without calling her and asking her if she posted yet.  The more I thought about it, the more I thought maybe this is just what I need as an outlet.  Who knows?  We'll find out won't we :)

So, it's Monday morning and I'm getting ready for work and thinking about the sermons I heard yesterday and my mind goes to the same place that it has for several years now...."the accusation".  There is a couple that I met when I first started going to GNTC.  They seemed a bit odd but I tried to be friendly.  The person I was dating at the time wanted to get to know them more.  He insisted that we go visit them.  I insisted that we call first.  So, since he didn't have a phone he would call them from mine, failing to leave a message.  Since they didn't answer he wanted to drive by to see if they were home.  So, that happened a couple times and then he took the hint and stopped trying to visit them.  A few weeks later, the wife invited me to hang out after morning service.  I had to decline because I had made a promise to another brother in the Lord and didn't have time that day.  So, fast forward a couple weeks ahead and I, not the person I was seeing and I, just me, get confronted as I head out to church.  This husband and wife duo said that they knew that I was attracted to the husband and that there was no use acting all innocent and that they could see right through me.  I was DEVASTED!!  Not only was it untrue, it was disgusting to even think about.  I was in such shock that I couldn't even respond.  Fast forward a couple more years and I find out that they had gone to others and said that I would repeatedly call and hang up hoping that the husband would answer the phone, and would drive by to try to see him in his boxers.  Seriously disgusting people!!  Now, as absurd as that all is, it is still hurting me today.  Because of that I don't fellowship at all with my brothers in the Lord.  I might say, "Hi, Praise the Lord" or something to that affect but I very rarely look them in the eye or really get to have a relationship with them b/c I'm afraid not only of what may have been said to others but also that it would happen again.  Now that couple only pops in for a few weeks here or there to cause trouble.  And I can see them for exactly what they are, deceived and being used by the devil.

So, why did I put that on, why do I still allow myself to be entrenched in that, even if only in my mind?  The Bible says that the devil is a liar and the father of lies.  There is no truth in him. 
"And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.  Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." Phil. 4:7-8

So, instead of focusing on the accusations that the devil tries to put on me, I'll put on the mind of Christ.  I'll think about the things that He says that I am, redeemed, forgiven, saved, worth dying for, healed, kept in a safe place, a daughter of the King, continually being conformed to his image, set free, changed..................